Closing the book.
20 - "I'll Play for You," Seals and Crofts
19 - "The Last Farewell," Roger Whittaker
18 - "Philadelphia Freedom," Elton John
17 - "Old Days," Chicago
16 - "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," John Denver
The second half begins with our old MOR buddies Jim and Dash, singing about making music and stuff. But as usual with these guys, it's boring and uninspiring. It's an offer I'm compelled to refuse.
Then it's Roger Whittaker, a man who was born in England, grew up in Kenya, and was known to me growing up as a guy who sang gentle folk tunes on albums that were advertised heavily on television, but never got any airplay on any radio stations I ever listened to. To me, he was in the same league as Nana Mouskouri and the master of the Pan flute, Zamfir. But apparently, he did have one huge international smash. Whittaker hosted and sang on a British radio show in the early 70s, and he used to have a segment where he would sing a song he had composed using lyrics sent in by one of his listeners. One of these lyrics was "The Last Farewell," a tale of a man saying goodbye to his wife before he sails off to war. Whittaker would record this in 1971, but it wasn't until the wife of an Atlanta DJ heard it played on a Canadian radio station and convinced her husband to put it on the air that it became a huge success, reaching the Top 20 in the U.S., #2 in Britain, and selling over 10 million copies worldwide. I'm surprised, but hey, good for him.
Elton John is back again with his classic inspired by liberation, tennis, and the home of the NHL's Flyers. Speaking of the latter, can you believe they traded away Carter and Richards? I can't. But who knows, maybe it'll go down as a genius move.
Next are Chicago with a bit of jazz-pop remembrance of things past. Among the nostalgic items name-checked in the song are comic books, baseball cards, and TV puppet Howdy Doody. Apparently, singer Peter Cetera didn't like singing this song live due to the fact that he hated Howdy Doody. Really? Singing the name of a freaking puppet bothered you that much, Pete? That's kind of silly.
Finishing this five is Johnny D. with his raucous raveup about fiddling, farming, and family. It's by far the most energetic the man ever sounded on one of his radio singles. If you asked me, it would have been nice if he'd loosened up one or two more times. He sounds so happy here.
15 - "Bad Luck (Part 1)," Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
14 - "Bad Time," Grand Funk
13 - "Magic," Pilot
12 - "Only Women (Bleed)," Alice Cooper
11 - "Take Me in Your Arms," The Doobie Brothers
This group opens with Harold, Teddy Pendergrass, and the rest on a deceptively upbeat number that describes a man on a serious losing streak. Financial and emotional collapse never sounded so sprightly.
Then it's Grand Funk with their last big hit. Last time, I dismissed this, because it was too poppy and polished for what I associate that band with. This time, I just listened to the song without prejudice, and I found that I appreciated its simple aural pleasures much more. It's a really good song. It's still not Grand Funk to me, though.
Next are Pilot, a Scottish group that included two pre-fame members of the Bay City Rollers. This was their only American hit, and I'm sure everyone is very familiar with its "Oh, oh, oh, it's magic, you know" chorus. A bouncy pop trifle, memorable but inconsequential.
Alice Cooper began the ballad phase of his Top 40 career with this song, whose title was shortened by one word reportedly because radio stations thought it might refer to menstruation. Given Alice's shock-rock rep, it's perhaps understandable that they would jump to that conclusion. However, had they listened to the lyrics, they would know that it was a sympathetic depiction of the plight of an abused wife. The scary man in ghoul makeup was standing up for women. That was even more shocking than a song about periods.
Rounding out this pack are the Doobies with a faithful cover of a 1965 Top 5 R&B hit for Kim Weston, who is best known for duetting with Marvin Gaye on "It Takes Two." It exposed the song to more people than ever, so that elevates it just above unnecessary.
Ten records up on top:
10 - "Cut the Cake," The Average White Band
The Scots funksters had their second-biggest hit with this bumper that was slightly more wordy than "Pick Up the Pieces." Not as good, obviously, but it makes me feel like getting up and dancing...to the refrigerator.
9 - "Listen to What the Man Said," Paul McCartney and Wings
Sir Paul and his feathery apendages racked up another #1 with this light, airy gem about the power of love and "the wonder of it all, baby." Still don't know who "The Man" in this song is, though. But I'm sure there are theories.
8 - "Get Down, Get Down (Get on the Floor)," Joe Simon
This soul vet had his last and biggest pop hit with this dance number that implores listeners to "let the good times roll" while doing "the kung fu bump." Probably not the way most would have liked him to go out, but you can't begrudge a guy like this long-awaited Top 10 success, no matter what form it took.
7 - "The Hustle," Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony
Van McCoy had seen success behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer throughout the 60s and 70s, but he didn't have a hit of his own until an unheralded track from an album he made called Disco Baby that he had written after seeing people do a dance called The Hustle at a New York nightclub called Adam's Apple became a Number One sensation. Driven by horns, strings, piccolo, and those shouted commands to do the titular dance, it's another one of the first few songs that come to mind when anyone thinks of disco.
6 - "Sister Golden Hair," America
By far my favorite America song. Nothing pretentious about it, just a simple, catchy song about missing feminine companionship. Very solid 70s pop.
5 - "Love Won't Let Me Wait," Major Harris
Mr. Harris the Third had his only pop hit with this song that gently but effectively conveys a certain need. Although I'm not exactly sure I'd call what's not letting him wait "love."
4 - "I'm Not Lisa," Jessi Colter
Her real name was Marilyn, her stage name was Jessi, but in this song, she's Julie, a woman trying to get it through her man's thick skull that she's not the woman who left him heartbroken, but rather the one who loves him now and is pledging to stay by her side forever. Seems like a thankless task. Dude, wise up. I don't care how great this Lisa was, Julie's a keeper. Snap out of it!
3 - "Wildfire," Michael Murphey
On country-pop singer Murphey's signature hit, he sings about an unnamed girl who dies one winter while searching for her beloved pony Wildfire, who had broken loose from his stall and ran off into a blizzard. But apparently, the girl and Wildfire are ghosts now, and he believes that soon they will come for him and take him away to parts unknown. You know what I believe? I believe that this deserves this week's Uneasy Rider award. I almost gave it to Roger Whittaker, but going over the whole "waiting for a kid and her spectral horse to carry me off to a better life" scenario this presents, I've made a last-minute switch to Mr. Murphey.
2 - "When Will I Be Loved," Linda Ronstadt
Linda's been cheated, mistreated, made blue, lied to, put down, and pushed 'round. When will it end? she asks. Don't know, Linda. But you do all right by Buddy, so at least there's that.
And leading the United States in popularity 36 years ago was:
1 - "Love Will Keep Us Together," The Captain and Tennille
Mr. and Mrs. Dragon went straight to the top right off the bat with their bouncy cover of a Neil Sedaka-Howard Greenfield tune about shunning temporary temptations for the safety of a solid relationship. It's probably become a bit of a cliche and a joke in some circles, but when you just sit back and listen, it's pure, giddy pop that no one should be embarrased to admit liking.
Two of the NotCaseys were up-and-comers; Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" and "Disco Queen" by Hot Chocolate. The third was "Poetry Man," which was a hit earlier in the spring of '75, but was played in tribute to the recently passed Phoebe Snow.
Next week is going to be another different one. I won't go in to specifics, but both the 70s and 80s will be involved. To find out more, come back next week.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
June 21, 1975 Part One
This week, we see what people were grooving to during Summer Solstice '75.
40 - "I'll Do for You Anything You Want Me To," Barry White
39 - "Theme from The Rockford Files," Mike Post
38 - "Rhinestone Cowboy," Glen Campbell
37 - "Black Friday," Steely Dan
36 - "I'm on Fire," The Dwight Twilley Band
35 - "T-R-O-U-B-L-E," Elvis Presley
34 - "Please Mr. Please," Olivia Newton-John
33 - "Rockin' Chair," Gwen McRae
32 - "Midnight Blue," Melissa Manchester
31 - "One of these Nights," The Eagles
We start with R&B. Barry White didn't get any higher than #40 with his latest slice of loverman grooviness. Not much different than what you expect, but I have to say, it deserved at least a little better. And a year after Gwen McRae's then-husband George topped the charts with the disco precursor "Rock Your Baby," she herself hit the Top Ten with this funky offer to be a "good-lovin' daddy"'s piece of moving furniture. This may be some sort of sex code, but I'm not going to jump to conclusions.
Two shots of MOR. It's almost unfair to put Mike Post's rollicking, synthesizer-vs.-harmonica theme to James Garner's classic private eye series in the easy-listening category, but I'm doing it, so there. And joining it is Melissa Manchester's first hit, a Carole Bayer Sager co-written ballad about giving love one more shot. Although the meaning of the line "Wouldn't you give your hand to a friend," has been forever warped for me by Dickie Goodman's "Mr. Jaws."
There are also a couple big country crossover hits here. Glen Campbell was just entering the charts with the song that was at #1 on our very first visit to 1975 back in September. Very sad to hear this week that he's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but at least he's getting to do one more tour, so he gets a last chance to be where the lights are shining on him. And Olivia Newton-John has one of my favorites of hers here with this one in which she's peacefully drinking away her blues in a Nashville bar when "some buttton-pushin' cowboy" selects B17 on the jukebox, not knowing that it brings back painful memories of the guy Olivia just broke up with. Complete ignorance is no defense, you insensitive bastard!
We finish with rock. Steely Dan are their usual inscrutable selves on this song, which describes what Donald Fagen plans to do on the titular day. Apparently, it involves digging holes, shedding footwear, and feeding kangaroos. Sounds like fun. Dwight Twilley (an incredibly fun name to say over and over. Try it.) and his eponymous band of Oklahomans had their first and only hit with this fun bit of power pop greatness. Twilley, however, would have a solo hit (with a little backing vocal help from Tom Petty) nine years later with the even better "Girls." Elvis
himself actually qualifies as rock on this hit, a rousing flashback to the old days in which he describes a woman who's so bad she's good while simultaneously providing spelling lessons. Maybe his last great single. And the Eagles also return from last September, continuing their search for some female devil/angel hybrid, presumably to have sex and do cocaine with.
30 - "Why Can't We Be Friends," War
29 - "Shining Star," Earth, Wind and Fire
28 - "Baby That's Backatcha," Smokey Robinson
27 - "Swearin' to God," Frankie Valli
26 - "Dynomite," Bazuka
25 - "Hey You," Bachman-Turner Overdrive
24 - "Misty," Ray Stevens
23 - "The Way We Were/Try To Remember," Gladys Knight
22 - "I'm Not in Love," 10cc
21 - "Attitude Dancing," Carly Simon
We start with three songs that I've chosen to define as "rock." You can fight me over it if you ever meet me, but until then, this is the way it is. War are here with the song that battles "Low Rider" for the title of their best-known. Apparently, they'd like to be pals with everyone, even if you work for the CIA because "they wouldn't have you in the ma-FYE-ay." When Homer Simpson fought Drederick Tatum, he entered the ring to this song. BTO try to get my attention with their current hit. For most of it, it doesn't, but I do perk up when I hear those "sha-na-na-na"s. And artsy Brits 10cc had their biggest American hit with this haunting ballad of denial. I've been through that "silly phase" myself, boys. But you know it doesn't mean that much to me.
Then there's your soul and funk and disco and such. The band named after elements return from last time with their reminder that everyone is capable of something great. I think I believe that. Smokey Robinson didn't hit #1 on this chart with his song here the way his old colleagues did with "Love Machine," but he did top the R&B charts with this groovy mover in which he reminds a friend that their relationship is mutually beneficial. Bazuka had their only moment in the Top 40 sun with this noisy disco number in which the only word heard is an exclamation popularized by Good Times' Jimmie "J.J." Walker. You know what? I wish that show's theme song had been a hit instead of this. And Gladys Knight and her loyal crew go to town on Barbra Streisand's charttopper of the previous year. From Gladys' cool but passionate spoken-word intro (which uses parts of the lyrics of "Try to Remember" from the musical The Fantasticks; hence the title) to her delivery of lines like "Can it be that it was all so simple then," she just blows Babs away as far as I'm concerned. That's more props to Ms. Knight than a knock on Ms. Streisand.
We end things on a light note. Frankie Valli is pretty high on life, and himself, on his entry this week. He declares himself "king of all men" and his beloved "mistress of the world" Okay, Frankie, you're in love, I get it. But be a little humble, why don't you. Pride goeth before the fall, ya know. Ray Stevens takes a break from comedy to deliver a banjo version of the song Jessica Walter kept asking Clint Eastwood to play in that movie. Someone must have asked for this, but I sure didn't. For me, only Johnny Mathis should be "as helpless as a kitten up a tree." And Carly Simon attempts to launch a new dance craze with a song that's not really all that danceable. Not that it would have worked anyhow. In her proposed new dance, it doesn't matter how your body moves or what steps you do. It's all about changing your attitude. That's a good message and all, but if there are no steps or movements, then it's just...living. Then you could say sitting is dancing, sleeping is dancing, etc. Then chaos ensues, and society collapses. Is that what you really want, Carly?
Tomorrow: A guy I used to think was just a nobody who advertised his records on TV to old people shocks me by actually having had a genuine hit, the world's most unlikely feminist, and the bonding power of love is celebrated yet again.
40 - "I'll Do for You Anything You Want Me To," Barry White
39 - "Theme from The Rockford Files," Mike Post
38 - "Rhinestone Cowboy," Glen Campbell
37 - "Black Friday," Steely Dan
36 - "I'm on Fire," The Dwight Twilley Band
35 - "T-R-O-U-B-L-E," Elvis Presley
34 - "Please Mr. Please," Olivia Newton-John
33 - "Rockin' Chair," Gwen McRae
32 - "Midnight Blue," Melissa Manchester
31 - "One of these Nights," The Eagles
We start with R&B. Barry White didn't get any higher than #40 with his latest slice of loverman grooviness. Not much different than what you expect, but I have to say, it deserved at least a little better. And a year after Gwen McRae's then-husband George topped the charts with the disco precursor "Rock Your Baby," she herself hit the Top Ten with this funky offer to be a "good-lovin' daddy"'s piece of moving furniture. This may be some sort of sex code, but I'm not going to jump to conclusions.
Two shots of MOR. It's almost unfair to put Mike Post's rollicking, synthesizer-vs.-harmonica theme to James Garner's classic private eye series in the easy-listening category, but I'm doing it, so there. And joining it is Melissa Manchester's first hit, a Carole Bayer Sager co-written ballad about giving love one more shot. Although the meaning of the line "Wouldn't you give your hand to a friend," has been forever warped for me by Dickie Goodman's "Mr. Jaws."
There are also a couple big country crossover hits here. Glen Campbell was just entering the charts with the song that was at #1 on our very first visit to 1975 back in September. Very sad to hear this week that he's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but at least he's getting to do one more tour, so he gets a last chance to be where the lights are shining on him. And Olivia Newton-John has one of my favorites of hers here with this one in which she's peacefully drinking away her blues in a Nashville bar when "some buttton-pushin' cowboy" selects B17 on the jukebox, not knowing that it brings back painful memories of the guy Olivia just broke up with. Complete ignorance is no defense, you insensitive bastard!
We finish with rock. Steely Dan are their usual inscrutable selves on this song, which describes what Donald Fagen plans to do on the titular day. Apparently, it involves digging holes, shedding footwear, and feeding kangaroos. Sounds like fun. Dwight Twilley (an incredibly fun name to say over and over. Try it.) and his eponymous band of Oklahomans had their first and only hit with this fun bit of power pop greatness. Twilley, however, would have a solo hit (with a little backing vocal help from Tom Petty) nine years later with the even better "Girls." Elvis
himself actually qualifies as rock on this hit, a rousing flashback to the old days in which he describes a woman who's so bad she's good while simultaneously providing spelling lessons. Maybe his last great single. And the Eagles also return from last September, continuing their search for some female devil/angel hybrid, presumably to have sex and do cocaine with.
30 - "Why Can't We Be Friends," War
29 - "Shining Star," Earth, Wind and Fire
28 - "Baby That's Backatcha," Smokey Robinson
27 - "Swearin' to God," Frankie Valli
26 - "Dynomite," Bazuka
25 - "Hey You," Bachman-Turner Overdrive
24 - "Misty," Ray Stevens
23 - "The Way We Were/Try To Remember," Gladys Knight
22 - "I'm Not in Love," 10cc
21 - "Attitude Dancing," Carly Simon
We start with three songs that I've chosen to define as "rock." You can fight me over it if you ever meet me, but until then, this is the way it is. War are here with the song that battles "Low Rider" for the title of their best-known. Apparently, they'd like to be pals with everyone, even if you work for the CIA because "they wouldn't have you in the ma-FYE-ay." When Homer Simpson fought Drederick Tatum, he entered the ring to this song. BTO try to get my attention with their current hit. For most of it, it doesn't, but I do perk up when I hear those "sha-na-na-na"s. And artsy Brits 10cc had their biggest American hit with this haunting ballad of denial. I've been through that "silly phase" myself, boys. But you know it doesn't mean that much to me.
Then there's your soul and funk and disco and such. The band named after elements return from last time with their reminder that everyone is capable of something great. I think I believe that. Smokey Robinson didn't hit #1 on this chart with his song here the way his old colleagues did with "Love Machine," but he did top the R&B charts with this groovy mover in which he reminds a friend that their relationship is mutually beneficial. Bazuka had their only moment in the Top 40 sun with this noisy disco number in which the only word heard is an exclamation popularized by Good Times' Jimmie "J.J." Walker. You know what? I wish that show's theme song had been a hit instead of this. And Gladys Knight and her loyal crew go to town on Barbra Streisand's charttopper of the previous year. From Gladys' cool but passionate spoken-word intro (which uses parts of the lyrics of "Try to Remember" from the musical The Fantasticks; hence the title) to her delivery of lines like "Can it be that it was all so simple then," she just blows Babs away as far as I'm concerned. That's more props to Ms. Knight than a knock on Ms. Streisand.
We end things on a light note. Frankie Valli is pretty high on life, and himself, on his entry this week. He declares himself "king of all men" and his beloved "mistress of the world" Okay, Frankie, you're in love, I get it. But be a little humble, why don't you. Pride goeth before the fall, ya know. Ray Stevens takes a break from comedy to deliver a banjo version of the song Jessica Walter kept asking Clint Eastwood to play in that movie. Someone must have asked for this, but I sure didn't. For me, only Johnny Mathis should be "as helpless as a kitten up a tree." And Carly Simon attempts to launch a new dance craze with a song that's not really all that danceable. Not that it would have worked anyhow. In her proposed new dance, it doesn't matter how your body moves or what steps you do. It's all about changing your attitude. That's a good message and all, but if there are no steps or movements, then it's just...living. Then you could say sitting is dancing, sleeping is dancing, etc. Then chaos ensues, and society collapses. Is that what you really want, Carly?
Tomorrow: A guy I used to think was just a nobody who advertised his records on TV to old people shocks me by actually having had a genuine hit, the world's most unlikely feminist, and the bonding power of love is celebrated yet again.
Monday, June 20, 2011
June 17, 1978
So here's my truncated look at this 1978 countdown. As I've done before, I'll list songs 40-11, bolding the songs that weren't on the chart three weeks ago, and write about them, with maybe a bit on some of the holdovers. Then, we'll go through the Top Ten.
40 - "Warm Ride," Rare Earth
39 - "Grease," Frankie Valli
38 - "Everybody Dance," Chic
37 - "Only the Good Die Young," Billy Joel
36 - "This Time I'm In it for Love," Player
35 - "Disco Inferno," The Trammps
34 - "I Can't Stand the Rain," Eruption
33 - "Wonderful Tonight," Eric Clapton
32 - "Cheeseburger in Paradise," Jimmy Buffett
31 - "Miss You," The Rolling Stones
30 - "Almost Summer," Celebration
29 - "Follow You, Follow Me," Genesis
28 - "I Was Only Joking," Rod Stewart
27 - "The Closer I Get to You," Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
26 - "Baby Hold On," Eddie Money
25 - "Oh What a Night for Dancing," Barry White
24 - "Heartless," Heart
23 - "Last Dance," Donna Summer
22 - "Even Now," Barry Manilow
21- "You're the Love," Seals and Crofts
20 - "Bluer than Blue," Michael Johnson
19 - "Deacon Blues," Steely Dan
18 - "Every Kinda People," Robert Palmer
17 - "With a Little Luck," Wings
16 - "Still the Same," Bob Seger
15 - "Because the Night," Patti Smith
14 - "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad," Meat Loaf
13 - "The Groove Line," Heatwave
12 - "Use Ta Be My Girl," The O'Jays
11 - "Dance With Me," Peter Brown
So, 14 songs that weren't here the last time. And as Casey pointed out, nothing by The Bee Gees, for the first time in nine months.
So we'll start our look at the newbies with rock. Rare Earth hadn't been heard from since the end of their Motown run, but they made a very brief return to the charts with a version of a Gibb-brothers penned disco number about sex. But they don't bring much heat to it, and that may be why this song faded quickly and the band was never heard from again. Eric Clapton made a lot of boring stuff in this part of the decade, but there's nothing at all bland or unremarkable about this gorgeous, sincere ballad he wrote while waiting for his then-wife Patti Boyd. to get ready for a party. Boyd, of course, was also the woman Eric wrote "Layla" for when she was married to George Harrison. And that, my friends, is the definition of a muse. The Rolling Stones, like many rock acts, took a stab at disco, but "Miss You," retains enough of the sleaze and soul of the band's regular sound that it just seems like a natutal turn in the band's sonic direction. Plus, it has one of the greatest wordless choruses of all time. Prog rock vets Genesis, following the departure of Peter Gabriel, began to move in more of a pop direction, and this, their first single sung by drummer Phil Collins, and were immediately rewarded with their first Top 40 hit. Under bubbling synths, Phil makes a simple declaration of appreciation for his beloved. No knights, no lambs lying down on Broadway, just the usual pop subject matter. Well, you can't fault success, I suppose. And the Styx of Detroit would crack the Top Five for the second time in his career with a piano-driven semi-ballad that appears to be about a travelling gambler, but I get the feeling that the whole thing is a metaphor for a woman who plays with men's hearts while risking her own. I'm right, aren't I?
A couple of 60s pop veterans are among the new blood. Frankie Valli, at the height of his return to hitmaking, was tapped to record the theme to the film version of the hit stage musical Grease. Bizarrely, it's an unabashed disco number, penned and co-produced by Barry Gibb. Strange choice for a film set in the 1950s. But it was catchy, it sold, and as a kid, I enjoyed beatboxing that one part that's just drums (even though I had no idea that it was called "beatboxing"). And Beach Boy Mike Love created a side project called Celebration to do the soundtrack to a film called Almost Summer (the second most famous 1978 high school movie starring Didi Conn). Co-written with his regular bandmates Brian Wilson and Al Jardine,the title song sounds pretty much like you'd expect a midtempo number from those three to. The lyrics, celebrating the coming of the hottest season, have their moments of cheese ("Susie wants to be a lady director?" Was that necessary? No, and neither was the pandering mention of a "Little Deuce Coupe."), but all in all, it probably served as a nice break between disco hits for radio listeners of the time.
Of course, we've got plenty of straight disco. Chic followed up their first hit "Dance, Dance, Dance" with another call to booty-shaking arms. Maybe its similarity to that previous song was the reason it stalled at #38, but I think it's strong enough on its own to have deserved a better fate. Plus, if you listen closely, you can hear Luther Vandross singing on the choruses. Eruption were another vocal group shepherded by German Frank Farian, who was also the man behind Boney M. and, later, Milli Vanilli. They had their only American hit with this cover of a 1973 song by Ann Peebles that was a minor pop hit at the time but has come to be recognized as a soul classic. I'm ashamed to say I've never heard Peebles' original, but the song itself holds up well even among the Eurodisco trappings, so I will definitely look it up. Do fnna Summer had her first Top 5 hit with a song on which she asks for one more spin across the floor with her lover, who sticks with her even though, "when I'm bad, I'm so, so bad." It's a very good song, but I was surprised to learn that it won an Academy Award (it was written for the soundtrack of the disco film Thank God It's Friday, whose ensemble cast included then-unknowns Jeff Goldblum and Debra Winger, as well as Summer herself). Heatwave are here with their third and final hit, a steady groover that asks you to board a metaphorical train on which there "ain't no seats, all we got is dancin' feet." Where do I buy my ticket? And the O'Jays had their last major pop hit with this one about a man regretting what he did to lose his lady. It's recognizably disco, but the smooth vocals and the instrumentation make sure you know its by one of the leading lights of Philly Soul. A reminder that you didn't have to be entirely artifice and flash to survive in the genre if you had real chops.
Rouding out our tour of the stuff that wasn't there last time are offerings from two of the decade's piano-playing pop giants. Billy Joel comes out swaggering as a ne'er do well trying to corrupt an innocent Catholic girl named Virginia (just in case some people didn't get the point). "The stained glass curtain you're hiding behind never lets in the sun," he argues. Billy makes sin sound so much fun that if I were Virginia, I'd probably go out with him. But I wouldn't let him drive. And Barry Manilow added to his ball of big ballads with this song about still thinking about a previous lover even while with a new one. The sort of thing he could come up with in his sleep. Who knows, maybe he did.
I don't really have anything to say about the holdovers, except for the fact that it still warms my heart to know that "Because the Night" became such a big hit. Also, in both charts this weekend, a Springsteen-penned song helped someone who might not have otherwise done so get onto pop radio (see also: Gary U.S. Bonds)
Ten for the money:
10 - "Love is Like Oxygen," Sweet
The last U.S. hit for the U.K. glam legends. A little more abrasive musically and serious lyrically than most of the stuff that made them famous, but still catchy enough that it caught my seven-year-old ears. And I'm still singing along.
9 - "You Belong to Me," Carly Simon
Carly goes disco. It goes Top 10. No one remembers it now, because it's not very good.
8 - "On Broadway," George Benson
The jazz guitarist remained in the Top Ten with his Drifters cover. It's a little better than I gave it credit for last time.
7 - "Feels So Good," Chuck Mangione
Chuch again, flugelhorning his heart out. Flugelhorn flugelhorn flugelhorn. That may now be my third favorite English word, behind "vicar" and "turnbuckle."
6 - "Take a Chance on Me," ABBA
Do you think it would be a good idea to, in the middle of a job interview, just suddenly burst out and start singing this song? It expresses the required sentiment, and it would certainly make one stand out. Do you think it would work? No? Me neither...just being silly...heh heh.
5 - "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late," Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
What would we do, baby, without them? No, seriousy, what would we do, baby, without them? Sha la la la.
4 - "It's a Heartache," Bonnie Tyler
I just have to say, in case I didn't make it clear the last time, that this song is fantastic. It's been, shall we say, "eclipsed" by a certain hit she had in the 80s, and while I like that one quite a bit as well, this will always be her high point as far as I'm concerned.
3 - "Baker Street," Gerry Rafferty
The sax-drenched classic named after Sherlock Holmes' stomping grounds. "The sun is shining, it's a new morning." That's kind of how I feel about my life right now.
2 - "You're the One that I Want," John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
The song that finally brings Danny and Sandy together. She was distracted by Lorenzo Lamas, and he by...whoever it was that played Cha Cha DiGregorio. But this is the movies, so those crazy kids finally overcame all obstacles and rekindled their romance of the previous summer. Then they flew up into the clouds in a car. Just like in real life.
And the hit of hits this particular week was...
1 - "Shadow Dancing," Andy Gibb
The song that made the littlest Bee Gee the first solo singer to go to Number One with his first three singles. The man was just in the right place in the right time. Can't be mad at him for that.
This week's NotCaseys were "Stay" by Jackson Browne, "Just What I Needed" by The Cars, and "Magnet and Steel" by Walter Egan.
Back next week with the usual 70s two-parters. For those of you already looking forward to the 80s, Bobby say "Relax." Just two more months.
40 - "Warm Ride," Rare Earth
39 - "Grease," Frankie Valli
38 - "Everybody Dance," Chic
37 - "Only the Good Die Young," Billy Joel
36 - "This Time I'm In it for Love," Player
35 - "Disco Inferno," The Trammps
34 - "I Can't Stand the Rain," Eruption
33 - "Wonderful Tonight," Eric Clapton
32 - "Cheeseburger in Paradise," Jimmy Buffett
31 - "Miss You," The Rolling Stones
30 - "Almost Summer," Celebration
29 - "Follow You, Follow Me," Genesis
28 - "I Was Only Joking," Rod Stewart
27 - "The Closer I Get to You," Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
26 - "Baby Hold On," Eddie Money
25 - "Oh What a Night for Dancing," Barry White
24 - "Heartless," Heart
23 - "Last Dance," Donna Summer
22 - "Even Now," Barry Manilow
21- "You're the Love," Seals and Crofts
20 - "Bluer than Blue," Michael Johnson
19 - "Deacon Blues," Steely Dan
18 - "Every Kinda People," Robert Palmer
17 - "With a Little Luck," Wings
16 - "Still the Same," Bob Seger
15 - "Because the Night," Patti Smith
14 - "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad," Meat Loaf
13 - "The Groove Line," Heatwave
12 - "Use Ta Be My Girl," The O'Jays
11 - "Dance With Me," Peter Brown
So, 14 songs that weren't here the last time. And as Casey pointed out, nothing by The Bee Gees, for the first time in nine months.
So we'll start our look at the newbies with rock. Rare Earth hadn't been heard from since the end of their Motown run, but they made a very brief return to the charts with a version of a Gibb-brothers penned disco number about sex. But they don't bring much heat to it, and that may be why this song faded quickly and the band was never heard from again. Eric Clapton made a lot of boring stuff in this part of the decade, but there's nothing at all bland or unremarkable about this gorgeous, sincere ballad he wrote while waiting for his then-wife Patti Boyd. to get ready for a party. Boyd, of course, was also the woman Eric wrote "Layla" for when she was married to George Harrison. And that, my friends, is the definition of a muse. The Rolling Stones, like many rock acts, took a stab at disco, but "Miss You," retains enough of the sleaze and soul of the band's regular sound that it just seems like a natutal turn in the band's sonic direction. Plus, it has one of the greatest wordless choruses of all time. Prog rock vets Genesis, following the departure of Peter Gabriel, began to move in more of a pop direction, and this, their first single sung by drummer Phil Collins, and were immediately rewarded with their first Top 40 hit. Under bubbling synths, Phil makes a simple declaration of appreciation for his beloved. No knights, no lambs lying down on Broadway, just the usual pop subject matter. Well, you can't fault success, I suppose. And the Styx of Detroit would crack the Top Five for the second time in his career with a piano-driven semi-ballad that appears to be about a travelling gambler, but I get the feeling that the whole thing is a metaphor for a woman who plays with men's hearts while risking her own. I'm right, aren't I?
A couple of 60s pop veterans are among the new blood. Frankie Valli, at the height of his return to hitmaking, was tapped to record the theme to the film version of the hit stage musical Grease. Bizarrely, it's an unabashed disco number, penned and co-produced by Barry Gibb. Strange choice for a film set in the 1950s. But it was catchy, it sold, and as a kid, I enjoyed beatboxing that one part that's just drums (even though I had no idea that it was called "beatboxing"). And Beach Boy Mike Love created a side project called Celebration to do the soundtrack to a film called Almost Summer (the second most famous 1978 high school movie starring Didi Conn). Co-written with his regular bandmates Brian Wilson and Al Jardine,the title song sounds pretty much like you'd expect a midtempo number from those three to. The lyrics, celebrating the coming of the hottest season, have their moments of cheese ("Susie wants to be a lady director?" Was that necessary? No, and neither was the pandering mention of a "Little Deuce Coupe."), but all in all, it probably served as a nice break between disco hits for radio listeners of the time.
Of course, we've got plenty of straight disco. Chic followed up their first hit "Dance, Dance, Dance" with another call to booty-shaking arms. Maybe its similarity to that previous song was the reason it stalled at #38, but I think it's strong enough on its own to have deserved a better fate. Plus, if you listen closely, you can hear Luther Vandross singing on the choruses. Eruption were another vocal group shepherded by German Frank Farian, who was also the man behind Boney M. and, later, Milli Vanilli. They had their only American hit with this cover of a 1973 song by Ann Peebles that was a minor pop hit at the time but has come to be recognized as a soul classic. I'm ashamed to say I've never heard Peebles' original, but the song itself holds up well even among the Eurodisco trappings, so I will definitely look it up. Do fnna Summer had her first Top 5 hit with a song on which she asks for one more spin across the floor with her lover, who sticks with her even though, "when I'm bad, I'm so, so bad." It's a very good song, but I was surprised to learn that it won an Academy Award (it was written for the soundtrack of the disco film Thank God It's Friday, whose ensemble cast included then-unknowns Jeff Goldblum and Debra Winger, as well as Summer herself). Heatwave are here with their third and final hit, a steady groover that asks you to board a metaphorical train on which there "ain't no seats, all we got is dancin' feet." Where do I buy my ticket? And the O'Jays had their last major pop hit with this one about a man regretting what he did to lose his lady. It's recognizably disco, but the smooth vocals and the instrumentation make sure you know its by one of the leading lights of Philly Soul. A reminder that you didn't have to be entirely artifice and flash to survive in the genre if you had real chops.
Rouding out our tour of the stuff that wasn't there last time are offerings from two of the decade's piano-playing pop giants. Billy Joel comes out swaggering as a ne'er do well trying to corrupt an innocent Catholic girl named Virginia (just in case some people didn't get the point). "The stained glass curtain you're hiding behind never lets in the sun," he argues. Billy makes sin sound so much fun that if I were Virginia, I'd probably go out with him. But I wouldn't let him drive. And Barry Manilow added to his ball of big ballads with this song about still thinking about a previous lover even while with a new one. The sort of thing he could come up with in his sleep. Who knows, maybe he did.
I don't really have anything to say about the holdovers, except for the fact that it still warms my heart to know that "Because the Night" became such a big hit. Also, in both charts this weekend, a Springsteen-penned song helped someone who might not have otherwise done so get onto pop radio (see also: Gary U.S. Bonds)
Ten for the money:
10 - "Love is Like Oxygen," Sweet
The last U.S. hit for the U.K. glam legends. A little more abrasive musically and serious lyrically than most of the stuff that made them famous, but still catchy enough that it caught my seven-year-old ears. And I'm still singing along.
9 - "You Belong to Me," Carly Simon
Carly goes disco. It goes Top 10. No one remembers it now, because it's not very good.
8 - "On Broadway," George Benson
The jazz guitarist remained in the Top Ten with his Drifters cover. It's a little better than I gave it credit for last time.
7 - "Feels So Good," Chuck Mangione
Chuch again, flugelhorning his heart out. Flugelhorn flugelhorn flugelhorn. That may now be my third favorite English word, behind "vicar" and "turnbuckle."
6 - "Take a Chance on Me," ABBA
Do you think it would be a good idea to, in the middle of a job interview, just suddenly burst out and start singing this song? It expresses the required sentiment, and it would certainly make one stand out. Do you think it would work? No? Me neither...just being silly...heh heh.
5 - "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late," Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
What would we do, baby, without them? No, seriousy, what would we do, baby, without them? Sha la la la.
4 - "It's a Heartache," Bonnie Tyler
I just have to say, in case I didn't make it clear the last time, that this song is fantastic. It's been, shall we say, "eclipsed" by a certain hit she had in the 80s, and while I like that one quite a bit as well, this will always be her high point as far as I'm concerned.
3 - "Baker Street," Gerry Rafferty
The sax-drenched classic named after Sherlock Holmes' stomping grounds. "The sun is shining, it's a new morning." That's kind of how I feel about my life right now.
2 - "You're the One that I Want," John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
The song that finally brings Danny and Sandy together. She was distracted by Lorenzo Lamas, and he by...whoever it was that played Cha Cha DiGregorio. But this is the movies, so those crazy kids finally overcame all obstacles and rekindled their romance of the previous summer. Then they flew up into the clouds in a car. Just like in real life.
And the hit of hits this particular week was...
1 - "Shadow Dancing," Andy Gibb
The song that made the littlest Bee Gee the first solo singer to go to Number One with his first three singles. The man was just in the right place in the right time. Can't be mad at him for that.
This week's NotCaseys were "Stay" by Jackson Browne, "Just What I Needed" by The Cars, and "Magnet and Steel" by Walter Egan.
Back next week with the usual 70s two-parters. For those of you already looking forward to the 80s, Bobby say "Relax." Just two more months.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
June 20, 1981 Part Two
Concluding our first visit to the eighties. Let us return now to a simpler time, a mere six weeks before the launch of a little game-changer called MTV.
20 - "Theme from The Greatest American Hero," Joey Scarbury
19 - "The Waiting," Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
18 - "Hearts," Marty Balin
17 - "Is it You," Lee Ritenour
16 - "Sweetheart," Franke and the Knockouts
The second half begins with Joey Scarbury, a journeyman singer who made his only major impact on pop when prolific TV-theme writer Mike Post tapped him to sing the opening song for a new show about a nerdy teacher who is given a special costume by aliens that gives him superpowers. The song is a cheesy ballad, but it became a huge hit. And the show made sure William Katt was remembered for more than being the guy who took Carrie to the prom. But neither Katt nor Scarbury would match this success again.
Then it's Tom Petty and company with his jangly rocker about impatience. The Heartbreakers' rootsy, meat-and-potatoes sound helped keep this decade musically grounded, as far as I'm concerned. And this might be my favorite of theirs.
Next is former Jefferson Airplane/Starship member Marty Balin. He was the voice of crap like "Miracles" and "Count on Me," before jumping Ship in 1979. One might have hoped he would have gone in a grittier direction upon going solo, but instead, he put out this, which is just as bland and pointless as the worst of the band he left. No, Marty, everything isn't all right.
Lee Ritenour is a prolific jazz guitarist and session musician who was nicknamed "Captain Fingers." On his only pop hit, he plays while singers Eric Tagg and Bill Champlin deliver a bland lyric about a guy wondering about the identity of the mystery lady he longs for. More doctor's office pap, with vocals that sound like a low-rent Kenny Loggins. And the guitar playing isn't that memorable either. Not necessary at all.
Rounding out this section is the first and biggest hit by Franke and the Knockouts (yes, he spells his name without an "i.") A simple pledge of love, blunted quite a bit by a lame synth solo and the fact that the whole thing sounds like the softer version of Toto's "Hold the Line," that no one was asking for.
15 - "What Are We Doing in Love," Dottie West
14 - "Take It on the Run," REO Speedwagon
13 - "Living Inside Myself," Gino Vannelli
12 - "I Love You," The Climax Blues Band
11 - "This Little Girl," Gary U.S. Bonds
Dottie West was 39 and had been racking up country hits for 18 years when she scored her only pop hit with this song about opposites attracting that features vocal assistance from one Kenny Rogers. I enjoy it, especailly Dottie's expressive, smoky voice.
REO Speedwagon, a group named after a vintage make of fire engines, also had to wait quite a while for their first taste of the Top 40. After eight albums that built a strong fanbase but produced little mainstream airplay, LP #9, Hi Infidelity, was a monster right out of the box thanks to the #1 ballad "Keep On Lovin' You." That was followed by this second single, in which singer Kevin Cronin proclaims he "heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another" that his girlfriend was being unfaithful. Probably my favorite of the band's hits. Waaaaay better than "Can't Fight This Feeling."
Next is Montreal's Gino V. with his third and last American hit, a typically overwrought ballad about withdrawing from the world after his woman leaves him. It's really too bad 1985's "Black Cars" stalled at #42 in the States. That was a fun, slinky little strut.
Then it's the only other American hit from Britain's Climax Blues Band. When talking about "Couldn't Get it Right," I derided this song as a goopy, sappy ballad, which is how I remembered it. But refamiliarizing myself with it, I find that it's actually a pretty earthy, heart-on-sleeve declaration of devotion to a lover. My apologies to everyone concerned.
Ending this section is Gary U.S. Bonds, an R&B singer who had seven hits in the early 60s, including the #1 "Quarter to Three" before fading into what seemed like permanent obscurity. But then, Bruce Springsteen, who was a fan, went to see Bonds at a New Jersey club, joined him onstage, and eventually, Bruce offered to write and produce tracks for a comeback album. One of those songs was this one, a rollicking raveup that wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Boss' first two albums. Oh, and I'm not 100% sure if Clarence Clemons played the sax solo here, but regardless, I'm going to take this opportunity to say R.I.P., Big Man.
And now, our first Top Ten of the nineteen eighties:
10 - "Jessie's Girl," Rick Springfield
The comeback hit for the man who had just taken on the role of Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital because he didn't believe his music career would ever get back on track. But it did, on the strength of this timeless pop-rocker about envy that was inspired by Springfield's crush on the girlfiend of his friend Gary, whom he met when they all took a stained-glass class together. On such stange foundations are earworms built.
9 - "You Make My Dreams," Daryl Hall and John Oates
Daryl and John had just ended their top ten drought with the #1 "Kiss on My List" when they followed it with this jaunty tune about the euphoria of love. That stuttery guitar just hooks you and doesn't let go.
8 - "America," Neil Diamond
The third, and arguably best-remembered, single from the soundtrack of the much ridiculed 1980 remake of the pioneering 1927 Al Jolson film The Jazz Singer. It's a big, bold song celebrating the hopes and dreams of immigrants to the United States. I've never seen the movie, nor even sought out the infamous scene in which Laurence Olivier declares "I...have...no...son!" But I will admit that as a child, I owned the soundtrack on cassette. Yeah, go ahead.
7 - "The One That You Love," Air Supply
This Australian soft rock duo was in the midst of an incredible run of seven consecutive U.S. Top Fives. This one was typical of their hits: the higher voiced one (not sure if he's the one whose first name is Russell or the one who has that as his last name) singing intensely on the verses and the first couple choruses before really bringing the vein-popping noise on that last chorus. All right, but I'll always prefer the only big hit they had after this run ended, the mighty "Making Love Out of Nothing at All."
6 - "Being With You," Smokey Robinson
After leaving the Miracles, Smokey didn't have much solo success on the pop charts until he scored a #4 smash with the slick MOR number "Cruisin'" He revisited that vein with this "I don't care about your past or what your friends say, I love you, baby." tune, and this time he made it all the way to #2. The middle of the road may be safe and boring, but it can also be very profitable.
5 - "All Those Years Ago," George Harrison
In the year's following John Lennon's assassination, several artists would wrtie tribute songs about him, but one of the first, and arguably the best, was this one from one of his former bandmates. Over an upbeat yet slightly mournful track, George refers to John as "the one who imagined it all," and says "I always looked up to you," while pointedly referring to his killer as "the devil's best friend." This was Harrison's biggest hit in years, but I'm sure he didn't care.
4 - "A Woman Needs Love," Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio
Foreshadowing his eventual breakaway, Ray Jr. gives himself separate billing from his band on this smooth, bland song in which Parker warns men that women enjoy sex too, and that if they don't get what they need from their man, they'll go somewhere else for it just like men do. Another one of those songs that states something that seems obvious now, but at the time some people saw this as a revelation.
3 - "Sukiyaki," A Taste of Honey
In 1963, Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto had a huge worldwide hit with a song sung in his native language whose original title translates as "I Shall Walk Looking Up." But for its release in English-speaking countries, his record label gave it the title "Sukiyaki." Sukiyaki is a Japanese beef and vegetable dish that has nothing whatsoever to do with the song's lyrics, but the label decided that the best thing was to identify the song with a familiar and easy-to-remember Japanese word. Eighteen years later, the R&B group A Taste of Honey, who was in danger of becoming known solely for their #1 disco smash "Boogie Oogie Oogie," decided to cover the song as a ballad with English lyrics that, while not a direct translation, cover the same lyrical ground of someone's eyes filling with tears at the thought of their lost love. This song's bizarre provenance made it a strong contender for this decades' first Uneasy Rider, but in the end, it fell just short.
2 - "Bette Davis Eyes," Kim Carnes
The biggest-by-far hit for the raspy-voiced Carnes, this dark, sultry classic describes an mysterious("All the boys think she's a spy."), sexually aggressive ("She'll take a tumble on you/Roll you like you were dice/Until you come up blue.") seductress who has hair like Jean Harlow, sighs like Greta Garbo, and who has eyes reminiscent of the star of Jezebel and All About Eve. Great delivery by Carnes, fantastic use of synths and drum machines to create atmosphere, just great stuff all around.
And 30 years ago, the biggest song in the United States of America was...
1 - "Medley," Stars on 45
This record came to be when a Dutch record executive decided to create a dance medley of several popular songs. It begins with the familiar opening guitar notes of Shocking Blue's "Venus,: then segues into a disco beat, over whichsomeone sings "Sugar Sugar" by the Archies, and what then follows are snippets of eight Beatles tunes: "No Reply," "I'll Be Back," "Drive My Car," "Do You Want to Know a Secret," "We Can Work it Out," "I Should Have Known Better," "Nowhere Man," and "You're Going to Lose That Girl," performed by John and Paul soundalikes. The whole thing ends with a Bee Gees soundalike chorus sings something to the effect of "We're Stars on 45." It was extremely disco, at a time when America's motto was supposedly "Disco Sucks!" And yet somehow, it topped the U.S. chart. Weird. Anyway, this gets the first Uneasy Rider Award of the 80s.
Apparently, some stations play NotCasey extras, but this one didn't, so I'm not looking them up. But there were plenty of extra songs played by Casey. First, the show open with the previous week's top two hits (which were this week's top two, but in reverse order). Then there were three #1 hits from mid-1966: "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge, "Paint It, Black" by the Rolling Stones, and "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles. And on top of it all, there were two Long Distance Dedications. A woman named Michelle dedicated Bread's "If" to her older sister, who she looked up to growing up and always treated her with respect. Then, a woman named Sherry dedicated Rita Coolidge's "Higher and Higher" to her wonderful father and her just-as-wonderful husband. Liked the sentiment, but the songs, not so much.
Anyway, hope you enjoy this little preview of the direction I will be heading in very soon. And I will be back tomorrow with a bonus entry, where I look at this week's 1978 episode.
20 - "Theme from The Greatest American Hero," Joey Scarbury
19 - "The Waiting," Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
18 - "Hearts," Marty Balin
17 - "Is it You," Lee Ritenour
16 - "Sweetheart," Franke and the Knockouts
The second half begins with Joey Scarbury, a journeyman singer who made his only major impact on pop when prolific TV-theme writer Mike Post tapped him to sing the opening song for a new show about a nerdy teacher who is given a special costume by aliens that gives him superpowers. The song is a cheesy ballad, but it became a huge hit. And the show made sure William Katt was remembered for more than being the guy who took Carrie to the prom. But neither Katt nor Scarbury would match this success again.
Then it's Tom Petty and company with his jangly rocker about impatience. The Heartbreakers' rootsy, meat-and-potatoes sound helped keep this decade musically grounded, as far as I'm concerned. And this might be my favorite of theirs.
Next is former Jefferson Airplane/Starship member Marty Balin. He was the voice of crap like "Miracles" and "Count on Me," before jumping Ship in 1979. One might have hoped he would have gone in a grittier direction upon going solo, but instead, he put out this, which is just as bland and pointless as the worst of the band he left. No, Marty, everything isn't all right.
Lee Ritenour is a prolific jazz guitarist and session musician who was nicknamed "Captain Fingers." On his only pop hit, he plays while singers Eric Tagg and Bill Champlin deliver a bland lyric about a guy wondering about the identity of the mystery lady he longs for. More doctor's office pap, with vocals that sound like a low-rent Kenny Loggins. And the guitar playing isn't that memorable either. Not necessary at all.
Rounding out this section is the first and biggest hit by Franke and the Knockouts (yes, he spells his name without an "i.") A simple pledge of love, blunted quite a bit by a lame synth solo and the fact that the whole thing sounds like the softer version of Toto's "Hold the Line," that no one was asking for.
15 - "What Are We Doing in Love," Dottie West
14 - "Take It on the Run," REO Speedwagon
13 - "Living Inside Myself," Gino Vannelli
12 - "I Love You," The Climax Blues Band
11 - "This Little Girl," Gary U.S. Bonds
Dottie West was 39 and had been racking up country hits for 18 years when she scored her only pop hit with this song about opposites attracting that features vocal assistance from one Kenny Rogers. I enjoy it, especailly Dottie's expressive, smoky voice.
REO Speedwagon, a group named after a vintage make of fire engines, also had to wait quite a while for their first taste of the Top 40. After eight albums that built a strong fanbase but produced little mainstream airplay, LP #9, Hi Infidelity, was a monster right out of the box thanks to the #1 ballad "Keep On Lovin' You." That was followed by this second single, in which singer Kevin Cronin proclaims he "heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another" that his girlfriend was being unfaithful. Probably my favorite of the band's hits. Waaaaay better than "Can't Fight This Feeling."
Next is Montreal's Gino V. with his third and last American hit, a typically overwrought ballad about withdrawing from the world after his woman leaves him. It's really too bad 1985's "Black Cars" stalled at #42 in the States. That was a fun, slinky little strut.
Then it's the only other American hit from Britain's Climax Blues Band. When talking about "Couldn't Get it Right," I derided this song as a goopy, sappy ballad, which is how I remembered it. But refamiliarizing myself with it, I find that it's actually a pretty earthy, heart-on-sleeve declaration of devotion to a lover. My apologies to everyone concerned.
Ending this section is Gary U.S. Bonds, an R&B singer who had seven hits in the early 60s, including the #1 "Quarter to Three" before fading into what seemed like permanent obscurity. But then, Bruce Springsteen, who was a fan, went to see Bonds at a New Jersey club, joined him onstage, and eventually, Bruce offered to write and produce tracks for a comeback album. One of those songs was this one, a rollicking raveup that wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Boss' first two albums. Oh, and I'm not 100% sure if Clarence Clemons played the sax solo here, but regardless, I'm going to take this opportunity to say R.I.P., Big Man.
And now, our first Top Ten of the nineteen eighties:
10 - "Jessie's Girl," Rick Springfield
The comeback hit for the man who had just taken on the role of Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital because he didn't believe his music career would ever get back on track. But it did, on the strength of this timeless pop-rocker about envy that was inspired by Springfield's crush on the girlfiend of his friend Gary, whom he met when they all took a stained-glass class together. On such stange foundations are earworms built.
9 - "You Make My Dreams," Daryl Hall and John Oates
Daryl and John had just ended their top ten drought with the #1 "Kiss on My List" when they followed it with this jaunty tune about the euphoria of love. That stuttery guitar just hooks you and doesn't let go.
8 - "America," Neil Diamond
The third, and arguably best-remembered, single from the soundtrack of the much ridiculed 1980 remake of the pioneering 1927 Al Jolson film The Jazz Singer. It's a big, bold song celebrating the hopes and dreams of immigrants to the United States. I've never seen the movie, nor even sought out the infamous scene in which Laurence Olivier declares "I...have...no...son!" But I will admit that as a child, I owned the soundtrack on cassette. Yeah, go ahead.
7 - "The One That You Love," Air Supply
This Australian soft rock duo was in the midst of an incredible run of seven consecutive U.S. Top Fives. This one was typical of their hits: the higher voiced one (not sure if he's the one whose first name is Russell or the one who has that as his last name) singing intensely on the verses and the first couple choruses before really bringing the vein-popping noise on that last chorus. All right, but I'll always prefer the only big hit they had after this run ended, the mighty "Making Love Out of Nothing at All."
6 - "Being With You," Smokey Robinson
After leaving the Miracles, Smokey didn't have much solo success on the pop charts until he scored a #4 smash with the slick MOR number "Cruisin'" He revisited that vein with this "I don't care about your past or what your friends say, I love you, baby." tune, and this time he made it all the way to #2. The middle of the road may be safe and boring, but it can also be very profitable.
5 - "All Those Years Ago," George Harrison
In the year's following John Lennon's assassination, several artists would wrtie tribute songs about him, but one of the first, and arguably the best, was this one from one of his former bandmates. Over an upbeat yet slightly mournful track, George refers to John as "the one who imagined it all," and says "I always looked up to you," while pointedly referring to his killer as "the devil's best friend." This was Harrison's biggest hit in years, but I'm sure he didn't care.
4 - "A Woman Needs Love," Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio
Foreshadowing his eventual breakaway, Ray Jr. gives himself separate billing from his band on this smooth, bland song in which Parker warns men that women enjoy sex too, and that if they don't get what they need from their man, they'll go somewhere else for it just like men do. Another one of those songs that states something that seems obvious now, but at the time some people saw this as a revelation.
3 - "Sukiyaki," A Taste of Honey
In 1963, Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto had a huge worldwide hit with a song sung in his native language whose original title translates as "I Shall Walk Looking Up." But for its release in English-speaking countries, his record label gave it the title "Sukiyaki." Sukiyaki is a Japanese beef and vegetable dish that has nothing whatsoever to do with the song's lyrics, but the label decided that the best thing was to identify the song with a familiar and easy-to-remember Japanese word. Eighteen years later, the R&B group A Taste of Honey, who was in danger of becoming known solely for their #1 disco smash "Boogie Oogie Oogie," decided to cover the song as a ballad with English lyrics that, while not a direct translation, cover the same lyrical ground of someone's eyes filling with tears at the thought of their lost love. This song's bizarre provenance made it a strong contender for this decades' first Uneasy Rider, but in the end, it fell just short.
2 - "Bette Davis Eyes," Kim Carnes
The biggest-by-far hit for the raspy-voiced Carnes, this dark, sultry classic describes an mysterious("All the boys think she's a spy."), sexually aggressive ("She'll take a tumble on you/Roll you like you were dice/Until you come up blue.") seductress who has hair like Jean Harlow, sighs like Greta Garbo, and who has eyes reminiscent of the star of Jezebel and All About Eve. Great delivery by Carnes, fantastic use of synths and drum machines to create atmosphere, just great stuff all around.
And 30 years ago, the biggest song in the United States of America was...
1 - "Medley," Stars on 45
This record came to be when a Dutch record executive decided to create a dance medley of several popular songs. It begins with the familiar opening guitar notes of Shocking Blue's "Venus,: then segues into a disco beat, over whichsomeone sings "Sugar Sugar" by the Archies, and what then follows are snippets of eight Beatles tunes: "No Reply," "I'll Be Back," "Drive My Car," "Do You Want to Know a Secret," "We Can Work it Out," "I Should Have Known Better," "Nowhere Man," and "You're Going to Lose That Girl," performed by John and Paul soundalikes. The whole thing ends with a Bee Gees soundalike chorus sings something to the effect of "We're Stars on 45." It was extremely disco, at a time when America's motto was supposedly "Disco Sucks!" And yet somehow, it topped the U.S. chart. Weird. Anyway, this gets the first Uneasy Rider Award of the 80s.
Apparently, some stations play NotCasey extras, but this one didn't, so I'm not looking them up. But there were plenty of extra songs played by Casey. First, the show open with the previous week's top two hits (which were this week's top two, but in reverse order). Then there were three #1 hits from mid-1966: "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge, "Paint It, Black" by the Rolling Stones, and "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles. And on top of it all, there were two Long Distance Dedications. A woman named Michelle dedicated Bread's "If" to her older sister, who she looked up to growing up and always treated her with respect. Then, a woman named Sherry dedicated Rita Coolidge's "Higher and Higher" to her wonderful father and her just-as-wonderful husband. Liked the sentiment, but the songs, not so much.
Anyway, hope you enjoy this little preview of the direction I will be heading in very soon. And I will be back tomorrow with a bonus entry, where I look at this week's 1978 episode.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
June 20, 1981 Part One
Okay, here's the story. This week's 70s show is from 1978. Which is fine, except it's only been three weeks since the last time they played that year. So I got the idea to give you a glimpse of the future. After the one-year anniversary of this blog in August, I plan to transition into covering syndicated episodes of "American Top 40: The 80s."
These shows present a whole different experience for me. One, I between the ages of nine and seventeen when these songs were hits (the shows only go up to mid-88, because that's when Casey left the show and was replaced by Shadoe Stevens). Two, I actually listened to quite a few of these countdowns when they originally aired. So I think it's going to be cool doing these in its own unique way.
I'm not abandoning the 70s completely. If an interesting chart comes up from that decade after my cutoff date, I'll cover it as a bonus. And I will do a one-part post about this week's '78 show after I get through with this list. But this is just a little peek at what's ahead. Enjoy.
40 - "The Stroke," Billy Squier
39 - "How 'Bout Us," Champaign
38 - "Angel of the Morning," Juice Newton
37 - "Too Much Time on My Hands," Styx
36 - "Stronger than Before," Carole Bayer Sager
35 - "Just the Two of Us," Grover Washington Jr.
34 - "Sweet Baby," Stanley Clarke and George Duke
33 - "Queen of Hearts," Juice Newton
32 - "Say What," Jesse Winchester
31 - "Seven Year Ache," Rosanne Cash
We begin our first foray into this decade with rock. After bouncing around in a couple of mildly successful bands, Billy Squier made his big breakthrough with this immortal plea for someone to stroke...what exactly? His ego? His long luxurious hair? I really don't know, and that's probably for the best. But this song's huge, stomping beat has guaranteed its endurance. And our first visitor from last decade, the Bob Seger of Chicago, are here with a song about being driven to the brink of insanity by the lack of things to do. I can relate. This song is notable for two reasons: a rare lead vocal by guitarist Tommy Shaw instead of regular singer Dennis DeYoung, and its new wave-ish sound, which foreshadowed their full-on assault on the genre with "Mr. Roboto."
Then it's R&B. Champaign, a band named not after alcohol but rather their Illinois hometown, are here with their biggest hit, a solid ballad about giving love one last chance. Buffalo jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. made his biggest impact on the pop charts with this sultry slow jam sung by the legendary Bill Withers. Will Smith would later sample this for a song he did about his relationship with his son. Wasn't a fan of that. And two more jazzmen, bassist Stanley Clarke and keyboardist George Duke, combined for this lazy little love song. Not much here, just above-average waiting room fodder.
Three songs here are by female country singers. Judith Kay Newton, who for some reason decided to record under the name "Juice," has two songs in this batch. The first, on its way down, was her first big hit, a cover of a 1968 Merilee Rush hit about a woman who has no regrets the morning after a night of passion. All she asks is that her partner "touch my cheek before you leave me." Okay. The second, headed in the other direction, is a fun, chugging number about love with the wrong person. Definitely my favorite flavor of Juice. And The Man in Black's daughter made her country breakthrough and scored her only pop hit with this catchy number about a married man trolling the bars and wooing the women while trying to ease a midlife crisis. This is a song my local station didn't play, but I liked it a lot, and I looked forward to getting to hear it once a week on AT40. There were quite a few songs like that over the years.
We close with easy listening. Carole Bayer Sager was a prolific songwriter, both on her own and with ex-husband Burt Bacharach. But she did make a few records on her own, and this was the only hit they produced. Listening to it, it's not surprising we didn't hear more of her. Her voice isn't that strong. I'm sure it was good for demos, but really, this one would have been better served if someone else had sang it. And Jesse Winchester, an American who fled to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft, had his only hit with this reggae-flavored trifle. Coincidentally, this U.S. breakthrough came after President Carter granted blanket amnesty to draft dodgers.
30 - "Time," The Alan Parsons Project
29 - "Fool in Love with You," Jim Photoglo
28 - "Still Right Here in My Heart," The Pure Prairie League
27 - "The Boy From New York City," The Manhattan Transfer
26 - "Gemini Dream," The Moody Blues
25 - "Modern Girl," Sheena Easton
24 - "Winning," Santana
23 - "Elvira," The Oak Ridge Boys
22 - "I Don't Need You," Kenny Rogers
21 - "Nobody Wins," Elton John
Again, we open with rock. The Alan Parsons Project, contrary to Homer Simpson's belief, was not some sort of hovercraft, but rather the studio-only band led by Parsons, a recording engineer on such records as The Beatles Abbey Road and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Though they were primarily known for concept albums about robots, the Great Pyramids, and Edgar Allan Poe, they did manage to have their share of pop hits as well, including this languid ballad about the passage of the minutes and hours. The Moody Blues, who had long been known for their orchestra-aided progressive rock sound, debuted their 80s synth-pop incarnation on this song that, while catchy, doesn't really make clear just what a "Gemini Dream" is. But I must say, it's my favorite of their 80s hits, much better than, say, "Your Wildest Dreams." Carlos and his namesake band are here with a midtempo, synth-adorned song about one's luck turning around. You would think this song would have made a comeback, given Charlie Sheen's fondness for the title word. But who knows, maybe someone has made a YouTube video incorporating this song with footage of Mr. Tiger Blood. But I don't feel like looking it up right now. And Elton John, a staple of the last decade, of course shows up on our first visit to this one with this synth-pop drama about a man remembering the pain he went through when the love died in his parents marriage and trying to apply the lessons he learned then to his own rocky relationship. Elton was up and down in this decade, but this one is kind of in the middle.
A lot of soft stuff here. Jim Photoglo, a California singer whose name sounds like some sort of lotion you'd rub on your skin to make it look better in pictures, had his biggest hit with this R&B-lite tune on which he sounds like a less-soulful Michael McDonald. The Pure Prairie League, who we encountered in the 70s with "Amie," had their final Top 40 with a tender country-pop ballad sang by future country superstar and Mr. Amy Grant, Vince Gill. Jazz vocal group The Manhattan Transfer had their biggest pop success with a cover of a song by written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller that was a 1965 hit for The Ad Libs. According to the song, this boy is tall, attractive, rich, wears mohair suits, and is quite a dancer. So I guess he's a keeper. And Sheena Easton, who becames a star in part by having her quest for a recording career documented in a British TV series, followed up her monster debut "Morning Train (9 to 5)" with a song that's lyrically opposed to that song. On "Morning Train," she's a housewife who waits all day for her man to come home and treat her like a queen. But on "Modern Girl," she's the one taking the train, an "independent lady" with an office job who tells her boyfriend that she'd rather stay home and watch TV than go out with him that night. Versatility, or trying to play both sides? You be the judge.
We finish with a couple of country crossovers. The Oak Ridge Boys, a group named after the Tennessee birthplace of the atom bomb, had their biggest pop hit with this cheesy, honky-tonk ode to a lady who shares her name with a certain Mistress of the Dark. Not only is it corny ("giddy-up oom poppa mow mow, hi-ho silver away!") but it was seemingly made for line dancing ten years before that became popular. Oh yes, and my father once gave a, shall we say, legendary karaoke performance of this song. Happy Father's Day, Dad. And Kenny Rogers had one of his lesser pop hits with this pretty good ballad about a couple who claim they don't need each other, until Kenny adds at the end "Or do we?" Love those twist endings.
Tomorrow: a superhero's theme, a shout-out to a film legend, and many, many blasts from the past.
These shows present a whole different experience for me. One, I between the ages of nine and seventeen when these songs were hits (the shows only go up to mid-88, because that's when Casey left the show and was replaced by Shadoe Stevens). Two, I actually listened to quite a few of these countdowns when they originally aired. So I think it's going to be cool doing these in its own unique way.
I'm not abandoning the 70s completely. If an interesting chart comes up from that decade after my cutoff date, I'll cover it as a bonus. And I will do a one-part post about this week's '78 show after I get through with this list. But this is just a little peek at what's ahead. Enjoy.
40 - "The Stroke," Billy Squier
39 - "How 'Bout Us," Champaign
38 - "Angel of the Morning," Juice Newton
37 - "Too Much Time on My Hands," Styx
36 - "Stronger than Before," Carole Bayer Sager
35 - "Just the Two of Us," Grover Washington Jr.
34 - "Sweet Baby," Stanley Clarke and George Duke
33 - "Queen of Hearts," Juice Newton
32 - "Say What," Jesse Winchester
31 - "Seven Year Ache," Rosanne Cash
We begin our first foray into this decade with rock. After bouncing around in a couple of mildly successful bands, Billy Squier made his big breakthrough with this immortal plea for someone to stroke...what exactly? His ego? His long luxurious hair? I really don't know, and that's probably for the best. But this song's huge, stomping beat has guaranteed its endurance. And our first visitor from last decade, the Bob Seger of Chicago, are here with a song about being driven to the brink of insanity by the lack of things to do. I can relate. This song is notable for two reasons: a rare lead vocal by guitarist Tommy Shaw instead of regular singer Dennis DeYoung, and its new wave-ish sound, which foreshadowed their full-on assault on the genre with "Mr. Roboto."
Then it's R&B. Champaign, a band named not after alcohol but rather their Illinois hometown, are here with their biggest hit, a solid ballad about giving love one last chance. Buffalo jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. made his biggest impact on the pop charts with this sultry slow jam sung by the legendary Bill Withers. Will Smith would later sample this for a song he did about his relationship with his son. Wasn't a fan of that. And two more jazzmen, bassist Stanley Clarke and keyboardist George Duke, combined for this lazy little love song. Not much here, just above-average waiting room fodder.
Three songs here are by female country singers. Judith Kay Newton, who for some reason decided to record under the name "Juice," has two songs in this batch. The first, on its way down, was her first big hit, a cover of a 1968 Merilee Rush hit about a woman who has no regrets the morning after a night of passion. All she asks is that her partner "touch my cheek before you leave me." Okay. The second, headed in the other direction, is a fun, chugging number about love with the wrong person. Definitely my favorite flavor of Juice. And The Man in Black's daughter made her country breakthrough and scored her only pop hit with this catchy number about a married man trolling the bars and wooing the women while trying to ease a midlife crisis. This is a song my local station didn't play, but I liked it a lot, and I looked forward to getting to hear it once a week on AT40. There were quite a few songs like that over the years.
We close with easy listening. Carole Bayer Sager was a prolific songwriter, both on her own and with ex-husband Burt Bacharach. But she did make a few records on her own, and this was the only hit they produced. Listening to it, it's not surprising we didn't hear more of her. Her voice isn't that strong. I'm sure it was good for demos, but really, this one would have been better served if someone else had sang it. And Jesse Winchester, an American who fled to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft, had his only hit with this reggae-flavored trifle. Coincidentally, this U.S. breakthrough came after President Carter granted blanket amnesty to draft dodgers.
30 - "Time," The Alan Parsons Project
29 - "Fool in Love with You," Jim Photoglo
28 - "Still Right Here in My Heart," The Pure Prairie League
27 - "The Boy From New York City," The Manhattan Transfer
26 - "Gemini Dream," The Moody Blues
25 - "Modern Girl," Sheena Easton
24 - "Winning," Santana
23 - "Elvira," The Oak Ridge Boys
22 - "I Don't Need You," Kenny Rogers
21 - "Nobody Wins," Elton John
Again, we open with rock. The Alan Parsons Project, contrary to Homer Simpson's belief, was not some sort of hovercraft, but rather the studio-only band led by Parsons, a recording engineer on such records as The Beatles Abbey Road and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Though they were primarily known for concept albums about robots, the Great Pyramids, and Edgar Allan Poe, they did manage to have their share of pop hits as well, including this languid ballad about the passage of the minutes and hours. The Moody Blues, who had long been known for their orchestra-aided progressive rock sound, debuted their 80s synth-pop incarnation on this song that, while catchy, doesn't really make clear just what a "Gemini Dream" is. But I must say, it's my favorite of their 80s hits, much better than, say, "Your Wildest Dreams." Carlos and his namesake band are here with a midtempo, synth-adorned song about one's luck turning around. You would think this song would have made a comeback, given Charlie Sheen's fondness for the title word. But who knows, maybe someone has made a YouTube video incorporating this song with footage of Mr. Tiger Blood. But I don't feel like looking it up right now. And Elton John, a staple of the last decade, of course shows up on our first visit to this one with this synth-pop drama about a man remembering the pain he went through when the love died in his parents marriage and trying to apply the lessons he learned then to his own rocky relationship. Elton was up and down in this decade, but this one is kind of in the middle.
A lot of soft stuff here. Jim Photoglo, a California singer whose name sounds like some sort of lotion you'd rub on your skin to make it look better in pictures, had his biggest hit with this R&B-lite tune on which he sounds like a less-soulful Michael McDonald. The Pure Prairie League, who we encountered in the 70s with "Amie," had their final Top 40 with a tender country-pop ballad sang by future country superstar and Mr. Amy Grant, Vince Gill. Jazz vocal group The Manhattan Transfer had their biggest pop success with a cover of a song by written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller that was a 1965 hit for The Ad Libs. According to the song, this boy is tall, attractive, rich, wears mohair suits, and is quite a dancer. So I guess he's a keeper. And Sheena Easton, who becames a star in part by having her quest for a recording career documented in a British TV series, followed up her monster debut "Morning Train (9 to 5)" with a song that's lyrically opposed to that song. On "Morning Train," she's a housewife who waits all day for her man to come home and treat her like a queen. But on "Modern Girl," she's the one taking the train, an "independent lady" with an office job who tells her boyfriend that she'd rather stay home and watch TV than go out with him that night. Versatility, or trying to play both sides? You be the judge.
We finish with a couple of country crossovers. The Oak Ridge Boys, a group named after the Tennessee birthplace of the atom bomb, had their biggest pop hit with this cheesy, honky-tonk ode to a lady who shares her name with a certain Mistress of the Dark. Not only is it corny ("giddy-up oom poppa mow mow, hi-ho silver away!") but it was seemingly made for line dancing ten years before that became popular. Oh yes, and my father once gave a, shall we say, legendary karaoke performance of this song. Happy Father's Day, Dad. And Kenny Rogers had one of his lesser pop hits with this pretty good ballad about a couple who claim they don't need each other, until Kenny adds at the end "Or do we?" Love those twist endings.
Tomorrow: a superhero's theme, a shout-out to a film legend, and many, many blasts from the past.
Monday, June 13, 2011
June 11, 1977 Part Two
Finishing up.
20 - "Da Doo Ron Ron," Shaun Cassidy
19 - "Margaritaville," Jimmy Buffett
18 - "Looks Like We Made It," Barry Manilow
17 - "Hotel California," The Eagles
16 - "When I Need You," Leo Sayer
This part starts with Shaun Cassidy's debut single, a charttopping cover of the 1963 Phil Spector-produced Crystals classic. It gets by on the catchiness of the song, because Cassidy's voice isn't much, and the instrumentation is certainly no Wall of Sound. More like a speed bump.
Next is Jimmy Buffett with his biggest hit, which finds him drowning his sorrows in some sunny paradise with the aid of tequila-based cocktails. Despite the claims of some that a woman is the cause of his funk, Buffett eventually concedes that "it's my own damn fault." Anyway, as states of depression go, this one sounds remarkably upbeat.
Then it's Barry Manilow with a song in which he and an old lover congratulate each other on getting over their past fling and moving on with new partners. But there are more than a few hints that Barry just might not be as content as he sounds. Like "Born in the U.S.A.," it's a song whose big hook leaves it open to be interpreted as a triumphant anthem when underneath, there's a lot more going on.
The band whose one Greatest Hits compilation has sold nearly 30 million copies in the U.S. alone is back with their enigmatic look at Southern California. It's a song that I loved when it was out, kind of hated early in my adulthood, but now I think I'm back to liking it again.
Closing this bunch is Mr. Sayer with his ballad about his needs and how he relieves them. Apparently, Leo's one of the favorite singers of the man who taught Barney Gumble how to fly a helicopter.
15 - "Life in the Fast Lane," The Eagles
14 - "Heard it in a Love Song," The Marshall Tucker Band
13 - "Jet Airliner," The Steve Miller Band
12 - "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)," Joe Tex
11 - "Angel in Your Arms," Hot
The Eagles show up for a second time this week with one of their hardest rockers, a tale of sex, drugs and other assorted debauchery propelled by Joe Walsh's guitar. But I don't understand how people heard the title line as "Flies in the Vaseline."
Then it's Marshall Tucker and his band with their okay bit of light Southern rock. I must admit though, the flute solo was a bold choice.
Steve Miller's outfit is next with a song about a guy whose constantly on the road who'd really like to spend more time at home. Now this is a song whose chorus I misheard. I used to think it was "Big old Jan had the light out." It didn't make sense, but that's what I heard. Enunciate, Steve.
Joe Tex returns from last time with his pop chart curtain call, the song that advised caution when doing a dance called "The Bump." But it wouldn't have helped poor Ned Flanders. His issue didn't involve contact with a large woman, but rather a man of unspecified size. And thus began Timothy Lovejoy's downward spiral.
This group concludes with Hot and their slinky ballad about stepping out on a cheating lover. I had forgotten about this song, but now that it's back in my head, I can't get it out. And that's a good thing.
Ten to grow on:
10 - "Couldn't Get it Right," The Climax Blues Band
These Brits are back, looking for a sign in the middle of the night. Not really blues, but still, a more-than-worthy Top Ten.
9 - "Sir Duke," Stevie Wonder
Stevie again, with his rollicking tribute to the legends of jazz. That horn opening just grabs you and won't let you go. For me, the 80s "I Just Called to Say I Love You" era obscured the genius of his 70s output for far too long.
8 - "Undercover Angel," Alan O'Day
O'Day's one hit was this disco-lite tale of a man who is apparently visited by an angel who's mission on Earth was to have sex with him once and then tell him that there is a mortal woman out there for him. Kind of creepy, but at 6, I didn't know what was going on. I just thought it was catchy, and that the "What?/Ooo-ooo-ooo-wee!/All right!" part was fun to sing along with.
7 - "Lonely Boy," Andrew Gold
I still don't quite get the point of this song, but I will take the opportunity to say RIP to Mr. Gold, who died last week. I hope your at a party right now, and you're getting the biggest gift.
6 - "Lucille," Kenny Rogers
Kenny's first solo pop hit, in which his attempted pickup of a stranger in a Toledo dive is thwarted by the appearance of her heartbroken, gentle giant ex. Don't you just hate it when that happens?
5 - "Feels Like the First Time," Foreigner
The half-English, half-American group return with their chart debut, a driving rocker about love that makes one feel new again. Okay, but not even in my Foreigner Top 5. Maybe not even Top 10.
4 - "Theme from Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)," Bill Conti
Eventually, the official version of the theme from the movie that won John G. Avildsen a Best Director Oscar (ahead of Sidney Lumet for Network and a not-even-nominated Martin Scorsese for Taxi Driver) did come out, and was a huge hit for Conti, who would go on to score all the Rockys, and also compose music for The Right Stuff, The Karate Kid, and the theme from Dynasty.
3 - "Got to Give it Up (Part 1)," Marvin Gaye
Marvin's last hit of the decade was this #1 disco trifle in which he asks "Let me step into your erotic zone." Not many singers could get away with that, but this is Marvin fucking Gaye we're talking about.
2 - "Dreams," Fleetwood Mac
The second single from Rumours, and a Stevie Nicks tour de force. It's about romantic turmoil, like most Mac songs, but it's wrapped in such a warm, gorgeous package. But even though I've been out in the rain a few times in my life, I've never known it to wash me clean. But maybe someday, right Stevie?
And eclipsing all others in popularity this week 34 years ago was...
1 - "I'm Your Boogie Man," KC and the Sunshine Band
The fourth charttopper for Harry Casey and company, and for my money, far inferior to the three that came before it. It's just missing the oomph that the others had. It comes off as Sunshine-by-numbers. Uninspired, yet the formula powered it to the top, so I guess you win, Harry.
This week's NotCaseys were Heart's "Barracuda," "Easy," by the Commodores, and "Give a Little Bit" by Supertramp.
Be back with more of whatever this is next week.
20 - "Da Doo Ron Ron," Shaun Cassidy
19 - "Margaritaville," Jimmy Buffett
18 - "Looks Like We Made It," Barry Manilow
17 - "Hotel California," The Eagles
16 - "When I Need You," Leo Sayer
This part starts with Shaun Cassidy's debut single, a charttopping cover of the 1963 Phil Spector-produced Crystals classic. It gets by on the catchiness of the song, because Cassidy's voice isn't much, and the instrumentation is certainly no Wall of Sound. More like a speed bump.
Next is Jimmy Buffett with his biggest hit, which finds him drowning his sorrows in some sunny paradise with the aid of tequila-based cocktails. Despite the claims of some that a woman is the cause of his funk, Buffett eventually concedes that "it's my own damn fault." Anyway, as states of depression go, this one sounds remarkably upbeat.
Then it's Barry Manilow with a song in which he and an old lover congratulate each other on getting over their past fling and moving on with new partners. But there are more than a few hints that Barry just might not be as content as he sounds. Like "Born in the U.S.A.," it's a song whose big hook leaves it open to be interpreted as a triumphant anthem when underneath, there's a lot more going on.
The band whose one Greatest Hits compilation has sold nearly 30 million copies in the U.S. alone is back with their enigmatic look at Southern California. It's a song that I loved when it was out, kind of hated early in my adulthood, but now I think I'm back to liking it again.
Closing this bunch is Mr. Sayer with his ballad about his needs and how he relieves them. Apparently, Leo's one of the favorite singers of the man who taught Barney Gumble how to fly a helicopter.
15 - "Life in the Fast Lane," The Eagles
14 - "Heard it in a Love Song," The Marshall Tucker Band
13 - "Jet Airliner," The Steve Miller Band
12 - "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)," Joe Tex
11 - "Angel in Your Arms," Hot
The Eagles show up for a second time this week with one of their hardest rockers, a tale of sex, drugs and other assorted debauchery propelled by Joe Walsh's guitar. But I don't understand how people heard the title line as "Flies in the Vaseline."
Then it's Marshall Tucker and his band with their okay bit of light Southern rock. I must admit though, the flute solo was a bold choice.
Steve Miller's outfit is next with a song about a guy whose constantly on the road who'd really like to spend more time at home. Now this is a song whose chorus I misheard. I used to think it was "Big old Jan had the light out." It didn't make sense, but that's what I heard. Enunciate, Steve.
Joe Tex returns from last time with his pop chart curtain call, the song that advised caution when doing a dance called "The Bump." But it wouldn't have helped poor Ned Flanders. His issue didn't involve contact with a large woman, but rather a man of unspecified size. And thus began Timothy Lovejoy's downward spiral.
This group concludes with Hot and their slinky ballad about stepping out on a cheating lover. I had forgotten about this song, but now that it's back in my head, I can't get it out. And that's a good thing.
Ten to grow on:
10 - "Couldn't Get it Right," The Climax Blues Band
These Brits are back, looking for a sign in the middle of the night. Not really blues, but still, a more-than-worthy Top Ten.
9 - "Sir Duke," Stevie Wonder
Stevie again, with his rollicking tribute to the legends of jazz. That horn opening just grabs you and won't let you go. For me, the 80s "I Just Called to Say I Love You" era obscured the genius of his 70s output for far too long.
8 - "Undercover Angel," Alan O'Day
O'Day's one hit was this disco-lite tale of a man who is apparently visited by an angel who's mission on Earth was to have sex with him once and then tell him that there is a mortal woman out there for him. Kind of creepy, but at 6, I didn't know what was going on. I just thought it was catchy, and that the "What?/Ooo-ooo-ooo-wee!/All right!" part was fun to sing along with.
7 - "Lonely Boy," Andrew Gold
I still don't quite get the point of this song, but I will take the opportunity to say RIP to Mr. Gold, who died last week. I hope your at a party right now, and you're getting the biggest gift.
6 - "Lucille," Kenny Rogers
Kenny's first solo pop hit, in which his attempted pickup of a stranger in a Toledo dive is thwarted by the appearance of her heartbroken, gentle giant ex. Don't you just hate it when that happens?
5 - "Feels Like the First Time," Foreigner
The half-English, half-American group return with their chart debut, a driving rocker about love that makes one feel new again. Okay, but not even in my Foreigner Top 5. Maybe not even Top 10.
4 - "Theme from Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)," Bill Conti
Eventually, the official version of the theme from the movie that won John G. Avildsen a Best Director Oscar (ahead of Sidney Lumet for Network and a not-even-nominated Martin Scorsese for Taxi Driver) did come out, and was a huge hit for Conti, who would go on to score all the Rockys, and also compose music for The Right Stuff, The Karate Kid, and the theme from Dynasty.
3 - "Got to Give it Up (Part 1)," Marvin Gaye
Marvin's last hit of the decade was this #1 disco trifle in which he asks "Let me step into your erotic zone." Not many singers could get away with that, but this is Marvin fucking Gaye we're talking about.
2 - "Dreams," Fleetwood Mac
The second single from Rumours, and a Stevie Nicks tour de force. It's about romantic turmoil, like most Mac songs, but it's wrapped in such a warm, gorgeous package. But even though I've been out in the rain a few times in my life, I've never known it to wash me clean. But maybe someday, right Stevie?
And eclipsing all others in popularity this week 34 years ago was...
1 - "I'm Your Boogie Man," KC and the Sunshine Band
The fourth charttopper for Harry Casey and company, and for my money, far inferior to the three that came before it. It's just missing the oomph that the others had. It comes off as Sunshine-by-numbers. Uninspired, yet the formula powered it to the top, so I guess you win, Harry.
This week's NotCaseys were Heart's "Barracuda," "Easy," by the Commodores, and "Give a Little Bit" by Supertramp.
Be back with more of whatever this is next week.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
June 11, 1977 Part One
This week we go back to my last days of kindergarten. An okay time. Also, there are a few songs here that were on the second-ever BGC. It's hard to believe I've been doing this for almost a year.
40 - "You and Me," Alice Cooper
39 - "Whatcha Gonna Do," Pablo Cruise
38 - "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)," Waylon Jennings
37 - "(Your Love has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher," Rita Coolidge
36 - "You're My World," Helen Reddy
35 - "Knowing Me, Knowing You," ABBA
34 - "Slowdown," John Miles
33 - "Hollywood," Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
32 - "Southern Nights," Glen Campbell
31 - "I'm in You," Peter Frampton
We start out with rock. Alice Cooper reappears after all these months with his tender ballad about a working man who, after a long day, just wants to eat popcorn and watch TV with his mate. Oh, and also "take (her) to heaven." I guess he means that in a good way. This was a somewhat domesticated Alice at this time. And Peter Framptom made his highly-anticipated return to the charts after Frampton Comes Alive with this ballad about being so close to a lover that they are actually inside one another. It's sweet and catchy, and I'm sure it seemed like the jumping off point to proving that he wasn't just a one-LP wonder. Sadly, it wasn't. But he'll always have memories of his heyday, when his hair was the envy of many a man, and probably a lot of women as well.
A giant heap of MOR here. Pablo Cruise are here with their first hit, asking someone what will become of them when their woman leaves. If I were that guy, I wouldn't dignify this boring drivel with an answer. Rita Coolidge, as I've said before, sucked everything good out of a Jackie Wilson classic. Helen Reddy had her last American hit with a cover of the only U.S. hit by U.K star Cilla Black. I've never heard the original, but our Helen pours out her heart on this one. Good way for her to go out. And Anna-Frid, Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha are here with a dramatic bit of disco-lite about a couple on the verge of a breakup. Definitely in my ABBA Top 5
Two country stars are here. Waylon Jennings scored his second pop hit with a song about wanting to ditch the superstar life and get back to simple things, like drinking and listening to country music with "Waylon and Willie and the boys." Willie himself shows up for the last verse. Oh, and the actual Luckenbach, Texas has never had a population above 500, and now basically exists as a tourist ghost town. And Glen Campbell is back from last time (not the first time) with his New Orleans funk workout about idyllic evenings in Dixie. You wouldn't think "Glen Campbell" and "funk" would go together, but somehow, they do.
We end with some disco and funk. British rocker John Miles scored his only American hit with a song that asks the listener to decrease their pace. His message is tempered somewhat by the song's frantic disco pace. It's all right. The guy sounded a bit like Sammy Hagar to my ears. And Rufus are here with a slow jam that tells the familiar story of someone going to L.A. full of hopes and dreams only to end up disappointed. But still, it's Chaka Khan singing. Nothing wrong with that.
30 - "Theme from Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)," Maynard Ferguson
29 - "Hello Stranger," Yvonne Elliman
28 - "Back Together Again," Daryl Hall and John Oates
27 - "Ariel," Dean Friedman
26 - "I Just Want to Be Your Everything," Andy Gibb
25 - "High School Dance," The Sylvers
24 - "Love's Grown Deep," Kenny Nolan
23 - "Do You Wanna Make Love," Peter McCann
22 - "My Heart Belongs to Me," Barbra Streisand
21 - "Slow Dancin' Don't Turn Me On," The Addrisi Brothers
We'll start in the discotheque. Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson had his only pop hit with his version of the rousing theme from Sylvester Stallone's cinematic breakthrough. This wasn't the version used in the movie, but Ferguson's take came out before the film's soundtrack got an official release, so it got airplay while stations waited for the real thing. It would come out eventually, though, as you'll see later. Yvonne Elliman had her second-biggest pre-"If I Can't Have You" hit with this Barbara Lewis cover whose beat and delivery foreshadows the greatness to come. After scoring three Top Tens with blue-eyed soul, Hall and Oates tried to hop on the disco bandwagon. That was mistake number one. Number two was letting Oates sing lead. Anyway, this fell short of the Top 20, and began a four-year period when they couldn't get back to the Top 10. But when they did, in 1981 with "Kiss on My List," they became a staple of the upper reaches of the charts for most of the eighties. Andy Gibb declares that all he wants to be is the only thing that matters in your life on the first of the three #1's that kicked off his career. On the "other sibling" scale, he's below Janet Jackson, but well above Jimmy Osmond. And speaking of family groups, the nine Sylvers siblings (yes, I know, technically they should have called themselves The Sylverses, but I can't blame them for their choice) had their last Top 40 single with a fun ode to those secondary school shindigs and all that came with them. High school dances, as I remember them, were a lot more awkward than this makes them sound. But escapism and idealism are fine with me.
Of course, we've got plenty of the easy stuff. It was bad enough knowing that Kenny Nolan had one hit with the somnambulant "I Like Dreamin'" But now I find out that he had another one, and it's even more sappily boring. Ugh. Peter McCann decided that the world needed someone to carry on the legacy of Bread, so he put out this MOR trifle asking his would-be lover how serious she wants their sex to be. Apparently, he would rather have the more meaningful relations. Oh, you're so sensitive, Pete. Barbra Streisand is here with a ballad on which she declares that while she loved her man and loved him well, he cannot possess her, and she feels it's time to move on. This was from the album Streisand Superman, the cover of which looked like this. I'll let you judge it for yourself. And Don and Dick Addrisi, the former acrobats we encountered in 1972 with "We've Got to Get it On Again," return five years later with their second and last hit, in which they ask a deejay not to play slow stuff, but rather some rock n' roll, so they can go up to ladies who "wear their jeans so tight and wiggle their class," and "shake and bake (their) soul(s)." Definitely a candidate for the decade's cheesiest lyric. And what's more, the song itself is...a slow song! How did anyone take this seriously?
Then there's "Ariel," the only American hit by New Jersey singer-songwriter Dean Friedman, which I'm putting in it's own category. Lyrically, it's a tale of a man who falls in love with a Jewish girl (possibly the first mention of a lady's religion in a pop hit, as it hit about a year before Billy Joel sang about the Catholic Virginia in "Only the Good Die Young) who's a great singer, a vegetarian, and a cannabis enthusiast ("I said 'Hi.'/She said 'Yeah, I guess I am.") Anyway, he invites her to see his band play, then he takes her home, makes her spaghetti (because they had "the munchies") and then they make love just as the TV station they were watching was signing off (remember when stations did that? All those years missing out on infomercial money). Musically, it's a throwback to the 60s and groups like the Four Seasons, with that style of backup singing and lots of sax. Even Dean, whose voice is pretty high throughout, goes reaching for Frankie Valli territory on the choruses. Anyway, it's very different from everything else on this week's list, and you know what that means: Dean Friedman and his subversive anachronism scoop up this week's Uneasy Rider award.
Tomorrow: Booze city, double Eagles, and a couple of not-so-innocent angels.
40 - "You and Me," Alice Cooper
39 - "Whatcha Gonna Do," Pablo Cruise
38 - "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)," Waylon Jennings
37 - "(Your Love has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher," Rita Coolidge
36 - "You're My World," Helen Reddy
35 - "Knowing Me, Knowing You," ABBA
34 - "Slowdown," John Miles
33 - "Hollywood," Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
32 - "Southern Nights," Glen Campbell
31 - "I'm in You," Peter Frampton
We start out with rock. Alice Cooper reappears after all these months with his tender ballad about a working man who, after a long day, just wants to eat popcorn and watch TV with his mate. Oh, and also "take (her) to heaven." I guess he means that in a good way. This was a somewhat domesticated Alice at this time. And Peter Framptom made his highly-anticipated return to the charts after Frampton Comes Alive with this ballad about being so close to a lover that they are actually inside one another. It's sweet and catchy, and I'm sure it seemed like the jumping off point to proving that he wasn't just a one-LP wonder. Sadly, it wasn't. But he'll always have memories of his heyday, when his hair was the envy of many a man, and probably a lot of women as well.
A giant heap of MOR here. Pablo Cruise are here with their first hit, asking someone what will become of them when their woman leaves. If I were that guy, I wouldn't dignify this boring drivel with an answer. Rita Coolidge, as I've said before, sucked everything good out of a Jackie Wilson classic. Helen Reddy had her last American hit with a cover of the only U.S. hit by U.K star Cilla Black. I've never heard the original, but our Helen pours out her heart on this one. Good way for her to go out. And Anna-Frid, Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha are here with a dramatic bit of disco-lite about a couple on the verge of a breakup. Definitely in my ABBA Top 5
Two country stars are here. Waylon Jennings scored his second pop hit with a song about wanting to ditch the superstar life and get back to simple things, like drinking and listening to country music with "Waylon and Willie and the boys." Willie himself shows up for the last verse. Oh, and the actual Luckenbach, Texas has never had a population above 500, and now basically exists as a tourist ghost town. And Glen Campbell is back from last time (not the first time) with his New Orleans funk workout about idyllic evenings in Dixie. You wouldn't think "Glen Campbell" and "funk" would go together, but somehow, they do.
We end with some disco and funk. British rocker John Miles scored his only American hit with a song that asks the listener to decrease their pace. His message is tempered somewhat by the song's frantic disco pace. It's all right. The guy sounded a bit like Sammy Hagar to my ears. And Rufus are here with a slow jam that tells the familiar story of someone going to L.A. full of hopes and dreams only to end up disappointed. But still, it's Chaka Khan singing. Nothing wrong with that.
30 - "Theme from Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)," Maynard Ferguson
29 - "Hello Stranger," Yvonne Elliman
28 - "Back Together Again," Daryl Hall and John Oates
27 - "Ariel," Dean Friedman
26 - "I Just Want to Be Your Everything," Andy Gibb
25 - "High School Dance," The Sylvers
24 - "Love's Grown Deep," Kenny Nolan
23 - "Do You Wanna Make Love," Peter McCann
22 - "My Heart Belongs to Me," Barbra Streisand
21 - "Slow Dancin' Don't Turn Me On," The Addrisi Brothers
We'll start in the discotheque. Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson had his only pop hit with his version of the rousing theme from Sylvester Stallone's cinematic breakthrough. This wasn't the version used in the movie, but Ferguson's take came out before the film's soundtrack got an official release, so it got airplay while stations waited for the real thing. It would come out eventually, though, as you'll see later. Yvonne Elliman had her second-biggest pre-"If I Can't Have You" hit with this Barbara Lewis cover whose beat and delivery foreshadows the greatness to come. After scoring three Top Tens with blue-eyed soul, Hall and Oates tried to hop on the disco bandwagon. That was mistake number one. Number two was letting Oates sing lead. Anyway, this fell short of the Top 20, and began a four-year period when they couldn't get back to the Top 10. But when they did, in 1981 with "Kiss on My List," they became a staple of the upper reaches of the charts for most of the eighties. Andy Gibb declares that all he wants to be is the only thing that matters in your life on the first of the three #1's that kicked off his career. On the "other sibling" scale, he's below Janet Jackson, but well above Jimmy Osmond. And speaking of family groups, the nine Sylvers siblings (yes, I know, technically they should have called themselves The Sylverses, but I can't blame them for their choice) had their last Top 40 single with a fun ode to those secondary school shindigs and all that came with them. High school dances, as I remember them, were a lot more awkward than this makes them sound. But escapism and idealism are fine with me.
Of course, we've got plenty of the easy stuff. It was bad enough knowing that Kenny Nolan had one hit with the somnambulant "I Like Dreamin'" But now I find out that he had another one, and it's even more sappily boring. Ugh. Peter McCann decided that the world needed someone to carry on the legacy of Bread, so he put out this MOR trifle asking his would-be lover how serious she wants their sex to be. Apparently, he would rather have the more meaningful relations. Oh, you're so sensitive, Pete. Barbra Streisand is here with a ballad on which she declares that while she loved her man and loved him well, he cannot possess her, and she feels it's time to move on. This was from the album Streisand Superman, the cover of which looked like this. I'll let you judge it for yourself. And Don and Dick Addrisi, the former acrobats we encountered in 1972 with "We've Got to Get it On Again," return five years later with their second and last hit, in which they ask a deejay not to play slow stuff, but rather some rock n' roll, so they can go up to ladies who "wear their jeans so tight and wiggle their class," and "shake and bake (their) soul(s)." Definitely a candidate for the decade's cheesiest lyric. And what's more, the song itself is...a slow song! How did anyone take this seriously?
Then there's "Ariel," the only American hit by New Jersey singer-songwriter Dean Friedman, which I'm putting in it's own category. Lyrically, it's a tale of a man who falls in love with a Jewish girl (possibly the first mention of a lady's religion in a pop hit, as it hit about a year before Billy Joel sang about the Catholic Virginia in "Only the Good Die Young) who's a great singer, a vegetarian, and a cannabis enthusiast ("I said 'Hi.'/She said 'Yeah, I guess I am.") Anyway, he invites her to see his band play, then he takes her home, makes her spaghetti (because they had "the munchies") and then they make love just as the TV station they were watching was signing off (remember when stations did that? All those years missing out on infomercial money). Musically, it's a throwback to the 60s and groups like the Four Seasons, with that style of backup singing and lots of sax. Even Dean, whose voice is pretty high throughout, goes reaching for Frankie Valli territory on the choruses. Anyway, it's very different from everything else on this week's list, and you know what that means: Dean Friedman and his subversive anachronism scoop up this week's Uneasy Rider award.
Tomorrow: Booze city, double Eagles, and a couple of not-so-innocent angels.
Monday, June 6, 2011
June 3, 1972 Part Two
Concluding.
20 - "I Gotcha," Joe Tex
19 - "Troglodyte (Cave Man)," The Jimmy Castor Bunch
18 - "I Saw the Light," Todd Rundgren
17 - "Outa-Space," Billy Preston
16 - "Diary," Bread
We start this part with the return of Joe Tex and his sexual demands. You thought he didn't see ya now, didja? Well, he did. Sorry about that.
Then it's funk jokesters The Jimmy Castor Bunch, taking us back to man's earliest origins and the mating rituals of our primitive ancestors. Apparently, even at the dawn of history, people used phrases like "sock it to me," and "right on!" Silly, stupid fun.
Next is Todd Rundgren with his first post-Runt hit. This is just bouncy, piano-driven pop-rock perfection. You can't listen to this without smiling and feeling warm in the heart. Deny it at your peril.
Then it's Billy Preston with a funky instrumental that we encountered in the first few weeks of BGC. Yes, things are really starting to come back around. And as I said before, I have plans for that. You'll just have to wait and see.
The group ends with Bread's David Gates finding his lover's journal under a tree. Of course, the bastard reads it. And he finds out that she's in love with someone else. Presumably someone who has respect for a woman's privacy. Serves you right, Davey boy.
15 - "It's Going to Take Some Time," The Carpenters
14 - "Walking in the Rain with the One I Love," Love Unlimited
13 - "Little Bitty Pretty One," The Jackson 5
12 - "Song Sung Blue," Neil Diamond
11 - "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All," The 5th Dimension
Karen and Richard kick us off with a Carole King number about learning about love from the only reliable teacher, experience. It's big, it's warm, it's another winner.
Next are the R&B vocal trio Love Unlimited, who enjoy taking strolls in downpours with the right company. It's a big, joyful ballad that sounds older than it is, but that's a good thing. It stood out. And near the end, there's a phone call segment, and I think you'll recognize the voice at the other end. Ohhh baby.
Then the Jackson 5 show up with a cover of a 1957 hit by Thurston Harris that I'm sure you've heard (it opens "Mmmmmm Mmmmmm mmm mmm mm mmmm," Well, it's hard to get across, but you probably know it.). Anyway, it's a decent version, but the boys rotate on lead vocals on the verses, and the relative dearth of Michael may have been what kept this out of the Top Ten
Neil Diamond makes yet another appearance here with the mellowest song about singing the blues I've ever heard. He may say that "you can sing it with a cry in your voice," but I hear no trace of it here. Oh well, he ain't perfect, he's our Neil.
And we finish with the 5th Dimension, singing about an insomnia that could not be cured even with a sleeping pill. I believe the diagnosis would be "restless heart syndrome." Yeah, I'm not sure about that one either.
Ten remain:
10 - "Look What You Done For Me," Al Green
The good Reverend again, singing appreciatively about a special lady. You know what? Al and Barry should have done an album together. Side one could have been Al telling a woman how much he loves her and how wonderful she is, and then side two would be Barry letting her know all the sexy things he wants to do to her wonderful-ass self. I'm telling you, no bachelor pad would have felt complete without a copy.
9 - "Hot Rod Lincoln," Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen
This country-rock band made a big first impression on pop with this cover of a 50s rockabilly song about a race in which the singer's Model A chases down a Cadillac, only to get pulled over by the cops. There were high hopes for this group, but unfortunately, they will go down as one-hit wonders. I don't know enough of their stuff to say "too bad." But I'll bet it is.
8 - "Nice to Be With You," Gallery
This is another song that I really don't get. From the passionless title to the generic pop delivery, it's close to wallpaper. But I guess the singer has a bit of an edge to his voice, and it was produced by ex-Motown Funk Brother Dennis Coffey. So maybe it's appeal is explicable. But for me, a big meh.
7 - "Tumbling Dice," The Rolling Stones
Last week we came across Linda Ronstadt's cover of this, and I told you that I though it was missing the appropriate grit and grime. Well, this week we've got the original classic from Exile on Main Street, and hearing it more than reinforces my point. There's a certain way to sing lines like "there's fever in the funk house now." Mick Jagger knows that way. Linda doesn't. And that's the difference.
6 - "Morning Has Broken," Cat Stevens
Cat again, singing about birds and dew and sunlight and all that stuff. As I've said before, this is the side of Stevens that I can only take in small doses. His is a catalog I can cherry-pick, but not get too involved in.
5 - "Sylvia's Mother," Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Before they recorded author/poet/cartoonist/songwriter Shel Silverstein's "Cover of the Rolling Stone," the good Dr. and his band scored their first hit with a more serious Silverstein song, in which the narrator is trying to say one last goodbye to an old lover who's leaving to marry "a fella down Galveston way," only to be thwarted by the girl's protective mother. It's a heartbreaker, made especially poignant by the off-hinged way the singer delivers the lines about the operator asking for more money to be deposited "for the next...three...minutes." Unquestionably a classic.
4 - "The Candy Man," Sammy Davis Jr.
The showbiz trailblazer and Rat Packer had his only #1 single with this frothy cover of a song from the 1971 film version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. His backup singers are our old, bland buddies the Mike Curb Congregation. Probably not the song a legend like Sammy ought to be best known for, but I don't think it's too embarrassing.
3 - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," Roberta Flack
Robeta was coming off a whopping six-week run at the top with this sultry Ewan MacColl cover. Sex on a stick, this is. Romantic, meaningful sex, but sex nonetheless.
2 - "Oh Girl," The Chi-Lites
Named after their Windy City hometown, and led by the awesomely named Eugene Record, this vocal group followed up the #3 "Have You Seen Her" by topping the pop chart with this simple yet fantastic plea for his woman not to leave him. It has you right from that sad harmonica at the beginning. They'd only have a couple more minor pop hits, but this is more than enough to make them legend.
And leading this particular pop parade was...
1 - "I'll Take You There," The Staple Singers
Pops Staples and his children hit the heights of popularity with this simple, horn-adorned invitation to come to a place where "ain't nobody cryin', ain't nobody worried." And of course, you want to go. And as long as this song lasts, you're there.
The NotCaseys were "Layla" by Derek and the Dominos, "Take it Easy" by the Eagles, and "Beautiful Sunday" by Daniel Boone.
20 - "I Gotcha," Joe Tex
19 - "Troglodyte (Cave Man)," The Jimmy Castor Bunch
18 - "I Saw the Light," Todd Rundgren
17 - "Outa-Space," Billy Preston
16 - "Diary," Bread
We start this part with the return of Joe Tex and his sexual demands. You thought he didn't see ya now, didja? Well, he did. Sorry about that.
Then it's funk jokesters The Jimmy Castor Bunch, taking us back to man's earliest origins and the mating rituals of our primitive ancestors. Apparently, even at the dawn of history, people used phrases like "sock it to me," and "right on!" Silly, stupid fun.
Next is Todd Rundgren with his first post-Runt hit. This is just bouncy, piano-driven pop-rock perfection. You can't listen to this without smiling and feeling warm in the heart. Deny it at your peril.
Then it's Billy Preston with a funky instrumental that we encountered in the first few weeks of BGC. Yes, things are really starting to come back around. And as I said before, I have plans for that. You'll just have to wait and see.
The group ends with Bread's David Gates finding his lover's journal under a tree. Of course, the bastard reads it. And he finds out that she's in love with someone else. Presumably someone who has respect for a woman's privacy. Serves you right, Davey boy.
15 - "It's Going to Take Some Time," The Carpenters
14 - "Walking in the Rain with the One I Love," Love Unlimited
13 - "Little Bitty Pretty One," The Jackson 5
12 - "Song Sung Blue," Neil Diamond
11 - "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All," The 5th Dimension
Karen and Richard kick us off with a Carole King number about learning about love from the only reliable teacher, experience. It's big, it's warm, it's another winner.
Next are the R&B vocal trio Love Unlimited, who enjoy taking strolls in downpours with the right company. It's a big, joyful ballad that sounds older than it is, but that's a good thing. It stood out. And near the end, there's a phone call segment, and I think you'll recognize the voice at the other end. Ohhh baby.
Then the Jackson 5 show up with a cover of a 1957 hit by Thurston Harris that I'm sure you've heard (it opens "Mmmmmm Mmmmmm mmm mmm mm mmmm," Well, it's hard to get across, but you probably know it.). Anyway, it's a decent version, but the boys rotate on lead vocals on the verses, and the relative dearth of Michael may have been what kept this out of the Top Ten
Neil Diamond makes yet another appearance here with the mellowest song about singing the blues I've ever heard. He may say that "you can sing it with a cry in your voice," but I hear no trace of it here. Oh well, he ain't perfect, he's our Neil.
And we finish with the 5th Dimension, singing about an insomnia that could not be cured even with a sleeping pill. I believe the diagnosis would be "restless heart syndrome." Yeah, I'm not sure about that one either.
Ten remain:
10 - "Look What You Done For Me," Al Green
The good Reverend again, singing appreciatively about a special lady. You know what? Al and Barry should have done an album together. Side one could have been Al telling a woman how much he loves her and how wonderful she is, and then side two would be Barry letting her know all the sexy things he wants to do to her wonderful-ass self. I'm telling you, no bachelor pad would have felt complete without a copy.
9 - "Hot Rod Lincoln," Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen
This country-rock band made a big first impression on pop with this cover of a 50s rockabilly song about a race in which the singer's Model A chases down a Cadillac, only to get pulled over by the cops. There were high hopes for this group, but unfortunately, they will go down as one-hit wonders. I don't know enough of their stuff to say "too bad." But I'll bet it is.
8 - "Nice to Be With You," Gallery
This is another song that I really don't get. From the passionless title to the generic pop delivery, it's close to wallpaper. But I guess the singer has a bit of an edge to his voice, and it was produced by ex-Motown Funk Brother Dennis Coffey. So maybe it's appeal is explicable. But for me, a big meh.
7 - "Tumbling Dice," The Rolling Stones
Last week we came across Linda Ronstadt's cover of this, and I told you that I though it was missing the appropriate grit and grime. Well, this week we've got the original classic from Exile on Main Street, and hearing it more than reinforces my point. There's a certain way to sing lines like "there's fever in the funk house now." Mick Jagger knows that way. Linda doesn't. And that's the difference.
6 - "Morning Has Broken," Cat Stevens
Cat again, singing about birds and dew and sunlight and all that stuff. As I've said before, this is the side of Stevens that I can only take in small doses. His is a catalog I can cherry-pick, but not get too involved in.
5 - "Sylvia's Mother," Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Before they recorded author/poet/cartoonist/songwriter Shel Silverstein's "Cover of the Rolling Stone," the good Dr. and his band scored their first hit with a more serious Silverstein song, in which the narrator is trying to say one last goodbye to an old lover who's leaving to marry "a fella down Galveston way," only to be thwarted by the girl's protective mother. It's a heartbreaker, made especially poignant by the off-hinged way the singer delivers the lines about the operator asking for more money to be deposited "for the next...three...minutes." Unquestionably a classic.
4 - "The Candy Man," Sammy Davis Jr.
The showbiz trailblazer and Rat Packer had his only #1 single with this frothy cover of a song from the 1971 film version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. His backup singers are our old, bland buddies the Mike Curb Congregation. Probably not the song a legend like Sammy ought to be best known for, but I don't think it's too embarrassing.
3 - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," Roberta Flack
Robeta was coming off a whopping six-week run at the top with this sultry Ewan MacColl cover. Sex on a stick, this is. Romantic, meaningful sex, but sex nonetheless.
2 - "Oh Girl," The Chi-Lites
Named after their Windy City hometown, and led by the awesomely named Eugene Record, this vocal group followed up the #3 "Have You Seen Her" by topping the pop chart with this simple yet fantastic plea for his woman not to leave him. It has you right from that sad harmonica at the beginning. They'd only have a couple more minor pop hits, but this is more than enough to make them legend.
And leading this particular pop parade was...
1 - "I'll Take You There," The Staple Singers
Pops Staples and his children hit the heights of popularity with this simple, horn-adorned invitation to come to a place where "ain't nobody cryin', ain't nobody worried." And of course, you want to go. And as long as this song lasts, you're there.
The NotCaseys were "Layla" by Derek and the Dominos, "Take it Easy" by the Eagles, and "Beautiful Sunday" by Daniel Boone.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
June 3, 1972 Part One
This week, we see what was on the charts about a week after the first Watergate break-in. It turned out so nice, they tried it twice. But sequels are hard to pull off, and when things don't work as well as they did the first time, heads usually roll. But here's what was on the radio when all those CREEPs knew was success.
40 - "Automatically Sunshine," The Supremes
39 - "Long-Haired Lover from Liverpool," Little Jimmy Osmond
38 - "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)," Don McLean
37 - "Living in a House Divided," Cher
36 - "Doctor My Eyes," Jackson Browne
35 - "Day Dreaming," Aretha Franklin
34 - "Love Theme from The Godfather," Andy Williams
33 - "I've Been Lonely for So Long," Frederick Knight
32 - "Rocket Man," Elton John
31 - "Old Man," Neil Young
R&B opens the proceedings. The Supremes had their next-to-last Top 40 with a jangly, peppy number about the joy of love. I liked it much more than any of the other post-Diana material I've heard from them. Find it and add it to your next summer mix. Aretha's laid-back reverie about thinkning about her lover would be a good add too, but it would work pretty much any time of the year. Just fantastic. And Alabama soul man Frederick Knight had a late-period hit for the legendary Stax label with this lament to his lonesome. Apparently, part of his predicament involves people "throwing rocks in my bed." So he's kind of like the romantic equivalent of Charlie Brown on Halloween. But I love his falsetto, and this is another gem I've discovered on this journey.
Then it's MOR. The youngest of the Osmond brothers made his only chart dent at age 9 with a silly, old-fashioned-sounding novelty. Like all things Osmond then, it was huge in the U.K., going all the way to #1. On this side of the pond, however, it was a lot less successful. I think we're the ones who got it right. Don McLean returns with his pretty Van Gogh tribute. Sonny's wife brings the drama on a ballad about divorce, territory she'd covered earlier (and to greater chart successs) on 1967's "You Better Sit Down Kids." I haven't heard that one, so I can't compare, but this one reflects the heartache and turmoil quite nicely. Andy Williams had his last Top 40 with his version of the love theme from Francis Ford Coppola's phenomenal gangster epic. Funny, but romance isn't the first thing I associate with the movie. Oh well. I wonder if Andy sang it that day when Nelson Muntz forced Bart, Milhouse and Martin to go with him to Williams' show in Branson, Missouri.
The group ends with singer-songwriter pop-rock. Jackson Browne scored his first hit with this piano driven shuffle about optical issues that a physician just can't fix. Good song, but I would like to hear that Jackson 5 version someday. Elton's back again with what would be his biggest hit to date, a ballad about being just a simple workaday astronaut worrying about what planet to raise his kids on. And yes, I have heard the William Shatner version. And Neil Young followed up the #1 "Heart of Gold" with what would be his last Top 40, a song comparing the needs of different generations that Neil wrote after his first meeting with the caretaker of a ranch he had just purchased. It's a pretty damn good last impression to leave on the mainstream, I would say.
30 - "Isn't Life Strange," The Moody Blues
29 - "Ask Me What You Want," Millie Jackson
28 - "Someday Never Comes," Creedence Clearwater Revival
27 - "I Need You," America
26 - "Lean on Me," Bill Withers
25 - "Slippin' Into Darkness," War
24 - "Taxi," Harry Chapin
23 - "Amazing Grace," The Pipes and Drums and the Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
22 - "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," Paul Simon
21 - "Betcha By Golly, Wow," The Stylistics
Rock kicks off the second half of the first half. The Moody Blues are here with a big rumination on the absurdity of existence. It alternates between sleepy and bombastic, and it's pretentious all the way through. Not my cup of tea. CCR had their last hit with this song about how the things we are told to expect one day sometimes don't end up happening at all. Kind of a down note for them to end on, but unquestionably a good, good song. And as Casey pointed out, one "someday" that never came for Creedence was the occasion of a #1 single. A few #2s, but no charttoppers. Too bad. War return with a haunting, reggae-inflected song that doesn't specify the horrors that the singer nearly succumbed to, but effectively gets the point across that it was something he doesn't want to go back. And if you listen closely, you'll hear a bit of the tune of Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" in there. And Paul Simon had his second solo Top 40 with this bouncy, acoustic-guitar-driven song about two boys who broke some sort of law and were jailed until a sympathetic man of the cloth gets them not only released, but on the cover of Newsweek magazine. What did they do? No one knows exactly, and I won't speculate further. I just dig the song, especially the whistling section. Which is funny, because I can't whistle myself.
Just three from the soul millieu in this section. Millie Jackson offers to try her best to acquire what you desire on her spirited first pop hit. She would only have ome more, and would later become better known to most people for her appearances on "worst album cover" lists with sleeves like this. And Bill Withers had his one #1 with his warm and wonderful offer of rocklike frienship. It's probably not surprising that such a sturdy soul was born in a town named Slab Fork, West Virginia. And the Stylistics still sound like Beaver Cleaver when they sing about how in love they are, and it still doesn't make this song any less great.
We end with the softies. America, apparently, needs you. This song sounds like a bad imitation of the Bee Gees. Not annoying or anything, but there is no reason at all for it to be in the world. Harry Chapin hit the chart for the first time with this story song about a cabbie who picks up a fare who turns out to be an old lover of his. The two of them find that their lives have changed drastically since they parted, and not necessarily for the better. Not a pleasant listen, but well worth revisiting from time to time. One of the most unlikely hitmakers ever, the musical arm of a Scottish army regiment had a massive international smash with their version of the same hymn Judy Collins charted with not long before. I'm not sure how it happened, but for their valor and daring in infiltrating the pop world with bagpipes and religion, I award the Guards with the highest honor I can give them, the Uneasy Rider.
Tomorrow: prehistoric romance, reckless driving, and candy! Sweet, sweet, candy!
40 - "Automatically Sunshine," The Supremes
39 - "Long-Haired Lover from Liverpool," Little Jimmy Osmond
38 - "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)," Don McLean
37 - "Living in a House Divided," Cher
36 - "Doctor My Eyes," Jackson Browne
35 - "Day Dreaming," Aretha Franklin
34 - "Love Theme from The Godfather," Andy Williams
33 - "I've Been Lonely for So Long," Frederick Knight
32 - "Rocket Man," Elton John
31 - "Old Man," Neil Young
R&B opens the proceedings. The Supremes had their next-to-last Top 40 with a jangly, peppy number about the joy of love. I liked it much more than any of the other post-Diana material I've heard from them. Find it and add it to your next summer mix. Aretha's laid-back reverie about thinkning about her lover would be a good add too, but it would work pretty much any time of the year. Just fantastic. And Alabama soul man Frederick Knight had a late-period hit for the legendary Stax label with this lament to his lonesome. Apparently, part of his predicament involves people "throwing rocks in my bed." So he's kind of like the romantic equivalent of Charlie Brown on Halloween. But I love his falsetto, and this is another gem I've discovered on this journey.
Then it's MOR. The youngest of the Osmond brothers made his only chart dent at age 9 with a silly, old-fashioned-sounding novelty. Like all things Osmond then, it was huge in the U.K., going all the way to #1. On this side of the pond, however, it was a lot less successful. I think we're the ones who got it right. Don McLean returns with his pretty Van Gogh tribute. Sonny's wife brings the drama on a ballad about divorce, territory she'd covered earlier (and to greater chart successs) on 1967's "You Better Sit Down Kids." I haven't heard that one, so I can't compare, but this one reflects the heartache and turmoil quite nicely. Andy Williams had his last Top 40 with his version of the love theme from Francis Ford Coppola's phenomenal gangster epic. Funny, but romance isn't the first thing I associate with the movie. Oh well. I wonder if Andy sang it that day when Nelson Muntz forced Bart, Milhouse and Martin to go with him to Williams' show in Branson, Missouri.
The group ends with singer-songwriter pop-rock. Jackson Browne scored his first hit with this piano driven shuffle about optical issues that a physician just can't fix. Good song, but I would like to hear that Jackson 5 version someday. Elton's back again with what would be his biggest hit to date, a ballad about being just a simple workaday astronaut worrying about what planet to raise his kids on. And yes, I have heard the William Shatner version. And Neil Young followed up the #1 "Heart of Gold" with what would be his last Top 40, a song comparing the needs of different generations that Neil wrote after his first meeting with the caretaker of a ranch he had just purchased. It's a pretty damn good last impression to leave on the mainstream, I would say.
30 - "Isn't Life Strange," The Moody Blues
29 - "Ask Me What You Want," Millie Jackson
28 - "Someday Never Comes," Creedence Clearwater Revival
27 - "I Need You," America
26 - "Lean on Me," Bill Withers
25 - "Slippin' Into Darkness," War
24 - "Taxi," Harry Chapin
23 - "Amazing Grace," The Pipes and Drums and the Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
22 - "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," Paul Simon
21 - "Betcha By Golly, Wow," The Stylistics
Rock kicks off the second half of the first half. The Moody Blues are here with a big rumination on the absurdity of existence. It alternates between sleepy and bombastic, and it's pretentious all the way through. Not my cup of tea. CCR had their last hit with this song about how the things we are told to expect one day sometimes don't end up happening at all. Kind of a down note for them to end on, but unquestionably a good, good song. And as Casey pointed out, one "someday" that never came for Creedence was the occasion of a #1 single. A few #2s, but no charttoppers. Too bad. War return with a haunting, reggae-inflected song that doesn't specify the horrors that the singer nearly succumbed to, but effectively gets the point across that it was something he doesn't want to go back. And if you listen closely, you'll hear a bit of the tune of Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" in there. And Paul Simon had his second solo Top 40 with this bouncy, acoustic-guitar-driven song about two boys who broke some sort of law and were jailed until a sympathetic man of the cloth gets them not only released, but on the cover of Newsweek magazine. What did they do? No one knows exactly, and I won't speculate further. I just dig the song, especially the whistling section. Which is funny, because I can't whistle myself.
Just three from the soul millieu in this section. Millie Jackson offers to try her best to acquire what you desire on her spirited first pop hit. She would only have ome more, and would later become better known to most people for her appearances on "worst album cover" lists with sleeves like this. And Bill Withers had his one #1 with his warm and wonderful offer of rocklike frienship. It's probably not surprising that such a sturdy soul was born in a town named Slab Fork, West Virginia. And the Stylistics still sound like Beaver Cleaver when they sing about how in love they are, and it still doesn't make this song any less great.
We end with the softies. America, apparently, needs you. This song sounds like a bad imitation of the Bee Gees. Not annoying or anything, but there is no reason at all for it to be in the world. Harry Chapin hit the chart for the first time with this story song about a cabbie who picks up a fare who turns out to be an old lover of his. The two of them find that their lives have changed drastically since they parted, and not necessarily for the better. Not a pleasant listen, but well worth revisiting from time to time. One of the most unlikely hitmakers ever, the musical arm of a Scottish army regiment had a massive international smash with their version of the same hymn Judy Collins charted with not long before. I'm not sure how it happened, but for their valor and daring in infiltrating the pop world with bagpipes and religion, I award the Guards with the highest honor I can give them, the Uneasy Rider.
Tomorrow: prehistoric romance, reckless driving, and candy! Sweet, sweet, candy!
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