Disc 5 of 25. Volume 5 contains singles that peaked on the charts in January - August 1971. Even though I was 4 years old when most of these hit the charts, I remember almost all of them. This disc is one of the stronger releases from the first half of this series.
Tracks:
- Chick-A-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It) - Daddy Dewdrop (#9 in May 1971)
Novelty tune written for the Filmation cartoon series Sabrina and the Groovie Goolies. A song about sex written for the Saturday morning cereal crowd? No, I don't jes' love it (too easy?). - Me And You And A Dog Named Boo - Lobo (#5 in May 1971)
This was a childhood favorite because of the catchy singalong chorus. As a middle aged man, I don't love it, but it wouldn't make me change the radio station. - Here Comes The Sun - Richie Havens (#16 in May 1971)
I dig this folky cover. It's not as good as the original, but I like the energy here. - Superstar - Murray Head (#14 in May 1971)
This show tune was much better than most of the stuff I was being force fed at church back in the '70s (I was a PK so I was force fed quite a bit). Today the funky bass line is popping out at me. Makes me want to watch an old episode of The Superstars on ABC, a '70s Sunday afternoon classic. - When You're Hot, You're Hot - Jerry Reed (#9 in June 1971)
I loved this novelty record and would go around the house singing it like I was guest starring on a TV variety show - hairbrush microphone, cheesy choreography, imagined backup singers, the whole nine yards. The novelty has worn very thin, and the lyrics aren't very PC these days, but that chorus is as catchy as ever . - Don't Pull Your Love - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (#4 in July 1971)
This song previously appeared on the blog on this CD. Here's what I said about it then: "even though I generally stay away from country, this country-rock song brings back good memories of growing up in the Chihuahuan Desert." - Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian) - Raiders (#1 in July 1971)
Coincidentally, this song also follows Don't Pull Your Love on the same CD mentioned above. Here's what I wrote about Indian Reservation in that post: "While lyrics tell the sad story about the Trail of Tears, the music is hokey." I didn't know until today that it's a cover of a tune originally recorded in 1959. - Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again - The Fortunes (#15 in July 1971)
A fantastic pop song with hook-filled verses and chorus over meticulously crafted orchestration and vocal harmonies. Sounds as good today as it did back in '71. - Get It On - Chase (#22 in July 1971)
I wasn't introduced to Chase until the mid-'80s, but I liked 'em as soon as I heard 'em. In the same vein as Blood Sweat & Tears or The Ides Of March, it's all about the trumpet, baby. - Draggin' The Line - Tommy James (#4 in August 1971)
This lazy, psychedelic shuffle is perfectly titled. My favorite part is the bass voice on the call-and-response of the chorus, just as it was my favorite part over 40 years ago. Imagine a 5 year old trying to sing a bass part and that's what this song sounded like around our house. - Games - Redeye (#27 in January 1971)
Easily the worst track on this compilation, this sounds like CSN&Y getting wasted and trying to cover CCR's Born On The Bayou (which, for all I know, they might have attempted once or twice). - Burning Bridges - The Mike Curb Congregation (#34 in February 1971)
Composed for the 1970 war comedy movie Kelly's Heroes by soundtrack composer Lalo Schifrin (Mission Impossible). I'll pass.
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Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Other than the hairbrush thing, nothing comes to mind.
Previously revisited for the blog:
This is probably my favorite volume of the Have a Nice Day series, partly because it includes several records I bought on 45s in my first flush of music and radio infatuation. I heard the Richie Havens "Here Comes the Sun" before I knew the one by the Beatles, and it was years before I heard it as a Beatles song and not "that Richie Havens tune."
ReplyDeleteNo Spotify playlist? Have to go pull up the songs on my own while I read. The serivce on this blog has really gone downhill since you opened up that other blog.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, we are polar opposites as the songs I love on this one are the songs you seem to dislike (tracks 1 and 7). We are in agreement on tracks 5, 6, 8 and 10 however. Did you honestly think "Chick A Boom" had anything to do with sex when you were growing up and hearing it for the first time?
Have fond memories of Groovie Goolies so I acquired the series and sat down to watch it the other day and shut it off after 5 minutes. The show has not held up well at all. Comes off as mean-spirited and unfunny. Had to watch a solid 3 hours of the original Scooby-Doo to wash it from my memory. Now there's a show that holds up. I watch it often with a certain two-year old and he laughs then gets scared ("Monster!") and then laughs some more.
Sorry, Mr. Bartlett, sir, but my singles buying days were still some three years away. Back in 1971, I was still in what you might call my paste-eating, orange slice hating and nap-taking phase, like the other five year olds I hung around with in Dover, Delaware. (Still like to take naps though.)
I am down for naps too. Where do I sign up?
ReplyDeleteI too remember watching the Groovie Goolies every Saturday. I have not seen it in ages so I am not sure I can sit through them again as an adult. The nostalgia factor might hold me for awhile.
I do agree that this was one of the more solid disks in the collection. Like Mark, by 1971 I was aware of radio and TV variety shows a lot more so many of these songs were familiar.