San Francisco’s gayest looking straight bandleader, Huey Lewis burst on the music scene by slamming his whole head into a sink full of ice water in the video for “I Want a New Drug.” It was a tight song, if a little cliche, and became wildly popular. Wow! If you sing about drugs and sex, you get a hit! Whodathunkit? Anyhow, I don’t feel guilty for liking I Want A New Drug and, moreover, I don’t really like it all that much . . .
I Want a New Drug-Keller Williams
I Want a New Drug-Apostle of Hustle
He went on to have a slew of hits. A much better one was
Heart and Soul-Umphrey’s McGee
His next big break was when he was featured in the movie “Back To The Future,” in which Huey chaperoned Michael J. Fox’s prom, where McFly Jr.’s mom kept trying to make out with him. Great movie. Decent song. Still no guilt.
Time is Of the Essence/Back In Time-Animal Liberation Orchestra
I don’t even feel guilty for getting pleasure out of this one, but it’s getting closer to cringeworthy . . .
So where’s the guilt? Here it is, the corniest HLandTN tune ever, performed by a band who deserve far more attention than they’re getting.
If This Is It-Throw Me The Statue
Why does this one make me feel guilty? Maybe it’s the heads-on-the-beach image from the video. Maybe it’s the lame attempt to duplicate Billy Joel’s success doing doo wop on “Innocent Man.” No. It’s the lyrics.
If this is it, please let me know,if this ain’t love, you better let me go!
And that’s just the chorus. There’s gemlike verses as well:
You’ve been thinking
And I’ve been drinking
We both know that it’s just not right
Now you’re pretending
That it’s not ending
You’ll say anything to avoid a fight
Girl don’t lie, and tell me that you need me
Girl don’t cry, and tell me nothing’s wrong
I’ll be all right one way or another
So let me go, or make we want to stay
God, this song is stupid. Yet I love it!
