Okay, this took longer than I thought. But you know the holidays. Hope yours were as good as mine, but now, at last, we wrap up the last chart of 1987.
20 - "Seasons Change," Expose
19 - "Animal," Def Leppard
18 - "There's the Girl," Heart
17 - "Heaven is a Place on Earth," Belinda Carlisle
16 - "Could've Been," Tiffany
The second half begins with Miami girl group Expose and what would be their only #1, a sparkly ballad about wanting someone. Can't get into this. The lead singer's voice grates on me.
Def Leppard are back from last time with their lascivious slow burner that features the chorus "And I want/And I need/And I lust/Animal." This is the fine line between stupid and clever that Spinal Tap spoke of.
Next are heart with their last hit of the 80s, an unremarkable, synth-laden rocker in which Nancy Wilson takes on lead vocal chores to tell a guy that she knows that he's still in love with another woman. Still better than "All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You," though.
Then Belinda Carlisle returns from last time with a shimmery pop treasure about transcendent romance. Nothing wrong with this at all.
Rounding out this section is teen Tiffany Darwish with her second and last #1, a ballad about a romance that died before it reached its potential. It's actually a good song, but Tiff just didn't have what it took to do it justice. Apparently Mandy Moore covered it a few years ago. She probably did a little better, but still, I'd like to hear someone really good take a stab at it.
15 - "Hazy Shade of Winter," The Bangles
14 - "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," Aerosmith
13 - "Candle in the Wind (Live)," Elton John
12 - "Tell it to My Heart," Taylor Dayne
11 - "Valerie," Steve Winwood
This group opens with The Bangles' stomping cover of a 1968 Simon and Garfunkel hit. The band recorded it with Rick Rubin, who produced the entire Less Than Zero soundtrack, and I must say, he did a great job in bringing out their rockier tendencies. I heard this version before the S&G one, and I have to say, I still prefer this. More energy and urgency.
Aerosmith are back from last time with their tale of a scenario that would be played out a few years later in the film The Crying Game. Whatever happened to Jaye Davidson, anyway? Anyway, in the absence of "The One I Love," this gets this week's Uneasy Rider.
Next is Sir Elton with a live-in-Australia version of his 1973 Marilyn Monroe tribute song. Ten years later, as we all know, he would record a new version with altered lyrics as a tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. It became the biggest-selling single of all time. I guess I understand that. The original version off Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is still the best, of course.
Then Taylor Dayne returns with her first hit. I guess it's her best song, but that really doesn't say much.
This bunch is anchored by Steve Winwood, claiming to be "the same boy I used to be." No, you're not. You were much cooler whey you were wailing with the Spencer Davis Group.
Only ten songs left until the New Year. Grab your noisemakers and get ready to kiss the one you love.
10 - "Need You Tonight," INXS
Michael Hutchence attempts to be as slick a loverman as Barry White on this one. Obviously, he doesn't succeed, but he does all right for himself. It's too bad what happened to him.
9 - "Cherry Bomb," John Cougar Mellencamp
JCM is back with this song about wild teenage times. Earlier in the countdown, Casey recalled the time the "small town" of Chillicothe, Ohio petitioned him to play there. Eventuall he did, and to mark that occasion, Casey played "Small Town" as an extra.
8 - "Catch Me (I'm Falling)," Pretty Poison
No. You go ahead and hit the ground. The harder the better. This song sucks.
7 - "The Way You Make Me Feel," Michael Jackson
A slick strutter from the mighty MJ. Probably in my top 5 or 6 among his solo stuff. It was the third of five #1 singles from Bad a record for charttoppers from one album that was recently tied by Katy Perry. Apparently, she's got another one that's at #3 right now, so she could break the record. Well, at least my niece would be happy about that.
6 - "Don't You Want Me," Jody Watley
Not really, Jody. But other people did, apparently, so don't feel too bad.
5 - "Shake Your Love," Debbie Gibson
Debbie G. at her best. With a few tweaks of modern production, she could put this out now and it would fit right in on what passes for modern pop radio.
4 - "Got My Mind Set on You," George Harrison
I don't think I like this as much as I did at the time. A bit too slick. Still, I'd never turn it off or skip it.
3 - "Is This Love," Whitesnake
One of the least powerful power ballads ever. Limp and lifeless.
2 - "So Emotional," Whitney Houston
The spoken-word intro was a nice touch, and raises it just a little bit above the other uptempo hits she had during her streak.
And topping the list as the sun set on '87 was none other than...
1 - "Faith," George Michael
George's smash about patience and hope was on its third of four weeks at the top. This is pretty clearly the best thing he ever did. He just hit the sweet spot.
This week's NotCaseys were "Can't Stay Away from You" by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine, "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure, "I Found Someone" by Cher, and "Never Gonna Give Your Up" by Rick Astley And Casey played two Long Distance Dedications. A woman dedicated Kenny Rogers' "Through the Years" to the longtime boyfriend who married her even though she got pregnant by another man while he was away. And another woman, dedicated Terry Jacks' "Seasons in the Sun" to the mother who still loves her enough to take care of her children while she's in prison.
At last, this is in the books. No 70s bonus this week. I will be covering the year-end show from the coming weekend, but I'm not sure when. Until, then, Happy New Year to anyone who's ever read this thing.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
December 26, 1987 Part One
And now, for this Christmas weekend, we go back to Boxing Day 1987. Don't ask me what I got for Christmas that year. Even if I remembered, I'd probably be too embarrassed to tell you. Anyway, here are the songs that were big that week.
40 - "Push It," Salt-n-Pepa
39 - "What Have I Done to Deserve This," The Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield
38 - "Everywhere," Fleetwood Mac
37 - "Motortown," The Kane Gang
36 - "Honestly," Stryper
35 - "Pop Goes the World," Men Without Hats
34 - "Don't Shed a Tear," Paul Carrack
33 - "Say You Will," Foreigner
32 - "True Faith," New Order
31 - "I Live for Your Love," Nataie Cole
We begin with songs featuring entirely female lead vocals. Salt-n-Pepa became the first female rappers to hit the Top 40 with this dancefloor classic containing the immortal line "Can't you hear the music pumpin' hard like I wish you would." Cheeky.
Fleetwood Mac had their last Top 40 to date with this slick, Christine McVie-fronted number about wanting to be with someone. A lot. Not one of their best efforts. And Natalie Cole continued her late-80s comeback with this pleasant-but-innocuous ballad. Well, at least she wasn't exploiting her dead father...yet.
Four entirely British acts are here. The Pet Shop Boys scored their second-biggest American hit by teaming up with the legendary Dusty Springfield on this song about wondering where a relationship went wrong. The boys are great on their own, but Dusty adds a cool little touch of class. Newcastle's The Kane Gang had their only American hit with this pop-rocker about hanging on to hope in a dying industrial city. A lost little nugget of goodness that reminds me a bit of Steely Dan. Paul Carrack, whose previous biggest hits had been with the band Ace and Mike + the Mechanics, finally hit the American Top Ten on his own with this song telling an ex not to weep for him, because he now sees her as "cab fare to nowhere" and "a slim chance in tight pants." Ouch. And Manchester electro-rockers New Order had their first U.S. pop hit with this airy dance number about a sudden burst of hope and optimism after a difficult life, tempered by a reticence reflected in the line "Now I fear you've left me standing/In a world that's so demanding." Fantastic. And it was made even better when Casey busted out his Shaggy voice while introducing it.
What's left are three bands. Stryper, the standard bearers of the Christian hair-metal genre, picked up their biggest mainstream hit with this standard-issue power ballad that's only different because they might be singing about God instead of a woman. And the singer sounds like Dennis DeYoung on helium. Montreal's Men Without Hats had their second and final U.S. hit with this sprightly synth-pop treat about the adventures of a couple named Johnny and Jenny, who play guitar and bass in a band called The Human Race. Deep. Or nonsensical. Either way, fun song. And Anglo-American rock vets Foreigner had yet another Top Ten with this slick plea for decisiveness. Not one of their best-remembered hits, and justifiably so.
30 - "Tunnel of Love," Bruce Springsteen
29 - "Should've Known Better," Richard Marx
28 - "We'll Be Together," Sting
27 - "The Power of Love," Laura Branigan
26 - "I Want to Be Your Man," Roger
25 - "Hungry Eyes," Eric Carmen
24 - "That's What Love is All About," Michael Bolton
23 - "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man," Prince
22 - "Crazy," Icehouse
21 - "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
We start with three of the biggest rock stars of the decade. Bruce Springsteen had his last Top Ten of the decade with this mournful-sounding song that compares the ups and downs of marriage to an amusement park ride. Good stuff, but it's also easy to see why the album of the same name sold only one-fifth as much as Born in the U.S.A. It's just not crank-it-up-at-the-barbecue material. Sting is back saying he's going to be with you tonight. If he doesn't, don't blame me. And Prince reached the Top Ten yet again with this funky bit of chivalry in which he turns down a chance at a one night stand because he knows that the lady offering herself wants much more than he is prepared to give her. He really is a prince, that guy.
A whole bunch of lite-rock and MOR in this group. Richard Marx is back regretting his bad judgement in mediocre song form. The late Laura Branigan had her final Top 40 single with this cover of a big ballad that was an international smash for Jennifer Rush a couple years earlier, but had never caught on in America. Laura did okay with it, but then Celine Dion recorded it in 1993 and did what neither Rush nor Branigan could: hitting #1 in the U.S.A. After pretty much dropping off the radio, the formerly awesome Eric Carmen came limply roaring back with this cheeseball ballad from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Okay, it's not worse than "All by Myself," but what is? Michael Bolton is back from last time with the song that began his ascent from faceless songwriter to reviled schlockmeister. And Medley and Warnes return with their Dirty Dancing contribution about having a nice evening. Why did they even bother putting new songs on that soundtrack? They were all terrible.
We close out this section with an R&B singer and an Australian band. Roger Troutman had been a member of Funkadelic in their dying days, and had achieved success with his own band, Zapp, before scoring his biggest solo hit, a song that, like some of Peter Frampton's biggest hits, employed the "talk box," the Auto-Tune of its day. Sadly, I just learned now that the man died in 1999, shot in a dispute over money by his brother Larry, who then committed suicide. Damn. And Icehouse, formed in Sydney, had been together for ten years when they finally cracked the American charts with this midtempo ballad about a man whose disbelief in how fortunate he is to have found a great woman has gotten to the point where he's almost trying to convince her that she's made a mistake. Calm down, buddy. She loves you. Accept and enjoy.
Whenever I get the chance: the mall princess returns, a 60s chestnut gets rocked up, and a song that would later become absolutely massive. Until then, Merry Christmas everyone.
40 - "Push It," Salt-n-Pepa
39 - "What Have I Done to Deserve This," The Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield
38 - "Everywhere," Fleetwood Mac
37 - "Motortown," The Kane Gang
36 - "Honestly," Stryper
35 - "Pop Goes the World," Men Without Hats
34 - "Don't Shed a Tear," Paul Carrack
33 - "Say You Will," Foreigner
32 - "True Faith," New Order
31 - "I Live for Your Love," Nataie Cole
We begin with songs featuring entirely female lead vocals. Salt-n-Pepa became the first female rappers to hit the Top 40 with this dancefloor classic containing the immortal line "Can't you hear the music pumpin' hard like I wish you would." Cheeky.
Fleetwood Mac had their last Top 40 to date with this slick, Christine McVie-fronted number about wanting to be with someone. A lot. Not one of their best efforts. And Natalie Cole continued her late-80s comeback with this pleasant-but-innocuous ballad. Well, at least she wasn't exploiting her dead father...yet.
Four entirely British acts are here. The Pet Shop Boys scored their second-biggest American hit by teaming up with the legendary Dusty Springfield on this song about wondering where a relationship went wrong. The boys are great on their own, but Dusty adds a cool little touch of class. Newcastle's The Kane Gang had their only American hit with this pop-rocker about hanging on to hope in a dying industrial city. A lost little nugget of goodness that reminds me a bit of Steely Dan. Paul Carrack, whose previous biggest hits had been with the band Ace and Mike + the Mechanics, finally hit the American Top Ten on his own with this song telling an ex not to weep for him, because he now sees her as "cab fare to nowhere" and "a slim chance in tight pants." Ouch. And Manchester electro-rockers New Order had their first U.S. pop hit with this airy dance number about a sudden burst of hope and optimism after a difficult life, tempered by a reticence reflected in the line "Now I fear you've left me standing/In a world that's so demanding." Fantastic. And it was made even better when Casey busted out his Shaggy voice while introducing it.
What's left are three bands. Stryper, the standard bearers of the Christian hair-metal genre, picked up their biggest mainstream hit with this standard-issue power ballad that's only different because they might be singing about God instead of a woman. And the singer sounds like Dennis DeYoung on helium. Montreal's Men Without Hats had their second and final U.S. hit with this sprightly synth-pop treat about the adventures of a couple named Johnny and Jenny, who play guitar and bass in a band called The Human Race. Deep. Or nonsensical. Either way, fun song. And Anglo-American rock vets Foreigner had yet another Top Ten with this slick plea for decisiveness. Not one of their best-remembered hits, and justifiably so.
30 - "Tunnel of Love," Bruce Springsteen
29 - "Should've Known Better," Richard Marx
28 - "We'll Be Together," Sting
27 - "The Power of Love," Laura Branigan
26 - "I Want to Be Your Man," Roger
25 - "Hungry Eyes," Eric Carmen
24 - "That's What Love is All About," Michael Bolton
23 - "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man," Prince
22 - "Crazy," Icehouse
21 - "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
We start with three of the biggest rock stars of the decade. Bruce Springsteen had his last Top Ten of the decade with this mournful-sounding song that compares the ups and downs of marriage to an amusement park ride. Good stuff, but it's also easy to see why the album of the same name sold only one-fifth as much as Born in the U.S.A. It's just not crank-it-up-at-the-barbecue material. Sting is back saying he's going to be with you tonight. If he doesn't, don't blame me. And Prince reached the Top Ten yet again with this funky bit of chivalry in which he turns down a chance at a one night stand because he knows that the lady offering herself wants much more than he is prepared to give her. He really is a prince, that guy.
A whole bunch of lite-rock and MOR in this group. Richard Marx is back regretting his bad judgement in mediocre song form. The late Laura Branigan had her final Top 40 single with this cover of a big ballad that was an international smash for Jennifer Rush a couple years earlier, but had never caught on in America. Laura did okay with it, but then Celine Dion recorded it in 1993 and did what neither Rush nor Branigan could: hitting #1 in the U.S.A. After pretty much dropping off the radio, the formerly awesome Eric Carmen came limply roaring back with this cheeseball ballad from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Okay, it's not worse than "All by Myself," but what is? Michael Bolton is back from last time with the song that began his ascent from faceless songwriter to reviled schlockmeister. And Medley and Warnes return with their Dirty Dancing contribution about having a nice evening. Why did they even bother putting new songs on that soundtrack? They were all terrible.
We close out this section with an R&B singer and an Australian band. Roger Troutman had been a member of Funkadelic in their dying days, and had achieved success with his own band, Zapp, before scoring his biggest solo hit, a song that, like some of Peter Frampton's biggest hits, employed the "talk box," the Auto-Tune of its day. Sadly, I just learned now that the man died in 1999, shot in a dispute over money by his brother Larry, who then committed suicide. Damn. And Icehouse, formed in Sydney, had been together for ten years when they finally cracked the American charts with this midtempo ballad about a man whose disbelief in how fortunate he is to have found a great woman has gotten to the point where he's almost trying to convince her that she's made a mistake. Calm down, buddy. She loves you. Accept and enjoy.
Whenever I get the chance: the mall princess returns, a 60s chestnut gets rocked up, and a song that would later become absolutely massive. Until then, Merry Christmas everyone.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Decenber 20, 1975
Another trip back to the 70s. I thought I was done with them, but they keep pulling me back for one more rendezvous. So here we go, 40-11, with the songs I haven't covered before in bold:
40 - "Wake Up Everybody," Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
39 - "Fire on the Mountain," The Marshall Tucker Band
38 - "Baby Face," The Wing and a Prayer Fife and Drum Corps
37 - "School Boy Crush," The Average White Band
36 - "Venus and Mars/Rock Show," Wings
35 - "Winners and Losers," Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds
34 - "Love Machine," The Miracles
33 - "Volare," Al Martino
32 - "Over My Head," Fleetwood Mac
31 - "Low Rider," War
30 - "Full of Fire," Al Green
29 - "Fly Away," John Denver
28 - "Evil Woman," The Electric Light Orchestra
27 - "Love to Love You Baby," Donna Summer
26 - "Sing a Song," Earth, Wind and Fire
25 - "Rock and Roll All Nite (Live)," Kiss
24 - "You Sexy Thing," Hot Chocolate
23 - "Part Time Love," Gladys Knight and the Pips
22 - "For the Love of You," The Isley Brothers
21 - "Walk Away from Love," David Ruffin
20 - "Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in L.A.)," Glen Campbell
19 - "The Way that I Want to Touch You," The Captain and Tennille
18 - "The Last Game of the Season (The Blind Man in the Bleachers)," David Geddes
17 - "The Times of Your Life," Paul Anka
16 - "Island Girl," Elton John
15 - "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You," Leon Haywood
14 - "Convoy," C.W. McCall
13 - "My Little Town," Simon and Garfunkel
12 - "I Love Music," The O'Jays
11 - "Our Day Will Come," Frankie Valli
Fourteen newcomers. Time to break 'em down.
We'll start with rock bands. South Carolina's Marshall Tucker Band had their first of two pop hits with this country-rock tale of the gold rush, with the long hours of panning in the day and the gunfights and dance hall girls at night. I liked it. Made me think of Deadwood. That was a fantastic show. Fleetwood Mac had their first major American hit with this Christine-McVie sung number about enjoying having a lover who has wild mood swings. Yeah, sounds like Fleetwood Mac. But the superstardom, drama, and drugs were still to come. ELO are present with by far the biggest hit of theirs I haven't yet covered, a song about...well, it's obvious. It's one of their best, with that fantastic chorus containing those keyboard bursts following "Eeeevil woman." Great stuff. And Kiss, those bemakeupped kings of big dumb rock, took their first step towards becoming the moneymaking party machine they would become with their first Top 40 single, a live version of a song whose studio version had only reached #68 earlier in the year. I don't think I need to describe this for you. You're probably fighting the urge not to sing it right now. It's lunkheaded and even kind of lame, but damn if it isn't also irresistable.
Next we go to soul/R&B. Scotland's Average White Band are back with one of their minor post-"Cut the Cake" hits, a cool little funk number about playground romance. For white guys from from Dundee, they sure had soul. Al Green had his next-to-last 70s pop hit with this almost-disco tune about how much he loves dancing. Maybe not his best lyric ("I rolled a twenty-one"?), but there's enough, for lack of a better word, fire in the performance to more than make up for that. Earth, Wind and Fire had their second pop Top Ten with this simple, joyful dance track about how singing can make you happy. They truly were the pop-funk masters. Gladys Knight and the Pips are back with a typically solid ballad about wanting something permanent, not just a fling. It would be their last pop hit until "Love Overboard" 12 years later. And ex-Temptation David Ruffin had his second and final solo pop hit with with this funk ballad about deciding to leave a lover before she breaks his heart first. That's logical. But I've got to admit I like it. Parts of it remind me of the theme from Shaft.
Then I'll cut to a couple chunks of MOR. Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds had their third and final hit with this limp soft rocker about how victory and defeat are pretty much the same. Um, not really. It's a pretty bad song. And you realize that this was after Reynolds had been replaced. They had more hits without him than with him. Crazy. And John Denver is here with a dreamy, Olivia Newton-John-backed song about wanting to get away from the city to hear "the sounds of the sand and the sea." I like it more than I'd imagined I would. Olivia definitely helped.
There are a couple old-school crooners in the bunch. Al Martino had the second and final hit of his post-Godfather renaissance with this disco cover of a 1958 international smash by Italian singer Domenico Modugno. The title means "to fly," and the lyrics contain the line your love has given me wings." Love, the original Red Bull. And Paul Anka had his last U.S. Top Ten with this song about memories that was originally just a jingle Paul sang for Kodak film commercials, but then Paul recorded and released a full version. Meh, I think it works better in 30-second increments, but people bought it, so good on ya, Paul. Though I wonder if Kodak film had a guarantee that was void in Tennessee. (If you get that, congratulations.)
Lastly, we come to the future #1 smash "Convoy." C.W. McCall wasn't an authentic country singer per se. Rather, he was the creation of Nebraska ad man William Dale Fries, Jr., who made him up as a truck-driver character for a series of bread commercials. The character become so popular that Fries teamed with jingle writer Chip Davis to write and record songs under the C.W. McCall name, with Fries providing the vocals. The biggest by far of these songs was this novelty epic about a group of truckers led by "Rubber Duck" and "Pig Pen" who begin some sort of cross-country protest ride, and are soon joined by many other truckers, and also some Christian hippies in "a chartreuse microbus" as they roll across America, avoiding "bears" (cops) at every turn. This caused the brief mainstreaming of CB-radio slang, and the song was later turned into a successful movie starring Kris Kristofferson. Despite tough competition from past winners "Baby Face" and "The Last Game of the Season," it wins this chart's Uneasy Rider. Oh, and chances are that even if you haven't heard "Convoy" lately, you've still heard some of co-writer Chip Davis' work in recent weeks. He's the man behind Mannheim Steamroller, whose new age versions of Christmas classics have been mall P.A. standards for over 25 years.
Walkin' in a Top Ten wonderland.
10 - "Nights on Broadway," The Bee Gees
As I'm sure I've previously informed you, this is my favorite Gibb hit. It's the one time they were more plain funk than disco. You wouldn't think they could pull that off, but by adding their own Gibbly touches, they did so. Spectacularly.
9 - "Fox on the Run," Sweet
The glam legends scored their last American Top 5 with this stomping power-popper about rejecting an unsatisfactory groupie. Oh, the problems of rock stars.
8 - "I Write the Songs," Barry Manilow
Again, Barry, how can you say you write all the songs whenyou didn't even write this one! You're a fraud! You didn't even write "Mandy." I'm so disillusioned.
7 - "Sky High," Jigsaw
Epic cheese about leaving a woman who lies. As 70s as it gets.
6 - "Theme from Mahogany," Diana Ross
Yes, Diana, for once in my life, I do know where I'm going to. Thanks for asking.
5 - "Love Rollercoaster," The Ohio Players
A disco-funk classic, obviously. The Red Hot Chili Peppers covered it for the soundtrack of the movie Beavis and Butt-head Do America, which is just my excuse to say that the new B+B episodes have been pretty damn great so far. I think the Twilight one is my favorite.
4 - "Saturday Night," The Bay City Rollers
The first and biggest American hit by these Scots. I feel confident in saying that nothing else this band ever did is essential listening for anyone.
3 - "Fly Robin Fly," Silver Convention
Germany's biggest contribution to disco. With typical Teutonic efficiency, this song employs only six different words. However, I'm sure the Convention looked enviously at America's own "The Hustle," which only used five, unless you count "ooooooh" as a word.
2 - "Let's Do it Again," The Staple Singers
Once again, the gospel legends sing about sex for a movie about a crooked boxing match. There's something wonderfully off about that sentence.
And ruling the pop charts during the penultimate countdown of 1975 was...
1 - "That's the Way (I Like It)," KC and the Sunshine Band
This disco perennial had been at #1 a month earlier, then was knocked off by "Fly Robin Fly." But after allowing the Germans three weeks at the top, they returned to reclaim the peak of the charts for the U.S.A. Harry Wayne Casey, defender of American disco from the European hordes.
Just one NotCasey this week: "Take it to the Limit" by the Eagles. Casey also played two Christmas classics; Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano.
Yes, there will be shows next week, and yes, I plan to cover them. But for obvious reasons, there may be delays. Until then, Merry Christmas, Glovehead-heads.
40 - "Wake Up Everybody," Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
39 - "Fire on the Mountain," The Marshall Tucker Band
38 - "Baby Face," The Wing and a Prayer Fife and Drum Corps
37 - "School Boy Crush," The Average White Band
36 - "Venus and Mars/Rock Show," Wings
35 - "Winners and Losers," Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds
34 - "Love Machine," The Miracles
33 - "Volare," Al Martino
32 - "Over My Head," Fleetwood Mac
31 - "Low Rider," War
30 - "Full of Fire," Al Green
29 - "Fly Away," John Denver
28 - "Evil Woman," The Electric Light Orchestra
27 - "Love to Love You Baby," Donna Summer
26 - "Sing a Song," Earth, Wind and Fire
25 - "Rock and Roll All Nite (Live)," Kiss
24 - "You Sexy Thing," Hot Chocolate
23 - "Part Time Love," Gladys Knight and the Pips
22 - "For the Love of You," The Isley Brothers
21 - "Walk Away from Love," David Ruffin
20 - "Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in L.A.)," Glen Campbell
19 - "The Way that I Want to Touch You," The Captain and Tennille
18 - "The Last Game of the Season (The Blind Man in the Bleachers)," David Geddes
17 - "The Times of Your Life," Paul Anka
16 - "Island Girl," Elton John
15 - "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You," Leon Haywood
14 - "Convoy," C.W. McCall
13 - "My Little Town," Simon and Garfunkel
12 - "I Love Music," The O'Jays
11 - "Our Day Will Come," Frankie Valli
Fourteen newcomers. Time to break 'em down.
We'll start with rock bands. South Carolina's Marshall Tucker Band had their first of two pop hits with this country-rock tale of the gold rush, with the long hours of panning in the day and the gunfights and dance hall girls at night. I liked it. Made me think of Deadwood. That was a fantastic show. Fleetwood Mac had their first major American hit with this Christine-McVie sung number about enjoying having a lover who has wild mood swings. Yeah, sounds like Fleetwood Mac. But the superstardom, drama, and drugs were still to come. ELO are present with by far the biggest hit of theirs I haven't yet covered, a song about...well, it's obvious. It's one of their best, with that fantastic chorus containing those keyboard bursts following "Eeeevil woman." Great stuff. And Kiss, those bemakeupped kings of big dumb rock, took their first step towards becoming the moneymaking party machine they would become with their first Top 40 single, a live version of a song whose studio version had only reached #68 earlier in the year. I don't think I need to describe this for you. You're probably fighting the urge not to sing it right now. It's lunkheaded and even kind of lame, but damn if it isn't also irresistable.
Next we go to soul/R&B. Scotland's Average White Band are back with one of their minor post-"Cut the Cake" hits, a cool little funk number about playground romance. For white guys from from Dundee, they sure had soul. Al Green had his next-to-last 70s pop hit with this almost-disco tune about how much he loves dancing. Maybe not his best lyric ("I rolled a twenty-one"?), but there's enough, for lack of a better word, fire in the performance to more than make up for that. Earth, Wind and Fire had their second pop Top Ten with this simple, joyful dance track about how singing can make you happy. They truly were the pop-funk masters. Gladys Knight and the Pips are back with a typically solid ballad about wanting something permanent, not just a fling. It would be their last pop hit until "Love Overboard" 12 years later. And ex-Temptation David Ruffin had his second and final solo pop hit with with this funk ballad about deciding to leave a lover before she breaks his heart first. That's logical. But I've got to admit I like it. Parts of it remind me of the theme from Shaft.
Then I'll cut to a couple chunks of MOR. Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds had their third and final hit with this limp soft rocker about how victory and defeat are pretty much the same. Um, not really. It's a pretty bad song. And you realize that this was after Reynolds had been replaced. They had more hits without him than with him. Crazy. And John Denver is here with a dreamy, Olivia Newton-John-backed song about wanting to get away from the city to hear "the sounds of the sand and the sea." I like it more than I'd imagined I would. Olivia definitely helped.
There are a couple old-school crooners in the bunch. Al Martino had the second and final hit of his post-Godfather renaissance with this disco cover of a 1958 international smash by Italian singer Domenico Modugno. The title means "to fly," and the lyrics contain the line your love has given me wings." Love, the original Red Bull. And Paul Anka had his last U.S. Top Ten with this song about memories that was originally just a jingle Paul sang for Kodak film commercials, but then Paul recorded and released a full version. Meh, I think it works better in 30-second increments, but people bought it, so good on ya, Paul. Though I wonder if Kodak film had a guarantee that was void in Tennessee. (If you get that, congratulations.)
Lastly, we come to the future #1 smash "Convoy." C.W. McCall wasn't an authentic country singer per se. Rather, he was the creation of Nebraska ad man William Dale Fries, Jr., who made him up as a truck-driver character for a series of bread commercials. The character become so popular that Fries teamed with jingle writer Chip Davis to write and record songs under the C.W. McCall name, with Fries providing the vocals. The biggest by far of these songs was this novelty epic about a group of truckers led by "Rubber Duck" and "Pig Pen" who begin some sort of cross-country protest ride, and are soon joined by many other truckers, and also some Christian hippies in "a chartreuse microbus" as they roll across America, avoiding "bears" (cops) at every turn. This caused the brief mainstreaming of CB-radio slang, and the song was later turned into a successful movie starring Kris Kristofferson. Despite tough competition from past winners "Baby Face" and "The Last Game of the Season," it wins this chart's Uneasy Rider. Oh, and chances are that even if you haven't heard "Convoy" lately, you've still heard some of co-writer Chip Davis' work in recent weeks. He's the man behind Mannheim Steamroller, whose new age versions of Christmas classics have been mall P.A. standards for over 25 years.
Walkin' in a Top Ten wonderland.
10 - "Nights on Broadway," The Bee Gees
As I'm sure I've previously informed you, this is my favorite Gibb hit. It's the one time they were more plain funk than disco. You wouldn't think they could pull that off, but by adding their own Gibbly touches, they did so. Spectacularly.
9 - "Fox on the Run," Sweet
The glam legends scored their last American Top 5 with this stomping power-popper about rejecting an unsatisfactory groupie. Oh, the problems of rock stars.
8 - "I Write the Songs," Barry Manilow
Again, Barry, how can you say you write all the songs whenyou didn't even write this one! You're a fraud! You didn't even write "Mandy." I'm so disillusioned.
7 - "Sky High," Jigsaw
Epic cheese about leaving a woman who lies. As 70s as it gets.
6 - "Theme from Mahogany," Diana Ross
Yes, Diana, for once in my life, I do know where I'm going to. Thanks for asking.
5 - "Love Rollercoaster," The Ohio Players
A disco-funk classic, obviously. The Red Hot Chili Peppers covered it for the soundtrack of the movie Beavis and Butt-head Do America, which is just my excuse to say that the new B+B episodes have been pretty damn great so far. I think the Twilight one is my favorite.
4 - "Saturday Night," The Bay City Rollers
The first and biggest American hit by these Scots. I feel confident in saying that nothing else this band ever did is essential listening for anyone.
3 - "Fly Robin Fly," Silver Convention
Germany's biggest contribution to disco. With typical Teutonic efficiency, this song employs only six different words. However, I'm sure the Convention looked enviously at America's own "The Hustle," which only used five, unless you count "ooooooh" as a word.
2 - "Let's Do it Again," The Staple Singers
Once again, the gospel legends sing about sex for a movie about a crooked boxing match. There's something wonderfully off about that sentence.
And ruling the pop charts during the penultimate countdown of 1975 was...
1 - "That's the Way (I Like It)," KC and the Sunshine Band
This disco perennial had been at #1 a month earlier, then was knocked off by "Fly Robin Fly." But after allowing the Germans three weeks at the top, they returned to reclaim the peak of the charts for the U.S.A. Harry Wayne Casey, defender of American disco from the European hordes.
Just one NotCasey this week: "Take it to the Limit" by the Eagles. Casey also played two Christmas classics; Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano.
Yes, there will be shows next week, and yes, I plan to cover them. But for obvious reasons, there may be delays. Until then, Merry Christmas, Glovehead-heads.
December 14, 1985 Part Two
Concluding.
20 - "Wrap Her Up," Elton John
19 - "Talk to Me," Stevie Nicks
18 - "Walk of Life," Dire Straits
17 - "You Belong to the City," Glenn Frey
16 - "Tonight She Comes," The Cars
The second half begins with Sir Elton and an uncredited George Michael singing the praises of women in general, and specifically, a litany of famous females they give shout-outs to, including such legends as Marilyn Monroe, Doris Day, Katherine Hepburn, and, um, Samantha Fox. Again, this song is more interesting than it is good.
Next it's Stevie Nicks with the lead track from her third solo album, a passionate encouragement for someone to open up and share their secrets with a trusted friend. If I were the guy she was singing to, I'd totally spill my guts.
Then it's Dire Straits, back from last time with their tale of a busker named Johnny trying to make a living in the London Underground. Still fun.
Glenn Frey also returns from last time with his sax-accented hit from Miami Vice. I don't believe him as a chronicler of dangerously seductive urban life. And I don't like him as...whatever else he tries to be on his other songs. He was somewhat tolerable as an Eagle though, I will admit.
Rounding out this group are The Cars. "Tonight she comes," eh? Can I ask her in the morning if you were telling the truth? Good lord that's a horrible joke. But it's my horrible joke.
15 - "Lay Your Hands on Me" The Thompson Twins
14 - "That's What Friends are For," Dionne and Friends
13 - "Perfect Way," Scritti Politti
12 - "Small Town," John Cougar Mellencamp
11 - "Who's Zoomin' Who," Aretha Franklin
This section opens with the "touching" Thompson Twins tune from last time. Not much more to say about the song, but that Tintin movie comes out this week. Looks like it could be interesting, but if I see one Spielberg before the year is out, it'll probably be War Horse.
The Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager ballad "That's What Friends are For" was originally recorded by Rod Stewart in 1982 for the soundtrack of the Ron Howard-directed morgue-attendants-become-pimps comedy Night Shift. Three years later, Dionne Warwick and her "friends" Gladys Knight, Elton John and Stevie Wonder recorded it as a benefit single, with proceeds going to the American Foundation for AIDS research. Despite a climate in which the word "AIDS" provoked such fear and misunderstanding that an Indiana board of eduacation was fighting to keep an HIV-infected child from attending school, the single hit #1 and raised over three million dollars for the cause. The song itself is kind of a sappy sleeper, but the money and awareness it generated for an issue that badly needed both at the time must be admired and applauded.
Next are Scritti Politti with their jaggedly bouncy synth treat. I don't need to make any sort of justification for calling this song awesome.
Then it's Mr. Mellencamp, back singing the praises of the hamlet where he "used to daydream" and "had myself a ball." Soon, it would be joined on the 40 by Bruce Springsteen's "My Hometown" which has a somewhat different point of view on small town life.
Finishing this fivesome is Aretha Franklin, wondering aloud if she is being zoomed or if, in fact, she herself is the one doing the zooming. I'm sure it's a question we've all asked ourselves at least once in our lives. Right?
They are the Top Ten, and they demand respect!
10 - "We Built this City," Starship
Yeah, they did. And it can't be torn down, no matter how much you try to get it out of your head. They constructed that thing solid.
9 - "I Miss You," Klymaxx
Fact that's more interesting than this song: The singer, Joyce Irby, was once part of George Clinton's P-Funk crew under the name "Fenderella"
8 - "Sleeping Bag," ZZ Top
The bearded blues-rockers take their flirtation with synthesizers to the next level. It hasn't aged well.
7 - "Alive and Kicking," Simple Minds
Arguably, it was the success of these Scots and their arenalternative (yeah, I made up another word) sound that paved the way for the megastardom of their Irish neighbors U2 after they put out The Joshua Tree. I wonder if Bono ever sent Jim Kerr a thank-you note.
6 - "Election Day," Arcadia
This Duran Duran offshoot contained Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and drummer Roger Taylor. However, he wasn't the Taylor who stayed on for the Notorious album. That was John, the bassist.
5 - "Never," Heart
I'm running away from this song. It's fun defying orders from Ann Wilson.
4 - "Party All the Time," Eddie Murphy
Eddie's girl wants to party all the time. Well, he thought she was a girl when he picked her up. Sorry, terrible joke. Oh Eddie, that time you picked up that transvestite prostitute will never be forgotten. Maybe it might have if you'd won that Oscar, but you went and did Norbit and saw it get released during the voting, and, well, here I am referring to that time you picked up that hooker. Such is life.
3 - "Say You, Say Me," Lionel Richie
Has anyone out there actually seen this movie White Nights?
2 - "Seperate Lives," Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
Because the soundtrack must have been pretty big, because this week it has the #3 and #2 songs on the chart. But I don't think the movie did too well, probably because when Americans were looking for Cold War-themed entertainment back then, they preferred Rocky IV
And king of the hill, A-number-1 on the American charts this week 26 years ago was...
1 - "Broken Wings," Mr. Mister
A soft-rock standard that instantly says "80s" Last time I referred to it as a "really good song" and I stand by that. I think a really good, sincere, stripped-down cover version might actually redeem it.
This week's NotCaseys were "Living in America" by James Brown, "Tarzan Boy" by Baltimora, "The Sun Always Shines on TV" by A-ha, and "Day by Day" by The Hooters. And Casey played two Long Distance Dedications, both featuring songs by Billy Joel. First, a young mother dedicated "Just the Way You Are" to the parents she now regretted mistreating during her childhood. Then, a woman sent out "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" to anyone who's ever contemplated suicide.
Yes, I've got another bonus for you this week. Tomrorrow, we're going back to 1975.
20 - "Wrap Her Up," Elton John
19 - "Talk to Me," Stevie Nicks
18 - "Walk of Life," Dire Straits
17 - "You Belong to the City," Glenn Frey
16 - "Tonight She Comes," The Cars
The second half begins with Sir Elton and an uncredited George Michael singing the praises of women in general, and specifically, a litany of famous females they give shout-outs to, including such legends as Marilyn Monroe, Doris Day, Katherine Hepburn, and, um, Samantha Fox. Again, this song is more interesting than it is good.
Next it's Stevie Nicks with the lead track from her third solo album, a passionate encouragement for someone to open up and share their secrets with a trusted friend. If I were the guy she was singing to, I'd totally spill my guts.
Then it's Dire Straits, back from last time with their tale of a busker named Johnny trying to make a living in the London Underground. Still fun.
Glenn Frey also returns from last time with his sax-accented hit from Miami Vice. I don't believe him as a chronicler of dangerously seductive urban life. And I don't like him as...whatever else he tries to be on his other songs. He was somewhat tolerable as an Eagle though, I will admit.
Rounding out this group are The Cars. "Tonight she comes," eh? Can I ask her in the morning if you were telling the truth? Good lord that's a horrible joke. But it's my horrible joke.
15 - "Lay Your Hands on Me" The Thompson Twins
14 - "That's What Friends are For," Dionne and Friends
13 - "Perfect Way," Scritti Politti
12 - "Small Town," John Cougar Mellencamp
11 - "Who's Zoomin' Who," Aretha Franklin
This section opens with the "touching" Thompson Twins tune from last time. Not much more to say about the song, but that Tintin movie comes out this week. Looks like it could be interesting, but if I see one Spielberg before the year is out, it'll probably be War Horse.
The Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager ballad "That's What Friends are For" was originally recorded by Rod Stewart in 1982 for the soundtrack of the Ron Howard-directed morgue-attendants-become-pimps comedy Night Shift. Three years later, Dionne Warwick and her "friends" Gladys Knight, Elton John and Stevie Wonder recorded it as a benefit single, with proceeds going to the American Foundation for AIDS research. Despite a climate in which the word "AIDS" provoked such fear and misunderstanding that an Indiana board of eduacation was fighting to keep an HIV-infected child from attending school, the single hit #1 and raised over three million dollars for the cause. The song itself is kind of a sappy sleeper, but the money and awareness it generated for an issue that badly needed both at the time must be admired and applauded.
Next are Scritti Politti with their jaggedly bouncy synth treat. I don't need to make any sort of justification for calling this song awesome.
Then it's Mr. Mellencamp, back singing the praises of the hamlet where he "used to daydream" and "had myself a ball." Soon, it would be joined on the 40 by Bruce Springsteen's "My Hometown" which has a somewhat different point of view on small town life.
Finishing this fivesome is Aretha Franklin, wondering aloud if she is being zoomed or if, in fact, she herself is the one doing the zooming. I'm sure it's a question we've all asked ourselves at least once in our lives. Right?
They are the Top Ten, and they demand respect!
10 - "We Built this City," Starship
Yeah, they did. And it can't be torn down, no matter how much you try to get it out of your head. They constructed that thing solid.
9 - "I Miss You," Klymaxx
Fact that's more interesting than this song: The singer, Joyce Irby, was once part of George Clinton's P-Funk crew under the name "Fenderella"
8 - "Sleeping Bag," ZZ Top
The bearded blues-rockers take their flirtation with synthesizers to the next level. It hasn't aged well.
7 - "Alive and Kicking," Simple Minds
Arguably, it was the success of these Scots and their arenalternative (yeah, I made up another word) sound that paved the way for the megastardom of their Irish neighbors U2 after they put out The Joshua Tree. I wonder if Bono ever sent Jim Kerr a thank-you note.
6 - "Election Day," Arcadia
This Duran Duran offshoot contained Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and drummer Roger Taylor. However, he wasn't the Taylor who stayed on for the Notorious album. That was John, the bassist.
5 - "Never," Heart
I'm running away from this song. It's fun defying orders from Ann Wilson.
4 - "Party All the Time," Eddie Murphy
Eddie's girl wants to party all the time. Well, he thought she was a girl when he picked her up. Sorry, terrible joke. Oh Eddie, that time you picked up that transvestite prostitute will never be forgotten. Maybe it might have if you'd won that Oscar, but you went and did Norbit and saw it get released during the voting, and, well, here I am referring to that time you picked up that hooker. Such is life.
3 - "Say You, Say Me," Lionel Richie
Has anyone out there actually seen this movie White Nights?
2 - "Seperate Lives," Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
Because the soundtrack must have been pretty big, because this week it has the #3 and #2 songs on the chart. But I don't think the movie did too well, probably because when Americans were looking for Cold War-themed entertainment back then, they preferred Rocky IV
And king of the hill, A-number-1 on the American charts this week 26 years ago was...
1 - "Broken Wings," Mr. Mister
A soft-rock standard that instantly says "80s" Last time I referred to it as a "really good song" and I stand by that. I think a really good, sincere, stripped-down cover version might actually redeem it.
This week's NotCaseys were "Living in America" by James Brown, "Tarzan Boy" by Baltimora, "The Sun Always Shines on TV" by A-ha, and "Day by Day" by The Hooters. And Casey played two Long Distance Dedications, both featuring songs by Billy Joel. First, a young mother dedicated "Just the Way You Are" to the parents she now regretted mistreating during her childhood. Then, a woman sent out "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" to anyone who's ever contemplated suicide.
Yes, I've got another bonus for you this week. Tomrorrow, we're going back to 1975.
Friday, December 16, 2011
December 14, 1985 Part One
Ah, the days leading up to Christmas 1985. On the 16th, infamous organized crime figure John Gotti got an early present when he was promoted to boss of New York's Gambino crime family after the two men ahead of him were murdered. Just some good fortune on his part, I'm sure. Meanwhile, in another, less violent industry, these songs had made their way onto a Most Wanted list of their own.
40 - "Sex as a Weapon," Pat Benatar
39 - "One of the Living," Tina Turner
38 - "Sun City," Artists United Against Apartheid
37 - "I'm Your Man," Wham
36 - "You are My Lady," Freddie Jackson
35 - "Part-Time Lover," Stevie Wonder
34 - "Miami Vice Theme," Jan Hammer
33 - "Goodbye," Night Ranger
32 - "Go Home," Stevie Wonder
31 - "Spies Like Us," Paul McCartney
We begin with two solo women. Pat Benatar had her penultimate Top 40 hit of the decade with this song in which she begs a man to cease using his physical beauty to manipulate her. A cool little twist on the usual scenario. And Tina Turner returns again with this Mad Max rocker. Still liking it.
Three groups in this section. "Little Steven" Van Zandt, who had just left Bruce Springsteen's E. Street Band (he would later rejoin), wrote this song to protest South Africa's apartheid policies, and in the style of "We Are the World," he gathered a number of other artists to join him on the record, including Springsteen, U2's Bono, Pat Benatar, Bob Dylan, Hall and Oates, and Run-D.M.C. The "Sun City" that the song's participants pledge they "ain't gonna play" was/is a gambling resort that was then located in a black "homeland," yet was mainly frequented by white people and attracted major international musical acts as entertainment. The song's overtly political nature and explicit crticism of the Reagan administration's South Africa policy limited its Stateside success, but it was better received in many other countries and did raise awareness of the apartheid issue. And it stands out enough in this week's chart crowd to be the Uneasy Rider. British duo Wham had their fourth and final American Top 5 with this Motownish number in which George Michael offers to "be your sexual inspiration." And I'm sure his offer was accepted by many. He was a good-looking guy. And Night Ranger had their last Top 40 hit with this limp power ballad about not being adept at farewells. Really, the only song you need by these guys is "Sister Christian."
We'll close with the five songs by solo men. Freddie Jackson is back, still declaring that the woman he's singing about is "all I'm living for." Good for you, Fred. Stevie Wonder shows up twice in this group; first with the mediocre #1 about cheating that we've come across before, then with his latest, a much better song about a woman who leaves her life and family to be with him, only to have him send her home. Then he finds himself regretting the decision. Like the lyrics, and the music's solid. Very worthy of being his final Top 10 to date. Jan Hammer's cop show theme is back, still evoking images of pastel suits and cigarette boats. And Paul McCartney had his 100th U.S. Top 40 hit (comibining Beatles, Wings, solo, duets, etc.) with this title song from a Chevy Chase/Dan Aykroyd comedy about espionage in the Soviet Union. Not one of Sir Paul's finer moments, to be sure, but it has its dumb fun, singalong charms.
30 - "Everybody Dance," Ta Mara and the Seen
29 - "Do it for Love," Sheena Easton
28 - "It's Only Love," Bryan Adams and Tina Turner
27 - "You're a Friend of Mine," Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne
26 - "Conga," Miami Sound Machine
25 - "Object of My Desire," Starpoint
24 - "Sisters are Doing it for Themselves," Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
23 - "Love is the Seventh Wave," Sting
22 - "Burning Heart," Survivor
21 - "Emergency," Kool and the Gang
We begin this section with female-fronted dance tunes. Minneapolis' Ta Mara and the Seen had their only pop hit with this call to booty-shaking that has a similar sound to productions by fellow Twin Cityites Prince and Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis. It was, in fact, produced by Jam and Lewis' ex-The Time bandmate Jesse Johnson. It's not quite a standout, but it's nice enough. Sheena Easton followed up her nasty, Prince-influenced singles of 1984 by turning to Nile Rodgers and dialing down the sexy a bit on this unremarkable lite-funk track. She wouldn't be heard from on the Top 40 again until she reteamed with Prince on the libidinous "U Got the Look." There's a lesson in there somewhere. Miami Sound Machine had their first American hit with this Latin boogie about the hands-on-someone-else's-hips line dance that, like the band's singer Gloria Estefan, originated in Cuba. It's cheesy but infectious, so if it's stuck in your head now, go on, shake your body. I know you can't control yourself any longer. And Starpoint are back from last time, and they still want you. Good to know.
There are three duets/collaborations in this bunch. Bryan Adams is joined by Tina Turner on the sixth hit from his Reckless LP, an energetic-but-meh rocker about getting over heartbreak. Tina, you could do much better. E. Street Band saxman Clarence Clemons teamed up with Jackson Browne on this sprightly pop-rocker. It's not much more than an update of that old "friendship, that's the perfect blendship" song, but the spirited vocals of both men create a charming sense of bonhomie that's hard not to like. And Eurythmics and Aretha return with their stab at a female-empowerment anthem. I still find it lacking somewhat.
I'm closing the first half with songs 23-21. Gordon Sumner had his third solo hit with this gentle bit of reggae about a figurative wave that will end all the bloodshed and greed and despair in the world. A good thing, I suppose, but we're still waiting for it, Sting. Nice song, though. Survivor scored their second Rocky smash with this blast of bombast from the series' fourth installment. You know, the Ivan Drago one. It's the only one of those films I saw in a theater, I must admit. Anyway, the song pretty much sums up the Cold War-tinged plot, with lyrics that mention "rival nations" and how "our freedom's up against the ropes." Both the song and the film are fun Reagan-era relics. And Kool and the Gang have another one, but I happen to enjoy this funky workout about an urgent need for...well, I think you can guess. Anyway, one of their better 80s efforts.
Tomorrow: A lot of stuff we've already covered, plus a kinder, gentler song with a cause.
40 - "Sex as a Weapon," Pat Benatar
39 - "One of the Living," Tina Turner
38 - "Sun City," Artists United Against Apartheid
37 - "I'm Your Man," Wham
36 - "You are My Lady," Freddie Jackson
35 - "Part-Time Lover," Stevie Wonder
34 - "Miami Vice Theme," Jan Hammer
33 - "Goodbye," Night Ranger
32 - "Go Home," Stevie Wonder
31 - "Spies Like Us," Paul McCartney
We begin with two solo women. Pat Benatar had her penultimate Top 40 hit of the decade with this song in which she begs a man to cease using his physical beauty to manipulate her. A cool little twist on the usual scenario. And Tina Turner returns again with this Mad Max rocker. Still liking it.
Three groups in this section. "Little Steven" Van Zandt, who had just left Bruce Springsteen's E. Street Band (he would later rejoin), wrote this song to protest South Africa's apartheid policies, and in the style of "We Are the World," he gathered a number of other artists to join him on the record, including Springsteen, U2's Bono, Pat Benatar, Bob Dylan, Hall and Oates, and Run-D.M.C. The "Sun City" that the song's participants pledge they "ain't gonna play" was/is a gambling resort that was then located in a black "homeland," yet was mainly frequented by white people and attracted major international musical acts as entertainment. The song's overtly political nature and explicit crticism of the Reagan administration's South Africa policy limited its Stateside success, but it was better received in many other countries and did raise awareness of the apartheid issue. And it stands out enough in this week's chart crowd to be the Uneasy Rider. British duo Wham had their fourth and final American Top 5 with this Motownish number in which George Michael offers to "be your sexual inspiration." And I'm sure his offer was accepted by many. He was a good-looking guy. And Night Ranger had their last Top 40 hit with this limp power ballad about not being adept at farewells. Really, the only song you need by these guys is "Sister Christian."
We'll close with the five songs by solo men. Freddie Jackson is back, still declaring that the woman he's singing about is "all I'm living for." Good for you, Fred. Stevie Wonder shows up twice in this group; first with the mediocre #1 about cheating that we've come across before, then with his latest, a much better song about a woman who leaves her life and family to be with him, only to have him send her home. Then he finds himself regretting the decision. Like the lyrics, and the music's solid. Very worthy of being his final Top 10 to date. Jan Hammer's cop show theme is back, still evoking images of pastel suits and cigarette boats. And Paul McCartney had his 100th U.S. Top 40 hit (comibining Beatles, Wings, solo, duets, etc.) with this title song from a Chevy Chase/Dan Aykroyd comedy about espionage in the Soviet Union. Not one of Sir Paul's finer moments, to be sure, but it has its dumb fun, singalong charms.
30 - "Everybody Dance," Ta Mara and the Seen
29 - "Do it for Love," Sheena Easton
28 - "It's Only Love," Bryan Adams and Tina Turner
27 - "You're a Friend of Mine," Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne
26 - "Conga," Miami Sound Machine
25 - "Object of My Desire," Starpoint
24 - "Sisters are Doing it for Themselves," Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
23 - "Love is the Seventh Wave," Sting
22 - "Burning Heart," Survivor
21 - "Emergency," Kool and the Gang
We begin this section with female-fronted dance tunes. Minneapolis' Ta Mara and the Seen had their only pop hit with this call to booty-shaking that has a similar sound to productions by fellow Twin Cityites Prince and Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis. It was, in fact, produced by Jam and Lewis' ex-The Time bandmate Jesse Johnson. It's not quite a standout, but it's nice enough. Sheena Easton followed up her nasty, Prince-influenced singles of 1984 by turning to Nile Rodgers and dialing down the sexy a bit on this unremarkable lite-funk track. She wouldn't be heard from on the Top 40 again until she reteamed with Prince on the libidinous "U Got the Look." There's a lesson in there somewhere. Miami Sound Machine had their first American hit with this Latin boogie about the hands-on-someone-else's-hips line dance that, like the band's singer Gloria Estefan, originated in Cuba. It's cheesy but infectious, so if it's stuck in your head now, go on, shake your body. I know you can't control yourself any longer. And Starpoint are back from last time, and they still want you. Good to know.
There are three duets/collaborations in this bunch. Bryan Adams is joined by Tina Turner on the sixth hit from his Reckless LP, an energetic-but-meh rocker about getting over heartbreak. Tina, you could do much better. E. Street Band saxman Clarence Clemons teamed up with Jackson Browne on this sprightly pop-rocker. It's not much more than an update of that old "friendship, that's the perfect blendship" song, but the spirited vocals of both men create a charming sense of bonhomie that's hard not to like. And Eurythmics and Aretha return with their stab at a female-empowerment anthem. I still find it lacking somewhat.
I'm closing the first half with songs 23-21. Gordon Sumner had his third solo hit with this gentle bit of reggae about a figurative wave that will end all the bloodshed and greed and despair in the world. A good thing, I suppose, but we're still waiting for it, Sting. Nice song, though. Survivor scored their second Rocky smash with this blast of bombast from the series' fourth installment. You know, the Ivan Drago one. It's the only one of those films I saw in a theater, I must admit. Anyway, the song pretty much sums up the Cold War-tinged plot, with lyrics that mention "rival nations" and how "our freedom's up against the ropes." Both the song and the film are fun Reagan-era relics. And Kool and the Gang have another one, but I happen to enjoy this funky workout about an urgent need for...well, I think you can guess. Anyway, one of their better 80s efforts.
Tomorrow: A lot of stuff we've already covered, plus a kinder, gentler song with a cause.
Monday, December 12, 2011
December 14, 1974
Okay, going back to '74. I'll start the way I usually do with these one-parters, by listing 40-11 with the songs I haven't encountered in the past in bold.
40 - "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," John Lennon
39 - "The Heartbreak Kid," Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
38 - "Dancin' Fool," The Guess Who
37 - "Fire Baby, I'm On Fire," Andy Kim
36 - "Everlasting Love," Carl Carlton
35 - "Dream On," The Righteous Brothers
34 - "Morning Side of the Mountain," Donny and Marie Osmond
33 - "Woman to Woman," Shirley Brown
32 - "Dark Horse," George Harrison
31 - "Please Mr. Postman," The Carpenters
30 - "Mandy," Barry Manilow
29 - "I've Got the Music in Me," The Kiki Dee Band
28 - "Never Can Say Goodbye," Gloria Gaynor
27 - "Ride 'em Cowboy," Paul Davis
26 - "Willie and the Hand Jive," Eric Clapton
25 - "Bungle in the Jungle," Jethro Tull
24 - "One Man Woman/One Woman Man," Paul Anka with Odia Coates
23 - "Boogie On Reggae Woman," Stevie Wonder
22 - "Longfellow Serenade," Neil Diamond
21 - "I Feel a Song (In My Heart)," Gladys Knight and the Pips
20 - "Must of Got Lost," The J. Geils Band
19 - "My Melody of Love," Bobby Vinton
18 - "Only You," Ringo Starr
17 - "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," The Rolling Stones
16 - "Laughter in the Rain," Neil Sedaka
15 - "Wishing You Were Here," Chicago
14 - "Promised Land," Elvis Presley
13 - "Fairytale," The Pointer Sisters
12 - "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet," Backman-Turner Overdrive
11 - "You Got the Love," Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Eleven newcomers to BGC-land in the first 30. I'll start by covering the American pop-rock groups. Hey, here's yet another non-"Billy, Don't be a Hero" hit from Cincinnati's Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. It's actually kind of a cool little R&B-influenced number about a male equivalent to Dion's "Runaround Sue." A surprise gem. The Righteous Brothers had their final Top 40 single (not counting the "Unchained Melody" revival of 1990) with this song in which they pledge to protect a woman while she sleeps so she can have happy dreams. Kind of like a reverse Freddy Kruger thing, I guess. Anyway, not much here. And the J. Geils band had one of their bigger pre-"Centerfold" singles with this grammatically incorrect soul-rocker about the regret that comes with letting a good woman get away. They kind of sound like a real version of the Blues Brothers on this. And yes, I consider that a good thing.
There are two non-American rock bands here. Canada's Guess Who had their last American hit with this pleasant little ditty about a "flashy filly" who helps Burton Cummings overcome his shyness. Frank Zappa has a much better song with this title. And The Rolling Stones picked up a hit with a faithful cover of a 1966 Temptations hit. Not at all essential or necessary, but it's nice to hear Mick and the boys just letting loose on one of their favorites. You can hear the joy.
Three solo male singers are among the newcomers. Canadian Andy Kim followed up his #1 smash "Rock Me Gently with this piano-driven sex plea that sounds like something Mac Davis would have come up with. But better. Eric Clapton followed up "I Shot the Sheriff" with another cover, this one a restrained version of Johnny Otis' 1958 rock standard about a guy name Willie and his talent for a certain type of dance move. When it first came out, some moral watchdogs suspected that "hand jive" was code for masturbation. Could've been, I suppose. And Elvis is here, sounding inspired with this rollicking cover of a 1964 Chuck Berry song about a wild trip from Norfolk, Virginia to California. Even as he was being sanitized and Vegasized, the heart of a true rocker was still in there somewhere.
We'll finish with R&B. Well, R&B artists anyway. Arkansas' Shirley Brown had her only pop hit with this ballad in which she calls a woman named Barbara whose name and number she found in her man's pocket. First in a spoken-word intro, then in the sung part, Shirley forcefully asserts that she loves her man and will not give him up without a fight. It was a #1 soul hit, and it later inspired a woman named Barbara Mason to put out a response record "From His Woman to You." We encountered that one first, in an early '75 entry. Gladys Knight and the Pips had another hit in their hot period with this song in which Gladys tells the man who left her crying about the new man who has put the music back in her life. Not a great song, but the performance more than makes up for that. And The Pointer Sisters had their second Top 40 hit with this straight-up country song written by Bonnie and Anita. A definite departure for them, but they sounded perfectly natural and sincere with traditional C&W backing singing about leaving a cheating man. This would go on to win them a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, and I have to say that award was well-deserved.
Here's a ten-spot for your trouble:
10 - "Junior's Farm," Paul McCartney and Wings
The lyrics to this still don't make any sense. But there was an actual "Junior's Farm," a place in Nashville where the band recorded this song. So that's something.
9 - "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." Elton John
The second Elton John Lennon song on this chart, after "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night. Both went to #1. Clearly a fruitful combination. It might have been nice it they'd done more stuff together. And perhaps they would have...
8 - "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)," Al Green
Reverend Al is happy to see you. And I'm happy to hear him so happy. I'm still not as versed on him as I'd like to be, but there's no question in my mind anymore of his amazing greatness.
7 - "You're the First, the Last, My Everything," Barry White
This is the Barry White song I remember best from my childhood, and still my favorite. If I ever have a disco party, both this and "Never Can Say Goodbye" will be key pieces of the playlist.
6 - "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)," B.T. Express
"Whatever it is, you've got it, 'long as it pleases you," these guys sing on this funky bumper. Works for me.
5 - "Angie Baby," Helen Reddy
Ah, crazy Angie, we meet again. Did I mention I love this song? I think I might have. It's a masterpiece of pop psychodrama. Helen rules.
4 - "Cat's in the Cradle," Harry Chapin
Yes, Harry, it is ironic that after you didn't have enough time to spend with your son while he was growing up, he's nowthe one who's too busy to spend time with you. It's a good song, don't get me wrong, but I think I could do without hearing it for a long while.
3 - "I Can Help," Billy Swan
Ah yes, the distinctive, organ-backed hiccup that is this song. But somehow, it's wonderful. And the guitar solo is cool in a non-flashy way.
2 - "When Will I See You Again," The Three Degrees
Just lush and beautiful. Philly soul at its best. Fantastic arrangement, great vocals, hits all the sweet spots.
And 37 years ago, the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 was occupied by...
1 - "Kung Fu Fighting," Carl Douglas
Yes, this novelty record that now accompanies the antics of an animated Jack Black-voiced panda really did make it all the way to the top. And yes, it's a fun little artifact, and it'll probably also make the playlist at my hypothetical future disco party. But I'm a little pissed by the fact by the fact that this made it to #1 while "When Will I See You Again" never did. Would history really have changed all that much if those two songs had simply switched chart fates? I don't think so. And the world would be a little more just to boot.
This chart's NotCaseys were "Best of My Love" by the Eagles, "My Eyes Adored You" by Frankie Valli, and "Lady" by Styx.
And that's that, for a few days anyway.
40 - "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night," John Lennon
39 - "The Heartbreak Kid," Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
38 - "Dancin' Fool," The Guess Who
37 - "Fire Baby, I'm On Fire," Andy Kim
36 - "Everlasting Love," Carl Carlton
35 - "Dream On," The Righteous Brothers
34 - "Morning Side of the Mountain," Donny and Marie Osmond
33 - "Woman to Woman," Shirley Brown
32 - "Dark Horse," George Harrison
31 - "Please Mr. Postman," The Carpenters
30 - "Mandy," Barry Manilow
29 - "I've Got the Music in Me," The Kiki Dee Band
28 - "Never Can Say Goodbye," Gloria Gaynor
27 - "Ride 'em Cowboy," Paul Davis
26 - "Willie and the Hand Jive," Eric Clapton
25 - "Bungle in the Jungle," Jethro Tull
24 - "One Man Woman/One Woman Man," Paul Anka with Odia Coates
23 - "Boogie On Reggae Woman," Stevie Wonder
22 - "Longfellow Serenade," Neil Diamond
21 - "I Feel a Song (In My Heart)," Gladys Knight and the Pips
20 - "Must of Got Lost," The J. Geils Band
19 - "My Melody of Love," Bobby Vinton
18 - "Only You," Ringo Starr
17 - "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," The Rolling Stones
16 - "Laughter in the Rain," Neil Sedaka
15 - "Wishing You Were Here," Chicago
14 - "Promised Land," Elvis Presley
13 - "Fairytale," The Pointer Sisters
12 - "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet," Backman-Turner Overdrive
11 - "You Got the Love," Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Eleven newcomers to BGC-land in the first 30. I'll start by covering the American pop-rock groups. Hey, here's yet another non-"Billy, Don't be a Hero" hit from Cincinnati's Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods. It's actually kind of a cool little R&B-influenced number about a male equivalent to Dion's "Runaround Sue." A surprise gem. The Righteous Brothers had their final Top 40 single (not counting the "Unchained Melody" revival of 1990) with this song in which they pledge to protect a woman while she sleeps so she can have happy dreams. Kind of like a reverse Freddy Kruger thing, I guess. Anyway, not much here. And the J. Geils band had one of their bigger pre-"Centerfold" singles with this grammatically incorrect soul-rocker about the regret that comes with letting a good woman get away. They kind of sound like a real version of the Blues Brothers on this. And yes, I consider that a good thing.
There are two non-American rock bands here. Canada's Guess Who had their last American hit with this pleasant little ditty about a "flashy filly" who helps Burton Cummings overcome his shyness. Frank Zappa has a much better song with this title. And The Rolling Stones picked up a hit with a faithful cover of a 1966 Temptations hit. Not at all essential or necessary, but it's nice to hear Mick and the boys just letting loose on one of their favorites. You can hear the joy.
Three solo male singers are among the newcomers. Canadian Andy Kim followed up his #1 smash "Rock Me Gently with this piano-driven sex plea that sounds like something Mac Davis would have come up with. But better. Eric Clapton followed up "I Shot the Sheriff" with another cover, this one a restrained version of Johnny Otis' 1958 rock standard about a guy name Willie and his talent for a certain type of dance move. When it first came out, some moral watchdogs suspected that "hand jive" was code for masturbation. Could've been, I suppose. And Elvis is here, sounding inspired with this rollicking cover of a 1964 Chuck Berry song about a wild trip from Norfolk, Virginia to California. Even as he was being sanitized and Vegasized, the heart of a true rocker was still in there somewhere.
We'll finish with R&B. Well, R&B artists anyway. Arkansas' Shirley Brown had her only pop hit with this ballad in which she calls a woman named Barbara whose name and number she found in her man's pocket. First in a spoken-word intro, then in the sung part, Shirley forcefully asserts that she loves her man and will not give him up without a fight. It was a #1 soul hit, and it later inspired a woman named Barbara Mason to put out a response record "From His Woman to You." We encountered that one first, in an early '75 entry. Gladys Knight and the Pips had another hit in their hot period with this song in which Gladys tells the man who left her crying about the new man who has put the music back in her life. Not a great song, but the performance more than makes up for that. And The Pointer Sisters had their second Top 40 hit with this straight-up country song written by Bonnie and Anita. A definite departure for them, but they sounded perfectly natural and sincere with traditional C&W backing singing about leaving a cheating man. This would go on to win them a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, and I have to say that award was well-deserved.
Here's a ten-spot for your trouble:
10 - "Junior's Farm," Paul McCartney and Wings
The lyrics to this still don't make any sense. But there was an actual "Junior's Farm," a place in Nashville where the band recorded this song. So that's something.
9 - "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." Elton John
The second Elton John Lennon song on this chart, after "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night. Both went to #1. Clearly a fruitful combination. It might have been nice it they'd done more stuff together. And perhaps they would have...
8 - "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)," Al Green
Reverend Al is happy to see you. And I'm happy to hear him so happy. I'm still not as versed on him as I'd like to be, but there's no question in my mind anymore of his amazing greatness.
7 - "You're the First, the Last, My Everything," Barry White
This is the Barry White song I remember best from my childhood, and still my favorite. If I ever have a disco party, both this and "Never Can Say Goodbye" will be key pieces of the playlist.
6 - "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)," B.T. Express
"Whatever it is, you've got it, 'long as it pleases you," these guys sing on this funky bumper. Works for me.
5 - "Angie Baby," Helen Reddy
Ah, crazy Angie, we meet again. Did I mention I love this song? I think I might have. It's a masterpiece of pop psychodrama. Helen rules.
4 - "Cat's in the Cradle," Harry Chapin
Yes, Harry, it is ironic that after you didn't have enough time to spend with your son while he was growing up, he's nowthe one who's too busy to spend time with you. It's a good song, don't get me wrong, but I think I could do without hearing it for a long while.
3 - "I Can Help," Billy Swan
Ah yes, the distinctive, organ-backed hiccup that is this song. But somehow, it's wonderful. And the guitar solo is cool in a non-flashy way.
2 - "When Will I See You Again," The Three Degrees
Just lush and beautiful. Philly soul at its best. Fantastic arrangement, great vocals, hits all the sweet spots.
And 37 years ago, the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 was occupied by...
1 - "Kung Fu Fighting," Carl Douglas
Yes, this novelty record that now accompanies the antics of an animated Jack Black-voiced panda really did make it all the way to the top. And yes, it's a fun little artifact, and it'll probably also make the playlist at my hypothetical future disco party. But I'm a little pissed by the fact by the fact that this made it to #1 while "When Will I See You Again" never did. Would history really have changed all that much if those two songs had simply switched chart fates? I don't think so. And the world would be a little more just to boot.
This chart's NotCaseys were "Best of My Love" by the Eagles, "My Eyes Adored You" by Frankie Valli, and "Lady" by Styx.
And that's that, for a few days anyway.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
December 13, 1986 Part Two
And in conclusion, ladies and gentlemen...
20 - "Land of Confusion," Genesis
19 - "You Know I Love You...Don't You?" Howard Jones
18 - "Is this Love," Survivor
17 - "Control," Janet Jackson
16 - "Human," The Human League
The second half begins with Genesis and a song about trying to make the world a better place despite all the obstacles. It's catchy and all, but it's probably better remembered for its video, which featured puppets of celebrities and politicians made by the creators of the satirical British series Spitting Image. I liked that show, especially the one American special The Ronnie and Nancy Show. "Yum, Mister Stallone!"
Next is Englishman Howard Jones with a bouncy pop confection in which he compares how much he needs you to various things that naturally go together, like sockets and plugs, flowers and bees, trains and tracks, etc. Not one of his stronger hits, but okay.
Then it's Survivor with their last Top 40 hit, a mediocre synth-laden rocker about wondering if they've met "the one." Really, unless they're soundtracking scenes from Rocky movies, there's nothing to their music except terrible 80s corporate rock. And they don't even stand out in that horrid crowd.
Janet Jackson continued her emergence as the second-biggest pop star her family would produce with this, the fourth single and title track from her breakthrough LP Control. It's an effective, beat-driven statement of autonomy and independence. She wasn't quite Michael, but who is?
This section finishes with the return of the Human League's smash collaboration with Control producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It still amazes me that this combination was so successful.
15 - "War (Live)," Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band
14 - "C'est La Vie," Robbie Nevil
13 - "Don't Get Me Wrong," The Pretenders
12 - "Word Up," Cameo
11 - "Love Will Conquer All," Lionel Richie
This quartet begins with The Boss's live cover of Edwin Starr's 1970 Number One protest hit. Not necessary at all, but the energy he and his legendary backing group put into it shines through. No, this wasn't the first version of this song I ever heard. But I'm ashamed to say Starr's wasn't either. It was, um, Frankie Goes to Hollywood's.
L.A.'s Robbie Nevil had experience some success as a songwriter before he got to release his first single, a head-bobbing pop-rocker about not letting problems get you down. He would later go on to co-write songs for Disney Channel TV shows, including "Best of Both Worlds," the theme song to Hannah Montana. Maybe not the coolest career move, but that's life.
Next is Chrissie Hynde and her band with their most recent U.S. Top Ten. It's a jangly love song, which was kind of a departure for them, but it still sounds organic, as opposed to a calculated hit bid. I'm sure it's one of the best songs among those that get repeatedly used in romantic comedies.
Then Cameo return with their funky vocabulary/spelling lesson. This is one song that neither time nor bad cover versions can drain the cool out of. And Lord knows some have tried.
Last in this section we have Lionel Richie's okay but boring song about a nice concept that we all wish was true. Especially around this time of year. And you know what, Lionel? I'm still not willing to give up on it. It's so crazy it just might work...eventually.
The Top Ten have arrived. Alert the media.
10 - "Stand by Me," Ben E. King
This former Drifter originally had a Top Ten hit with this classic plea for friendship and loyalty in 1961, Twenty-five years later, it was used as the title song for Rob Reiner's adaptation of a Stephen King novella about four boys coming of age, and the movie's popularity propelled the original recording back up the charts. Nothing wrong with a new generation rediscovering something this great. And the film's fantastic too. "Pez. Cherry-flavored Pez. No question about it."
9 - "Shake You Down," Gregory Abbott
This New York-born, Northern California-educated singer only had one Top 40 hit, but this smooth loverman ballad went all the way to the top, so at least he went big before he went home. Good song, although I question his use of the title phrase. That makes me think he's trying to con this woman out of her money, not make sweet sweet love to her.
8 - "Notorious," Duran Duran
During the process of making the same-titled album this was taken from, the band shed two of its three Taylor non-brothers and was reduced to a trio. They weren't really missed on this single, a horn-drenched funk strut with enigmatic lyrics. I do know that Simon LeBon doesn't want me to monkey with his business. Done.
7 - "To be a Lover," Billy Idol
Billy returns from last time with his hit that straddles the line between rockabilly and synthpop. And straddles it well.
6 - "You Give Love a Bad Name," Bon Jovi
The breakthrough smash by these Jersey boys returns. Sorry if you've got it in your head now. No one can save you, the damage is done. This was also used as a Long Distance Dedication. Two 12-year-old girls named Angie and Tracy dedicated it to a boy named Chris who'd done them both wrong. Ah, young love.
5 - "Everybody Have Fun Tonight," Wang Chung
Even if I knew how to "wang chung" I wouldn't. Not tonight, not tomorrow night, never.
4 - "The Next Time I Fall," Peter Cetera with Amy Grant
Hate him, love her. Well, her voice at least. It's just so pure and sweet. That's nice to hear once in a while. Even when the song she's singing sucks, as it so often does.
3 - "Hip to be Square," Huey Lewis and the News
No, Homer, it isn't. Even if you'd died, it would have been cooler if you'd taken that one last bowling ball shot to the gut.
2 - "Walk Like an Egyptian," The Bangles
This all-female quartet had their first of two #1 hits with this odd little pop song that mentions gold crocodiles, hookah pipes, punk and metal bands, and cops in doughnut shops. And of course, that move where you walk while holding your one arm at neck level with your hand bent forward and your other arm at waist level with the hand bent back. Oh, you know what I mean. Anyway, upon further review, I've decided to make this a co-Uneasy Rider along with "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades." Yes, this is unprecedented, but I'm in a crazy mood.
And at the highest level a song can climb, this week we find...
1 - "The Way it Is," Bruce Hornsby and the Range
I'm not sure many music insiders expected this downbeat musical lecture about the evils of prejudice to be a chart-topping smash, but here it is. As I said last time, it's a pretty good song that sticks with you, but still, I have to say it's kind of amazing how widely it was embraced by Top 40 radio and its listeners.
The NotCaseys this week were "Brand New Lover" by Dead or Alive, "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi, "Big Time" by Peter Gabriel, and "Will You Still Love Me" by Chicago. The show opened with Casey playing the previous weeks #2 and #1 ("You Give Love a Bad Name" and "The Next Time I Fall," respectively. And there were two more Long Distance Dedications. A divorced man named Biff Baker dedicated Elton John's "Your Song" to a woman named Marianna, from an undisclosed foreign country, who taught him how to love again. And a woman who'd been abused by her husband asked Casey to pick a song to dedicate to all the other women listening who were in similar situations. He chose "I Will Survive."
Tomorrow (maybe): Another bonus, in the form of a one-part look at a chart from 1974.
20 - "Land of Confusion," Genesis
19 - "You Know I Love You...Don't You?" Howard Jones
18 - "Is this Love," Survivor
17 - "Control," Janet Jackson
16 - "Human," The Human League
The second half begins with Genesis and a song about trying to make the world a better place despite all the obstacles. It's catchy and all, but it's probably better remembered for its video, which featured puppets of celebrities and politicians made by the creators of the satirical British series Spitting Image. I liked that show, especially the one American special The Ronnie and Nancy Show. "Yum, Mister Stallone!"
Next is Englishman Howard Jones with a bouncy pop confection in which he compares how much he needs you to various things that naturally go together, like sockets and plugs, flowers and bees, trains and tracks, etc. Not one of his stronger hits, but okay.
Then it's Survivor with their last Top 40 hit, a mediocre synth-laden rocker about wondering if they've met "the one." Really, unless they're soundtracking scenes from Rocky movies, there's nothing to their music except terrible 80s corporate rock. And they don't even stand out in that horrid crowd.
Janet Jackson continued her emergence as the second-biggest pop star her family would produce with this, the fourth single and title track from her breakthrough LP Control. It's an effective, beat-driven statement of autonomy and independence. She wasn't quite Michael, but who is?
This section finishes with the return of the Human League's smash collaboration with Control producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It still amazes me that this combination was so successful.
15 - "War (Live)," Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band
14 - "C'est La Vie," Robbie Nevil
13 - "Don't Get Me Wrong," The Pretenders
12 - "Word Up," Cameo
11 - "Love Will Conquer All," Lionel Richie
This quartet begins with The Boss's live cover of Edwin Starr's 1970 Number One protest hit. Not necessary at all, but the energy he and his legendary backing group put into it shines through. No, this wasn't the first version of this song I ever heard. But I'm ashamed to say Starr's wasn't either. It was, um, Frankie Goes to Hollywood's.
L.A.'s Robbie Nevil had experience some success as a songwriter before he got to release his first single, a head-bobbing pop-rocker about not letting problems get you down. He would later go on to co-write songs for Disney Channel TV shows, including "Best of Both Worlds," the theme song to Hannah Montana. Maybe not the coolest career move, but that's life.
Next is Chrissie Hynde and her band with their most recent U.S. Top Ten. It's a jangly love song, which was kind of a departure for them, but it still sounds organic, as opposed to a calculated hit bid. I'm sure it's one of the best songs among those that get repeatedly used in romantic comedies.
Then Cameo return with their funky vocabulary/spelling lesson. This is one song that neither time nor bad cover versions can drain the cool out of. And Lord knows some have tried.
Last in this section we have Lionel Richie's okay but boring song about a nice concept that we all wish was true. Especially around this time of year. And you know what, Lionel? I'm still not willing to give up on it. It's so crazy it just might work...eventually.
The Top Ten have arrived. Alert the media.
10 - "Stand by Me," Ben E. King
This former Drifter originally had a Top Ten hit with this classic plea for friendship and loyalty in 1961, Twenty-five years later, it was used as the title song for Rob Reiner's adaptation of a Stephen King novella about four boys coming of age, and the movie's popularity propelled the original recording back up the charts. Nothing wrong with a new generation rediscovering something this great. And the film's fantastic too. "Pez. Cherry-flavored Pez. No question about it."
9 - "Shake You Down," Gregory Abbott
This New York-born, Northern California-educated singer only had one Top 40 hit, but this smooth loverman ballad went all the way to the top, so at least he went big before he went home. Good song, although I question his use of the title phrase. That makes me think he's trying to con this woman out of her money, not make sweet sweet love to her.
8 - "Notorious," Duran Duran
During the process of making the same-titled album this was taken from, the band shed two of its three Taylor non-brothers and was reduced to a trio. They weren't really missed on this single, a horn-drenched funk strut with enigmatic lyrics. I do know that Simon LeBon doesn't want me to monkey with his business. Done.
7 - "To be a Lover," Billy Idol
Billy returns from last time with his hit that straddles the line between rockabilly and synthpop. And straddles it well.
6 - "You Give Love a Bad Name," Bon Jovi
The breakthrough smash by these Jersey boys returns. Sorry if you've got it in your head now. No one can save you, the damage is done. This was also used as a Long Distance Dedication. Two 12-year-old girls named Angie and Tracy dedicated it to a boy named Chris who'd done them both wrong. Ah, young love.
5 - "Everybody Have Fun Tonight," Wang Chung
Even if I knew how to "wang chung" I wouldn't. Not tonight, not tomorrow night, never.
4 - "The Next Time I Fall," Peter Cetera with Amy Grant
Hate him, love her. Well, her voice at least. It's just so pure and sweet. That's nice to hear once in a while. Even when the song she's singing sucks, as it so often does.
3 - "Hip to be Square," Huey Lewis and the News
No, Homer, it isn't. Even if you'd died, it would have been cooler if you'd taken that one last bowling ball shot to the gut.
2 - "Walk Like an Egyptian," The Bangles
This all-female quartet had their first of two #1 hits with this odd little pop song that mentions gold crocodiles, hookah pipes, punk and metal bands, and cops in doughnut shops. And of course, that move where you walk while holding your one arm at neck level with your hand bent forward and your other arm at waist level with the hand bent back. Oh, you know what I mean. Anyway, upon further review, I've decided to make this a co-Uneasy Rider along with "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades." Yes, this is unprecedented, but I'm in a crazy mood.
And at the highest level a song can climb, this week we find...
1 - "The Way it Is," Bruce Hornsby and the Range
I'm not sure many music insiders expected this downbeat musical lecture about the evils of prejudice to be a chart-topping smash, but here it is. As I said last time, it's a pretty good song that sticks with you, but still, I have to say it's kind of amazing how widely it was embraced by Top 40 radio and its listeners.
The NotCaseys this week were "Brand New Lover" by Dead or Alive, "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi, "Big Time" by Peter Gabriel, and "Will You Still Love Me" by Chicago. The show opened with Casey playing the previous weeks #2 and #1 ("You Give Love a Bad Name" and "The Next Time I Fall," respectively. And there were two more Long Distance Dedications. A divorced man named Biff Baker dedicated Elton John's "Your Song" to a woman named Marianna, from an undisclosed foreign country, who taught him how to love again. And a woman who'd been abused by her husband asked Casey to pick a song to dedicate to all the other women listening who were in similar situations. He chose "I Will Survive."
Tomorrow (maybe): Another bonus, in the form of a one-part look at a chart from 1974.
Friday, December 9, 2011
December 13, 1986 Part One
This week, we visit the waning days of 1986. Mike Tyson was just weeks removed from becoming boxing's youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever. Entertainment legends Cary Grant and Desi Arnaz had recently died. And because the idea of abandoning the regular playlist and playing nothing but Christmas music hadn't yet caught on in any widespread way, these were the predominant songs on American radio:
40 - "Change of Heart," Cyndi Lauper
39 - "Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)," Miami Sound Machine
38 - "Open Your Heart," Madonna
37 - "For Tonight," Nancy Martinez
36 - "Goldmine," The Pointer Sisters
35 - "Foolish Pride," Daryl Hall
34 - "Coming Around Again," Carly Simon
33 - "I'll Be Over You," Toto
32 - "At This Moment," Billy Vera and the Beaters
31 - "You Be Illin'," Run-D.M.C.
We start with the solo ladies. Cyndi Lauper picked up her sixth Top Ten with this follow-up to the #1 "True Colors." It's an upbeat number about waiting for an old friend to get his or her life straightened back out. I think. Anyway, it's a little darker than her earlier uptempo hits, but still catchy as hell. Madonna had yet another big 80s hit with this jaunty strut about trying to catch a guy's attention. Apparently, it was originally written with Cyndi Lauper in mind, but Madonna got to it first. Probably for the best. The video, with the little boy watching her in the peep show, was kind of off though. Montreal's Nancy Martinez had her only American hit with this lightweight bit of dance pop about wanting to reconcile with an old flame for one evening of "a little love and candlelight." The only notable thing about Nancy was the fact that she pronounced her last name "MartinEZ" instead of "MarTEEnez." Although apparently no one told Casey this. And Carly Simon had her first hit in six years with this very adult portrait of a crumbling marriage. It may be the only Top 40 hit to refer to broken toasters and burnt souffles, and that's an accomplishment of a sort. But seriously, a good song.
Next we have female-fronted groups. "Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)" was the last Miami Sound Machine single on which Gloria Estefan was not billed apart from the band. And it wasn't a particularly spectacular farewell: just a lightweight pop number about getting involved with someone despite one's better judgement. But the "Uh,oh, uh, oh," chorus, I must admit, sticks in the mind. Annoyingly so. And Ruth, June and Anita Pointer had their final Top 40 hit with this song about a man who makes a woman feel like she's hit the motherlode with his flower-sending, note-leaving, poerty-reading ways. It's very similar to many of their other hits, with the possible exception of their kinda-embarrassing attempts at rapping at the beginning. But not the worst way to go out, by any means.
We'll close out this section with all the songs sung by men. Daryl Hall followed up his Top Ten solo debut "Dreamtime" with this slower tune about being too stubborn to admit he needs help. This one sounds more like something he could have done with Oates, but it's still a cool little nugget that should have been a bigger hit. Toto are back with the piece of crap they had on here the last time we visited '86. California's Billy Vera and the Beaters scraped into the Top 40 in 1981 with a song called "I Can Take Care of Myself." Their follow-up single, however, stalled at #79 until five years later, when the producers of the sitcom Family Ties used it to soundtrack the relationship between Alex Keaton and Ellen Reed (played by eventual real-life married couple Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan). Viewers started trying to track down the song and requesting it from their local radio stations, so it was re-released, and it eventually made it all the way to #1. Recorded live, it's an earnest bar-rock ballad about wanting one more chance with a departing lover, helped greatly by Vera's impassioned lead vocal. Not a great song, but it's not hard to see how it caught on. And Run-D.M.C. followed up their groundbreaking Aerosmith collaboration "Walk this Way" with this fun rap classic about a guy so impaired by drugs and alcohol that he does stupid things like ordering a Big Mac at KFC, yelling "Touchdown!" at a basketball game, and eating a can of dog food for dinner. Casey helpfully told us that parts of this song are spoken in a mysterious dialect called "jive." Awesome.
30 - "All I Wanted," Kansas
29 - "Take Me Home Tonight," Eddie Money
28 - "Someday," Glass Tiger
27 - "Wild Wild Life," Talking Heads
26 - "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades," Timbuk 3
25 - "(Forever) Live and Die," Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
24 - "Amanda," Boston
23 - "Love is Forever," Billy Ocean
22 - "True Blue," Madonna
21 - "Victory," Kool and the Gang
We start with American rock bands. Kansas had their last Top 40 hit with this mushy nothing of a synth ballad that even Journey would have been embarrassed to put out. Just terrible. Talking Heads had their last Top 40 hit with this song from True Stories a film directed by the band's singer, David Byrne. The song has some pretty strange lyrics about fur pyjamas and "sleeping on the interstate," but I can tell you that from what I remember, the movie was even stranger. Anyway, True Stories was the first Talking Heads album I ever bought, and I think it helped my gradual shift towards exploring more music beyond radio pop. Madison, Wisconsin husband-and-wife duo Timbuk 3 had their only major hit with this bizarre little electro-roots earworm about a "Peeping Tom techie with X-ray eyes" who's studying nuclear science so he can get a good job, because "50 thou a year'll buy a lot of beer." I always loved how different this was, and I still do, so of course it's this week's Uneasy Rider. Oh, and does anyone else remember when the gifted high-school students on the sitcom Head of the Class made a video for this song? For that matter, does anyone remember Head of the Class? And Boston are back from last time with this monster power-ballad-by-numbers. Millions may have been waiting for them to return, but I certainly wasn't one of them.
There are three other American acts in this bunch. Eddie Money is back from last time with a song that asks the listened to "be my little baby." Having Ronnie Spector help him make that request was inspired, but still, Eddie, no. Madonna returns from last time with her retro-pop gem about being loyal to a lover. Things haven't quite gone that way in her real life, have they? And Kool and the Gang proved they were still capable of hits with this made-for-sports-higlight-packages dance jam about giving all you can to "go for the win." Listening to it now, I'm surprised to find that I rate it as one of their best post-"Celebration" hits.
We finish the first half with artists from outside the United States. Glass Tiger had their second and last U.S. Top Ten with this ballad that asserts that one day people will miss them. Keep waiting, guys. Britain's OMD had their third American hit with this soothing synth-popper that I think is about two people who are on different paths in life but are still somehow deeply connected. Sorry, I can't always figure these lyrics out. Damn you and your ambiguity, OMD! And another Brit, Billy Ocean, had another hit with another smooth ballad. I like his uptempo stuff way better. All the love songs just seem to blend together in my mind.
Tomorrow: a realm of bewilderment, the return of a classic, and way-oh, way-oh, way-oh way-oh.
40 - "Change of Heart," Cyndi Lauper
39 - "Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)," Miami Sound Machine
38 - "Open Your Heart," Madonna
37 - "For Tonight," Nancy Martinez
36 - "Goldmine," The Pointer Sisters
35 - "Foolish Pride," Daryl Hall
34 - "Coming Around Again," Carly Simon
33 - "I'll Be Over You," Toto
32 - "At This Moment," Billy Vera and the Beaters
31 - "You Be Illin'," Run-D.M.C.
We start with the solo ladies. Cyndi Lauper picked up her sixth Top Ten with this follow-up to the #1 "True Colors." It's an upbeat number about waiting for an old friend to get his or her life straightened back out. I think. Anyway, it's a little darker than her earlier uptempo hits, but still catchy as hell. Madonna had yet another big 80s hit with this jaunty strut about trying to catch a guy's attention. Apparently, it was originally written with Cyndi Lauper in mind, but Madonna got to it first. Probably for the best. The video, with the little boy watching her in the peep show, was kind of off though. Montreal's Nancy Martinez had her only American hit with this lightweight bit of dance pop about wanting to reconcile with an old flame for one evening of "a little love and candlelight." The only notable thing about Nancy was the fact that she pronounced her last name "MartinEZ" instead of "MarTEEnez." Although apparently no one told Casey this. And Carly Simon had her first hit in six years with this very adult portrait of a crumbling marriage. It may be the only Top 40 hit to refer to broken toasters and burnt souffles, and that's an accomplishment of a sort. But seriously, a good song.
Next we have female-fronted groups. "Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)" was the last Miami Sound Machine single on which Gloria Estefan was not billed apart from the band. And it wasn't a particularly spectacular farewell: just a lightweight pop number about getting involved with someone despite one's better judgement. But the "Uh,oh, uh, oh," chorus, I must admit, sticks in the mind. Annoyingly so. And Ruth, June and Anita Pointer had their final Top 40 hit with this song about a man who makes a woman feel like she's hit the motherlode with his flower-sending, note-leaving, poerty-reading ways. It's very similar to many of their other hits, with the possible exception of their kinda-embarrassing attempts at rapping at the beginning. But not the worst way to go out, by any means.
We'll close out this section with all the songs sung by men. Daryl Hall followed up his Top Ten solo debut "Dreamtime" with this slower tune about being too stubborn to admit he needs help. This one sounds more like something he could have done with Oates, but it's still a cool little nugget that should have been a bigger hit. Toto are back with the piece of crap they had on here the last time we visited '86. California's Billy Vera and the Beaters scraped into the Top 40 in 1981 with a song called "I Can Take Care of Myself." Their follow-up single, however, stalled at #79 until five years later, when the producers of the sitcom Family Ties used it to soundtrack the relationship between Alex Keaton and Ellen Reed (played by eventual real-life married couple Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan). Viewers started trying to track down the song and requesting it from their local radio stations, so it was re-released, and it eventually made it all the way to #1. Recorded live, it's an earnest bar-rock ballad about wanting one more chance with a departing lover, helped greatly by Vera's impassioned lead vocal. Not a great song, but it's not hard to see how it caught on. And Run-D.M.C. followed up their groundbreaking Aerosmith collaboration "Walk this Way" with this fun rap classic about a guy so impaired by drugs and alcohol that he does stupid things like ordering a Big Mac at KFC, yelling "Touchdown!" at a basketball game, and eating a can of dog food for dinner. Casey helpfully told us that parts of this song are spoken in a mysterious dialect called "jive." Awesome.
30 - "All I Wanted," Kansas
29 - "Take Me Home Tonight," Eddie Money
28 - "Someday," Glass Tiger
27 - "Wild Wild Life," Talking Heads
26 - "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades," Timbuk 3
25 - "(Forever) Live and Die," Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
24 - "Amanda," Boston
23 - "Love is Forever," Billy Ocean
22 - "True Blue," Madonna
21 - "Victory," Kool and the Gang
We start with American rock bands. Kansas had their last Top 40 hit with this mushy nothing of a synth ballad that even Journey would have been embarrassed to put out. Just terrible. Talking Heads had their last Top 40 hit with this song from True Stories a film directed by the band's singer, David Byrne. The song has some pretty strange lyrics about fur pyjamas and "sleeping on the interstate," but I can tell you that from what I remember, the movie was even stranger. Anyway, True Stories was the first Talking Heads album I ever bought, and I think it helped my gradual shift towards exploring more music beyond radio pop. Madison, Wisconsin husband-and-wife duo Timbuk 3 had their only major hit with this bizarre little electro-roots earworm about a "Peeping Tom techie with X-ray eyes" who's studying nuclear science so he can get a good job, because "50 thou a year'll buy a lot of beer." I always loved how different this was, and I still do, so of course it's this week's Uneasy Rider. Oh, and does anyone else remember when the gifted high-school students on the sitcom Head of the Class made a video for this song? For that matter, does anyone remember Head of the Class? And Boston are back from last time with this monster power-ballad-by-numbers. Millions may have been waiting for them to return, but I certainly wasn't one of them.
There are three other American acts in this bunch. Eddie Money is back from last time with a song that asks the listened to "be my little baby." Having Ronnie Spector help him make that request was inspired, but still, Eddie, no. Madonna returns from last time with her retro-pop gem about being loyal to a lover. Things haven't quite gone that way in her real life, have they? And Kool and the Gang proved they were still capable of hits with this made-for-sports-higlight-packages dance jam about giving all you can to "go for the win." Listening to it now, I'm surprised to find that I rate it as one of their best post-"Celebration" hits.
We finish the first half with artists from outside the United States. Glass Tiger had their second and last U.S. Top Ten with this ballad that asserts that one day people will miss them. Keep waiting, guys. Britain's OMD had their third American hit with this soothing synth-popper that I think is about two people who are on different paths in life but are still somehow deeply connected. Sorry, I can't always figure these lyrics out. Damn you and your ambiguity, OMD! And another Brit, Billy Ocean, had another hit with another smooth ballad. I like his uptempo stuff way better. All the love songs just seem to blend together in my mind.
Tomorrow: a realm of bewilderment, the return of a classic, and way-oh, way-oh, way-oh way-oh.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
December 4, 1982 Part Two
Not going to do much on this week`s 1976 list. Rod Stewart was #1 with "Tonight's the Night." I've pretty much covered everything on that list, give or take a #38 John Travolta footnote. So let's get straight to the second half of 1982.
20 - "Pressure," Billy Joel
19 - "Down Under," Men at Work
18 - "Southern Cross," Crosby, Stills and Nash
17 - "Heartbreaker," Dionne Warwick
16 - "Heart Attack," Olivia Newton-John
The second half begins with the Piano Man. Although on this song, he's more like the Jagged Synthesizer man. There's a big New Wave influence on this song about dealing with the stresses of life, but it works. It might actually be my favorite single of his.
Australia's Men at Work follow with what would be their second straight American charttopper, a sprightly pop tune in which singer Colin Hay sings of his pride in his nationality as he travels the world. At least that's what I get out of it. Also, it introduced the Western World to "vegemite," a vegetable/yeast paste that apparently people like on sandwiches. Never tried it, don't want to. It'd probably make me chunder.
Crosby, Stills and Nash are back from our last visit to this time period, still gently singing about stars and boats and music. Well, it's better than their late-70s comeback hit "Just a Song Before I Go." That sucked.
Then it's Dionne Warwick with her last Top Ten solo hit, a Bee Gees-penned, Barry Gibb-produced ballad about not being able to get over a lover who keeps leaving no matter what sacrifices you make to please him or her. Dionne's classic voice and the Gibb sound jell well together. Not earth-shaking, but a worthy hit.
This section closes with ONJ's returning pop bouncer about lovin' that gives one pulmonary problems. As much as I love most of her 70s stuff, pretty much everything she put out after "Xanadu" leaves me cold.
15 - "Nobody," Sylvia
14 - "Shadows of the Night," Pat Benatar
13 - "It's Raining Again," Supertramp
12 - "Sexual Healing," Marvin Gaye
11 - "Rock This Town," The Stray Cats
This group is led off by country singer Sylvia's biggest hit, which uses the word "nobody" in a similar way that the recently deceased Bil Keane used "Not Me" and "Ida Know" in The Family Circus. I like the song better than the comic strip, but still, RIP Bil.
Next is another hit from Pat Benatar, a dramatic power semi-ballad about lovers who only have each other to protect them from the cold cruel world. I don't remember this one as well as some of her other hits, but it's growing on me. Pat's a definite cornerstone of the decade.
Then it's Supertramp with a hit from their last album with original singer Roger Hodgson. This song is about enduring hard times, and includes backround voices singing the old nursery rhyme "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring." I guess I liked this song at the time, because I actually bought the whole ...Famous Last Words... cassette. I don't remember liking anything else on that album, though. A costly lesson for young Robert G.
Marvin Gaye hadn't been on the pop charts for five years when he returned with this classic sex jam. In lesser hands, this could have been laughable, but Marvin was a professional at this kind of thing, even pulling off the line "Please don't procrastinate, it's not good to masturbate." Unfortunately, it was the last hit he'd ever have.
Closing out this quintet is the first American hit for Long Island rockabilly revivalists The Stray Cats. It sounded like it could have been an authentic oldie, with its sound and its references to fights, jukeboxes, and "boppin' on the big dance floor." But it gives itself away with mentions of disco and 1974. Still, it was a cool change of pace at the time, and it retains much of its charm.
Ten things people liked in '82:
10 - "Muscles," Diana Ross
Michael Jackson wrote this sultry ballad about lusting men with well-developed bodies for his friend and role-model Diana. He also got the idea for the title from the name of his pet snake. Miss Ross' vocals on this are often girlish to the point of being creepy. Not the best moment for either of this song's primary creators.
9 - "Dirty Laundry," Don Henley
The first and biggest solo hit for this ex-Eagle was this angry rock tirade against the emptiness of television news, with its emphasis on senstaionalism and its preference for anchors who are physically attractive as opposed to those who are good journalists. Of course, that was 29 years ago. We've come a long way since then. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. Perhaps even more so today, "we all know that crap is king."
8 - "The Girl is Mine," Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
The first single from Michael's highly anticipated follow-up to Off the Wall was this mushy midtempo ballad in which Michael and new buddy Paul McCartney goodnaturedly argue over a "doggone girl." It's pleasant enough, but there's no way that 99% of people who heard this for the first time thought "this is the first single from what's going to be the best selling album of all time." And now, it's probably the fifth or sixth song that comes to most people's minds when they're trying to remember the songs on Thriller. It's just amazing to think that the world's first introduction to the biggest musical phenomenon ever was...this.
7 - "Steppin' Out," Joe Jackson
Not Michael's dad, but the British singer/pianist whose real first name is David. He had his biggest hit with this classy invitation to accompany him on a night out. I like a lot of Joe's other songs better, but this is still pretty damn good.
6 - "Up Where We Belong," Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
The An Officer and a Gentleman hit returns from last time. It was also one of this week's Long Distance Dedications. A man named Matt dedicated it to Debbie, the woman who helped him realize his dream of becoming a police officer. Awwwwww.
5 - "Heartlight," Neil Diamond
Neil's laughably sincere tribute to E.T. If the 80s have an equivalent to "Feelings," this might be it.
4 - "Maneater," Daryl Hall and John Oates
Hall and Oates are here again, this time with a bit of menacing midtempo funk about a woman who goes through wealthy men at a rapid rate. "Watch out boy, she'll chew you up," they warn. One of their best-crafted hits.
3 - "Mickey," Toni Basil
Toni B. returns with her one hit about a mindblowing male. Once, when Bart Simpson was asked to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, he decided to improvise with the "Mickey"-based "Hey America, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind. America." The real Seymour Skinner was offended. I can't imagine why.
2 - "Gloria," Laura Branigan
Another returnee. Obviously, that "G-L-O-R-I-A" song that's been done by everyone from Van Morrison to the Doors to Patti Smith is better, but still, that doesn't mean this one isn't awesome in it's own way. It's the pop-single equivalent of a trashy novel about a crazy lady's adventures. And you know how much I like those.
And at the top of the December 1982 pop heap was...
1 - "Truly," Lionel Richie
After leaving The Commodores and having a smash with his Diana Ross duet "Endless Love," Mr. Richie finally released his first solo single. It's pretty indistinguishable from some of the ballads he sang with his old group, but that seemed to be just fine with the American public, as they propelled it straight to the top of the charts. I don't find it anything special, but I can't argue with the results.
This week's NotCaseys were "Goody Two-Shoes" by Adam Ant, "I Know There's Something Going On" by Frida, "Goodbye to You" by Scandal, and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" by Culture Club. Casey opened the show by playing the previous week's Top Three (same top two, but "Heart Attack" was #3), and later he played Lou Rawls' "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" after telling the story of the 1958 auto accident that put Lou in a coma and caused him to wake up with amnesia that wouldn't clear up for several months. And he played one other Long Distance Dedication. A girl entering high school dedicated The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" to her best friend.
And there's my contribution to the blogosphere for another week.
20 - "Pressure," Billy Joel
19 - "Down Under," Men at Work
18 - "Southern Cross," Crosby, Stills and Nash
17 - "Heartbreaker," Dionne Warwick
16 - "Heart Attack," Olivia Newton-John
The second half begins with the Piano Man. Although on this song, he's more like the Jagged Synthesizer man. There's a big New Wave influence on this song about dealing with the stresses of life, but it works. It might actually be my favorite single of his.
Australia's Men at Work follow with what would be their second straight American charttopper, a sprightly pop tune in which singer Colin Hay sings of his pride in his nationality as he travels the world. At least that's what I get out of it. Also, it introduced the Western World to "vegemite," a vegetable/yeast paste that apparently people like on sandwiches. Never tried it, don't want to. It'd probably make me chunder.
Crosby, Stills and Nash are back from our last visit to this time period, still gently singing about stars and boats and music. Well, it's better than their late-70s comeback hit "Just a Song Before I Go." That sucked.
Then it's Dionne Warwick with her last Top Ten solo hit, a Bee Gees-penned, Barry Gibb-produced ballad about not being able to get over a lover who keeps leaving no matter what sacrifices you make to please him or her. Dionne's classic voice and the Gibb sound jell well together. Not earth-shaking, but a worthy hit.
This section closes with ONJ's returning pop bouncer about lovin' that gives one pulmonary problems. As much as I love most of her 70s stuff, pretty much everything she put out after "Xanadu" leaves me cold.
15 - "Nobody," Sylvia
14 - "Shadows of the Night," Pat Benatar
13 - "It's Raining Again," Supertramp
12 - "Sexual Healing," Marvin Gaye
11 - "Rock This Town," The Stray Cats
This group is led off by country singer Sylvia's biggest hit, which uses the word "nobody" in a similar way that the recently deceased Bil Keane used "Not Me" and "Ida Know" in The Family Circus. I like the song better than the comic strip, but still, RIP Bil.
Next is another hit from Pat Benatar, a dramatic power semi-ballad about lovers who only have each other to protect them from the cold cruel world. I don't remember this one as well as some of her other hits, but it's growing on me. Pat's a definite cornerstone of the decade.
Then it's Supertramp with a hit from their last album with original singer Roger Hodgson. This song is about enduring hard times, and includes backround voices singing the old nursery rhyme "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring." I guess I liked this song at the time, because I actually bought the whole ...Famous Last Words... cassette. I don't remember liking anything else on that album, though. A costly lesson for young Robert G.
Marvin Gaye hadn't been on the pop charts for five years when he returned with this classic sex jam. In lesser hands, this could have been laughable, but Marvin was a professional at this kind of thing, even pulling off the line "Please don't procrastinate, it's not good to masturbate." Unfortunately, it was the last hit he'd ever have.
Closing out this quintet is the first American hit for Long Island rockabilly revivalists The Stray Cats. It sounded like it could have been an authentic oldie, with its sound and its references to fights, jukeboxes, and "boppin' on the big dance floor." But it gives itself away with mentions of disco and 1974. Still, it was a cool change of pace at the time, and it retains much of its charm.
Ten things people liked in '82:
10 - "Muscles," Diana Ross
Michael Jackson wrote this sultry ballad about lusting men with well-developed bodies for his friend and role-model Diana. He also got the idea for the title from the name of his pet snake. Miss Ross' vocals on this are often girlish to the point of being creepy. Not the best moment for either of this song's primary creators.
9 - "Dirty Laundry," Don Henley
The first and biggest solo hit for this ex-Eagle was this angry rock tirade against the emptiness of television news, with its emphasis on senstaionalism and its preference for anchors who are physically attractive as opposed to those who are good journalists. Of course, that was 29 years ago. We've come a long way since then. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. Perhaps even more so today, "we all know that crap is king."
8 - "The Girl is Mine," Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
The first single from Michael's highly anticipated follow-up to Off the Wall was this mushy midtempo ballad in which Michael and new buddy Paul McCartney goodnaturedly argue over a "doggone girl." It's pleasant enough, but there's no way that 99% of people who heard this for the first time thought "this is the first single from what's going to be the best selling album of all time." And now, it's probably the fifth or sixth song that comes to most people's minds when they're trying to remember the songs on Thriller. It's just amazing to think that the world's first introduction to the biggest musical phenomenon ever was...this.
7 - "Steppin' Out," Joe Jackson
Not Michael's dad, but the British singer/pianist whose real first name is David. He had his biggest hit with this classy invitation to accompany him on a night out. I like a lot of Joe's other songs better, but this is still pretty damn good.
6 - "Up Where We Belong," Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
The An Officer and a Gentleman hit returns from last time. It was also one of this week's Long Distance Dedications. A man named Matt dedicated it to Debbie, the woman who helped him realize his dream of becoming a police officer. Awwwwww.
5 - "Heartlight," Neil Diamond
Neil's laughably sincere tribute to E.T. If the 80s have an equivalent to "Feelings," this might be it.
4 - "Maneater," Daryl Hall and John Oates
Hall and Oates are here again, this time with a bit of menacing midtempo funk about a woman who goes through wealthy men at a rapid rate. "Watch out boy, she'll chew you up," they warn. One of their best-crafted hits.
3 - "Mickey," Toni Basil
Toni B. returns with her one hit about a mindblowing male. Once, when Bart Simpson was asked to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, he decided to improvise with the "Mickey"-based "Hey America, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind. America." The real Seymour Skinner was offended. I can't imagine why.
2 - "Gloria," Laura Branigan
Another returnee. Obviously, that "G-L-O-R-I-A" song that's been done by everyone from Van Morrison to the Doors to Patti Smith is better, but still, that doesn't mean this one isn't awesome in it's own way. It's the pop-single equivalent of a trashy novel about a crazy lady's adventures. And you know how much I like those.
And at the top of the December 1982 pop heap was...
1 - "Truly," Lionel Richie
After leaving The Commodores and having a smash with his Diana Ross duet "Endless Love," Mr. Richie finally released his first solo single. It's pretty indistinguishable from some of the ballads he sang with his old group, but that seemed to be just fine with the American public, as they propelled it straight to the top of the charts. I don't find it anything special, but I can't argue with the results.
This week's NotCaseys were "Goody Two-Shoes" by Adam Ant, "I Know There's Something Going On" by Frida, "Goodbye to You" by Scandal, and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" by Culture Club. Casey opened the show by playing the previous week's Top Three (same top two, but "Heart Attack" was #3), and later he played Lou Rawls' "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" after telling the story of the 1958 auto accident that put Lou in a coma and caused him to wake up with amnesia that wouldn't clear up for several months. And he played one other Long Distance Dedication. A girl entering high school dedicated The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" to her best friend.
And there's my contribution to the blogosphere for another week.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
December 4, 1982 Part One
This week we go back to the last month of 1982. In the news, 61-year-old dentist Barney Clark became the world's first artifical heart recipient. In my life, I was three months into Grade 6, learning in an unusual way with some unusual (and wonderful) people. And in popular music...
40 - "Let's Go Dancin' (Ooh La La La)," Kool and the Gang
39 - "Shock the Monkey," Peter Gabriel
38 - "You Got Lucky," Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
37 - "What About Me," Moving Pictures
36 - "A Penny for Your Thoughts," Tavares
35 - "Everybody Wants You," Billy Squier
34 - "The Other Guy," The Little River Band
33 - "Hand to Hold On To," John Cougar
32 - "On the Wings of Love," Jeffrey Osborne
31 - "Baby, Come to Me," Patti Austin with James Ingram
We'll start with funk groups. Kool and the Gang are back with a mildly grooving jam about the pleasures of "reggae dancing." About in the middle of their 80s output in terms of quality. And Tavares had their last pop hit with this ballad about wanting to know where one stands with one's partner. It expands the popular title saying by adding "a nickel for a kiss" and "a dime if you tell me that you love me." I wonder how those prices have been affected by 29 years of inflation.
A big rock contingent in this group. Ex-Genesis singer Peter Gabriel had his first American hit with this spooky synth-driven tune that's not about animal cruelty, apparently. It has something to do with jealousy and/or obedience experiments. Whatever it's about, it's eerily catchy, and apparently a stripper danced to it at Lilith Sternin's bachelorette party. No, that's not the only Cheers episode I know, but it's the only one so far that relates to this subject matter. Tom Petty and his Florida crew are here with this unaccountably angry-sounding number about how fortunate his lover is that he found her. "Good love is hard to find," Petty sings. I'm sure that's true, but does that mean you have to wield it like a weapon? An interesting question. Billy Squier scored his third Top 40 single with this driving number about someone who gets a lot of attention and enjoys it quite a bit. There's just a cool dumb fun vibe about Squier's music that can't be explained. Obviously "The Stroke" is the best of the lot, but this one's probably a solid second. And the man born John Mellencamp followed up "Jack and Diane" with this little ditty about how no matter who you are or what your station in life is, you need some comforting company once in a while. Not one of his bigger hits, but I have it on the upper end of his hits. It has a simple charm.
Two Australian soft-rock groups are present. Sydney's Moving Pictures had their only American hit with this big ballad about people left behind by the inequities of society. Not a great song, but moving in its way. And The Little River Band show up again, this time with a midtempo number that begs a woman not to leave him for another, because this man "won't be around to talk to our kids." I'm not sure why he wouldn't be if he's with their mother, but I'm not going to spend too much time poking logic holes in mediocre songs by sub-mediocre bands.
This section closes with two R&B ballads. "On the Wings of Love" wasn't Rhode Islander Jeffrey Osborne's biggest hit, but it's probably his most enduring, and will live on as long as there are weddings. I see its appeal, but it's not for me. It will not be on the hypothetical Glovehead nuptial playlist. And jazz vocalist Patti Austin had her only pop hit with this smoldering duet with James Ingram that would go all the way to #1. Not a big fan of this song, but I think if the right two people covered it, I'd like it better. Don't ask me who those people would be, though.
30 - "I'm So Excited," The Pointer Sisters
29 - "Be My Lady," Jefferson Starship
28 - "You Can't Hurry Love," Phil Collins
27 - "Africa," Toto
26 - "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)," Donald Fagen
25 - "Rock the Casbah," The Clash
24 - "You and I," Eddie Rabbitt with Crystal Gayle
23 - "Missing You," Dan Fogelberg
22 - "Love Me Tomorrow," Chicago
21 - "The Look of Love," ABC
We'll start with The Pointer Sisters and the original chart run for their hit about losing control and liking it. This was as high as it got this year, but two years later, it would return and crack the Top Ten. In any year, it's exuberant cheese that's fun to hear every once in a while just to be reminded of its existence.
MOR makes up half of this list. Jefferson Starship are here with bland balladry pepped up just a bit by the presence of late addition Mickey Thomas. Also, Marty Balin is gone, and Grace Slick was back. I think I even hear her in the background on this. Still not much to speak of, though. Toto had their only #1 with this tune about what was once known as "the Dark Continent." It throws in references to Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, but really, those seems just like exotic trappings to disguise a simple "I'm coming back to you, baby" song. But that doesn't mean it isn't catchy as hell. Country stars Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle are here with a decent duet about sharing love and stuff. Nothing to really talk about. Neither is Dan Fogelberg's entry here about missing someone. It's a little peppier than most of his stuff, but it still sucks. But I'm sure he doesn't care, especially this month as all the royalties from the airplay "Same Old Lang Syne" is getting right now roll in. And Chicago were in the heart of their crap period as they came out with this midtempo blandwich about dealing with a partner's romantic insecurities. Or something. This song's not good enough for it to matter to me.
Two solo hits by lead singers of major bands are in this mix. Genesis' Phil Collins picked up his first U.S. Top Ten with this cover of a 1966 Supremes charttopper about romantic patience. It's pretty faithful, and I'm sure many were surprised to hear how natural he sounded in this setting. And Steely Dan's Donald Fagen with a slick vision of the planet's future, which, according to this song, includes underwarter trains, solar-powered cities, and spandex jackets for all. Compared to some other such forecasts, this sounds pretty good. Oh, and the "I.G.Y." in the title refers to the International Geophysical Year, an eighteen-month international scientific project between 1957 and 1958 highlights included the launch of Sputnik and the creation of NASA.
We finish the first half with two British bands. London punk legends The Clash had by far their biggest American hit with this Middle Eastern-themed dance-rocker about people defying an authority figure's ban on rock and roll. Its use of words like 'muezzin," "bedouin" and "minaret" made it stand out on the radio, and therefore it takes this week's Uneasy Rider. Oh, and as a kid, I seemed to think it was about Don Cornelius shooting the guy who sang "The Banana Boat Song." I used to sing the choruses at the end as "He shot Harry Belafonte (It's the guy from Soul Train!)" And ABC cracked the U.S. Top Twenty for the first time with this stylish hit about the desperate search for affection. I especially like the "Hip hip hooray!" and "Yippie-yi-yay"s at the end.
Tomorrow: cardiac arrest, carnal therapy, and appreciation of male pulchritude.
40 - "Let's Go Dancin' (Ooh La La La)," Kool and the Gang
39 - "Shock the Monkey," Peter Gabriel
38 - "You Got Lucky," Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
37 - "What About Me," Moving Pictures
36 - "A Penny for Your Thoughts," Tavares
35 - "Everybody Wants You," Billy Squier
34 - "The Other Guy," The Little River Band
33 - "Hand to Hold On To," John Cougar
32 - "On the Wings of Love," Jeffrey Osborne
31 - "Baby, Come to Me," Patti Austin with James Ingram
We'll start with funk groups. Kool and the Gang are back with a mildly grooving jam about the pleasures of "reggae dancing." About in the middle of their 80s output in terms of quality. And Tavares had their last pop hit with this ballad about wanting to know where one stands with one's partner. It expands the popular title saying by adding "a nickel for a kiss" and "a dime if you tell me that you love me." I wonder how those prices have been affected by 29 years of inflation.
A big rock contingent in this group. Ex-Genesis singer Peter Gabriel had his first American hit with this spooky synth-driven tune that's not about animal cruelty, apparently. It has something to do with jealousy and/or obedience experiments. Whatever it's about, it's eerily catchy, and apparently a stripper danced to it at Lilith Sternin's bachelorette party. No, that's not the only Cheers episode I know, but it's the only one so far that relates to this subject matter. Tom Petty and his Florida crew are here with this unaccountably angry-sounding number about how fortunate his lover is that he found her. "Good love is hard to find," Petty sings. I'm sure that's true, but does that mean you have to wield it like a weapon? An interesting question. Billy Squier scored his third Top 40 single with this driving number about someone who gets a lot of attention and enjoys it quite a bit. There's just a cool dumb fun vibe about Squier's music that can't be explained. Obviously "The Stroke" is the best of the lot, but this one's probably a solid second. And the man born John Mellencamp followed up "Jack and Diane" with this little ditty about how no matter who you are or what your station in life is, you need some comforting company once in a while. Not one of his bigger hits, but I have it on the upper end of his hits. It has a simple charm.
Two Australian soft-rock groups are present. Sydney's Moving Pictures had their only American hit with this big ballad about people left behind by the inequities of society. Not a great song, but moving in its way. And The Little River Band show up again, this time with a midtempo number that begs a woman not to leave him for another, because this man "won't be around to talk to our kids." I'm not sure why he wouldn't be if he's with their mother, but I'm not going to spend too much time poking logic holes in mediocre songs by sub-mediocre bands.
This section closes with two R&B ballads. "On the Wings of Love" wasn't Rhode Islander Jeffrey Osborne's biggest hit, but it's probably his most enduring, and will live on as long as there are weddings. I see its appeal, but it's not for me. It will not be on the hypothetical Glovehead nuptial playlist. And jazz vocalist Patti Austin had her only pop hit with this smoldering duet with James Ingram that would go all the way to #1. Not a big fan of this song, but I think if the right two people covered it, I'd like it better. Don't ask me who those people would be, though.
30 - "I'm So Excited," The Pointer Sisters
29 - "Be My Lady," Jefferson Starship
28 - "You Can't Hurry Love," Phil Collins
27 - "Africa," Toto
26 - "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)," Donald Fagen
25 - "Rock the Casbah," The Clash
24 - "You and I," Eddie Rabbitt with Crystal Gayle
23 - "Missing You," Dan Fogelberg
22 - "Love Me Tomorrow," Chicago
21 - "The Look of Love," ABC
We'll start with The Pointer Sisters and the original chart run for their hit about losing control and liking it. This was as high as it got this year, but two years later, it would return and crack the Top Ten. In any year, it's exuberant cheese that's fun to hear every once in a while just to be reminded of its existence.
MOR makes up half of this list. Jefferson Starship are here with bland balladry pepped up just a bit by the presence of late addition Mickey Thomas. Also, Marty Balin is gone, and Grace Slick was back. I think I even hear her in the background on this. Still not much to speak of, though. Toto had their only #1 with this tune about what was once known as "the Dark Continent." It throws in references to Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, but really, those seems just like exotic trappings to disguise a simple "I'm coming back to you, baby" song. But that doesn't mean it isn't catchy as hell. Country stars Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle are here with a decent duet about sharing love and stuff. Nothing to really talk about. Neither is Dan Fogelberg's entry here about missing someone. It's a little peppier than most of his stuff, but it still sucks. But I'm sure he doesn't care, especially this month as all the royalties from the airplay "Same Old Lang Syne" is getting right now roll in. And Chicago were in the heart of their crap period as they came out with this midtempo blandwich about dealing with a partner's romantic insecurities. Or something. This song's not good enough for it to matter to me.
Two solo hits by lead singers of major bands are in this mix. Genesis' Phil Collins picked up his first U.S. Top Ten with this cover of a 1966 Supremes charttopper about romantic patience. It's pretty faithful, and I'm sure many were surprised to hear how natural he sounded in this setting. And Steely Dan's Donald Fagen with a slick vision of the planet's future, which, according to this song, includes underwarter trains, solar-powered cities, and spandex jackets for all. Compared to some other such forecasts, this sounds pretty good. Oh, and the "I.G.Y." in the title refers to the International Geophysical Year, an eighteen-month international scientific project between 1957 and 1958 highlights included the launch of Sputnik and the creation of NASA.
We finish the first half with two British bands. London punk legends The Clash had by far their biggest American hit with this Middle Eastern-themed dance-rocker about people defying an authority figure's ban on rock and roll. Its use of words like 'muezzin," "bedouin" and "minaret" made it stand out on the radio, and therefore it takes this week's Uneasy Rider. Oh, and as a kid, I seemed to think it was about Don Cornelius shooting the guy who sang "The Banana Boat Song." I used to sing the choruses at the end as "He shot Harry Belafonte (It's the guy from Soul Train!)" And ABC cracked the U.S. Top Twenty for the first time with this stylish hit about the desperate search for affection. I especially like the "Hip hip hooray!" and "Yippie-yi-yay"s at the end.
Tomorrow: cardiac arrest, carnal therapy, and appreciation of male pulchritude.
Monday, November 28, 2011
November 27, 1971 Part Two
Wrapping up a long weekend.
20 - "Respect Yourself," The Staple Singers
19 - "A Natural Man," Lou Rawls
18 - "Cherish," David Cassidy
17 - "Easy Loving," Freddie Hart
16 - "Two Divided by Love," The Grass Roots
The second half kicks off with the first Top 40 single for family gospel act The Staple Singers. It's a basic message: treat yourself and others with proper reverence, or else "ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot." It's wonderful. Especially since this was the first time I heard the original, and not Bruce Willis' 1987 cover version. Which, to be fair, is much better than Don Johnson's hit.
Next is sweet Lou Rawls, a smooth soul groover about wanting to live free and unfettered. Such a great voice. And as long as TV re-runs the Garfield Christmas special every year, it will be heard annually by millions. Maybe not the ideal legacy, but it brings joy, and what's wrong with that?
Then it's David Cassidy's first solo single away from his TV "family," a cover of The Association's 1966 Number One. No, it's not the strongest performance, but yes, I like it better than the original. As I may have told you, I despise The Association. They're just awful.
Alabama country singer Freddie Hart had his biggest pop hit with this country song about a romance that makes every day Thanksgiving. Is it a coincidence that it hit its peak chart position around actual American Thanksgiving? I imagine so.
This section closes with The Grass Roots and their poppy math problem, whose solution "can only be sad." Again, this was after Creed Bratton left, so I don't really care.
15 - "Yo-Yo," The Osmonds
14 - "An Old-Fashioned Love Song," Three Dog Night
13 - "Everybody's Everything," Santana
12 - "All I Ever Need is You," Sonny and Cher
11 - "Maggie May," Rod Stewart
This group is led off by the Osmond brothers, doing surprisingly well in their attempt to get funky. I especially like that "springy" sound during some of the verses. This is probably their best hit.
Then it's my old friends 3DN with their hit version of a song written by tiny tunesmith Paul Williams. This is better than I thought it was. Catchy, fun, and it even rocks a lil' bit. You're growing on me, boys.
Next is Carlos Santana's eponymous band with a Latin-and-soul-flavored jam that encourages people to "let your spirit dance" and "turn the wisdom key." Definitely of its time lyrically, but still funky fun. And the guitar solo delivers.
Sonny and Cher were just beginning their career revival as TV variety stars when they released this duet that pretty much expresses the same sentiment as "I Got You Babe." Not as well, of course, but still very good. Their voices just go together.
This section finishes with Rod Stewart, back from our previous visits with his tale of a May-December dalliance. Between this and Summer of '42, older woman/younger man romance was hot in the year of my birth. I never realized that.
Here's your Top Ten, kids.
10 - "Desiderata," Les Crane
This was originally a "prose poem" written by writer and lawyer Max Ehrmann. It achieved a small measure of notoriety in the intervening ears, but then it gained more attention in 1965 when it was found at the deathbed of American politician Adlai Stevenson. Then in 1971, its popularity exploded when it appeared on motivational posters and was recorded by broadcaster Les Crane as a spoken-word record backed by gentle music and backing singing. The poem itself, whose title is Latin for "desired things," is just a list of pieces of advice about making decisions, dealing with people, and other aspects of life, while assuring the listener that he or she has value and "the universe is unfolding as it should." It's no surprise that this sort of thing caught on in the bridge years between the 60s and 70s, but still, it's this chart's Uneasy Rider.
9 - "Rock Steady," Aretha Franklin
The Queen wants you to dance. "Step and move your hips with a feelin' from side to side." And she provides more-than-adequate funk accompaniment. What it is, indeed.
8 - "Peace Train," Cat Stevens
The Cat comes back with his song about tranquil transportation. Appropriately mellow, and always nice to hear.
7 - "Got to be There," Michael Jackson
Michael's first solo hit was this perhaps too-mature-for-his-age ballad that seems to be about not leaving a woman alone the morning after a sexual encounter. But no one seemed worried about that at the time, and the performance is of course an upper-deck home run, so I'm just going to enjoy.
6 - "Imagine," John Lennon
Yes, there was a time when this, one of the most iconic songs of all time, was just another record climbing the pop charts. It's still somewhat amazing that people who deep down don't agree with the song's anti-material, anti-nationalist, anti-religion message somehow accept it as this almost hymnlike anthem. I think that makes John chuckle with pride, wherever he is.
5 - "Family Affair," Sly and the Family Stone
The third and final #1 for Sylvester Stewart and company. A slow burning funk-pop classic about the complicated relationships that develop among blood relations. Unquestionably their best hit, which is saying a lot, because they had a lot of good ones.
4 - "Have You Seen Her," The Chi-Lites
The first Top Ten for this Chicago vocal group, a ballad with a loneliness-weary spoken-word opening and a heartbreaking harmony chorus asking the title question. Achingly beautiful. The MC Hammer cover sucks though.
3 - "Baby I'm-a Want You," Bread
The MOR superstars express desire for a woman in their usual mild and inoffensive way. The whole "-a-" thing annoys me, though.
2 - "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," Cher
And here's Mrs. Bono on her own with her smash tale of a girl born into a family of travellers who gets impregnated by a drifter. Ultimately a sad tale, but still fun to sing along with.
And as I learned to walk, the song at the top of American pop was...
1 - "Theme from Shaft," Isaac Hayes
The immortat theme from the groundbreaking "blaxploitation" film starring Richard Roundtree provided Isaac Hayes with not only his only #1 hit, but also an Oscar for Best Original Song. We all know about its funktastic glory as it tells of "the black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks." What you may not know is that one of the women who tells Isaac Hayes to shut his mouth before he says something dirty was none other than Dawn's Telma Hopkins. Isaac Hayes is no Tony Orlando. And thank God for that.
The NotCaseys were The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes" and the Hillside Singers' "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing." Casey himself played Elvis' "Love Me Tender" (to that point the highest-debuting song in Top 40 history) and The Supremes "You Keep Me Hanging On" (the Number One song five years ago that week).
And at last, my "work" is done.
20 - "Respect Yourself," The Staple Singers
19 - "A Natural Man," Lou Rawls
18 - "Cherish," David Cassidy
17 - "Easy Loving," Freddie Hart
16 - "Two Divided by Love," The Grass Roots
The second half kicks off with the first Top 40 single for family gospel act The Staple Singers. It's a basic message: treat yourself and others with proper reverence, or else "ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot." It's wonderful. Especially since this was the first time I heard the original, and not Bruce Willis' 1987 cover version. Which, to be fair, is much better than Don Johnson's hit.
Next is sweet Lou Rawls, a smooth soul groover about wanting to live free and unfettered. Such a great voice. And as long as TV re-runs the Garfield Christmas special every year, it will be heard annually by millions. Maybe not the ideal legacy, but it brings joy, and what's wrong with that?
Then it's David Cassidy's first solo single away from his TV "family," a cover of The Association's 1966 Number One. No, it's not the strongest performance, but yes, I like it better than the original. As I may have told you, I despise The Association. They're just awful.
Alabama country singer Freddie Hart had his biggest pop hit with this country song about a romance that makes every day Thanksgiving. Is it a coincidence that it hit its peak chart position around actual American Thanksgiving? I imagine so.
This section closes with The Grass Roots and their poppy math problem, whose solution "can only be sad." Again, this was after Creed Bratton left, so I don't really care.
15 - "Yo-Yo," The Osmonds
14 - "An Old-Fashioned Love Song," Three Dog Night
13 - "Everybody's Everything," Santana
12 - "All I Ever Need is You," Sonny and Cher
11 - "Maggie May," Rod Stewart
This group is led off by the Osmond brothers, doing surprisingly well in their attempt to get funky. I especially like that "springy" sound during some of the verses. This is probably their best hit.
Then it's my old friends 3DN with their hit version of a song written by tiny tunesmith Paul Williams. This is better than I thought it was. Catchy, fun, and it even rocks a lil' bit. You're growing on me, boys.
Next is Carlos Santana's eponymous band with a Latin-and-soul-flavored jam that encourages people to "let your spirit dance" and "turn the wisdom key." Definitely of its time lyrically, but still funky fun. And the guitar solo delivers.
Sonny and Cher were just beginning their career revival as TV variety stars when they released this duet that pretty much expresses the same sentiment as "I Got You Babe." Not as well, of course, but still very good. Their voices just go together.
This section finishes with Rod Stewart, back from our previous visits with his tale of a May-December dalliance. Between this and Summer of '42, older woman/younger man romance was hot in the year of my birth. I never realized that.
Here's your Top Ten, kids.
10 - "Desiderata," Les Crane
This was originally a "prose poem" written by writer and lawyer Max Ehrmann. It achieved a small measure of notoriety in the intervening ears, but then it gained more attention in 1965 when it was found at the deathbed of American politician Adlai Stevenson. Then in 1971, its popularity exploded when it appeared on motivational posters and was recorded by broadcaster Les Crane as a spoken-word record backed by gentle music and backing singing. The poem itself, whose title is Latin for "desired things," is just a list of pieces of advice about making decisions, dealing with people, and other aspects of life, while assuring the listener that he or she has value and "the universe is unfolding as it should." It's no surprise that this sort of thing caught on in the bridge years between the 60s and 70s, but still, it's this chart's Uneasy Rider.
9 - "Rock Steady," Aretha Franklin
The Queen wants you to dance. "Step and move your hips with a feelin' from side to side." And she provides more-than-adequate funk accompaniment. What it is, indeed.
8 - "Peace Train," Cat Stevens
The Cat comes back with his song about tranquil transportation. Appropriately mellow, and always nice to hear.
7 - "Got to be There," Michael Jackson
Michael's first solo hit was this perhaps too-mature-for-his-age ballad that seems to be about not leaving a woman alone the morning after a sexual encounter. But no one seemed worried about that at the time, and the performance is of course an upper-deck home run, so I'm just going to enjoy.
6 - "Imagine," John Lennon
Yes, there was a time when this, one of the most iconic songs of all time, was just another record climbing the pop charts. It's still somewhat amazing that people who deep down don't agree with the song's anti-material, anti-nationalist, anti-religion message somehow accept it as this almost hymnlike anthem. I think that makes John chuckle with pride, wherever he is.
5 - "Family Affair," Sly and the Family Stone
The third and final #1 for Sylvester Stewart and company. A slow burning funk-pop classic about the complicated relationships that develop among blood relations. Unquestionably their best hit, which is saying a lot, because they had a lot of good ones.
4 - "Have You Seen Her," The Chi-Lites
The first Top Ten for this Chicago vocal group, a ballad with a loneliness-weary spoken-word opening and a heartbreaking harmony chorus asking the title question. Achingly beautiful. The MC Hammer cover sucks though.
3 - "Baby I'm-a Want You," Bread
The MOR superstars express desire for a woman in their usual mild and inoffensive way. The whole "-a-" thing annoys me, though.
2 - "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," Cher
And here's Mrs. Bono on her own with her smash tale of a girl born into a family of travellers who gets impregnated by a drifter. Ultimately a sad tale, but still fun to sing along with.
And as I learned to walk, the song at the top of American pop was...
1 - "Theme from Shaft," Isaac Hayes
The immortat theme from the groundbreaking "blaxploitation" film starring Richard Roundtree provided Isaac Hayes with not only his only #1 hit, but also an Oscar for Best Original Song. We all know about its funktastic glory as it tells of "the black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks." What you may not know is that one of the women who tells Isaac Hayes to shut his mouth before he says something dirty was none other than Dawn's Telma Hopkins. Isaac Hayes is no Tony Orlando. And thank God for that.
The NotCaseys were The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes" and the Hillside Singers' "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing." Casey himself played Elvis' "Love Me Tender" (to that point the highest-debuting song in Top 40 history) and The Supremes "You Keep Me Hanging On" (the Number One song five years ago that week).
And at last, my "work" is done.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
November 27, 1971 Part One
My first full-on 70s coverage in a few months goes to this chart from the fall of 1971. I was nine months old. All around me, these sounds filled the air.
40 - "I'd Love to Change the World," Ten Years After
39 - "She's All I Got," Freddie North
38 - "(I Know) I'm Losing You," Rod Stewart
37 - "Tired of Being Alone," Al Green
36 - "One Fine Morning," Lighthouse
35 - "You are Everything," The Stylistics
34 - "I've Found Someone of My Own," The Free Movement
33 - "Brand New Key," Melanie
32 - "Absolutely Right," The Five Man Electrical Band
31 - "Never My Love," The Fifth Dimension
We begin this section with British rock. Nottingham, England blues rockers Ten Years After had their biggest hit with this song about wanting to make the world better, but unltimately not doing so because "I don't know what to do." It's just a list of problems, and as far as the solutions go, "I leave it up to you." And the songs uncensored reference to "dykes and fairies" confuses me, because it's unclear how they feel about them. Can't say I like it. And Rod the Mod had his second American hit with this cover of a Temptations hit that Rare Earth had covered just one year earlier. Rod's version has much more soul and personality.
Four soul tracks in this bunch. Singer and DJ Freddie North had his only hit with this plea to a "friend" not to steal the woman he needs. "She's my water when I need a drink." He sings. I was more familiar with Johnny Paycheck's hit country version of this song, but I like this one better. Al Green is back from previous charts I've covered with this soulful plea for company. Al, I'm still working on getting to know you better, but suffice it to say, you're fantastic. The Stylistics had their first pop Top Ten with this song about missing a woman who literally means the world. These guys just might be my favorite Philly soul balladeers. They bring it every time. And The Free Movement return with their tale of a woman who's leaving her man to do some "free movement" of her own. You like that? Huh? Sorry, I tried.
Two Canadian bands are here. Lighthouse return from the past with their solid Blood Sweat and Tears knockoff. And The Five Man Electrical Band, of "Signs" fame, had their only other American hit with this rocker about coming crawling back to a lover, just like she said you would. It reminds me of the state Homer Simpson was in after Marge kicked him out for telling too many of her personal secrets to the marriage class he was teaching. He really was as dirty as a Frenchman, and if he'd had to go without her for a few more hours, I'm sure he would have been dead.
What's left is female-fronted pop. Melanie Safka is here, providing the world with the "key = penis, roller skates = vagina" metaphor no one was asking for. Not that it isn't silly fun, but I just don't think there was a particular clamor for it. And the Fifth Dimension return with an Association cover that was an improvement over the original simply by not being by The Association. In introducing this, Casey said he hoped this group would never break up. Well, technically they haven't, but there's only one original member left, and main stars Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. are long gone. And they haven't had a hit since 1973. So you've sort of gotten your wish, Case.
30 - "Wild Night," Van Morrison
29 - "Theme from Summer of '42," Peter Nero
28 - "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)," The Temptations
27 - "Where Did Our Love Go," Donnie Elbert
26 - "One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack)," Coven
25 - "Scorpio," Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band
24 - "Questions 67 & 68," Chicago
23 - "Stones," Neil Diamond
22 - "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," Marvin Gaye
21 - "Superstar," The Carpenters
We'll start with the male solo singers. Van Morrison had his last American hit with this spirited R&B raveup about getting dressed up and going out on the town. John Mellencamp had a much bigger hit with this in the 90s, but musically, he did not come close to topping Van the Man. New Orleans-born, Buffalo-raised Donnie Elbert hit the Hot 100 for the first time in 1957, but he didn't make the Top 40 until fourteen years later with this professional but unnecessary cover of a Supremes classic. He'd go back to the Motown well the next year for his only other American pop hit "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)." Neil Diamond kept his hit machine rolling with this stange-lyricked (is that a word?) acoustic tune about stones that make a woman's bed and how he and her are wildflowers. Not bad, but I prefer the B-side of this single, "Crunchy Granola Suite." And I'm not joking. And Marvin Gaye scored a third Top 40 hit from What's Going On with this smooth-yet-effective cry against America's social and economic inequalities. The man was serving up some harsh medicine, but he was definitely sweetening enough to make it go down easy.
There are two instrumentals here. Pianist Peter Nero had his only major pop hit with his version of the theme from a film about a teenage boy who loses his virginity to a woman whose husband is killed in World War II. It's not particularly memorable on its own, but I guess the desire for people to relive the movie was strong enough to make it a million-selling single. And Dennis Coffey and band return from past excursions to this time period with this oft-sampled funk instrumental. Sounds like a theme to the best cop show never made.
We'll close the first half with the four remaining groups. The Temptations had another of their early-70s hits with this funky reminder to someone who's achieved success not to forget the people who helped get them there, because "beneath the glitter and gleam, like everyday people, you're just a human being." Good advice, catchily delivered. Coven, a band previously infamous for weaving Satanic themes into their music, had their one mainstream moment with this cover of a 1969 hit for Canadian group The Original Caste. I'm sure you know this song about warlike "valley people" who slaughter the peaceful "mountain people" to acquire a "treasure" that they assume is of great matreial value but is in fact simply a message: "Peace on Earth." Oh, the irony. This version was recorded by Coven singer Jinx Dawson backed by an orcherstra for the soundtrack of the asskicker-defending-hippies movie Billy Jack, but Dawson insisted that her whole band get credit for it. Bottom line, The Original Caste version is much better. But I would like to hear more actual Coven, just out of curiosity. Chicago are here with another of their early hits, a jazzy ballad about the wonder of love that doesn't suck in that "If You Leave Me Now" way. I haven't been able to find the story behind that title, though. And Karen and Richard are back with their classic about falling in love with a guitar player. It's great. That's all
Tomorrow: Another Association cover, a prose poem written in 1927, and the funkiest Oscar-winning song ever.
40 - "I'd Love to Change the World," Ten Years After
39 - "She's All I Got," Freddie North
38 - "(I Know) I'm Losing You," Rod Stewart
37 - "Tired of Being Alone," Al Green
36 - "One Fine Morning," Lighthouse
35 - "You are Everything," The Stylistics
34 - "I've Found Someone of My Own," The Free Movement
33 - "Brand New Key," Melanie
32 - "Absolutely Right," The Five Man Electrical Band
31 - "Never My Love," The Fifth Dimension
We begin this section with British rock. Nottingham, England blues rockers Ten Years After had their biggest hit with this song about wanting to make the world better, but unltimately not doing so because "I don't know what to do." It's just a list of problems, and as far as the solutions go, "I leave it up to you." And the songs uncensored reference to "dykes and fairies" confuses me, because it's unclear how they feel about them. Can't say I like it. And Rod the Mod had his second American hit with this cover of a Temptations hit that Rare Earth had covered just one year earlier. Rod's version has much more soul and personality.
Four soul tracks in this bunch. Singer and DJ Freddie North had his only hit with this plea to a "friend" not to steal the woman he needs. "She's my water when I need a drink." He sings. I was more familiar with Johnny Paycheck's hit country version of this song, but I like this one better. Al Green is back from previous charts I've covered with this soulful plea for company. Al, I'm still working on getting to know you better, but suffice it to say, you're fantastic. The Stylistics had their first pop Top Ten with this song about missing a woman who literally means the world. These guys just might be my favorite Philly soul balladeers. They bring it every time. And The Free Movement return with their tale of a woman who's leaving her man to do some "free movement" of her own. You like that? Huh? Sorry, I tried.
Two Canadian bands are here. Lighthouse return from the past with their solid Blood Sweat and Tears knockoff. And The Five Man Electrical Band, of "Signs" fame, had their only other American hit with this rocker about coming crawling back to a lover, just like she said you would. It reminds me of the state Homer Simpson was in after Marge kicked him out for telling too many of her personal secrets to the marriage class he was teaching. He really was as dirty as a Frenchman, and if he'd had to go without her for a few more hours, I'm sure he would have been dead.
What's left is female-fronted pop. Melanie Safka is here, providing the world with the "key = penis, roller skates = vagina" metaphor no one was asking for. Not that it isn't silly fun, but I just don't think there was a particular clamor for it. And the Fifth Dimension return with an Association cover that was an improvement over the original simply by not being by The Association. In introducing this, Casey said he hoped this group would never break up. Well, technically they haven't, but there's only one original member left, and main stars Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. are long gone. And they haven't had a hit since 1973. So you've sort of gotten your wish, Case.
30 - "Wild Night," Van Morrison
29 - "Theme from Summer of '42," Peter Nero
28 - "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)," The Temptations
27 - "Where Did Our Love Go," Donnie Elbert
26 - "One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack)," Coven
25 - "Scorpio," Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band
24 - "Questions 67 & 68," Chicago
23 - "Stones," Neil Diamond
22 - "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," Marvin Gaye
21 - "Superstar," The Carpenters
We'll start with the male solo singers. Van Morrison had his last American hit with this spirited R&B raveup about getting dressed up and going out on the town. John Mellencamp had a much bigger hit with this in the 90s, but musically, he did not come close to topping Van the Man. New Orleans-born, Buffalo-raised Donnie Elbert hit the Hot 100 for the first time in 1957, but he didn't make the Top 40 until fourteen years later with this professional but unnecessary cover of a Supremes classic. He'd go back to the Motown well the next year for his only other American pop hit "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)." Neil Diamond kept his hit machine rolling with this stange-lyricked (is that a word?) acoustic tune about stones that make a woman's bed and how he and her are wildflowers. Not bad, but I prefer the B-side of this single, "Crunchy Granola Suite." And I'm not joking. And Marvin Gaye scored a third Top 40 hit from What's Going On with this smooth-yet-effective cry against America's social and economic inequalities. The man was serving up some harsh medicine, but he was definitely sweetening enough to make it go down easy.
There are two instrumentals here. Pianist Peter Nero had his only major pop hit with his version of the theme from a film about a teenage boy who loses his virginity to a woman whose husband is killed in World War II. It's not particularly memorable on its own, but I guess the desire for people to relive the movie was strong enough to make it a million-selling single. And Dennis Coffey and band return from past excursions to this time period with this oft-sampled funk instrumental. Sounds like a theme to the best cop show never made.
We'll close the first half with the four remaining groups. The Temptations had another of their early-70s hits with this funky reminder to someone who's achieved success not to forget the people who helped get them there, because "beneath the glitter and gleam, like everyday people, you're just a human being." Good advice, catchily delivered. Coven, a band previously infamous for weaving Satanic themes into their music, had their one mainstream moment with this cover of a 1969 hit for Canadian group The Original Caste. I'm sure you know this song about warlike "valley people" who slaughter the peaceful "mountain people" to acquire a "treasure" that they assume is of great matreial value but is in fact simply a message: "Peace on Earth." Oh, the irony. This version was recorded by Coven singer Jinx Dawson backed by an orcherstra for the soundtrack of the asskicker-defending-hippies movie Billy Jack, but Dawson insisted that her whole band get credit for it. Bottom line, The Original Caste version is much better. But I would like to hear more actual Coven, just out of curiosity. Chicago are here with another of their early hits, a jazzy ballad about the wonder of love that doesn't suck in that "If You Leave Me Now" way. I haven't been able to find the story behind that title, though. And Karen and Richard are back with their classic about falling in love with a guitar player. It's great. That's all
Tomorrow: Another Association cover, a prose poem written in 1927, and the funkiest Oscar-winning song ever.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
November 28, 1981 Part Two
Carrying on, as we must.
20 - "Don't Stop Believin'," Journey
19 - "Yesterday's Songs," Neil Diamond
18 - "Leather and Lace," Stevie Nicks with Don Henley
17 - "Harden My Heart," Quarterflash
16 - "Trouble," Lindsey Buckingham
The second half begins with what has become Journey's best-loved song, an anthemic, keyboard-driven number about two strangers who "took the midnight train going anywhere." It's become a theme song for multiple professional sports teams, and was memorably used in the final scene of The Sopranos. I'm not sure I like it as much as I did when I bought its parent cassette at age 10, but it still gets me.
Next is Neil Diamond with a sparkly bit of MOR about how pop songs can be fleeting, but love is timeless. I think. Anyway, the female backup singer on this annoys me. She seems out of place.
Then it's Stevie and Don with a sweet country ballad about two lovers: a woman who appears fragile on the outside but is "stronger than you know;" and a man who seems strong but is "sometimes cold and scared." I'm genuinely glad they found each other and exchanged materials.
Portland, Oregon's Quarterflash are here with their biggest hit, a sultry rock semi-ballad about a woman who decides to thicken her skin agains heartbreak after one too many disappointments. Love the sax on this, as well as the way Rindy Ross sings "I'm gonna turn...and...lee-heeve yoo-hoo heeeeeeeeere."
This section ends with a second solo Fleetwood Macker, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, with a smooth soft-rocker about sleeping with someone he knows he shouldn't. I'd imagine being in Fleetwood Mac, he was singing from experience. Good, but I like "Go Insane" way better.
15 - "The Old Songs," Barry Manilow
14 - "Theme from Hill Street Blues," Mike Post
13 - "The Night Owls," The Little River Band
12 - "Young Turks," Rod Stewart
11 - "Let's Groove," Earth, Wind and Fire
This group is led off by Barry M. It has a similar theme to "Yesterday's Songs, but in this case, Barry is attempting to use the music of the past to rekindle a flickering romance. Meh, he can do better.
Next is TV-theme maestro Mike Post's sombre-yet-catchy theme tune to a grounbreaking NBC cop show. I didn't watch it much, but I do have fond memories of the guy who used to say "Let's be careful out there."
The Little River Band are back with the song they had on here last time.
Then it's Rod Stewart with a propulsive pop-rock tale of Billy and Patti, two teenage lovers who run away from home because their parents don't understand them. In most songs, this would have a tragic, or at least downbeat, ending, but this one ends on a happy note, with Billy telling Patti's parents in a letter that the two of them are doing fine and now have "a ten-pound baby boy." Okay song, but it always reminds me of Catherine O'Hara portraying Brooke Shields and singing it for Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok. And then blowing up good. Blowing up real good.
This bunch is rounded out by Earth, Wind and Fire's last Top Ten, a solid funk workout that encourages you to "glide like a 747." This groove will "set in your shoes." And it's all right.
Top Tenify yourself.
10 - "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," Diana Ross
Diana scored another Top Ten with this unnecessary cover of the Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers doo-wop classic. Just find the original, love it, and don't even bother with this version. There are so many other better options in Miss Ross' catalogue.
9 - "Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do)," Christopher Cross
Chris Cross returns with his smash from the Dudley Moore comedy that Russell Brand unsuccessfully remade this year. Oh well, at least he still has Katy Perry.
8 - "Tryin' to Live My Life Without You," Bob Seger
The Styx of Detroit opens this live cover of a 1972 Otis Clay R&B hit by asking "You guys feel funky tonight?" And he and the Silver Bullet Brand actually do bring respectable levels of funk to this song about a woman who's a harder habit to break than cigarettes and alcohol. This might be Seger's best single.
7 - "Start Me Up," The Rolling Stones
Mick and Keef, back again with this biggie. You really do need to clear your head of its overplayedness to appreciate how good it is.
6 - "Oh No," The Commodores
The Tuskegee soulmen with another ballad, this one about wishing for someone else's lover. This was their last hit with Lionel Richie. Kind of an underwhelming finale.
5 - "Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)," Air Supply
The Aussie mild boys had yet another Top Five in this time period with this typically bombastic ballad about still pining for a lost love. Probably on the low end of my ranking of their hits, if I ever took the time to do that. Which I most assuredly won't.
4 - "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic," The Police
Sting and co.'s first American Top Five, a sweet soft-rock gem of appreciation for the charms of a lady. Although it's probably best that he was too scared to call her a thousand times a day with marriage proposals. There's a fine line between flattery and stalking.
3 - "Private Eyes," Daryl Hall and John Oates
And speaking of stalking, here's Daryl and John's second entry this week. It follows the template of their 80s sound pretty closely, but it works.
2 - "Waiting for a Girl Like You," Foreigner
This tender ballad never made it to the top spot, but it hung on at #2 for a whopping ten weeks. But they'd make it three years later with a better ballad, "I Want to Know What Love Is," so shed no tears for these guys.
And the song that was primarily responsible for keeping Foreigner out of pop's pole position was...
1- "Physical," Olivia Newton-John
The gradual transformation of ONJ from wholesome girl next door to sultry sex siren culminated with this dance-pop megasmash in which she declares that, after taking her date to a nice bistro and an R-rated film, "there's nothing left to talk about unless it's horizontally." Whoa. I was over my ONJ crush by then, but I'm not sure if there was a cause-effect relationship re her turn to the "dark side." Anyway, this worked for her like a libidinous charm, as it stayed at #1 for 10 weeks, longer than any other song in the 80s. I will say that the gym-themed video is good fun, though.
The NotCaseys this week were "She's Got a Way" by Billy Joel, "Come Go With Me" by The Beach Boys, "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, and "Shake it Up" by the Cars. Casey himself played the last two #1 hits of the 1960s, which were "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by Peter, Paul and Mary, and "Someday We'll be Together" by Diana Ross and the Supremes. And there were two Long Distance Dedications. A man with a visual impairment dedicated Kenny Rogers' "Lady" to a bus driver named Kitty, on whom he depends for transportation (and on whom he also has a bit of a crush, even though she's married). And a woman dedicated "Sweet Life" by Paul Davis to the husband she literally prayed to God for.
We're not done for this week. Try to restrain yourselves. This week's 70s show is from 1971, and there's enough unmined material in it that I'm giving it the full two-part treatment. So it'll be there in the next couple days, if you're interested.
20 - "Don't Stop Believin'," Journey
19 - "Yesterday's Songs," Neil Diamond
18 - "Leather and Lace," Stevie Nicks with Don Henley
17 - "Harden My Heart," Quarterflash
16 - "Trouble," Lindsey Buckingham
The second half begins with what has become Journey's best-loved song, an anthemic, keyboard-driven number about two strangers who "took the midnight train going anywhere." It's become a theme song for multiple professional sports teams, and was memorably used in the final scene of The Sopranos. I'm not sure I like it as much as I did when I bought its parent cassette at age 10, but it still gets me.
Next is Neil Diamond with a sparkly bit of MOR about how pop songs can be fleeting, but love is timeless. I think. Anyway, the female backup singer on this annoys me. She seems out of place.
Then it's Stevie and Don with a sweet country ballad about two lovers: a woman who appears fragile on the outside but is "stronger than you know;" and a man who seems strong but is "sometimes cold and scared." I'm genuinely glad they found each other and exchanged materials.
Portland, Oregon's Quarterflash are here with their biggest hit, a sultry rock semi-ballad about a woman who decides to thicken her skin agains heartbreak after one too many disappointments. Love the sax on this, as well as the way Rindy Ross sings "I'm gonna turn...and...lee-heeve yoo-hoo heeeeeeeeere."
This section ends with a second solo Fleetwood Macker, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, with a smooth soft-rocker about sleeping with someone he knows he shouldn't. I'd imagine being in Fleetwood Mac, he was singing from experience. Good, but I like "Go Insane" way better.
15 - "The Old Songs," Barry Manilow
14 - "Theme from Hill Street Blues," Mike Post
13 - "The Night Owls," The Little River Band
12 - "Young Turks," Rod Stewart
11 - "Let's Groove," Earth, Wind and Fire
This group is led off by Barry M. It has a similar theme to "Yesterday's Songs, but in this case, Barry is attempting to use the music of the past to rekindle a flickering romance. Meh, he can do better.
Next is TV-theme maestro Mike Post's sombre-yet-catchy theme tune to a grounbreaking NBC cop show. I didn't watch it much, but I do have fond memories of the guy who used to say "Let's be careful out there."
The Little River Band are back with the song they had on here last time.
Then it's Rod Stewart with a propulsive pop-rock tale of Billy and Patti, two teenage lovers who run away from home because their parents don't understand them. In most songs, this would have a tragic, or at least downbeat, ending, but this one ends on a happy note, with Billy telling Patti's parents in a letter that the two of them are doing fine and now have "a ten-pound baby boy." Okay song, but it always reminds me of Catherine O'Hara portraying Brooke Shields and singing it for Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok. And then blowing up good. Blowing up real good.
This bunch is rounded out by Earth, Wind and Fire's last Top Ten, a solid funk workout that encourages you to "glide like a 747." This groove will "set in your shoes." And it's all right.
Top Tenify yourself.
10 - "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," Diana Ross
Diana scored another Top Ten with this unnecessary cover of the Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers doo-wop classic. Just find the original, love it, and don't even bother with this version. There are so many other better options in Miss Ross' catalogue.
9 - "Arthur's Theme (Best that You Can Do)," Christopher Cross
Chris Cross returns with his smash from the Dudley Moore comedy that Russell Brand unsuccessfully remade this year. Oh well, at least he still has Katy Perry.
8 - "Tryin' to Live My Life Without You," Bob Seger
The Styx of Detroit opens this live cover of a 1972 Otis Clay R&B hit by asking "You guys feel funky tonight?" And he and the Silver Bullet Brand actually do bring respectable levels of funk to this song about a woman who's a harder habit to break than cigarettes and alcohol. This might be Seger's best single.
7 - "Start Me Up," The Rolling Stones
Mick and Keef, back again with this biggie. You really do need to clear your head of its overplayedness to appreciate how good it is.
6 - "Oh No," The Commodores
The Tuskegee soulmen with another ballad, this one about wishing for someone else's lover. This was their last hit with Lionel Richie. Kind of an underwhelming finale.
5 - "Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)," Air Supply
The Aussie mild boys had yet another Top Five in this time period with this typically bombastic ballad about still pining for a lost love. Probably on the low end of my ranking of their hits, if I ever took the time to do that. Which I most assuredly won't.
4 - "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic," The Police
Sting and co.'s first American Top Five, a sweet soft-rock gem of appreciation for the charms of a lady. Although it's probably best that he was too scared to call her a thousand times a day with marriage proposals. There's a fine line between flattery and stalking.
3 - "Private Eyes," Daryl Hall and John Oates
And speaking of stalking, here's Daryl and John's second entry this week. It follows the template of their 80s sound pretty closely, but it works.
2 - "Waiting for a Girl Like You," Foreigner
This tender ballad never made it to the top spot, but it hung on at #2 for a whopping ten weeks. But they'd make it three years later with a better ballad, "I Want to Know What Love Is," so shed no tears for these guys.
And the song that was primarily responsible for keeping Foreigner out of pop's pole position was...
1- "Physical," Olivia Newton-John
The gradual transformation of ONJ from wholesome girl next door to sultry sex siren culminated with this dance-pop megasmash in which she declares that, after taking her date to a nice bistro and an R-rated film, "there's nothing left to talk about unless it's horizontally." Whoa. I was over my ONJ crush by then, but I'm not sure if there was a cause-effect relationship re her turn to the "dark side." Anyway, this worked for her like a libidinous charm, as it stayed at #1 for 10 weeks, longer than any other song in the 80s. I will say that the gym-themed video is good fun, though.
The NotCaseys this week were "She's Got a Way" by Billy Joel, "Come Go With Me" by The Beach Boys, "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, and "Shake it Up" by the Cars. Casey himself played the last two #1 hits of the 1960s, which were "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by Peter, Paul and Mary, and "Someday We'll be Together" by Diana Ross and the Supremes. And there were two Long Distance Dedications. A man with a visual impairment dedicated Kenny Rogers' "Lady" to a bus driver named Kitty, on whom he depends for transportation (and on whom he also has a bit of a crush, even though she's married). And a woman dedicated "Sweet Life" by Paul Davis to the husband she literally prayed to God for.
We're not done for this week. Try to restrain yourselves. This week's 70s show is from 1971, and there's enough unmined material in it that I'm giving it the full two-part treatment. So it'll be there in the next couple days, if you're interested.
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