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From the Vault...
03/31/2013
#1353 |
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info
Survivor
"Caught In The Game"
© All American Music Group Records
Year of Release: 1983
Rating:
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track listing
Caught In The Game
Jackie Don't
I Never Stopped
Loving You
It Doesn't Have
To Be This Way
Ready For The Real Thing
Half - Life
What Do You Really Think
Slander
Santa Ana Winds
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Survivor
"Caught In The Game"
Survivor returns as our Album Pick of the Week, and its the follow up album after their breakthrough, Eye Of The Tiger (1982) Caught In The
Game was released a year later. My fondest memory is the title track, as I used to work as an usher at a local theater, and before the main movie
would start, the theater would play popular songs before showtime. The first song heard from one of those sets, was "Caught In The Game." A song
that justs grabs your attention from start to finish. "Caught In The Game" is one of my favorite songs by Survivor. And in looking at most of
the band's Best Of/Greatest Hits packages, the title track can be found there. However, the next track, "Jackie Don't Go" is another one of those
"lost treasure" songs, where Survivor's original albums are well worth to be collected, rather than just go by Best Of and Greatest Hit compilations.
(Both the title track and "Jackie" are my favorite songs from this album.)
As for the remaining tracks, they are quite good. Some better than others, however, yet Survivor's music is a must to recognize. Take the case of
two songs -- "It Doesn't Have To Be This Way" is another great rocking Survivor track, and "I Never Stopped Loving You" is a great and
powerful ballad, as Survivor has always recorded smooth and greatfully crafted ballads. Another good ballad is the album's closing tune, "Santa Ana
Winds."
"Half - Life" is another good track, as it has the atmosphere of being a song for a movie, just as they did for Rocky III and "Eye Of
The Tiger."
As for the remaining tracks, they are all pretty good songs, yet there are other songs from this album (and other Survivor songs) that are better:
"Ready For The Real Thing," "What Do You Really Think," and "Slander."
Caught In The Game is another entertaining album by Survivor. Next to U2, Survivor is my #2 favorite band from the 1980s. I was fortunate
to meet Jim Peterik at a live Survivor show. He left in 1996 and reformed the Ides of March. Survivor is still together, as original member Frankie
Sullivan motivates the band's member lineup. Survivor has had two lead singers, Dave Bickler and Jami Jamison. They are now both members of the recent
Survivor lineup. Bickler was the lead singer from 1977 to 1983, and 1993 to 1999. Jamison's lead vocals were from 1984 to 1989. He returned in 2012.
Also to mention, in 2006 to 2011, the lead singer was Robin McAuley. No albums were recorded with McAuley. Although many drummers, bassists, keyboardists
(after Peterik) and guitarists have frequently performed with Survivor, it has always been Frankie Sullivan's main responsibility. Now that both Bickler
and Jamison are vocalists, they can sing lead on their original and most popular classic hits. The band has always toured. Their core years were from
1979 to 1998. They band released an album of new material in 2006, and are scheduled to return to the studio to release another new album.
UPDATE: As reported from our
Jimi Jamison/Survivor review:
September 1, 2014: It is of great sadness to report that Jimi Jamison, lead singer of Survivor, passed away at his home in Memphis, Tennessee. The cause
of death was from a hemorrhagic brain stroke, with ‘acute methamphetamine intoxication contributing.’ An autopsy report also confirmed he had cardiovascular
disease, which led to a 90% blockage of each coronary artery. He was 63 years old.
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All American Music Group R
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