“Good Clean Fun” by Bonnie Hayes is an overlooked rock/pop/new wave masterpiece from 1982

wordpress ^ | August 12, 2012 | Dan from Squirrel Hill

[grundle]

In 1982, a California band called Bonnie Hayes with the Wild Combo released an album called Good Clean Fun. Despite being a stunningly fantastic album of rock, pop, and new wave, the album was largely ignored in most of the country. It did get exposure on college radio stations, as well as on some local California stations, and two of its songs were used in the 1983 movie Valley Girl (which is, in my opinion, the best and most intelligent of all of the 80s teen movies). But the album, being released on the independent Slash Records label, never got the kind of attention that it deserved. It’s so osbscure that it wasn’t even released on CD until 2007.

The All Music Guide said of the album:

“First and foremost, the songs on Good Clean Fun are almost embarrassingly catchy. The first two tracks, ‘Girls Like Me’ and ‘Shelly’s Boyfriend,’ are three-minute classics with more vocal and musical hooks than many whole albums. While the other eight tracks are slightly less immediate, every single one of them has a catchy chorus or appealing riff that imprints itself in the listener’s memory. Aside from the musical heft of the album, Hayes is an acute lyricist with a knack for both clever Elvis Costello-style wordplay and vividly realistic imagery. ‘Shelly’s Boyfriend’ is a sympathetic portrait of the frustrations of teenage love, but the immediacy of the lyrics lifts it above similar tunes. Other songs, like ‘Inside Doubt’ and ‘Separating,’ deal with more complex emotions without losing the power pop bounce that makes the album so instantly appealing. Good Clean Fun works brilliantly on every level, and only Slash Records’ limited distribution muscle — and possibly the unfortunately cheesy cover art — kept it from being a hit. As it stands, Good Clean Fun is a neglected ’80s pop masterpiece.”

Here’s the cover art:

Here are the first two songs from the album:

“Girls Like Me”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq1eqLZ0fNk&feature=player_embedded

“Shelley’s Boyfriend”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR1fD4DyGzk&feature=player_embedded

[grundle]

This is the complete text of the blog.

[humblegunner]

And the direct links to the videos. Well done!

[TxBec]

ah memories

[grundle]

Thanks.

[Tanniker Smith]

Valley Girl (which is, in my opinion, the best and most intelligent of all of the 80s teen movies).

I've heard that before, but yet I still haven't seen it.
Granted, it might be overlooked because there was a subgenre of teen sex comedies (or sex farces, if they tried to aspire to more than they really were) that got more attention.

[Tijeras_Slim]

There was a lot of fun music in the 80’s.

[rbg81]

I agree. “Valley Girl” was a great movie and had an awesome soundtrack (beyond just the songs you mentioned). It was also notable for being Nicolas Cage’s first movie—make of that what you will.

But my favorite 80s teen movie is still “The Sure Thing” with John Cusack.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

I knew Bonnie and played (guitar) in a top-40 band with her before this punk phase, in which she did pretty well. Her brother, Kevin, was the drummer, and her other brother, Chris, was guitar player for Huey Lewis & the News. Ahhh, simpler times.

[HHFi]

I was the record librarian for a major radio syndicator when this album came out, and I loved it. Still have my promo copy. I talked to the record rep quite a bit and did everything I could to get it airplay. Unfortunately, getting programmers to listen to new music was like pulling teeth. Even worse, now, of course, but I could spend hours telling you about great albums from the ‘70s and ‘80s that never saw the light of day on American radio.

[bt_dooftlook]

Like Gruppo Sportivo?

Seriously, it would be great if you could post information on some of these unheralded classics, or, better, links to your favorite music from that time...

[bt_dooftlook]

Yeah, but for consistent 80’s goofiness, I’d still go with “Better Off Dead”, closely followed by “Bachelor Party”, and “Ruthless People”

YMMV

[bt_dooftlook]

Honorable mentions to “Splash” and “Ghostbusters”

[grundle]

I knew Bonnie and played (guitar) in a top-40 band with her before this punk phase, in which she did pretty well. Her brother, Kevin, was the drummer, and her other brother, Chris, was guitar player for Huey Lewis & the News. Ahhh, simpler times.

Wow! What a small world. I never, ever would have thought that anyone here knew her, or played music with her. That's pretty awesome!

[grundle]

I’m glad you put in all that effort to try to get it played on the radio.