Songoftheday 12/17/15 - I've been told time and time again that you can't treat love like a game...

"Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)" - Samantha Fox
from the album Samantha Fox (1987)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #3 (one week)
Weeks in the Top-40: 14

Today's song of the day is by Samantha Fox, who went from being a "page 3" topless model in the British tabloids to being a music star with her international hit single "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" in 1986. That song climbed into the top ten even in America, where she was only seen as a hot woman on the prowl. She scored another top-10 hit in her native England with "Do Ya Do Ya" from her debut album, and a couple more minor hits.

The following year, Fox released her self-titled sophomore effort, and all eyes were set on the first single, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now", produced by British hitmaking trio Stock Aitken and Waterman (Bananarama, Rick Astley). But while she made it back to the British top ten at #8, in America the sugary-sweet dance-pop nugget sputtered out on the American chart at #80. A few more singles appeared on the British charts, but it looked like she was heading for that "one hit wonder" status she seemed doomed from the start of being. However, one trick was up her sleeve; actually six tricks, in the form of R&B singing/producing group Full Force. Fresh from sending Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam to the top of the charts, the band contributed a song to her album that they wrote, produced, and played and sang on. "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)" was an absolute triumph of break-beat and freestyle production, with Fox's vocals matched and distracted by Full Force's back and forth with her in the verses. Add classic lines like "temporary love's so bad, but it feels so good", and even a tag-check of the Spinners/Dionne Warwick's "Then Came You",  and you've got one of the best freestyle tracks of the decade...

"Naughty Girls" became Samantha's highest-charting single in the U.S., reaching the top-3 in June of 1988. The 12" extended remix climbed to #9 on Billboard's Dance Club Play list. Internationally, the single was a top-10 success in Canada (#8), New Zealand (#8), and Finland (#5), but in her native England it was a more moderate hit at #31.

(Ed. - Between my posting of "Touch Me" last March and today, Samantha's life-partner, Myra Stratton, passed away from cancer. Condolences out to Ms. Fox and her family).

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Here's the extended mix that made the dance chart top ten...

...and the "Full Force House Mix" (a much better rendition for the clubs)...

..and finally, Fox performing the song live in 2014...

Up tomorrow: R&B producing-kings-to-be talk about a couple of times.