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.
- "Mirabella" by Earl Klugh (1980, Liberty)
A busy yet relaxing solo acoustic piece from the wonderful Late Night Guitar album. Although Klugh is considered a jazz artist, there's not much improvisation here, but it's so good you'll hardly notice. - "The Long Honeymoon" by Elvis Costello (1982, Columbia)
It's okay but its no "Beyond Belief." This bossa/cocktail piano crossover has its moments, such as the chord progression in the chorus, but the rest doesn't speak to me. - "Raspberry Beret" by Prince (1985, Paisley Park)
I loved this psychedlic thing from the get go. In fact, Around the World in a Day was the first Prince album I purchased myself instead of dubbing friend's albums. And that was because of this lead single. The winding cello line, and man-oh-man that middle eight. Off the top of my head, I'd call this a top five Prince tune along with "1999," "U Got the Look," "Dirty Mind," and "Kiss." - "I Don't Know Where to Start" by Eddie Rabbitt (1982, Elektra)
I don't remember this tune from '82, when it reached #35 on the pop chart. It's a pleasant enough crossover ballad, the guitar accompaniment is interesting but the banal chorus melody hurts. Rabbitt's final Top 40 tune as a solo act. - "I Like Dreamin'" by Kenny Nolan (1976, 20th Century Fox)
Speaking of Top 40, this song spent 20 weeks there, peaking at #3. A classic soft rock single complete with strings, harps, female background singers, and not one but three upward modulations near the end. Barry Manilow would be jealous.
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