Thursday, August 24, 2006

Number 868 - Doobie Brothers



Number 868

Doobie Brothers

"Blackwater"

(1974)
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Genre:Classic Rock

I like to hear some funky Dixieland/Pretty Mama, come and take me by the hand.
Oh, by the hand (hand - honky tonk)/Take me by the hand (honky tonk - pretty mama)
Come and dance with your Daddy (with you) all night long.

It may be pretty odd lryics to Generation Y, but the melody proved to be a standout. So much of a standout it earnt Doobie Brothers a Number 1 Hit in 1974.
"Their first number one single, "Black Water," featured heavy contributions from former Steely Dan member Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter who officially joined the Doobie Brothers for 1975's Stampede. Prior to the album's spring release, Johnston was hospitalized with a stomach ailment, and was replaced for the supporting tour by keyboardist/vocalist Michael McDonald, who had also worked with Steely Dan" "As one of the most popular Californian pop/rock bands of the '70s, the Doobie Brothers evolved from a mellow, post-hippie boogie band to a slick, soul-inflected pop band by the end of the decade. Along the way, the group racked up a string of gold and platinum albums in the U.S., along with a number of radio hits like "Listen to the Music," "Black Water" and "China Grove."
For more Doobie Brothers see Number 776
For Steely Dan see Number 907
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Gasp! R.S gave them the bird) and the Album ranked at Number (Disowned, Tsk)
This song has a crowbarred rating of 59.6 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
underlay trademe

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posted by crowbarred at 7:10 pm 0 comments

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Number 604 - Christopher Cross



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Number 604

Christopher Cross

"Sailing"

(1980)
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Genre:Soft Rock
How do you put your finger on or put into words certain songs that stir feeling? You know the feeling... the one that makes your spine ... twinge. I'm sure everyone is different, to some, "Sailing" might stir revulsion or make one click to another song on their playlist (in the old days it was just "move the dial" ). I have been thinking of other songs that have the same affect as "Sailing" and its really hard to conjure a list straight of the bat. I thought of 's " Cool Change" (oddly, that's about sailing, is there something about sailing thats serene? ) or the song "1979" by Smashing Pumpkins and maybe "One Tree Hill" by U2.

I think what makes a song like "Sailing" special is that you don't hear the song everyday, they also have a melancholy but also a sweet memory, yeah... bittersweet, as such. Makes you wonder what todays generation will look back on. Lets hope its not "Stars are Blind"!
Christopher Cross' debut was a huge hit and widely acclaimed, at least among industry professionals (critics didn't give it a second listen), leading to multi-platinum success and Grammys. In retrospect, it might seem like the kind of success that's disproportional to the record itself, especially to hipper-than-thou younger generations, but in truth, Christopher Cross was a hell of a record -- it just was a hell of a soft rock record, something that doesn't carry a lot of weight among most audiences. That doesn't erase Cross' considerable gifts as a craftsman. Yes, he does favor sentimentality and can be very sweet on the ballads, but his melodicism is rich and construction tight, so there's a sturdy foundation for the classy professional gloss provided by his studio pros and friends, including indelible backing vocals by . And while the hits like the dreamy "Sailing" and the surging "Ride Like the Wind" deserved all the attention, they're hardly the only highlights here -- to borrow a sports metaphor, this has a deep bench, and there's not a weak moment here. In fact, soft rock albums hardly ever came better than this, and it remains one of the best mainstream albums of its time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
For more Christopher Cross in the countdown see Number 850
For Smashing Pumpkins see Number 864 & Number 811 & Number 680
For more Smashing Pumpkins see @ MM Vol 1 Number 139
For U2 in the countdown see Number 661
For more U2 see @ MM Vol 1 Number 129
For Paris Hilton see a Doctor!
For Michael McDonald see Number 868
What does Rolling Stone think about Chriss Cross?
Christopher Cross churn out music that knows its place: Top Forty radio. This San Antonio-born group, named after its lead singer-guitarist-songwriter, combines the 's sophisticated country rock, Danny O'Keefe's soulful folk stylings and the kind of glossy, Los Angeles cha-cha sound that producer Ted Templeman helps Nicolette Larson and the Doobie Brothers make. Such a familiar yet unusual blend seems as striking and pleasurable as that of early Chicago (the group, not the city) in the days before commercial was a dirty word.
Several songs on Christopher Cross – especially "Say You'll Be Mine" and "I Really Don't Know Anymore" – exude the cheerful romanticism of an all-American Fleetwood Mac, and though a few go on too long in order to show off the band's not particularly spectacular musicianship (these guys would love to be Steely Dan), most of the tunes here are as hummable, singable and pleasantly insubstantial as anything you'd care to hear on the car radio.
Michael Omartian's production is glistening but unsterile, while guest stars Michael McDonald, Nicolette Larson and Valerie Carter turn in sterling supporting vocals. (Carter's solo singing in "Spinning" is her best work ever. Could she be studying with Rickie Lee Jones?)
. fetishists might consider Christopher Cross the ultimate in California decadence. But me, I like to hear music that's fun, fun, fun every now and then. (RS 320)
What did you expect? Two thumbs up?
For Doobies Brothers see Number 868 & Number 776
For Steely Dan see Number 907
For Rickie Lee Jones see Number 721
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Tingly spine?) and the Album ranked at Number (What drugs are you on crowbarred?)
This song has a crowbarred rating of 72 out of 108 pts

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
By The Year 1955 to 2005:

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posted by crowbarred at 7:20 pm 4 comments

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Number 735 - Huey Lewis


Number 735

Huey Lewis

"Do You Believe in Love"

(1982)
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................Genre: Rock...............
Another entry in the charts for Huey Lewis (See Number 852). This song is a doozy for capturing the early 80's in sound. It's still a nice sounding song and really hasn't aged that badly considering its 25 + years old!
All aboard !
Huey Lewis and the News sound considerably more focused on their second album, Picture This. By incorporating stronger elements of R&B and doo wop (their cover of "Buzz Buzz Buzz" is first-rate) and embracing pop to a much greater extent, the News find their own distinctive sound -- clean-cut, steady middle-class rock & roll. They still suffer from uneven material, but "Do You Believe in Love" is a stunner, a tight set of polished, anthemic hooks that is one of the best mainstream pop singles of the early '80s. ~ [Stephen Thomas Erlewine]
What does RS Magazine think about Huey Lewis? On their second LP, Huey Lewis and the News prove they can cut loose when they feel like it, but more often they make nice with a brace of soulful pop confections designed to subliminally tweak the ears of today's half-tuned-in Walkman and -woman. Which is not to detract from the considerable achievement here: these guys have managed to gather together so many competing currents in one place that Picture This is a virtual sampler of musical fashion. In the same tune you'll hear everything from Graham Parker to Pat Benatar ("Change of Heart"), from the Doobie Brothers to Squeeze ("Tell Me a Little Lie"). Oh, and not forgetting the Southside Johnny-meets-ELO of "Do You Believe in Love," the band's Top Ten single.
Really, though, Huey Lewis buries his best intentions at the end of each side. "Workin for a Livin" is a boot-stomping blue-collar anthem and "Buzz Buzz Buzz" an authentic piece of the rockabilly. A little more of that kind of straight-ahead rocking would serve this upscale journeyman well. ~ [Source: RS 370] By the way even after a glowing review from RS they only gave it a 2 measily stars.
For more Huey Lewis see #852
For Graham Parker see #976
For Pat Benatar see #615, #832
For Doobie Brothers see #776, #868
For ELO see #384, #790
For UK Squeeze see #444
Need more information on the song "Do You Believe In Love"? Here are some SongFacts for you to ponder over! Click here > Fact Stuff [don't say you wern't warned]

Official Website for Huey Lewis @ This addy & for other Information/Biography click this link > Here ~ crowbarred [because power is knowledge]
Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Zip) and the album ranked at (Nah uh)
This song has a Definitive 1000 rating of 66.9 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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posted by crowbarred at 8:43 pm 0 comments