American Top 40, May 6, 1989

Continuing our departure from the 70's this week, we’re looking at what was on the on the pop charts in the 80's. Today we'll look at the first week of May, 1989. ’89 was the only year of the 80’s where the charts were released on 5/6. I’ll be surprised if I have much, but Let’s see !

 

 

 

The Top 10:

 

1. Like A Prayer - Madonna
2. I'll Be There For You - Bon Jovi
3. Real Love - Jody Watley
4. Funky Cold Medina - Tone-Loc
5. Forever Your Girl - Paula Abdul
6. Second Chance - .38 Special
7. After All - Cher (and Peter Cetera)
8. Soldier Of Love - Donny Osmond
9. Room To Move - Animotion
10. She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals

 

Well, I kind of remember 4 of these 10 songs. But, like the past 2 days (1984 and 1985) I don’t have a single one in my collection(s)…. 1989 was the year we moved from Washington DC (Silver Spind, MD) to the St. Louis area.

 

So, looking at the Hot 100, what songs DO I have? Well, continuing the trend, not a lot: 5 songs out of 100.

 

• Rocket - Def Leppard (#23) featuring my favorite one-armed drummer!
• Stand - R.E.M. (#35) They had come a long way from when I saw them in ’83, but still had some moments…
• You Got It - Roy Orbison (#47)
• I Won't Back Down - Tom Petty (#63)
• Paradise City - Guns N' Roses (#91)

  

Bottom, line, I’m glad this week’s look at the 80’s is over. A few gems, but lots of far between…..

 

Happy Birthdays In Rock!

May 6th: Born on this day

• Colin Earl, keyboards, Mungo Jerry – 1942
• Bob Seger, singer, songwriter - 1945
• Robbie McIntosh, drums, Average White Band – 1950 (died August 1974).
• Mark Bryan, guitar, Hootie & The Blowfish – 1967
• Chris Shiflett, guitar, Foo Fighters – 1971

Vintage Vinyl, 45rpm Style

I stumbled across this on eBay, Buy It Now for only $50:

for those who don't know, the Hank Band was fronted by my older brother.  A little part of Pittsburgh Music History...  This 1983-ish, well after The Reallys.

American Top 40 - May 5, 1984

Continuing our departure from the 70's this week, we’re looking at what was on the on the pop charts in the 80's. Today we'll look at the first week of May, 1984. Let’s see if we can do better than yesterday (when we looked at 1985):

The Top 10:

1.  Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) - Phil Collins
2. Hello - Lionel Richie
3. Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
4. Footloose - Kenny Loggins
5. Love Somebody - Rick Springfield
6. To All The Girls I've Loved Before - Julio Iglesias (and Willie Nelson)
7. You Might Think - Cars
8. They Don't Know - Tracey Ullman
9. Let's Hear It For The Boy - Deniece Williams
10. Miss Me Blind - Culture Club

Well, I at least sort of remember 6 of these 10 songs. But, like yesterday (1985) I don’t have a single one in my collection(s)…. And I don’t really feel a need to change that.

So, looking at the Hot 100, what songs DO I have? Well, better than yesterday, but not a lot: 6 songs out of 100.

• Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper (#14) aside: I saw Cyndi Lauer in concert at University Of Maryland, when this album was current. I remember being HUGELY disappointed. The venue was the old basketball gym (I won’t even allow the word “arena”). I saw 2 concerts there: Lauper and The Jam. Both were disappointing. So maybe the rotten venue had something to do with it…..
• You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want) - Joe Jackson (37) aside #2: I saw Joe Jackson twice in and around this time. Both times at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland, both were great shows.
• Jump - Van Halen (#42)
• Eat It - Weird Al Yankovic (#48)
• Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper (#51)
• Thriller - Michael Jackson (#96)

There’s a few interesting / worthy songs that I don’t have, and probably ought to:

• Authority Song - John Mellencamp (#16)
• The Heart Of Rock And Roll - Huey Lewis & The News (#32)
• Who's That Girl? - Eurythmics (#61)
• 99 Luftballoons - Nena (#94)
• Red, Red Wine - UB40 (#97)

This Day In Music - May 5

On this day in music, May 5

May 5, 1968, Buffalo Springfield split up. Buffalo Springfield only had one Top 40 hit, the iconic "For What It's Worth" (ranked #63 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time).   They only released 3 albums as a group (between 12/1966 and 7/1968).  [Ed: their last album was relaed after they officially broke up]  But, despite the band's short tenure and limited output it was one of the most influential bands of the 1960s.  And they featured a pretty impressive lineup, that influenced the music scene for decades.:

• Stephen Stills, who went on to found Crosby Still and Nash, interspresed with a successful solo career
• Neil Young, who joined CSN to make Crosby Still Nash and Young, also interspresed with a successful solo career
• Richie Furay, who subsequently founded the well respected, though not quite as successful band Poco.  Along with solo work and a stint as the Souther Hillman Furay Band.
• Jim Messina, who went with Richie Furay to Poco, then joined Kenny Loggins for pop success

All of these folks are well represented in my music collection.
Meanwhile, BIRTHDAYS!
Born on 5/5:


1942: Tammy Wynette, Country singer, (died in 1998).
1948: Bill Ward, drums, Black Sabbath
1962: Kevin Paul Mooney, bass, Adam And The Ants (gotta include the bass players, check out the Gibson Grabber below!)

I had to laugh....

Something music related from the Onion:



Now,I'm not anti-Billy Joel.  In fact, I was jsut listening to "The Stranger" yesterday.  And I saw him in concert back in 1979, at the Omni in Atlanta.  But, there's times when he kinda of bugs me, too.

American Top 40 - May 4, 1985

Continuing our departure from the 70's this week, we’re looking at what was on the on the pop charts in the 80's. Today we'll look at the first week of May, 1985:

The Top 10:

1. We Are The World - Various Artists (USA For Africa)
2. Crazy For You – Madonna
3. Rhythm Of The Night - Debarge
4. Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds
5. One Night In Bangkok - Murray Head
6. Obsession - Animotion
7. Some Like It Hot - Power Station
8. Nightshift - Commodores
9. All She Wants To Do Is Dance - Don Henley
10. Smooth Operator - Sade

By 1985, I was out of school, living in Washington DC and mostly listening to “alternative” radio. Still, I at least sort of remember 5 of these 10 songs. But I don’t have a single one in my collection(s)….

  

So, looking at the Hot 100, what songs DO I have? Well, it’s pretty slim pickings….

• Don't Come Around Here No More - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (#15
• Rock And Roll Girls (#21) - John Fogerty
• Walking On Sunshine (#31) - Katrina & The Waves

Yep, that’s it. 3 songs out of 100. And yet, I don’t feel like I’m missing that much…..

Happy Birthdays

Music birthdays, May 4th:.

Ed Cassidy, drummer, Spirit - 1923

Ronnie Bond, drummer, The Troggs - 1942 (died in1992).
George Wadenius, guitar, Blood Sweat & Tears - 1945
Bruce Day, bass, Santana, Pablo Cruise. - 1951 (died in 1999)
Jackie Jackson, vocals, The Jackson Five - 1951
Mick Mars (real name Bob Deal), Motley Crue,  - 1951
Randy Travis, Country singer - 1959
Mike Dirnt, bass, Green Day - 1972.

Simplify

This is another oldie, back in my early digital days.  Taken at Miner Park in Glen Carbon, IL.  Right here. They've redone a lot of the park, and the creek doesn't back up like this any more.  IIRC, this was talken in the spring, before the leave started to pop.  While it looks like a glaze of ice, it's actually not....

This is one of those images that I really like.  But it never got much attention at any of the sites I posted at, back when I was posting to several photography sites...

American Top 40 - May 3, 1980

Continuing our departure from the 70's this week, we’re looking at what was on the on the pop charts in the 80's. Today we'll look at the first week of May, 1980:

The Top 10:

1. Call Me - Blondie
2. Ride Like The Wind - Christopher Cross (remember him? His debut album churned out 4 massive hits, won 5 grammys and is considered “one of the most influential roft rock albums of the early 1980s”. But after releasing the #1 theme song for the movie Arthur, he pretty much disappeared).
3. Lost In Love- Air Supply
4. With You I'm Born Again - Billy Preston (and Syreeta)
5. Another Brick In The Wall - Pink Floyd
6. Fire Lake - Bob Seger
7. You May Be Right - Billy Joel (kind of surprised I don't have this one.  Hmmmmm....)
8. I Can't Tell You Why - Eagles
9. Sexy Eyes - Dr. Hook
10. Hold On To My Love - Jimmy Ruffin

I didn't listen to Top-40 radio very much in the 80's, but I remember 7 of these 10 songs. And I only own 3: "Call Me", "Another Brick In The Wall" and “I Can't Tell You Why”. We could add 2 more if you include my wife’s old vinyl that hasn’t been converted to digital (yet)….

So, looking at the Hot 100, what songs do I have? Here's a few of my favorites (aside from the ones listed above).

  

• Cars - Gary Numan (#18)
• Brass In Pocket (I'm Special) – Pretenders (#19)
• Funkytown - Lipps, Inc. (#24)
• Train In Vain (Stand By Me) – Clash (#34)
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen (#36)
• Headed For A Fall - Firefall (#45)
• Love Stinks - J. Geils (#56) aside:  This album showed up in my college dorm room after a party, no one ever claimed it.  But I figure it offsets the occasional one that disappeared.  But if it's yours, let me know, I still have it!)
• Rock Lobster B-52's (#68)
• Here Comes My Girl - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (#71)
• Borrowed Time - Styx (#100)

 Seems like a pretty high “fun” contingent here, whether you’re looking at B-52’s or Funkytown, “Love Stinks” or the super atypical “Train In Vain” (which the Clash didn’t even credit on the “London Calling” album sleeve...  I have a promotional copy, which I picked up during my days as photographer for the Duke University newspaper.  Back then the newsie types had no interest in such uncouth music....)

Happy Birthday, James Brown!

Today (May 3rd) is a busy day for musical birthdays. Along with James Brown (born in 1933), happy birthday to these other folk:

• Pete Seeger, US folk singer - 1919. I saw Pete Seeger back in the mid/late 70’s performing with Arlo Guthrie. They put on a pretty good show IIRC.
• Frankie Valli, singer, The Four Seasons - 1937
• Pete Staples, The Troggs - 1944
• Christopher Cross - 1951
• Bruce Hall, REO Speedwagon - 1953
• Steve Jones, Sex Pistols guitarist - 1955

American Top 40 - May 2, 1981

Let's make a departure from the 70's this week, and look at what was on the on the pop charts in the 80's.  Today we'll look at the first week of May, 1981:

1.  Morning Train (Nine To Five) - Sheena Easton
2. Just The Two Of Us - Grover Washington, Jr. (with Bill Withers)
3. Being With You - Smokey Robinson
4. Angel Of The Morning - Juice Newton
5. Kiss On My List - Hall & Oates
6. Rapture - Blondie
7. Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
8. While You See A Chance - Steve Winwood
9. Living Inside Myself - Gino Vannelli
10. I Can't Stand It - Eric Clapton

 I didn't listen to Top-40 radio very much in the 80's, but I rememebr 8 of these 10 songs.  But I only own 2, "Just The Two Of Us" and "I Can't Stand It".

So, looking at the Hot 100, what songs do I heve?  Here's my favorite 5 of the 14 or 15 represented:

• Don't Stand So Close To Me - Police (#14)
• Too Much Time On My Hands - Styx (#15)
• Woman - John Lennon (#16)
• You Better You Bet - Who (#21)
• Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon (#26)
• I Missed Again - Phil Collins (#27)
• Hold On Loosely - .38 Special (#30)
• Winning - Santana (#53)
• The Waiting - Tom Petty (#61)
• Hearts On Fire - Randy Meisner (#85)

 That's a much nicer playlist, IMHO.

Today In Music - 5/2/11

Born this day (May 2):

• Goldy McJohn - keyboard player and founder of Steppenwolf (1945)
• Lou Gramm, vocals, Foreigner (1950)
• Jo Callis, Synthesizer, keyboards, guitar, Rezillos / Human League (1961)
• Prescott Niles, bass, The Knack (1952)

This Old House...

Another of the buildings which will be torn down to facilitate the widening of Rt-159 through Collinsville, IL.    As we're solidly into spring, the pace of work is picking up.  This house is located HERE, at least for a little longer.

Buckets Of Rain...

A semi-abstract slice of life, taken last Wednesday.  We've actually had 2 really nice days in a row, which has been really nice after all the rain we had in April.  This Dairy Queen has been closed for years...