Today’s classic song of the day is “On and On” by Stephen Bishop. Released in May of 1977, this single went all the way to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart. It’s certainly an easy listen.
“On and On” was written by Stephen Bishop and was the second single from his debut album, Careless. The first single from that album, “Save It for a Rainy Day,” had made it to #22 on the Hot 100. These were the first of several soft rock hits from the singer-songwriter, including “Everybody Needs Love” and “It Might Be You,” from the film Tootsie.
The song itself is just a mellow, laid back number, all about trying to keep on after having your heart broken. It’s right there in the first verse:
Down in Jamaica
They got lots of pretty women
Steal your money
Then they break your heart
Lonesome Sue, she’s in love with old Sam
Take him from the fire into the frying pan
On and on
She just keeps on trying
And she smiles when she feels like crying
On and on, on and on, on and on
(And lets’ not forget the line in the second verse about the poor guy who “puts on Sinatra and starts to cry.” Good stuff.)
Stephen Bishop started playing in rock bands in 1967, when he was just 16 years old. Born in San Diego, he eventually traveled north to Los Angeles to try to make it as a songwriter. He became friends with singer Leah Kunkel, the younger singer of Cass Elliott and then-wife of drummer Russ Kunkel. Ms. Kunkel gave Art Garfunkel some of Bishop’s demo tapes, which led to two of his songs being included on Garfunkel’s 1975 solo album, Breakaway. His relationship with Garfunkel led to Bishop signing a recording contract with ABC Records in 1976.
As a songwriter, Mr. Bishop penned several hits for Hollywood movies, including the #1 tune “Separate Lives” (sung by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin) from the movie White Nights and the theme from National Lampoon’s Animal House. (Bishop had a small part in the movie, as well, as the “charming guy with guitar” on the stairs who has his guitar smashed by John Belushi’s character, Bluto.) He also wrote less well-remembered but serviceable tunes for the movies The China Syndrome, Summer Lovers, Unfaithfully Yours, Micki & Maude, The Money Pit, All I Want for Christmas, Barney’s Great Adventure, and The Boy Who Could Fly. All total, Mr. Bishop has written more than 650 songs that have sold a grand total of more than 100 million records. Not a bad legacy.
Stephen Bishop is still alive today, age 72. He’s still writing and performing, too—just going on and on, as the song says.
