WLCY RADIO HITSMay 2015

May 31, 2015

Chicago - If You Leave Me Now (1976)

"If You Leave Me Now" is the title of a popular hit ballad by the American rock group Chicago, from their album Chicago X. It was written and sung by bass guitar player Peter Cetera and released as a single on July 31, 1976.

It is also the title of a compilation album released by Columbia Records (Columbia 38590) in 1983.

The single topped the US charts on October 23, 1976, and stayed there for two weeks, making it the first number one hit for the group as well as hitting number one on the Easy Listening charts. It also reached number one in the UK on November 13, 1976, maintaining the position for three weeks.

"If You Leave Me Now" was also Chicago's biggest hit worldwide, topping the charts in other countries such as Australia. It won Grammy Awards for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus. In addition, by August 1978 it had sold 1.4 million copies in the United States alone.

The song has been featured in some several television series and movies such as Three Kings, Shaun of the Dead, A Lot Like Love, Sex and the City and the video game Grand Theft Auto V.

The Doobie Brothers - Listen To The Music (1972) on WLCY Radio

"Listen to the Music" is a song recorded by The Doobie Brothers on their second album Toulouse Street. This song was The Doobie Brothers' first big hit in 1972, it remains a concert staple and is one of The Doobie Brothers' biggest hits. This song is usually played as the last song during every one of The Doobie Brothers' concerts.

The studio recording used both a banjo and a prominent flanging effect, audible from the bridge until the fadeout and when released as a single by Warner Bros. Records, the song peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1972. Its commercial success helped the album Toulouse Street skyrocket on the charts. The song remains a staple of adult contemporary and classic rock radio. The band also uses it as an encore song during live shows. It was written and sung by guitarist and vocalist Tom Johnston. Patrick Simmons, the second guitarist and vocalist in the group, sings the bridge of the song.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop The Rain (1970)

"Who'll Stop the Rain" is a song written by John Fogerty and originally recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival for their 1970 album Cosmo's Factory. Backed with "Travelin' Band", it was one of three double-sided singles from that album to reach the top five on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and the first of two to reach the #2 spot on the American charts, alongside "Lookin' Out My Back Door". In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it #188 on its "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.

Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street (1978)

"Baker Street" is a song written and first recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty (16 April 1947 – 4 January 2011). Released as a single in 1978, it reached #1 in Cash Box and #2 in Billboard – where it held for six weeks. Additionally, it hit #1 in Canada, #3 in the United Kingdom, #1 in Australia and top 10 in the Netherlands. The arrangement is known for its haunting saxophone solo. Rafferty received the 1978 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

Named after the London street of the same name, the song was included on Rafferty's second solo album, City to City, which was Rafferty's first release after the resolution of legal problems surrounding the formal break-up of his old band, Stealers Wheel, in 1975. In the intervening three years, Rafferty had been unable to release any material because of disputes about the band's remaining contractual recording obligations.

Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Pina Colada Song) (1979)

Escape, also known as "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)", is a song written and recorded by American singer Rupert Holmes for his album Partners in Crime. As the lead single for the album, the pop song was recommended by Billboard for radio broadcasters on September 29, 1979, then added to prominent US radio playlists in October–November. Rising in popularity, the song peaked at the end of December to become the last U.S. number one song of the 1970s.

After its release as a single, the song became immediately popular, though initial sales were slow due to the song's actual title, "Escape", going unnoticed in the place of the oft-repeated cocktail. Holmes reluctantly agreed to rename the song "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)". The song shot up through the charts, becoming the last number-one Billboard Hot 100 hit of 1979.

Stories - Brother Louie (1973)

Brother Louie is a song about an interracial love affair. The title was written and sung by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson of the group Hot Chocolate, and was a Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart for the band in 1973, produced by Mickie Most. Alexis Korner has a spoken word part in this version of the song.

The song was covered by the American band Stories (featuring singer Ian Lloyd) about six months after Hot Chocolate's UK hit, and the Stories version made number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. Another cover was released in 1973 by Roy Ayers on his album Virgo Red, playing vibes instead of singing.

It has since been covered by many other artists including The Undisputed Truth, The Quireboys, Peter Beckett, Louie Louie, Matumbi, The Oppressed, and Scarecrow. Vandenberg singer Bert Heerink had a top 10 hit in 1995 in the Netherlands with a Dutch version titled "Julie July". More recently, the song has been covered by Bon Jovi and the hip hop group Code Red.

The 1986 hit "Brother Louie" by Modern Talking is a different song.

Shocking Blue - Venus (1969)

Venus is a 1969 song by the Dutch band Shocking Blue which the group took to number one in nine countries in 1970. In 1986, the British girl group Bananarama returned the song to number one in seven countries.

The composition has been featured in numerous films, television shows and commercials, and covered dozens of times by artists around the world.

Released in late 1969 as a single from the album At Home, Shocking Blue's single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 7 February 1970. RIAA certification came on 28 January 1970 for selling over one million copies in the U.S., garnering a gold record. Worldwide, the single sold over 7.5 million copies.

The song's lead vocals are performed by Mariska Veres. The song's music and lyrics are written by Robbie van Leeuwen, the band's guitarist, sitarist and background vocalist, who also produced, along with record producer Jerry Ross. Van Leeuwen originally miswrote the line "...the goddess on the mountain top..." as "...the godness on the mountain top...". This was corrected in later versions. Whoever played the Hohner electric piano on the release was not credited.

Van Leeuwen was inspired by "The Banjo Song", a composition by Tim Rose that set Stephen Collins Foster's lyrics to "Oh! Susanna" to a completely new melody.

"Venus" was remixed and re-released by dance producers The BHF (Bisiach Hornbostel Ferrucci) Team in May 1990, scoring the group a Top 10 hit in the UK and Australia 21 years after the release of the original. The remix featured a hip house rhythm and samples. An instrumental version was also released independently under the producer's alias "Don Pablo's Animals". The instrumental version (credited only to Don Pablos Animals – without referencing Shocking Blue) became the highest charting version of the song. The single began with a sample from James Brown's 1988 hit "The Payback Mix (Part One)". This release of "Venus" peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart and #8 in Australia in 1990.

David Gate - The Goodbye Girl (1977) on WLCY Radio

The Goodbye Girl is a single released by David Gates, lead singer of the group Bread, in 1977 following the premiere of the hit movie of the same name. As the theme song to the movie, the song reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 9 on the Cash Box Top 100. It reached number 7 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song appeared on his studio album Goodbye Girl, released the following year.

In 2004, the alternative rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, released a cover of "The Goodbye Girl" on their compilation album, The Best of Hootie & the Blowfish: 1993–2003. Their version was recorded for the television remake of the original film.

WLCY Radio Hits

May 31, 2015

Chicago - If You Leave Me Now (1976)

The Doobie Brothers - Listen To The Music (1972)

May 30, 2015

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop The Rain (1970)

May 29, 2015

Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street (1978)

May 19, 2015

Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Pina Colada Song) (1979)

May 17, 2015

Stories - Brother Louie (1973)

May 15, 2015

Shocking Blue - Venus (1969)

David Gate - The Goodbye Girl (1977)

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