Joan Armatrading - At The Hop

[Frau_Blucher]

This song inexplicably popped into my head today. Anyone else have the recollection of it being played on your new wave station back in the early 80s? It's a great little tune with nice beaty guitar and bass lines. I'm pretty sure this was the first tune of her's that KROQ picked up either in 81 or 82, before "I Love It When You Call Me Names" came along in 83 from The Key album. And then that was it I think - no other Armatrading song really played on new wave radio before or after? Anybody have this recollection? Different?

[tileboy]

I think it was played in Boston a little or maybe it was "Eating the Bear". Maybe my recollection is tainted because I'm a huge fan of that Walk under Ladders cd. I know I played it a ton at my college station.

[randy]

Yeah--there was some other song by hers that got minor airplay--dont remember what it was. Call Me Names was really the only tune of hers that I heard that I actually liked.

[KYYX4ever]

[b]Drop The Pilot[/b] got some play on our NW radio back then. I really like this song. Friday Night Videos played it a lot, too. I don't know if I've heard other Joan Armatrading.

p.s. thanks NuWaveRx, for the correction !

[randy]

Yeah--thats the tune--actually not bad now that I see the name of it again.

[NuWaveRx]

er.. its "Drop the Pilot", right?

(just trying to make up for the "98 tears" post[:I] )

BTW I love The Key. Great melodies and lyrics, and good (read in this case not anthemic) production by Steve Lillywhite.

The Key, Walk Under Ladders, and Me, Myself and I are my favorite LPs by Joan. Highly recommended.

[WolverineSyr]

Her "Me, Myself & I" album got a lot of play here - particularly the title track. I'm Lucky, Drop the Pilot, and When I Get It Right also were played quite a bit. Funny though, I Love it When You Call Me Names never really made here.

Perhaps she was a favorite of one of the DJ's at the station I listened to, or I hung around a lot of lesbians at the time....

[Frau_Blucher]

While I wouldn't completely dismiss the lesbian theory, I wonder if it could be a regional thing. My wife, who was at SUNY Albany at that time and who I'm somewhat inclined to believe is not lesbian, is also a big fan of her and all those tracks. She doesn't really recall At the Hop or Call Me Names either though.

[WolverineSyr]

You're probably right about it being regional.

If you haven't checked out the Me, Myself & I album, do it! Every track is good - it's one of those albums I can listen to front to back without skipping a song.

[TragicMagic]

She did quite well down here.

She is actually touring again back here in Oz soon...


TM

[zill]

Yes, Drop The Pilot got a lot of play even in the backwaters of eastern Canada back in the day. I still love that song, it kicks ass.

[tha_farfetch]

"I'm Lucky" (I Can Walk Under Ladders) and "No Love" were the only two New Wave highlights that still get airplay on local New Wave radio stations over here: Lima Peru (South America).

FarFetch.