“Whenever You’re On My Mind” (Marshall Crenshaw)

Your long-lost power pop song of the day is “Whenever You’re On My Mind” by Marshall Crenshaw. Mr. Crenshaw released this one in April of 1983 and it went absolutely nowhere. While it was a hit on college radio at the time, it only hit #103 on the Billboard Hot 100, which technically isn’t actually in the Hot 100. (It was formally classified as #3 on the “Bubbling Under Hot 100” chart.) That’s a shame, because it is a great slice of power pop.

“Whenever You’re On My Mind” was an early ’80s release but it has a timeless sound, unlike the other New Wavish and Brit-Pop tunes in MTV rotation at the time. Mr. Crenshaw wrote the music and Bill Teeley supplied the lyrics; Crenshaw had earlier performed in the touring production of Beatlemania with Bill’s brother Tom. (Crenshaw played John Lennon; Tom played George Harrison.) The song was a follow-up to Crenshaw’s earlier and bigger hit, 1982’s equally catchy “Someday Someway,” which peaked at #36 on the Hot 100.

“Whenever You’re On My Mind” was produced by the legendary Steve Lillywhite and was the first single from Crenshaw’s second album, Field Day—even though it was originally written for his first, self-titled album. The song is a perfect piece of pop confection, benefiting from Mr. Crenshaw’s propensity for linear pentatonic melodies. It’s been covered by a number of artists since, my favorite version being by Marti Jones on her 1986 album, Match Game. Ms. Jones gave it more of a sophisticated sheen but that Crenshaw melody still shines through.

You may have seen Mr. Crenshaw playing Buddy Holly in the 1986 Richie Valens biopic La Bamba or performing in the high school reunion scenes in 1987’s Peggy Sue Got Married. He also co-wrote yesterday’s Classic Song of the Day, “Til I Hear It From You,” which was a big hit by Gin Blossoms in 1995. His last studio album was 2009’s Jaggedland and he continues to perform 40-50 concerts a year. You can bet “Whenever You’re On My Mind” is always part of the setlist.