Since September 2010, this blog has recorded the journey of this music junkie as I attempt to listen to all the music in my CD collection. CDs revisited in their entirety from start to finish - no skipping tracks, no shuffle. Compact Discs only - no vinyl, no tapes, no files.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Various Artists - Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 8 (1990)


Disc 8 of 25. This disc contains singles that peaked on the charts in the spring and summer of 1972, but other than time of release, these tunes have little in common with each other; I love the variety. I was only familiar with about half of these tracks before buying this CD, but it's got a few keepers.

Tracks:
  • Run Run Run - Jo Jo Gunne (#27 in May 1972)
    I don't remember this one, but it's a good boogie shuffle with a nice guitar solo and a memorable melody with very few lyrics, 3 couplets at most.
  • Hot Rod Lincoln - Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen (#9 in June 1972)
    A fun rockabilly story cover. It's another I don't remember, but I'll add to the archives.
  • We've Got To Get It On Again - The Addrisi Brothers (#25 in March 1972)
    This one's kind of bland. Either I've never heard it before or it is literally not memorable.
  • Sylvia's Mother - Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show (#5 in June 1972)
    I'm normally a fan of Dr. Hook and a fan of writer Shel Silverstein, but this isn't my bag. Heartbreaking.
  • Nice To Be With You - Gallery (#4 in June 1972)
    The group was smart enough to start this country pop song with the song's catchy chorus instead of a verse.
  • How Do You Do? - Mouth & MacNeal (#8 in July 1972)
    This sophomoric ditty could be the worse track on the compilation. The verse and chorus don't sound like they belong together at all. Is that a Sousaphone splatting out the bass line?
  • In A Broken Dream - Python Lee Jackson (#56 in July 1972)
    With vocals by Rod Stewart. A blatant rip-off of While My Guitar Gently Weeps, it's not a bad song, but the guitar tone grates to the point that I want to hit the skip button.
  • Day By Day - Godspell (#13 in July 1972)
    As a preacher's kid, I've sung this song more times than I care to remember. However, it's a great song and I still can't resist. Yeah, I sang along with it just now and if I had a tambourine handy, I'd be playing that, too.
  • Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan (#1 in July 1972)
    This compilation series doesn't feature many chart-toppers, but I'm glad they included this one. McCartney-eque soft rock, right in my wheelhouse. A feel-good song about suicide - try wrapping your head around that dichotomy. Fortunately, I didn't pick up on the cynical lyrics when I was 6 years old.
  • Hold Your Head Up - Argent (#5 in August 1972)
    As a young lad, I didn't like hard rock, but I made an exception for this song. Still popular on classic rock stations, even its inclusion in recent Scottrade ads hasn't ruined it for me.
  • The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr. (#1 in June 1972)
    This song makes me incredibly happy. That is all.
  • Motorcycle Mama - Sailcat (#12 in August 1972)
    I can't decide if this is a novelty song or not. Either way, not my thing.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. Hard to believe I've never been in a production of Godspell.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Volume 1Volume 2Volume 3Volume 6
Volume 9Volume 11 Volume 12 Volume 14
Volume 15Volume 16Volume 17Volume 18
Volume 19   Volume 21   Volume 22   Volume 25
  

1 comment:

  1. Sorry you don't like "How Do You Do" na-na, na-na - for me, it is a prime example of nonsensical, non-novelty early Seventies pop gold.

    I'd put "Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)" in that same box - you liked Tracey Ullman's cover (which sounds GLEE-ish to me) but have yet to review Super Hits Of The '70s Vol. 13 which has the Reunion original.

    Other songs that fit the bill:
    Nilsson's "Coconut"
    Tommy James' "Draggin' The Line"
    Paper Lace's "The Night Chcago Died"

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