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 a Beatles song that the Beatles didn’t record. The song is “Bad to Me” and it’s one of the first songs written by a Beatle that was given to another artist to record. That artist was Billy J. Kramer, who recorded it with his band the Dakotas. Their single, released in July of…
Today’s classic song of the day is one of Elton John’s best, “Tiny Dancer” was the opening track on Mr. John’s 1971 Madman Across the Water album, which is my second-favorite Elton John album. (Tumbleweed Connection takes my personal top spot.) It was released as a single in February of 1972 but didn’t fare too well, probably because of its…
Continuing our short string of songs from ’70s singer-songwriters, today’s classic song of the day is one you might not have heard from a singer you definitely know. The song is “Vanilla O’Lay” and it was written and performed by Ms. Jackie DeShannon. “Vanilla O’Lay” was included on Ms. DeShannon’s 1972 album, Jackie. That album fit right in with Carole…
Continuing a string of tunes by ’70s singer-songwriters, today’s classic song of the day is “So Far Away” by Carole King. This one is off her massive and massively influential Tapestry album; released as a single in March of 1971, “So Far Away” peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, #13 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #3…
Today’s classic singer/songwriter song of the day is James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind.” Taylor wrote it back in 1968 when he was in London recording tracks for his self-titled debut album for Apple Records. It’s all about being homesick for his home back in North Carolina; he started writing it at producer Peter Asher’s flat in London, wrote some…
Today’s classic singer/songwriter song of the day is “Jamaica Say You Will” by Jackson Browne. This song was the first track on his self-titled 1971 debut album and immediately established Mr. Browne as a force to be reckoned with. Jackson Browne wrote “Jamaica Say You Will” during the fall of 1969. He recorded a demo of the song in February…
Today’s classic song of the day is Joni Mitchell’s ode to a morning in New York, “Chelsea Morning.” This track was included on her 1969 album, Clouds, and has become one of Ms. Mitchell’s most popular songs. On the surface, “Chelsea Morning” is a simple song about youth and joy and the sheer romance of waking up with the right…
Today’s classic song of the day is another sophisticated ballad from the 5th Dimension, “(Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All.” Released as a single in March of 1972, this one peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, #6 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #2 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart. “(Last Night) I Didn’t Get…
Last week we featured songs about rain, so let’s kick of this week with a song about thunder and lightning. In fact, that’s the name of today’s classic song of the day—”Thunder and Lightning,” by Chi Coltrane. This track was released as a single in August of 1972 and went all the way to #17 on the Billboard Hot 100…
This is our final day of our week of rain-themed songs, and today’s classic rain-themed song of the day is Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today.” Mr. Newman wrote this back in 1963 or 1964, to the best of his recollection, and it has since been covered by a metric ton of different artists, including Judy Collins…