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 of the day is that disco classic, Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” If you were anywhere near a radio or dance floor during the spring of 1977, you heard a lot of this one. “Don’t Leave Me This Way” was written by Philly Soul legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, along with frequent collaborator Cary…
Today’s classic Jimmy Webb song of the day is perhaps his most famous. “MacArthur Park” was a hit twice, first for Richard Harris in 1968 and ten years later, in a discofied version, for Donna Summer. Jimmy Webb wrote “MacArthur Park” as a reflection on the end of his short but sweet love affair with a girl named Suzy Horton.…
Today’s classic song from the late ’70s of the day is “Heart of Glass” by Blondie. Released in January of 1979, this danceable little number went to #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100. (Surprisingly for a dance tune, it only hit #58 on Billboard’s Disco chart.) It was also a number-one hit in Australia,…
Today’s classic song of the day is a hot track from the disco era, “Turn the Beat Around” by Vicki Sue Robinson. Released in February of 1976, this single hit #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, #15 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Disco chart. “Turn the Beat Around” was written by brothers Gerald and…
Today’s classic song of the day is the kinda sorta disco-like track, “Who Loves You” by the Four Seasons. The single was released in August of 1975 and the song peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Who Loves You” was written by Four Season Bob Gaudio and (supposedly) his then-girlfriend Judy Parker. I say “supposedly” because Ms. Parker…
Just as you can’t talk disco without Donna Summer (yesterday’s classic song of the day, “Hot Stuff“), you also can’t talk disco without the Bee Gees. Unfortunately, I’m not a huge disco-era Bee Gees fan—except for this one tune. The brothers Gibb released “Nights on Broadway in September 1975 and it shot to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and…
It’s almost impossible to talk about the disco craze of the late ’70s without talking about Donna Summer, the undisputed Queen of Disco. To that end, today’s classic disco song of the day is Ms. Summer’s “Hot Stuff.” Released in April of 1979, this monster worldwide hit peaked at #1 in Australia, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, and, in the U.S., on…
We’re still in disco mode this week, so today’s classic disco song of the day is “Le Freak” by Chic. This hot little number, released in September of 1978, the height of the disco era, hit number-one worldwide—in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and, in the U.S., on the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Hot Soul Singles, Billboard Dance Club…
Today’s classic funk/disco song of the day is “Strawberry Letter 23” by the Brothers Johnson. This track was released in June of 1977 and peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard’s R&B chart. “Strawberry Letter 23” was written and first released by R&B singer/guitarist Shuggie Otis, the son of musician Johnny Otis (“Willie and the…