#1 This Week In 1986

This week in 1986, Grace Jones topped the Billboard dance chart for one week with Slave To The Rhythm. Producer Trevor Horn originally intended the record to be Frankie Goes To Hollywood's follow-up single to Relax, but had Jones provide the vocals after he created an eight song concept album in which each cut was a completely different interpretation of Slave To The Rhythm. (I would still love to hear Holly Johnson take it on.) The version which was the hit single (which features British actor Ian McShane) is actually titled Ladies And Gentleman: Miss Grace Jones, which led to complaints years later when a greatest hits package was issued with the wrong track. Three months ago Jones released her tenth studio album, the well-received Hurricane, after a 19 year break from recording. Slave To The Rhythm continues to be a late-night/morning music staple of gay DJs.

TRIVIA: Despite her worldwide chart success and fame in U.S., Grace Jones has never hit the American Top 40. Her most successful pop single was her first, Sorry, which reached #71 in 1976 and was included on her 1977 debut album of discofied showtunes, Portfolio. Over on the dance chart, Jones has scored 11 top tens, including 1977's I Need A Man (#1), 1977's La Vie En Rose (#10 and my personal favorite Jones track), 1978's Do Or Die (#3), 1981's Pull Up To The Bumper (#2 dance/#5 R&B), 1982's Nipple To The Bottle (#2), 1986's I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect For You) (#4 dance, #9 R&B), 1989's Love On Top Of Love (#1), and 1993's Sexdrive (#1).