Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
You can’t look at the hit songs of 1971 without including that Motown classic, the groundbreaking “What’s Going On” by the legendary Marvin Gaye. “What’s Going On” was the lead track from Mr. Gaye’s 1971 album of the same name; released as a single in January of 1971, it hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Cash…
In honor of Les McCann’s passing earlier this week, today’s classic song of the day is his only mainstream hit, “Compared to What.” The song, recorded live at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival, was released as an album track on Swiss Movement, a live LP by McCann and saxophonist Eddie Harris. “Compared to What” is a protest song written by…
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 is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, so what better classic song of the day than “Be Thankful for What You Got” by William DeVaughn. This song slow jam was released in March of 1974, sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S. alone, and hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard’s R&B…
Today’s classic song of the day is Stevie Wonder’s “Golden Lady.” This song was never released as a single in the U.S., although it should have been. It was a standout track (the fourth and final track on side one) on Wonder’s 1973 album, Innervisions. Innervisions was the third of a string of five career-defining albums from Stevie Wonder. The…
Today’s classic Motown song of the day is “Bernadette” by the Four Tops. It was released in February of 1967 and peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. “Bernadette” was a ground-breaking tune, especially for bass players. Motown legend James Jamerson played bass and showed all the other players out there…
Today’s classic soul song of the day is “People Get Ready,” written by the great Curtis Mayfield. It’s a song that’s been covered dozens if not hundreds of times, which makes it a true classic. “People Get Ready” is a popular song with gospel roots. The lyrics use the spiritual to inform the material, in particular the struggle of Black…
Our final classic Philly Soul song of the day this week is that sultry ode to adultery, “Me and Mrs. Jones” by Philly Soul legend Billy Paul. It was released in September of 1972 and peaked at #1 simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard R&B, and Cash Box Top 100 charts. It doesn’t get much better than that. “Me…
Today’s classic Philly Soul song of the day is another Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff production, “The Love I Lost” by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. This track was released in September of 1973 and hit #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart. As noted, “The Love I Lost” was written and produced by…