Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Today’s unjustly forgotten classic soul song of the day is “And the Rains Came” by the Millionaires. This catchy single was released on the Specialty Records label in 1969 and you’ve probably never heard it before. That’s a shame. “And the Rains Came” belongs to that genre now known as Northern Soul. This is a movement, based in England, that…
Today’s classic song of the day is “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle.” This song was a hit for the Royalettes in 1965 and Deniece Williams in 1982; it was also featured on Laura Nyro’s 1971 album of covers with Labelle, Gonna Take a Miracle. First things first. “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle” was written by Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein, and…
Today’s classic song of the day is “In My Life” by the Beatles. This one was a track from their landmark 1965 album, Rubber Soul; even though it wasn’t released as a single, it seeped into our collective consciousness just the same. “In My Life” is all about coming to grips with the places, friends, and lovers of one’s past.…
Today’s classic song of the day is one of the very best songs of the 1960s (or any decade), “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King. Mr. King wrote it, with a little assist from legendary producers/songwriters Mike Leiber and Jerry Stoller, inspired by/based on the turn-of-the-previous-century gospel hymn of the same name by Charles Albert Tindley. It’s a song…
It’s Christmas Eve, the eleventh day of our twelve days of classic Christmas songs, and our classic Christmas song of the day is my very favorite Christmas song of them all, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is a near-perfect track that defines the season for me and features some of the best…
Today is the ninth day of twelve days of classic Christmas songs, and our classic Christmas song of the day is “Sleigh Ride.” This classic was a hit for multiple artists, most notably Johnny Mathis and, in a much more contemporary version, the Ronettes. “Sleigh Ride” was composed by Leroy Anderson (who also wrote “The Syncopated Clock,” which you might…
For this second day of 12 days of classic Christmas songs, we’re featuring “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams. This tune first appeared on the 1962 Christmas episode of his TV show and was put to vinyl on Mr. Williams’ 1963 album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album. It was not released as a single at…
Celebrating the 12 days of Christmas, today we’re starting 12 days of classic Christmas songs. Our first classic Christmas song is “Christmas Time is Here” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, from that holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas. The tune is jazzy and a just a little melancholy. The early- to mid-60s was a golden time for television and for…
Today’s classic song of the day is “Tracks of My Tears.” It was a hit for three different artists across two decades: The Miracles in 1965, Johnny Rivers in 1967, and Linda Ronstadt in 1975. “Tracks of My Tears” was written by Smokey Robinson and fellow Miracles Pete Moore and Marv Tarplin. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #50 on its…