The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the week, we have Billy Swan with his 1975 hit, "I Can Help."
From Wikipedia:
William Lance Swan (born May 12, 1942) is an American country singer-songwriter, best known for his 1974 single "I Can Help".
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
This week's spotlight is on a song that I haven't heard in ages, probably not since the early 1970s when it came out: "Softly Whispering I Love You" by The Congregation (known here as The English Congregation). I happened to stumble on it on YouTube.
Interestingly, although I hadn't heard it in ages, the familiarity hadn't diminished. I was in my senior year in high school when this song came out in December 1971.
From Wikipedia:
The Congregation was a British pop ensemble, formed by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway in England. In the United States it was credited as The English Congregation.
The band's biggest hit was a cover version of "Softly Whispering I Love You" (originally recorded by Cook and Greenaway's previous group, David and Jonathan), which peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart in 1971, No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, No. 1 in South Africa, No. 12 in Australia and New Zealand and No. 10 in Germany. The group's lead singer was the former Plastic Penny vocalist, Brian Keith, who later became a session musician. With no further top 40 hits, The Congregation was a transatlantic one-hit wonder.
The band changed its name on releases in the United States to avoid confusion with the Mike Curb Congregation, which also recorded "Softly Whispering I Love You".
The following three videos are of The Congregation's version. The first is with lyrics. The second is their appearance on Top of The Pops with the song dubbed in. The third is the same as the second, only with the original sound.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
We begin the week with Canada's The Guess Who with their 1969 hit, "No Time".
From Wikipedia:
The Guess Who is a Canadian rock band formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1965. The band found their greatest success in the late 1960s and early 1970s under the leadership of singer and keyboardist Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman, with hit songs including "American Woman", "These Eyes", "No Time", "Laughing", and "Share the Land".
During their most successful period, the Guess Who released eleven studio albums, all of which reached the charts in Canada and the United States. Their 1970 album American Woman reached number 1 in Canada and the United States, while five other albums reached the top ten in Canada. The Guess Who charted fourteen Top-40 singles in the United States, and more than thirty in Canada.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To begin the week, we have T'Pau with a single from 1987, "Heart and Soul" from their debut album Bridge of Spies. I remember this song hitting the airwaves while I was in Pueblo, Colorado while working as part of an insurance claim catastrophe team for ten days.
From Wikipedia:
T'Pau are an English pop group formed in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, led by singer Carol Decker. They had a string of Top 40 hits in the UK during the late 1980s and early 1990s, most notably "China in Your Hand", "Heart and Soul" and "Valentine", and several hits in the rest of Europe, before disbanding in 1992. Decker still performs under the name T'Pau at solo shows and 1980s nostalgia concerts, and in 2013 she reunited with original band member and co-songwriter Ronnie Rogers for a 25th-anniversary UK tour.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start the week (and the month of March), we have The Sunshine Company and two of their hits from 1967, "Happy" and "Back On The Street Again".
From Wikipedia:
The Sunshine Company was an American sunshine pop band from Los Angeles, California. Originally the duo of Mary Nance (November 7, 1947 – November 24, 2019) and Maury Manseau, the group later added the rhythm section of bassist Larry Sims and drummer Merel Bregante and signed to Imperial Records, releasing their debut album in 1967. They scored three hit singles on the U.S. singles chart over the next two years before disbanding after their third album, 1968's self-titled effort. Sims and Bregante later backed Loggins and Messina.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
So, to start off the week, we have one from the Ozzy Osbourne era of Black Sabbath. It is from their 1971 album, Master of Reality. The song is "Solitude", which happens to be my favorite of theirs.
From Wikipedia:
Black Sabbath were an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band were previously named Polka Tulk Blues Band and then Earth), they distinguished themselves through occult themes with horror-inspired lyrics and down-tuned guitars. Their first three albums, Black Sabbath, Paranoid (both 1970), and Master of Reality (1971), were commercially successful, and are cited as pioneering albums in the development of heavy metal. Subsequent albums Vol. 4 (1972), Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973), Sabotage (1975), Technical Ecstasy (1976), and Never Say Die! (1978) saw the band explore more experimental and progressive styles.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the week, we have Don McLean with his hit from 1971 "American Pie".
From Wikipedia:
Donald McLean III (/məˈkleɪn/; born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Known as the "American Troubadour" or "King of the Trail", he is best known for his 1971 hit "American Pie", an eight-and-a-half-minute folk rock song that has been referred to as a "cultural touchstone". His other hit singles include "Vincent", "Dreidel", "Castles in the Air", and "Wonderful Baby", as well as renditions of Roy Orbison's "Crying" and the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You".
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the week, we have America with their 1972 hit, "A Horse With No Name".
From Wikipedia:
America are a British-American rock band formed in London in 1970 by Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley. The trio met as sons of US Air Force personnel stationed in London, where they began performing live. Achieving significant popularity in the 1970s, the trio was famous for its close vocal harmonies and light acoustic folk rock sound. The band released a string of hit albums and singles, many of which found airplay on pop and soft rock stations.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off February, we have The Bangles. We have two of their songs: "Manic Monday" and "Eternal Flame". I haven't seen the other band members, but Suzanna Hoffs has an active social media presence. Now in her 60s, Hoffs looks great for her age.
From Wikipedia:
The Bangles are an American all-female pop rock band formed in Los Angeles, in 1981. They are known for hit singles during the 1980s that made them one of the most successful pop rock groups of the decade. The band’s biggest commercial successes include "Walk Like an Egyptian" (1986), which became a worldwide phenomenon, "Manic Monday" (1986), a song written by Prince, and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s "Hazy Shade of Winter" (1987), which was featured in the film Less Than Zero. Their ballad "Eternal Flame" (1989) became a big hit, topping the charts in several countries and is one of their signature songs. Other hits included "In Your Room" (1988) and "If She Knew What She Wants" (1986).
Formed by Susanna Hoffs and sisters Vicki Peterson and Debbi Peterson, the group began as part of the Paisley Underground scene, a Los Angeles music movement heavily influenced by 1960s rock and psychedelic music. Their early work blended jangly guitar melodies with power-pop sensibilities. The original lineup included Hoffs (guitar and vocals), Vicki Peterson (guitar and vocals), Debbi Peterson (drums and vocals), and Annette Zilinskas (bass). After Zilinskas left in 1983 to focus on other projects, Michael Steele, formerly of the Runaways, joined as bassist and vocalist, cementing the classic lineup.
Their 1984 debut album, All Over the Place, received critical acclaim and earned the group a loyal following, setting the stage for their commercial breakthrough with the 1986 album Different Light. The success of Different Light established the Bangles as one of the top female-fronted acts of the 1980s.
After their third album, Everything (1988), and the success of "Eternal Flame", the band struggled with internal tensions, leading to their initial disbandment in 1989. However, they reunited in the late 1990s, recording new material and performing live. In 2018, founding bassist Annette Zilinskas rejoined the group.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
Another week is starting up and to give a good start we have Katy Perry with a couple of her hits from around 2010.
These songs bring me back to the days when I worked at Point Dume in Malibu. One of the places I patrolled was a mobile home park. There were many college-age kids living there and, as one could imagine without any difficulty, a lot of hijinks. The songs definitely fit the Malibu surroundings.
The first song is "California Gurls" and the second is "Teenage Dream".
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the week, we have German singer Nena with two versions of her hit "99 Luft Balloons" ("99 Red Balloons"), one in German and the other in English.
From Wikipedia:
Gabriele Susanne Kerner (born 24 March 1960), better known by her stage name Nena, is a German singer who rose to international fame in 1983 as the lead vocalist of the band Nena with the Neue Deutsche Welle song "99 Luftballons". In that same year, the band re-recorded this song in English as "99 Red Balloons". Nena's re-recording of some of the band's old hit songs as a solo artist, produced by the co-composer of most of them, her former Nena band colleague and keyboard player Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, rekindled her solo career in 2002. Combined with the success of the Nena band years, she has sold over 25 million records, making her the most successful German pop singer in chart history.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
We return to the 1990s with the sole Billboard Hot 100 entry by Lucious Jackson, "Naked Eye". Although not a giant hit, it did get a lot of airplay.
From Wikipedia:
Luscious Jackson is an alternative rock/rap-rock group formed in 1991. The band's name is a reference to former American basketball player Lucious Jackson.
The original band consisted of Jill Cunniff (lead vocals, bass), Gabby Glaser (vocals, guitar), and Vivian Trimble (keyboards, vocals). Drummer Kate Schellenbach joined the band midway through the recording of their 1992 debut EP In Search of Manny.
Between 1993 and 2000, the band released one EP, three full-length LPs, and ten singles on the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal label. Their biggest hit—and only Billboard Hot 100 entry—was "Naked Eye". Other singles include "Here", "Daughters of the Kaos", "Citysong", "Under Your Skin" and "Ladyfingers".
Keyboardist Vivian Trimble left the group in 1998,[4] and in 2000 the group announced their breakup, after releasing one album as a trio. February 2007 saw the release of the group's Greatest Hits.
In 2011, the three remaining members announced that they had reunited and were planning to make new music. The band released two new albums, including a children's album, in November 2013.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the New Year, and we return to the 1970s, we have Tony Orlando & Dawn performing "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Around The Ole Oak Tree" from 1973. This was a broadcast from The Hollywood Palace show. This was a big hit for them.
Also, from 1970 is another hit of theirs, "Candida".
From Wikipedia:
Tony Orlando and Dawn (also known simply as Dawn) is an American pop music group that was popular in the 1970s, composed of singer Tony Orlando and the backing vocal group Dawn (Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson). Their signature hits include "Candida", "Knock Three Times", "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", "Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose", and "He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)".
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the week and close out 2025, we have Cat Stevens (or Yusuf Islam, who uses the stage names Cat Stevens and Yusuf) with his song "Angelsea" from his 1972 album Catch Bull at Four.
From Wikipedia:
Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; 21 July 1948), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and musician. He has sold more than 100 million records and has more than two billion streams. His musical style consists of folk, rock, pop, and, later in his career, Islamic music. Following two decades in which he performed only music which met strict religious standards, he returned to making secular music in 2006. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. He has received two honorary doctorates and awards for promoting peace as well as other humanitarian awards.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
Here's something that seems very recent, but it was released in 2011: "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye and featuring Kimbra.
From Wikipedia:
Wouter André "Wally" De Backer (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋʌutər ˈɑndreː də ˈbɑkər]; born 21 May 1980), known professionally as Gotye (/ˈɡɒtieɪ/ GOT-ee-ay, French: [ɡotje], Dutch: [ɡoːˈtɕeː]), is a Belgian-born Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His 2011 single "Somebody That I Used to Know" (featuring Kimbra) topped the Billboard Hot 100, as well as several international charts, and became the best-selling song of 2012. He has won five ARIA Awards and received a nomination for an MTV EMA for Best Asia and Pacific Act. At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, the song won Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, while its parent album — Making Mirrors (2012) — won Best Alternative Music Album.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To kick off the month of December, we have two music videos from Michelle Branch, "Everywhere" and "Game of Love" (with Carlos Santana).
From Wikipedia:
Michelle Jacquet Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals with Santana for their 2002 single, "The Game of Love".
As a solo recording artist, Branch's first album Broken Bracelet came out in 2000. After signing to Madonna's Maverick record label the next year, her second album The Spirit Room followed and contained the singles "Everywhere" and "All You Wanted". Her third album Hotel Paper was released in 2003. Two years later, she formed the country music duo the Wreckers with Jessica Harp, and produced the Grammy-nominated single "Leave the Pieces". The Wreckers disbanded in 2007 to pursue their respective solo careers. Since then, she has released extended plays in 2010 and 2011, and a fourth solo album, Hopeless Romantic in 2017. Her fifth studio album, The Trouble with Fever, was released in 2022.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the week and finish off November, we have U2 with their 1983 hit, "New Year's Day" from their War album.
From Wikipedia:
U2 are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1976. The group comprises Bono (lead vocals), the Edge (lead guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). Initially rooted in post-punk, U2's musical style has evolved throughout their career, yet has maintained an anthemic quality built on Bono's expressive vocals and the Edge's chiming, effects-based guitar sounds. Bono's lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal and sociopolitical themes. Popular for their live performances, the group have staged several elaborate tours over their career.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To begin the week, we have Toto with their 1982 hit, "Africa" from their album, Toto IV.
From Wikipedia:
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1977. Toto combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, hard rock, R&B, blues, and jazz. Having released 14 studio albums and sold over 50 million records worldwide, the group has received several Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the week, instead of one artist, we have two. But both bands are playing the same song. The song is "More Than This". I couldn't decide which group's version would be spotlighted, since I like both. So, I decided to spotlight both.
The first one is by Roxy Music from 1982 in their final studio album, Avalon.
The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.
To start off the month of November, we have the Gin Blossoms with their 1993 single, "Found Out About You". The song reminds me of the time that the Northridge Earthquake took place.
From Wikipedia:
Gin Blossoms is an American alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Tempe, Arizona. They rose to prominence following the 1992 release of their first major label album, New Miserable Experience, and the first single released from that album, "Hey Jealousy". "Hey Jealousy" became a Top 25 hit and went gold, and New Miserable Experience eventually went quadruple platinum; four other charting singles were released from the album. The band's follow-up album, Congratulations I'm Sorry (1996), went platinum and the single "As Long as It Matters" was nominated for a Grammy Award. Gin Blossoms broke up in 1997. Since reuniting in 2001, the band has released Major Lodge Victory in 2006, No Chocolate Cake in 2010, and Mixed Reality in 2018.
