Song: Whenever I Call You ‘Friend’ (1978) Artist: Kenny Loggins with Stevie Nicks Album: Nightwatch (Columbia) Although Kenny Loggins might be known as a movie soundtrack staple, and best remembered for Danny’s Song, even if fans of the song don’t quite realize its Kenny Loggins. However, Whenever I Call You ‘Friend’ was his first big solo hit, a … Read more
Song: Venus (1969) Artist: Shocking Blue (written by Robbie van Leeuwen) Album: Single w/ B-side Hot Sand (Pink Elephant) Long before Bananarama got a hold of it, in 1970, the song Venus became the first of only two songs out of Holland (the Netherlands) to rise to the top of the American chart. Not to … Read more
Song: After Midnight (1965 Liberty Records: Liberty #55931, 1972) Artist: J.J. Cale Album: Naturally (Shelter Records 1972)) Imagine living in your car while Eric Clapton has tremendous success with your song and slowly becomes a legend. Imagine earning royalties from this that allow you to not only eat but to go on recording music. Now … Read more
Song: Happy Together (1967) Artist: The Turtles Album: Happy Together (Sundazed Records) The lyrics “I Can’t See Me Lovin’ Nobody But You” are featured in the song Happy Together as prominently, if not more so, than the lyrics of the title, so many people mistake this for the name of the song. Today, we might consider this … Read more
Song: For What It’s Worth (1967) Artist: Buffalo Springfield Album: Buffalo Springfield (Atco) Buffalo Springfield has had a tremendous influence on folk-rock, and the so-called “California Sound.” Two of their members, Stephen Stills and Neil Young, are today musical icons and they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Yet, … Read more
Song: Games Without Frontiers (1980) Artist: Peter Gabriel Album: Peter Gabriel III (Mercury) Why does Peter Gabriel sing “she’s so popular” in the song Games Without Frontiers? He is singing about kids, so, one of the kids may be popular, but it does seem to come a bit out of left field. Well, it is a … Read more
Song: I’ve Got the Music In Me (1974) Artist: Kiki Dee Album: I’ve Got the Music In Me (Rocket) If you watched the recent Elton John biopic (if you could call it that), Rocket Man, you may have been interested to see the scene with Elton John recording the duet Don’t Go Breaking My Heart … Read more