Icon Played His Old Hit BACKWARDS As a JOKE...CREATED a WHOLE NEW HIT! | Professor of Rock

Professor of Rock
9 Jan 202421:39

Summary

TLDRThis video script delves into the remarkable story of the song 'I Think We're Alone Now,' which hit the charts in four different decades, achieving significant success each time. Originally performed by Tommy James, the song saw a resurgence in popularity when Tiffany's 1987 cover version soared to number one, exemplifying a unique pop culture phenomenon. The script features interviews with both Tommy James and Tiffany, offering insider perspectives on the song's creation, evolution, and enduring appeal. It also touches on its impact across various genres and generations, showcasing its versatility and timeless resonance in the music industry.

Takeaways

  • 🎵 'I Think We're Alone Now' was a hit in four different decades, originally by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967, then covered by Tiffany in 1987, Girls Aloud in 2006, and Billie Joe Armstrong in 2020.
  • 👨‍🎤 Tommy James was surprised when two of his songs were remade and both remakes went to number one in 1987, effectively replacing himself at the top spot.
  • 💃 Tiffany's cover of 'I Think We're Alone Now' in 1987 brought the song to number one again, sparking a pop war with Debbie Gibson during the late 80s.
  • 📝 The song's success spanned various genres and generations, proving its timeless appeal and adaptability.
  • 🎶 Tommy James learned valuable lessons on crafting songs for AM radio and the power of simplicity in music production through the original song.
  • 📈 Tiffany's version of the song led to a mall tour, which was pivotal in promoting her music and engaging with a younger audience.
  • 🖥 The song has been featured in various media, including movies like '10 Cloverfield Lane' and TV shows, illustrating its enduring popularity.
  • 🤔 Tiffany initially doubted covering 'I Think We're Alone Now' but was convinced by her producer, which ultimately proved to be a career-defining move.
  • 🎬 The song's backstory includes an accidental discovery of the chord progression for 'Mirage' by playing 'I Think We're Alone Now' backwards.
  • 🎸 Both Tommy James and Tiffany have embraced the song's legacy, appreciating its impact and the new versions that continue to resonate with audiences.

Q & A

  • What song is discussed in the script that hit the charts in four different decades?

    -The song discussed is 'I Think We're Alone Now,' originally by Tommy James and the Shondells.

  • Who originally sang 'I Think We're Alone Now' and in what year did it first reach the top five?

    -Tommy James and the Shondells originally sang 'I Think We're Alone Now,' and it first reached the top five in 1967.

  • Which artist covered 'I Think We're Alone Now' in 1987, taking it to number one?

    -Tiffany covered 'I Think We're Alone Now' in 1987, taking it to number one.

  • Can you name another artist who replaced himself at number one in 1987 alongside Tommy James?

    -Billy Idol replaced himself at number one in 1987 alongside Tommy James with the song 'Mony Mony.'

  • What significant change did Tommy James make to 'I Think We're Alone Now' from its original version?

    -Tommy James sped up the song and raised the key from G to A, significantly altering its arrangement.

  • Who was the music arranger brought in by Tommy James for 'I Think We're Alone Now'?

    -Jimmy Wisner was the world-class arranger brought in by Tommy James for 'I Think We're Alone Now.'

  • What was the unique marketing strategy employed for Tiffany's version of the song in the 1980s?

    -The unique marketing strategy employed for Tiffany's version was a mall tour, which played a significant role in the song's success.

  • How did 'I Think We're Alone Now' perform internationally after Tiffany's cover?

    -After Tiffany's cover, 'I Think We're Alone Now' went number one in multiple countries including the US, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand.

  • What genre did 'I Think We're Alone Now' inadvertently help invent according to Tommy James?

    -'I Think We're Alone Now' inadvertently helped invent the bubblegum pop genre.

  • How did Tommy James react to Tiffany's apology for covering 'I Think We're Alone Now'?

    -Tommy James told Tiffany there was no need to apologize for covering 'I Think We're Alone Now,' expressing happiness over its success.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 The Timeless Journey of 'I Think We're Alone Now'

This segment introduces a music-focused episode featuring interviews about the song 'I Think We're Alone Now,' which hit the charts in four different decades, starting in the 1960s with Tommy James and later with a chart-topping cover by Tiffany in the 1980s. Tommy James discusses being surprised when two of his songs were remade and became hits in 1987, notably mentioning how he replaced himself at number one. The program, Professor of Rock, is presented as a celebration of iconic music through interviews and history, with a special emphasis on the story of 'I Think We're Alone Now' and its impact across generations. Tommy James's and Tiffany's contributions to the song's enduring legacy are highlighted, along with its significance in music history.

05:01

🔊 Crafting a Hit: The Making of 'I Think We're Alone Now'

This paragraph dives into the technical and creative process behind the making of 'I Think We're Alone Now.' Tommy James details the song's evolution from a ballad to a hit by adjusting its tempo and key. He explains the importance of producing music specifically for AM radio, emphasizing the principle of 'less is more' to maximize the impact of each instrument through the radio's compressors and limiters. The narrative also covers the strategic decisions in the studio that led to the song's distinctive sound and its categorization as 'bubblegum' music. The discussion extends to the song's initial controversy, its subsequent covers, and the role of strategic radio play and marketing in its success.

10:02

🌟 Tiffany's Take: Reviving a Classic

The third paragraph focuses on Tiffany's perspective on covering 'I Think We're Alone Now' and its pivotal role in her career. Despite initial reservations about the song fitting her image, the track's dance arrangement and strategic radio play catalyzed its success. Tiffany recounts the innovative mall tour that bolstered her popularity among young fans, situating her music within the vibrant teen pop scene of the late '80s. She reflects on the song's chart-topping achievements across various countries and its coexistence with hits by other music legends, highlighting the unique moment when Tommy James's songs, covered by Billy Idol and herself, sequentially reached number one.

15:04

🎤 Iconic Status: 'I Think We're Alone Now' in Popular Culture

This segment explores the broad cultural impact of 'I Think We're Alone Now,' detailing its resurgence in popularity through various media appearances and covers over the years. The discussion includes Tiffany's recollections of the song's reception, its strategic radio debut, and the origins of the groundbreaking mall tour idea. The narrative also touches on how the song's legacy continues to thrive through social media and its incorporation into contemporary TV shows and movies, emphasizing Tiffany's unique position as a symbol of the '80s pop culture. The segment encapsulates the song's enduring appeal and its significant role in shaping Tiffany's career and the music landscape.

20:05

📺 Legacy and Transformation: The Evolution of a Pop Classic

In the final paragraph, the focus shifts to the various ways 'I Think We're Alone Now' has been reinterpreted and celebrated across the globe. Tiffany shares anecdotes about receiving videos from fans performing the song, demonstrating its wide-reaching influence and appeal across different generations. The discussion also reflects on the song's versatility, evidenced by its numerous covers in diverse musical styles and its feature in significant films and shows. The segment concludes with a reflection on the song's accidental creation of 'Mirage' when played backwards, underscoring the serendipitous and creative processes that contribute to music's lasting impact.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Bubblegum

Bubblegum is a genre of pop music that emerged in the late 1960s, characterized by catchy melodies, simple lyrics, and a light, upbeat sound. It is considered a subgenre of pop music and is often associated with music targeted at young audiences. In the script, Tommy James mentions that with the song "I Think We're Alone Now," they 'accidentally' invented a new genre of bubblegum music.

💡Cover

A cover is a new recording or interpretation of a previously recorded song by a different artist. In the context of this video, Tiffany's 1987 rendition of "I Think We're Alone Now" is referred to as a cover, as it was originally recorded and released by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967. The script discusses how Tiffany's cover version became a huge hit in the late 1980s, introducing the song to a new generation of listeners.

💡Hit

A hit, in the context of music, refers to a song that achieves significant popularity, chart success, and widespread recognition. The script discusses how "I Think We're Alone Now" was a hit for Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967, reaching the top 5 on the charts. Later, Tiffany's cover version also became a massive hit, reaching number one on various charts in different countries in 1987.

💡Nostalgia

Nostalgia is a sentimental longing or affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. The script emphasizes the nostalgic nature of the channel, celebrating musical history and the greatest songs of all time. It mentions catering to an audience that remembers buying singles, cassettes, and CDs, invoking a sense of nostalgia for the music and culture of past decades.

💡Revelation

In the context of the video, "Revelation" is a segment or series within the channel where featured artists provide behind-the-scenes stories, insights, and details about their greatest songs and albums. The script introduces an upcoming segment called "Revelations," where Tommy James and Tiffany will share the story behind the song "I Think We're Alone Now" and how it became a hit in different decades.

💡Decade

A decade is a period of ten years. The script highlights that the song "I Think We're Alone Now" achieved chart success in four different decades: the 1960s, 1980s, 2000s, and 2020s. This longevity and multi-generational appeal of the song are emphasized as key points of interest.

💡Pop War

The "Pop War" refers to the commercial and cultural rivalry between pop stars Tiffany and Debbie Gibson in the late 1980s. Both artists achieved massive success around the same time, and their competing fan bases fueled a sense of competition and tension between the two. The script mentions this "Pop War" as a significant cultural phenomenon that coincided with Tiffany's cover version of "I Think We're Alone Now" becoming a hit.

💡Mall Tour

A mall tour is a concert tour or promotional campaign where an artist performs or makes appearances at various shopping malls across the country. The script discusses how Tiffany's manager came up with the idea of a mall tour to promote her music and connect with her young fan base, as malls were a popular hangout spot for teenagers at the time. This innovative approach helped Tiffany reach her target audience and contributed to the success of "I Think We're Alone Now" in 1987.

💡Arrangement

In music, an arrangement refers to the adaptation or restructuring of a musical composition for a specific instrumentation, style, or performance. The script mentions how Tommy James and his production team experimented with different arrangements of "I Think We're Alone Now," such as speeding up the tempo and changing the key, to create a more upbeat and radio-friendly version of the song.

💡AM Radio

AM radio, or amplitude modulation radio, is a type of radio broadcasting technology that uses amplitude modulation to transmit sound waves. In the 1960s and 1970s, AM radio was the dominant means of broadcasting popular music, and artists had to tailor their songs to fit the technical limitations and requirements of AM radio stations. The script discusses how Tommy James and his team learned to create songs specifically for AM radio, with shorter intros, precise lengths, and limited instrumentation to fit the constraints of the medium.

Highlights

The song 'I Think We're Alone Now' by Tommy James and the Shondells hit the top 5 in 1967 and then went all the way to number one 20 years later in 1987 by Tiffany, making it a chart-topping hit in four different decades.

Tommy James accidentally invented the 'bubblegum' genre with 'I Think We're Alone Now,' which educated him on how to make records for AM radio, including keeping the intro short for DJs and limiting the song length to fit more spots on the air.

Tommy James learned the art of making records for AM radio, including layering instruments, keeping arrangements simple, and writing records instead of just songs.

Tommy James' production team, including Richie Cordell, Bo Gentry, and Jimmy Wisner, had 10 more hits after 'I Think We're Alone Now,' showcasing their signature sound that became known as 'bubblegum.'

Tiffany was initially hesitant about covering 'I Think We're Alone Now,' worrying it might type her as a dance artist, but George Tobin convinced her to trust him, and the song became a massive hit.

George Tobin's mall tour idea for Tiffany was brilliant, capitalizing on her fan base and the places they frequented.

Tiffany's success with 'I Think We're Alone Now' saved her project from being shelved, as the momentum allowed her to connect with fans and build her career.

Tommy James and Tiffany both had number-one hits with 'I Think We're Alone Now' and 'Mony Mony' by Billy Idol in 1987, making Tommy James one of the few artists to replace himself at number one decades after his original hits.

Tiffany's version of 'I Think We're Alone Now' had a more punchy, energetic 80s feel compared to Tommy James' original 60s sound.

The song 'I Think We're Alone Now' has had a lasting impact, being featured in movies, TV shows, and covered by various artists in different genres.

The chord progression for the song 'Mirage' was accidentally discovered when the tape was played backwards during the final mix of 'I Think We're Alone Now.'

Tiffany continues to receive videos from fans around the world performing 'I Think We're Alone Now,' showcasing the song's enduring popularity.

Tiffany appreciates seeing younger generations being introduced to the song and the stories behind it from both her and Tommy James.

Fans share their memories and favorite versions of 'I Think We're Alone Now,' reflecting on the Debbie Gibson vs. Tiffany pop war and the song's enduring legacy.

The success of 'I Think We're Alone Now' highlights how a great song can be reworked and interpreted in various ways, showcasing its versatility and longevity.

Transcripts

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coming up next a couple of great

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interviews about a song that barely

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missed number one with its original

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artist and then decades later it hit the

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top of the charts in fact the song has

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hit the charts in four different decades

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originally sung by a legendary artist

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who was shocked when two of his biggest

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hits were remade at the same time in

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1987 both of the remakes went to number

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one and Incredibly he replaced himself

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at number one coming up next we have an

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exclusive the singer behind the original

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and the singer behind the cover that

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went to number one great show coming up

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on professor of

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rock hey music junkies professor of rock

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always here to celebrate the greatest

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artists and the greatest songs of all

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time you know if you ever saved up your

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allowance to buy a 45 single a cassette

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single or a maxi single CD single you're

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going to dig this channel of deep

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musical Nostalgia make sure to click the

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big red button to sub subscribe we would

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love to have you as part of our

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community where we celebrate the best in

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rock and roll through interview through

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history got a lot of great ones coming

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up and check us out on patreon as well

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so it's time for another edition of our

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show Revelations this is where featured

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artists take us for a deep dive in rare

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stories about their greatest songs and

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their Greatest Albums Insight you just

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won't find anywhere else today we have

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the story of a song that went to the top

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five in 1967 and then it went all the

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way to number one exactly 20 years later

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in 198

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it's a classic song I Think We're Alone

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Now by Tommy James and the Shawn

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[Music]

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Dells the Tommy James and the Sha Dells

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took it to number four in

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1967 and then team popster Tiffany took

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it all the way to number one in 1987

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when we had the famous Debbie Gibson

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versus Tiffany pop War of the late 80s

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you remember that the song also went to

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number four in the UK in 2006 by the

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girl group

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allowed and then Green Day frontman

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Billy Joel Armstrong took his version

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the number seven on the alternative

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charts in 2020 making it a top 10 in

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four separate

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decades coming up next Tommy James and

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Tiffany both tell us a story behind this

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song and how along with Moy P by Billy

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Idol Tommy James replaced himself at

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number one decades after he made both of

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these songs

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[Music]

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famous very cool interview coming up

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with both of them as we go into the

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story I do want to thank our sponsor Zen

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I wear the glasses that I wear every

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single day on these episodes I got to

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tell you I love them you can get a pair

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be a customer for Life uh you can also

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see how you look before you buy with

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their Amazing Mirror feature check it

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out today here's Tommy James and Tiffany

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with the story of I Think We're Alone

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Now all of a sudden you invent a whole

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new genre with bubble gum with I Think

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We're Alone Now we didn't mean to I know

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uh it was an

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accident that's what they when I Think

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We're Alone Now really uh gave me such

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an education that I could have never had

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with any other song and the reason is

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we'd had three hits before that we had a

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hanky

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panky uh say I

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[Music]

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am am and it's only love three Gold

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Records at that moment um Richie Cordell

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and Bo Gentry who were Kamasutra

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songwriters from uh and by the way I was

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so grateful that roulette allowed me the

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freedom to put put a production team

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together and and to bring people from

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other labels because they were really

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locked in the late 50s but they sold

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singles they knew how to sell records

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and um you know allowed me to put this

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massive te team together uh Bo and

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Richie started it off and they brought

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me I Think We're Alone Now and it was a

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ballad really I mean it was slow and but

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you could hear it was a smash as soon as

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that he played the

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[Music]

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hook they played it on a piano and uh

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didn't matter what you played it on you

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knew it was a hit and you had the idea

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to speed not only speed it up but to

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raise the key from from G to a right no

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that's true and uh uh we went in did a

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demo and both sang the lead and I went

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in played the guitar and that's where we

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came up with the uh eighth

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notes that pulsating Bas the a signature

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and we didn't mean for it to it was just

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something we did on the demo when we we

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we then took it back to rouette moris Le

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flips out that's a freaking hit we uh

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went back in the studio did the same

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Arrangement one of the things I learned

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was the art of making records for AM

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radio what what I learned is the old

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adage less is more right something's

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going to fill up the radio speaker the

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more instruments you add the smaller

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every instrument is and plus the

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compressors and the limiters on radio

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when we were doing I Think We're Alone

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Now first of all we started layering you

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know doing the bass and the drums first

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then the guitar we started layering

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things we hadn't done

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[Music]

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that uh and then I brought in Jimmy

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Wisner who was a world class arranger we

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learned a real amazing lesson we weren't

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writing songs we were writing records

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suddenly we're making the intro had to

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be so long because the DJ talked over it

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uh the record couldn't any longer than 3

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minutes because they had to get so many

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spots on the air and uh so there all

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these radio rules that uh happened we

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did accidentally with Hanky Panky but we

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really learned with I Think We're

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Alone and we had the signature sound uh

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that later got called bubblegum would

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[Applause]

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they never knew controversial at the

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time too because of the giving the

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atmosphere of forbidden activities and

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all that the radio well true enough they

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banned our our album cover they said it

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they think I think weone that was a

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dirty

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[Music]

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record meanwhile the number one record

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of the top it was let's spend the night

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together by the Rolling

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[Music]

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Stone but that started this production

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team uh of Richie and Bo and and Jimmy

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and Allegro and we had 10 more hits with

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well Lena Lage covers it in

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78 that was a great cover but massive

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worldwide Resurgence in

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[Music]

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the80s 1987 of course Tiffany Tiffany

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and Debbie Gibson start this huge teen

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pop kind of thing that was going

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[Music]

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on George toin gave you a cassette with

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the song I Think We're Alone Now on it

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and I always read because I always used

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to listen to top 40 countdown each week

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and Casey KAS would always tell the

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stories behind the songs I love that I

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write them down and I just memorize them

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and but the story I heard is that you

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were like I don't know about this song

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because I was you know didn't know if

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that was the right covering it thinking

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the song I don't know is this hip was it

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modern enough I had never heard I Think

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We're Alone Now before um didn't know of

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Tommy James and the Shawn Dells if I had

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I didn't really make the connection

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George said we'll just learn the song so

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I did learn the song came back the next

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day and it was all this dance track but

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for me I was a little worried about

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getting typed as a Dance artist I mean

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George sat down he said listen you got

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to trust me on this really I I I think

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this will work and it

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[Music]

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did let's talk about the first Al you're

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recordered for MCA which the iconic

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album cover that was an album that your

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first single Danny didn't

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[Music]

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chart right and then he had the idea of

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the mall tour shopping mall tour that

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was kind of a brilliant idea for that

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moment that's where I hung out I mean it

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made total sense Danny the single was

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released that was the first single and

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it wasn't doing well at radio and that's

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when George decided to just totally

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change it and put on I think we alone

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[Music]

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now and that started getting traction

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because there probably wouldn't have

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been a mall tour without that happening

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first yeah um and you know he had some

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radio connections and pretty much as a

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friend said spin this I'm doing this

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Rogue without the labels consent but

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this is the wrong single I knew it was

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the wrong single it's really I Think

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We're Alone Now so they started testing

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it on a favor and we started getting

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people calling in then they started have

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to add the song because there was so

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many people calling in and then that led

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to the molor how do we save this project

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because really my whole album was going

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to be sheld I was doing clubs in New

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York I wasn't even old enough to be in

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the club so the music was doing great

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but nobody could get to know me I

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couldn't really go out and sign

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autographs or hang out so it was out the

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door I went and that was really tanking

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you know you have to do the whole the

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whole thing you have to be able to talk

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to the people and get to know them and I

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had nothing in common with 21 year olds

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or even 18-year-olds at that time so my

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project was going to be tanked and

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through the momentum of I Think We're

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Alone Now I think that's what really

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started my anr guy Larry stter going

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okay this can't happen we are making

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some progress but where would we show

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this artist and he was walking around a

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mall one day with his with his daughter

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and thought what about the

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[Music]

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malls when it came to me I said yeah

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that makes the most sense because that's

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where I hung out all the time I mean I

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grew up in Norwalk California I might

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have $5 doar on me you know between me

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and my girlfriend we might have $5 on us

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but back then you could go and share an

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Orange Julius which was my favorite

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drink

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and all you did just go to the record

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store 1987 when I think we're aone now

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came out I mean number one in the US and

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Canada Ireland New Zealand know UK South

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Africa I know that goes to number one of

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the pop CH Billy Billy Idol and Tiffany

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they went up the charts like they were

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holding

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hand well when it hit number one was

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cool you were in the top five at that

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moment with Fleetwood Mac when it was

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number

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see hit number one you were 16 you

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record it when you were 13 Madonna

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Michael Jackson Fleetwood Mack and Billy

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idle all in the top five with you which

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incidentally Billy Idol's Moy Mooney and

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I Think We're Alone Now I when I was

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talking to Tomy he's like yeah that was

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a good moment for me yep that was a good

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moment went back to back number one that

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had never happened Billy course had

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Mooney

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[Music]

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Mooney Tiffy I think we're I Think We're

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Alone

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I Think We're Alone Now when she covered

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it it was not only a huge hit here but

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it went number one in New Zealand and

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Canada and Ireland and number one in the

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dance charts I mean do you know she came

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up to me and apologized and I said

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apologize I said are you kidding what

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you apologizing for number one are you

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kid are you

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[Music]

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kidding your approach to the song though

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you brought so much energy to it cuz I

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love Tommy's version but it's a 60s and

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that happened a lot so cool see I rock

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out to that version now yeah I mean just

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different Tempo a different time and and

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radio was different and and the way that

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people listen to things but that was

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what was great is they took a lot of 60s

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songs like Kim wild keep

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[Music]

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on and they had all these hits again

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with moyy speaking of another Tommy

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James song

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[Music]

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but yours is just a little more Punchy

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and it has that 80s feel to

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[Applause]

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[Music]

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her they're great songs all these songs

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that we mentioned are good songs and

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when you have a great song it can be

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reworked it can be done with an acoustic

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guitar it can be done Punk version think

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alone I've done I Think We're Alone Now

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Punk scar you know I've done it like all

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dance and now I've just I've remade the

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song again and revamped it a little bit

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for what I'm doing currently which is a

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little bit more of a Foo Fighters kind

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of sound a little bit with those layered

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guitars

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[Applause]

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doesn't you had a little bit of sass in

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that song vocal you know I mean it's

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cool people see the new vocal and they

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go well it's weird because they're

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listening to the new I think R now and I

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get compliments on singing that song now

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which is the most bizarre thing but I'm

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happy I'm like okay well we've

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accomplished all my goals one song with

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the original

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hit

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[Music]

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doesn't well speaking of Salt Lake City

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it was a program director here that

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really gave it his big start yes it was

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uh was Lou Simon right yes kcpx I think

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it was yeah kcpx and he heard it heard

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the album thought it was a hit and then

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his DJ Morgan Evans played it calls came

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in they had to add it everybody else

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started adding it and that inspired him

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to to have MCA you know release it as a

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45 yes but he had to get him the numbers

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show exactly and that was all George

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behind that you know having those

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relationships um that's why we did the

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Ogden

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[Music]

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mall and and brought brought it full

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circle again this is where it all

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started thank you so much um because it

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really was the fans uh that were calling

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in requesting the song I mean had it not

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been for the fans all along you know and

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people well you know that video that she

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did playing malls which was a brilliant

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idea

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[Music]

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actually and I still have a belief now

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with that as I've continued my career

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it's only by doing it in front of people

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that love music that are attached to you

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they know what they want to hear so I

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start with that now and I love social

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media now for that reason I can get

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things out to people's hands immediately

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once I have excitement I go back and

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talk to Towers at be and go well this is

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the homework I've come up with and

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there's nothing like it and we were

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doing that even back you know in the 80s

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pop culture it's lived on from its uh

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biggest days of popularity it's even as

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big now with the Goldbergs when it was

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used there what did you think of that

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the song keeps having its own little

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life which is great and the biggest star

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of them all was Tiffany no last name

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needed they're like capturing the'80s

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right what it was like growing up there

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and they nailed it cuz we all ' 80s kids

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we remember huge fan of the goldber so

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when I was incorporated with that I was

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like yes yeah definitely and

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[Music]

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Ted Ted was extremely like funny to me

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you know like the whole scene and

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everything it was I got a little creeped

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out but it was funny um you know

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Umbrella Academy loved all the dance

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moves um and it was right on time I mean

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for me I was already releasing the song

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then that happened like the month before

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I did it to get away into the night and

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then your arms around and it was like

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this could be even more perfect it's

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just the Universe telling me yes girl

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you know you're doing the right thing um

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because sometimes you don't know you do

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things from your heart do you like it

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when Weezer reference sitting there s I

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saw that and I love that as

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well Weezer yeah but they mistakenly

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referenced Debbie Gibson instead of

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Tiffany but they left it in but just to

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show how big that song was even that

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Resurgence Punk version by

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[Music]

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snuff You Hear The Killers do

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[Music]

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it girls allow did

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[Music]

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it that went to number four in the UK me

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first in the Gimme gim another punk rock

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band that did it but what was cool is it

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weird out that I think I'm a clone now I

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think I'm aone

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[Music]

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now he was great w oh that's incredible

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see listen see that's that's how you

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know you've really made it when weird

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out your song it's been featured horror

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movies like The Cape Fear of course in

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91 I Think We're Alone

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Now 10 Cloverfield L that was amazing

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that's a heck of a

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movie

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but I want to say one last thing about

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this song it's incredible is that ventry

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accidentally inserted it backwards in

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the real de real oh and it plays it and

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it's going backwards what happened was

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we were we're listening to the Final Mix

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of I think weone now over at Bose's

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apartment and uh uh you know everybody

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was smoking way too much weed back then

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what can I say and they put the tape on

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uh upside down

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you know a real little real real s and a

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half and when you do that it plays

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backwards we're listening to I Think

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We're Alone Now backwards and go you

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know that's not a bad chord

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[Music]

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progression Bo and Richie go over and

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write it and it becomes

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[Music]

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Mirage that sounds like it was made up

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by a press agent but that's honest to

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God's Tru

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that's an amazing story miras I think

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rone now backwards I've seen punk bands

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I've seen all kinds of different bands

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perform I think rone out in the oddest

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ways but I love it and I always get

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these videos from people around the

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world literally going doing your song

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tonight um and they'll message me and I

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think it's great you know um even little

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kids I had one just with the his dad was

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playing acoustic guitar and there was

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this little boy he was only six years

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old he was had the sweetest voice and he

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was singing I Think We're Alone Now and

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he had a little Shake when every time he

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sang the chorus and I thought it was the

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I've kept it all these years you know

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and I just thought it was the cutest

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thing to see younger people you know

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getting introduced to the song as well

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as the stories of people who lived it

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with Tommy James and the Shawn Dells so

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I think we're Al has this big huge life

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that I'm always a part of and I'm

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grateful to be

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[Music]

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any so leave us a comment about this pop

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classic what's your favorite version

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what are your memories of Tommy James or

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the Debbie Gibson versus Tiffany pop war

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of 1987 or 88 oh man let's let's get

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nostalgic below and talk about this how

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about replacing yourself at number one

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20 years after the songs were big really

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cool stuff if you like our content we

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invite you to subscribe until next time

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three courts and the truth my

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friends

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[Music]

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