The Nylons - "Kiss Him Goodbye"

(Debuted May 16, 1987, Peaked #12, 17 Weeks on the Charts)

For many, "Kiss Him Goodbye" was close to their first exposure to the art of a capella singing. That was the case for me, as Rick Dees was quick to point out on his weekly countdown show that -- save a drum kit in the background -- it was the biggest song in several years to feature voices only. However, when Bobby McFerrin came out a year later with "Don't Worry, Be Happy," The Nylons were relegated to the pages of history, only to be revisited as an oddity of its era (or by certain bloggers who tend to showcase obscure 1980s music).

Having said that, The Nylons weren't a flash in the pan. In fact, the group is still together (though only Claude Morrison is left from the lineup that recorded "Kiss Him Goodbye"). They formed in Toronto in 1978 and have underwent a number of personnel changes in the intervening years. "Kiss Him Goodbye" was a remake of the 1969 #1 hit "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by the studio group Steam, a song that was originally recorded as a quick B-side for a single but became a huge hit when the A-side flopped.

When The Nylons reworked it, they took it to a respectable #12. It was their biggest hit and really didn't deserve to be forgotten. The clean sound and simple production stand out here, and even the percussion used in the background doesn't overpower the vocals. When you talk about music from 1987, that isn't a bad thing at all.