Many probably consider 1982 to be a golden year in music. There were indeed some great singles that year, ranging from Soft Cell's now iconic cover of "Tainted Love" and the Human League's breakout anthem, "Don't You Want Me" through Frank Zappa's wry "Valley Girl" and Queen & David Bowie's "Under Pressure." Under the mainstream pop radar, meanwhile, some amazing records were being released as well, notably the original ROIR cassette by Bad Brains, The Record by Fear, If I Die, I Die.. by the Virgin Prunes, Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden, Wild in the Streets by the Circle Jerks, Black Metal by Venom, Under the Big Black Sun by X, the Skins, Brains & Guts e.p. by 7Seconds and the eponymous debut by The Lords of the New Church (to name but a tiny few of my favorites). It was a great time to be a young, music-obsessed teen.
But not every record that came out that year was gold. A prime example of this was "Don't Put Another Dime in the Jukebox" by a trashy, prefabricated pop trio called The Flirts. Essentially a callow rip-off of the vastly superior Go-Gos, the Flirts made a couple of cloying little singles before fading into justifiable oblivion. "Don't Put Another..." was their "big single," though, and I abhorred it as much then as I do today. So why I am bothering to bring it up now? Well, I happened on the video on YouTube this evening, and marveled at its images of the downtown New York City of the era. Manhattan record store die-hards will doubtlessly recognize the House of Oldies on Carmine Street, where the Flirt ladies are depicted vengefully pawning their philandering pretty boy's vinyl 45s. Ladies, he may indeed have been a greasy, unfaithful scumbag, but selling the man's singles? That's some cold shit.
I'm not entirely sure of the pizzeria the girls are seen walking by a few times. Also on Carmine Street? I can't tell, but it's invariably gone today. Anyway, as lame as the song and the sentiments may be, turn the sound down and enjoy a fleeting taste of downtown NYC circa 1982.
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