Disc 24 of 25. This volume of the series contains singles that peaked on the charts in April 1976 - July 1979, the largest time span I've found in this series. Many of these tunes have a connection to acting/TV shows/movies. Once again, some critics didn't like this volume (Allmusic states that "this music is best aired only after one is duly ensconced on the sectional with white wine and bonbons in hand"), but I like the majority of tunes here and I'm currently sober. There aren't any classics here, but it's still a nice time capsule.
Tracks:
- Hey Deanie - Shaun Cassidy (#7 in January 1978)
Completely formulaic: member of a famous musical family sings an Eric Carmen tune to capitalize on his popularity as a TV show teen idol. Pretty much the same formula Disney uses these days. However, this is a pretty good song and Cassidy doesn't have AutoTune to clean up his vocals. I'll be right back - I'm going to ask my wife if she had a Shaun Cassidy poster on her walls when she was a pre-teen. Her response: "Of course!" - Heaven On The 7th Floor - Paul Nicholas (#6 in November 1977)
And now I'm dancing thanks to this little slice of disco heaven. You may remember Nicholas as Dougie Shears in the film version of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band. Or not. - Thank You For Being A Friend - Andrew Gold (#25 in April 1978)
Long before TV's The Golden Girls copped it for its theme, I enjoyed this one on the AM radio. It's cheesy soft rock (right up my alley), but for me the highlight is the spacey bridge. - Makin' It - David Naughton (#5 in July 1979)
This TV show theme, sung by the show's lead, is the true gem of this volume. I've always liked this song and it doesn't appear on any disco compilations I own. I even watched the 8 or 9 episodes of the TV show. Curiously, this song lasted longer in the Top 40 than the program was on the air. - The King is Gone - Ronnie McDowell (#13 in October 1977)
Shamelessly capitalizing on the death of Elvis, this song is better off forgotten. - Save Your Kisses For Me - Brotherhood of Man (#27 in July 1976)
This song bears more than a passing resemblance to Tie A Yellow Ribbon. Late '60s bubblegum pop released about ten years late. For those of you that keep up with such things, this song won the Eurovision contest in 1976. - Feel So Good - Chuck Mangione (#4 in June 1978)
Love it. This song is most likely responsible for opening the door and exposing me to other music genres - Mangione as a gateway drug that eventually led to Miles Davis. It was a long, strange trip. More on this song (including lyrics!) here. - Emotion - Samantha Sang (#3 in March 1978)
Basically a BeeGees song featuring Sang. Featuring a hushed vocal, Sang rode the BeeGees' coattails as far as she could. And who could blame her? If I had the opportunity to record it back then, I'd woulda done the same thing. It's a great song; Barry Gibb simply couldn't miss back then. - Love Fire - Jigsaw (#30 in April 1976)
Pleasant, but ultimately forgettable follow-up to the group's far superior Sky High. - Everybody Be Dancin' - Starbuck (#38 in May 1977)
When I first heard this without knowing the artist, I thought, "hey, that sound's like somebody playing Moonlight Feels Right at a faster tempo." Turns out I was right. But like I always say: ain't nothing wrong with stealing from yourself. I like this, but would rather hear Moonlight Feels Right. - Did You Boogie (With Your Baby) - Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids (#29 in October 1976)
First of all, that is a fantastic band name. Complete with a Wolfman Jack cameo, this is an okay attempt to ride the '50s nostalgia wave of the 1970s (Grease/American Graffiti/Happy Days). This Beach Boys knock-off was a big hit with me, however, because I was hitting puberty around the time of its popularity and all I could think about was boogie-ing with my baby in the back row of the picture show. - Street Corner Serenade - Wet Willie (#30 in February 1978)
I always liked this southern-tinged homage to Brill Building songs of the early '60s, particularly the sax solo, guitar picking, and the (almost) a capella breakdown.
Previously revisited for the blog:
| Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 5 |
| Volume 6 | Volume 7 | Volume 8 | Volume 9 |
| Volume 11 | Volume 12 | Volume 14 | Volume 15 |
| Volume 16 | Volume 17 | Volume 18 | Volume 19 |
| Volume 21 | Volume 22 | Volume 25 |
I too was a Makin' It fan (the song which I owned the 45 of and the show). Naughton, of course, is most famous for his Dr. Pepper commercials in the 70's.
ReplyDeleteI have always liked Sang and the song Emotion. Anything the Bee Gees touched was gold for me back in the day.
This is one of my favorite volumes of the series not for its consistency but for having some of my favorite songs of all time. Shaun Cassidy, Samantha Sang, Chuck Mangione and the two biggies - Paul Nicholas and David Naughton, who for me will always be known as An American Werewolf In London and I'm a lifelong Pepper.
ReplyDeleteWhile "Makin' It" is somewhat common (I have it on 12" and 4 CD compilations), "Heaven On The 7th Floor" is a rarity - I have the 45 and two of the three compilations listed on allmusic.
Both songs appeal to me in so many ways. They are positive, upbeat, infectious, danceable, easy to sing along with and irresistible. Very few songs occupy this level in my mind.
Thnaks, Mark.