Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from yesterday and today
Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from yesterday and today
We’re wrapping up our week-long tribute to the late Cynthia Weil with one of her later songs, “Somewhere Out There,” a duet by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram. Cynthia and her husband Barry Mann, along with James Horner, wrote this one for the soundtrack of the animated movie An American Tail. This is one of those songs that brings chills…
Your classic cheesy early ’80s romantic pop song of the day is “Key Largo” by Bertie Higgins. Released in September of 1981, it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. “Key Largo,” written by Bertie Higgins and his producer Sonny Limbo, is the one that references all those old Humphrey Bogart movies,…
Your classic song with a Celtic fiddle part and a lot of tempo changes of the day is “Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners. It was released in the UK in June of 1982 and in early 1983 in the U.S., climbing to #1 on the UK Singles Chart, the Billboard Hot 100, and the Cashbox Top 100. It…
Your classic early ’80s earworm of the day is “Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)” by Squeeze. It was the first track on side one of their 1980 album, Argybargy. Released as a single in April of that year, it went to #44 on the UK Singles chart. Unfortunately, it didn’t chart at all in the U.S., although it did get…
Your classic Dusty Springfield comeback song of the day is “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” This track was released by Pet Shop Boys, with Dusty contributing guest vocals, in August of 1987. It was a big hit, going all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart, and #1 on…
Your angelic song of the day is “Angel of the Morning” by the extremely angelic Merrilee Rush. The track was released in February of 1968 and peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 a few months later. It may the best-known song with the word “angel” in the title. “Angel of the Morning” was written by Chips Moman, famed…
Your song with the word “angel” in the title song of the day is “Angel Eyes” from Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. Little Steven, of course, is Steve Van Zandt. also known as Miami Steve, also known as Bruce Springsteen’s right-hand-man in the E Street Band. The Disciples of Soul is the band he put together for his…
Your long-lost power pop song of the day is “Whenever You’re On My Mind” by Marshall Crenshaw. Mr. Crenshaw released this one in April of 1983 and it went absolutely nowhere. While it was a hit on college radio at the time, it only hit #103 on the Billboard Hot 100, which technically isn’t actually in the Hot 100. (It…
Today’s little-known 1980s remake of a little-known 1970s pop song of the day is “Jimmy Loves Maryann” by Josie Cotton. This is a New Wavish remake of the second single from the band Looking Glass, which wasn’t near as big a hit as their previous “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl),” which was my Classic Song of the Day yesterday. The…