Friday, June 28, 2019

"Real Wild Child (Wild One)" by Iggy Pop

Considered one of the godfathers of punk, Iggy Pop (formerly of The Stooges) is well-known despite a lack of chart success. His one and only appearance on the charts finally arrived in 1990 when "Candy" rose to #28. A duet with Kate Pierson of The B-52's, the track is a rare love song from Iggy Pop's prolific history.

Surprisingly, popular cuts like "The Passenger," "Lust For Life," and this one never saw any chart action.


Thursday, June 27, 2019

"Can't Get Back" by The Poorboys

The Poorboys were a California rock outfit that seemed destined to match the chart success of their contemporary, The Black Crowes. The band released a single album entitled "Pardon Me" in 1992, whose single "Guilty" bubbled under. Consequently, this band quickly faded from sight, leaving great tracks like "Hey Man," "The Last Time," "No Real Emotion," and this one unheard by most.


Wednesday, June 26, 2019

"Next To You" by The Police

A rock trio from England that arrested everyone's attention: Sting (Gordon Sumner), Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland, otherwise known as The Police. Each a musical genius in his own right, when working together they created magic magic magic.

The Police achieved their first chart hit with the classic cut, "Roxanne," which went to #32 in 1979. Many of the band's other early classics never charted, including greats like "So Lonely," "Can't Stand Losing You," "Walking On The Moon," and "Invisible Sun."

No matter, they band scored plenty of hits in the early 80s that made them the 49th most successful artist of the decade. Their final studio album, 1983's "Synchronicity" yielded four top 40 hits, including the smash "Every Breath You Take," which held the top spot for an impressive 8 weeks. At the height of their career, the band called it quits and Sting pursued a wildly successful solo career. Copeland started a new band called Animal Logic.

"Next To You" is the lead off track to the band's debut album from 1978, "Outlandos D'Armour." It remains my favorite Police album because the band just sounds like they are having pure fun jamming to all kinds of musical styles in their dad's garage.


Tuesday, June 25, 2019

"Until You Suffer Some (Fire And Ice)" by Poison

Formed in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and led by the charismatic Bret Michaels, glam rock band Poison took the world by storm in the late 80s. They had a huge surprise hit with "Talk Dirty To Me" right out of the gate, which went to #9 in 1987. It catapulted their debut album, "Look What The Cat Dragged In", to multi-platinum status and set the band up for a string of follow-up successes that included "Nothin' But A Good Time" (#6), "Fallen Angel" (#12), "Unskinny Bop" (#3), and their cover of the Loggins & Messina classic, "Your Mama Don't Dance" (#10).

The band had a softer side, too, and scored big with ballads like "I Won't Forget You" (#13), "Something To Believe In" (#4), and their chart-topping hit "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," which spent 3 weeks at #1 in 1988.

By 1993, things took a turn. Beloved guitarist CC DeVille was fired due to substance abuse issues and replaced with a more blues oriented axe, Richie Kotzen. In addition, grunge had arrived in full force by the time the new line-up released their album, "Native Tongue." The album, which largely abandoned their usual party and cock rock fare in favor of more mature songwriting, was met with mixed reviews. The first single, "Stand," backed by a gospel choir, stalled at #50 and became the band's last chart appearance. Kotzen was subsequently fired for fraternizing too heavily with the drummer's girlfriend, opening the door for DeVille to come back onboard in 1996.

"Native Tongue" might have performed better had it been released during the hair band heyday. It contains some really good tracks and put Poison on a growth trajectory that would have been interesting to continue. The musicianship and harmonies that decorate the killer ballad "Until You Suffer Some (Fire And Ice)" exemplify what this might have been like.


Monday, June 24, 2019

"Lay It On The Line" by Pointer Sisters

Most people know the Pointer Sisters from their string of hits in the 80s - they were in fact the 16th most successful artist of the decade. The sisters who initially started recording in 1969 were June and Bonnie, joined later by Anita and Ruth. Their music was all over the map, starting with jazz and R&B, even venturing into country territory. 

With some modest hits under their belt by 1978, Bonnie decided to leave the group for a solo career. She scored two top 40 hits on her own, but probably wishes she stuck with her sisters, who went on to reformulate their sound towards rock and pop, achieving monumental success.

The first album that solidified their sound was 1978's "Energy." The Pointer Sisters brought in some heavy hitting songwriters, including Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Bob Welch, Loggins & Messina, and Bruce Springsteen. With Springsteen's song "Fire," the Pointer Sisters obtained their first monster hit, taking it to #2 for two weeks in 1979.

The group was a mainstay in the top 10 for years to come, with hits like "He's So Shy" (#3), "Slow Hand" (#2), "Automatic" (#5), "Jump (For My Love)" (#3), "I'm So Excited" (#9), "The Neutron Dance" (#6), and "Dare Me" (#11). Despite this impressive list of hits, the Pointer Sisters never hit #1 on the Top 100.

"Lay It On The Line" was the lead off track for the successful 1978 album, "Energy." A great rocker that set the stage for the new direction that took the ladies to global fame.


Friday, June 21, 2019

"Let Her Go" by Point Blank

Point Blank began in the 70s as a Southern Rock band from Texas, but with the inclusion of new vocalist Bubba Keith in 1981, they took a hard left into melodic rock territory. At this point, the band sounded more like Survivor or Journey than Lynyrd Skynyrd.

With Bubba Keith at the mic, the band was able to secure its one and only top 40 hit. "Nicole" reached #39 in 1981. Sadly, it didn't help the band score more hits, which they truly deserved - Keith was an amazing vocalist.

"Let Her Go" was a single from their 1982 album, "On A Roll." The roll stopped in 1984 and the band went on hiatus, not to be heard from again until some of the founding members reunited in 2005.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

"Little Darlin'" by Poco

While similar to The Eagles in many respects, including personnel at times, Poco did not share the same success on the charts. They never cracked the top 10, but are known for popular tunes like "Crazy Love" (#17), "Heart Of The Night" (#20), "Under The Gun" (#48), and a come-back hit of sorts from 1989, "Call It Love" (#18).

Poco began with Rusty Young and members of Buffalo Springfield, including Jim Messina, who would later team up with Kenny Loggins to achieve a string of hits as Loggins and Messina. Two musicians in Poco who later joined The Eagles were Randy Meisner and Timothy B. Schmit

The height of the band's popularity has in the late 70s, largely thanks to their album called "Legend." "Little Darlin'" is one of the gems tucked away on that strong record, buried beneath the big singles.

The band's last chart appearance was in 1990, when "Nothin' To Hide," penned by Richard Marx, peaked at #39.


Wednesday, June 19, 2019

"I'll Get Lucky" by The Plimsouls

People in England may know plimsouls as gym shoes, but in the US they were an underground rock band from L.A. who were ahead of their time. Best known for their minor hit, "A Million Miles Away," which reached #82 in 1983 thanks to an appearance in the movie Valley Girls, The Plimsouls were not able to escape their destiny as a one-hit wonder.

This should not have been. The influential group's 1983 album, "Everywhere At Once," could have been mined for other great tunes, like this one: "I'll Get Lucky." 


Tuesday, June 18, 2019

"Going Back To Detroit" by The Platters

The legendary R&B group The Platters had an impressive run through the 50s and 60s, earning them a place in the R&R Hall of Fame in 1990. The band's string of #1 hits, including classics like "The Great Pretender," "My Prayer," "Twilight Time," and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," made them the 6th most successful artist of the 50s.

The band's popularity started to wane in the late 60s as the music scene was changing, and great tunes like "Going Back To Detroit" no longer had a presence on the radio.


Monday, June 17, 2019

"Bones Of Saints" by Robert Plant

Robert Plant is the powerhouse vocalist behind the pioneering hard rock band Led Zeppelin, and began and long and varied solo career since their break up in 1980. Plant wasted no time getting back on the charts with cuts like "Burning Down One Side" (#64), "Big Log" (#20), "In The Mood" (#39), and "Little By Little" (#36). Plant also reunited with Zeppelin guitar god Jimmy Page to score a major hit in 1984 as the Honeydrippers: a cover of "Sea Of Love" that went to #3 (originally made famous by Phil Phillips, who took it to #2 in 1959).

One of his most successful was the terrific "Tall Cool One" from 1988. Reuniting with his band mate Jimmy Page once again, who threw in a number of Zeppelin Easter Eggs into the song, Plant took this track to #25. His last chart appearance was in 1990 when "Hurting Kind (I've Got My Eyes On You)" reached #46. Since Zeppelin first hit the chart in 1969, that gives Plant chart hits across four decades.

Plant has continued to make music, though, his latest record being "Carry Fire" in 2017. The stirring song "Bones Of Saints" comes from that record, and contains one of the most infectious riffs this side of Zeppelin.


Friday, June 14, 2019

"King For A Day" by Planet P

Planet P (or Planet P Project was a 1983 effort by a number of session musicians that featured Tony Carey on lead vocals. The one-off record produced a single chart appearance, which was "Why Me?". The tune stalled at #64 and the group wasn't heard from again.

There were some other tunes on this record that had chart potential back then, such as the driving "King For A Day."


Thursday, June 13, 2019

"Friends Don't Let Friends Dial Drunk" by Plain White T's

Plain White T's are a pop rock band from Illinois that had an unlikely acoustic hit capture the #1 spot on the chart in 2007. "Hey There Delilah" took the world by storm and clung to the top spot for two weeks.

But it did not help secure a future for the band. Despite their breakthrough hit, they've only managed two other modest top 40 appearances, which came in 2009 when "1, 2, 3, 4" peaked at #34 and in 2010 when "Rhythm Of Love" peaked at #38.

"Friends Don't Let Friends Dial Drunk," taken from the same album as "Delilah," seemed to have all the makings of a follow-up hit, but the band went with "Our Time Now," which stalled at #90.


Wednesday, June 12, 2019

"Here Comes Your Man" by The Pixies

The Pixies were pioneers of the alternative rock movement in the 80s and, despite a lot of love from MTV's 120 Minutes, they were never able to crossover to the Top 100 chart. Led by Frank Black and Kim Deal (The Breeders), the band's best known effort arrived in 1989 with "Doolittle." "Here Comes Your Man" is probably the closest the band has ever come to being radio-friendly.


Tuesday, June 11, 2019

"Coming Back To Life" by Pink Floyd

Despite massive album sales and a string of well-known songs, Top 100 chart success has eluded the legendary progressive rock band Pink Floyd. The two key exceptions include 1973's "Money," which went to #13, and the #1 smash "Another Brick In The Wall Part II."

After Roger Waters left the band to pursue a solo career in 1985, David Gilmour took over creative control and steered the band into releasing a few more sporadic albums. The first without Waters was 1987's "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason," which yielded a #70 hit, "Learning To Fly." The second album without Waters, "The Division Bell," didn't arrive until 1994. It also produced a minor chart hit when "Take It Back" reached #73.

"The Division Bell" received mixed reviews, but I rank it as one of the most underappreciated records in the band's extensive catalog. "Coming Back To Life" is one of my favorite songs by the band, showcasing some of the most beautiful and dynamic guitar work Gilmour has recorded. 

Fun fact: Pink Floyd continues to hold the record for the longest charting album ever. "The Dark Side Of The Moon" has spent an astonishing 923 weeks on Top 200 album chart.


Monday, June 10, 2019

"Dear Mr. President" by P!nk

One of the biggest pop stars of the modern era, P!nk (aka Alecia Moore) puts plenty of her Philly soul into her gritty and boisterous pop. Her chart successes have included four #1 hits so far, and plenty more top 10 hits.

But there is much more to P!nk than partying and scorning ex-lovers. Whether she is empowering others with terrific songs like "F**kin' Perfect", which went to #2 in 2011, or stripping things down to duet with the Indigo Girls to question the President, P!nk is always smart and emotive. The song is from 2006, so the President she was putting on the spot was George W. Bush.


Friday, June 7, 2019

"Canada" by Pilot

Scottish 70s band, Pilot, specialized in melodic pop with sticky hooks, but only hit the Top 40 in the US once. Their classic hit, "Magic" soared to #5 in 1975, but failed to provide the talented band staying power. After two other modest singles, "Just A Smile" and "January" stalled at #90 and #87, respectively, the band took a nose dive.

It's hard to believe, given stuff like "Canada" in their catalog. This catchy tune from 1976 did not chart in the US.


Thursday, June 6, 2019

"If You Need Me" by Wilson Pickett

One of the great voices of soul, Wilson aka "Wicked" Pickett sang his way into the Top 10 with "Land Of 1000 Dances" in 1966. Landing at #6, the song would remain his best performer, with "Funky Broadway" being a close second at #8.

In addition to his renditions of many other songs written by others, Pickett wrote or co-wrote several of his tunes. "If You Need Me" was one of them, and also bears the distinction of being his first chart appearance. The song peaked at #64 in 1963 and showed the world that Pickett was destined for greatness. He was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1991.

Pickett passed away in 2006 following a heart attack at the age of 64.



Wednesday, June 5, 2019

"I Don't Know How To Say Goodbye To You" by Sam Phillips

Befuddling music experts everywhere, singer and songwriter Sam Phillips has never broken onto the Top 100. She is best known for her critically acclaimed 1994 album, "Martinis and Bikinis," which was nominated for a Grammy award and spawned the popular single, "Baby I Can't Please You."

Before strolling into mainstream pop, she released several Christian records under her given name Leslie. In 1985, her record "Black And White In A Grey World" was nominated for a Grammy.

Marking her initial venture as Sam, Phillips released a terrific record in 1988 called "The Indescribable Wow" that was filled with should've-been chart hits like this one.


Tuesday, June 4, 2019

"Cleareyed" by Glen Phillips

I don't think I can sing the praises of Glen Phillips enough to do this talented and underrated singer/songwriter justice. He is best known for his work in Toad The Wet Sprocket, but his extensive solo work is definitely worth your attention.

His first post-Toad album arrived in 2001 and was called "Abulum." Despite wonderful songs like "Fred Meyers," "Back On My Feet," and "Darkest Hour," a song about the passing of his father, the record did not do well commercially. His more ambitious and polished follow-up, 2005's "Winter Pays For Summer," should have made him a superstar as it is close to a masterpiece. "Cleareyed" is just a small sample of gorgeous cuts from this remarkable album.

Phillips continues to record solo work, but in conjunction with a reunited Toad. He's done several collaborations with other artists, including projects such as Mutual Admiration Society and Works Progress Administration. His latest solo record, "Swallowed By The New," strongly influenced by his divorce, dropped in 2016.


Monday, June 3, 2019

"Nobody Knows And Nobody Cares" by Phil Phillips

The crooner from Louisiana, Phil Phillips is a one-hit wonder who nearly hit the top slot with "Sea Of Love" in 1959. The tune spent two weeks at #2 and remains a staple on oldies radio.

Lesser known is this woe-is-me number, "Nobody Knows and Nobody Cares." Beautifully sung with heart, it makes you want to walk up and hug the guy.