Every iconic song or act has a starting point, but the journey to the top is rarely a straight line. In Music Origins, we go behind the scenes to uncover the roots of the music you love. From the unexpected early recordings of legendary artists to the bizarre historical accidents that turned forgotten tracks into global hits, we explore the foundations, evolutions, and hidden legacies that shaped music history
Song: Runaway (1984) Artist: Bon Jovi Album: Bon Jovi (Mercury) Writers: Jon Bon Jovi, George Karak The first major US hit for Bon Jovi was Runaway, from their self-titled debut album, in 1984. It reached no. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1984, spending 13 weeks on the chart. Although the album … Read more
Song: Don’t Give Up on Us (1976) Artist: David Soul Label: Private Stock Records Writer: Tony Macaulay Growing up in the seventies, I just loved the now-legendary TV cop show Starsky & Hutch. No wonder, as the show was pretty much made for teens. I don’t know what I’d think of it now as most … Read more
There are many ways to start a band. One way, apparently, is to decide you’re a good-looking guy with talent and place an ad in a paper looking for other guys with the same qualifications. This is how the band Kajagoogoo began. Kajagoogoo means ‘good-looking guys’ in baby talk. The band started a bit of … Read more
Grateful Dead may be the most well-known failure in the music business. That is, if you measure success by top 40 hits, which the band obviously never did. But, I think it’s safe to say that most people assume that they have, of course, had a number of hit songs. After all, they made more … Read more
Song: Eve of Destruction (1965) Artist: Barry McQuire Album: Barry McGuire Featuring Eve of Destruction Writers: P.F. Sloan, Steve Barri It would be understandable if many folks figured that Eve of Destruction was a Dylan tune or at least a cover of a Dylan tune. It was originally written by P. F. Sloan (Philip “Flip” Sloan) … Read more
Song: More Than a Feeling Artist: Boston Album: Boston Writer: Tom Scholz Boston’s first big hit came on their self-titled debut album in 1976. Actually, it’s a bit of a misleading question because the album was one of the best-selling rock debut albums of all time and had three hit singles, one after the other. … Read more
Song: Jackie Blue (1975) Artist: Ozark Mountain Daredevils Writers: Larry Lee and Steve Cash Album: It’ll Shine When It Shines (A&M) Ooh, Jackie Blue, Lives her life from inside of her room. If you look up OMD on Google, you’ll likely find Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, an English electronic group formed in the late 1070s. … Read more