Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Number 824 - Smokie



Number 824

Smokie

"Lay Back In The Arms Of Someone"

(1977)
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Genre:Soft Rock
"Originally formed in Yorkshire, England, in 1966, Smokie hit the British pop charts several times during the late '70s with updated psychedelic pop, influenced by the band's stay on Mickie Most's Rak Records as well as the writers of most of the band's hit material, Rak's Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Vocalist Chris Norman, guitarist Terry Utley, and bassist Alan Silson had played in the Elizabethans, but formed the band Kindness in 1968, with the addition of drummer Pete Spencer. The quartet recorded many singles during the late '60s and early '70s, but failed to show any chart activity until 1975. That year, signed to Rak Records and billed as Smokey, the band hit number three in the U.K. with "If You Think You Know How to Love Me." After another Top Ten hit, "Don't Play Your Rock 'N Roll to Me," Smokey became Smokie; during 1976, the group scored with three Top 20 hits, including the number-five "Living Next Door to Alice." Smokie hit number five both in 1977 ("It's Your Life") and 1978 ("Oh Carol"), but the band's chart run ended by early 1980, and following 1982's Midnight Delight, they disbanded. Both Spencer and Norman continued to work at Rak during the '80s, writing hits for several groups; they reformed Smokie in 1988, resurfacing with the LP My Heart Is True. Two more albums, All Fired Up and Greatest Hits Live, followed a year later, with the group remaining active throughout the 1990s, issuing new material as well as a number of hits collections"
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Oh i don't think so Tim) and the album at number (*Whistling*)
This song has a crowbarred rating of 62.7 out of 108
Search Artist here:1-2-3-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

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3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Born and bred in Halifax, West Yorkshire (or the West Riding as it was then) I feel an instinctive affinity with Smokie. I don't know the details of where they originate but they have all the cultural hallmarks of my home town or nearby. The facial expressions, sense of humour and mannerisms yell out northern rock as surely as Blackpool rock has its identity stamped through from one end to the other.
Pierre

1:01 am  
Blogger crowbarred said...

Here in NZ we know Geoffry Boycott (sic) voice very well when he use to visit and commentate on the cricket, so of course all NZers think Yorkshire accents sound like that. Mind you, most English think we sound like Australians, which is very distasteful thinking indeed.

12:32 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have just arrived back from a trip to the North of England and whilst I was passing I tuned in to Radio Sheffield. Of all the radio stations in all the world..Chris Norman was the guest of honour. He is over in the UK promoting his new album. It turns out that he is still popular around the world but had neglected the UK. It was great to hear him sing live and to hear some tracks from his new CD. Oh and by the way he happened to mention that they all come from Bradford which is 8 miles away from my hometown of Halifax. I wonder if we ever gave them a lesson in how to play rugby.
Pierre

11:56 am  

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