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 had popular recordings by three very different artists in three very different styles. We’re talking about “Don’t Be Misunderstood,” first recorded by Nina Simone in a simmering soul version, then by the Animals in a bluesy rock version, then by Santa Esmeralda in a fiery Latin disco version. It says something that the song…
Your influential but overlooked song from an influential but overlooked album of the day is “Alone Again Or” by the band Love, from their album Forever Changes. It’s one of those songs you know when you hear it, but probably wouldn’t think of otherwise. It was released as a single in January of 1968 but only bubbled under the Billboard…
Your Baroquely eccentric classic song of the day is “Morning Girl” by the Neon Philharmonic. The group Neon Philharmonic was really a guy named Tupper Saussey, who did the composing and arranging, and vocalist Don Gant. Despite Gant’s vocals, this is most definitely a Tupper Saussey production, and it’s every bit as eccentric as he was. “Morning Girl” was released…
Our final angelic—actually, heavenly—song of the day is “Heaven on the 7th Floor” by Paul Nicholas. It’s about a guy who gets stuck in an elevator in-between floors with a beautiful girl and, well, he’s in heaven. “Heaven on the 7th Floor” was released in August of 1977 and rose to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s a nice…
Your angelic song of the day is straight from the disco era, “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel” from Tavares. This was a huge hit in the summer of 1976, right when I was getting ready to head off to my freshman year in college, hitting #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, and…
Your angelic song of the day is “Angel of the Morning” by the extremely angelic Merrilee Rush. The track was released in February of 1968 and peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 a few months later. It may the best-known song with the word “angel” in the title. “Angel of the Morning” was written by Chips Moman, famed…
Your angelic song of the day is John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery.” He wrote it back in 1970 and it first appeared on his self-titled 1971 debut album. It was immediately hailed as a major work and has since been covered by dozens of artists, from Gretchen Wilson and Emmylou Harris to John Denver and Carly Simon (in a contemporaneously…
Your song with the word “angel” in the title song of the day is “Angel Eyes” from Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. Little Steven, of course, is Steve Van Zandt. also known as Miami Steve, also known as Bruce Springsteen’s right-hand-man in the E Street Band. The Disciples of Soul is the band he put together for his…
Today’s song with the word angel in the title song of the day is Elvis Costello’s classic “(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes.” This tune was a standout track on Mr. Costello’s 1977 debut album, My Aim is True, of which all the songs are terrific. My Aim is True is one of the best debut albums in modern…
We’re starting off an angelic week of classic tunes with your song with angel in the title song of the day, “Undercover Angel” by Alan O’Day. This perfect piece of ’70s pop fluff was released in February of 1977 and peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Cash Box Top 100, and the Record World charts. It ended up…