Songoftheday 4/20/14 - Just a little more time is all we're askin' for, 'cause just a little more time could open closin' doors...

Corey Hart - "Never Surrender"
from the album Boy In The Box (1985)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #3 (two weeks)
Weeks in the Top-40: 14

Today's Song of the Day comes from the Canadian singer Corey Hart, whose debut album broke him into the American market as well, with two hit singles in "Sunglasses At Night" and "It Ain't Enough". With his next record, Boy In The Box, he came back a bigger though not A-list star, which afforded his first single "Never Surrender" to get prime placing with radio and MTV. Written by Corey and produced with Jon Astley and Phil Chapman, the song was the type of angsty anthem that seemed "bigger" than the run-of-the-mill new wave ditty...

"Never Surrender" became Hart's second pop top-40 hit in August of 1985, while reaching #8 on both the Mainstream Rock and Adult Contemporary radio charts in Billboard magazine. In his native Canada, he topped the singles chart for nine weeks, becoming the second-biggest hit of the year behind that country's version of "We Are The World" called "Tears Are Not Enough" (which Corey also appeared on).

My biggest memory of this song is of being so enamored of it that I bought two copies of the 7" single since the sleeve actually folded out to be a poster. Looking back I can honestly say that probably 40% of my love for this song was my crush on the singer. But hey. I was 16.

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


Here's Corey in an appearance on TV in 1985...

and again, "truly live" and unplugged on stage...

...and once again from last year with special guest Jane Siberry....

and finally, from his appearance at Toronto Pride....


Up tomorrow: Primal screaming gets its moment on pop radio.