Thursday Jun 03, 2021
Some good Andy Williams, some bad Chicago, some wretched Beach Boys, and some Freddie and the Dreamers way past their expiration date.
Andy Williams - Theme From "Love Story" (12" Version) (1979) Normally, I have a deep disdain for old show business icons trying to ride the ol' disco train, but Andy Williams gives it all in this updated version of his big hit from 1972. Jeesh, say what you want about the guy, but on this, he BRINGS it. I believe this is the "short" version. The long version is 10 minutes. After doing this show for almost 6 years, Andy Williams has become one of my favorite vocalists.
Ann Peebles - Come to Mama (1975) Bob Seger covered this on his break-thru album Night Moves. I like this version much more. Al Green's producer produced this as well. Discerning ears will hear it right away.
Freddie Garrity and the New Dreamers - I’m Telling You Now (1976) Freddie and the Dreamers were an English beat band that had some hits between May 1963 and November 1965. The band's stage act was enlivened by the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying. This album was about 10 years after their heyday. I can only imagine in 1976, arms and legs flying to keep the blunt from burning the studio rug. IYKWIM.
Freddie and the Dreamers - Tin Pan Alley (1978)
Charlie Dore - Fear Of Flying (1979) Charlie Dore had a fair-to-middling hit with "Pilot of the Airwaves" in 1979. I think they were grooming her to be a sort of Ricki Lee Jones. Hey, George Harrison sang one of her songs!!
Chicago - Street Player (12" Version) (1978) Look at that Donnie Dacus laughing in the middle of the shot. He seems so happy. They were already planning on kicking him to the curb. Of course, it made not one fricking bit of difference in the end.
Wikipedia: His work in the starring role of Woof in Hair, with Annie Golden, Treat Williams, Beverly D'Angelo, John Savage was directed by Academy Award winner Miloš Forman. Hair was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards. The movie opened the Cannes Film Festival in 1979.
Dacus' debut with Chicago followed the death of founding member Terry Kath. The first album Dacus appeared on (Hot Streets) went to No. 12 and platinum. Dacus also was in the lineup for Chicago 13. After the 1979 tour in support of Chicago 13, Dacus was released from the band without an announcement. Someone didn't put into the cocaine kitty.
In 1982, Dacus joined Badfinger.
Danny Livingstone - Rudy, A Message To You (1967)
Dion - Daddy Rollin' (1968) B-side of "Abraham, Martin, and John".
Trailer for the film Dr. Frankenstein on Campus (1970)
Eli Culbertson - I Need Your Love Tonight (1974) I thought this was a good example of an Elvis impersonation before Elvis died. But at the time, the artist insisted it was not an impersonation.
Eli Culbertson - Boogie Queen (1974)
George Harrison - Fear Of Flying (1979)
George Harrison - Lay His Head (1987)
The Beach Boys - Here Comes The Night (12" Version) (1978)
Jack Lee - Come Back And Stay (1976) Jack Lee also wrote "Hangin' on the Telephone".
Little Richard Hurry Sundown (1967)
Mars Bonfire - Born To Be Wild (1968)
Moby Grape - Never (1968)
Niela Miller - Baby, Please Don't Go to Town (1961)
John Lee Hooker - One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (1966)
Polaroid Swinger Commercial (1965) Barry Manilow on vocals.
Renaldo & The Loaf - Ow! Stew The Red Shoe (1981)
Terri Gibbs - Same Old Mop (1975) Terri Gibbs had a big hit with "Somebody's Knocking". This single predated that one by 6 years.
Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa (1971)
Wikipedia: "Soul Makossa" is a song released as a single in 1972 by Cameroon saxophonist and songwriter Manu Dibango. It was originally recorded as the B-side for "Hymne de la 8e Coupe d'Afrique des Nations", a song celebrating the Cameroon national football team's accession to the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament, as well as Cameroon's hosting the games for the first time; the lyrics were written by Cameroonian poet and musicologist S.M. Eno Belinga. Except for some words in English, it was written in Duala, a native dialect continuum from Cameroon.
In 1972, David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and often played it at his parties at The Loft. The response was so positive that the few copies of "Soul Makossa" in New York City were quickly purchased. The song was subsequently played heavily by Frankie Crocker, who deejayed at WBLS, then New York's most popular black radio station. Since the original release was so obscure, at least 23 groups quickly released cover versions to capitalize on the demand for the record.
Later in 1972, American-based Atlantic Records licensed the original Manu Dibango version from French record label Fiesta, and released it as a single. The single peaked at number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1973; Dibango's original version of the song and a cover by Afrique was on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at the same time. The song also became an international hit leading to even more cover versions by various groups around the world.
The song is probably best known for the chanted vocal refrain "ma-ma-ko, ma-ma-sa, ma-ko ma-ko-sa", which was adapted and used in songs by many prominent artists such as Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" from his album Thriller (1982). The refrain is a play on the word makossa, Dibango's main music genre.
Roy Hawkins - The Thrill Is Gone (1951) No, B.B. King did not write this tune, but he certainly made it famous. I thought you might like to hear the original.
Tony Orlando & Dawn - Happy Man (1976)
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