Great Soundtracks of 1987: The Secret of My Success

According to recent jargon, Mrs. 80smetalman and I have been ‘pinged.’ Three days ago, we had notification that we had been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid. As a result, we both have to self-isolate for a week. While, they won’t make the location of this contact known, we speculate it was at our local Starbucks as that’s the only place in recent days we went to together and used our Track and Trace apps. Fortunately, I will still get basic pay from work but I will lose out on the payments for “sleep ins’ nor will be able to undertake substitute teaching early next week. It’s a bit of a bummer, although it has given me time to make the front yard look tidy and post this a day early.

If it wasn’t for Night Ranger and their “Big Life” album, I wouldn’t have posted any soundtracks for 1987. However, the song from that album, which bears the same name of the film, prompted me to look at the soundtrack and seeing some of the songs on it, I thought I would give it a go. Now that I’ve heard the soundtrack to “The Secret of My Success,” I can now post about it and I can say that this is simply a typical 1980s film soundtrack. The Night Ranger sung title track leads it off and is a good way to open the album. It’s not the best song on the soundtrack but decent enough. However, the second song is a bit of a disappointment as someone who loved Pat Benatar in the early 1980s. When I heard “Sometimes the Good Guys Finish First,” I had to check again to make sure it was Pat who was actually singing. It’s an 80s synth pop song and I keep asking, “Pat, how could you sing something like this?”

On the subject of 80s soundtracks, there is nothing more indicative of it here than on the power ballad “Don’t Ask the Reason” by Restless Heart. When I heard the opening notes, I expected Peter Cetera of Chicago fame to start singing. Saying that, it’s not a bad song, an okay ballad to say the least. However, there is a hidden gem and one semi-hidden gem. I’ll start with the semi one, which is “The Price of Love” by Roger Daltrey. Most people will agree that Roger’s voice is legendary and he lends that voice to the song. It is also helped by the fact that this is not an 80s synth pop song, especially with the horn arrangement which is done very well. The real hidden gem comes in the form of the closer, “Heaven and Heartaches,” by little known UK heavy metal band Taxxi. This song is a complete rocker and if I had known about it back in the day, I would have explored the band more.

As for the rest of the soundtrack, there is another ballad by Danny Peck and Nancy Shanks, whoever they are, but that doesn’t really do anything for me. There is also one from Bananarama, which isn’t bad, it’s far better than their chart song from that time, “Love in the First Degree” and has a cool guitar solo but it doesn’t make me want to check out their archives. There is also some instrumentals from producer David Foster on it which act as a good bridge between the songs. My verdict: “The Secret of My Success” has some good songs on it but overall, I wouldn’t call it bad but it’s nothing to get excited about.

Track Listing:

1. Night Ranger- The Secret of My Success

Pat Benatar

2. Pat Benatar- Sometimes the Good Guys Finish First

3, Danny Peck and Nancy Shanks- I burn for you

4. Bananarama- Risking a Romance

5. David Foster- Gazebo

Roger Daltrey

6. Roger Daltrey- The Price of Love

7. David Foster- Water Fountain

8. Restless Heart- Don’t Ask the Reason Why

9. David Foster- 3 Themes

Taxxi- Heaven and Heartache

10. Taxxi- Heaven and Heartaches

To this day, it still amuses me how soundtracks in the 80s tried to bring on songs from many genres of rock in order to incorporate interest. That formula is never more clearer than the soundtrack to “The Secret of My Success.” It has at least one song that most people will like.

Now to further prove my insanity, I have an idea for a horror film:

Chucky

Versus

Anabelle

Yes, it’s “Chucky vs. Anabelle!” What do people think, a box office sensation?

Next post: Aerosmith- Permanent Vacation

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com