Lydia Murdock
{{For|the soap opera character|Lydia Murdoch}}{{short description|American pop singer}}
{{Infobox musical artist
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| name = Lydia Murdock
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| alias = Lydia Murdoch
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| genre =
| occupation = Singer
| instrument = Voice
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| label = Team Entertainment Records, WEA, Unidisc
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Lydia Murdock is an American singer who had at least two dance hits. Her best known one was "Superstar" which was a hit in the UK and Canada. She also charted in the UK with "Love on the Line".
Background
Lydia Murdock is an American pop singer. She is best known for her answer song to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean", known as "Superstar", where she portrayed Billie Jean saying that she's "mad as hell" in the song's lyrics. The song was a hit, peaking at #14 in the UK in October 1983.{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 384}}
Career
=Superstar=
On the week of 7 October, 1983, "Superstar" made its debut at no. 36 on the Radio & Records National Airplay / 40 chart.Radio & Records, Issue Number 504 October 7, 1983 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1983/RR-1983-10-07.pdf Page 60 R&R NATIONAL AIPLAY/ 40, DEBUT> 36]
On the week of 8 October, her single was a breakout in Canada and was at 5-15 on radio CKOI-FM in Montreal.RPM Weekly, Volume 39 No. 6 October 8, 1983 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/RPM/80s/1983/RPM-1983-10-08.pdf Page 13 BREAKOUT SINGLES]RPM Weekly, Volume 39 No. 6 October 8, 1983 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/RPM/80s/1983/RPM-1983-10-08.pdf Page 13 GUY BROUILLARD, CKOI-FM - Montreal] It had also made its debut at no. 50 on the RPM Weekly Top 50 Singles chart.RPM Weekly, Volume 39 No. 6 October 8, 1983 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/RPM/80s/1983/RPM-1983-10-08.pdf Page 6 RPM 50 Singles, 50 New (1)] It peaked at no. 26 on the RPM chart on week seven on the week of 19 November. It held that position for another week.RPM Weekly, Volume 39 No. 12 November 19, 1983 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/RPM/80s/1983/RPM-1983-11-19.pdf Page 6 50 Singles TW 36, LW 37, WKs (7)]RPM Weekly, Volume 39 No. 13 November 26, 1983 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/RPM/80s/1983/RPM-1983-11-26.pdf Page 5 RPM 50 Singles, TW 36, LW 36, WKs (8)]RPM Weekly, Volume 39 No. 14 December 3, 1983 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/CANADA/RPM/80s/1983/RPM-1983-12-03.pdf Page 6 RPM 50 Singles]
On the main UK chart, the single made its debut on 17 SeptemberOfficial Charts - [https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/lydia-murdock-superstar/ SUPERSTAR by LYDIA MURDOCK, CHART FACTS] and spending ten weeks in the charts, it peaked at no. 14.Official Charts - [https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/lydia-murdock-superstar/ SUPERSTAR by LYDIA MURDOCK, CHART RUN]
Murdock's single won her an award. She came fourth in the Cash Box 1983 Black Contemporary Singles Awards New Female section with Diane Richards, Madonna, Alfie Silas and Pamela Nivens at 1, 2, 3 and 5 respectively.Cash Box, December 31, 1983 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1983/CB-1983-12-31.pdf Page 58 SINGLES AWARDS, NEW FEMALE]
Superstar also made the Euro Tip Sheet European Top 100 Singles chart. On the week of 30 April, it had moved up from 86 to 62.'"Euro Tip Sheet'', No. 5 Week of April 30th, 1984 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1984/M&M-1984-04-30.pdf Pages 8-9 European Top 100 Singles 7 & 12 Inch, This Week 62, Last Week 86, Wks on Chart 3]
==Further activities==
Murdock recorded the Michael Burton composition, "Life in America" which was produced by Jerry Gabinelli and Burton. A club mix by D.J. Raphael Negron was released in 1984 in 12" format on Team Entertainment TRS 3003.Amazon - [https://www.amazon.com/Life-America-12-Lydia-Murdock/dp/B008NPVPYE Life In America (12")]
=Love on the Line=
Murdock recorded the single "Love on the Line" which was released in 12" format in the US on Team Entertainment TRS3006. It was written by Michael Burton and produced by Gerry Gabinelli, Bobby Eli, and Tony Bongiovi.Billboard, October 13, 1984 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1984/BB-1984-10-13.pdf Page 70 Billboard Singles Reviews, Disco / Dance, recommended, LYDIA MURDOCK -Love On The Line; Team TRS3006] It was released in the UK on WEA YZ17T. It was reviewed by James Hamilton who confirmed that it was selling well in the UK. However Hamilton said her lamenting about her man's phone line being busy was a bit nagging.James Hamilton's Disco Page - [https://jameshamiltonsdiscopage.com/1984/08/25/august-25-1984-david-lasley-mtume-the-staple-singers-chuck-brown-the-soul-searchers-latoya-jackson/ ODDS ‘N’ BODS, LYDIA MURDOCK: ‘Love On The Line’ (WEA YZ17T)] It was also reviewed that same week by Jerry Smith in Music Week. He said that it was a strong dance single and noted the catchy vocal harmonies and sweeping strings. And even though he said that it was another song about telephones, he said that the chorus was memorable, and it should do well.Music Week, August 25, 1984 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1984/Music-Week-1984-08-25.pdf Page 23 SINGLES Reviewed by JERRY SMITH LYDIA MURDOCK: Love On The Line (WEA YZ17 (T), WEA)]
Murdock's song lyrics for "Love on the Line" and her photo was featured in the 25 August 1984 issue of Number One magazine.No 1, August 25, 1984 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Number-One/1984/Number-1!-1984-08-25-OCR.pdf Page 18 LOVE ON THE LINE, LYDIA murdoch] That week the single debuted on the UK Disco Top 85 chart at number 55.James Hamilton's Disco Page - [https://jameshamiltonsdiscopage.com/1984/08/25/august-25-1984-david-lasley-mtume-the-staple-singers-chuck-brown-the-soul-searchers-latoya-jackson/ ODDS ‘N’ BODS, DISCO TOP 85 – August 25, 1984, 55 — LOVE ON THE LINE, Lydia Murdock, WEA 12in]
It was reported by Music Week in the magazine's 8 September issue that "Love on the Line" had debuted at no. 49 on the Music Week Top Disco & Dance Singles chart.Music Week, September 8, 1984 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1984/Music-Week-1984-09-08.pdf Page 24 MUSIC WEEK DISCO and dance TOP SINGLES, THIS WEEK 49, NEW]
"Love on the Line" was a recommended single in the 13 October issue of Billboard.Billboard, October 13, 1984 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1984/BB-1984-10-13.pdf Page 70 Billboard Singles Reviews, Disco / Dance, recommended, LYDIA MURDOCK -Love On The Line; Team TRS3006]
In Montreal, Canada, "Love on the Line" debuted at no. 40 on the Radio CKGM 98 chart on the week of 1 February, 1985.Radio & Records, Issue Number 568 February 1, 1985 - [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1985/RR-1985-02-01.pdf Page 93 CHR PARALLEL ONE PLAYLISTS, ckgm 98 Montreal, PD: Stephen Anthony, D 40 LYDIA MURDOCK/Love On The Line]
==Further activities==
In 1985 her single "Tonight Tonight" was released in Canada on Unidisc 7UN-190.Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/release/2769970-Lydia-Murdock-Tonight-Tonight Lydia Murdock – Tonight Tonight]
Discography
=US=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ US singles 7" & 12" |
| scope="col" class="unsortable" | Act
! scope="col" | Release ! scope="col" | Catalogue ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| scope="row" | Lydia Murdock
| "Superstar" (Vocal & rap) / Superstar (Vocal only) | Team Entertainment TRS3001J | 1983 | (7" juke box release) |
| scope="row" | Lydia Murdock
| "Superstar" (Long version) / "Superstar" (Instrumental version) | Team Entertainment TRS 3001 | 1983 | (12" 33⅓ RPM) |
| scope="row" | Lydia Murdock
| "Life in America" (Long version), "Life in America" (Instrumental) / "Life in America" (Club mix) | Team Entertainment TRS3003 | 1984 | (12", 33⅓ RPM) |
| scope="row" | Lydia Murdock
| "Love On The Line" (Edited for radio), "Love On The Line" (Instrumental version) / Love on the Line (Club mix) | Team Entertainment TRS3006 | 1984 | (12", 33⅓ RPM) |
=Canada=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Album |
| scope="col" class="unsortable" | Act
! scope="col" | Release ! scope="col" | Catalogue ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| scope="row" | Lydia Murdock
| Superstar | Undidisc SPLK-7107 | 1993 | CD |
{{Citation needed|reason=refs neeeded|date=November 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/artist/82036-Lydia-Murdock Lydia Murdock]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murdock, Lydia}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:African-American women singers
Category:American women singers
Category:20th-century American women