Various Artists - Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 9 (1990)

Volume 9 (of 25) and we're only in 1972. More specifically, in this volume we get singles that peaked on the charts between August 1972 and May 1973. Before hearing this disc, I was only familiar with 4 of the 12 tunes.

Tracks:

• Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) - Looking Glass: Peaked at #1 in August 1972.
  Poor Brandy. The love of her life picked the sea over her love. That's gotta hurt. A remarkably catchy, peppy song for such a sad sentiment. Useless Fanilow trivia: Barry Manilow's 1974 hit Mandy was originally titled Brandy but Manilow changed it following the success of this Looking Glass single, so as not to get the two songs confused.
• Beautiful Sunday - Daniel Boone: Peaked at #15 in September 1972.
  Sounds like the Partridge Family meet Stealers Wheel. I can't believe it made it to #15.
• Rock And Roll Part 2 - Gary Glitter: Peaked at #7 in September 1972.
  If you've been to a sporting event in the last 2 decades, you've heard this song although many teams won't play it since Glitter was convicting of being a perv back in 1999. Now I can't hear it without thinking of this Starbucks commercial. I'm not a fan of Starbucks coffee, but I'd love to have my own cheering section and a mascot that would do the worm.
• Speak To The Sky - Rick Springfield. Peaked at #14 in October 1972.
  THAT Rick Springfield. With a banjo and tuba, no less. Sort of a cross between Spirit In The Sky and I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing. I can't really describe it, but I don't much care for it.
• Popcorn - Hot Butter. Peaked at #9 in October 1972.
  This one I remember. It's almost hypnotic in its simplicity which must have caught my attention as a 6 year old. A "before its time" synth-disco tune, it now sounds like early video game music. While it's a trip down memory lane, I won't be taking that trip again anytime soon.
• I'd Love You To Want Me - Lobo. Peaked at #2 in November 1972.
  I loves me some '70s soft rock, but this one? Not so much. Still, you should watch the video just to see his hair.
• I Believe In Music - Gallery. Peaked at #22 in November 1972.
  A cover of a Mac Davis tune. I remember Mac's version, but not this one. According to the liner notes, Davis objected to Gallery's changing his pop-spiritual line "God loves it when you sing" to the deliberately ambiguous "Tell me what you see."
• American City Suite - Cashman & West: Peaked at #27 in November 1972.
  A strange cross between Jimmy Webb and The Lovin' Spoonful. At 7:42, it was definitely a lengthy, although daring conceptual single. The ending ballad is actual quite nice.
• Thunder And Lightning - Chi Coltrane: Peaked at #17 in November 1972.
  Never heard it before, but its one of the better tunes on the disc. A piano-driven rock tune for Coltrane, who turned out to be a one-hit wonder in spite of her powerful voice.
• Something's Wrong With Me - Austin Roberts: Peaked at #12 in December 1972.
  You're asking for trouble with that title, but this isn't a bad soft rock ballad in the style of Bread. You can also hear some strong similarities in the chorus with Barry Manilow's I Write The Songs. If this had happened now instead of in the '70s, there would have been a plagiarism lawsuit.
• Clair - Gilbert O'Sullivan: Peaked at #2 in December 1972.
  In which Gilbert O'Sullivan does his best Paul McCartney imitation. He's only marginally successful.
• Frankenstein - The Edgar Winter Group: Peaked at #1 in May 1973.
  This song always freaked me out with its wild synths, heavy groove, drum solos, and horror novel title. And where the hell were the lyrics?!? Add to that the fact that Edgar Winter was the first albino I had ever seen, and that whole thing messed with my young mind. I kinda dig the song now, especially the horn section that sounds like it was lifted from the Average White Band.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Volume 1
Volume 18
Volume 19
Volume 21