MFD Random Five #21

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.

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1. "Hot Number" by Foxy (1979, Dash)
   A rehash of the group's earlier hit, "Get Off," and I don't mind a bit. In fact, I prefer the horn charts on this one.


2. "That's Love" by Jim Capaldi (1983, Asylum)
   A soft rock tune that mighta been a bigger hit about 3 years earlier. As it is, it hit #28 pop but inexplicably didn't make the Adult Contemporary chart (ed.- friend o' the blog, Dirk Digglinator correctly submits that it spent 4 weeks at #3 on the AC chart. Mea culpa). Could have been a bonus track from Steve Winwood's Arc of a Diver album, but that's only because Winwood produced and contributed an immediately recognizable synth solo. On a related note, the video stars a young Eric Bogosian apparently being stalked by Capaldi and Winwood.


3. "Why Me" by Styx (1979, A&M)
   I have a confession: this might be my favorite Styx tune. I didn't buy many 45 singles, but I rode my bike down to the local Radio Shack to pick up this one. The reason: that chord progression over an ostinato bass in the chorus.  Evidently, the choice of this cut as a single caused a spat between Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw, but what didn't?


4. "Bahama Mama" by Billy Cobham, Steve Khan, Alphonso Johnson and Tom Scott  (1978, Columbia)
   From the wonderfully titled live album, Alivemutherforya. Recommended. Johnson wrote this fusion tune, which comes off as more melodic mix of Weather Report and Jeff Beck. Khan and Johnson both rip off a sweet solos while Cobham lays waste to his kit. Scott opts for his lyricon instead of sax, which unfortunately dates this tune, but no matter - it's still good.


5. "Twilight" by E.L.O. (1981, Jet)
   This single barely dented the Top 40 at #38, but back in 1981-82, I listened to the Time album a good deal (more than it probably deserved - it needed more 12 string guitar) before abandoning the group's new releases until 2001. Nonetheless, this is one of the better tracks from that album.