We're going back to the Two-Fer Tuesday theme for our
Lost Rock Tracks Of The Week. That, of course, means two songs in a row with something in common.
Sit back, grab your favorite beverage and let's ROCK!
Missing Persons - Destination Unknown (1982)
Rod Stewart - Tora, Tora, Tora (Out With The Boys) (1982)
As many of you know, New-wave was a staple on AOR Radio and MTV in the early '80's, and this track is, IMHO, as fine an example of that genre as any. Featuring lead singer Dale Bozzio--who no doubt inspired Lady Gaga's look-- and a few former members of Frank Zappa's backing band, the band Missing Persons had a handful of AOR hits in the '80's, including, obviously, the track above, "Words" and "Walking In L.A."
If you want to liven up an Adult--and I do mean Adult--party, then simply play this lost AOR hit from Rod Stewart's
Tonight I'm Yours LP. Trust me, it works every time. While this track wasn't/isn't Top 40 radio friendly--I wouldn't play it in front of kids--AOR stations ate it up back in the day.
Missing Persons - Destination Unknown [HQ] - YouTube
Rod Stewart-Tora Tora Tora - YouTube
Jeff Lynne - Every Little Thing (1990)
Stabilizers - One Simple Thing (1986)
Not only do the aforementioned tracks contain the word "thing" in the title, they were also the only AOR hits (ELO frontman Jeff Lynne as a solo artist) by the aformentioned artists.
IMHO, the Jeff Lynne track is fantastic, so is the
Armchair Theatre CD. Simply put, it rivals his best E.L.O work. Lynne also deserves a ton of credit for personally resurrecting the careers of Dave Edmunds, George Harrison, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison.
Not that the Stabilizers' track is chopped liver. I liked it a lot when it was new and a big AOR hit, and it's an IPOD favorite of mine. Alas, I haven't heard it on AOR Radio in 24 years.
Jeff Lynne - Every Little Thing - YouTube
Stabilizers - One Simple Thing (1986) - YouTube
Billy Joel - No Man's Land (1993)
Cry Of Love - Peace Pipe (1993)
From the
River Of Dreams CD, this track featuring the great Leslie West (Mountain) on guitar was the last of many AOR hits for Billy Joel, and is simply Billy at his rockin' best. "Piano Man" this ain't.
Okay, I'll admit that I'm partial to the Raleigh-based band Cry Of Love--I was living there at the time--but they were really good. This track, which topped the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart for four weeks in the Fall of '93, was one of four AOR hits for the band. Only two of the band's CDs made an impact on the AOR world, though. Anyway, IMHO, this track deserves some high volume.
Billy Joel-No Man's Land-Lyrics - YouTube
Cry Of Love - Peace Pipe - YouTube
As as always, Rock On, Redszone!
Adieu from R4Blue.