With my only evidence a general feeling, Lisa Lisa is one of the lesser appreciated ’80s ladies. That’s not to discount the contributions of her Cult Jam compadres, but she was the star attraction (much like Little Jackie wished to be).

In just the span of a year, 1986-1987, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam scored three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. The group’s much loved ballad, “All Cried Out,” reached #8, followed by two successive number one hits, “Head To Toe” and “Lost In Emotion.”

Over on the R&B chart, the band fared even better. Between 1985 and 1991, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam claimed an impressive eight top 10 singles, with three going all the way to the top spot. “Head To Toe” and “Lost In Emotion” account for two of those number ones, but the third is surprising: “Let The Beat Hit ‘Em.”

Released in 1991, the song was written by Robert Clivillés, who produced the track with his partner David Cole. The pair was churning out commercial dance hits under their C + C Music Factory banner, but “Let The Beat Hit ‘Em” peaked at just #37 on the Hot 100 22 years ago this week, proving a bit too house-y for the mainstream. People have got to learn to let go.

(Ignore the incorrect cover art shown below.)

Purchase Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – “Let The Beat Hit ‘Em” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.