K-Tel's "Hot Tracks"

Not only do I own a copy of K-Tel's Hot Tracks on vinyl, but I bought it in the 1980s! Specifically, it was purchased at the late, lamented Kinder Wal-Mart in the era before that company became a sprawling behemoth threatening to consume all. But, I digress.

Most of the K-Tel I picked up back in the day was either on cassette or (gasp!) 8-track, so having the record for Hot Tracks was something of an anomaly even then. My best guess is that I wanted it, and vinyl was my only option. Still, that's not too bad a compromise, all things considered.

Well, as it turns out, it was. I've read that K-Tel records are notorious for being easily damaged, and I can confirm that mine developed a skip relatively early in its life. I don't think I ever had another LP get damaged on that reliable old record player I was using, so I will blame K-Tel for this. It was pretty galling at the time, but needless to say, I got over it.

Track List:

Side A
1. "Maniac" - Michael Sembello
2. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" - Eurythmics
3. "Human Touch" - Rick Springfield
4. "White Wedding - Part 1" - Billy Idol
5. "Mr. Roboto" - Styx
6. "Don't Pay The Ferryman" - Chris DeBurgh
7. "The Night" - The Animals

Side B
1. "King of Pain" - The Police
2. "This Time" - Bryan Adams
3. "Rock of Ages" - Def Leppard
4. "Mexican Radio" - Wall of Voodoo
5. "Promises, Promises" - Naked Eyes
6. "So Wrong" - Patrick Simmons
7. "Dead Giveaway" - Shalamar

Like any good K-Tel album, this one has a couple of songs that have been nigh-forgotten since release. I mean no disrespect, but when was the last time you heard or even thought about Patrick Simmons' "So Wrong" or the Animals' "The Night"?