Internet memes aside I’ve always been a massive fan of Rick Astley. For the sake of being succinct, here’s what I shared when I wrote about his smash hit album Whenever You Need Somebody:
For people in my generation Rick Astley is pretty much exclusively known for nothing more than “Rickrolling”, which is basically the concept of providing a link to something like an article detailing the economic and industrial development of Singapore from 1950 to 1990 (a fascinating read fwiw) and via bait and switch providing a link to the “Never Gonna Give You Up” music video instead. It was electric, silly, and absolutely everywhere during my college years. I’m not overstating the fact that it defined an entire generation of internet users and still has a cultural impact that looms large to this day (there was a brief resurgence of the meme during COVID lockdowns in 2020).
Although Astley is best known for “Never Gonna Give You Up” (and make no mistake, it is an excellent song), the rest of Whenever You Need Somebody has its fair share of highlights that bop just as hard. “Together Forever” and “Whenever You Need Somebody” have incredibly hooky choruses, filled with Astley’s iconic baritone. The man truly can sing with the best of them and it’s refreshing to hear such a densely rich vocal splayed out over cheeky 80’s synths.
It’s easy to dismiss Astley as nothing but an internet phenomenon, but make no mistake this album was an absolute smash hit in the late 80’s, even before Rickrolling introduced him to a new generation of fans. The fact he was only 21 years old at the time makes all of this even more impressive.
Rick Astley, Whenever You Need Somebody via musicofmatthew.com
His 1988 follow up to his breakthrough album didn’t have as many highs, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t a great album from one of the best baritone pop singers of all time. Everybody in that genre wants to sing in the mezzo-soprano and tenor ranges. The fast Astley could make such a massive impact in the lower register speaks volumes about his enduring skill set.
Standout Songs: “Take Me To Your Heart”, “She Wants To Dance With Me”, “Hold Me In Your Arms”
