Song#: 0457
Date: 01/17/1981
Debut: 90
Peak: 78
Weeks: 6
Genre: R&B, Funk
Pop Bits: Formed in Dayton, Ohio, in 1975, this funk outfit had a #1 R&B hit (#32 pop) out of the box with "Slide" from their self-titled debut. The group had personnel changes over the years and by their third album, drummer Steve Arrington came on board and soon took over most of the lead vocal duties. Their fifth album, "Stone Jam," got them their second gold album as this first single hit #6 on the R&B chart and it became their second pop chart entry.
ReduxReview: This is good funk, but nothing that makes my want to really shake my money maker. I just find it to be a cut above average. I think it may be missing a more solid/memorable line or chorus that would take it to the next level. I've heard far better funk, and yet far worse too.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Although the group only had one Top 40 pop hit and two other lower-chart songs, they ended up having 20 R&B chart entries including one #1 ("Slide") and three other Top 10's.
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Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
"Somebody's Knockin'" by Terri Gibbs
Song#: 0456
Date: 01/17/1981
Debut: 90
Peak: 13
Weeks: 22
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: Gibbs had been trying to break into the music business for a few years when her demo finally got her a deal with MCA Records. This title track to her debut album became a #8 country hit and crossed over to the pop Top 20. Blind since birth, Gibbs started on piano when a youngster and had her own band later in the 70s. Although this song would end up being her biggest hit, she did place several more songs on the country chart.
ReduxReview: I've never been a fan of this song. It's got that oom-pa feel that I don't particularly like. The vocal is very laid back as well. I'm sure she is a very good singer, but based on this single I couldn't really tell if that was the case. Just not my thing.
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This song was nominated for a Best Country Song Grammy. 2) When the CMA's began the new Horizon award, given to rising country artists, Gibbs was the inaugural recipient of the award.
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Date: 01/17/1981
Debut: 90
Peak: 13
Weeks: 22
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: Gibbs had been trying to break into the music business for a few years when her demo finally got her a deal with MCA Records. This title track to her debut album became a #8 country hit and crossed over to the pop Top 20. Blind since birth, Gibbs started on piano when a youngster and had her own band later in the 70s. Although this song would end up being her biggest hit, she did place several more songs on the country chart.
ReduxReview: I've never been a fan of this song. It's got that oom-pa feel that I don't particularly like. The vocal is very laid back as well. I'm sure she is a very good singer, but based on this single I couldn't really tell if that was the case. Just not my thing.
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This song was nominated for a Best Country Song Grammy. 2) When the CMA's began the new Horizon award, given to rising country artists, Gibbs was the inaugural recipient of the award.
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"Long Time Lovin' You" by McGuffey Lane
Song#: 0455
Date: 01/10/1981
Debut: 97
Peak: 85
Weeks: 7
Genre: Country, Country Crossover
Pop Bits: This country band from Columbus, Ohio, developed a solid following and their self-released first album sold enough to get the attention of Atco Records. Once signed, the album was reissued and this first single got a small taste of chart action in 1980. They posted a few minor country chart songs throughout the early 80s, but with personnel changes and the loss of their record deal, the group slowly disbanded as the decade wore on. Some members ended up getting together again and they have recorded a couple of reunion albums. The group still performs around the Ohio area.
ReduxReview: I find this song slightly frustrating. For the most part, I don't care much for it. It starts off like a little country-ish shuffle and there is nothing about it that sparks my interest, including the pedal steel guitar/harmonica solo. And then after the last reading of the chorus comes this really nice little outro section that kicks up the song. But it is not enough to fully save it for me and it just remains in the bland country category.
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: The band is named after the street where the house of group member Steve Reis is located.
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Date: 01/10/1981
Debut: 97
Peak: 85
Weeks: 7
Genre: Country, Country Crossover
Pop Bits: This country band from Columbus, Ohio, developed a solid following and their self-released first album sold enough to get the attention of Atco Records. Once signed, the album was reissued and this first single got a small taste of chart action in 1980. They posted a few minor country chart songs throughout the early 80s, but with personnel changes and the loss of their record deal, the group slowly disbanded as the decade wore on. Some members ended up getting together again and they have recorded a couple of reunion albums. The group still performs around the Ohio area.
ReduxReview: I find this song slightly frustrating. For the most part, I don't care much for it. It starts off like a little country-ish shuffle and there is nothing about it that sparks my interest, including the pedal steel guitar/harmonica solo. And then after the last reading of the chorus comes this really nice little outro section that kicks up the song. But it is not enough to fully save it for me and it just remains in the bland country category.
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: The band is named after the street where the house of group member Steve Reis is located.
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Monday, July 15, 2013
"Toccata" by Sky
Song#: 0454
Date: 01/10/1981
Debut: 86
Peak: 83
Weeks: 2
Genre: Pop, Classical Crossover, Prog Rock
Pop Bits: Sky came into being after classical guitarist John Williams (not the famous composer/conductor of film scores) started branching out into non-classical music. His first non-classical album, "Changes," used some musicians with whom he became friends. Eventually this led to them becoming a group that would straddle the genres of pop, prog rock and classical. Sky's self-titled debut album came out in 1979 and was a major hit in the UK and Australia. The album featured original songs plus a re-imagining of a classical piece. Their second album was the double-LP "Sky 2," which built on the premise and expanded it greatly. The album reached #1 in the UK and this single even made it to #5. Here in the States the group did not catch on quite as well, but the song did manage to scrape the chart for a couple of weeks. It is their only chart song. The group would release three more albums before John Williams left the group to return full-time to his classical career. Sky continued on for a couple more releases, but eventually they stopped recording after 1987's "Mozart."
ReduxReview: Hmm. I dunno. When the lines of pop/rock and classical cross, it can be interesting or hideous. I can't say that this one is hideous, but I don't find it good either. Synths in classical had already been done and adding some rock instruments wasn't necessarily inventive either. So the interest would be in the arrangement and there is just not much here that gets my attention. It's kind of like steroidal Muzak. And while I don't think it is unlistenable, I still would not want to be trapped on an elevator with it blaring.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: As Sky's first album was hitting, John Williams himself had an odd solo single reach the UK Top 10. His version of "Cavatina," written by Stanley Myers, was used in the 1978 film "The Deer Hunter" and the song ended up being a hit. Williams was already well-known, but this single certainly helped to promote the Sky project.
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Date: 01/10/1981
Debut: 86
Peak: 83
Weeks: 2
Genre: Pop, Classical Crossover, Prog Rock
Pop Bits: Sky came into being after classical guitarist John Williams (not the famous composer/conductor of film scores) started branching out into non-classical music. His first non-classical album, "Changes," used some musicians with whom he became friends. Eventually this led to them becoming a group that would straddle the genres of pop, prog rock and classical. Sky's self-titled debut album came out in 1979 and was a major hit in the UK and Australia. The album featured original songs plus a re-imagining of a classical piece. Their second album was the double-LP "Sky 2," which built on the premise and expanded it greatly. The album reached #1 in the UK and this single even made it to #5. Here in the States the group did not catch on quite as well, but the song did manage to scrape the chart for a couple of weeks. It is their only chart song. The group would release three more albums before John Williams left the group to return full-time to his classical career. Sky continued on for a couple more releases, but eventually they stopped recording after 1987's "Mozart."
ReduxReview: Hmm. I dunno. When the lines of pop/rock and classical cross, it can be interesting or hideous. I can't say that this one is hideous, but I don't find it good either. Synths in classical had already been done and adding some rock instruments wasn't necessarily inventive either. So the interest would be in the arrangement and there is just not much here that gets my attention. It's kind of like steroidal Muzak. And while I don't think it is unlistenable, I still would not want to be trapped on an elevator with it blaring.
ReduxRating: 3/10
Trivia: As Sky's first album was hitting, John Williams himself had an odd solo single reach the UK Top 10. His version of "Cavatina," written by Stanley Myers, was used in the 1978 film "The Deer Hunter" and the song ended up being a hit. Williams was already well-known, but this single certainly helped to promote the Sky project.
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"Fly Away" by Peter Allen
Song#: 0453
Date: 01/10/1981
Debut: 88
Peak: 55
Weeks: 8
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Welcome to 1981!!
Pop Bits: This Australian entertainer never gained much attention here in the US as a recording artist. Even though he consistently released solo albums from 1971 through to 1990, his only chart single was this song from his album "Bi-Coastal." However, as a songwriter he had several major hits like "I Honestly Love You" by Olivia Newton-John and "Don't Cry Out Loud" by Melissa Manchester. Allen also won an Academy Award as co-writer of the winning song "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" sung by Christopher Cross. Despite the lack of solo hits, Allen was a very popular cabaret-style performer and would often have sold-out shows here in the States, including at Radio City Music Hall. Brought to the States by Judy Garland's husband Mark Herron, Allen would eventually marry Garland's daughter Liza Minnelli in 1967. They split in 1974 and soon after Allen would come out as gay. His partner of 15 years would die in 1984 from an AIDS-related illness. Allen himself would also pass away of throat cancer, related to AIDS, in 1992.
ReduxReview: This song was co-written by David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager, and produced by Foster. And it does reek of them. West-coast poppy, slick, adult contemporary and all done very well. However, the actual song this time around is just not very strong. Foster and Bayer Sager have both written great songs, but this is not one of their best efforts - even when combining forces. And although Allen sounds good, this slick pop style doesn't really suit him and I think his personality gets lost in the production.
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: Allen's life was celebrated in a documentary film called "The Boy from Oz." This was then turned into a stage musical using Allen's songs. Eventually, the show made it to Broadway in 2003 with Hugh Jackman portraying Allen. Jackman would win a Tony award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance.
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Date: 01/10/1981
Debut: 88
Peak: 55
Weeks: 8
Genre: Pop, Adult Contemporary
Welcome to 1981!!
Pop Bits: This Australian entertainer never gained much attention here in the US as a recording artist. Even though he consistently released solo albums from 1971 through to 1990, his only chart single was this song from his album "Bi-Coastal." However, as a songwriter he had several major hits like "I Honestly Love You" by Olivia Newton-John and "Don't Cry Out Loud" by Melissa Manchester. Allen also won an Academy Award as co-writer of the winning song "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" sung by Christopher Cross. Despite the lack of solo hits, Allen was a very popular cabaret-style performer and would often have sold-out shows here in the States, including at Radio City Music Hall. Brought to the States by Judy Garland's husband Mark Herron, Allen would eventually marry Garland's daughter Liza Minnelli in 1967. They split in 1974 and soon after Allen would come out as gay. His partner of 15 years would die in 1984 from an AIDS-related illness. Allen himself would also pass away of throat cancer, related to AIDS, in 1992.
ReduxReview: This song was co-written by David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager, and produced by Foster. And it does reek of them. West-coast poppy, slick, adult contemporary and all done very well. However, the actual song this time around is just not very strong. Foster and Bayer Sager have both written great songs, but this is not one of their best efforts - even when combining forces. And although Allen sounds good, this slick pop style doesn't really suit him and I think his personality gets lost in the production.
ReduxRating: 4/10
Trivia: Allen's life was celebrated in a documentary film called "The Boy from Oz." This was then turned into a stage musical using Allen's songs. Eventually, the show made it to Broadway in 2003 with Hugh Jackman portraying Allen. Jackman would win a Tony award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance.
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