The Best Of 1985: #3

Okay, this choice might surprise some of ya'll, but come on... Paul Stanley wears the pinkest jacket with the world's largest shoulder pads. I love it! And the tune, it's catchy man. You can't deny the smoothness of "Tears are Falling." Probably not the best KISS song ever recorded, but I still love it. Oh, and there's a volcano.

Comments

[The Cheap Seats]

Does not surprise me at all considering what the landscape looked like with 1985 records. The only surprising part is that it ranked this high. But that's just personal opinion.

[Metalboy!]

You may be right, Allyson... "Not the best KISS song ever recorded", but it's not the worst, either. Try something off "The Elder" to achieve that distinction. I personally find the song to be a guilty pleasure and find the whole affair, particularly the video itself, quite hilarious.

[Ace Steele]

As a long time KISS fan, I think there's plenty of crap on Dynasty, Unmasked & Asylum to take any "worst Kiss song" prize. and then... there's the 15 song "Hot In The Shade" that had so few good songs on it, that it would have made a decent 45.

Tears Are Falling (or as I liked to call it, "Careers Are Fallen") is a cute little, disposable pop tune.

[Him]

You can't blame this one on outside writers, that's for sure! Leave it to Paul and you get songs like this or "Crazy, Crazy Nights (co-written, granted). The man just needs to air out those jazz hands while Gene is off in Hollywood combing Selleck's 'stache.

If I could go back one year, I would pick the Child's co-authored "Heaven's On Fire." Less "9-to-5" Day-Glo power suits and a bit more tongue. Or, if I wanted to go all Type II Diabetes in, I would just slam you in the face with the subtle and nuanced (paradox alert) "Uh! All Night."

But Ace is right: this is disposable stuff, easy on the ear and catchy to boot. It kept them afloat and put them in the rotation. And they had two solid replacements in Carr and Kulick (who helped write the far better "King of the Mountain") as well.

[B Lucas]

Well...for me, this is the Kiss I grew up with and really enjoyed. It all started with the Animalize record then back to Lick it Up. Saw them for the first time in Pittsburgh on the Animalize tour and have love everything they've put out since. Yes...even this glammed out, pink lovin era. This tune takes me back to high school and all those glory days.
The thing about Kiss is that they knew how to stay relevant, and that's why they've stayed around for so long and still pack in the crowds. Through the 80's, the music may not have been like back in the 70's, but it sure was fun. BTW..I think there are some cool tunes on Hot in the Shade. Then eventually came REVENGE!!!!!!

[JackT.Ripper]

Lucas, Im with you 100%! Ripper loved HOT IN THE SHADE! Rise to it, Read my body, Silver spoon, Betrayed, Cadillac Dreams all good tunes! Revenge is almost Perfect! Ripper also enjoyed Carnival of Sins but can take or leve Pshyco Circus. That should have been better.

[Rita]

Paul's material during this period was mostly good. Gene's not so much. I usually skipped over his songs.

But every album had some good songs along with a bit of filler some more than others. And Lick It Up and Heaven's on Fire were my favorite records until Revenge.

And to me, Tears are Falling was kind of bland.

[Dj]

Not a big KISS fan, the 80s stuff was cool. I love the Revenge album though.

[Brian C.]

Volcano!!! Hahaha. :-)

[Jeff]

Great video and song. The smoking guitar solo by Bruce Kulick makes the song epic. Oh yeah, The Elder...Come on man, that CD is terrible!

[Metalboy!]

Regarding "The Elder", that's what I said, Jeff! "Revenge" is to KISS what "Some Girls" is to The Stones. A great album that saved their asses! "UNHOLY"!!!

AND, Ripper! Brace yourself... We're in complete agreement (and that wouldn't be the first time!), LOVE "Hot In The Shade" (Sorry, Ace!) and enjoy "Carnival of Sins", not so much "Psycho Circus" and that's kind of an understatement!

[Metalboy!]

Rita! "Lick It Up"! Epic! Natch, you and I would have a certain "affection" for that one. ; )

As Ace will tell you, thanks to his ol' buddy, genius Vinnie Vincent, who shall forever be known as the guy who was able to pull a fast one (literally, as in guitar solo!) on $immon$.

Even if Gene did get the last laugh in the end, it took him awhile to catch on Vincent was stealin' the show, which still marked another turning point that saved Stanley & Simmons, Inc.

[Jeff]

Gotcha MB, I misunderstood your post!

[Rita]

Oops. I meant Animalize, which had Heaven's On Fire on it. That and LIck It Up were my favorites 80's KISS albums until Revenge came along.

Hot in the Shade had some decent Paul songs on it, IMO.

And Metalboy! No surprise ;)

[Metalboy!]

; )

[Mike]

Asylum is a pretty solid record. Much better than Animalize IMO. This song, and especially "Who Wants To Be Lonely" are standouts for sure.

KISS never really lost me until Psycho Circus, which (The Elder notwithstanding) was their only full on dud. Too bad they didn't just end their recorded legacy with the brilliant Revenge.