The Flashback of the 60s, 70s, 80s Greatest Music Hits

Jun 26, 2016

The Hollies - Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) from the album Distant Light (1972)

The Hollies - Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) from the album Distant Light (1972)
"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" (also called "Long Cool Woman" or "Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress)") is a song written by Allan Clarke, Roger Cook, and Roger Greenaway and performed by the British rock group The Hollies. Originally appearing on the album Distant Light, it was released as a single in April 1972 (on Parlophone in the United Kingdom), selling 1.5 million copies in the United States and two million worldwide. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1972. Billboard ranked it as the No. 24 song for 1972.



In the Hollies' native United Kingdom, the song was only a modest success for the band, peaking at number 32 on the charts. However, it was a smash hit in the United States, peaking at number 2 for two weeks behind Gilbert O'Sullivan’s "Alone Again (Naturally)". It was their highest charting single in America. It also topped the charts in South Africa and peaked at number 2 in New Zealand and Australia. By this time, Clarke had already left the band, but he feels that "it wasn't unfortunate", since he had co-written the song. Clarke rejoined the Hollies in the summer of 1973, partly due to the success of this song.

Hamilton, Joe Frank, & Reynolds - Don't Pull Your Love (1971)

Hamilton, Joe Frank, & Reynolds - Don't Pull Your Love from the album Greatest Hits (1971)
"Don't Pull Your Love" is a classic song written by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert. The song was originally released in 1971 by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. The song was an international hit, hitting number one on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100 and reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as Billboard's Country and Easy Listening charts. In Canada, the song spent one week at number one. "Don't Pull Your Love" became a gold record. Session musicians later referred to as the Wrecking Crew were hired to record the instruments instead of Hamilton, Frank and Reynolds.


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Blue Magic - Sideshow from the album Blue Magic (1974)

Blue Magic - Sideshow from the album Blue Magic (1974)
"Sideshow" is a song recorded by American R&B soul vocal quintet Blue Magic, released in 1974. It was first released on the album Blue Magic and when issued as a single it sold over a million copies, going to #1 R&B and #8 pop in the United States in the summer of 1974. Billboard ranked it as the No. 19 song for 1974. It was covered as a reggae version by Barry Biggs who reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1977. It has also been covered by Ray, Goodman & Brown, Silk, and Joss Stone.


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The song is noted for its introduction, featuring a repeat of the first 10 notes of a slow version of Julius Fucik's "Entrance of the Gladiators" while one of the band's members acts like a master of ceremonies, declaring: "Hurry!! Hurry!!! Step right up! See the saddest show in town for only 50 cents!"
The follow-up song was the similarly themed "Three Ring Circus" (which was similarly covered as a later single by Biggs). Some radio edits fade the song out several seconds earlier before the repeat of the Introduction in the Coda section, which also features a repeat of the chorus, due to the length of the song.

The Guess Who - No Sugar Tonight from the album American Woman (1970)

The Guess Who - No Sugar Tonight from the album American Woman (1970)
"No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature" is a song by the Canadian rock band The Guess Who. It was released on their 1970 album American Woman, and was released on the B-side of the "American Woman" single without the "New Mother Nature" section. The single was officially released as "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature" and peaked at #1 on the RPM magazine charts (three weeks) and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. In Cash Box, which at the time ranked sides independently, "No Sugar Tonight" reached #39.

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George Harrison - Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) (1973)

George Harrison - Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) from the album Living in the Material World (1973)
"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released as the opening track of his 1973 album Living in the Material World. It was also issued as the album's lead single, in May that year, and became Harrison's second US number 1, after "My Sweet Lord". In doing so, the song demoted Paul McCartney and Wings' "My Love" from the top of the Billboard Hot 100, marking the only occasion that two former Beatles have held the top two chart positions in America. The single also reached the top ten in Britain, Canada, Australia and other countries around the world.


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Randy VanWarmer - Just When I Needed You Most from the album Warmer (1979)

Randy VanWarmer - Just When I Needed You Most from the album Warmer (1979)
"Just When I Needed You Most" is the title of a 1979 hit single by the American singer-songwriter Randy VanWarmer.



Released as a single in February 1979, VanWarmer's "Just When I Needed You Most" spent two weeks atop the US Billboard adult contemporary chart in May of that year  and in June 1979 reached its peak position of No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart accruing an overall Top 40 tenure of 14 weeks and earning RIAA Gold record status. In addition, the track reached No. 71 on the Billboard country music chart. and in September 1979 made the Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 8. VanWarmer attributed his single's success to empathy for its heartbreak scenario: "It's happened to everyone. That emotion is universal...I always hoped the record wasn't wallowing in self-pity and it had some redeeming value, and I guess it does." VanWarmer also attributed his single's success to the autoharp instrumental break between the second and third verses, performed by John Sebastian.

Jun 21, 2016

Tommy James & the Shondells - Crimson & Clover from the album Crimson & Clover (1968)

Tommy James & the Shondells - Crimson & Clover from the album Crimson & Clover (1968)




"Crimson and Clover" is a 1968 song by American rock band Tommy James and the Shondells. Written by the duo of Tommy James and drummer Peter Lucia Jr., it was intended as a change in direction of the group's sound and composition.

"Crimson and Clover" was released in late 1968 as a rough mix after a radio station leaked it. It spent 16 weeks on the U.S. charts, reaching number one in the United States and other countries. The single has sold 5 million copies, making it Tommy James and the Shondells' best-selling song. It has been covered by many artists such as Joan Jett and Prince.

In 2006, Pitchfork Media named it the 57th best song of the 1960s.

Jun 5, 2016

Ray Charles - Here We Go Again on Ray Charles Anthology (1967)

Ray Charles - Here We Go Again on Ray Charles Anthology (1967)




"Here We Go Again" is a country music standard written by Don Lanier and Red Steagall that first became notable as a rhythm and blues single by Ray Charles from his 1967 album Ray Charles Invites You to Listen. It was produced by Joe Adams for ABC Records/Tangerine Records. To date, this version of the song has been the biggest commercial success, spending twelve consecutive weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 15.

The most notable cover version is a rhythm and blues duet by Charles and Norah Jones, which appeared on the 2004 album Genius Loves Company. This version has been the biggest critical success. When Genius Loves Company was released, "Here We Go Again" earned Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration at the 47th Grammy Awards posthumously for Charles who died in 2004. Another notable version by Nancy Sinatra charted for five weeks in 1969. Johnny Duncan charted the song on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for five weeks in 1972, while Roy Clark did so for seven weeks in 1982.

The song has been covered in a wide variety of musical genres. In total, five different versions have been listed on the music charts. Although its two most successful versions have been rhythm and blues recordings, many of its other notable covers were featured on country music albums. "Here We Go Again" was first covered in an instrumental jazz format, and many of the more recent covers have been sung as duets, such as one with Willie Nelson and Norah Jones with Wynton Marsalis accompanying. The song was released on their 2011 tribute album Here We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles. The song lent its name to Red Steagall's 2007 album as well. Cover versions have appeared on compilation albums by a number of artists, even some who did not release "Here We Go Again" as a single.