Name: Swing Out Sister - Fooled By A Smile (Ralph Mix) @3decades963
Uploaded: 2026-09-20T08:17:00-05:00
Duration: 8 min 17 s
Description: Swing Out Sister - Fooled By A Smile (Ralph Mix)

Swing Out Sister - Fooled By A Smile (Ralph Mix)

3Decades 2026-09-20 | Swing Out Sister - Fooled By A Smile (Ralph Mix)

David Schwartz - Theme from Northern Exposure

3Decades 2024-05-19 | Some of my favorite TV show themes, part 4 of 4

This is the main theme from my all-time favorite TV series, the comedy-drama titled "Northern Exposure" that aired on CBS from 1990 to 1995. The series was about a New York City doctor who finds out he is committed to serve several years of his practice in the remote town of Cicely, Alaska. This show also featured lots of eclectic music played on-air by the town's resident DJ, and actually helped me appreciate music from different eras and genres. The awesome main theme was by composer David Schwartz and was as quirky and eclectic as the show itself, with harmonicas, accordions, clarinets and steel drums performed by acclaimed musicians like Abe Most, Andy Narrell, and Tollak Ollested. "Theme from Northern Exposure" was released as a single and went to #15 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart in 1993; the theme also earned a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television.

from the album Northern Exposure - Music From The Television Series
written by David Schwartz
© copyright 1992 MCA Records Inc, Universal City Studios Inc. All rights reserved.

W.G. Snuffy Walden and Stewart Levin - Main Title from Thirtysomething

3Decades 2024-05-18 | Some of my favorite TV show themes, part 3 of 4

Now here's a theme from a show that I never watched, mainly because I just could not relate with any of its characters. However, I really loved the main theme song by composers and musicians W.G. Snuffy Walden and Stewart Levin, which was truly outstanding and superbly arranged, featuring acoustic guitars, mandolins, flutes, and led by a very distinctive instrument that I initially mistook for pan pipes, but was confirmed to be samples of Coke bottles being blown. In 1988, the theme earned a nomination for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music at the Emmy Awards.

from the album Soundtrack from Thirtysomething
written by W.G. Snuffy Walden and Stewart Levin
© copyright 1991 The David Geffen Company, MGM/UA Television Production Group, EMI Songs Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dave Grusin - Theme from St. Elsewhere

3Decades 2024-05-17 | Some of my favorite TV show themes, part 2 of 4

NBC aired the acclaimed medical drama "St. Elsewhere" from 1982-1988, which featured a run-down Boston hospital with a large ensemble cast and interconnected plotlines that became the template for other medical drama shows that followed years later. The show's main theme music was composed by jazz pianist, composer and producer Dave Grusin, and while a soundtrack album was never released for the show, a full length version of the main theme was included in Dave's 1984 album, "Night-Lines" and was also released as a single that went to #15 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

from the album Night-Lines
written by Dave Grusin
© copyright 1984 GRP Records Inc, Minsey Music Inc, Roaring Fork Music. All rights reserved.

Jan Hammer - Miami Vice Theme

3Decades 2024-05-16 | Some of my favorite TV show themes, part 1 of 4

This week it's all about some of my favorite TV show themes--not the short "on-air" versions, but full-length versions that were released as singles or as tracks in the show's soundtrack albums. Starting off with the theme from one of the most iconic shows of the 1980s, "Miami Vice," which aired on NBC from 1984-1989. The series mixed crime-action elements with scenes stylishly shot and scored to pop songs and featured fashion, cars, and architecture all drenched in pastel colors that made lasting impressions in pop culture. The show's highly energetic theme song was done by musician, composer, and record producer Jan Hammer, and I loved how multi-layered it was, like a collection of synthesized riffs and hooks that all merge into one finely tuned theme. There was a time I remember hearing this theme everywhere--including my head, where it stayed for months, LOL. "Miami Vice Theme" went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1985; the single also peaked at #5 on the UK Pop chart and was a Top Five hit in Canada, Austria, Germany and Ireland. In 1986, the song won Grammy Awards for "Best Instrumental Composition" and "Best Pop Instrumental Performance."

from the album Music From The Television Series 'Miami Vice'
written by Jan Hammer
© copyright 1985 MCA Records Inc, Universal City Studios Inc, MCA Music. All rights reserved.

Spice Girls - Mama (Biffco Mix Edit)

3Decades 2024-05-12 | It's Mother's Day today, so this post is for all the Moms out there--those still with us and those no longer with us. In 1997, the Spice Girls paid tribute to their own mothers with "Mama", which debuted at #1 on the UK Pop chart as a double-sided single along with "Who Do You Think You Are." The single also went to #1 in Ireland, Scotland, and Austria, while becoming a Top Ten hit in Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland. Despite its success in Europe and other regions, "Mama" was not released as a single in the USA. While I thought the original version was quite all right, I preferred the Biffco Mix of the track, which added smoother rhythms and mellower arrangements.

original version on the album Spice
written by Spice Girls, Matt Rowe, and Richard Stannard
© copyright 1997 Virgin Records Ltd, Windswept Pacific Music Ltd, PolyGram Music Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ian Matthews - Shake It

3Decades 2024-05-11 | This was one of my favorite songs from 1978, and it's a remake of a song written and originally recorded by Terence Boylan in 1977. This cover is by English singer-songwriter and musician Ian Matthews, and his version went to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1979. "Shake It" was also a hit on the Adult Contemporary chart, going to #21, and became a Top Ten song in Canada, peaking at #6. In 1989, Ian changed the spelling of his first name to Iain and he's been known as Iain Matthews ever since.

from the album Stealin' Home
written by Terence Boylan
© copyright 1978 Mushroom Records Inc, Rockburgh Records Ltd, Steamed Clam Music. All rights reserved.

Isaac Hayes - Theme from Shaft

3Decades 2024-05-05 | Now this is a Soul classic that's filled with memorable riffs and hooks--it's the theme from the 1971 MGM film, "Shaft" that was done by singer-songwriter, musician and actor Isaac Hayes. Love the arrangements on this track, particularly those lovely strings that appear during the last half of the song, and every single note seems to be oozing with funk and coolness. Theme from Shaft went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1971, and also became a #1 song in Canada; in the UK, the single was a Top 5 hit, peaking at #4 on the UK Pop chart. The song earned Isaac Hayes 2 Grammy Awards and an Oscar for Best Original Song.

original version on the album Shaft: Music from the Soundtrack
written by Isaac Hayes
© copyright 1971 Enterprise Records, Stax Records Inc, East/Memphis Music. All rights reserved.

Carly Simon - Why

3Decades 2024-05-04 | Singer-songwriter and musician Carly Simon performed this track for the soundtrack of the 1982 movie, "Soup For One" and while the film flopped, the soundtrack did well enough, which featured songs written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the group Chic. "Why" went to #74 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1982, and became a Top Ten hit in the UK, going to #10 on the UK Pop chart. I liked this song, and it's another of those singles that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit.

original version on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack album of Soup For One
written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers
© copyright 1982 Mirage Records Inc, Atlantic Recording Corporation, Chic Music Inc, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.

Hiroshima - Hawaiian Electric

3Decades 2024-04-28 | The Los Angeles-based jazz fusion band named after the Japanese city of Hiroshima is known for incorporating traditional Japanese instruments in their compositions, notably the koto, played by June Kuramoto and given prominence in this awesome instrumental track. I really love the arrangements used here--not just the koto, but those lovely flutes as well. "Hawaiian Electric" was released as a single from the band's fifth studio album in 1987, but unfortunately did not chart, making it yet another of those songs that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit. The song was also used in a series of commercials for the Hawaiian Electric Company.

from the album Go
written by June Kuramoto and Dan Kuramoto
© copyright 1987 Epic Records, CBS Inc, Little Tiger Music. All rights reserved.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Mixed Up World

3Decades 2024-04-27 | This was the first single from British singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor's second studio album, and it reunites her with Gregg Alexander and Matt Rowe, who also both co-wrote and co-produced tracks on her 2001 debut album. "Mixed Up World" went to #7 on the UK Pop chart in 2003; in the USA, neither the single nor her second album were released, which was a crying shame, making it another of those singles that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit.

from the album Shoot from the Hip
written by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gregg Alexander, and Matt Rowe
© copyright 2003 Polydor Ltd (UK), Rondor Music (London) Ltd, Warner Chappell Music, Universal Music Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Judy Collins - Cook With Honey

3Decades 2024-04-21 | Singer-songwriter and musician Judy Collins remade a song originally recorded by the band Howdy Moon and transformed it into a lovely acoustic piece punctuated by guitars, congas and recorders. This is actually my favorite Judy Collins song--love the arrangements and harmonies on this track, which went to #36 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1973 and achieved its highest position on the Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at #10.

from the album True Stories and Other Dreams
written by Valerie Carter
© copyright 1973 Elektra Records, Bojo Music. All rights reserved.

Steely Dan - Peg

3Decades 2024-04-20 | The duo composed of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen released this catchy track from their 1977 album, "Aja," and it's another favorite of mine. With its jazzy sound and great arrangements that featured many distinctive riffs, "Peg" went on to become a Top 20 hit, going to #11 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. You can also hear Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers singing backup, with his multi-tracked vocals sounding almost like his voice was synthesized.

from the album Aja
written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen
© copyright 1977 ABC Records Inc, ABC/Dunhill Music Inc. All rights reserved.

Double - The Captain Of Her Heart

3Decades 2024-04-14 | This track was one of my favorite songs of 1986, and it's by the Swiss duo called Double; just love the arrangements used here, and the way this song sounds--it's so relaxing and almost ambient-like. "The Captain of Her Heart" went to #16 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart; the single was a bigger hit on the Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at #4. In the UK, the song was a Top 10 hit, going to #8 on the UK Pop chart.

from the album Blue
written by Felix Haug and Kurt Maloo
© copyright 1986 A&M Records Inc, Z-Muzik. All rights reserved.

JoBoxers - Just Got Lucky

3Decades 2024-04-14 | British group composed of English musicians and American singer Dig Wayne had several hits in the UK, including this nice, catchy track, which went to #7 on the UK Pop chart in 1983 and crossed over to the USA, peaking at #36 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

original version on the album Like Gangbusters
written by Chris Bostock and Dig Wayne
© copyright 1983 RCA Ltd, Zomba Music Pub Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bob Crosby and The Bob Cats - Dear Hearts and Gentle People

3Decades 2024-04-07 | Songs from the Fallout games, part 6 of 6

Jazz singer and bandleader Bob Crosby was the younger brother of actor and singer Bing Crosby, and he had his own Dixieland-style jazz octet called The Bob Cats. In 1950, they recorded songs for "The Bob Crosby show," which was issued on special phonograph recordings called electrical transcriptions that were made exclusively for radio broadcasting. Bob's show was on the Standard Program Library transcription label, and several of the songs were used in the Fallout games, including this track, which was previously recorded and covered by artists such as Dinah Shore, Gordon MacRae, and Bob's brother Bing Crosby. "Dear Hearts and Gentle People" made its Fallout debut during E3 2008, where it was heard on the Fallout 3 trailer. However, the song didn't appear in the actual game until 2015, where it was included in Fallout 4's Diamond City Radio playlist. Bob Crosby's version was never released as a single, but the cover version of his brother Bing Crosby went to #2 on the pre-Hot 100 Billboard record chart in 1950.

from The Bob Crosby Show electrical transcription album
written by Sammy Fain and Bob Hilliard
© copyright 1950 Standard Program Library, Standard Radio Transcription Services Inc, Chappell Music Ltd. All rights reserved.

Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers - Personality

3Decades 2024-04-06 | Songs from the Fallout games, part 5 of 6

Here's my most favorite song heard in the Fallout games, and it's by singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer, who co-founded the Capitol Records label and was also best known as the lyricist of Henry Mancini's songs like "Moon River" and "Days of Wine and Roses," which won him Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Overall, he received 19 Oscar nominations and won 4 Oscar awards, but he also achieved success by performing songs not co-written by him, such as "Personality," which was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for the 1946 movie, "Road To Utopia." For the remake of "Personality," Johnny teamed up with the vocal singing group The Pied Pipers, and their version went to #1 on Billboard's pre-Hot 100 record chart in 1946.

with Paul Weston and His Orchestra
written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke
© copyright 1946 Capitol Records Inc, Burke and Van Heusen Inc. All rights reserved.

Kay Kyser and His Orchestra - Jingle, Jangle, Jingle

3Decades 2024-04-05 | Songs from the Fallout games, part 4 of 6

This remake of the song from the film, "The Forest Rangers" was first heard during the 2010 E3 trailer for Fallout: New Vegas, and since then it's hard not to associate the game with the song. While there have been many other covers of the song, Kay Kyser's version had lead vocals by Harry Babbitt and Julie Conway, and it became the most successful recording, going to #1 on the Billboard pre-Hot 100 chart in 1942.

lead vocals by Harry Babbitt and Julie Conway
written by Frank Loesser and Joseph J. Lilley
© copyright 1942 Columbia Records, Paramount Music Corp. All rights reserved.

Danny Kaye and The Andrews Sisters - Civilization

3Decades 2024-04-04 | Songs from the Fallout games, part 3 of 6

Singer, actor, and comedian Danny Kaye teamed up with the close harmony singing group The Andrews Sisters for this song, which is a satire of modern society as viewed during the 1940s. "Civilization" was first recorded by bandleader Louis Prima, with three other cover versions being also released that same year, resulting in all five versions being on the chart the week of December 26, 1947. Danny Kaye and The Andrews Sisters' version charted the highest, going to #3 on the pre-Hot 100 Billboard Pop chart.

with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra
written by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman
© copyright 1947 Decca Records Inc, Chappell Morris Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cole Porter with Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks - Anything Goes

3Decades 2024-04-03 | Songs from the Fallout games, part 2 of 6

Acclaimed composer and songwriter Cole Porter sings one of his own compositions here, which is the title track of the stage musical, "Anything Goes." Recorded in 1934, the original track featured only a solo piano accompaniment, but in 2004 it was remastered and overdubbed with a full orchestral arrangement by Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks for the compilation, "It's De Lovely: The Authentic Cole Porter Collection." The version heard in the Fallout games is the 2004 overdubbed version; I really like the new orchestral backing, as Vince Giordano took great care in replicating the 1930s style of orchestra arrangements.

from the album It's De Lovely: The Authentic Cole Porter Collection
written by Cole Porter
© copyright 1934, 2004 Bluebird, BMG Music, Harms Inc. All rights reserved.

The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald - Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

3Decades 2024-04-02 | Songs from the Fallout games, part 1 of 6

To commemorate the upcoming April 11 premiere of the Fallout TV series on Amazon Prime, I'll be posting songs featured in the Fallout games throughout this week. The Fallout series of video games for the PC and consoles are some of my all-time favorite games, and I've played and replayed them countless times. Taking place in an alternate Earth where a nuclear holocaust decimated the planet, the pockets of civilization that remain must fight for their survival from the dangers of the post-apocalyptic Wastelands. This bleak scenario is somewhat offset by the music heard in the games' numerous radio stations--mostly songs from the 1930s to the 1950s that have become familiar classics for Fallout gamers. I love almost all the songs heard in the games, and I've picked my six favorites to post.

The Ink Spots were a vocal group whose distinctive musical style predated the rhythm & blues and doowop genres, and a number of their songs can be heard in the various Fallout games, with "Maybe" as the opening theme of the very first Fallout game in 1997, and "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" heard in the intro of Fallout 3 that became sort of an iconic signature song for the games. For "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" they teamed up with legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald and the song became a huge hit, going to #1 on the pre-Hot 100 Billboard Pop chart in 1944.

from the Souvenir Album
written by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher
© copyright 1944 Decca Records Inc, Allan Roberts Music Co, Doris Fisher Music Co. All rights reserved.

Michael Martin Murphey - Wildfire (Single Version)

3Decades 2024-03-24 | Singer-songwriter and musician Michael Martin Murphey had a huge hit in 1975 with this haunting song about a spirit horse named "Wildfire" that went to #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart; the single also became a #1 song on the Adult Contemporary chart. This song is one of my all-time favorites and the arrangements are quite lovely, particularly that distinctive birdcall-sounding riff heard at the beginning. The single version removes the piano intro and outro that was based on "Prelude in D-flat, Op. 11 No. 15" by the Russian classical composer Alexander Scriabin.

original version on the album Blue Sky - Night Thunder
written by Michael Martin Murphey and Larry Cansler
© copyright 1975 Epic Records, CBS Inc, Mystery Music Inc. All rights reserved.

The Corrs - Make You Mine

3Decades 2024-03-23 | The Irish family band consisting of siblings Andrea, Sharon, Caroline, and Jim Corr had several chart hits mostly in Europe from the 1990s to the early 2000s. In 2001, a compilation titled "Best of The Corrs" was released, which included this bonus track, a reworked song that did not make the final cut for their 1997 album, "Talk on Corners." I liked this song a lot, and thought that it should have been released as a single.

from the album Best of The Corrs
written by The Corrs and David Foster
© copyright 2001 143 Records, Atlantic Recording Corporation, WEA International Inc, Universal-Songs Of Polygram International Inc, Beacon Communications Music Co. All rights reserved.

Primal Scream - Loaded

3Decades 2024-03-17 | Scottish rock band Primal Scream requested English DJ and producer Andrew Weatherall to remix "I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have," a song that was on their 1989 album. The first remix attempt was rejected by the band, who suggested that Andrew should just go crazy with it, and he did, ditching most of the lead vocals, retaining the awesome horn & percussion arrangements heard at the end, then added heavy beats, drum loops, samples from "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love" by The Emotions and an audio sample of Frank Maxwell and Peter Fonda from the film, "The Wild Angels." The result was this masterpiece, which went to #16 on the UK Pop chart in 1990. "Loaded" became one of my favorite songs of 1990, but hardly made a mark in the USA, charting only on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart at #19, making it another of those singles that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit.

original version on the album Screamadelica
written by Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes, and Robert Young
© copyright 1990 Creation Records, Complete Music Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mel Brooks - High Anxiety

3Decades 2024-03-16 | Actor, comedian, filmmaker, writer and recent recipient of an Honorary Academy Award Mel Brooks released his movie, "High Anxiety" in 1978, and it was a parody of Alfred Hitchcock films. During one part in the film, his character does a lounge act and sings this song, which was also released as a single that year. I liked this track, and it sounds like one of those pleasant songs performed by crooners of the 1950s-1960s era. "High Anxiety" did not chart, making it another of those singles that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit.

from the High Society Original Soundtrack album
written by Mel Brooks
© copyright 1978 Asylum Records, Twentieth Century Music Corp. All rights reserved.

The Living Sisters - How Are You Doing?

3Decades 2024-03-10 | This delightful song was recorded by the female folk group composed of singer-songwriters and musicians Becky Stark, Inara George, and Eleni Mandell. "How Are You Doing?" was the lead track for the Living Sisters' debut album, "Love To Live" that was released in 2010. The group was a trio when they recorded the album but is now a quartet, with Alex Lilly joining them for subsequent releases. The melody, harmonies, and arrangements on this song are just lovely, and I thought that it should've been released as a single. There's also an awesome music video for it directed by the great Michel Gondry -- it's fun and quirky and deserves repeated viewing.

from the album Love To Live
written by Eleni Mandell
© copyright 2010 Vanguard Records, Miss Eleni Music. All rights reserved.

Voyage - Lets Fly Away

3Decades 2024-03-09 | French disco-pop group Voyage had several hits on the Dance charts during the late 1970s, and this is one of them, which went to #1 on the Dance charts in 1979. This disco classic also crossed over to the Pop charts and almost entered the Billboard Hot 100 but stalled at # 105, making it another of those singles that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit.

original version on the album Fly Away
written by Marc Chantereau, Pierre-Alain Dahan, and Slim Pezin
© copyright 1979 Marlin Records, Sirocco Productions, Radmus Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.

1 Giant Leap featuring Robbie Williams and Maxi Jazz - My Culture (Radio Edit)

3Decades 2024-03-03 | The British electronic music duo composed of Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman had a Top Ten hit with this track that went to #9 on the UK Pop chart in 2001. "My Culture" features lead vocals by Robbie Williams and Maxi Jazz from the group Faithless, who also both co-wrote the song. I also love the truly awesome music video for this song, which was directed by Tim Hope and was nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards in 2003.

original version on the album 1 Giant Leap
written by Duncan Bridgeman, Jamie Catto, Maxi Jazz, Nigel Butler, and Robbie Williams
© copyright 2001 Palm Pictures Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lipps, Inc. - Funkytown (Single Version)

3Decades 2024-03-02 | One of my all-time favorite dance songs is this track from the disco-funk band whose name was a pun on the phrase, "lip sync." This was their biggest hit, which went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and on the Dance chart in 1980. "Funkytown" also became a #1 song in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and West Germany, while going to #2 in the UK, Finland, and Sweden. The 7" single version is an edit of the almost 8-minute album version, but some countries never got this version; instead, the album version was released as the single that fades out around the 4-minute mark.

original version on the album Mouth to Mouth
written by Steven Greenberg
© copyright 1979 Casablanca Record & FilmWorks Inc, Rick's Music Inc, Steve Greenberg Music. All rights reserved.

Santana featuring Michelle Branch - The Game of Love

3Decades 2024-02-11 | Songs with Love in their titles, part 6 of 6

This song is one of my all-time favorites, and it's by the latin-rock group that was formed in the late 1960s and led by guitarist Carlos Santana. They're joined here by singer-songwriter Michelle Branch, who did the lead vocals and also performed rhythm guitar on the track. "The Game of Love" went to #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 2002 and also became a #1 song on the Adult contemporary chart.

from the album Shaman
written by Gregg Alexander and Rick Nowels
© copyright 2002 Arista Records Inc, Keepin' It Real How 'Bout You?, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp, Future Furniture Music, EMI April Music Inc. All rights reserved.

England Dan and John Ford Coley - Id Really Love To See You Tonight

3Decades 2024-02-10 | Songs with Love in their titles, part 5 of 6

Now here's one of my all-time favorite songs, and it's by a duo who's also one of my all-time favorite musical acts. "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" is the biggest hit of the duo known as England Dan and John Ford Coley, peaking at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1976, and became the first of their four #1 songs on the Adult Contemporary chart. The single also was a Top Ten hit in Canada, going to #5.

from the album Nights Are Forever
written by Parker McGee
© copyright 1976 Big Tree Records, Atlantic Recording Corp, Dawnbreaker Music. All rights reserved.

Kylie Minogue - Love At First Sight

3Decades 2024-02-09 | Songs with Love in their titles, part 4 of 6

Australian singer-songwriter and actress Kylie Minogue released this track in 2002, and it's actually one of my favorite songs from that year. "Love At First Sight" was a huge hit in the UK, going as high as #2 on the UK Pop chart; in the USA, the single reached #23 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, and went all the way to #1 on the Dance charts. I also liked the music video for this, which was shot on a virtual set.

from the album Fever
written by Ash Howes, Julian Gallagher, Kylie Minogue, Martin Harrington, and Richard Stannard
© copyright 2002 Parlophone Records, EMI Records Ltd, Mushroom Music International, Sony Music Publishing, EMI Music Publishing Ltd, Biffco Music. All rights reserved.

Dr Hook - Better Love Next Time

3Decades 2024-02-08 | Songs with Love in their titles, part 3 of 6

This is my favorite song from the band that was formed in New Jersey and initially called Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. "Better Love Next Time" went to #12 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1979, and was also a big hit on the Adult Contemporary chart, going to #3. The single also became a Top Ten hit in the UK, peaking at #8 on the UK Pop chart.

from the album Sometimes You Win
written by Johnny Slate, Larry Keith, and Steve Pippin
© copyright 1979 Capitol Records Inc, House of Gold Music Inc. All rights reserved.

Everything But The Girl - Love is Strange

3Decades 2024-02-07 | Songs with Love in their titles, part 2 of 6

The English duo called Everything But The Girl that's composed of Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn remade this 1957 hit by Mickey & Sylvia for their "Covers" EP that was released in 1992. "Love is Strange" was not released as a single, but the track was later included in some international versions of their "Worldwide" studio album. In the USA, the "Covers" EP wasn't released, but was turned into a full album titled "Acoustic" by adding other tracks from EBTG's previous releases.

from the Covers EP
written by Ethel Smith (Bo Diddley), Sylvia Robinson, and Mickey Baker
© copyright 1992 Warner Music UK Ltd, Cromwell Music Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Whispers - Its A Love Thing (Single Version)

3Decades 2024-02-06 | Songs with Love in their titles, part 1 of 6

Valentine's Day is next week and it's that time of the year again where I post songs with the word, "Love" in their titles, starting with a song that became a hit for the R&B vocal group from Los Angeles, The Whispers. "It's A Love Thing" went to #28 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1981, and was also a hit on the Dance charts, going to #4. Its highest chart position was on the R&B chart, where it peaked at #2. In the UK, the single was also a Top Ten hit, going to #9 on the UK Pop chart.

original version on the album Imagination
written by Dana Meyers and William Shelby
© copyright 1980 Solar Records, Dick Griffey Productions, Spectrum VII, Mykinda Music. All rights reserved.

Carpenters with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Ticket To Ride

3Decades 2024-01-28 | Richard and Karen Carpenter's cover of the 1965 hit by The Beatles is my favorite version of the song -- they've managed to make it their own, slowing down the tempo and adding some really lovely arrangements. The original single became their first chart hit, going to #54 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1969, and a new recording was made for a compilation album in 1973. In 2018, Richard Carpenter released a new album featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra that contained most of their iconic songs with new orchestral arrangements, and this new version of "Ticket To Ride" was the best song for me on the album.

from the album Carpenters With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
© copyright 1969, 1973, 2018 A&M Records Inc, UMG Recordings Inc, Maclen Music Inc. All rights reserved.

McGuinn, Clark & Hillman - Dont You Write Her Off

3Decades 2024-01-27 | One of my favorite songs from the great year in music that was 1979 was this song, which was from Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, and Chris Hillman, who were three former members of the mid-60s group, The Byrds. "Don't You Write Her Off" became a Top 40 hit, going to #33 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and did even better on the Adult Contemporary chart, where it went to #17. This is another one of those singles that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit.

from the album McGuinn, Clark & Hillman
written by Roger McGuinn and Robert J. Hippard
© copyright 1979 Capitol Records Inc, Little Bear Music, Red Shift Music. All rights reserved.

Wings - Listen To What The Man Said

3Decades 2024-01-21 | This is my all-time favorite song from Paul McCartney, and it's with his band Wings from 1975. "Listen To What The Man Said" went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, and was a Top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary chart, going to #8. The single was also a #1 song in Canada, while in the UK it went as high as #6 on the UK Pop chart. Lots of good memories for me with this song -- it's an excellent travel/road trip song, and I would often hear it on the car radio whenever I went along on short trips with my parents; I would sing along with the chorus, but of course I couldn't understand the rest of the lyrics as I was about 4 or 5 years old at the time, LOL.

from the album Venus and Mars
written by Paul McCartney
© copyright 1975 Capitol Records, McCartney Music Ltd, ATV Music Ltd. All rights reserved.

Madonna - Dear Jessie

3Decades 2024-01-20 | Happy New Year! Hope you all had a great holiday break ... can't believe it's already 2024. First post of the year is one of Madonna's underrated songs, which composer Patrick Leonard wrote for his eldest daughter. Filled with fantasy imagery and sounding like a mix of baroque and psychedelic pop, the song is structured like a lullaby, with unique arrangements involving strings and trumpets. "Dear Jessie" went to #5 on the UK Pop chart, and was bafflingly not released as a single in the USA but was released almost everywhere else, making it another of those singles that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit here.

from the album Like A Prayer
written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard
© copyright 1989 Sire Records Company, Webo Girl Publishing Inc, WB Music Corp, Johnny Yuma Music. All rights reserved.

John Williams - We Wish You A Merry Christmas / End Title (film version)

3Decades 2023-12-03 | Since their release on home video, the two "Home Alone" movies have always been a part of my Christmases -- I usually get to watch them every year during the holiday season, as they're not only fun to watch but nice to listen to as well, with truly wonderful music scores by the acclaimed film composer John Williams. This is the ending credits of the first "Home Alone" movie, starting off with the traditional "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and ending with the Academy Award-nominated song, "Somewhere In My Memory," which is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard in my lifetime.

This is my last post for the year as I'm going on my usual holiday break; here's hoping all of you will have a great Christmas and New Year ahead. Stay safe and see you in January 2024!

from the album Home Alone Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: 25th Anniversary Limited Edition
written by John Williams
Somewhere in my Memory written by John Williams and Leslie Bricusse
© copyright 1990 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Sony Music Entertainment, Fox Film Music. All rights reserved.

Andy Williams - Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season

3Decades 2023-12-02 | Here's another medley featuring two songs: the first, "Happy Holiday", is an Irving Berlin composition that was first heard and sung by Bing Crosby in the 1942 film, "Holiday Inn." The second song, "The Holiday Season", was written and performed in 1945 by Kay Thompson, who subsequently paired it with "Happy Holiday" and gave it to her protege Andy Williams, who recorded it for his first Christmas album released in 1963. Andy William's version has become popular through the years, and has re-entered Billboard's Hot 100 chart every year during the Christmas season, peaking at #18 in 2021.

from the album The Andy Williams Christmas Album
Happy Holiday written by Irving Berlin
The Holiday Season written by Kay Thompson
© copyright 1963 Columbia Records, CBS Records Inc, Irving Berlin Music, Kay Thompson Music. All rights reserved.

Carpenters - First Snowfall / Let It Snow

3Decades 2023-12-01 | The brother and sister duo of Richard and Karen Carpenter both loved Christmas music, and it very much showed in their "Christmas Portrait" album that's filled with beautifully-produced holiday music. This medley features two songs, "The First Snowfall", which was recorded in 1955 by Bing Crosby, and "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", which was recorded by many artists through the years, with a popular version by Dean Martin that was released in 1959.

from the album Christmas Portrait
The First Snowfall written by Paul Francis Webster and Sonny Burke
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn
© copyright 1978 A&M Records Inc, Warner Bros Music Inc, Edwin H Morris & Co. All rights reserved.

Linda Ronstadt - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

3Decades 2023-11-30 | Here's a Christmas song that made its debut in the 1944 movie musical, "Meet Me in St. Louis", where it was first sung by Judy Garland. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" has been recorded by many artists through the years, and here is Linda Ronstadt's version from her 2000 Christmas album.

from the album A Merry Little Christmas
written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane
© copyright 2000 Elektra Entertainment Group Inc, WEA International Inc, Leo Feist Inc. All rights reserved.

Gene Autry - Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer

3Decades 2023-11-29 | This classic Christmas song based on the 1938 children's story by Robert L. May has been recorded by many artists through the years, but the quintessential version is the one by singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and rodeo performer Gene Autry, who recorded the song in 1949. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" went to #1 on Billboard's pre-Hot 100 pop music chart in 1950, and when Billboard integrated multiple formats into its Hot 100 chart, the song re-entered the Hot 100 in 2018 and continues to chart every year during the holiday season.

from the album Merry Christmas with Gene Autry
written by Johnny Marks
© copyright 1949 Columbia Records, St Nicholas Music. All rights reserved.

The Ronettes - Sleigh Ride

3Decades 2023-11-28 | The acclaimed girl group from New York City that's mostly associated with the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" effect contributed some songs for a Spector-produced Christmas album that included this classic holiday song, which they did in their own unique style. "Sleigh Ride" was never released as a single, but the song gradually gained popularity through the years, and when Billboard integrated multiple formats into their Hot 100 chart, the track re-entered the chart and continues to chart every year; at present the song's highest chart peak was at #10 in 2021.

from the album A Christmas Gift For You from Phil Spector
written by Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish
© copyright 1963 Phil Spector Records Inc, Mills Music Inc. All rights reserved.

The Chipmunks - Over The River And Through The Woods

3Decades 2023-11-27 | Belated Happy Thanksgiving, and hope you all had a good one. Well, it's that time of the year again for some holiday cheer -- which means an entire week of Christmas songs, starting with this track from The Chipmunks; it was actually written as a Thanksgiving's Day poem by novelist and journalist Lydia Maria Child that was published in 1844, then eventually set to music by an unknown composer and through the years became more associated with Christmas as the lyrics were altered. I remember our class singing this song in school as Thanksgiving approached, heh.

from the album Christmas with the Chipmunks
written by Lydia Maria Child; arranged by Ross Bagdasarian
© copyright 1962 Liberty Records, Ross Bagdasarian, Monarch Music Corp. All rights reserved.

Chuck Mangione - Feels So Good (Single Version)

3Decades 2023-11-19 | Flugelhorn player, trumpeter, and composer Chuck Mangione had a huge hit in 1978 with this awesome instrumental track that went to #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and became a #1 song on the Adult contemporary chart. "Feels So Good" also managed to cross over to the R&B chart, peaking at #68. This song always conjures up memories of my Dad driving us to school as it was always playing on the car radio whenever we were on the road, as well as weekend mornings when the song could be heard on the radio during breakfast time. The single version is a short edit of the almost 10-minute version on the album of the same title.

original version on the album Feels So Good
written by Chuck Mangione
© copyright 1977 A&M Records Inc, Gates Music Inc. All rights reserved.

Johnny Hates Jazz - I Dont Want To Be A Hero

3Decades 2023-11-18 | This was one of my favorite songs of 1987, and was a hit for the British band Johnny Hates Jazz, which they took to #11 on the UK Pop chart and at #31 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. "I Don't Want To Be A Hero" was also a hit on the USA's Adult Contemporary chart, going to #15, and even became a Top 20 hit on the Dance charts, peaking at #19. I really like the arrangements used here, particularly the horns.

from the album Turn Back The Clock
written by Clark Datchler
© copyright 1987 Virgin Records Ltd, Copyright Control. All rights reserved.

China Crisis - Wishful Thinking (Edit)

3Decades 2023-11-12 | One of my favorite songs of 1983, and also my favorite song from the English band China Crisis. It's also one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard in my lifetime, playing out like a wistful, ethereal dream, accompanied by some lovely arrangements of synth strings, percussion, and the soothing sounds of an oboe, with Eddie Lundon singing lead this time around instead of usual lead vocalist Gary Daly. "Wishful Thinking" is China Crisis' biggest hit, peaking at #9 on the UK Pop charts in 1983; the single was also released in the USA but did not chart, which makes it another of those songs that I thought deserved to be a much bigger hit here.

original version on the album Working with Fire and Steel
written by Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon
© copyright 1983 Virgin Records Ltd, Virgin Music Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harry Thumann - Underwater

3Decades 2023-11-11 | German composer, musician, and sound engineer Harry Thumann had a hit in 1979 with this awesome synthesized dance track that he took to #17 on Billboard's Dance chart. Known for designing and developing groundbreaking synthesizers, Harry is also one of the first musicians to have used MIDI in the recording studio. The first time I heard this track when it came out, I was blown away--it sounded like a symphonic orchestra melded with a computer, and I loved the arrangements used here, particularly the embellishments with horns, strings, and percussion. "Underwater" was also featured in the 2008 video game, "Grand Theft Auto IV," as one of the songs played in one of the game's radio stations, K109 The Studio.

from the album American Express
written by Harry Thumann and Hermann Weindorf
© copyright 1979 Baby Records, The Decca Record Company Limited, The Company Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blue - Fly By II

3Decades 2023-11-05 | English boy band Blue scored a Top Ten hit in 2002 with this track that they took to #6 on the UK Pop chart. The "II" in the song title meant that the song was a remix of the album version, and this new version also included samples of Herb Alpert's #1 song, "Rise." I actually liked this song when it came out, and was wondering why it wasn't released in the USA, making it another of those singles that I thought deserved to be a bigger hit.

original version on the album All Rise
written by Mikkel Eriksen, Hallgeir Rustan, Tor Erik Hermansen, Simon Webbe, Randy Alpert, and Andy Armer
© copyright 2002 Virgin Records Ltd, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd, EMI Music Publishing Ltd, Universal Music Publishing Ltd, Rondor Music (London) Ltd. All rights reserved.