Quote:
Originally Posted by Nico
(Post 968878)
I know next to nothing about either of these women. I grew up in the 80's and their music just never played a role in my childhood. I'm curious what others here think of them, or thought of them, when they first appeared on the scene. Whose music did you prefer between the two? Who did you prefer in general? I always find all these 80's stars that I never really listened to fascinating to read about for some odd reason. :shrug:
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I preferred Debs. Though Tiffany had the bigger voice, I do think Debbie hit higher notes and was a more talented musician. That's really a difference in their styles -- Tiff is more of a belter and Debbie a pop vocalist. But my main reason for liking Deb more, is that unlike Tiffany (or most pop stars then or now), she wrote her own songs -- every song, in fact, on her albums.
You like reading about 80s pop stars? Good. I like writing about 'em!
Debbie was really a prodigy and there was something a bit more squeaky clean about her induction into the industry. Tiff had a svengali-like manager who, in the early days, guarded Tiffany ridiculously, controlled what songs she sang and even battled with her mother over whether she should sing that Beatles tune (I Saw Him Standing There). He won. This may have been the beginning salvo in a power struggle in which Tiffany would later sue to emancipate herself from (legally divorce herself from) her parents. She won. But then she was at the mercy of this manager, and she later was forced to sue
him to get some of her earnings returned.
Meanwhile, Debs had been plunking around on a piano since before she was five and had written a song called (I think) "Know Your School" at about that same age. Her support system was stronger and such unseemly events did not plague her career. I do believe she was more driven than Tiffany, as evidenced by her seemingly unlimited number of self-penned songs (not all of which made her albums). When her pop stardom dried up, she went on to perform on Broadway ("Beauty And The Beast," "Les Miserables"), in London's West End ("Grease") and in several film roles while Tiffany's recording career was, unfortunately, sidelined by legal issues.
When they both performed at L.A.'s gay pride two or so years ago, they were both great. Tiffany wasn't doing her hits, just selections from a Dance CD she'd just released. Debbie came out later in the evening (it wasn't really a headlining concert situation -- she was just scheduled later), and killed. She sang and played her hits and, when she was asked for an encore, she came out and found that the stage crew had removed all of her instruments, even her keyboard. She performed -- acapella -- a song from "Les Mis." She was resourceful and kind of...awesome.
On the charts, Tiffany scored her biggest hit ("I Think We're Alone Now") first and it struck number one as did the follow-up ("Could've Been"). Debbie did well with her first album, but not as well: her first singles just made it into the top five. It was only when she released a ballad ("Foolish Beat") that she was able to crack the top spot. When their second albums were released, the roles were reversed, with Debbie scoring an immediate number one with "Lost In Your Eyes" and Tiffany's single "All This Time" scoring somewhere below that. Debbie continued with a few more hits from that album, but pretty quickly thereafter, neither of them could make it even into the top 40.
They were never really rivals, as Debbie has said, though the rivalry has been played up endlessly. I am surprised that, even though they were signed by different record companies, they'd never teamed up for a tour before. They did some concert about ten years ago (in Canada?) with Rick Astley once, and Debbie actually accompanied Tiffany on the piano for one of her songs (it's on youtube). Then Debbie did a SyFy B-film...then Tiffany did one...and then they did one together. All three films are nearly unwatchable except for their abilities as actresses -- they are both game for even the cheesiest thing they are asked to do (or cheesiest monster they are asked to battle), so both of them are eminently watchable.
Well....I think that's enough. And probably more than enough. ;)
