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MFD Random Five #46

In which I shuffle through some music files and listen to the first five songs from the years 1976-85 that randomly pop up.

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1. "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton (1980, RCA)
   I didn't buy the single, but I'll sing along with the thing. It was all over the radio stations I listened to during the winter of 1981. #1 pop, #1 adult contemporary, #1 country - I'll bet I'm not the only one who can sing along with it. As I pay less attention to Dolly and more to the band this listen, I'm impressed with how great the piano and horn parts are. Tight band with members of the Wrecking Crew and other session greats.
   
   [Note: the next song to shuffle around was David Bowie's "Always Crashing in the Same Car" which previously appeared on Random Five #24.]


2. "The Hurt" by Any Trouble (1980, Stiff)
   New wave power-pop that's so catchy I'm upset I didn't listen to this in 1980. I'm also surprised the group didn't gain traction on the heels of The Knack. Maybe the group were a year or so ahead of their time? I can't imagine them not hitting the US Top 40 in 1982.


3. "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love" by The Emotions (1976, Columiba)
   Sultry vocals atop a steamin' EWF groove. And I love what Verdine White does with the bass on this one. And the Phenix Horns are immediately recognizable. And the a capella breakdown - have mercy. And the fact that I need to do a deep dive into the trio's catalog.


4. "What's Your Best Thing" by The English Beat (1982, Go-Feet)
   The b-side to "Save It For Later" and it's not bad for a b-side but comes off more as a demo. The track was never properly fleshed out but it's got some promising ideas in there; not to mention some nice horn work.


5. "Freedom" by Wham! (1985, CBS)
   One of four(!) singles from Make It Big that reached the top three on the pop charts in the US. This Motown knockoff homage would be just about perfect if not for the out of tune trumpet mess at the end. George Michael sure could write some hooks. On my list of the 85 top singles of 1985, this single appeared in the #57 spot.

MFD Not-So-Random Five #15

In which I select five songs from 1976-1985 based on an arbitrary theme. (Not to be confused with this blog's Random Five feature, a different exercise in arbitrariness). Today's theme: songs written by Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil

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1. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by Daryl Hall & John Oates (1980, RCA)
   The duo adds just a little something extra to the cover - enough that I actually favor this to the Righteous Bros original. It seems to be propelled forward while being laid back, if that dichotomy makes any sense. But it's difficult to mess up material this good.  This #12 single was one of four top 40 singles released from the platinum-certified Voices album. Always reminds me of a school bus ride to a One Act Play competition in early 1981. I have no recollection, but maybe I busted out my own definitive rendition for my classmates on that trip. If they were lucky. Or, more likely, it was just on the radio as it moved down the charts.


2. "Here You Come Again" by Dolly Parton (1977, RCA)
   In '77, I was more likely to have a Dolly Parton poster than a Dolly Parton record, but this crossover hit was all over the radio during the fall of 6th grade, so I know all the words. Not really a country tune, it's a well-crafted pop song with slide guitar. Nonetheless, the song earned Parton the award for "Best Female Country Vocal Performance" at the Grammy Awards. And when Dolly starts with "all you've gotta do is smile that smile," the song goes to another level and I could care less what genre you want to label this with. #1 country, #3 pop, and #2 easy listening. NOW that's what I call a hit!


3. "Just Once" by Quincy Jones (1981, A&M)
   Hard to believe this classic ballad from the platinum album, The Dude peaked at only #17 on the pop chart. It's a fantastic tune - I like everything about it, from James Ingram's soulful vocals to Quincy Jones' production, from the tasty flugelhorn licks to the soaring strings. Lots of familiar names on the call sheet, too: Patti Austin, Abraham Laboriel, David Foster, Steve Lukather, Paulinho Da Costa, Jerry Hey, Ernie Watts, among others. I was about to claim "Just Once" as the best tune of this five, but we move on to...


4. "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Sergio Mendes (1983, A&M)
   Heck, I could listen to this one all day and just might. I can't sing the high notes along with Joe Pizzulo and Leza Miller but that don't keep me from trying. Every time. For me, the self-titled album, Sergio Mendes, is one of those albums that is just okay, but you first heard it at just the right time and place in your life that makes it a life-long favorite. 


5. "We're Going All the Way" by Jeffrey Osborne (1983, A&M)
   Another ballad from the songwriting duo, but man-oh-man what a beautifully written verse melody handled masterfully by Mr. Osborne (there's been some fantastic vocals in this not-so-random 5). This single peaked at only #48 on the pop chart and shame on you, America.