“Can’t Wait Another Minute” by Five Star (1986)
Five Star was a British group of brothers and sisters, created in the mold of DeBarge and The Jacksons. They broke through to U.S. audiences in late 1985 with “All Fall Down” and “Let Me Be The One”. “Can’t Wait Another Minute” was the lead single from their second U.S. album, Silk & Steel, and it’s one of those “none more ‘80s” type of songs. Whirring synthesizers, popping bass, an EVH-in-”Beat It”-style guitar solo, a key change, a breathless vocal by lead singer Deniece Pearson, whose high-pitched voice occasionally recalled a singing Minnie Mouse on helium.
I clearly have a soft spot for ‘80s production, but there’s something about “Can’t Wait” that elevates it above similar fare. There’s an electricity to it that’s contagious. Speaking of ‘80s, there are so many tropes from that decade in this video that it might as well come with a coke spoon.
Unkindest cut at all: “Can’t Wait Another Minute” peaked at #41 on the pop chart. Damn!
Four star songs between “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” and “Can’t Wait Another Minute”: “Can’t Wait” (Redman, 1994) | “Can’t Wait” (Jill Scott, 2015)
