by Sam Juliano
Mikey’s Absolution was sent to editor Rob Bignell last Friday (9/27). The novel is 130,000 words, NOT the 105,000 I initially reported. Publication is expected between November 20 and November 26. I am anticipating the cover art in three to four weeks. (Also, I have begun the fourth novel, The Glorification of Sarah Furano.)
The results of the science-fiction poll will be sent to me sometime Monday afternoon, so I need more time to post on the MMD. Next, we will be doing Favorite Horror Films to coincide with Halloween.
Lucille and I watched Sean Wang’s touching film about adolescents titled Didi. 4.5.5.0
Paul Simon’s “Graceland” Voted Favorite Popular Song of 1986!
By a razor-thin margin, the title song to Paul Simon’s seminal album, “Graceland,” edged by “West End Girls” and “Sledgehammer,” 234-232-229, in balloting attended by 40 voters! According to Voting Tabulator Angelo A. D’Arminio Jr., “Higher Love,” “Kiss,” “Life in a Northern Town,” “Don’t Get Me Wrong,” “In Your Eyes,” “The Queen is Dead,” and “You Can Call Me Al,” rounded out the Top 10.
1 Graceland – Paul Simon 234
2 West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys 232
3 Sledgehammer-Peter Gabriel 229
4 Higher Love – Steve Winwood 201
5 Kiss – Prince and The Revolution 200
6 Life in a Northern Town – Dream Academy 169
7 Don’t Get Me Wrong – The Pretenders 161
8 In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel 152
9 The Queen is Dead – The Smiths 151
10 You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon 151
11 Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi 132
12 The Way It Is – Bruce Hornsby & The Range 132
13 True Colors – Cindi Lauper 107
14 Don’t Dream It’s Over – Crowded House 106
15 Addicted to Love – Robert Palmer 105
16 Fall On Me – R.E.M. 103
17 Walk This Way – Run DMC w/Aerosmith 95
18 Wild Wild Life – Talking Heads 95
19 The Boy in the Bubble – Paul Simon 84
20 Brilliant Mistake – Elvis Costello 78
21 The Lady in Red (Chris de Burgh); 77
22 Big Time – Peter Gabriel 76
23 Brownsville Girl – Bob Dylan 76
24 Touch the Night – Neil Young 76
25 Live to Tell – Madonna 70
26 Manic Monday – The Bangles 70
27 There Is a Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths 61
28 Bizarre Love Triangle – New Order 57
29 Cuyahoga – R.E.M. 57
30 Expressway to Yr. Skull – Sonic Youth 57
31 Love at the Five and Dime – Nanci Griffith 54
32 Bigmouth Strikes Again – The Smiths 53
33 Say You Say Me (Lionel Richie); 51
34 Superman – R.E.M. 50
35 Guitar Town – Steve Earle 48
36 Smoking Gun – Robert Cray 46
37 Papa Don’t Preach, Madonna 44
38 Don’t Give Up- Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush 41
39 Life’s What you Make it – Talk Talk 41
40 Kerosene – Big Black 40
41 Take My Breath Away——-Berlin 40
42 That’s What Friends Are For—-Dionne Warwick 40
43 On My Own——-Patti La Belle & Michael Mc Donald. 38
44 Push It – Salt-N-Pepa 38
45 (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) – Beastie Boys 36
46 Live to Tell – Madonna 35
47 Sweet Love – Anita Baker 35
48 Valerie – Richard Thompson 35
49 All I Need Is A Miracle——–Mike and the Mechanics 31
50 Dreamtime (Hall & Oates); 31
40 ballots cast.
1987 Favorite Popular Song Polling!
20 choices are allowed. Mine are presented alphabetically:
Alone Heart
Always On My Mind Pet Shop Boys
April Skies The Jesus and Mary Chain
Bad Michael Jackson
C’est la Vie Robbie Nevile
Don’t Dream It’s Over Crowded House
Faith George Michael
Girlfriend in a Coma The Smiths
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For U2
La Bamba Los Lobos
Luka Suzanne Vega
Man in the Mirror Michael Jackson
Never Gonna Give You Up Rick Ashley
Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now Starship
Shake You Down Greg Abbott
The Way You Made Me Feel Michael Jackson
Tunnel of Love Bruce Springsteen
Welcome to the Jungle Guns n Roses
What Have I Done to Deserve This? Pet Shop Boys
With or Without You U2
————————————————————————–
1 Sweet Child O’ Mine Guns N’ Roses
2 With Or Without You U2
3 I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For U2
4 Pour Some Sugar On Me Def Leppard
5 Bad Michael Jackson
6 Welcome To The Jungle Guns N’ Roses
7 I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) Whitney Houston
8 Faith George Michael
9 It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) R.E.M.
10 Need You Tonight INXS
11 (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
12 Man In the Mirror Michael Jackson
13 The Way You Make Me Feel Michael Jackson
14 Love Bites Def Leppard
15 La Bamba Los Lobos
16 Where The Streets Have No Name U2
17 Never Gonna Give You Up Rick Astley
18 Sign O’ The Times Prince
19 Here I Go Again Whitesnake
20 Luka Suzanne Vega
21 Always Atlantic Starr
22 Mony Mony (live version) Billy Idol
23 Wishing Well Terence Trent D’Arby
24 Paradise City Guns N’ Roses
25 The One I Love R.E.M.
26 Beds Are Burning Midnight Oil
27 Pump Up The Volume M/A/R/R/S
28 Smooth Criminal Michael Jackson
29 New Sensation INXS
30 I Need Love LL Cool J
31 Dude (Looks Like A Lady) Aerosmith
32 Alone Heart
33 Just Like Heaven The Cure
34 Bring The Noise Public Enemy
35 I Know You Got Soul Eric B. & Rakim
36 Just Got Paid Johnny Kemp
37 Father Figure George Michael
38 U Got The Look Prince & Sheena Easton
39 Is This Love? Whitesnake
40 Heaven Is A Place On Earth Belinda Carlisle
41 I Want Your Sex George Michael
42 Dirty Diana Michael Jackson
43 It’s A Sin Pet Shop Boys
44 True Faith New Order
45 Touch Of Grey Grateful Dead
46 Never Tear Us Apart INXS
47 Girls, Girls, Girls Mötley Crüe
48 Devil Inside INXS
49 Tunnel Of Love Bruce Springsteen
50 What Have I Done To Deserve This? Pet Shop Boys
51 Going Back To Cali LL Cool J
52 Da Butt E.U.
53 Fairytale Of New York Pogues
54 I Just Can’t Stop Loving You Michael Jackson with Siedah Garrett
55 Brilliant Disguise Bruce Springsteen
56 Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car Billy Ocean
57 Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now Starship
58 Together Forever Rick Astley
59 Always On My Mind Pet Shop Boys
60 Casanova LeVert
61 Girlfriend Pebbles
62 Anything For You Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
63 Little Lies Fleetwood Mac
64 I Want Her Keith Sweat
65 Heart And Soul T’Pau
66 Big Love Fleetwood Mac
67 We’ll Be Together Sting
68 Tell It To My Heart Taylor Dayne
69 So Emotional Whitney Houston
70 Mercedes Boy Pebbles
71 Got My Mind Set On You George Harrison
72 One More Try George Michael
73 Didn’t We Almost Have It All? Whitney Houston
74 Rock Steady Whispers
75 Shakedown Bob Seger
76 I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man Prince
77 Hysteria Def Leppard
78 Rag Doll Aerosmith
79 Armageddon It Def Leppard
80 Rocket Def Leppard
81 Paper In Fire John Cougar Mellencamp
82 Cherry Bomb John Cougar Mellencamp
83 Head To Toe Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam
84 The Promise When In Rome
85 Animal Def Leppard
86 On The Turning Away Pink Floyd
87 Love Removal Machine Cult
88 I Heard A Rumour Bananarama
89 Shattered Dreams Johnny Hates Jazz
90 I Want To Be Your Man Roger
91 Skeletons Stevie Wonder
92 Love Overboard Gladys Knight & The Pips
93 Never Let Me Down Again Depeche Mode
94 Hourglass Squeeze
95 Strangelove Depeche Mode
96 Girlfriend In A Coma Smiths
97 Paid In Full Eric B. & Rakim
98 Hazy Shade Of Winter Bangles
99 Hot Hot Hot Buster Poindexter & His Banshees of Blue
100 Top Billin’ Audio Two
20 more worth mentioning.
101 Fake Alexander O’Neal
102 Why Can’t I Be You? The Cure
103 If I Was Your Girlfriend Prince
104 Lips Like Sugar Echo & The Bunnymen
105 Birthday Sugarcubes
106 Bullet The Blue Sky U2
107 Criticize Alexander O’Neal
108 Behind The Wheel Depeche Mode
109 This Corrosion Sisters Of Mercy
110 Jane Says Jane’s Addiction
111 Learning To Fly Pink Floyd
112 April Skies Jesus & Mary Chain
113 Rent Pet Shop Boys
114 Unchain My Heart Joe Cocker
115 I Think We’re Alone Now Tiffany
116 When Smokey Sings ABC
117 Birth, School, Work, Death Godfathers
118 I’m An Adult Now Pursuit of Happiness
119 Strings Of Life Rhythim is Rhythim
120 Acid Tracks Phuture