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 classic night song of the day is “Into the Night” by Benny Mardones. This one was a hit for Mr. Mardones twice. Initially released in June of 1980, it peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Prompted by a “where are they now?” segment on an Arizona radio station in 1989, Polydor re-released the single and it got…
Today’s classic song of the day is virtually unknown here in the States but was a big hit across the pond. The song is “A New England” and the artist is Kirsty MacColl. If you haven’t heard of her, you need to. Kirsty MacColl was a British singer and songwriter who was fairly successful in the 1980s and 1990s. You…
Today’s classic song of the day is a song written in 1979, a hit in 1983, yet has the Girl Group sound of the early 1960s. The song is called “They Don’t Know” and Tracey Ullman’s recording, released in September of 1983, hit #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 in Ullman’s native UK. “They Don’t Know” was written…
Today’s classic song of the day was a hit for two (and in the UK, three) separate artists. The song is “Do You Love Me” and the lucky performers were the Contours in 1962 and the Dave Clark Five in 1964. “Do You Love Me” was one of the very first Motown hits. The song was written by Motown owner…
Today’s classic song of the day is “Cool Jerk.” It was originally released by a group called the Capitols in April of 1966; it rose to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, #5 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #2 on Billboard’s Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. “Cool Jerk” was written by Don Storball, one of the Capitols.…
Yesterday the Impressions told us “It’s All Right” and today J.J. Jackson reinforces that positive sentiment with today’s classic R&B song of the day, “But It’s Alright.” Released on Calla Records in 1966, “But It’s Alright” reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Singles chart. The song was rereleased in 1969 on the Warner…
Today’s classic disco track of the day is “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc. It was one of the last big dance hits of that era, released in March of 1980, at the very end of the disco craze. It hit big, however, peaking at #1 all around the world—in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain,…
Today’s classic song of the day is “September Gurls” by Big Star. It’s a near-perfect piece of power pop, influential beyond its limited recognition at the time. Big Star’s Alex Chilton (former lead singer of the Box Tops) wrote “September Gurls” and the group released it on their second album, 1974’s Radio City. It was also released as a single…
Today’s classic song that packs an emotional punch is “Romeo and Juliet” by Dire Straits. This one was never released as a single in the U.S., although it was in the UK (where it rose all the way to #8 on the UK Singles chart). Here in the U.S. you had to listen to it on the band’s 1980 album,…