Below is the Adult Contemporary Chart from the February 7, 1981 issue of Billboard (click image to enlarge). There's lots of good stuff there including a smooth jazz entry from one of my favorite groups, Spyro Gyra. However, I found eleven songs among these 50 with which I either have no memory or I've never heard until now.
Below is a Mixcloud show containing all of those 11 tunes followed by an annotated playlist which includes my initial thoughts on hearing these songs for the first time (that I remember), in countdown order:
 | "Fool That I Am" Rita Coolidge From the Coast to Coast soundtrack Written by Bruce Roberts & Carole Bayer Sager Produced by David Anderie |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 15 |
| Hot 100 | 46 |
| Country | 72 |
I have no memory of the Coast to Coast romcom movie that starred Dyan Cannon and Robert Blake but that's neither here nor there. This song is a decent-enough country crossover and a product of its time, to be sure. The accompaniment reminds me a bit of Juice Newton's "The Sweetest Thing" except it doesn't have the all-out chorus that other one does. It peaked at 15 AC and just missed the Top 40? Sounds about right.
 | "Easy Love" Dionne Warwick From the album No Night So Long Written by Steve Dorff, Larry Herbstritt & Randy Cate Produced by Steve Buckingham |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 12 |
| Hot 100 | 62 |
Dionne's voice is easily identifiable,huh? This thing's got a decent mid-tempo adult contemporary groove and a better arrangement than the material deserves. The verse is stronger than the chorus and the verse ain't that great. And just as I was thinking, "A sax solo should go here," one appears. Lemme look up the musician - ah, the dude from Tower of Power. I wouldn't have put Warwick together with ToP, but that's me. Meh.
 | "Dare to Dream Again" Phil Everly Single only release Written by Phil Everly Produced by Phil Everly & Joey Paige |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 9 |
| Hot 100 | 63 |
An Everly Brothers song in every regard except that it's missing the harmony vocals. It's the most melodic thing I've heard so far; this one's growing on me. The only thing I'd change is a better mix and have some harmony vocals, maybe an understated slide guitar solo.
 | "Goodbye Marie" Bobby Goldsboro From the album Bobby Goldsboro Written by Mel McDaniel & Dennis Linde Produced by Larry Butler |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 19 |
| Hot 100 | - |
| Country | 17 |
This ain't no country crossover, this is a straight-up country song (the horse clomping temple blocks are a little much). Not my thing, even when I try my best to separate Goldsboro from his deplorable actions. I'll take the sweet Kenny Rogers version over this.
 | "Send a Little Love My Way (Like Always)" Stephen Bishop From the album Red Cab to Manhattan Written by Stephen Bishop Produced by Mike Mainieri & Tommy LiPuma |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 31 |
| Hot 100 | - |
I'm digging this. If I knew Bishop made a soft rock album with a bunch of jazzers, I'd have picked it up already. As if having LiPuma produce wasn't good enough, we've got a band with Warren Bernhardt, Steve Gadd, Mike Mainieri, and Dean Parks. So now I'm gonna need to hear the whole album.
 | "Dreamer" The Association Single only release Written by Moon Martin Produced by Bones Howe |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 9 |
| Hot 100 | 66 |
I think of The Association as a '60s group, so I'd like to know the backstory on this release. It tries, but there's just not much to it. We've got the trademark vocal harmonies and whoever is playing electric piano is trying his/best to make the chorus interesting, but by the time we get to the synth-trumpet solo, I'm ready to move on.
 | "When" Perry Como From the album Perry Como Written by George Fischoff Produced by Mike Berniker |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 44 |
| Hot 100 | - |
If my math is correct, Como was 67 when he recorded this and is still in fine voice. Simple arrangement: Como backed by Mantovani strings and female backing singers. Even though the name of the chart had been changed in 1979, this track is much more "easy listening" than "adult contemporary." Even the sax soloist sounds like he's taking it easy. 14 year old Mark would have hated it, 51 year old Mark can tolerate and appreciate it, 82 year old Mark will probably love it.
 | "Fly Away" Peter Allen From the album Bi-Coastal Written by Peter Allen, Carol Bayer Sager & David Foster Produced by David Foster |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 45 |
| Hot 100 | 55 |
Another winner! This tune was written and produced by Westcoast/AOR royalty and Allen sounds great (his voice reminds me of Marc Jordan). Waitaminute - is that Michael McDonald backing him up? Nope, it's freakin Pages! And there's Jerry Hey laying down some tasty trumpet licks. The sax solo fits perfectly. Again, I'm gonna need to hear the whole album (wikipedia claims " The album has become a classic with lovers of west coast pop music not because of the songs but for the use of musicians like Toto, Steve Lukather, Jay Graydon and others.")
 | "I'm Me Again" Connie Francis From the album I'm Me Again (Silver Anniversary Album) Written by Ed Fox & Alan Roy Scott Produced by Vincent Castellano |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 40 |
| Hot 100 | - |
With all due respect to Connie Francis, this isn't good at all. Marred by an overwrought arrangement while Francis just scoops from note to note without much regard to intonation. Pass.
 | "Part of Me, Part of You" England Dan & John Ford Coley From the Just Tell Me You Love Me soundtrack Written by John Ford Coley, Bob Gundry & Dan Seals Produced by Dick Halligan |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 42 |
| Hot 100 | - |
I have no memory of the Just Tell Me You Love Me romcom movie that starred Lisa Hartman but that's neither here nor there. This is good stuff in the classic ED&JFC style. Can't understand how it didn't chart higher (maybe because the movie flopped?). Despite its brevity, I enjoy this one, but I'm not willing to check out the whole soundtrack album.
 | "Perfect Fool" Debby Boone From the album Savin' It Up Written by Diane Pfeifer Produced by Larry Butler |
| U.S. Billboard charts peaks: | |
| Adult Contemporary | 37 |
| Hot 100 | - |
| Country | 23 |
And we end with a country tune. As you know, I'm not much for country music, but Boone's voice is pleasant enough. Produced by Larry Butler, who also produced the above tune by Goldsboro.
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