Songs I Like

[hardrockminer]

I visited Africa several times during my work career.  My first visit was in the late 1990's to Jo'burg and a small city called Velcom.  While there I heard this group.  The song is a cover of a very old song that was popular back in the 50's or 60's.  I really like the way this version is laid out.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA2Qw3j2bxw

[Steve G.]

   On this date, August 12, 1970, Neil Diamond released the single "Cracklin' Rosie".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei-iGSVqPJA   Notable live track from 1971.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD-c3MDpT9U   Johnny Cash Show, 1971.


  The surprising Canadian connection to the inspiration of this song:


Sparked by a story of lonely Canadian tribesmen bonding over cheap wine on weekends, Neil transformed that tale into a euphoric ode full of sly humour. Backed by the famed Wrecking Crew session players, he sells the intoxicating fantasy with infectious glee. And while the tempo shifts midway through, it didn't hinder "Rosie" becoming Neil's first US #1 hit and a global phenomenon that still resonates today.
As Neil tells it, the kernel was a folk tale he learned while touring Canada about a Northern Ontario reservation where men vastly outnumbered women. "These poor chaps would rush down to their local general store and get themselves a large bottle of a very cheap wine called Crackling Rose. The wine becomes their woman for the weekend."
From that comic scenario, Neil dreamed up a lovesick hero literally getting drunk on feelings, with the red, red wine as his liquid lady. The recording captures his creative flight of fancy, complete with a cappella breaks as if too overcome to keep playing. Of course the ace studio players like drummer Hal Blaine and guitarist Al Casey keep the groove flowing deliciously.
Released in late summer 1970, "Cracklin' Rosie" arrived amidst Neil's purple patch as a chart-topping singer-songwriter. "Sweet Caroline" and "Holly Holy" were already standards, and he was making album-length artistic statements like Tap Root Manuscript - which featured "Rosie" as its giddy lead track. As critic Dave Marsh noted, only Neil could take such an absurd concept so seriously and strike gold.
The public swooned too, sending "Rosie" to #1 in the US and Top Ten globally. In the UK the single brought Neil serious recognition, hitting #3 that winter. And his friend Elvis Presley was also smitten enough to cover album cut "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" as Neil's star rose.



Weekly charts
Chart (1970)   Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8]   2
Belgium   2
Canada RPM Top Singles   1
Germany   7
Ireland (IRMA)[9]   2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10]   6
New Zealand (Listener)[11]   1
South Africa (Springbok)[12]   1
UK Singles (OCC)[13]   3
US Billboard Hot 100[14]   1
US Easy Listening (Billboard)[15]   2
US Cash Box Top 100[16]   1


Year-end charts
Chart (1970)   Rank
Australia [17]   29
Canada [18]   8
Netherlands [19]   62
South Africa [20]   5
US Billboard Hot 100[21]   17
US Cash Box [22]   14

[hardrockminer]

I think most people would remember this song from 1972.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocLCLMZO6dc

[hardrockminer]

This song is from the late 70's.  The group was big back then.  They had an offbeat sound that caught my ear.  The song was a hit.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz65vonktMA

[hardrockminer]

Today's song was written by probably the greatest popular songwriter ever.  It's a song about race relations.  This version is a cover by an unknown person on a talent show.


https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blackbird+

[Steve G.]

   R.I.P.  Greg Kihn, of The Greg Kihn Band. July 10, 1948 - August 13, 2024.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B1NVdULqaM   --The Break Up Song.--

Weekly charts
Chart (1981)   Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4]   14
US (Billboard Hot 100)[5]   15
Year-end charts
Year-end chart (1981)   Rank
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[6]   47



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43_GqFW7iYc  --Jeopardy--


Weekly charts
Chart (1983)   Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3]   11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4]   22
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5]   4
France (IFOP)[6]   13
Germany (Official German Charts)[7]   18
Ireland (IRMA)[8]   17
Italy (FIMI)[9]   8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10]   15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11]   21
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12]   17
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[13]   6
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[14]   8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15]   4
UK Singles (OCC)[16]   63
US Billboard Hot 100[17]   2
US Billboard Hot Black Singles[17]   48
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[17]   1
US Billboard Top Tracks[17]   5
US Cash Box[18]   5

[hardrockminer]

This song was a #1 hit for the group that sang it, but it was written by someone else.  The writer was also a successful singer with movie credits as well.  I've posted his No No song before.  Here is probably his biggest song.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9uoq9gfeL0

[hardrockminer]

This song is about an animal we seldom see in person.  I've never seen a live one.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De1LCQvbqV4

[fffCycles]

Saw a number of them when I spent time diving the Red Sea in the mid 70’s. Interesting smart creatures sand collected a few specimens for the aquarium in Eilat along with a hard to find Sea Horse during a deep dive to view a sea snake garden! Almost 200 ft with a long duration then longer decompression cycle coming back to the surface multiple long stops, extra tanks and  no more diving for a a few days

[hardrockminer]

I didn't know you were a diver!  Never seen an octopus myself but I've seen a coelacanth once.

This is another song from the 60's.  The setting is South Dakota with a gunfight. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqA4ZiQaGtU

[Steve G.]

  On this date, August 17, 1986, Eddie Money released the hit single "Take Me Home Tonight".

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up6uL6xgoC4  Live on David Letterman, with Ronnie Spector, Nov 19, 1986.

 
 
Chart (1986-1987)   Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15]   46
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[14]   15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16]   43
US Billboard Hot 100[17]   4
US Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay Chart[18]   4
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[19]   1
West Germany (Official German Charts)[20]   59

[hardrockminer]

I thought Eddie Money was going to be big.  I had that album.  But....not a whole lot of follow up.

The week is done but here is one extra animal song.  It was one of my earliest memories.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZANKFxrcKU&list=RDdZANKFxrcKU&start_radio=1

[hardrockminer]

This is an interesting song from the 60's.  It describes how I feel just before I have that first sip. of my morning coffee....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGoDaYjdfSg

[fffCycles]

There is a god and his name is Jimmy.
Frank

[Steve G.]

 On this date, August 20, 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival's 5th studio album, "Cosmo's Factory", reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 200, a position it would hold for nine weeks. The LP would also top the charts in the UK, Norway, France, Finland, Canada and Australia. It contained the hit singles "Up Around The Band" (US #4), "Lookin' Out My Back Door" (US #23), and "Who'll Stop The Rain" (US #2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECtrEehZsn4&list=PLo2aaBamFnLTcxPsH3DUnzQqXiPi67pYM    The complete studio album, remastered.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3D-laAFsEk   Rare live Cosmo's Factory warehouse practice session.

    Rolling Stone ranked it number 413 on its 2020 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".


Weekly chart performance for Cosmo's Factory
Chart (1970–1971)   Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[29]   1
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[30]   1
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[31]   2
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[32]   4
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[33]   1
Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)[34]   2
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[35]   10
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[36]   1
UK Albums (OCC)[37]   1
US Billboard 200[38]   1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[39]   11