The Gibb Brothers were many things over the course of their forty years as a musical unit-Beatle clones, disco savants, disco pariahs, resurgent veterans. One thing that remained consistent, regardless of their public perception, was their ability to write a hell of a song. Proof of that talent lies in the mile-long list of Gibb… Read More “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” by The Bee Gees (1971)/Al Green (1972)
Was Luther Vandross the premier “love song” singer of his generation? I think if you look a little closer, you might realize that Luther’s most affecting vocal performances were not so much love songs as they were songs of lost love, unrequited love, or straight up loneliness. This holds true especially when you look at… Read More “A House Is Not A Home” by Luther Vandross (1981)
“It’s important to meeeeeeeeee…that you know you are freeeeeeeeeeee…” “Hello, It’s Me” is dedicated to someone who wants to be a free spirit. I can appreciate the lyrical sentiment; wanting to love and enjoy someone for the time you share as opposed to thinking of them as belonging to you. It was the first song… Read More “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren (1972)/The Isley Brothers (1974)
Adele’s 21 album surpassed expectations to become a monster hit, the type of big-selling album that most people thought wasn’t possible in the 2010s (and seriously, probably won’t happen again). I’m pretty sure that Adele’s record company (and maybe not Adele herself, since she seems so blase about her success and that’s actually kind of… Read More “Hello” by Adele (2015)/”Hello” by Joe (2015)
So here are two things you may not know about “Heart And Soul”. One, Huey Lewis & The News didn’t write it; Mike Chapman (who also wrote “My Sharona” and “Mickey”, to name a couple) and Nick Chinn did. Two, “Heart And Soul” is a cover. The country band Exile (of “Kiss You All Over”… Read More “Heart And Soul” by Huey Lewis & The News (1983)
Jimmy Cliff originally wrote and sang “The Harder They Come” as the theme song for the movie of the same name, in which he starred. The Harder They Come, the song, album and film, are widely credited with familiarizing non-Jamaican music fans with reggae. I’ve been familiar with the song my whole life; partially because… Read More “The Harder They Come” by The Joe Jackson Band (1980)
Yes, “Glory” is a traditional hymn. I’m sure it has been sung numerous times by singers renowned and unknown. I know it is most commonly associated with opera diva Kathleen Battle. However, the only version I care to know (and which I discovered almost by accident) was recorded by pop ‘n b singer JoJo in… Read More “Glory” by JoJo (2014)
I had a paralysis from analysis moment that led me to this song choice. Originally, my next up was “Fire” by The Ohio Players. I sat with that choice for a while, ultimately asking myself if I was picking that song because it’s such a legendary funk song or because I legitimately love it. I… Read More “Fire” by The Pointer Sisters (1978)
I first heard “Feel The Fire” as recorded by Stephanie Mills. It was the final track on her 1979 breakout album What’cha Gonna Do With My Lovin’ and got major burn in the house I grew up in. Someone in my family must’ve been going through it. It also apparently got burn in lots of… Read More “Feel The Fire” by Peabo Bryson (1978)/Stephanie Mills (1979)/Teddy Pendergrass (feat. Stephanie Mills, 1980)
When “Family Man” was a hit in the spring of 1983, I was 6. Even then, I knew enough about emotions to glean that Daryl Hall was tortured about something, although at the time I probably didn’t know the meaning of the word “tortured”. Three and a half decades later, with a much more complicated… Read More “Family Man” by Daryl Hall & John Oates (1982)
Five Star Jamz 