The Boogie Boys - A Fly Girl (c.1985)
LL Cool J - Rock The Bells (c.1985)
“I’m rhymin’ and designin’ with your girl in my lap”
From LL’s debut album Radio, recorded when he was just 17 years old.
Young MC - Know How (c.1989)
Sample Source
Know How (1989) sampled:
Theme From Shaft by Isaac Hayes (1971)
Apache by Incredible Bongo Band (1973)
Fopp by Ohio Players (1975)
7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Blow Your Whistle) by Gary Toms Empire (1975)
U2 - Sweetest Thing (c.1987)
“Sweetest Thing” was originally released in 1987 as a B-side on the “Where the Streets Have No Name” single.
The song was later re-recorded and re-released, as a single for the U2 compilation album, The Best of 1980-1990, in 1998 and U218 Singles, in 2006.
The song was reportedly written by Bono as an apology to his wife Ali Hewson for having to work in the studio on her birthday during The Joshua Tree sessions. At Alison’s request, profits from the single went to her favoured charity, Chernobyl Children’s Project International.
Yes - Owner Of A Lonely Heart
…i liked Yes’ 90125 album so much in high school that at some point I made myself quit listening to it in hopes of preserving some of the magic for a later date (I do that with favorites sometimes). I’d forgotten about my commitment until running across the remastered version yesterday (thanks @AaronCBates). It was nearly like hearing this tune again for the first time. Fell in love all over again. Sometimes OCD really pays off. I’m almost scared to listen to my favorite track from the album now…Leave It, you will be in my heart and ear holes again soon.
Telex - Twist À St. Tropez (Les Chats Sauvages Cover) c.1978
…The Belgian synth-pop group Telex was formed in 1978 with the intention of “Making something really European, different from rock, without guitar — and the idea was electronic music.” Mixing the aesthetics of disco, punk and experimental electronic music, they released a stripped-down synthesized cover version of “Twist à St. Tropez” by Les Chats Sauvages.
1978 Telex video:
Hear the original version on yesterday’s A Song A Day:
Les Chats Sauvages - Twist À St. Tropez
Chilliwack - My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone) (c.1981)
…forgotten tune from the early 80’s
I grew up listening to a lot of 50’s, 60’s and Motown music thanks in large part to my Dad. This is one of the first post-oldies tunes I can remember being really excited about, to the point that my brothers and I stayed up late waiting for it to come on the radio so we could record it onto a cassette tape. Listening to it now I think I must have heard hints of the 50’s & 60’s music I loved so much.
Chilliwack had a long career in their native Canada but only a handful of low-charting hits in the US, My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone) being their biggest.
