Jaki Graham 'Step Right Up'

Chart Peak: 15
YouTube

Follow-up to 'Set Me Free' and 'Breaking Away' which were both Top 2 hits earlier in 1986.

Oddly appropriate that the notes are about her previous hits because this does sound very like an attempt to write a follow-up to 'Set Me Free'. Even though the lyrical sentiment is kind of the opposite, it's quite similar musically, though inevitably not as good. It's also rather marred by the attempt at a rock production with a jarring guitar overdubbed at the end of the track. Graham does her best but she hasn't been given a lot to work with here.

Also appearing on: Now 5, 6 [with David Grant], 7
Available on: The Very Best Of

Jaki Graham & David Grant 'Mated'

Chart Peak: 20

YouTube

Following the Top 5 success of 'Could It Be I'm Falling In Love' earlier in the year, Jaki and David have released this Todd Rundgren track as the follow-up.

Todd Rundgren: a name you might not have expected to show up in the context of Now albums, but he did indeed write this song, which was originally recorded by his prog-rock band Utopia who'd released it as their last single earlier in 1985. He later recorded a Latin-jazz version as a solo artist, which is as good an idea as you'd expect. It's not the most obvious source of material for a soppy soul-pop duet (especially as the follow-up to a Detroit Spinners cover) but in practice it's a fairly straightforward pop slowie, despite the oddly zoological-sounding title. I'm pretty sure this got Rundgren's highest UK chart position as a songwriter, thought of course he's made the Top 10 as a producer for Meat Loaf.

All of which said, it's not really that good a track either, lacking the sort of memorable hook that worked on 'Could It Be I'm Falling In Love'. It's another example of a 1985 Now! missing the big hit and catching the lesser follow-up instead. It feels a bit symptomatic of a broadly underwhelming album, where the couple of genuinely brilliant tracks stand out all the more. Even the Madness track isn't much cop, a sure sign of a disappointing album.

We'll be back in a few weeks when I've decided which album comes next. I'm thinking 46, 56 and 76 may have to wait a while.

Jaki Graham also appears on: Now 5, 7, 8
Available on: Just The Two Of Us

Jaki Graham 'Set Me Free'

Chart Peak: 7

YouTube

The follow-up to 'Mated' charted at No. 62 on 29th April and had raced to No. 7 by 10th June 1986.

Another of those songs that I must have heard enough while they were current for them to sound familiar when I hear them now - but I struggle to remember it any time when I'm not listening to it. At this point in history we're nearing the end of Graham's brief run of significant chart success, although she did re-appear in the mid-90s with a few minor Top 75 entries and she continues to record and tour to this day.

I wanted to like this, not least because British soul music often seems underappreciated, and I don't not like it. I just find it difficult to feel strongly about either way. Everyone does a good job, it just doesn't leave much of an impression.

Also appearing on: Now 5, 6 (with David Grant), 8
Available on: Breaking Away

Jaki Graham 'Round And Around'

Chart Peak: 9

YouTube

Gaah! Again with the fake-recording-session videos. And how come she's got a microphone but the backing singers haven't?

We're staying in the clubs with this one, although it was an obvious crossover pop hit as well. Jaki Graham notched up a decent number of hits at the time, but despite her heroically massive hair seems a slightly forgotten act now, perhaps because she falls between the stools of one-hit-wonder and big star, so there's no one song that everybody remembers her for. This first hit is maybe the closest she comes to a signature hit on her own, one that broke no new ground even 25 years ago but is eminently pleasant to hear. My favourite part is the subtle downward shift of the meldy leading into the chorus, which seems to give a slight flavour of trepidation about the possibly unrequited love she's confessing here.

Also appearing on: Now 6 [with David Grant], 7, 8
Available on: Original Hits - The Girls