Forever Your Girl - Abdul, Paula (Cassette 1992)

Some kids out there who only know Paula Abdul as the trainwreck of a judge on TV's "American Idol" might have forgotten (or may not have even known) that she had a recording career in the late Eighties and early Nineties. Not only did she have a recording career, she was HUGE, with her only competition at the time being Janet Jackson and maybe Madonna. In the time since, it has become obvious that she was the weakest of the three talents, not only because Madonna and Janet still have viable music careers while Paula doesn't, but also because their music from the same time period has aged better. Given the choice of "Like a Prayer", "Rhythm Nation" and "Forever Your Girl", which of the three albums are you going to put on? I rest my case.

This is not to say things were all bad with Abdul. 1988's "Forever Your Girl" is a fun collection of lightweight pop/R&B/dance music. It's hooky and easy to sing along to. And while Paula was never much of a vocalist (the irony of her judging a singing talent show does not escape me) her airy, nasal whine had it's charm.

Of course, it might also be good to remember that singing was not Abdul's initial career option. She began her career as a "Laker Girl", a glorified cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team-then in their Magic/Kareem/Worthy heyday. This job got her noticed by eldest Jackson brother Jackie, who took a shine to young Paula (and if you believe the rumors, cost Jackie his marriage-the two allegedly had a torrid affair) and got her a job as choreographer on The Jacksons' "Torture" video. From there, she went on to choreograph everything from "The Tracey Ullman Show" to ZZ Top's "Velcro Fly" video to the first wave of award-winning videos from littlest Jackson Janet's "Control" album.

"Forever Your Girl" really seems like her record company (Virgin) thinking "hell, if Janet sold all of those records, maybe we can get a hit record out of her choreographer!". The album, at least musically, would not have been possible without Janet's breakthrough success. The album has strong hints of the synth-heavy "Minneapolis sound" that was oh so poular during the late Eighties, and also contains a heavy dose of the attitude that Janet exhibited during this time period.

This cop on Janet's 'tude actually results in the album's best moments. "Straight Up" remains Paula's best-known hit and is easily the strongest song she's ever done. Over a startling funk/rock groove, Paula asks her lover to give her the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Paula's vocals have a little bite when played against the song's muscular arrangement. Rightfully, it became Paula's first #1 single and was nominated for a Grammy.

On the insistent "Cold Hearted", Paula assumes the role of a wise best friend, telling her girlfriend that her man is no good. This cautionary tale is an OK song, but it doesn't seem complete without it's near scandalous video. It also highlights a problem with this and several other albums during this period (like Bobby Brown's "Don't Be Cruel" and Jody Watley's debut, another album that Paula's handlers must have listened to a LOT before formulating "Forever Your Girl"). Many of Paula's singles (and there were 6 on this album) were remixed for single release. Thusly, the versions you hear on the album are different from the single versions that you remember. Occasionally the difference is subtle ("Straight Up" is just a little longer in it's album version), and occasionally the songs are given an almost complete overhaul. Check "Opposites Attract", a cute back-and-forth number with soul duo The Wild Pair. The single version is peppier, brighter, and features a rap at the song's intro and again in the bridge. On the album, while the song is still somewhat enjoyable, there's no rap, and the production is a bit more drab. It's like watching a show on a color TV versus a black-and-white one.

There are other good moments on this CD. "Knocked Out" was the first single from the album, and it has a funky, flirtatious vibe. Of course, the song's producers, L.A. and Babyface, were at the top of their game during this period and could do nothing wrong. Meanwhile, the album's only ballad, "Next To You", is pleasant but just sort of fades into the album's background. Ballads require a voice with character and feeling, and while Paula can make her way through a strong dance tune, ballads (see the abominable "Rush, Rush from '91's "Spellbound") do nothing more than bring to the forefront everything that's wrong with her voice.

...Or is it her voice? If you remember, there was a lawsuit filed in the early Nineties by Yvette Marine, a former member of Rick James' Mary Jane Girls, that stated that Paula's vocals were blended with hers on three of "Forever Your Girl"'s tracks. While Virgin Records (Paula's company) won the lawsuit, it is interesting to note that on the tracks where Marine is listed as a background vocalist, Paula's voice does sound slightly different, at least to me...

With all of that in mind, is "Forever Your Girl" worth your money? Well, no, to be honest with you. While it's a pleasant enough album, and none of the songs are bad per se, it's also incredibly dated and fairly devoid of character. A few good singles do not a great album make, especially when there is a "Greatest Hits" album available that features all of the necessary songs, and in their more familiar radio single versions (and let's face it, "Opposites Attract" is nothing without MC Skat Kat). "Forever Your Girl" was one of the decade's biggest albums, selling more than 7 million copies, but it's ultimate destiny is as a time-battered relic and the springboard for Paula's current career, telling infinitely more talented vocalists how to sing.

"Forever Your Girl" by Paula Abdul
Released 1988 on Virgin Records
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars