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Influential Albums: 1423-1429
Fri., Apr. 5. 2024 5:39pm EDT
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.
Here are the latest entries in the "albums that influenced me" series I started writing in May 2020.
Note: Just because an album appears on this list doesn't mean I give it a blanket endorsement. Many of the secular albums on this list are mainly there because they wound up being spoofed by ApologetiX.
1423. Just the Two of Us: The Best Love Songs - Various Artists
I bought Just the Two of Us: The Best Love Songs specifically for a couple #2 hits I needed for a playlist of such singles — "Just the Two of Us" by Grover Washington Jr. featuring Bill Withers and "More Than I Can Say" by Leo Sayer. I already owned the other #2 hit on it, "Waiting for a Girl Like You" by Foreigner. This collection also included three #1 hits: "My Eyes Adored You" by Frankie Valli, "Always" by Atlantic Starr, and "Lost in Your Eyes" by Debbie Gibson. In all, Just the Two of Us: The Best Love Songs contained 12 Top 20 hits from 1972-89, the others being "How Much I Feel" by Ambrosia (#3), "Love Won't Let Me Wait" by Major Harris (#5 pop, #1 R&B), "Steal Away" by Robbie Dupree (#6), "One in a Million You" (#9 pop, #1 R&B), "Just Remember I Love You" by Firefall (#11 pop, #1 adult contemporary), and "I Saw the Light" by Todd Rundgren (#16). Robbie Dupree is often remembered as a one-hit wonder, but he actually had two. The second was "Hot Rod Hearts" (#15), a song I liked a lot when I used to hear it on the radio, back in 1980. My favorites on Just the Two of Us are probably "Lost in Your Eyes," "Just Remember I Love You," and "Always." ApologetiX has a longtime fan named Larry Graham, and every time he orders something, I find myself singing the title line to "One in a Million You." If I wanted to add some variety, I suppose I could sing, "I'm gonna add some bottom, so that the dancers just won't hide." That's a line Graham sang as bassist for Sly and the Family Stone on their 1968 hit "Dance to the Music" (#8).
1424. Super Hits of the '70s - Have a Nice Day Volume 3 - Various Artists
Remember the old Sesame Street song, "One of These Things Is Not Like the Others"? That's sort of the theme for this compilation, which featured 11 legit hits from 1970 ... and one song that missed the Hot 100 entirely and didn't come out until the fall of '71. "Fallin' Lady" by Punch, which bubbled under at #110, isn't a bad tune at all; it just sticks out on the list like a sore thumb. Only one other track on Super Hits of the '70s - Have a Nice Day Volume 3 didn't make the Top 10. That would be "Neanderthal Man" (#22) by Hotlegs (a group relaunched two years later as 10cc), but at least it went to #2 on the U.K. chart, whereas "Fallin' Lady" was nowhere to be found. The rest of the album boasted impeccable pop credentials: "I Think I Love You" by The Partridge Family (#1), "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry (#3), "Green-Eyed Lady" by Sugarloaf (#3), "Gypsy Woman" by Brian Hyland (#3), "Julie, Do Ya Love Me" by Bobby Sherman (#5), "Indiana Wants Me" by R. Dean Taylor (#5), "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" by Melanie with The Edwin Hawkins Singers (#6), "Tighter, Tighter" by Alive and Kicking (#7), "Montego Bay" by Bobby Bloom (#8), and "Amos Moses" by Jerry Reed (#8). But getting back to "Fallin' Lady," who am I to question the judgment of the song-selection staff at Rhino Records? I'm sure they felt that part of their job was to draw attention to lesser-known nuggets, and they got me to talk about it first and foremost in this entry. Otherwise, I'd be waxing eloquently on The Partridge Family, and I've already done that several times on this list. ApologetiX spoofed "Green-Eyed Lady" in 2018.
1425. Super Hits of the '70s - Have a Nice Day Volume 19 - Various Artists
Unlike most installments in the series, Super Hits of the '70s - Have a Nice Day Volume 19 exclusively featured singles that hit the upper half of the Top 40. In fact, only two of the tracks missed the Top 10: "Jeans On" by David Dundas (#17) and "Wham Bam (Shang-A-Lang)" by Silver (#16), which made a comeback 40 years later in the film Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 and on its soundtrack. I remembered that tune from back in the day, but until the movie came out, I thought I was possibly the only one. The other selections on Have a Nice Day Volume 19 included four #1 hits from 1977: "Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor, "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul (who played Hutch in the Starsky & Hutch TV show), "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" by Bill Conti, and "Undercover Angel" by Alan O'Day. The first two on that list were pretty hard to find on CD in 2005, when I bought this album. The rest of the songs on Have a Nice Day Volume 19, ranked in order of chart position, were as follows: "I Like Dreamin'" by Kenny Nolan (#3), "Couldn't Get It Right" by Climax Blues Band (#3), "Still the One" by Orleans (#5), "The Things We Do for Love" by 10cc (#5), "Lonely Boy" by Andrew Gold (#7), and "Stand Tall" by Burton Cummings (#10). ApologetiX spoofed "Lonely Boy" in 2024.
1426. Super Hits of the '70s - Have a Nice Day Volume 14 - Various Artists
One of the things I loved about pop music in the first half of the '70s was the surplus of story songs, and Super Hits of the '70s - Have a Nice Day Volume 14 has quite an assortment of them ... all from late '74 through '75. Some are fun and quite amusing: "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You" by Sugarloaf and "Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)" by Leo Sayer, both of which peaked at #9 on the Hot 100. Others are sad and even tragic: "Wildfire" by Michael Murphey (#3) and "Emma" by Hot Chocolate (#8). And then there are those that might be best classified as "this could only happen in the '70s": "Chevy Van" by Sammy Johns (#5) and "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas (#1), a song ApologetiX spoofed in 2024. And that's only half of the album. Four other tracks also hit the Top 10: "I'm Not in Love" by 10cc (#2), "Jackie Blue" by Ozark Mountain Daredevils (#3), "How Long" by Ace (#3), and "Magic" by Pilot (#5). Those are all great tunes, but the two that didn't make the Top 10 are also worthy additions to Have a Nice Day Volume 14: "Up in a Puff of Smoke" by Polly Brown (#16), a catchy number with a sound slightly reminiscent of The Supremes, and "So You Are a Star" by The Hudson Brothers (#21), which is one of the best late-era-Beatles imitations I've ever heard. The vocals sound a lot like both John Lennon and Paul McCartney. In fact, it reminds me of some of their solo efforts from the '70s. Many of us who grew up in that decade will remember The Hudson Brothers for their Saturday morning television program The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show, which ran from 1974-75. Oldest brother Bill went on to marry two '70s icons, Goldie Hawn ('76-'82) and Cindy Williams ('82-2000) of Laverne & Shirley. He is also the father of actors Oliver and Kate Hudson. Middle brother Mark became a notable songwriter and producer. He co-wrote a dozen Aerosmith songs, including "Livin' on the Edge" (#18 pop, #1 mainstream rock for nine weeks). Youngest brother Brett became a TV producer and writer.
1427. Super Hits of the '70s - Have a Nice Day Volume 24 - Various Artists
"Sky High" by Jigsaw (#3), "Moonlight Feels Right" by Starbuck (#3), "Keep On Smilin" by Wet Willie (#10), and "United We Stand" by Brotherhood of Man" (#13) were all big hits in the '70s, but most people don't realize that the groups who performed them had later, lesser-known, lower-charting Top 40 singles. Rhino Records remembered; Super Hits of the '70s - Have a Nice Day Volume 24 features "Love Fire" by Jigsaw (#30), "Everybody Be Dancin'" by Starbuck (#38), "Street Corner Serenade" by Wet Willie (#30), and "Save Your Kisses for Me" by Brotherhood of Man (#27 pop, #1 adult contemporary). However, that doesn't mean this treasure trove of tunes from '76-79 was devoid of Top 10 hits. In fact, it included one song each that peaked at positions #3-7: "Emotion" by Samantha Sang (#3), Feels So Good" by Chuck Mangione (#4), "Makin' It" by David Naughton (#5), "Heaven on the Seventh Floor" by Paul Nicholas (#6), and "Hey Deanie" by Shaun Cassidy (#7). Naughton starred in the movies Midnight Madness (1980) and An American Werewolf in London (1981). He also sang and danced in Dr. Pepper commercials from 1977-81 and had the lead role in the short-lived TV show Makin' It in 1979. That's where the song of the same name came from, although it didn't become a hit until after the show was cancelled. Later that year, it was used in the Bill Murray film Meatballs, which was much more successful. Speaking of television and movies, Have a Nice Day Volume 24 also included "Thank You for Being a Friend" by Andrew Gold (#25), which would be covered by Cynthia Fee and used as the theme for The Golden Girls from 1985-92, and "Did You Boogie (With Your Baby)" by Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids (#29), who had previously played the prom band in the 1973 blockbuster film American Graffiti. "Did You Boogie" featured additional vocals by Wolfman Jack, who had also appeared in American Graffiti, even though it came out three years before "Did You Boogie." The remaining track on Have a Nice Day Volume 24 was "The King Is Gone" (#13), a tribute to Elvis Presley (who had died the previous month) by Ronnie McDowell. Although McDowell sounds remarkably similar to Presley on that record (which also hit #13 on the country chart), he would become a country star in his own right, with 14 Top 10 country singles, two of which went to #1. Unlike Jigsaw, Starbuck, Wet Willie, and Brotherhood of Man, he never had another Top 40 hit. Same thing goes for David Naughton, Samantha Sang, Paul Nicholas, and Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids.
1428. Billboard Top Hits: 1980 - Various Artists
I don't want to make anybody tense, but to set the right mood, I think it's imperative for you to notice that the titles of 45% of the songs on Billboard Top Hits: 1980 are either commands or requests: "Call Me" by Blondie (#1), "Please, Don't Go" by K.C. & The Sunshine Band (#1), "Do That to Me One More Time" by The Captain & Tennille (#1), "Take Your Time (Do It Right) (Part 1)" by The S.O.S. Band (#3), and "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl" by The Spinners (#2). Half of the 10 tracks were #1 pop hits, too — "Funkytown" by Lipps, Inc., "Upside Down" by Diana Ross, and three I already mentioned. Two more topped other major Billboard charts: "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" (#1 R&B, #3 pop) and "Little Jeannie" by Elton John (#1 adult contemporary, #3 pop). The remaining two tunes did all right for themselves as well — "He's So Shy" by The Pointer Sisters (#3) and "Fame" by Irene Cara (#4). ApologetiX spoofed "Little Jeannie" in 2023. We also spoofed "Funkytown" in 2021, but we imitated the Pseudo Echo remake.
1429. Billboard Top Hits - 1985 - Various Artists
I bought Billboard Top Hits 1985 mainly because I had an idea for a parody of the song "Shout" by Tears for Fears, although I never completed it. Maybe someday. But I know I specifically used this album when I wrote our parody of "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis & The News. ApologetiX has spoofed four other tracks on this compilation, too: "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Broken Wings," "We Built This City," and "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)." All six of the songs I've mentioned were #1 hits, as were two other tunes on Billboard Top Hits 1985 — "Oh Sheila" (Ready for the World) and "Miami Vice Theme" (Jan Hammer). That last one was an instrumental, so we're not likely to cover that one. The remaining two tracks were #2 hits: "Loverboy" (Billy Ocean) and "The Heat Is On" (Glenn Frey). I hate to get all Grimley on you, but I must say 1985 was one of my all-time favorite years for pop music. Perhaps that's because I was a junior and senior in college at the time.
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