Despite my lifelong love of 80's music, I only heard of him a couple years ago, but I'm sure glad I checked him out!

I think he's probably most well-known for singing on Eddie & the Cruisers (a 1983 movie about a fictional early 60's rocker). I'd describe his style as Bruce Springsteen-ish, but with more of an oldies/retro sound - not surprising for when the movie takes place. Good soundtrack, but the album I really got into was the one after this in 1985, called Tough All Over.

That was a little more 80's-ish (say Rocky 4 soundtrack meets Springsteen, meets oldies). In fact, songs like "Where the Action is" and the doowop-ish ballad "Smalltown Girl" could almost have been around in 1962 and nobody would've batted an eye. The title track and "Strangers in Paradise" are closer to the 80's rock sound with more synthesizers, but not drastically different.

I guess I'd say the vocals and lyrical style is early 60's, but the musical sound is 80's - unique combo and it works really good. :) Anybody else into him?

Nope, not my thing at all.  "The Dark Side" was totally overplayed in the '80s.  I mean, so were all those Bruce Springsteen "Born in the USA" songs, but Cafferty was NOOOO Bruce!  The best I can say is JC is not as annoying as John Fogerty or Eddie Money!
:P

Nope, not my thing at all. "The Dark Side" was totally overplayed in the '80s. I mean, so were all those Bruce Springsteen "Born in the USA" songs, but Cafferty was NOOOO Bruce! The best I can say is JC is not as annoying as John Fogerty or Eddie Money!
:P

Aww, I've liked Fogerty & Eddie Money almost my whole life, but no offense taken bud! The world would be boring if everyone had exactly the same taste in everything (besides VH1 would have no material for those "Awesomely Bad" lists, LOL!).

Anyway, was "On the Darkside" really that big of a hit 'cause I don't think I ever heard it at all? Of course, that could be because I heard so many songs that I'm just not remembering it, and/or maybe the station was switched off when it came oN>

Thanks for a tip, Marty. Gotta check this out. Might be on my next 80s-collection...

-Doc-

BUMP

Just thought I'd say I took another listen to "On the Darkside" - the biggest hit from the Eddie & the Cruisers soundtrack. I think I like it just as much as the more 80's synth-like 'Tough all Over' CD.

It starts out with a piano, more of an oldies rocker, but when the guitar riffs kick in, it sounds a bit like "ROCK in the USA" from John Mellencamp.

The John Cafferty Singles collection, complete with Billboard Chart Positions :)

1983 - On the Dark Side (US #64)
1984 - Tender Years (US #78)
1984 - On the Dark Side (US #7)
1984 - Tender Years (US #31)
1985 - Tough All Over (US #22)
1985 - C-I-T-Y (US #18)
1985 - Small Town Girl (US #64)
1986 - Heart's on Fire (US #76)
1986 - Voice of America's Sons (US #62)
1989 - Pride and Passion (US #66)