The new year is off to a sad start as the last of the Pointer Sisters, Anita, passed. I feel terrible not knowing about the other two going away in the recent past and yes, I know originally they were a quartet before they became the more recognizable trio, Bonnie left the group after several albums.
I can’t remember when I knew of their existence as a little kid but I’m arrogantly confident it was long before most fellow Gen Xers. My parents thought they were cool and I think they made the rounds on variety-hour shows hosted by comedians/famous people, aka Sonny & Cher, Donny & Marie, the Hudson Brothers, etc. Don’t hold me to those shows, I just listed them as examples of a long gone TV genre. Now I’m 100% certain about them being the evil stepsisters in Carol Burnett’s two-part modern-day version Cinderella. They sang taunting lyrics at her, “Cinderella, Cinderella you’re a square!” in the opening and Tim Conway was Prince Charming dressed like Captain Fantastic-era Elton John.
For me, their breakout hit was “Fire,” one of many songs written by Bruce Springsteen that sounded better performed by anyone other than him (see Manfred Mann). It had a couple odd memories too. Within a month or so, AM Top 40 powerhouse WLS Chicago got a customized version with their call letters in the song. You always knew it was coming because Anita was off key in opening, the word “car” sounded like it was mauled. The other bit was us kids doing a parody a la Weird Al with the “handy” guy in tune not paying attention to his driving and the car goes up in fire. Dozens of laughs. We were super weird ‘tweeners in 1979.
I forgot they sang on those awesome Sesame Street pinball cartoons teaching children how to count to 12.
What else? They were in an episode of The Love Boat as a singing act the bartender Isaac tried to promote and be the manager. I don’t recall all the specifics beyond them singing their hit at the time, “He’s So Shy.” I caught them being interviewed on the radio by a WLS DJ too. They were funny and witty, especially when it came to calling dibs on a guy one of them liked or how they proved the stereotype of the preacher’s kids are the biggest hellions in any congregation.
Contributing to the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack via “Neutron Dance” was what finally made them the household name the world knows in the Eighties. Alongside those hits, “I’m So Excited,” “Automatic” (my fave) and “Jump.” I wish it lasted. Maybe it did, after those years I was in college and in my own little, narrower musical silo. Thanks for everything Anita, Ruth and June! You were awesome in so many incarnations your careers took you musically. You contributed much to the world with your wonderful voices and I will greatly miss you.
Now to hunt down their back catalog to get more familiar with their earlier years when they were a retro act in the beginning, quite similar to another fave, The Manhattan Transfer.