Song#: 0151
Date: 05/03/1980
Debut: 98
Peak: 79
Weeks: 6
Genre: Power Pop, New Wave
Pop Bits: L.A.-based Cretones were signed to Richard Perry's Planet Records and release two album in the early 80s. Although they had a good following it didn't translate well to national sales or recognition. However, they became a cult band for power pop enthusiasts and at the time gained one very important fan - Linda Ronstadt. She used three songs from the Cretones debut album, "Thin Red Line," for her foray into new wave, "Mad Love." All three songs were written by band member Mark Goldenberg. This was their first single and the only one to hit the pop chart.
ReduxReview: The Cretones are a really good band and they put out some good, catchy power pop. They should have caught on more than they did. In the link above, "Real Love" is followed by "Mad Love," which is one of the songs covered by Linda Ronstadt. I like the crunchy "Mad Love" a bit better, but both are good tunes and if they turn your crank, you should check out more of The Cretones.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: After the Cretones, Goldenberg went on to perform with several major artists, including Jackson Browne, and write songs for other artists. Among the hits he wrote or co-wrote are "Automatic" by the Pointer Sisters, "Along Comes a Woman" by Chicago, "Soul Kiss" by Olivia Newton-John, and "Novocaine For the Soul" by Eels.
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Saturday, November 24, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
"Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)" by Paul McCartney and Wings
#1 Alert!
Gold Record Alert!
Song#: 0150 Date: 04/26/1980
Debut: 73
Peak: 1 (3 weeks)
Weeks: 21
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: Wings were in a bit of a holding pattern when McCartney retreated on his own to do some recording. The result became his second fully solo album "McCartney II." It was an immediate hit in the UK shooting to #1 and this first single hitting #2. The album was a bit of a departure as it found McCartney dabbling in synthesized sounds and techniques, almost giving it a new wave feel. "Coming Up" was also a smash in the US becoming McCartney's seventh post-Beatles #1. Unfortunately, it also signaled the end of Wings and McCartney would remain solo after this.
ReduxReview: Not a lot of songs hit #1 in a live version, so this song is a bit unique - especially since it wasn't on the album it should be promoting (see below). But I clearly remember this being on the radio (and us singing along replacing the title with "throwing up"). I don't think I heard the studio version until years later. I like both, but in the end I think I prefer the studio version. It's a bit closed and claustrophobic and the recording technique reminds me of an old record from the 20s or 30s, along with some of the keyboard licks. I just find it a bit more interesting.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: When the single was released in the US, on the B-side was a live version of the song done in Glasgow on a Wings tour stop. This is the version which got promoted in the US. The album version was considered slight in sound with McCartney's voice in an altered state. The live version sounded fuller and had McCartney's real voice which the record company thought the US would prefer. And we did. The live version received the vast majority of airplay and since it was not included on the album, it boosted sales for the single. In its chart run, the song was initially credited as "Coming Up" by Paul McCartney, but after it peaked at #1 it was then listed as "Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)" by Paul McCartney and Wings. By comparison, here is the original album version:
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Thursday, November 22, 2012
"Here Comes My Girl" by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Song#: 0149
Date: 04/26/1980
Debut: 80
Peak: 59
Weeks: 7
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Still riding high with "Damn the Torpedoes," the group released this third single from the now-classic album. Although the song didn't hit the Top 15 like the previous two singles, it was still a rock radio hit and showed a more sensitive side to Petty's music, especially when following the blistering "Refugee" single.
ReduxReview: This is just excellent songwriting. Another stunner from "Damn the Torpedoes." I just love how he starts out talking over the riff, moves to singing and keeps increasing the tension and volume until the relief of the chorus hits. Wanna write a great rock song? Study this one kids...
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: When he was younger, Petty worked on the grounds crew at the University of Florida. Apparently while working there, he planted a lime tree. The tree is still there and is commonly known as the Tom Petty tree, although Petty has no recollection of ever planting anything there. Another odd job he did in the pre-fame days was working as a gravedigger - briefly.
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Date: 04/26/1980
Debut: 80
Peak: 59
Weeks: 7
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Still riding high with "Damn the Torpedoes," the group released this third single from the now-classic album. Although the song didn't hit the Top 15 like the previous two singles, it was still a rock radio hit and showed a more sensitive side to Petty's music, especially when following the blistering "Refugee" single.
ReduxReview: This is just excellent songwriting. Another stunner from "Damn the Torpedoes." I just love how he starts out talking over the riff, moves to singing and keeps increasing the tension and volume until the relief of the chorus hits. Wanna write a great rock song? Study this one kids...
ReduxRating: 8/10
Trivia: When he was younger, Petty worked on the grounds crew at the University of Florida. Apparently while working there, he planted a lime tree. The tree is still there and is commonly known as the Tom Petty tree, although Petty has no recollection of ever planting anything there. Another odd job he did in the pre-fame days was working as a gravedigger - briefly.
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Wednesday, November 21, 2012
"Fool For a Pretty Face" by Humble Pie
Song#: 0148
Date: 04/26/1980
Debut: 85
Peak: 52
Weeks: 7
Genre: Rock, Blues-Rock
Pop Bits: This UK group was formed in 1969 by Steve Marriott after he left The Small Faces. Originally he intended to put together a group for Peter Frampton (who just had his first taste of success with The Herd), but Marriott put himself in the band and Humble Pie was formed. They had immediate success in the UK but it wasn't until their "Performance Rockin' the Fillmore" live album that they broke in the US. Frampton left before the album became a success but the group continued on and sold well until they disbanded in 1975. Marriott revived the group with a new line-up in 1979 and their first album together, "On to Victory," included this chart song.
ReduxReview: From my understanding, this era of Humble Pie is not the best. I guess the early stuff with Frampton and their first album or so without him would be their musical peak. But really this ain't too bad for some blues-boogie.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: The term "heavy metal" to describe a music genre was at its infancy when Humble Pie was formed. One of the earliest known uses of the term in a publication was in a 1970 issue of Rolling Stone when Mike Saunders used "heavy metal" to describe the music on Humble Pie's debut disc and their self-titled album.
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Date: 04/26/1980
Debut: 85
Peak: 52
Weeks: 7
Genre: Rock, Blues-Rock
Pop Bits: This UK group was formed in 1969 by Steve Marriott after he left The Small Faces. Originally he intended to put together a group for Peter Frampton (who just had his first taste of success with The Herd), but Marriott put himself in the band and Humble Pie was formed. They had immediate success in the UK but it wasn't until their "Performance Rockin' the Fillmore" live album that they broke in the US. Frampton left before the album became a success but the group continued on and sold well until they disbanded in 1975. Marriott revived the group with a new line-up in 1979 and their first album together, "On to Victory," included this chart song.
ReduxReview: From my understanding, this era of Humble Pie is not the best. I guess the early stuff with Frampton and their first album or so without him would be their musical peak. But really this ain't too bad for some blues-boogie.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: The term "heavy metal" to describe a music genre was at its infancy when Humble Pie was formed. One of the earliest known uses of the term in a publication was in a 1970 issue of Rolling Stone when Mike Saunders used "heavy metal" to describe the music on Humble Pie's debut disc and their self-titled album.
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"You're My Blessing" by Lou Rawls
Song#: 0147
Date: 04/26/1980
Debut: 88
Peak: 77
Weeks: 3
Genre: R&B, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: The man who Frank Sinatra said had "the silkiest chops in the singing game," put songs on the pop and R&B charts for almost two decades beginning in 1965. Rawls initially worked in gospel vocal groups but broke out on his own in 1962 with the jazz album "Stormy Monday." For the next several albums he would do albums that incorporated jazz, R&B, gospel, and big band. In performance, he would captivate audiences with his songs and with story monologues. This was all captured in his breakthrough album "Live!" in 1965. The same year he recorded his first fully R&B album called "Soulin'" that spawned the hit single "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing." (#13 pop/#1 R&B). He would continue to do R&B records and eventually win three Grammys for Best R&B Performance. His biggest pop hit came in 1976 with the great "You'll Never Find Another Live Like Mine" (#2, gold). He would later move back to jazz and continue to release albums through 2003. He passed away in 2006.
ReduxReview: This is a pleasant enough song in that R&B/AC vein that Rawls did so well. It has the Gamble/Huff pedigree (the famous Philly-soul writing team Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff), but it is not one of their stronger songs.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: After a stint in the army, Rawls went out on tour with Sam Cooke and the Pilgrim Travelers in 1958. A truck that he was in with Cooke got into an accident. One person was killed and Cooke escaped with minor injuries. Rawls was actually pronounced dead at the scene, but ended up at the hospital in a coma for five days. He fully recovered but it took a year for him to do so.
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Date: 04/26/1980
Debut: 88
Peak: 77
Weeks: 3
Genre: R&B, Adult Contemporary
Pop Bits: The man who Frank Sinatra said had "the silkiest chops in the singing game," put songs on the pop and R&B charts for almost two decades beginning in 1965. Rawls initially worked in gospel vocal groups but broke out on his own in 1962 with the jazz album "Stormy Monday." For the next several albums he would do albums that incorporated jazz, R&B, gospel, and big band. In performance, he would captivate audiences with his songs and with story monologues. This was all captured in his breakthrough album "Live!" in 1965. The same year he recorded his first fully R&B album called "Soulin'" that spawned the hit single "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing." (#13 pop/#1 R&B). He would continue to do R&B records and eventually win three Grammys for Best R&B Performance. His biggest pop hit came in 1976 with the great "You'll Never Find Another Live Like Mine" (#2, gold). He would later move back to jazz and continue to release albums through 2003. He passed away in 2006.
ReduxReview: This is a pleasant enough song in that R&B/AC vein that Rawls did so well. It has the Gamble/Huff pedigree (the famous Philly-soul writing team Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff), but it is not one of their stronger songs.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: After a stint in the army, Rawls went out on tour with Sam Cooke and the Pilgrim Travelers in 1958. A truck that he was in with Cooke got into an accident. One person was killed and Cooke escaped with minor injuries. Rawls was actually pronounced dead at the scene, but ended up at the hospital in a coma for five days. He fully recovered but it took a year for him to do so.
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