Disco de Paula Abdul: “Forever Your Girl”

After her success as a dancer and choreographer to the mega pop dance stars of the 80s, Paula Abdul breaks out on her own with her debut release of Forever Your Girl. This was a smash hit in the late 80s, and many of the hits off this release are still being played today on top 40 stations. To show that kind of staying power after over 10 years, this release obviously has something special to offer its listeners. If you love that style of pop dance music with fun lyrics and awesome beats and orchestration, this is a must have release.

We start off with one of many smash hit singles "The Way That You Love Me," which is a great dance and attitude song that still stands true today. I still see that sexy gold video every time I hear it... mmm MMM! "Knocked Out" was a moderate success as a single (I saw the video more on BET than MTV) but is really a great dance tune with some great lyrical and orchestration hooks. "Opposites Attract" is pretty good and has gotten a recent resurgence thanks to Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I still remember how groundbreaking the video was with Paula dancing with the animated cat. "State of Attraction" wasn't released but could have easily been a hit with great dance beat and orchestration hooks. "I Need You" isn't as trite as it sounds and is a strong pop dance tune with an R&B groove. "Forever Your Girl" was a pretty big hit with its happy, bouncy, upbeat message and orchestration. We finally get to Paula's first huge single, "Straight Up." I must admit, I'm not exactly fond of this tune for some reason - something about the orchestration. But this was a phenomenal success and is a classic late 80s dance favorite. For you trivia buffs, the video featured Arsenio Hall. "Next to You" is the only ballad on this predominantly danceable release; very smooth and relaxing. "Cold Hearted" is an awesome attitude dance song with fantastic lyrics and a killer beat; it was a pretty big hit with a great concept dance video. The bridge features an almost rapped chant that really hooks you and was pretty innovative at the time. The release concludes with the somewhat cheesy and shallow "One or the Other," but it is still fun and danceable.

I'm personally torn between giving this release 4 or 5 stars. I like most of the songs, and I remember watching, dancing to and loving the videos for many of these songs (which were visual and dance masterpieces). However, the release never really made that perfect connection with me. While this release holds a special place in my history, it just didn't have that something special to become part of my soul. Therefore, I give it a very strong 4 star rating.

As a recommendation, if you are a fan of late 80s/early 90s dance pop, you should have this release. It's not earth shattering or mind altering, but the release is a strong representation of the era, and it really does make you want to get out onto the dance floor. It's a shame if you missed the videos, because they were all quality pieces that enhanced the songs and, at the time, broke a lot of new ground. As a bonus recommendation, if you like this release, I strongly suggest you also get the remix album Shut Up and Dance, which features songs from Forever Your Girl.

This looks like another album that is underrated because of the anti 80s bigotry...just because this album came out in the 80s, people automatically hate it. "Its cheesy" says one 80s hater. "It sounds so DATED" says another anti 80s person. What if this CD came out a year and a half later than it did? That would make it a 90s album. Would you still hate it then?

Its so unfair how everybody thinks music from the 80s is "cheesy" and a "guilty pleasure". The truth is, music from the 80s (and just about any other decade for that matter) far surpasses anything being made today. Artists like Paula Abdul made music for entertainment purposes only. It put a smile on your face and made you feel good.

Now compare Paula's music with the supposedly "real" music that came out a few years after this. In 1992, music like this disappeared forever! All traces of it were obliterated behind a faceless wall of droning, muddy, distorted guitar noise. Thats right, grunge. All those "woe-is-me, my-life-sucks-because-I-live-in-the-suburbs-and-I-hate-my-parents" mosher bands totally ruined music. How could anybody think Paula is "80s cheese" but think Nirvana were "real" and "honest"? How could they prefer teenage angst and negativity to positive music like Paula Abdul? It simply boggles my grunge hating mind.

I know "Forever Your Girl" might not be hip by today's standards, but be honest. What would you rather listen to? Paula Abdul singing "Forever Your Girl", or Kurt Cobain screaming about how much life sucks and how we should all die? No contest, I'd take "FYG" over the miserable, depressing,negative grunge any day.

After her success as a choreographer to the mega pop dance stars of the 80s, Paula Abdul breaks out on her own with her debut release of Forever Your Girl. This was a smash hit in the late 80s, and many of the hits off this release are still being played today on top 40 stations. To show that kind of staying power after over 10 years, this release obviously has something special to offer its listeners. If you love that style of pop dance music with fun lyrics and awesome beats and orchestration, this is a must have release.

We start off with one of many smash hit singles "The Way That You Love Me," which is a great dance and attitude song that still stands true today. I still see that sexy gold video every time I hear it... mmm MMM! "Knocked Out" was a moderate success as a single (I saw the video more on BET than MTV) but is really a great dance tune with some great lyrical and orchestration hooks. "Opposites Attract" is pretty good and has gotten a recent resurgence thanks to Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I still remember how groundbreaking the video was with Paula dancing with the animated cat. "State of Attraction" wasn't released but could have easily been a hit with great dance beat and orchestration hooks. "I Need You" isn't as trite as it sounds and is a strong pop dance tune with an R&B groove. "Forever Your Girl" was a pretty big hit with its happy, bouncy, upbeat message and orchestration. We finally get to Paula's first huge single, "Straight Up." I must admit, I'm not exactly fond of this tune for some reason - something about the orchestration. But this was a phenomenal success and is a classic late 80s dance favorite. For you trivia buffs, the video featured Arsenio Hall. "Next to You" is the only ballad on this predominantly danceable release; very smooth and relaxing. "Cold Hearted" is an awesome attitude dance song with fantastic lyrics and a killer beat; it was a pretty big hit with a great concept dance video. The bridge features an almost rapped chant that really hooks you and was pretty innovative at the time. The release concludes with the somewhat cheesy and shallow "One or the Other," but it is still fun and danceable.

I'm personally torn between giving this release 4 or 5 stars. I like most of the songs, and I remember watching, dancing to and loving the videos for many of these songs (which were visual and dance masterpieces). However, the release never really made that perfect connection with me. While this release holds a special place in my history, it just didn't have that something special to become part of my soul. Therefore, I give it a very strong 4 star rating.

As a recommendation, if you are a fan of late 80s/early 90s dance pop, you should have this release. It's not earth shattering or mind altering, but the release is a strong representation of the era, and it really does make you want to get out onto the dance floor. It's a shame if you missed the videos, because they were all quality pieces that enhanced the songs and, at the time, broke a lot of new ground. As a bonus recommendation, if you like this release, I strongly suggest you also get the remix album Shut Up and Dance, which features songs from Forever Your Girl.

The 80's were a time of self-fullment, and I believe Paula Abdul fullfilled her dreams. First being a great choreographer and then bouncing into music. I use to love watching the dance routines she created for other artist, i.e. Janet Jackson, Prince, etc... Then she came out with her first album that had an R&B and Poprock sound, very catchy. The songs were definitely fun, finger snapping tunes, you could imagine yourself performing the choreography for each score. I love listening to this cd, it brings back great memories. It is ashame she hasn't been on the scene for awhile but maybe she is behind the scenes once again.

It seems like lightyears ago that Paula Abdul reigned atop the Billboard Charts with the irresistible hits "Straight Up," "Cold Hearted," and "Forever Your Girl." Whenever an album features such smash singles, there is a risk of finding the rest of the effort to be a disappointment. FOREVER YOUR GIRL is no such case. Each track is impeccably crafted pop perfection (save for the grating "Knocked Out"), and, contrary to popular belief, Paula's vocals are ideal to the style of the songs.

No other performer could perform "Straight Up" or "Cold Hearted" with Paula's feline growl, just as no other songstress could sing "Live To Tell" with Madonna's urgent intensity. Paula's debut effort secured her a place in pop history, and she is sorely missed. Her wholesome image was so refreshing amid the hormone-addled heavy metal-dominated late '80s, and her lush ballads "Rush Rush" and "Blowing Kisses in the Wind" were just as inviting in a time when the early '90s saw the pompous grunge movement was finding its footing.

We miss Paula...I miss Paula. Even with the critical and commercial disappointment HEAD OVER HEELS, Paula unveiled a stylish new image that saw the releases of her most sophisticated singles, "Crazy Cool" and "My Love Is For Real." While fans lamented that the album arrived with little fanfare, I'm sure we'd give anything to see the same anticipation for HEAD OVER HEELS with the arrival of Paula's latest studio effort. It appeared that people were eager to get their hands on a copy of THE BEST OF PAULA ABDUL, with its street date set for March 28 of this year. However, ONCE AGAIN, Virgin Records has delayed its release...indefinitely. In the meantime, I suggest you purchase "Greatest," the import release of her best-of compilation. While it does not feature "Cold Hearted," it compiles Paula's most unforgettable songs and all of her singles.