Album Oriented Rock (AOR)--A dying radio format.

[Captain13]

I, for one, would like to thank R4B for starting and continuing to contribute to this thread. This is my favorite thread on the site to check into once or twice a week. I love the videos, some of the songs I remember, some I don't. The best part is the discussions that follow: "what happened to X" "I had forgotten about Y" "the total absurdity of the RRHOF and it's Rolling Stone influence".

I am now going to attempt my first video post. If this works "I Wish I a Girl" by Henry Lee Summer will be on here. This is an AOR hit that reminds me of a simpler time (that probably never existed).

Henry Lee Summer-Wish I Had A Girl That Walked Like That - YouTube

[gilpdawg]

Originally Posted by Captain13

I, for one, would like to thank R4B for starting and continuing to contribute to this thread. This is my favorite thread on the site to check into once or twice a week. I love the videos, some of the songs I remember, some I don't. The best part is the discussions that follow: "what happened to X" "I had forgotten about Y" "the total absurdity of the RRHOF and it's Rolling Stone influence".

I am now going to attempt my first video post. If this works "I Wish I a Girl" by Henry Lee Summer will be on here. This is an AOR hit that reminds me of a simpler time (that probably never existed).

Henry Lee Summer-Wish I Had A Girl That Walked Like That - YouTube

Lol, the first time I ever heard that song as a kid I thought he was singing "wish I had a girl to wash my back."

That's one of those regional hits you don't see anymore. People outside the Midwest are much less likely to remember this one.

[KittyDuran]

KittyDuran will attempt to embed a video of one of her favorite AOR songs. She actually bought the album just for this single:

Elliot Easton's "(Wearing Down) Like a Wheel". Enjoy one of the finer southpaw guitarists!

Elliot Easton "Like A Wheel" - YouTube

[Revering4Blue]

Well done, Captain13 and KittyDuran. I remember both tracks well.

Actually, the Henry Lee Summer track was far from just a "regional" hit, even though it seems that way. I'm going to feature another track from HLS in the future--just to give you a heads-up.

Until I recently found it on Grooveshark, I hadn't heard Wearing Down) Like a Wheel in ages. It was always more memorable to me than any of the solo work by Ric Ocasek or Ben Orr. Easton, much like Andy Taylor was/is a terribly underrated guitarist.

[Revering4Blue]

I'm featuring two indefensible RRHOF snubbed bands in this weeks edition of Lost Rock Tracks Of The Week. Plus, as a bonus, two tracks from each artist are featured. In the case of both bands, the lead singer on the featured tracks isn't the usual one for the respective bands.

The Cars-It's All I Can Do (1979)

This track, which surprisingly received very little Pop/Top 40 airplay compared with AOR play, was/is considered one of the band's signiture tracks. But you wouldn't know it by the lack of AOR airplay today. In other words, it should be considered a classic. Along with great keyboard work and a nice Elliot Easton guitar solo, bass player Ben Orr delivers his usual home run as lead vocalist. Even though The Cars are back with newer material, IMHO, a major part of them died with Orr's untimely passing in 2000.

The Cars-It's Not The Night (1984)

One of the better tracks off of Heartbeat City, this track also features Ben Orr, rather than Ric Ocasek, on lead vocals. Other than the major Pop/Rock hits, this track along with the title track were the only ones to receive major AOR airplay from Heartbeat City. IMHO, The aforementioned tracks from the LP both had hit single written all over them. It has always puzzled me why the sappy Why Can't I Have You and the utterly annoying Hello Again were chosen as singles instead of this track and the title track.

Oh, well. This track ROCKS.

The CARS - It's All I Can Do(1979) - YouTube

The Cars - It's Not The Night - YouTube


Heart-There's The Girl (1988)

Heart-Stranded (1990)

Both tracks were major Pop/AOR hits back in the day, but have seemingly fallen of the face of the earth from an AOR standpoint. Both feature Nancy Wilson on lead vocals (her sister Ann usually sang lead) of whom I've always been, ahem, fond of.

The former from the CD Bad Animals. The latter from Brigade.
IMHO, the former is the better track of the two--not that I consider the latter weak.

All in all, memories from a time long before Post Grunge Metal--not to be confused with Post Grunge Rock--was inflicted upon us, er, became the staple for AOR radio.

Heart - There's The Girl - YouTube

Heart - Stranded - YouTube

Rock on, Redszone!

Adieu from R4Blue.

[texasdave]

My personal favorite by Ric Ocasek and the boys.

It's an orangy sky.
Always it's some other guy.
It's just a broken lullaby.

The Cars - Bye Bye Love - YouTube

[Revering4Blue]

Here are all of The Cars songs featuring the late Benjamin Orr on lead vocals. IMHO, the man never received his due for his contributions to the band. But, contrary to popular belief, it wasn't because of Ric Ocasek pushing him aside as the face of the band.

In fact, years ago, Ocasek was quoted as saying something along the lines of If we need a good singer, I'll sing. If a great singer is needed, Ben will sing.

The Cars
Just What I Needed
Bye, Bye Love
Moving In Stereo
All Mixed Up

Candy-O
Let's Go
It's All I Can Do
Candy-O
You Can't Hold On Too Long

Panorama
Don't Tell Me No
Down Boys
You Wear Those Eyes
Running To You

Shake It Up
This Could Be Love
Cruiser
Think It Over

Heartbeat City
Drive
Stranger Eyes
It's Not The Night

Door to Door
Double Trouble
Everything You Say
Coming Up You
Go Away

The tracks "Candy-O", "Cruiser" and "Double Trouble" also qualify as lost AOR radio tracks and are well worth checking out.

[marcshoe]

I remember seeing the Cars perform Candy-O on television and thinking that Ric Ocasik looked really different than he did in his pictures. I figured it out later.

[camisadelgolf]

Not a lot of people know this, but the founding members of the Cars (Ocasek and Orr) met at Antioch in Yellow Springs, OH.

[Tuff Nut]

I'm a long-time rocker, and have enjoyed going thru this thread. Wow, at some rekindled memories. For those that think rock is dead, I feel ya just gotta look for it harder. During my 20s, I'd go into record stores, find the Rock/metal section, and just pilfer thru the albums, looking for new or lesser known bands,(I grew up in 'BFE' and the closest ROCK stations,were outta ear-shot, unless you liked static) and then turning my friends on to them. Bands like Fastway, Mama's Boyz, Black and Blue, Lynch Mob, and one of my all- time faves......Y&T(formerly known as Yesterday and Today)
Another favorite, though they got more air-play, than these others, was Triumph.

Long Live Rock.

[Captain13]

Both tracks were major Pop/AOR hits back in the day, but have seemingly fallen of the face of the earth from an AOR standpoint. Both feature Nancy Wilson on lead vocals (her sister Ann usually sang lead) of whom I've always been, ahem, fond of.

If I'm not mistaken Nancy also sang on the hit These Dreams.

[Revering4Blue]

Originally Posted by Captain13

Both tracks were major Pop/AOR hits back in the day, but have seemingly fallen of the face of the earth from an AOR standpoint. Both feature Nancy Wilson on lead vocals (her sister Ann usually sang lead) of whom I've always been, ahem, fond of.

If I'm not mistaken Nancy also sang on the hit These Dreams.

NVEExport.mpg - YouTube

[gilpdawg]

I just thought of one. I love this song. It came out during that weird period for rock radio when grunge was starting to break but the hair farmers were still going strong so it was anything goes for a brief time. It wasn't uncommon to hear something like Nirvana or Pearl Jam in the same set with something like Krokus or something and mixed in was classic rock songs and classic metal like Maiden and Priest. Anyhoo, this song got played quite a bit on WRZX out of Indy, but for some reason they never said the name of the band. It wasn't until years later that I found out who it was, and then had to track down all their CDs, which by then were out of print. The first two records are very very good and if you like this song then track those down because you'll love em. The rest of the catalogue is hit and miss.

Galactic Cowboys-You Make Me Smile

Galactic Cowboys - You Make Me Smile (Audio) - YouTube

[Captain13]

Wow. The Galactic Cowboys: a little bit Primus, a little bit Iron Maiden, a little bit Van Halen, very talented and very weird. They were too heavy for mainstream radio and too odd for the metalheads, but they had some very good songs.

[texasdave]

I bought that Galactic Cowboys album about the same time I bought this King's X album. So they are always linked together inside my simple mind.

King's X - Mississippi Moon - YouTube

King's X - (Thinking and Wondering) What I'm Gonna Do - YouTube