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Pop Muzik (sp?) - M.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ky Fried Redleg
I remember that you said you are a 1980 HS graduate. That was the biggest clue to me. That, and I cannot recall an another artist with a huge pop hit with just one letter in his/her/their name.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ky Fried Redleg
https://youtu.be/gPoiv0sZ4s4?list=RDgPoiv0sZ4s4
107.
Allow me the pleasure of telling you about one of my favorite folk singer/ songwriters of the early 70's. I'll call him Kent, although he is much better known by his four letter stage name, which means "wolf", in Spanish. Kent was a struggling songwriter back in '70-'71. He had just returned from New York to his home in Florida and was sitting in the Florida Room of his home, no less, trying to write a song. He wanted to write a song about a young man traveling with his girl across the country, experiencing the freedom of going from place to place, enjoying a carefree existence, living off the land , and maybe even "robbing from an old hen."
Kent was struggling to find the right words. He was trying to find a word that rhymed with "You and Me." He couldn't come up with anything. Then he tried reversing the words to "Me and You." Still, NOTHING. He had writer's block. (We've all been there) Then, as he was trying to find the right rhyming word, Kent's pet German Shepherd, who had been outside in the yard, came up to the sliding glass doors and started staring at him. At that moment, Kent finally had his inspiration (and his rhyming word) that he needed to to write his song. Now, if I told you the name of the German Shepherd, I'd be telling you too much. I'll let you tell me. I will tell you that the song lyrics mentions places like Georgia, St. Paul, and LA.
The song became Kent's first hit song, and many will say, his signature song. It reached #1 on the Easy Listening (Adult Contemporary) chart and peaked at # 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, nearly 55 years ago. It was the first of his eight top 10 songs on the EL chart, and the first of four #1's on that chart. He also went on to have eight top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including one that peaked at #2 and the one that I profiled above, which peaked at # 5.
Interestingly, enough, three of the four letters in the singer's four letter stage name spells out the name of his German Shepherd .
Can you name the song and the folk rock/pop singer who overcame writer's block to pen this classic top 10 hit in the spring of my third year of elementary school?
Lobo - Me and You and a Dog Named Boo
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ky Fried Redleg
https://youtu.be/We-HMZDSWFU?list=RDWe-HMZDSWFU
If you haven't ever listened to Kent Lavoie(LOBO), I highly recommend you find a copy of his greatest hits and give a listen, I wore that record out... literally, over one summer If you like melodic, folk/pop, with great stories and great singing, you'll love that album.
Here's another great one:
#22 on Billboard Hot 100, #4 on Easy Listening in 1973.
https://youtu.be/VtTHhDp3wu8?list=RDVtTHhDp3wu8
We lost Tommy DeCarlo of Boston this week. Boston has been one of my favorite bands since I was a kid. Their self-titled debut album is one of my all-time favorite albums. If I was exiled to a deserted island and could only take five albums with me, Boston's debut album would definitely be one of the five. Every single track on that record is fire!!! Not a single stinker. In fact, all are hit-level songs. The album passed 1 million units sold within three months of its release back in August of '76.
Just curious, RZ, do you have a favorite BOSTON song? Did you ever see them perform?
I am grateful that Tommy DeCarlo kept Boston and Brad Delp's music alive for the last, nearly two decades. Very well done, Mr. DeCarlo. RIP.
108. Now for the question. BOSTON's 1976 self-titled debut album is widely regarded as one of the best debut albums ever and record sales backed it up. The album , Boston , has sold over 17 million units in the US and well over 20 million worldwide, achieving 17x Platinum certification by the RIAA in 2003. Only two bands have managed to eclipse that certification with their debut albums. One of those albums was released in the late 80's and the other in the 90's. Can you name those two bands and their blockbuster debut albums that have bested Boston's 17 X Platinum certification?
I do apologize for this break to your fine nostalgic music thread, KY Fried, but I didn't want to start a new thread...
Just for fun, who can name these two folks who are related in a Hollywood kind of way. I must say that I knew they looked familiar but I couldn't quite place them. For fun I thought I'd pose it to RZers
Attachment 23638
Superheroes - Lindsay Wagner and Lee Majors.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sea Ray
That’s Lindsay Wagner, who I had a major crush on, and Lee Majors. A bionic duo.
EDIT: Foiled by texasdave.
:thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by texasdave
I watched those shows religiously in the 1970s. Good to see them again...Lee has really aged since this picture in 2017:
Attachment 23639
Time flies. Lindsay is 76, Lee Majors is 86.
I was into her too. I was into a lot of 70s chicks back then...Linda Carter, all the Charlie's Angels, and Susan Saint JamesQuote:
Originally Posted by RichRed
Also interesting that both were married 4x. Although Lindsay really struggled with that. None of her four tries lasted more than 3 yrs
A musical tribute to Lee and Lindsay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYJfieRx-2U&list=RDnYJfieRx-2U&start_radio=1
No problem at all, Sea. I love the pictures. Damn, Father Time really sucks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sea Ray
'57 Graduate of Middlesboro(KY) High School just up the road from me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sea Ray
How about this gal?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sea Ray
https://render.pixels.com/images/ren...-star-news.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ky Fried Redleg
18x Platinum (released in 1987) :
https://youtu.be/g6nhzlYS3wI
22x Platinum(released in 1994) :
https://youtu.be/grUa4WgDP3w?list=RDgrUa4WgDP3w
She’s a 10 :beerme:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ky Fried Redleg
Two 10's !!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy Tucker
You never know what you're gonna get on RZ music thread and today you get something different. This is about my favorite time of the year . Winter is winding down, the sun is out, warmer weather is on the way, birds are chirping, BB tournaments are heating up, and Reds baseball on the horizon. If you are like me, when the dreary, cloudy, rain gives way to sunshine, my mood changes from down in the dumps to happy and more upbeat. Got me to thinking about this question---what kind of music makes you happy? For you, what elements of a song makes it a happy song ?
Well, I think I'm gonna see if you can name me the happiest song ever recorded. I mean , like, for real. Like scientifically. I'm a mathematician and I obviously love formulas, so I'll even show the "feel good" song formula, shortly , and let you know how this song was determined to be the happiest song in the world.
First, allow me to give you just a little bit of the backstory for the song:
109. The singer/songwriter had secluded himself in a remote chalet in the Swiss Alps, hoping to write songs for his band's next album. But the weather had put a damper on his creativity. You see, for two weeks there had been nothing but dark, dreary, cloudy, misty weather , contributing to a "functional" depression and the dreaded "writer's block." The songwriter described the weather for those two weeks as "vile." He hadn't been able to come up with anything useful for two weeks when, all of sudden , the clouds parted and the glorious sunshine appeared over the Alps.
He felt a burst of energy and an inspiration to put down the lyrics to , not only this song, but thirteen other songs, as well. The writer's block was gone with the clouds and mist and an entire album of songs was born, including the world's happiest song. Now, you'd think that the world's happiest song would have climbed the charts to #1. However, it only made it to #35 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album , which was released on the day of my 15th birthday , peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 album chart in 1977, and produced two top 20 hits, in addition to the world's happiest song.
Now, how was the song determined to be the world's happiest song ? Back several years ago, a scientist and researcher was determined to find out what made for happy songs. He joined with a couple of other scientists from the University of Missouri and they interviewed 2,000 people, asking them questions about what elements in upbeat songs played to them made them feel happy. They then asked the study participants to rate the parts of the songs that made them happiest. The researcher then derived a formula to match what these upbeat pop songs had in common, and then applied the formula back to the songs they used to make the formula. After narrowing down the list of the happiest songs to, I believe , 126 songs over a period of 50 years , they developed , and then refined, a formula to rank these feel good songs.
Here's the " feel good" formula:
Rating = 60 + (0.00165 * BPM – 120)^2 + (4.376 * Major) + 0.78 * nChords – (Major * nChords)
Now, when they first came up with a formula, Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" was ranked #1. But after refining the formula, the song I described above went from #2 to the top spot. If I'm not mistaken, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys was #3, according to this particular algorithm.
I know this is a wordy question but I hope you enjoyed the story. Now, can you tell me the name of the world's happiest song? Btw, seems like I read somewhere that a survey about happy songs was done in the UK back around the year 2020 and the survey agreed with the science. This same song won the survey/poll for the happiest song ever.
I double dare you to try to not tap your feet to this song... Science says it's physically impossible! :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQUlA8Hcv4s&list=RDaQUlA8Hcv4s&start_radio =1
I swear you mentioned this already on this forum.
Picking the happiest song is an impossible task, IMO.
For me these two songs have to be high up the list.
First would be Ballroom Blitz by Sweet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8pYpii2Atg&list=RDr8pYpii2Atg&start_radio =1
And then another Jeff Lynne/ELO rocker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfK8t4j7I64&list=RDdfK8t4j7I64&start_radio =1
.Quote:
Originally Posted by texasdave
I don't think I did. i believe you as just that damn smart! ;) Great job! I thought that one might fool a few people.
What do you all think? Does Mr. Blue Sky make you happy? I think it's a great song but it's not the one that tops my "Happy" list. I feel another question on the way. As much as I like "Mr Blue Sky," I like the other two hits on that album even better- " Turn to Stone" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman." Man, I'm so glad the clouds parted that day in the Swiss Alps.
Also, listen to the song again. Listen for that odd percussion sound. It's a clanging sound. You know what it is? It drumsticks hitting a fire extinguisher.
My God, I've turned into the Chico Ruiz of useless trivial music info. Chico , what is Jeff Lynne's favorite seafood dish? lol
Btw, editorial note: Jeff Lynne is a freaking musical genius. That term is often overused, but in Jeff's case it's most appropriate.
Jeff Lynne is a freaking genius.
Hits be damned... Jungle, Wild West Hero and Birmingham Blues are the three best songs on that album.
110. Okay, here's your chance to guess the song that tops my "Happy Song" list. I've loved this song for over 50 years. It never grows old and never fails to make me smile. The song was the band's first big hit record. It peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 but it was a global sensation, reaching #1 on the charts in the UK, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, West Germany, Ireland, Norway, South Africa and Switzerland. The song won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 for their home country, besting Italy's song entry by a score of 24-18 . The song propelled the band to international stardom. Stonewall Jackson, a country artist, had a song by the same title back in the late 50's.. That song didn't make me as happy, though. Plus, Stonewall didn't look nearly as good in a kitty cat dress.
Ironically, the first few seconds of my happiest song sounds very much like the first seconds of ELO's "Turn to Stone"(At least to my ears it does). Just think, if it weren't for the Little General, we might not have ever heard this song.
Can you name the song that tops my happy list ?
I’m a fan of a little bit earlier ELO like Eldorado, Can't Get It Out of My Head, Telephone Line, Do Ya, and more.
That's how I see it as well. From Eldorado to A New World Record is peak ELO.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy Tucker
Whenever I hear that song , I think of THIS song:Quote:
Originally Posted by Roy Tucker
https://youtu.be/P8YrY9Fm100?list=RDP8YrY9Fm100
Criminally underrated EJ album - Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player.
Criminally overrated EJ album - Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.
Best EJ album - Tumbleweed Connection.
I remember hearing that Elton John song with the pedal steel while tripping my brains out at OSU circa 1973. Got me into a Grateful Dead and NRPS binge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ky Fried Redleg
I’ve mentioned it before but I saw Elton John at OSU St John’s arena the day after they released Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. They opened with Funeral for a Friend and I’d never heard it before. We were like WTF.
Quote:
Originally Posted by texasdave
"Don't Shoot Me..." is one of my top five EJ albums. LOVE that album.
Quote:
Originally Posted by texasdave
Tumbleweed's a great album.
https://youtu.be/v327d4Mqs7A?list=RDv327d4Mqs7A
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ky Fried Redleg
MEOW!!!
https://youtu.be/YFk6-Mn-8yg?list=RDYFk6-Mn-8yg
111. This question falls under the category of "Songs That You Never Knew Were Cover Songs."
Our story begins with a man named Paul. Paul was born to Creole parents from the Cape Verde Islands in 1950. He was born with congenital glaucoma and was essentially blind from birth. By age 20 he had no sight at all. Paul grew up speaking Cape Verdean Creole with his parents. His father and grandfather were both musicians and taught Paul how to play. As a kid he learned piano on a baby grand that had been pulled out of a local landfill. He also learned guitar , violin, double bass, and trumpet. Paul gravitated to Blues, Jazz, and Gospel, and studied the recordings of B.B. King, Ray Charles, and T-Bone Walker. By his twenties, he was an accomplished and soulful guitarist, singer, and songwriter who was opening shows for Gerry Garcia and Frank Zappa. Paul was even invited to participate in a folk festival in 1969, alongside James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Kris Kristofferson.
Paul recorded his first album in 1971. The album, while not selling well, received stellar reviews.(Actually, it's a rare find collectible today). His friendship with Garcia prompted him to move to San Francisco in '71. He made the scene around the Grateful Dead, particularly at a Venue called the Keystone, where he often played. It was there , playing alongside Garcia, that got him noticed by music insiders and influencers, leading to a record deal and a second album. The album was produced by a man named Ben, who also played on all the songs. Garcia also played on a couple of the tracks.
Unfortunately, the head of the record company refused to release Paul's album. Whether it was because he thought it wouldn't sell or because of a personal dispute, Paul's album was shelved, and remained shelved for the better part of three decades(more on that in a minute). Now here's where our story gets interesting. You see, Ben, the guy who produced Paul's album, was a keyboardist for a popular 70's band . He gave a demo copy of Paul's shelved album to the leader of this 70's band. The singer loved the album, and one song, in particular.
The 70's singer/songwriter who got a hold of a copy of Paul's album really wanted to do something with this one song. He asked Paul for permission to sample the song, provided he could make changes to it. He wanted to rework the lyrics to be more radio-friendly and give it a more fun, lighter, upbeat vibe . According to the singer, Paul's lyrics were way too long and way too angry , featuring verse after verse after angry verse , which would never play on radio. You see, Paul wrote the song as a deeply personal testament to the stress he was feeling at the time. There were tensions with his record label and long flights across the country that he didn't want to be on. Hence, the more dark, angry tone.
The new, reworked version of Paul's song struck gold. The 70's singer/ songwriter who had a knack for making radio-friendly pop songs, had done it again. The song rose to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977, reaching the top 10 on multiple record charts that year.
Paul's wife, who was also blind, became very ill with kidney failure in the 1980's , and died in 1991. When she became ill , he gave up his music career to care for her. After her death, Paul, already prone to recklessness and depression , sank into further despair. Fortunately , he eventually reconnected with his love of Tuvan throat singing and got back into music.
Back in the 80's, Paul had taken quite an interest in Tuvan throat singing, an ancient Central Asian vocal technique where a performer produces multiple notes simultaneously by manipulating their vocal chords. Paul had learned how to do this via shortwave radio. It is traditionally used to connect with nature and express the sounds of the landscape. An Oscar-nominated documentary in the late-90's followed Paul to the remote Russian Republic of Tuva , where he fulfilled his dream of competing in Tuva's national competition and fostered a unique cross-cultural friendship. As a result of the publicity offered by the documentary, Paul's second album that had been shelved for nearly three decades was finally released in the year 2000. He even made some television appearances after the release of his long-delayed second album . Paul died from complications of pancreatitis in 2005.
Fortunately for Paul, the royalties from the smash 70's hit of his song, was able to provide some quality of life for Paul and his wife in the later years of their lives. They pretty much lived off of the royalties of that song, which was covered and made famous in 1977 by a pop superstar. Can you name the song and the singer who covered Paul's song and took it to the top 10 of the Billboard chart?
My money is on no one getting this one correctly. Although, everyone will know the song when they find out what it is. Paul got stiffed on the non-release of the album.
I went to the dollar store down the road this afternoon and when I got back into the car to leave, this song was playing on my local radio station. WEIRD!Quote:
Originally Posted by texasdave
I'll give everyone some time to think about it. I might give just a tiny clue later tonight when I get a chance. So much funky sh!t going down in this city right now.Quote:
Originally Posted by texasdave