Category: Music

Please Don’t Talk About Love

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Yesterday, I described Andrea True Connection and her hit, “More, More, More” by saying this is a song that’s probably better to listen to without watching the video. Today’s selection, “I Love the Nightlife” by Alicia Bridges is another where you’d probably enjoy the video more by closing your eyes. Great song, not so great video.

Another similarity to yesterday’s post is that this is another one hit wonder. But again, what a hit it was. “I Love the Nightlife” crossed over the charts [pop, disco, etc.] and both oceans to become a top seller in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Japan. Although it was Alicia Bridges only hit, she remains active in the music business today as a producer and dj.

One True Connection [2008]

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It’s a small jump from The Hues Corporation and their hit “Rock the Boat” to Andrea True Connection and her hit, “More, More, More.” 

“More, More, More” is one of those songs that’s probably better to just listen to it. The video starts out okay, but when the full lights come on and we see Andrea with her Farrah Fawcett hair and 70’s cliche outfit and set… it almost comes off as a parody. But the song was no joke — it peaked at #4 in the fall of 1976 [a very good year].

Andrea True was born in Nashville, but moved to New York after graduating high school. She wanted to be an actress, and did land some work as an extra in a couple of mainstream films. At some point she moved into X-Rated films as she continued to seek out mainstream roles. Andrea True ended up in Jamaica where she appeared in some local commercials.

One thing led to another and she ended up writing lyrics to a song her music producer friend [Gregg Diamond] had produced. “More, More, More” was born. Once the song caught on, they produced an album. Two more albums followed, but unfortunately, there were to be no more [or should that be “More, More, More”] hits for Andrea True Connection.

Rock Your Baby to the Boat

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From George McCrae’s “Rock Your Baby” we move to The Hues Corporation and their hit “Rock the Boat.”

The Hues Corporation consisted of St. Clair Lee, Flemming Williams, and Ann Kelley. The trio formed in 1969, but it wasn’t until “Rock the Boat” in July of 1974 that they scored their one and only top 100 hit. And what a hit it was — shooting all the way to #1. Unfortunately, they were never able to repeat their success and the band broke up in 1978.

Here are a few bits of trivia:

  • The Hues Corporation originally wanted to call themselves The Hughes Corporation but their record company nixed the idea feeling that Howard Hughes might take exception to the name. They settled on The Hues Corporation.
  • “Rock the Boat” hit number 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 the week of July 6, 1974. [Yeah. 34 years ago. Yeesh.] Guess what song followed it to take the number one spot? George McRae’s “Rock Your Baby.” We just can’t get away from that song!

 

Rare Video: KC & the Sunshine Band “Rock Your Baby”

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Yesterday our music link covered KC and the Sunshine Band playing a live version of “That’s the Way I Like It.” The post ended with a bit of trivia: before Harry Casey and Richard Finch created KC and the Sunshine Band they wrote Rock Your Baby for George McCrae and the song went on to be a megahit.

So it would make sense if our next link in our musical chain was George McCrae’s classic Rock Your Baby. Instead, I thought it might be fun to go with a rarity: KC and the Sunshine Band, in 1974, giving us their instrumental version of Rock Your Baby.So that’s what I did.

“That’s the Way” – A Brief History of KC and The Sunshine Band [2008]

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A Taste of Honey’s “Boogie Oogie Oogie” leads us right to KC and the Sunshine Band playing a live version of “That’s the Way I Like It.”

I knew that it wouldn’t take long to link to KC and the Sunshine Band. Behind the Bee Gees, they are probably the band most associated with the disco era. KC and the Sunshine Band’s songs featured simple, repetitive lyrics paired with music that made you want to move.

The band was formed in 1973 by Harry Wayne Casey [KC] and Richard Finch, but it wasn’t until 1975 and their hit “Get Down Tonight” that the band really took off. The album, their second, went triple platinum and the hits just kept on coming. Most people would be surprised to learn that their last #1 hit was the first hit of the 80’s [“Please Don’t Go”]. The band broke up in 1981. In 1991, KC came out of retirement and reformed the band without Richard Finch. The new band continues to tour with a full schedule.

I was fortunate enough to see KC and the Sunshine Band live a couple of times back in the glory days [1976 and 1977]. They definitely earned their money with the great show that they put on.

One last bit of trivia: Yesterday, Ivan G. Shreve, Jr., commented that he really only liked a few disco songs with “Boogie, Oogie, Oogie” being one and George McCrae’s Rock Your Baby being another. Well, did you know that Harry Casey and Richard Finch wrote Rock Your Baby? They did! It went on to become one of the first and biggest hits of the disco era selling 11 million copies.

 

If UR Thinkin’ UR 2 Cool

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From “Play That Funky Music” we swing over to “Boogie Oogie Oogie” performed live by A Taste of Honey. It’s somewhat surprising that guitarist Hazel Payne and bassist Janice Johnson, the ladies who made up A Taste of Honey didn’t hit bigger. They could sing, play and wrote most of their own songs… plus they were easy on the eyes. 

Play That Funky Music

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A couple of days ago I posted The Sanford Townsend Band’s “Smoke from a Distant Fire?” I thought it might be cool to see what other 70’s songs I might find linked to it.


I looked and came up with Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music.” I hope ya digs it.

I wonder where the next link will take me?

 

Smoke from a Distant Fire

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The Sanford Townsend Band‘s biggest hit was “Smoke from a Distant Fire.” You may not know the band, but I bet if you’ve heard the song once, it made an impact with it’s perfect blend of lyrics and music. How can you not be pulled into a song that opens with:


“You left me here on your way to paradise
You pulled the rug right out from under my life
I know where you goin’ to I knew when you came home last night
‘Cause your eyes had a mist from the smoke of a distant fire…”

Here’s a link to a live performance of “Smoke from a Distant Fire.” No lip syncing or recorded instrumental tracks, and The Sanford Townsend Band doesn’t miss a beat. It makes me wonder why they weren’t better known, because they sure could play.

Wanna Go For a Ride?

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For a while there was talk that Sly Stallone would reprise his role as Machine Gun Joe in the “Death Race” remake. Well, that didn’t happen although the remake did. So now instead of David Carradine we have Jason Statham. Instead of Sylvester Stallone we get Tyrese Gibson?

The movie is still set in the future, but instead of a cross country race in which the participants kill pedestrians, it’s set in a prison and the contestants try to kill each other. [Not to worry, they still found a way to get women involved as “navigators”.] Advance word on the movie hasn’t been too good, but THIS TRAILER makes me think that advance word might have been a bit harsh. I think it looks like a fun ride.

 

Mercy

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Most of the music I listen to is from the 70’s. Don’t get me wrong, I like some music from most genres and time periods, but it’s not often that I hear a current song that grabs me. Mercy by singer/songwriter Duffy grabs me. If you’ve heard it, it probably grabbed you too. If you haven’t heard it, click HERE and prepare to be touched. 

Billie Jean by Any Name…

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One of the reasons that I enjoy watching American Idol is that occasionally one of the contestants will present a new version of a song that really works. Chris Daughtry’s “Walk the Line” and Blake Lewis’ “Time of the Season” are two examples. [Yeah, I know that Daughtry’s take was based on Live’s cover of the Johnny Cash classic.]

Recently David Cook took a shot Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”. It was amazing. I was knocked out by David’s Cook’s “Billie Jean”. It was bold, innovative and actually Chris Cornell’s “Billie Jean”. Shades of Daughtry.