I know she technically started out in the 80's but it was the late 80's and I think of her more as an early 90's artist.  I'd have to say "Vibeology" is my favorite, though she does have quite a few great songs.  She reminds me of my middle school days, which were particularly fun for me.  I'm so excited about her new album coming out this summer!

Opposites Attract

"The Promise Of A New Day" followed by "Vibeology".

Rush,Rush

Wow, this poll is really taking off!!  :o







::)

Opposites Attract, Straight Up, Knocked Out, Promise of a New Day, Rush Rush.

Crazy Cool

Well, for now personal association reasons, I'll say "Rush Rush", although I'd probably have picked that anyway.

See, even though I got into tons of music a little bit secondhand, I think there really is something special about being there for it when it first comes out. I remember the Spellbound singles in 1991 and '92 when they first became popular and the videos were all over VH1. I'm such a geek I can even remember the order they were released in, lol. Well, my mom also had the tape, and it was one of those that I was always wanting to listen to over and over. There was something about that song that made it perfect, even if I understand it better now. It was romantic, pretty and heartfelt, but in a catchy way. I probably was a teeny bit envious of Keanu (in a good way) in that video 'cause he got to be her boyfriend too.



While I'm at it, I'll pick favorites for other occasions:

-Upbeat - Cold Hearted, although I have to give props to "Opposites Attract" for being such an iconic song and video. She was just too cute there too. ;)
-Ballad (a different one) - Will You Marry Me
-Middle tempo - Forever Your Girl
-Album track (i.e. a song that wasn't popular or a single) - A tossup between "Alright Tonight", "U" and "Cry For Me"

This'll be my last post until I get some responses because I could probably get too excited and go on forever, lol...but like anyone who knows me or has read much of my talking about music knows that I have a real affinity for midtempo songs. Meaning like it has elements of a ballad, but the beat and musicianship is usually a bit faster and louder, so it could really pass as either side of it. Usually the lyrics are a bit more on the side of being a love song, though. Some '80s examples I can think of are, like most Lionel Richie songs, "Missing You" by John Waite, "Head Over Heels" by Tears For Fears, or "The Boys of Summer"....

Anyway, even though Paula is technically a dance artist (with some light hip hop and R&B influences) who does some full out love songs, she's got tons of those midtempo ones. "Forever Your Girl" is just too cute, it has the spirit of a ballad since she's talking about loving this guy despite any doubts he might have and that nothing could come between them. Yet, the song itself is constructed in a upbeat way, although not fully upbeat, like "Straight Up".



"Promise of a New Day" is another one that I'd say is inbetween. It's actually a really inspiring song if you think about it, saying pretty much to never lose hope. I even read a review once that said it had New Age elements, and I'd agree...in a good way. The video was shot in Hawaii, which makes it seem even more exotic.

Another song off that Spellbound album that feels really similar in both respects, is "Alright Tonight". It just sounds tropical, like if it had a video, I could see it taking place on a beach with palm trees in the background or something. I was expecting it to be a hit single and was kinda disappointed when it wasn't because it's just so catchy.

Then, there's like "Blowing Kisses in the Wind" which is more of a jazz-flavored soft song, and "Will You Marry Me" is the same thing, just with an R&B sound. On the other end, songs like "U" and "Rock House" are pretty edgy for her standards. The former for sexuality (it sounds like a heavier Prince song) and the latter for Bush One era politics, with stronger hip hop and even rockish influences (there's a section in the middle where she actually almost gangsta raps, lol).

The only song off that album I DON"T like too much weird as it sounds, is the title song. It's not bad, but just kinda by the numbers early Nineties dance/pop. Even though it came out in 1991, it doesn't sound tied to its time. It's like Eighties production over Nineties style beats which wouldn't be too out of place today, even if they sounded more old-school.

I never was a big fan of hers, even though I did like some of her songs.  'Forever Your Girl' gets my vote :)

I actually have all the songs from her 'Forever Your Girl' album on 45

Quite a few to chose from but I went for Knocked Out as that was so fresh back in the day. Love the video for it!

I heard "Promise of a New Day" just yesterday while grocery shopping, and I was be-bopping around to the song while pushing my shopping cart! So, I voted for it!  ;D "Rush, Rush" is also a great song, and I particularly enjoy the violin solo.

-Upbeat - Cold Hearted...
-Middle tempo - Forever Your Girl



Both tempos for "Cold Hearted" and "Forever Your Girl" clock in around 120-123 BPM, depending on the version.  So would they both be mid-tempo or upbeat? :D

Another song off that Spellbound album that feels really similar in both respects, is "Alright Tonight". It just sounds tropical, like if it had a video, I could see it taking place on a beach with palm trees in the background or something. I was expecting it to be a hit single and was kinda disappointed when it wasn't because it's just so catchy.



I love that song too, and I envision the exact same kind of video.  It totally could have been a hit.  It wasn't released as a single, was it?

Both tempos for "Cold Hearted" and "Forever Your Girl" clock in around 120-123 BPM, depending on the version.  So would they both be mid-tempo or upbeat? :D


;D

Both tempos for "Cold Hearted" and "Forever Your Girl" clock in around 120-123 BPM, depending on the version.  So would they both be mid-tempo or upbeat? :D


You mean in the technical sense? I guess they're both pretty upbeat, but you've gotta admit "Forever Your Girl" has elements of a ballad.


I love that song too, and I envision the exact same kind of video.  It totally could have been a hit.  It wasn't released as a single, was it?

Right on. :) I don't think it was, and I never heard it on the radio either. Maybe they didn't want to overexpose her or the album, so they stopped at five singles? It's just funny how positive I was that it would be a hit, I was practically watching VH1 (especially the Top 21 Countdowns every week) expecting to see it on there, lol.

Straight Up 
Forever Your Girl
Opposites Attract
The Way That You Love Me
Rush, Rush
The Promise Of A New Day

Straight Up.

Cold-Hearted (1)
The Way That You Love Me
Crazy Cool
Straight Up
Blowing Kisses in the Wind
Promises of a New Day

Most hated: Rush, Rush

Though much better dancer than singer and looked cute back in her day...

"Straight Up"
"The Way That You Love Me"
"Coldhearted"
"Promise Of A New Day"

Also like the video for "Opposites Attract"  8)

^ Looked? ;)

It's amazing how little she's aged between, say 1990 and now!

I voted for the melodic 'Will you marry me boy' but I also like Rush rush, Forever your girl, Opposites Attract and Promise of a new day. I used to like Straight up but I've gone off it these days.

Cold hearted snake!  ;D

"Rush Rush lover come too meee,,Oh what you do to meee" :D

Ok, this is going to sound weird but her "will you marry me" always sounded like the voice of original Princess Toadstool in the "Super Mario Brothers Super Show" of the late 80's and 90's.

Awww she sounded so cute there. I think that was one of the last singles they took off the Spellbound album in 1992, and it didn't get that popular, but I always loved it. Just a mellow pop ballad, her voice sounds really pleasant there. It actually fit coincidentally since she was marrying Emilio Esteves around that same time.

I never associated it with Toadstool, but that's ironic because video games were such a big part of my life around that time, AND I've been a pretty big Paula fan since those days too, so it's cool to have a mix of those two things, lol.

straight up

This topic has been done before on this board:

http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=1301.0

Here's what I wrote back then:

I really like Paula Abdul! She was great!

I like "Promise of a New Day" the best. It's such a positive, feel-good track. It's one of my favourite songs.

What I can only pick one???  I closed my eyes and clicked and landed on Blowing Kisses....which is probably what I would've picked anyway...

and although I love Knocked Out, Straight Up, Cold Hearted (but only the version with the Rap) and Opposites Attract I wouldn't have picked them because they are third on my list.

The songs tied for second place are

The Way that You Love Me
Promise of a New Day
Rush Rush

and you can through the new song on my list too...




Okay my secret Paula Abdul wish is for her to remake Forever Your Girl and reshoot the video using the same kids (who are now adults) including that cutey Elijah Wood.

^ I love "Forever Your Girl", it's so cute. :D It's like a love song while still being (fairly) upbeat.

That also seems like it was the one that kinda deviated from the other hits on her first album. Most of them had a very light hip hop influence, or at least sounded like house music, which was leading up to the '90s. But FYG always came across as more old school to me. Not only because it lacked a hip hop influence, but the saxophone and just more cutesy sound. It could've been like 1985.

P.S. Ironically I'm about the same age as the kids in that video, so it's almost more sentimental to me for that reason. It's just cool to think my 7 year old self could've hypothetically been one of them (although I'd have been WAY too shy back then). ;D

Of course Elijah is well known, but I looked the others up, and some actually have done other work, although certainly not on a household name status. For instance, the miniature motorcycle dude Trevor, I forget his last name offhand, has a picture and an IMDB listing.

She could totally remake that video and they're the only ones who would look noticeably different! Other than the Eighties hairstyle, she doesn't look anymore than 5 years older, certainly not 18-20!

^ I love "Forever Your Girl", it's so cute. :D It's like a love song while still being (fairly) upbeat.

That also seems like it was the one that kinda deviated from the other hits on her first album. Most of them had a very light hip hop influence, or at least sounded like house music, which was leading up to the '90s. But FYG always came across as more old school to me. Not only because it lacked a hip hop influence, but the saxophone and just more cutesy sound. It could've been like 1985.

P.S. Ironically I'm about the same age as the kids in that video, so it's almost more sentimental to me for that reason. It's just cool to think my 7 year old self could've hypothetically been one of them (although I'd have been WAY too shy back then). ;D

Of course Elijah is well known, but I looked the others up, and some actually have done other work, although certainly not on a household name status. For instance, the miniature motorcycle dude Trevor, I forget his last name offhand, has a picture and an IMDB listing.

She could totally remake that video and they're the only ones who would look noticeably different! Other than the Eighties hairstyle, she doesn't look anymore than 5 years older, certainly not 18-20!


I'd actually like to know who was in the video... jesse...is it easily accessed? I ask because I suspect having done it before you could probably find it faster than I can... if you have the time would you mind posting it sometime?

I never was a big fan of hers, even though I did like some of her songs.  'Forever Your Girl' gets my vote :)

I actually have all the songs from her 'Forever Your Girl' album on 45


and I now have all the songs from her 'Forever Your Girl' album on 12" single, though the 'Cold Hearted' copy skips despite from visual audit, there appears to be not a single scratch on it >:(

I don't care much for Paula or her music, but 'Opposites Attract' was pretty catchy when it first came out... :)

and I now have all the songs from her 'Forever Your Girl' album on 12" single, though the 'Cold Hearted' copy skips despite from visual audit, there appears to be not a single scratch on it >:(


If your turntable has an adjustable tonearm weight and/or anti-skating control, adjusting them may alleviate the skip.  I took back a copy of "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" because I thought the little metal strip The Wherehouse put on their record sleeves to prevent theft had nicked the vinyl when they deactivated it, but the exchanged copy did the same until I figured that out.

If it's the Quivver Mix or whatever it's called, I think the copy I had used to do the same. :P  I have "Shut Up And Dance" on CD so I got rid of that record, but I have the US 12" with the extended version and house mix.

Straight up.

I am not voting, simply because there is no way I can pick just one.

And if you think she has changed since 1990, you should have seen the difference between 1981.  When she got famous with her singing career, my wife and I both loved her work.  And neither one of us recognized her as our High School class president.

Go figure.

I voted for "Forever Your Girl", although "Straight Up" came in a close second. I like most of her songs, but to me, those two seem to be her "signature" songs. 

I love so many of her songs!

I voted for Straight Up - I can listen to it over and over and never get sick of it.  But I also love Knocked Out, Vibeology, Rush Rush, and Blowing Kisses in the Wind.

I'll go with My Love Is For Real
here are samples of them all and chart histories
http://tunecaster.com/artists/a/abdul-paula.html

Now that Paula Abdul is a Canadian Citizen, I am hearing her songs alot more on the radio.  Sometimes CANCON isn't always a good thing LOL

I'm just kidding.  I still like Ms. Abdul's music.  One thing though in the 90s, I liked Strike's cover of 'My Love is For Real' better than Paula's original.  Both versions were smash hits over here and I have the CD singles for both.

She started as Janet Jackson's choreographer in 1986, then debuted in 1987... sounds mid 80's to me. There also was a BIG difference between the 80's and the early 90's (I think 1992-1997 was an era).

She started as Janet Jackson's choreographer in 1986, then debuted in 1987... sounds mid 80's to me. There also was a BIG difference between the 80's and the early 90's (I think 1992-1997 was an era).


Dr John.  I loved your song 'New Looks' 8)

However I did discover that her mother is Canadian.


With the new rules in effect, that's all it takes

How many generations does this go back? Maybe I'm Canadian and don't even know it yet?  :)


January 1, 1947