Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues (1983)
Friday, June 30, 2017
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
CD Longbox #23
Ready for the World (1985)
Exclusive photo courtesy of Dirk Digglinator of the Hambonian Archives.
For more information on the brief life of the CD longbox, go visit The Legend of the Longbox.
For more information on the brief life of the CD longbox, go visit The Legend of the Longbox.
Monday, June 26, 2017
Vintage Music Pinbacks #10
Tenth in a series.
Buttons, badges, pinbacks - whatever you call 'em, I've got a shoebox full. Here's a few of my vintage music pinbacks from the '70s and '80s:
- 1.5" Billy Idol, 1984
- 1" Joy Division, ca. 1979
- 1" Adam and the Ants, ca. 1981
- 1.25" Big Country, The Crossing, 1983
- 1.25" The Jam, The Gift, 1982
- 1.25" Ultravox, Quartet, 1982
- 1.25" Roxy Music, Stranded, 1973*
- 1.25" The Noise, ca. 1979
*1973 isn't in My Favorite Decade, but I wore this pinback plenty in the early '80s for obvious reasons. I believe it was a gift from my buddy Jim.
Friday, June 23, 2017
Pop Quiz: American Top 40, July 5, 1980 - "The Book of Records" (Pt. 4 of 4)
We're looking at the AT40 episode from July 5, 1980 which was titled "Book of Records." I'll let Casey introduce this episode:
On AT40 this week, the name of the game is superlatives. From "The Book of Records," we've got the biggest, the smallest, the longest, the shortest, and some categories in-between.So revert back to a 1980 mindset and see if you can guess which artist or song held the following records in July 1980. I've included the years of the recordings as hints. Answers below.
Hour Four:
a) Biggest selling album in history (1977)
b) Highest debuting single in the rock era (1970)
c) Biggest hit by a foreign act/biggest instrumental single of the rock era (1955)
d) Most consecutive #1 hits on any chart (1967-72)
e) The longest held musical note sung in a Top 40 hit in the rock era (1979)
f) #1 hit that "cannot possibly be performed live" (1958)
g) Artist with the most Top 40 hits without ever reaching #1 on the pop charts
h) Biggest hit in country chart history (1950)
i) Most successful American group in chart history
j) Biggest hit in soul chart history (1951)
k) Act with the most consecutive weeks with at least one song in the Top 40
l) Only record to hit #1 simultaneously on the pop, country, and soul chart (1956)
m) The biggest chart single in history (1943)
Hour Four:
a) Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (Casey plays "Stayin' Alive")
b) "Let It Be" by The Beatles (debuted on the Hot 100 at #6)
c) "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" by Perez Prado
d) Sonny James (16 straight #1 country hits, Casey plays "Young Love")
e) "Dim All the Lights" by Donna Summer (note held 16 seconds)
f) "The Chipmunk Song" by The Chipmunks
g) James Brown (43 Top 40 hits without a #1. Casey plays "I Got You")
h) "I'm Movin' On" by Hank Snow (#1 for 21 weeks)
i) The Supremes (Twelve #1 songs. Casey plays "Baby Love")
j) "Sixty Minute Man" by The Dominoes
k) Pat Boone (23 songs over 169 consecutive weeks. Casey plays "Love Letters in the Sand")
l) "Don't Be Cruel" b/w "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley (Casey plays both)
m) "Paper Doll" by The Mills Brothers (30 weeks in the Top 10, 12 at #1. During the backsell, Casey qualifies this record with by saying "Not counting Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' with its multiple chart appearances every holiday season..." so either answer could be considered correct.)
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Pop Quiz: American Top 40, July 5, 1980 - "The Book of Records" (Pt. 3 of 4)
We're looking at the AT40 episode from July 5, 1980 which was titled "Book of Records." I'll let Casey introduce this episode:
A simmering stew of superlatives fit to satisfy the appetites of the most jaded trivia buff. And those who just plain love pop music.So revert back to a 1980 mindset and see if you can guess which artist or song held the following records in July 1980. I've included the years of the recordings as hints. Answers below.
Hour Three:
a) Excluding movie soundtracks, the biggest album of the rock era (1977)
b) Biggest spoken word hit in chart history (1961)
c) Most expensive #1 single ever produced (1966)
d) Song that has won the most Grammy awards (1970)
e) Most charted versions of one song
f) Longest continuous chart run of a single (1977-8)
g) Most weeks in the Top 10 without ever hitting #1 (1956)
h) Biggest movie hit of the rock era/Biggest hit in a single chart run by any solo singer the rock era (1977)
i) Biggest hit in a single chart run by a male solo singer the rock era (1956)
j) Duo with the most #1 hits
k) Female solo singer with the most #1 hits
l) Male solo singer with the most #1 hits
m) Most #1 hits
Hour Three:
a) Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (Casey plays "Don't Stop")
b) "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean
c) "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys (reportedly $50,000 to produce)
d) "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel (Casey claims that the song won 6 Grammy awards, but it only won 4: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Arrangement, and Best Contemporary Song. However, the album of the same name won two more, Album of the Year & Best Engineering, so Casey rolls those in with the other four.)
e) "Mack the Knife" (eight versions hit the Top 40 1956-1960; Casey plays Bobby Darin's #1 version from 1959)
f) "I Go Crazy" by Paul Davis (40 consecutive weeks)
g) "So Rare" by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra (17 weeks in the Top 10)
h) "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone (not on the movie soundtrack, but Casey don't nitpick)
i) "Singing the Blues" by Guy Mitchell
j) The Everly Brothers (Four #1 hits. Casey plays "Wake Up Little Susie")
k) Diana Ross (Four #1 hits. Casey plays "Ain't No Mountain High Enough")
l) Elvis Presley (Eighteen #1 hits. Casey plays "Heartbreak Hotel")
m) The Beatles (Twenty #1 hits. Casey plays "I Feel Fine")
Coming soon: Pop quiz from the fourth and final hour of this episode.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Pop Quiz: American Top 40, July 5, 1980 - "The Book of Records" (Pt. 2 of 4)
We're looking at the AT40 episode from July 5, 1980 which was titled "Book of Records." I'll let Casey introduce this episode:
What we're doing is hearing the leading songs in practically all of the main categories in chart achievement, all together in one huge bouquet of super hits.So revert back to a 1980 mindset and see if you can guess which artist or song held the following records in July 1980. I've included the years of the recordings as hints. Answers below.
Hour Two:
a) The biggest medley in chart history (1969)
b) The #1 song with the fewest lyrics (1958)
c) Biggest remake ever of a prior #1 song (1971)
d) Fastest jump to #1 (tie) (1958 & 1964)
e) Longest playing #1 record (1972)
f) Biggest pop religious/spiritual hit of all time (1970)
g) Recording that waited the longest to hit the chart (1975)
h) The slowest rising #1 in chart history (tie) (1978 & 1979)
i) Biggest posthumous hit for a male singer (1968)
j) Biggest hit in a foreign language (1958)
k) Biggest posthumous hit for a female singer (1971)
l) Artist that waited the longest time after his chart debut to hit #1 (1978) Bonus: name the song that hit #1 (hint: it's a duet)
Hour Two:
a) "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by The 5th Dimension
b) "Tequila" by The Champs (One word lyric)
c) "Go Away Little Girl" by Donny Osmond (#1 in 1963 by Steve Lawrence)
d) "Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley and "Can't Buy Me Love" by The Beatles (both hit #1 in their second week on the chart)
e) "American Pie" by Don McLean (Casey claims it is 8:22 long, the album label claims 8:27)
f) "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison
g) "Shaving Cream" by Paul Wynn/Benny Bell (originally recorded 1946)
h) "Hot Child in the City" by Nick Gilder and "Sad Eyes" by Robert John (each took 29 weeks to reach #1)
i) "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding
j) "Nel blu dipinto di blu" (popularly known as "Volare") by Domenico Modugno
k) "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin
l) "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams (Mathis finally hit #1 21 years after his chart debut)
Coming soon: Pop quiz from the third hour of this episode.
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Pop Quiz: American Top 40, July 5, 1980 - "The Book of Records" (Pt. 1 of 4)
I saw a few weeks back that Justin Bieber had surpassed The Beatles in some category on the Billboard charts. I wasn't much interested because comparing Billboard today to Billboard in 1980 is an archaic exercise in futility. Anyway, I was reminded of the AT40 episode from July 5, 1980 which dealt with such records. I'll let Casey introduce this episode:
This week, we're doing the most unusual, special show we've ever done. To begin with, it's not a countdown - it doesn't make sense to rank the biggest, the highest, the first, and so on, from different chart categories. And this is the first time we've ever spotlighted the top artist or record from the various categories of chart achievement and brought them all together in one super special show.So revert back to a 1980 mindset and see if you can guess which artist or song held the following records in July 1980. I've included the years of the recordings as hints. Answers below.
The songs that have set the marks: hits from the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies, and even one from the Forties. They're all here in the American Top 40 "Book of Records"!
Hour One:
a) The biggest chart hit of the rock era (1960, 1962)
b) Biggest "disappearing act" a.k.a. "one-hit wonder" of all-time (1969)
c) Oldest melody ever to hit #1 (1976)
d) Oldest melody to ever hit the Top 40 (1972)
e) The oldest male solo singer to ever hit #1 (1964)
f) The oldest lyric ever to hit #1 (1965)
g) Youngest female solo singer to ever hit the Top 40 (1959)
h) Youngest female solo singer to ever hit #1 (1963)
i) Youngest male singer to ever hit the Top 40 (1955)
j) Youngest male singer to ever hit #1 in the "Rock Era" (which started in 1955) (1963)
k) Biggest protest song (1965)
l) Shortest playing single to hit #1 (1969)
m) Top 40 hit with the most singers on it (1959)
n) Only act to occupy the top 5 spots on the singles chart simultaneously (1964) Bonus: name the five singles
o) Song containing the most often repeated word or phrase in a Top 10 hit (1971)
p) Most successful family act in chart history
Hour One:
a) "The Twist" by Chubby Checker (also the only record in chart history to have hit #1 twice)
b) "In the Year 2525" by Zager & Evans
c) "A Fifth of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band
d) "Amazing Grace" by Judy Collins
e) "Hello Dolly" by Louis Armstrong (age 64)
f) "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds (I call shenanigans on this one as the lyrics were adapted from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 making the lyrics an interpretation of a transliteration of the original Hebrew writings. It's a nice tune, though.)
g) "Pink Shoelaces" by Dodie Stevens (age 12)
h) "I Will Follow Him" by Peggy March (age 15)
i) "Nuttin' for Christmas" by Barry Gordon (age 6)
j) "Fingertips Pt. 2" by Stevie Wonder (age 13)
k) "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire
l) "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs (Casey claims it's 89 seconds, other sources indicate 96 seconds, the label indicates 1:50.)
m) "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir (375 voices)
n)
o) "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers ("I know" repeated 26 times)
p) The Bee Gees (Casey plays "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" from 1971)
Coming soon: Pop quiz from hour two of this episode
Friday, June 16, 2017
Vintage Music Pinbacks #9
Ninth in a series.
Buttons, badges, pinbacks - whatever you call 'em, I've got a shoebox full. Here's a few of my vintage music pinbacks from the '70s and '80s:
- 1.125" Men at Work, Cargo, 1983
- 1.25" Duran Duran, ca. 1982
- 1" Buzzcocks ca. 1979
- 1.25" Foreigner, ca. 1982
- 1" Bauhaus, "Spirit" 1982
- 1.75" Nick Heyward, North of a Miracle, (Dr. Pepper Music Festival?), 1983-4
- 1" David Bowie, "Ashes to Ashes" 1980
Friday, June 9, 2017
Vintage Music Pinbacks #8
Eighth in a series.
Buttons, badges, pinbacks - whatever you call 'em, I've got a shoebox full. Here's a few of my vintage music pinbacks from the '70s and '80s:
- 1.25" Berlin, "Sex (I'm a...)" 1982
- 1" Spandau Ballet, ca. 1980
- 1.25" Rolling Stones "In Concert" ca. 1981
- 1.25" Thompson Twins logo, ca. 1983
- 1.25" The Police, Zenyatta Mondatta, 1980
- 1" Crass, "Nagasaki Nightmare" 1981
- 1.25" David Bowie, Let's Dance, 1983
- 1" The Human League, ca. 1981
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
MFD Random Five #20
In which I click the shuffle icon on the iTunes app and listen to the first five songs that pop up from the years 1976-85.
- "Rock and Roll Music" by The Beach Boys (1976, Brother/Reprise)
This cover of Chuck Berry's 1957 tune has appeared on this blog before back in August, 2016. Here's what I wrote then: "A lethargic cover, but one that peaked would eventually peak at #5 in 13 weeks on AT40. It was the group's biggest single of the 1970's." I prefer the Beatles cover. - "Memories (Can't Wait)" by Talking Heads (1982, Sire)
This live version from 1979 is from the Name of This Band... double LP set. Far from being one of my favorite TH tunes, I can't pass over it as I am hypnotized by the monotonous guitar-drenched verse and then again when the chorus takes off at the end. The band speeds up a bit during the last minute of this performance and the tempo change is perfectly aligned with the increasing intensity. I doubt is was intentional but perfect nonetheless. - "Show Me the Way" by Peter Frampton (1976, A&M)
Yeah, man. (Note: I heard the shorter single version of this one today, so it could have been better, but I ain't complaining.) - "Sophisticated Lady" by Linda Ronstadt (1984, Asylum)
It's never a bad time for Ronstadt. And to hear her (and Nelson Riddle's) take on this Ellington standard is a great way to start a day. Or end a day. Any time of day, really. Then there's the tasty sax work from Plas Johnson and it's over all too soon. Reaching to my right and pulling the 'Round Midnight compilation off the shelves for further listening. - "Wacky Dust" by The Manhattan Transfer (1979, Atlantic)
A throw away album filler track. For some reason, producer Jay Graydon decided to use synths instead of an actual big band. Big mistake.
In a wild coincidence (is there a full moon?), four of the five tracks today weren't originally performed 1976-85:
- Rock And Roll Music - 1957
- Show Me the Way - 1975
- Sophisticated Lady - 1932
- Wacky Dust - 1938
The fifth tune, "Memories (Can't Wait)," was originally released in 1979 on Fear of Music meaning none of today's tracks are the original versions.
Friday, June 2, 2017
MFD Rainy Day Mix
Rain might be the most overused metaphor in songwriting: it can represent sadness, loss, nostalgia on the one hand, happiness, purity, and cleansing on the other. Sure, it doesn't take much imagination to put together a mix with song titles that include the word "rain" but I did it anyway and think it turned out pretty good. The songs not only represent a variety of styles, but cover the full continuum of the aforementioned metaphors. Plus it's a very timely mix in my part of the country this week:
Below is a Mixcloud show containing an hour's worth of rain tunes from the years 1976-85 followed by an annotated playlist. There's the obvious picks alongside the occasional album cut and maybe a forgotten favorite. Enjoy.
 | "Hold Back the Rain" Duran Duran From the album Rio Written by Duran Duran Produced by Colin Thurston |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| not released as single in US |
This tune closed side one of Rio and served as the B-side of the "Save a Prayer." It's better than "Save a Prayer" IMO. From what I've read, the main creative differences in the band came from a dispute over whether DD should be a synth band or a guitar band and this song meets perfectly in the middle.
 | "Another Rainy Day in New York City" Chicago From the album Chicago X Written by Robert Lamm Produced by James William Guercio |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 2 |
| Hot 100 | 32 |
 | "I Can't Stand the Rain" Eruption From the album Eruption Written by Ann Peebles, Don Bryant & Bernard "Bernie" Miller Produced by Frank Farian |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Hot 100 | 18 |
| R&B | 30 |
| Disco | 6 |
A fun disco cover, as are most disco covers. I dig what the bass player is putting down.
 | "Save It for a Rainy Day" Stephen Bishop From the album Careless Written by Stephen Bishop Produced by Henry Lewy & Stephen Bishop |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 6 |
| Hot 100 | 22 |
You'd think duet vocals by Chaka Khan and a guitar solo by Eric Clapton would take over a record, but its's all just perfect soft rock here. And you know you love it when Chaka takes off on her own at the end.
 | "I Love a Rainy Night" Eddie Rabbitt From the album Horizon Written by David Malloy, Eddie Rabbitt, Even Stevens Produced by David Malloy |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| Hot 100 | 1 |
| Country | 1 |
A true chart-topper as well as sing-along toe-tapper. The song succeeded Dolly Parton's song "9 to 5" at the number 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart - the last time, to date, that the pop chart featured back-to-back country singles in the number one position. To my sons, this song is known from GTA: San Andreas.
 | "Shadows in the Rain" Sting From the album Dream of the Blue Turtles Written by Sting Produced by Sting & Pete Smith |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| not released as single in US |
In which Sting takes a boring filler tune from Zenyatta Mondatta and lets his band turn it into a driving rock tune. Sting may get writing credit, but this song would be nothing with sax work from Branford Marsalis and an epic synth solo from the late Kenny Kirkland. Don't overlook Omar Hakim's sublime work, either.
 | "I Made It Through the Rain" Barry Manilow From the album Barry Written by Gerard Kenny, Drey Shepperd, Barry Manilow, Bruce Sussman & Jack Feldman Produced by Barry Manilow & Ron Dante |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 4 |
| Hot 100 | 10 |
That's a jarring segue if I've ever heard one, but I'm a confessed Fanilow so I had to make it happen. This is stereotypical Manilow balladry: piano intro, lots of strings, over-emphasized snare drum, and, of course, the upward modulation at the end. But if the formula works, don't mess with it.
 | "It's Raining Again" Supertramp From the album ...Famous Last Words Written by Rick Davies & Roger Hodgson Produced by Supertramp & Peter Henderson |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 5 |
| Hot 100 | 11 |
| Rock | 7 |
The upbeat tempo and happy melody belie the lyrics. One of the few recorded melodica solos that I can think of. But, oh, that soaring, wordless bridge! So good I can forgive rhyming "fighter" with "up-tight-ah".
 | "Rain is Falling" Electric Light Orchestra From the album Time Written by Jeff Lynne Produced by Jeff Lynne |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Bubbling Under Hot 100 | 101 |
Despite a few stellar moments, the whole Time album is fairly underwhelming but I listened to it a lot more than it deserved. This was the third single released from the album; it didn't do so hot, but I like it. This song, as well as the previous Supertramp tune, work in snippets of the old nursery rhyme "It's Raining, It's Pouring".
 | "Rainbow's End" Sergio Mendes From the album Sergio Mendes Written by Don Freeman & David Batteau Produced by Sergio Mendes |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| not released as single in US |
An album I continue to listen to more than it deserves. This 1983 album cut, the lead track on side two, is one of my favorites on the album and features the late Dan Sembello on lead vocals. Brother of Michael, Danny was a Grammy Award winning songwriter/producer in his own right. And his vocals aren't bad, neither.
 | "Smoky Mountain Rain" Ronnie Milsap From the album Greatest Hits Written by Kye Fleming & Dennis Morgan Produced by Tom Collins & Ronnie Milsap |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| Hot 100 | 24 |
| Country | 1 |
The wife loves Ronnie Milsap. And she really loves it when I sing Ronnie Milsap songs to her. 😈 Thanks, Ronnie!
 | "Raining Raining" Nick Lowe From the album Nick the Knife Written by Nick Lowe Produced by Nick Lowe |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| not released as single in US |
An album cut from what might be Lowe's best album. Long out-of-print, it was finally reissued in April by Yep Roc Records. My advice: buy it while you can.
 | "Who'll Stop the Rain" Heaven 17 From the album The Luxury Gap Written by Glenn Gregory, Ian Craig Marsh & Martyn Ware Produced by British Electric Foundation |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| not released as single in US |
A fantastic synth-funk cut that's probably the 4th or 5th best song on the album - that's how good The Luxury Gap is. I first fell in love with this groove on the group's US compilation debut, where it was the lead track:
 | "Here Comes the Rain Again" Eurythmics From the album Touch Written by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart Produced by David A. Stewart |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Hot 100 | 4 |
| Adult Contemporary | 6 |
| Dance | 4 |
The most obvious choice in this mix, I just had to because I sing the opening lyrics whenever it starts raining. To be honest, I don't even like the tune that much.
| "Tinseltown in the Rain" The Blue Nile From the album A Walk Across the Rooftops Written by Paul Buchanan & Robert Bell Produced by Paul Buchanan &Robert Bell |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| not released as single in US |
I came to The Blue Nile several decades after fact, but I'm catching up. This particular tune is giving me a Thomas Dolby vibe, for sure. I think of "Tinseltown" referring to Hollywood, but this song is about the band's native Glasgow. It was released as a single in the UK, but only managed to climb to #87.
 | "Walk Between Raindrops" Donald Fagen From the album The Nightfly Written by Donald Fagen Produced by Gary Katz |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| not released as single in US |
A big band tune that isn't performed by a big band. I'd like to hear a big band arrangement, though. One moment please... Here's a decent arrangement by Mel Torme; I'll keep hunting. As it stands, this is the closing tune from The Nightfly, one of my favorite albums of 1982 (and all-time, for that matter), so I thought it would make a nice closer for this mix.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Vintage Music Pinbacks #7
Seventh in a series.
Buttons, badges, pinbacks - whatever you call 'em, I've got a shoebox full. Here's a few of my vintage music pinbacks from the 1980s:
- 1.25" The Police (pinback dated 1983)
- 1.5" (pinback dated 1982)
- 1.25" Men at Work, Business as Usual, 1982
- 1" Roger C. Reale Band, 1981
- 1" Soft Cell, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, 1981
- 1.25" The Pretenders (pinback dated 1984)
- 1.25" Joe Jackson, Night and Day, 1982
- 1.25" Haircut 100, "Nobody's Fool" 1982
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