The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 452

Number 452

Exile

"Kiss You All Over"

(1978)

Genre: Soft Rock

Well, that was sad news to hear about Richard Wright of Pink Floyd passing away this week at the age of 65. David Gilmour sums it up best about Richard ... "After all, without 'Us and Them' and 'The Great Gig In The Sky', both of which he wrote, what would 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' have been? Without his quiet touch the Album 'Wish You Were Here' would not quite have worked. In our middle years, for many reasons he lost his way for a while, but in the early Nineties, with 'The Division Bell', his vitality, spark and humour returned to him and then the audience reaction to his appearances on my tour in 2006 was hugely uplifting and it's a mark of his modesty that those standing ovations came as a huge surprise to him, (though not to the rest of us). Like Rick, I don't find it easy to express my feelings in words, but I loved him and will miss him enormously." [David Gilmour - www.davidgilmour.com]

found our shirts!

Among rock listeners, Exile is remembered as the one-hit wonder responsible for 1978's number one smash "Kiss You All Over." However, in the early '80s, the Kentucky-bred band reinvented itself as a country outfit -- and a hugely successful one at that. Exile was actually formed all the way back in 1963 in Berea, KY, by singer/guitarist J.P. Pennington, the son of onetime Coon Creek Girl Lily May Ledford. At that time, they were a rock & roll combo known as the Exiles, and got their first exposure by playing some Kentucky dates during 1965-1966 with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars package tour, which featured pop stars like Brian Hyland, Tommy Roe, and Freddy Cannon. The group relocated to Lexington, KY, in 1968 and switched musical styles several times, also recording singles for labels ranging from Columbia to smaller local imprints. Their name was shortened to Exile in 1973, at which point the group featured leader/guitarist Pennington, lead singer Jimmy Stokley, keyboardist Buzz Cornelison, bassist Kenny Weir, and drummer Bob Jones. That same year, they issued a self-titled album on Wooden Nickel, and their strong regional popularity eventually led to a deal with Atco in 1977, when they scored their first pop-chart entry with the minor hit "Try It On."

1 hit wonder, sure.But what a song

Exile subsequently switched to Warner Bros., with a lineup that now featured Pennington, Stokley, Cornelison, second keyboardist Marlon Hargis, bassist Sonny LeMaire, and drummer Steve Goetzman. Their 1978 label debut, Mixed Emotions, produced an enormous hit in the disco-tinged pop number "Kiss You All Over," which topped the charts and also proved to be their only major success. After a few follow-up singles flopped, Exile returned to the clubs of Kentucky and completely revamped their sound, especially when lead singer Stokley departed in 1980. The group disbanded in 1993, playing a farewell concert in Lexington with numerous past members rejoining. By 1996, Pennington and Taylor had reunited to tour the nostalgia circuit with a new Exile lineup. ~ [Steve Huey, All Music Guide]

For Pink Floyd see Number 497 & MM Vol 1 #138

For David Gilmour see Number 923

For Brian Hyland see Number 578

Rolling Stone has no view on this song nor the artist, this makes this the first entry without a view from Rolling Stone in the Top 500 Definitive list, but there are many [non views by RS] in the 2nd half - 501 to 1000. If i am wrong about this song being top 500 material, then surely will be voted out. I think it is worthy to stay, time will tell [again].

When the next post comes up [or previous post, all depends how you read this, as in the future or now], I will tell you what songs are up for removal, by you the voters. This way you can either, save your song from the axe .... or spread the word for destruction.

Rolling Stone magazine deemed their '452nd Song of all Time' was "Cupid" by Sam Cooke. Sam Cooke has appeared in The Definitive 1000 @ Number 481

Other songs with reference to Exile: none [see rolling stone told me so]

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (wtf? who's in exile?) and the Album ranked at (there is a whole album????)

[theres even a greatest hits buddy~crowbarred]

This song has a Definitive 1000 rating of 77.2 out of 108