Shake You Down – Gregory Abbott
“Shake You Down” by Gregory Abbott is a complete mystery to me. It’s a number one hit. It’s soulful. It’s smooth. It evokes the spirit of Marvin Gaye and Al Green, two of my favorite soul singers. In fact, one of my favorite albums is What’s Goin’ On by Marvin Gaye. Yet in the 1980s and today, “Shake You Down” leaves me cold. I’m simply indifferent about the song. I don’t like it. I don’t hate it. I could care less … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1980s
Stay the Night – Benjamin Orr
The Cars are back. Yes, the original version of The Cars, one of the seminal New Wave bands, is releasing their first record since 1987′s Door to Door. That’s good news for fans of the band since the record, Move Like This, essentially sounds like their late 1970s or early 1980s classics like The Cars and Candy-O. The sad news is that it’s the original Cars lineup, minus one key member: bass player Benjamin Orr who … Read entire article »
(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
If you’re a child of the 1980s, you know Jennifer Grey as Ferris Bueller’s obnoxious big sister in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Or even more likely, you know her as Baby from Dirty Dancing. Then she pretty much disappeared from public consciousness. Until 2010 when her terrific dancing skills transformed Baby into the deserving winner of Dancing With the Stars. The first time people noticed that Jennifer could dance was during the dramatic finale … Read entire article »
Respect Yourself Lyrics – Bruce Willis
Click to read how “Respect Yourself” became a one-hit wonder Respect Yourself lyrics If you disrespect everybody That you run into How in the world do you think Anybody sposed to respect you If you dont give a heck about The man with a bible in his hand Just get out the way and let The gentleman do his thing Youre the kind of gentleman That wants everything their way Take the sheet off yur face boy Its a brand new day Chorus Respect yourself Respect yourself If you dont respect yourself Aint … Read entire article »
Respect Yourself – Bruce Willis
It’s easy to forget that big-screen icon Bruce Willis once fancied himself a rhythm and blues singer. But he did. And under the moniker “Bruno” he delivered a debut album cleverly titled The Return of Bruno (see how he did that? Made buyers think they missed Introducing Bruno). We’ll add Willis to our growing list of actors-turned-singers-turned-actors. Or maybe it should be singers-turned-actors-turned-singers-turned-one-hit wonders. Let’s not argue semantics here. Celebrity crossover worked for David Soul … Read entire article »
Mary’s Prayer – Danny Wilson
“Mary’s Prayer” by Danny Wilson sounds like summer to our ears. It’s breezy. It’s completely innocuous. It’s like a little ball of joy wrapped up in a three-and-a-half-minute pop song. It’s hard to imagine Robert Smith of The Cure or Depeche Mode starting one of their songs with these four lines: Everything is wonderful Being here is heavenly Every single day, she says Everything is free So where did this little joyous gem come from? Scotland, of course. Some … Read entire article »
Touch of Grey Lyrics – Grateful Dead
Read how “Touch of Grey” became a one-hit wonder Touch of Grey Lyrics Must be getting early Clocks are running late Paint by Number morning sky Looks so phony Dawn is breaking everywhere Light a candle, curse the glare Draw the curtains, I don’t care ‘Cause it’s all right I will get by I will get by I will get by I will survive I see you’ve got your fist out Say your piece and get out Yes I got the gist of it But it’s all right Sorry that you feel that … Read entire article »
Touch of Grey – Grateful Dead
Quick quiz #1: Name the best Grateful Dead songs. We’re guessing many of you will suggest “Truckin’” or “Friend of the Devil” or “Ripple” or “Sugar Magnolia” or “Uncle John’s Band” or “Franklin’s Tower” or if you’re a true Deadhead (or dropped a lot of acid during your Deadhead days), you might even choose “Space/Drums.” We’re guessing none of you will choose “Touch of Grey.” Quick quiz #2: Name the most commercially successful … Read entire article »