Just as Straight Up topped the charts in the USA, it was released in the UK. Luckily I didn't have to wait to long to buy the the UK physical version. Paula's refreshing honesty in delivering the message of the song, was just delicious. My finger was always lingering over record on the cassette deck of the stereo deck in hopes of hearing a hot new sound. I was enchanted with it, first hearing it on the US Top 40 radio countdown which played on local radio here in my native England. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1988, quickly gaining momentum to hit the top spot (for 3 weeks) in Feb 1989. It was Paula's sassy performance that elevated it from pop goodness to majestic manna from the pop gods. From the distinctive opening beats to the 'pa-pa-pa-pa' refrain (as well as that ridiculously catchy chorus), everything about this Elliot Wolff composition/produced song blended together to be a fresh new sound. It was as easy to see back in 1988 as it is now why Straight Up became such a smash. A re-released version rocketed to number 3 Stateside just under a year later. Oh, don't feel to bad for (It's Just) The way That You Love Me. The record label paid attention and promptly issued it as a single. It struck such a chord with listeners that it created a ripple effect across other California stations. They were so convinced Straight Up would be a smash that they put it into heavy rotation. Charmed by her second single, (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me (which had been released some months earlier and was slowly but surely making inroads at r'n'b radio), the DJ checked out the Ms Abdul's album. Straight Up actually got its initial boost from a San Francisco radio station. For millions of fans, however, it was their first introduction to this mesmerising new pop star - a performer who embraced the visual just as much as the audio, thanks to her ability to craft deft and dazzling dance routines. Paula's first major global hit was actually the third single from her debut album, Forever Your Girl. Remind yourself why Paula remains Forever Your Girl.
To celebrate the album's 30th anniversary, I'm revisiting each single on the anniversary of the day they were released (which isn't always the order they were hits). From the day I bought the album, I was utterly smitten - all facets of love are on display here, drenched in funky beats (then remixed into intoxicating new rhythms by the era's most prolific DJs). They open the floodgate to the memories they soundtracked and make you smile all over again. But here's the thing - while it captured (and helped define) the sound of radio at the time, the songs would prove that they were here to stay. Packed to the gills with radio friendly hooks and floor-filling dance vibes, picking singles from the opus was like shooting fish in a barrel - radio, music video channels and consumers lapped up her effusive brand of pop like it was going out of style. It was that inescapable worldwide smash that came with single three (Straight Up), however, that saw the album rocket up the charts and launched Ms Abdul as the triple threat those early fans knew her to be. Two minor hits were released from it in mid-1988 and it lingered in the lower echelons of the Billboard 200 upon its initial release. Paula Abdul's debut album, Forever Your Girl, wasn't quite the overnight success it seemed. Read my Paula Abdul album anniversary celebrations here Read all my #ForeverYourGirl30 anniversary celebrations here Original release date: November 22nd 1988
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