Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
This is a very special classic song of the day extra, in honor of songwriter Richard Sherman, who passed away yesterday. He was 95 years old. Together with his older brother Robert, they composed a legion of songs for Walt Disney films, theme parks, and artists The list is too long to in full, but here are some of the…
Today’s classic song of the day is virtually unknown here in the States but was a big hit across the pond. The song is “A New England” and the artist is Kirsty MacColl. If you haven’t heard of her, you need to. Kirsty MacColl was a British singer and songwriter who was fairly successful in the 1980s and 1990s. You…
Today’s classic song of the day is a song written in 1979, a hit in 1983, yet has the Girl Group sound of the early 1960s. The song is called “They Don’t Know” and Tracey Ullman’s recording, released in September of 1983, hit #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 in Ullman’s native UK. “They Don’t Know” was written…
Today’s classic song of the day wasn’t released a single, although it could have/should have been. It’s “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” by Todd Rundgren and it is a polished piece of power pop perfection. “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” was the second track on side one of disc one of Todd’s 1972 masterpiece, Something/Anything? This song, like…
Today’s classic song of the day, a guilty pleasure of mine, is “Waterloo” by ABBA. Released in March of 1974, “Waterloo” was a worldwide hit, reaching #1 in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, and the UK. It was a Top Ten hit in Australia, Austria, Canada, New Zealand, Rhodesia, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S.,…
Today’s classic song of the day is “B-A-B-Y,” a moderate hit for both Carla Thomas and, a decade later, Rachel Sweet. “B-A-B-Y” was written by the stellar Stax Records songwriting team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Ms. Thomas released her version, on the Stax label, in July of 1966; it went all the way to #14 on the Billboard…
Today’s classic song of the day is a Motown classic, “Reach Out I’ll Be There” by the Four Tops. Released during the fall of 1966, this one shot all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart, and the Cash Box Top 100. It was also a #1 hit in Spain…
Today’s classic song of the day is a megahit from Motown legend Stevie Wonder, “Superstition.” This track was released as a single in October of 1972 and shot all the way to #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and R&B charts. It won two Grammy Awards, for Best Rhythm & Blues Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. “Superstition,” written by…
Today’s classic song of the day is “Tell Him” by the Exciters. This version of the song (SPOILER ALERT: it wasn’t the first) was released in October of 1962 and it went to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on Billboard’s Hot Rhythm & Blues Songs list. “Tell Him” was originally written as “Tell Her” by legendary songwriter…
Today’s classic song of the day was a hit for two (and in the UK, three) separate artists. The song is “Do You Love Me” and the lucky performers were the Contours in 1962 and the Dave Clark Five in 1964. “Do You Love Me” was one of the very first Motown hits. The song was written by Motown owner…