Ghostbusters (soundtrack) (30th anniversary)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Saturday.

In June of 1984, a comedy film about a group of parapsychologists-turned-ghost-hunters hit the big screen. Ghostbusters became a huge box office success and a part of pop culture history.

The film's soundtrack (which spent thirty-four weeks on the US Billboard Album chart and peaked at number 6) sported a big line-up that included Ray Parker Jr., the Bus Boys, Laura Branigan, the Thompson Twins, Air Supply and more.

Click here for my full review.

Raydio - Rock On

This month marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Rock On, the second studio album from Raydio. The 1979 release spent thirty weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 45; it also went to number 65 in Australia, number 42 in Canada and number 4 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

As the cover shows, the predominant forces in the group were Ray Parker Jr. and Arnell Charmichael. The duo had an assist by a number of additional studio musicians as well.

Ray Parker Jr. - Woman Out of Control

This week (October 27th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Woman Out of Control, the second solo studio album from Ray Parker Jr. Following the previous year's The Other Woman (click here for that review), this 1983 release charted at number 45 on the US Billboard Album chart and number 18 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

Donna Summer - She Works Hard For the Money

Ready to bounce back after 1982’s self-titled Donna Summer (click here for that review), the R&B singer released She Works Hard For the Money on this date (June 13th) in 1983. This eleventh studio album for Summer went to number 28 in the UK, number 27 in Japan, number 14 in Germany, number 12 in Norway, number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 200, and number 8 in Sweden.

Diana Ross - Ross

Following 1982’s Silk Electric (click here for that review), Diana Ross came out with Ross in 1983. This was actually the second time she used just her last name for an album title - the first time being in 1978. This album went to number 59 in Australia, number 57 in Canada, number 44 in the UK, number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 27 in the Netherlands and number 14 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

Ray Parker Jr. - The Other Woman

From 1977 to 1981, Ray Parker Jr. was a part of the Detroit R&B band Raydio where he played both guitar and piano along with handling the lead vocals. The group broke up after putting out four albums, leading Parker to go solo. Seeing that he also could play drums, bass and synthesizers, he was more than well-equipped to be a one-man-band.

Thirty years ago this month, in April of 1982, he released The Other Woman which went all the way to number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 200 charts. The record generated a trio of singles.

Ghostbusters (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

In June of 1984, a comedy film about a group of parapsychologists-turned-ghost-hunters hit the big screen. Written by and starring Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and featuring Billy Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Rick Moranis, Ghostbusters became a huge box office success and a part of pop culture history. The film's special effects, quotable lines and iconic logo (seen above on the album cover) created the foundation of a franchise that would continue on for decades in the form of sequels, an animated TV series, toys, video games, comic books and more. I remember seeing it in the theatres on first run. I was back in my western New York hometown on summer break between my freshman and sophomore years of college, working by day in the freezers of the local ice cream manufacturing plant so that I could earn enough money to buy the Chevette off of my parents (my first car).