SWIK Music from 1989

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A few weeks ago the Economist ran a story on 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The cover had one of the iconic images from that year, a punk sitting a top the crumbling wall. For those of us who grew up during the cold war, the dismantling of the Berlin Wall was probably one of the most significant political events of our lives, at least until September 11, 2001. Looking back, 1989 was quite a year. The event in Germany prompted Eastern European countries like Czechoslovakia and Poland to undergo peaceful transitions out from under Soviet control. Earlier that year student demonstrators took over Tiananmen Square in Beijing in what led to, while not the political opening of China then by all accounts its economic opening. In 1989 the Exxon Valdez spilled 10 million gallons of crude oil on Prince WIlliam Sound, Alaska in what remains the worst environmental disaster to happen at sea. In other news, the U.S. invaded Panama and bailed out the Savings & Loan industry. An earthquake in San Francisco held up the World Series. At Hillsborough stadium in England, 96 people died at a football (soccer) match.

For me, one of the most significant events of 1989 took place on December 6th at Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal. On that day, a 25 year old man killed 14 women and injured many others, before turning a gun on himself in what became known as the Montreal Massacre. He claimed that he was “fighting feminism.” His suicide note supposedly mentioned women who had succeeded in non-traditional female work such as firefighters, police officers, and journalists. On that date I was in college only an hour and a half from Montreal. Many of us spent a lot of time there, so the shock waves from the event rippled to the dorms of University of Vermont. This week, as I look back on 1989 and the female artists who were shaping the next decades of music, I dedicate this post to the women who died senselessly at the hands of a madman on December 6, 1989.


I’ll begin with one of the most significant albums for me in 1989, Kate Bush’s The Sensual World. While it didn’t produce any number one hits, it is a truly remarkable album from start to finish. The most well known song is probably “This Woman’s Work.” On this song, and most of the others on the album, Bush was writing and singing from another perspective. In the title track, "The Sensual World," it’s a character stepping of the page of a James Joyce novel. In "This Woman’s Work," she’s singing from a man’s perspective. Years later R&B signer Maxwell would have a hit with his cover of the song. His version is almost as amazing as this original. All the more poignant that a man would be willing to sing it. At the time, Bush’s album, and this song in particular, moved me in a way that allowed me to more fully appreciate being a woman.

In 1989 I was angry at just about everything and it came out in my musical tastes. The other album that spent a lot of time in my stereo that year was Nine Inch Nails’ Pretty Hate Machine, which was dark electronic angst at it’s best. The Sensual World became part of a process of softening and understanding for me. I became a feminist in college, but by the time I left I decided that I was comfortable being feminine as well. Bush’s influence on music today, may be difficult to trace. She has a unique voice and has taken on varying odd topics. Her influence can certainly be heard in artists like Tori Amos, Bjork and Goldfrapp among others. She deserves her own SWIK post and will eventually get one.




Another often overlooked album from 1989 was Sarah McLachlan’s debut, Touch. While I didn’t discover McLachlan until her third album, Fumbling Toward Ecstasy, it’s worth mentioning Touch here. The album launched her as a the predominate singer-songwriter of the 1990‘s and it’s worth a listen. While her music is noteworthy and influential, it was her establishment of Lilith Fair where she had significant industry impact. Until the Lilith Fair, concert promoters refused to feature two female musicians on tour together. At the time it was even difficult to get two major female acts on tour in the same year. While for some the Lilith Fair became a bit of a joke, tagged as some sort of hippie-chick fest, it actually broke down barriers and introduced many new artists. By 1997 it was the top grossing festival of the year and raised millions for women’s charities. McLachlan hasn’t done anything new since 2006, but her earlier albums have stood the test of time and there’s talk of plans to bring back Lilith Fair in 2010.

Moving to the radio, in 1989, the charts were full of Madonna’s Like A Prayer which came out in March 1989. Since I’ve covered Madonna (see post) there’s not much to add. She was certainly at the height of her career here. This album generated six hits. Her influence on music today is undeniable. Again, so much has been said that I don’t feel the need to add more. Of course, I love this album and it remains a standby for dance clubs and workout mixes.

Surprisingly it’s actually Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation from 1989 that remains the first and only album to generate SEVEN top 5 singles. Along with catchy love songs like “Love Will Never Do” and “Miss You Much,” the album included socially conscious songs like “Black Cat” and “Knowledge” and “Rhthym Nation.” I think that Jackson remains a highly underrated pop artist, particularly her music from this era. Her album previous to Rhythm Nation, Control, may have been one of the first to influence a musical genre that would be called ‘new jack swing,’ which fused R&B, rap, funk, and disco. Rhythm Nation mastered this, her signature sound. She recently released a greatest hits, so expect an entire post on Ms. Jackson in the near future.

Continuing with top 40 in 1989, Bonnie Raitt’s Nick Of Time produced several hits and won her three Grammy’s in 1990. At the time, I only gave the album a cursory listen. I liked it and pulled it out occasionally. But 20 years later, the lyrics seem more appropriate than ever, getting older and finding love in the nick of time rings true. The songs are smooth and full of warm vocals with her phenomenal bluesy guitar.

Raitt has a great story, deserving of her own SWIK icon post. In early 1980’s she was dropped by her record label, Warner Brothers, who she had been recording with for more than a decade. While previously she had critical success, she had never had a real ‘hit.’ Luckily she was picked up by Capital Records in 1987 and went on to record Nick Of Time. Her complete and utter turnaround when she was about 40 years old is inspiring. Among numerous other albums and collaborations, Raitt developed a signature guitar in 2000. The Bonnie Raitt signature Fender Strat is the only Fender guitar to honor woman. She designed it with women in mind, in an effort to encourage young girls to take up guitar. She continues to put out albums and tour.

Moving to different genre and another seminal recording, in 1989 Queen Latifah released her debut album All Hail the Queen. Hip-hop and rap had not yet entered mainstream top 40 music yet, but All Hail The Queen made it onto the Billboard charts. Of course, only to be completely overwhelmed by 2 Live Crew’s As Nasty As They Wanna Be and the beginning of raunchy misogynist hip-hop that seemed to bring in white audiences (specifically men). In contrast De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising was also released in 1989. It remains one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time and is full of funky beats and generally positive messages. In 1989, I wasn’t listening to a lot of hip-hop, but Latifah’s album stood out. I discovered it at Strawberries Music (a record store, if you remember those) and would have to credit one of my co-workers, Reba, for introducing it to me. It became a staple on our after hours play list. Latifah’s song “Ladies First” with Monie Love, has become an anthem for women of all races and is one of her signature songs. Latifah went on to do TV, movies, and sing jazz. She recently went back to her roots and released a hip-hop album, but having been away for so long it seems to be missing some of her earlier power. She remains a female hip-hop pioneer, a major industry force and influence.

In an altogether different genre, The Creatures released their album Boomerang in 1989. You can read about this collaboration between Siouxise Sioux and her drummer Budgie in the SWIK post. This is another album that rarely came out of rotation in my stereo. The pulsing drums on "Standing There," expressed all the anger that seems appropriate when you’re about 20 and as I’ve mentioned I was pretty angry in 1989.

Back on the charts, the B-52’s released Cosmic Thing in 1989. When I first heard them ten years earlier on their eponymous debut album, with “Rock Lobster” and “Dance This Mess Around,” I never would have guessed that they would produce an album with a chart topping hit. While I didn’t like the song “Love Shack”, I was pleased that they finally made it big. The song is undeniably catchy. The harmonies of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson add the catchy edge to the B-52’s new wave sound. Funplex, released in 2008, was the band’s first original album in 16 years. While they aren’t churning out the hits these days, they continue to influence new wave and alternative music today. They never disappoint and Cosmic Thing still sounds surprisingly good.

In 1989, Melissa Etheridge released her second album Brave and Crazy which helped to launch her career. I have a preference for her self-titled debut album, but Brave and Crazy was full of soulful rock sounds. She channels women who paved the way for her like Janis Joplin and Grace Slick in songs like “Angels” and “No Souvenirs.” A few years later she would have a mega hit with “Come To My Window” and a video that featured Juliette Lewis, from her album Yes I Am. I think her first two albums are her best. They are raw and feature mainly her guitar and vocals.

Brave and Crazy has a surprising amount of sexual power. The the songs seem to not only get under your skin but also to strike some place deeper. If she can be compared to anyone it would probably be Bruce Springsteen. I saw Etheridge in concert in 1989 and she was fantastic. Now a breast cancer survivor and gay rights activist, she hasn’t stopped. In 2006 she won an Academy Award for her song “ I Need to Wake Up” from Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth. In 1989 she was a constant in my stereo, I only recently pulled out this album after a long hiatus. Although it brings back a few painful memories, her music still holds up.

Another singer songwriter that I was really into this year was Shawn Colvin, I’m not sure how I discovered her album Steady On but it remained in and out in my stereo for years. Colvin plays guitar as well, but comes from the lineage of Joni Mitchell and has more a folk sound. Years later she would have hits from her album A Few Small Repairs, but I prefer this first album. Songs like “Shotgun Down the Avalanche” and “Diamond in the Rough” get under your skin with their clarity and soulful guitar. I saw her in concert for about $5 in college and she didn’t disappoint. Her last album came out in 2006 and although I haven’t listened to much of her newer music, Steady On remains a constant in my listening rotation.

To wrap up, Cher and Tina Turner, already legends at this point, also released albums in 1989. Cher had a mega comeback hit with “If I Could Turn Back Time” from her album Heart of Stone. Turner charted with “The Best” from her album Foreign Affair. I think that I saw Turner in concert that year. She was incredible and probably 50 at the time. She released two more studio albums after Foreign Affair and continues to perform. Both of these SWIK Legends deserve their own posts and will get them eventually.

In 1989 everyone was watching David Lynch’s hit Twin Peaks, well everyone except me. I was working and never seemed to be home the night it aired. I loved the music though. Julee Cruise’s 1989 album Floating Into The Night was written largely by Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti, who wrote Twin Peaks' opening song, “Laura’s Theme.” Many of Cruise’s songs ended up on the very dark, goth radio show that I did with my friend Christine.

These are just a few albums that stood out for me in 1989. There are plenty of others worth mentioning, but I would need to write a novel to cover all of them. Of course, the boys were certainly putting out some significant music as well, but we’re focused on the ladies here at SWIK. Looking back, I’m struck by the diversity of the music and the talent of these women. I think they have all, in their own way, influenced today’s artists.

To go back to where we started, the Montreal Massacre of 1989. While the shootings were clearly the result of a deranged man, it does make me take a moment to reflect. Violence against women remains rampant in 2009 and one of the most widespread violations of human rights, from the most prevalent forms such as domestic and sexual abuse to so-called honor killings and stonings. According to UNIFEM, globally six out of ten women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Unfortunately, it also remains ever prevalent in music as well. While looking back on 1989 allows us to celebrate how far we’ve come, it also remind us how far we have to go.


More Info
Learn more about violence against women or get involved at UNIFEM and the Say NO to Violence campaign re-launched last month.

More SWIK Releases from 1989
Indigo Girls - self titled
Enya - Oranocco Flow
Shakespear's Sister - You’re History
Dusty Springfield - Nothin's Been Proven
Debbie Gibson - Electric Youth
Jody Watly -Larger Than Life
Kristy MacColl -Kite
Soul II Soul -Club Classics
Neneh Cherry -Raw Like Sushi
Cyndi Lauper -A Night To remember
Stevie Nicks - The other Side of the Mirror
10,00 Maniacs -Blind Mans Zoo
Diana Ross -Workin' Overtime
Gloria Estefan - Cuts Both Ways
Eurythmics - We Too Are One
Sugarcubes- Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week
Linda Ronstadt- Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind
Kylie Minogue- Enjoy Yourself
Technotroic- Pump up the Jam
Ofra Haza - Desert Wind
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Blow

What the boys were up to in 1989
The Pixies - Doolittle
The Cure - Distintiration
Elvis Costello - Spike
Fine Young Cannibals - The Raw and The Cooked
XTC - Oranges & Lemons
The Replacements- Don’t Tell A Soul
Lou Reed -New York
Neville Brothers - Yellow Moon
Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Mothers Milk
The Cult - Sonic Temple
John Lee Hooker- The Healer
Mother Love Bone -Shine
Ministry - The Mind is A Terrible Thing to Taste
Green Day - 1,000 Hours
Stone Roses - Stone Roses
Peter Gabriel - Passion
Nirvana - Bleach
Prince - Batman
Stevie Ray Vaughn- In Step
Chris Isaak- Heart Shaped World
Don Henley - The End of Innocence
Love & Rockets- Love & Rockets
Jesus & Mary Chain- Automatic
Soundgarden- Louder Than Love
Lenny Kravitz- Let Love Rule