MFD Random Five #48

In which I shuffle through some music files and listen to the first five songs from 1980 that randomly pop up.

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1. "Sweet Rum and Starlight" by Earl Klugh (1980, EMI)
   Tropical-meets-country in this smooth jazz tune from the acoustic guitar legend's sixth album, Dream Come True. If that sounds like a strange mix, it's because it is. Not my favorite Klugh tune, but I've always felt any Klugh is good Klugh.


2. "The Story of a Man and a Woman
   Part 1: She Thought I Was Stanley Clarke
   Part 2: A Fool Again
   Part 3: I Nearly Went Crazy (Until I Realized What Had Occurred)"
   by Stanley Clarke (1980, Epic)
   An adventurous three-part, eleven minute suite that closes out the album, Rocks, Pebbles and Sand.  Not much melody to be had in Parts 1 or 3, but Part 2 has a good groove and nice keyboard solo (Chick Corea, maybe?). Clarke's vocals are thin, but points for trying.


3. "Love Him, Love Her" by Seawind (1980, A&M)
   More jazz - 3 in a row! While this Hawaiian group is generally considered to be in the smooth jazz genre, this tune is squarely in the yacht rock category. Pauline Wilson has a great voice and the Michael McDonald-ish feel is much appreciated around this house.


4. "Have a Drink On Me" by AC/DC (1980, Atlantic)
   Now that's an abrupt change of gears. Typical tune from the Back in Black album - meaning great guitar riff, hooks a'plenty in the chorus, gravelly vocals, and the mandatory guitar solo. Great effort, but sometimes overlooked because on its place on the album immediately following both "Back in Black" and "You Shook Me All Night Long."
   
   [Note: the next 1980 song to shuffle around was Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" which previously appeared on Random Five #46.]
   


5. "Coming Up" by Paul McCartney (1980, Columbia)
   The studio version from McCartney II. I liked the live version so much, I bought the 45 single not realizing which side of the single was which. In any case, while this studio take is fine, I much prefer the live version, without the vocal manipulation. FWIW, I got this version on the UK version of McCartney's All the Best! compilation (1987).