George Harrison--All Those Years Ago (1981)

     Over the years there has been many songs written either referencing or directly dealing with John Lennon. After his shocking death in December of 1980, the musical world attempted to come to grips with his legacy. There are several song that stand out, the first (and in my mind the best) was Elton John's "Empty Garden" off of the 1982 album, "Jump Up". Paul McCartney came in with "Here Today" from his album, "Tug of War", and this song by George Harrison.
     Of the three songs mentioned, this was the first one released ("Here Today" was never released as a single). George had written a song for Ringo, but Starr never cared much for it because it was a bit high in pitch for the drummer. Harrison took the song back and in the meantime, when Lennon died, he put new lyrics to song. He took Ringo's voice off of the song, but kept his drumming track, then invited Paul and Linda McCartney with former Wings member Denny Lane to come and provide backing vocals.
     At the time the single was released, some critics found it a bit trite because of the bouncy music, but lyrically it spoke of George's loss. With it's release in May of 1981 it was the first of many tributes to the fallen Beatle. It was the third of four top five hits for Harrison who would not be heard from on the American charts again until 1987's, "Got My Mind Set On You"

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John Hall Band--Crazy (Keep On Falling) (1981)

     John Hall was a singer/guitarist for the band Orleans. They had hits such as, "Still the One" and "Dance With Me". He left the group in 1977 and began a solo career with two hits which reached the top 100. "Crazy (Keep On Falling)" was the highest charting of the two reaching number 42 in the winter of 1981/82. He rejoined Orleans in 1985 and worked with them for another 12 years while continue to write for others as well. Always politically active, Hall ran for the House of Representatives in the state of New York and served one term from 2007-2011.

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Hall and Oates--You Make My Dreams (1981)

     Hall and Oates have by far become the most popular duo in the history of rock music. Their blend of genres, which they called, rock and soul resulted in 34 chart entries with six of them hitting number one and ten others being in the top 10.
     Darryl Hohl and John Oates met as members of rival bands. At the Adelphi Ballroom in Philadelphia in 1967, there was a "battle of the bands" competition. Darryl was a member of The Temptones, and John, The Masters. Sometime during the proceedings a fight broke out between members of rival street gangs and shots rang out. Both men headed towards a service elevator for safety. While in their hiding place they got to talking and discovered that not only were they into the same music, but they both were students at Temple University. They began to hang out together, and eventually became roommates although they wouldn't actually begin working together musically for another couple of years.
     In 1970, they began working seriously as a duo and in 1972 was offered a contract. They were obviously talented, but an early problem developed as both men skipped around different genres. Listening to their early/mid 70's output now, you can hear them struggling to find a sound. They would skip from folk to rock, to soul. On several occasions, this would catch fire as it did with the singles, "She's Gone" (released in 74'...became a top ten hit on re-release in 76'), "Sara Smiles" (76) and Rich Girl (77).
      It was the blue eyed soul path they would eventually head down towards as the 70s turned into the 80s, and it was there they struck gold.. "You Lost That Lovin' Feeling" in 1980 got things rolling, but it was, "Kiss On My List" in early 1981 that put the duo on the path of becoming one of the biggest artists of the decade. The massive years from a chart perspective was from 81-84, but they were to put songs on the charts as late as 2005.
     They will still perform together from time to time, but both men have spent individual projects..  Both  have released solo albums, and Hall has been a part of the successful, "Live from Darryl's House" 

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J. Geils Band--Centerfold (1981)

     For those who just kept up with the top 40, the number one success of, "Centerfold" must have come as a bit of a shock, but in actually it was just a culmination of years of work
     The group had it's beginnings at Worcester, Massachusetts as an acoustic blues band in 1967. John Geils (guitar, vocals), Danny Klein aka Dr. Funk (Bass), and Richard Salwitz aka Magic Dick (harmonica) made up the band under the name "Snoopy and the Sopwith Camels". It wasn't long however before they went electric and added drummer Stephen Jo Bladd, organist Seth Justman, and Peter Wolf who took over vocals which Geils devoted himself more to guitar, and the name changed to the J. Geils Blues Band then finally to J. Geils Band.
     By 1970, they were signed to a contract and began a trek of over a decade where they churned out party blues/rock. During that decade they never had a top ten album with the exception of, "Bloodshot" in 1973, but always had strong sales overall, and a rabid following, especially in the northeast and mid-west. For many who were more into FM radio at the time, you might be surprised to know that the band also had six top forty songs before, "Centerfold", the best known being, "Musta Got Lost" in 1974, which reached number 12.
     The song itself was written by Seth Justman and it and it's follow-up, "Freeze Frame" became top 5 hits here in the states. By 1983 however, Wolf left the band and Justman took over lead singing duties for one more album, and called it quits by 1985. They have since reunited from time to time most recently at the "Boston Strong" benefit concerts on May 30th for those injured in the Boston Marathon.

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Reflections on Donna Summer by her former music director.

Scott Hallgren is a friend of mine who had the privilege of working with Donna Summer for seven years. Since her death, I had been hoping to get some thoughts and stories. Hope you enjoy reading them as well. His website is:  http://scootmanmusic.com/

I had the pleasure of working with Donna 1998 - 2005; all of it on keyboards, 4 of them as her pianist, 3 as her musical director. If I'd only known as an 8 year old, driving around in my Mom's Chevette, listening to Donna on AM radio...

Ahh, the stories - WAY too many to tell, whether it was:

- the Rod Stewart impersonator we sent onstage with flowers in El Paso during "Dim All The Lights" (she'd originally written the song for Rod and talked about that every show) that made her freak out and fall off her stool laughing during our 'acoustic' segment,

- performing as the 'house band' at the reception following Sony label prez Tommy Mottola's 3rd wedding (before he was legally divorced from Mariah), and having my rig directly in front of a table - at which were seated Joe Pesci, Rhea Perlman, Rosie O'Donnell, Danny DeVito, and Michael Jackson (who planned THAT table?),

- me getting to perform with my hero Elton John's band, play his piano, and accompany him and Donna on "Enough Is Enough" for the AIDS Foundation's 2003 benefit at Elton's home, then Barry Manilow get up to join them and say, "I can't believe I'm up here with Donna & Elton - this is fuckin' great! Isn't this fuckin' great?" to the horror of many glitterati,

- or the number of times something went awry during "On The Radio", where Donna would invite 3 audience members (females, for reasons you might expect) up to sing background vocals; once, in Columbus, a girl took the mic and walked out front and sang the second verse with an astonished Donna looking on; another time, at a Sony PGA Open, only 2 females were willing to come up, so the audience begged Donna to take the guy 'in the red windbreaker'... he promptly flew up the stairs, grabbed the mic, and said, "Donna, I'm not a girl, but I do have a very small penis", just as she had taken a sip of Dr. Pepper from the cup on my piano. ***It was Adam Sandler.*** (You can imagine how long it took her to stop laughing, and us to clean off the piano!)

Donna never wanted to be an 'oldies' act, and struggled with the box that many tried to put her in. She could sing ANYTHING. We used to do 'Someone To Watch Over Me' as a duet, Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams', 'Nights In White Satin', 'New York, New York'. She sounded INCREDIBLE on the 2010 David Foster & Friends show (with Seal).

None of us had any idea she was sick, and I only hope that I'll be able to attend the memorial here in Nashville - she had so many real friends I don't know where they'd put everyone. The fact that she's gone too soon makes it that much harder.

She never stopped creating, was always musical, and my life is so much better and richer for having known her.

- S

Scott Hallgren
Composer/producer/pianist

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Phil Collins--In The Air Tonight (1981)

     By the time Phil Collins began releasing solo projects, he already had a varied and full career. He was a child actor who had his first major role as The Artful Dodger in the London production of Oliver! He was an extra in The Beatles first film, "A Hard Day's Night" (he's in the film, during a scene with an audience....but you have to look close...a blink and he's gone).
     He answered an ad in Melody Maker for a drummer, and found himself in the group "Genesis", which for a period was Britian's predominant progressive rock band. When frontman Peter Gabriel left in 1975, Collins filled in surprisingly well (his voice in those early days had an eerie similarity to Gabriel's). Guitarist Steve Hackett's departure after the release of "Wind and Wuthering" left them as a trio, and the music took a slow turn away from prog and into a more pop sound. With that came success on the US pop charts.
     His first solo album was brought about by the break up of his first marriage more than anything (as did the Genesis album, "Duke" which had been released the year before). The album, "Face Value" contained his first solo single, "I Missed Again", then "In The Air Tonight". This was one of Collins' best singles as he combined the pain in his lyrics, with the atmospheric production which was a direct result of his days as a progressive rock drummer. By the way, according to Collins, many of the lyrics were developed on the spot as he was fooling around with the drum machine....still my favorite Phil Collins single....

     

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April Wine--Just Between You and Me (1981)

     Listening to this song, I'm wondering where the genesis of the"power ballad" developed? From about this period until the early 90's, many a hard rock band grasped at the golden ring (i.e. hit single) for a nice payday while attempting to keeping their fans by rocking out on albums. Hair metal band made this into a bit of an art form in the late 80's. Of course, there was a danger in doing this as many a group found themselves typecast and would eventually lose fan base attempting that trick.

       April Wine was smart (or lucky) in the fact that their base had long been established in Canada, with some varied success in the US since 1971. "Just Between You and Me" is a great song by the way (I do have a thing for power ballads despite of what you read above) and was their biggest single in the states. The US popularity was short lived, but they still continue to record and tour. April Wine along with Rush are Canada's most popular hard rock export.

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Hall & Oates--You Make My Dreams (1981)

     Am in the process of writing a review of Daryl Hall's new CD, and noticed that today is his birthday. First of all, I'd like to look him when I'm 65 years old (hell, I'd like to look like that now....). Secondly, his voice believe it or not sounds better now then it did in their heyday. The sharpness of the voice has mellowed out without losing any of the soulfullness....but well you have to wait to hear the review....

     Daryl Hall and John Oates have been friends since the day they met at the Adelphi Ballroom in Philadelphia in 1967. They were at a band competition when shots rang out between rival gangs. In an attempt to escape both men ducked into a service elevator. While waiting for things to calm down, they began talking and discovered that not only did they go to the same school (Temple University), but they had the same interests musically. They became roommates in school and by 1969 had formed a musical duo.

      They were signed by Atlantic Records and released their first album in 1972, a label change to RCA brought them initial success as, "Sara Smile", "She's Gone", and "Rich Girl" in 1975/76  all reached top 10 status. After that however, there was a period where they were continuing to refine their sound and go deeper into the R&B that both loved so well,  although they continued to reach the top 40 with singles.

     The real breakthrough came in mid-1980 with a cover of the Righteous Brothers, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling". This began a string of top 40 hits that stretched to 1990. You Make My Dreams is by far my favorite from that period. It reached #5 in the summer of 1981. For you fans that came this far in the post, I'm also including a bonus featuring one of my favorite 70's songs in a cover that will knock your socks off....

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