Song#: 0072
Date: 03/01/1980
Debut: 85
Peak: 36
Weeks: 11
Genre: Pop, Soft Rock
Pop Bits: Felix Cavaliere is one of those names I see and think - I've never heard of this guy before. But then I find out I have, and most likely you have too. Cavaliere was in The Rascals and sang lead on hit songs like "Groovin'," "Good Lovin'," and "A Beautiful Morning." He was also a co-writer on most of their tracks as well. After The Rascals called it a day in 1972, Cavaliere started a solo career and in 1974 came out with his self-titled debut produced by Todd Rundgren. The album and its follow-up didn't make any waves, but he did finally reach the Top 40 with this single from his third album "Castles In the Air." He still tours as of this date as "Felix Cavaliere's Rascals."
ReduxReview: I've heard the song (I have it on a compilation) but had no idea who Cavaliere was. It is really interesting to find the history of artists like this that were able to put something on the chart. The song is a nice enough AC fare, but a bit bland. However, I hadn't heard the song in a long while and I instantly recognized it, so I guess that is good.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: In addition to being a songwriter/performer, Cavaliere also produced albums by other artists including Laura Nyro. He co-produced her "Christmas and the Beads of Sweat" album with Arif Mardin.
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Saturday, October 6, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
"I Can't Tell You Why" by Eagles
Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 0071 Date: 02/23/1980
Debut: 60
Peak: 8
Weeks: 16
Genre: Rock, Soft Rock
Pop Bits: For a band whose album Greatest Hits (1971-1975) fights back and forth with Michael Jackson's Thriller for the title of all-time best selling album in the US, the Eagles prime period did not last that long nor did they did not have an extensive catalog - 8 years, 6 studio album. But they cemented a major music legacy that still sells albums and gets radio airplay today. Their album The Long Run was their final studio album before they went on a 14-years "hiatus" (they practically broke up on stage at an infamous concert in 1980). This song was the last single released from the album and their last Top 10 hit. They would reunite in 1994 with a successful album and tour, but it would never be the same as their prime 70s days.
ReduxReview: Never was an Eagles fan and no intentions on being one. I've never had a connection with their music at all. I'm very familiar with all their hits and also the Hotel California album, but that Southern California country-rock was a flavor I just could not develop a taste for. I don't consider their music bad in anyway, it's just that I don't really care for it. I actually prefer when they did solo stuff after the breakup. Each one (especially Don Henley) offered up some quality tunes that, for the most part, weren't Eagle-ish at all. This song was one of their better offerings and it featured the vocals of their newest member.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Here's a good All About Eve story in rock. Randy Meisner was originally in the group Poco. He left that group and was replace by Timothy B. Schmit. Meisner went on to be a co-founder of the Eagles and when he left that band in 1977, guess who replace him? Yup - Timothy B. Schmit. Unfortunately, Schmit joined them for The Long Run and it would another 14 years before they recorded again.
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"Fire Lake" by Bob Seger
Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 0070 Date: 02/23/1980
Debut: 65
Peak: 6
Weeks: 16
Genre: Rock
Pop Bits: Beginning in the late 60s, Seger was a big deal in his home state of Michigan. He could pack Cobo Arena and the Silverdome, but then head to another major city and draw only minor crowds. It took until 1976 and his album Night Moves to finally break nationally. Then in 1980 he released Against the Wind and it became his first and only #1 album - and the one that knocked Pink Floyd's The Wall off the top spot. The lead single was "Fire Lake" and it was his third Top 10 hit.
ReduxReview: Here's another artist I didn't care for until much later. This style of country-rock bar, driving a motorcycle (or horse) music was not my thing but it has grown on me over the years and I appreciate his songwriting skill and jams like "Hollywood Nights." There are times I get in a Seger mood and pop on his hits disc and I'm all about it. However, on the scale of favorite Seger songs "Fire Lake" is not among the best for me. It's got that heavy 1-2 country stomp feel that practically forces your head to move right, left, right, left, rinse and repeat - a lot. Bleh. I call these "dum-dum" songs because the bass heavily plods like dum...dum...dum...dut-dut-dum. When you hear it, you'll know what I mean.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Seger graduated from Ann Arbor High School (now Pioneer High School) in 1963. Later he met future Eagle Glenn Frey and the two worked together in the early years and continued to do so after both were successful. In fact, three of the Eagles do the backing vocals on "Fire Lake."
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Thursday, October 4, 2012
"Pilot of the Airwaves" by Charlie Dore
Song#: 0069
Date: 02/23/1980
Debut: 74
Peak: 13
Weeks: 17
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: The UK's Charlie Dore studied acting and had been performing in theater before being asked to help out on a weekly music gig. More musicians got involved and soon a formal band called Hula Valley was formed mainly playing bluegrass and western songs. The band went through some name and personnel changes as they hit the club circuit and soon Dore was writing or co-writing originals for the band. Island Records came calling and signed her as a solo act. They shipped her off to Nashville where her debut "Where to Now" was recorded. Dore wrote (or co-wrote) all the songs including this lead single which became a US hit. Her follow-up album "Listen" came out two years later (with Toto as her backing band), but it didn't get much attention. She returned to acting and appeared on several TV shows in the UK and co-starred in the 1983 film "The Ploughman's Lunch." She did return in later years to recording albums with the last being released in 2011. "Pilot..." remains her only song to hit the chart. Not a one-hit wonder by my definition, but very close!
ReduxReview: This one was a surprise. Never heard the song and never heard of her, which seems odd since it did just miss the Top 10. She's not a vocal powerhouse, but she does know how to write a song and I like this one. Now maybe if the Starland Vocal Band had gotten a-hold of this, their post-"Afternoon Delight" might have lasted a bit longer!
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) Although she didn't do much recording herself, she wrote/co-wrote songs for other artist such as "Strut" by Sheena Easton and songs done by Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Lisa Stansfield, and Barry Manilow. 2) For her second album, Dore recorded the song "You Should Hear." A year later, the title would get expanded and become a huge hit for Melissa Manchester - "You Should Hear How She Talks About You."
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Date: 02/23/1980
Debut: 74
Peak: 13
Weeks: 17
Genre: Pop
Pop Bits: The UK's Charlie Dore studied acting and had been performing in theater before being asked to help out on a weekly music gig. More musicians got involved and soon a formal band called Hula Valley was formed mainly playing bluegrass and western songs. The band went through some name and personnel changes as they hit the club circuit and soon Dore was writing or co-writing originals for the band. Island Records came calling and signed her as a solo act. They shipped her off to Nashville where her debut "Where to Now" was recorded. Dore wrote (or co-wrote) all the songs including this lead single which became a US hit. Her follow-up album "Listen" came out two years later (with Toto as her backing band), but it didn't get much attention. She returned to acting and appeared on several TV shows in the UK and co-starred in the 1983 film "The Ploughman's Lunch." She did return in later years to recording albums with the last being released in 2011. "Pilot..." remains her only song to hit the chart. Not a one-hit wonder by my definition, but very close!
ReduxReview: This one was a surprise. Never heard the song and never heard of her, which seems odd since it did just miss the Top 10. She's not a vocal powerhouse, but she does know how to write a song and I like this one. Now maybe if the Starland Vocal Band had gotten a-hold of this, their post-"Afternoon Delight" might have lasted a bit longer!
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) Although she didn't do much recording herself, she wrote/co-wrote songs for other artist such as "Strut" by Sheena Easton and songs done by Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Lisa Stansfield, and Barry Manilow. 2) For her second album, Dore recorded the song "You Should Hear." A year later, the title would get expanded and become a huge hit for Melissa Manchester - "You Should Hear How She Talks About You."
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"Set Me Free" by Utopia
Song#: 0068
Date: 02/23/1980
Debut: 76
Peak: 27
Weeks: 12
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: Yet another example of a group that pretty much set aside their original musical direction and headed towards the mainstream. Utopia was formed as an experimental prog rock band born out an itch Todd Rundgren had after the success of his pop/rock opus "Something/Anything?." Their first album was a four-track instrumental that was light-years away from any of his pop tunes. But by the time Utopia's third album came out the sound had shifted to a more straight-ahead rock sound. The 14-minute experiments were replaced by 3-minute radio-friendly rock. As a result, their fourth (and best selling) album, "Adventures in Utopia," produced this chart song.
ReduxReview: This is Billy Joel, right? It's not? Hmm. Could have sworn this was Billy Joel.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Rundgren wrote the song "Love Is the Answer" for Utopia's 1977 album "Oops! Wrong Planet." It was released as a single but didn't chart. In 1979, England Dan & John Ford Coley covered the song and took it to #10.
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Date: 02/23/1980
Debut: 76
Peak: 27
Weeks: 12
Genre: Pop, Rock
Pop Bits: Yet another example of a group that pretty much set aside their original musical direction and headed towards the mainstream. Utopia was formed as an experimental prog rock band born out an itch Todd Rundgren had after the success of his pop/rock opus "Something/Anything?." Their first album was a four-track instrumental that was light-years away from any of his pop tunes. But by the time Utopia's third album came out the sound had shifted to a more straight-ahead rock sound. The 14-minute experiments were replaced by 3-minute radio-friendly rock. As a result, their fourth (and best selling) album, "Adventures in Utopia," produced this chart song.
ReduxReview: This is Billy Joel, right? It's not? Hmm. Could have sworn this was Billy Joel.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Rundgren wrote the song "Love Is the Answer" for Utopia's 1977 album "Oops! Wrong Planet." It was released as a single but didn't chart. In 1979, England Dan & John Ford Coley covered the song and took it to #10.
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