"You Might Need Somebody" by Turley Richards

Redux Spotlight Alert!

Song#:  0025
Date:  01/26/1980
Debut:  88
Peak:  54
Weeks:  7
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  Originally from Charleston, West Virginia, Richards is a respected singer/songwriter who found his way on nine different record company rosters, including Warner and Atlantic. Unfortunately, none turned him into a major recording star. This song was the last and highest charting of his three hits. His given name is Richard Turley, but after a dyslexic musician accidentally flipped the name, he ended up keeping the new version. Now located in Louisville, Kentucky, Richards still performs, records, and offers lessons for singers and songwriters in his studio.

ReduxReview:  Although not a strong song for hit contention, I kind of dig the groove and like his voice. I can hear Michael McDonald's voice singing this. With a little more of an R&B feel, this could have been a nice album track for The Doobie Brothers. But this single doesn't even hint at his real vocal skills. For an added bonus I'm including his 1969 appearance on the Carson show. He does "Summertime" and blows it out. It kicks into high gear about the 2:15 mark - and make sure you stay for the end. It's just crazy.



ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  An unfortunate accident with a bow and arrow left Richards blind in one eye at the age of four. An infection then spread to his other eye and his sight declined to the point where he was fully blind by his late 20's.

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"Special Lady" by Ray, Goodman & Brown

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  0024
Date:  01/26/1980
Debut:  89
Peak:  5
Weeks:  18
Genre:  R&B, Soul



Pop Bits:  This was their lone Top 10 song and was a #1 R&B hit. Although they continued have some minor success on the R&B chart, this was their pop peak.

ReduxReview:  Don't remember it. I can usually remember Top 10 songs from the 80s, but this one slipped by me somehow. Didn't recognize it. Maybe because it is kind of bland. They sound like a very good vocal group but I'm not connecting to this song.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  The group was originally called The Moments, but due to a label change and a lawsuit the group had to change their name. As The Moments, the had a #3 pop hit in 1970 with "Love On a Two-Way Street" along with several R&B hits.

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"Him" by Rupert Holmes

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  0023
Date:  01/19/1980
Debut:  72
Peak:  6
Weeks:  17
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  Coming on the heels of his #1 single "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)," Holmes got a second Top 10 hit with another cheaters song, "Him." He was never able to follow up the success of these songs, but he continued to do well as a songwriter with works of his hitting the chart by other artists. He would also have success as a writer for stage and TV shows.

ReduxReview:  I always preferred this song over the kitschy "Escape." It has a nice R&B-ish groove, clever lyrics, and a terrific chorus. My one bone of contention? That vocal solo in the mid-section. I guess it works because you certainly don't forget it, but I've always disliked it. Regardless, I remain a fan of this song.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Holmes was already a successful songwriter in the early 70s with songs like "Echo Valley 2-6809" by The Partridge Family. But it was his song written for The Buoys in 1971 that became a notorious, unexpected hit. The little song called "Timothy" about 3 men trapped in a mine with 2 of the men eating the third caused quite a stink, but that was the intended effect. The Buoys were not getting any label support so Holmes came up with this as an attention getter for them. It worked, as the song's reputation and eventual banning pushed it to #17.

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"Too Hot" by Kool & the Gang

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  0021
Date:  01/19/1980
Debut: 76
Peak:  5
Weeks:  18
Genre:  R&B, Soul



Pop Bits:  Kool & the Gang went through a slump after their last big hit, "Hollywood Swinging," hit #6 in 1974. Sometimes a couple minor changes is all that is needed to get back on track and that is what K&tG did. New member James "J.T." Taylor got bumped up to lead singer and they refined their sound by reducing the funk and adding more pop. It paid off well as the album and single "Ladies Night" were hits. This was the sound that would stay with them throughout their 80s hit-making period. "Too Hot" was the follow-up single to the #8 "Ladies Night."

ReduxReview:  Smooth and slinky, this song is kind of hard to resist. Plus that opening guitar lick is instantly recognizable. This is date night music to be played while sitting in front of a fire with a bottle of wine...and it gets too hot (and I don't mean from sparks catching the rug on fire and soon there is a 911 call).

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  With "Ladies Night," they also brought on board a new producer, Eumir Deodato, whose background was in jazz (as was the original K&tG). Deodato had his own #2 pop hit in 1973 with his funkified, jazzy version of "Also Sprach Zarathustra."

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"Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" by Pink Floyd

#1 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  0021
Date:  01/19/1980
Debut:  77
Peak:  1 (4 weeks)
Weeks:  25
Genre:  Rock, Prog-Rock



Pop Bits:  Here it is - the first song to debut in the 80s that made it to #1. Even though they sold scads of albums, Pink Floyd's songs were rarely single-worthy. Their only other chart entry before this song was almost seven years earlier when "Money" reached #13. So I imagine it was a bit of a shock to see this part of their classic rock opera "The Wall" climb to #1. By this time in their career, Roger Waters was pretty much in control and "The Wall" was truly larger than life with an extravagant stage show and even a movie version. But turmoil was brewing behind the scenes and the 80s brought changes to Floyd and even a momentary breakup.

ReduxReview:  I was in junior high when "The Wall" came out and the album and this song just screamed bad-ass. All the cool kids were into it so you either owned this album or at least was listening to it somewhere. It was rock and art that was complex yet approachable and druggy and psychedelic and rebelious. At the time...I didn't get it. Yeah, I wasn't one of the cool kids. And I still don't get a lot of the Pink Floyd stuff, but over the years I've come to appreciate it a much more - especially this song. 

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia: When it was time to do a new album, Roger Waters approached the band with two conceptual ideas. The first, which he already had a demo for, was called "Brick in the Wall." Obviously, the band chose this path. The second idea ended up being put to good use on Waters' debut solo album in 1984, "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking."

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