Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Still honoring the late Brian Wilson, today’s classic song of the day is the Beach Boys’ “Heroes and Villains,” which may be Brian’s most complex and sophisticated tune—even more so than the group’s previous release, “Good Vibrations.” Brian Wilson wrote “Heroes and Villains” in collaboration with lyricist Van Dyke Parks, who wrote the words for most of the songs intended…
In honor of the late Brian Wilson, who passed away earlier this week, today’s classic song of the day is one of his most sophisticated works, “Good Vibrations.” Released as a single by the Beach Boys in October of 1966, this groundbreaking track went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and all around the world—it was a number-one hit…
This one truly saddens me. Brian Wilson has passed away. He was 82 years old. He’d been suffering for some months from dementia, although no cause of death was immediately given. Brian Wilson was a true musical genius. He was the driving force behind the Beach Boys, yes, but that often lightweight group was the vehicle for his sophisticated musical…
Today’s classic song of the day is “Do You Know What I Mean” by Lee Michaels. Released in May of 1971, this single went all the way to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the Cash Box Top 100. Lee Michaels wrote, produced, and performed “Do You Know What I Mean.” The song is about a guy…
Sly Stone passed away yesterday. In his memory, today’s classic song of the day is “Dance to the Music,” released as a single in November of 1967 by his group, Sly and the Family Stone. This early example of psychedelic soul went all the way to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall…
Today’s classic song of the day is “Sara Smile” by Daryl Hall and John Oates. Released as a single in January of 1976, “Sara Smile” became the duo’s first top forty (and top ten) hit in the U.S. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #18 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. Misters Hall and Oates wrote “Sara…
This week we’ve been featuring tunes that were hits multiple times for multiple artists. This brings us to our final classic multiple-artist hit of the day, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).” This one was a hit for both Marvin Gaye and Junior Walker in the ’60s and for James Taylor in the ’70s. “How Sweet It…
Today’s classic song that was a hit for multiple artists of the day is that smooth soul classic, “Ooo Baby Baby.” It was first a hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles then, about a dozen years later, for singer Linda Ronstadt. Smokey Robinson and fellow Miracle Pete Moore wrote “Ooo Baby Baby” back in 1965. The Miracles recorded it…
Today’s classic song that was so nice it was a hit twice of the day is “Baby, I Love You.” This one was a hit originally for the Ronettes and, about a half-dozen years later, for singer Andy Kim. “Baby, I Love You” was written by the team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, with the typical-for-that-era addition of Phil…
This week we’re highlighting songs that were hits multiple times for multiple artists, and today’s classic multiple-whatever song of the day is “The Loco-Motion.” This one was a hit three times in three different decades—in the ’60s for Little Eva, in the ’70s for Grand Funk Railroad, and in the ’80s for Kylie Minogue. “The Loco-Motion” was written by the…