Underrated performances: Petula Clark in "Finian's Rainbow"

Finian's Rainbow was a flop when it was released in 1968, despite being a big-budget musical and an early film in the career of budding auteur Francis Ford Coppola, who would go on to direct the Godfather series. By 1968, musicals were falling out of public favour, and Finian's Rainbow, a success on stage for many years, looked a wee bit outdated on screen with some creaky plot points. But despite its flaws, there is much to enjoy in Finian's Rainbow. One of its greatest virtues is the performance of Petula Clark, who plays Sharon, the strong-willed but loving daughter of Fred Astaire. At this point, Clark was at the peak of her music career, when she ruled the charts with hits such as "Downtown", "I Know A Place" and "Don't Sleep in the Subway". Producers were quick to get Clark on screen, and to her credit, she was a natural in film, giving fine performances in "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" and this film. As Sharon, Clark projects strength, sensuality, and a sharp sense of humour, almost stealing the film away from her co-stars Astaire and Don Francks, who plays her love interest and duets with her in this clip, "Old Devil Moon", one of the highlights of the film. When she made Finian's Rainbow, Clark was in her late '30s, yet she proved ideal casting. Just watch her in this clip, as Sharon nervously gives into a romantic suitor. She's very charming, but also very sexy. It's unfortunate Clark didn't do more films, but her short career at least gave us this excellent performance.

Yes, I bought this...

Back in the '80s, I was a huge fan of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, the R&B/pop trio who scored with hits such as "I Wonder if I Take You Home", "Head to Toe" and "Lost in Emotion". Lisa Lisa's sweet voice combined with the urban pop of Full Force was a great match. The songs still sound hot and are perfect for an old skool party.

I purchased this compilation of their hits at a local used CD shop, and I must admit I was a little embarrassed when I approached the cashier. I mean, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam -- it was always a strange name, and now 20 years later, the group has become a true guilty pleasure. Nobody buys CDs by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam anymore (hence, why I purchased this in a second-had music store), but if you don't want anybody to know that you like LL&CJ, you can always download in the privacy of your own home. So, let's take a trip back 20 years and enjoy the artistry of, um, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam.

Kylie's X flops in America

Kylie Minogue may be a global superstar, particularly in Europe, Australia and Japan, but in the U.S., and to some degree, Canada, Minogue has had a more difficult time establishing a stronghold on radio and record sales.

Minogue released her latest album, X, in the U.S. last week, a few months after it was released internationally. It's been available in Canada for some months as well. X has done respectable business worldwide, not a huge hit, but good enough to continue Kylie's streak of hit albums since her international comeback with 2000's Light Years. But in the States, the sales results were devastating. The album entered the Billboard 200 at 139, selling a pathetic 6000 copies. Even Minouge's last album, 2003's Body Language, sold more in its opening week (43,000).

So, what happened? There are several factors. Firstly, Minogue's hardcore fan base in the States probably bought import copies of her album already (or downloaded it). Secondly, Minogue's record company picked the wrong song to release as the album's first single. "All I See" is a pleasant, R&B-lite, mid-tempo ballad, but it's hardly indicative of Kylie's pop/dance sound. It was probably chosen as the first single because it's the most R&B-sounding song on the album, and since R&B/hip-hop dominates U.S. radio, radio programmers would more likely play "All I See" than "2 Hearts" and "In My Arms", which have been released internationally and are perhaps too "pop" for American radio. Thirdly, while Minogue's campy appeal is popular worldwide, it's less likely to catch on in America, where camp is not mainstream and generally frowned upon. By releasing "All I See", Minogue seemed to be watering down the elements that have made her a huge superstar internationally. Where's the sass of "2 Hearts" or the sexiness of "In My Arms" or the over-the-top kitsch of "Wow"? By all accounts, Minogue is being marketed improperly to American audiences, and perhaps Minogue and her record company do not know how to market her to America, since Minogue has always had an indifferent relationship to the States. By appearing on shows like Dancing with the Stars and Craig Ferguson, Minogue was targeting older demographics and not skewering younger audiences who watch MTV. Even fawning posts by blogger (and Minogue fan) Perez Hilton failed to have an impact on Minogue's sales.

I think it's safe to say that Minogue should give up trying to break into the States. She doesn't need it. While America is still seen as a desirable market, Minogue has achieved a staggering amount of Madonna-like success without ever breaking into it. She regularly hits number one or the top 10 in Europe and Australia, and her tours sell out instantly. She's only had two top ten hits in America, "The Locomotion" in 1988 and "Can't Get You Out of My Head" in 2001 - a 13-year gap between hits. Minogue has never been able to maintain a streak of success in America, and I mostly attribute it to the fact that her sound is too European, too campy, too pop, too much of everything America does NOT like in music.

It's a bit disheartening to see a talented artist like Kylie Minogue, who has had made some fantastic pop singles and albums, courting an audience who are disinterested in her and ignore her. America, you don't know what you're missing. It's your loss.