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 song by a Gary, Gerry, or Jerry of the day is “This Little Girl” by Gary U.S. Bonds. It was included on his 1981 comeback album, Dedication, then released as a single that went to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Cash Box Top 100 charts. “This Little Girl” was written by the Boss…
Today’s classic Yacht Rock song of the day is “Biggest Part of Me” by Ambrosia. Released in March of 1980, this track went all the way to #3 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. The old Yacht or Nyacht? website (no longer active) gave this one a Yachtski score of just 72.5, a little low but…
Today’s classic Yacht Rock song of the day is “Hot Rod Hearts” by Robbie Dupree. This one was released in June of 1980, prime Yacht Rock season, and got all the way to #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. It ranks a little lower on the Yachtski scale (from the old Yacht or Nyacht? website), coming in at an 83.5…
Here’s a bonus classic song of the day for you, Steely Dan’s “lost” track from the Gaucho album, “The Second Arrangement.” There’s a long story behind this one, and it’s worth telling. First, though, the song. This is a terrific Dan song. It was written and recorded in 1979, after the success of their legendary Aja album, as the first…
Our final classic summer song of the day this week is “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves. Does anybody know of a happier, peppier, summerier song than this one? “Walking on Sunshine” is a refreshing, upbeat brew of pure joy, guaranteed to pick you up on even the dreariest of days. It’s a really simple song, just A,…
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…