What the Riff Next Gen

Welsh band The Alarm formed in 1981 out of a previous punk band called The Toilets.  After extensive touring, the band would release their debut studio album entitled Declaration — released in February 1984 in vinyl and cassette, and the release on then-new compact disc (CD) format was in June of 1984.  The album was on the charts in August when we feature it.
The band consisted of Mike Peters on lead vocals, harmonica, and acoustic guitar, Dave Sharp on backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, Eddie MacDonald on bass guitar and vocals, and Twist (aka Nigel Buckle, aka Nigel Twist) on percussion and vocals.  Early on in their career the band members had Peters, Sharp, and Macdonald all playing acoustic guitars, but as the band gained popularity they decided it was in their best interest to differentiate into parts, with Peters on lead, Sharp on guitar, and MacDonald on bass.
The Alarm toured North America in 1984 as the opening act for U2 on the "War" tour, and there is a noticeable similarity between The Alarm and U2.  Declaration dealt with the struggles of teen life from a politically and socially different perspective.  This record sees the world of European youth in the early 1980's, not in black and white, but rather shades of grey and brown.  These are not songs of suburbia, but the inner city filled with smokestacks and the ghetto filled with crying babies and laundry hung from string draped across the street from window sill to window sill.
While the band broke up in 1991, they reformed in 2004 and are both touring and still releasing albums as of 2022.
 
Declaration
This short song leads off the album, serving as an intro to the next song, the album, and the band.  “Take this song of freedom.  Put it on and arm yourself for the fight.  Our hearts must have the courage to keep on marching on and on.”
Marching On
The punk roots of the band show on this post punk song about youth.  The lyrics encourage the young to not let the world and their circumstances keep them from accomplishing great things.  It is a song with a sense of hope.
The Stand
The Alarm was inspired to write the song from Steven King's book of the same name.  Many of the characters from the novel are mentioned in the song, and it follows the Christian concept of the Rapture, as does the novel.  It is off this album as reprise, but this version is actually from their previous EP.
Sixty-Eight Guns
This hit went to number 17 on the UK singles chart, and reached number 39 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the United States.  The lyrics were inspired by a book that Peters had read about the 1960's street gangs of Glasgow.  Peters said in a Songfacts interview that it was about young people at a difficult age then "you're too cool for school, but not wise enough or eligible enough for adult life."
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Main theme from the motion picture “Red Dawn”
Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, and a well known cast of young actors were featured in this action movie about an invasion of heartland America where local teens form a guerilla force behind enemy lines in their home town.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Lights Out by Peter Wolf
Brian starts out the staff picks with this solo effort from the front man of The J. Geils Band.  This is the title track to his debut album after Wolf split with The J. Geils Band.  The band wasn't interested in moving in the pop rock direction that Peter Wolf desired.  
Round and Round by Ratt
Bruce features a hard rocking hit from Ratt's album "Out of the Cellar."  This is the band's biggest hit, going to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It re-appeared on the Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales Chart at number 18 in 2020 after being used in a Geico commercial.  The video featured Milton Berle, who was the uncle of Ratt's manager, Marshall Berle.
Only When You Leave by Spandau Ballet
Rob's staff pick is from Spandau Ballet's fourth album.  Spandau Ballet had a smooth, almost crooner sound with New Wave roots.  They were the first band that Bob Geldof approached for his Live Aid concert.  Only When You Leave was the band's last song to be a hit in the United States.
Midnite Maniac by Krokus
Wayne rocks out with Swiss metal band Krokus.  AC/DC inspired this band, though they take a little more progressive rock bent.  They hit the Billboard Hot 100 with this song, becoming the first Swiss act to do so.  The name comes from a flower common to much of Europe. 
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
It's More Than You by Stevie Wonder
Wonder closes us out with this instrumental number from the motion picture "The Lady in Red," which was released this month with a soundtrack featuring a number of songs written by Stevie Wonder. 
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

Damn Yankees is the debut album from the supergroup of the same name.  Damn Yankees features Tommy Shaw of Styx on guitars and vocals, Jack Blades from Night Ranger is on bass and vocals, Ted Nugent is on guitars and vocals, and Michael Cartellone is on percussion and vocals.  Cartellone was a relative unknown musician at the time, but he is now playing drums for the band Lynyrd Skynyrd.  
A&R's John Kalodner is credited with getting the band together.  At the time Shaw was in and out of Styx, Blades was available after Night Ranger dissolved, and Nugent was in a lull in his solo work.  Nugent and Shaw were the first brought together, and this might seem like an unusual pairing given their previous work.  However the two bonded very quickly over their appreciation for R&B, soul, and Motown music.  
Blades and Shaw took the lion's share of lead vocal duties on this album, and the pair complemented each other.  Both had extensive experience harmonizing with others in their previous bands, and this carried over to Damn Yankees.
Their debut album would be successful, led by the rock ballad "High Enough" which would hit number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  A second album would be released in 1992 which would be less successful than the first.  After this second album Nugent would concentrate on his solo work.  Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades would produce a couple of albums under the name Shaw Blades, but would soon return to their respective groups (Shaw to Styx, Blades to Night Ranger).  
Guest contributor John Lynch joins us for this podcast.
 
 
Damn Yankees
This is the title song off the album, and a deeper cut.  You get a lot of Ted Nugent's guitar work on this one.  All songs were a collaborative effort, with Blades, Shaw, and Nugent receiving writing credits.  
Coming of Age
According to Songfacts, Tommy Shaw began plunking out the opening riff on piano when the group was working at Jack Blades House.  Blades came up with the opening lines of lyrics, and the group moved to guitars to jam out the rest organically.  Blades takes lead vocal duties here, with Shaw providing high harmonies.
Runaway
This song is somewhat of a deeper cut, as it was the fourth single from the album.  It is, as the name suggests, a song about a young runaway who lives on the streets of the city.  It hit number 9 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, but did not make the Billboard Hot 100.  
Come Again
Tommy Shaw takes lead vocal duties on this song, and it has a sound reminiscent of some of this work with Styx.  It is about about a girl to whom the guy can't seem to leave behind..  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from the television series "Mission Impossible"
The television series reboot inspired by the Tom Cruise movies ended in February 1990.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue
Wayne kickstarts the staff picks with The Crue off the album "Dr. Feelgood."  This song was supposedly inspired by an incident when Nikki Sixx overdosed, and the paramedic injected adrenaline into his heart.  This metal song made it to number 27 on the pop charts. 
Dangerous by Roxette
John features Swedish duo Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle.  Both Fredriksson and Gessle were successful solo artists before coming together to join Roxette.  The group toured until 2016 when Fredriksson was diagnosed with brain cancer.  She passed in 2019.
Black Velvet by Alannah Myles
"Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell.  Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high."  Rob's staff pick is a sultry blues number with a shuffle beat.  Songwriters Christopher Ward and David Tyson wrote this in homage to Elvis Presley.  Myles' single came out  in December 1989, and Robin Lee's country cover appeared shortly thereafter.
I Wish It Would Rain Down by Phil Collins
Bruce's staff pick is a ballad from Collin's 1989 album "...But Seriously".  Eric Clapton plays lead guitar.  The song is about a lost relationship, though Collins said in an interview that it "is about a frustrated weatherman that regularly predicts rain showers but never gets it right."  We'll let you be the judge on the accuracy of that interpretation.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson
Guitar virtuoso Eric Johnson takes us out with his big instrumental hit which was on the charts at the time, and would become even more famous on the video game Guitar Hero.
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

More Hits by the Supremes is the sixth studio album by Motown's all female group, The Supremes. The album is composed largely of songs already released as singles and their B-sides.
The group was composed of vocalists Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard, and Diana Ross.  The group was renamed Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1967, but at this time they were still known as The Supremes. Originally formed in 1959 as The Primettes after being introduced to Berry Gordy by Smoky Robinson, the group began as a quartet including Betty McGlown.  McGlown was replaced with Barbara Martin in 1960, then became a trio when Martin left in 1962.
Success was slog in coming to The Supremes, and at one time they were known around Motown as "no-hit Supremes."  However, The Supremes became Motown's most commercially successful act, and achieved twelve number 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.  As part of their appeal the group deliberately embraced a distinctly glamorous feminine image, utilizing high fashion and makeup onstage.  They were also prepared by Maxine Powell, who ran Motown's in-house finishing school, to "perform before kings and queens" as they toured the world.  The result was an appeal to all audiences, domestically and internationally, and all races.  They made 17 appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
John Lynch joins us for this podcast.
 
Nothing But Heartaches
This hit peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, but was a disappointment for Motown, as the previous five songs by The Supremes went to number 1.  
Back In My Arms Again
The single to this song appeared just before "Nothing But Heartaches," and was a number 1 hit.  
Whisper You Love Me Boy
This ballad was originally recorded by Mary Wells, but her recording was shelved when she abruptly left Motown.  The Supremes recorded it for this album, and it was used as the B-side to the single "Back In My Arms Again." 
Stop!  In the Name of Love
One of The Supremes' most recognized songs, this track was both a number 1 hit and a Grammy-nominee.  The Supremes would be known not just for the song, but for the choreography - one hand on the hip and the other raised in a "stop" gesture.  The lyrics are a plea from a girl to "think it over," before he goes with another girl.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
"A Horse Is a Horse" (from the television series "Mr. Ed")
The famous Mr. Ed,  a talking horse who starred in the sitcom bearing his name, was appearing on CBS during 1965.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Seventh Son by Johnny Rivers
Bruce's staff pick features Rivers performing an R&B song written by Willie Dixon, originally performed in 1955 by Willie Mabon.  Rivers recorded this as the lead track for his album, "Meanwhile Back at the Whisky a Go-Go."  It's supposed to be lucky to be the seventh son, or seventh sister, or seventh child, and this single went to number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) by Tony Bennett
Rob features crooner Tony Bennett's cover of the song originally entitled "In Other Words," and performed by Kay Ballard in 1954.  The most famous version would be Frank Sinatra's in 1964, which would get some boost in popularity from its association with NASA's Apollo program.  
Down in the Boondocks by Billy Joe Royal
John's staff pick is a story about a guy from the wrong side of town who falls for a girl from the "right" side of time.  Billy Joe Royal was born in Valdosta, Georgia, and raised in Marietta, Georgia, and this would be his biggest hit.
I Like It Like That by The Dave Clark Five
Wayne closes out the staff picks with a "British Invasion" group who were competitors with The Beatles at the time.  While the Beatles would move into the stratosphere of popularity as the sixties moved on, The Dave Clark Five would decline.
 
COMEDY TRACK:
Wooly Bully by the Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs 
This novelty song became a staple of college frat parties across the land and for decades since its inception.
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

One of the staple groups of the early 80's New Wave genre was Missing Persons.  Their debut album with Capital Records was Spring Session M, an anagram of the band's name.
The founding trio was vocalist Dale Bozzio, drummer (and Dale's husband) Terry Bozzio, and guitarist Warren Cuchunullo.  The Bozzio's were working with Frank Zappa and met Cuchunullo when he contributed to a Zappa album.  The trio worked with session musicians, created an EP, and established a successful presence in Los Angeles.  They added bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild to the band before producing their debut album.
Spring Session M was a success, riding the New Wave genre to popularity.  Dale Bozzio's makeup and quirky vocals added to that success, as did her photogenic presence in the band's videos on the fledgling cable channel MTV.  Unfortunately, Spring Session M would also be the high water mark for the band, with follow-up albums failing to achieve similar success.  The band broke up in 1986, as did the Bozzio's marriage.  However Dale Bozzio, Cuchunullo, and O'Hearn would continue to work together on solo projects and Mission Persons reunions.  The band tours today, with Dale Bozzio as the only founding member still present.
 
Windows
This song expresses the idea of watching life from the safety of the windows rather than participating in it.  It was the third of four singles released from the album.  
Words
"What are words for when no one listens?"  The lyrics for this song chronicles the apathy of society and the efforts that people make to be seen and heard:  "Do you hear me?  Do you care?"  "Not only are they deaf and dumb they could be going blind and no one notices.  I think I'll die my hair blue."  This is also a good example of Dale Bozzio's vocal range.
Noticeable One
Although there was some airplay for this song, it was not released as a single.  Continuing the theme of attention or lack of attention, this song calls for the listener to "Notice me!"
Destination Unknown 
The biggest hit (tied with "Words" on the charts) only went to number 42, but spent 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.  The synth heavy song was on their 1980 EP, and was released on this album.  It saw heavy airplay in the early days of MTV.  "Life is so strange (destination unknown) when you don't know your destination."
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
The Imperial March (the Darth Vader Theme from the motion picture “The Empire Strikes Back”)
This movie was re-released (actually the third release) in November 1982 in preparation for the third installment in the trilogy to follow.
 
STAFF PICKS:
New World Man by Rush
Brian's staff pick is from the album Signals.  "He's noble enough to know what's right but weak enough not to choose it.  He's wise enough to win the world but fool enough to lose it."  Surprisingly this is the highest charting single by Rush hitting number 21 on the Billboard Top 40 - the only Rush song to make the top 40.  The song was a last-minute addition to the album.  
Don't Fight It by Kenny Loggins and Steve Perry
Bruce brings us a song off Kenny Loggin's album "High Adventure."  Loggins and Perry co-wrote this rocker with Dean Pitchford who would go on to write the screenplay for Footloose.  The guitar work is from Neil Giraldo, Pat Benatar's husband and guitarist.  This is one of Perry's furst non-Journey works, and he was looking to connect with other songwriters as he prepared to work on his solo album. 
Halloween by the Dead Kennedys
Wayne features a punk work which encourages people to be themselves each day rather than just putting on masks at Halloween.  The Dead Kennedys formed in 1978, and this song is off their second studio album, "Plastic Surgery Disasters."  They recorded four albums before breaking up in 1986, though they have reformed from time to time ever since.
Crazy by Supertramp
Rob's staff pick is "a little song to make you feel good," a deep cut off the last album with Roger Hodgson.  It is off their studio album "...Famous Last Words..." which was their follow-up to the amazingly successful "Breakfast in America."  The album would reach number 5 on the album charts and contained the hit "It's Raining Again."
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
D. N. A. by A Flock of Seagulls
We close out with an instrumental from New Wave artists A Flock of Seagulls. 
Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”
NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

Texas born Janis Joplin died on October 4, 1970, and Pearl was posthumously released in January.  Producer Paul A. Rothchild created a more polished sound on this album than her previous solo work or her work with other bands.  The Full Tilt Boogie Band, Joplin's touring band at the time, also participated in this studio album.  It would be her best selling album, peaking at number 1 on the Billboard 200, and being certified quadruple platinum.
After leaving Big Brother and the Holding Company at the end of 1968, Joplin moved away from the psychedelic sound towards a more R&B orientation with the Kozmic Blues Band, her backing band at the time.  Although her first album went gold within two weeks of its release, reviews were mixed as critics had trouble with the new soul and blues orientation.  Pearl would continue the blues trend and would receive much more positive reviews, certainly influenced by its posthumous release.
Joplin's struggles with drug abuse were well known, and she died of a heroin overdose towards the end of the recording sessions.
 
Move Over
Joplin composed the opening track to the album.  It is her take on how men can end a relationship but refuse to move on, but instead drag the woman around long afterwards.
Cry Baby
This is a song written by Bert Berms and Jerry Ragovoy was originally recorded in 1963 by Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters in 1963.  Mimms' rendition went to number 4 on the charts, while Joplin's went to number 42.
Me and Bobby McGee
When most think of Janis Joplin, they think of this single, her most successful.  Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster penned the song, and it was originally performed by Roger Miller in 1969.  Miller's version hit number 12 on the country charts, but Joplin's would go to number 1 on the Hot 100.  
Mercedes Benz
The second song penned by Joplin, this track was recorded a cappella in one take on October 1, 1970, three days before Joplin's death.  It is a tongue in cheek critique of consumerism.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
I Think I Love You by The Partridge Family
"The Partridge Family" began its 5-year run as a sitcom in the fall of 1970, and this song was on the top of the charts in January 1971.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Love the One You're With by Stephen Stills
If Rob's staff pick sounds more like Crosby Stills and Nash than a Stills solo effort, that may be because David Crosby and Graham Nash are singing on this track, along with a host of other well known musicians of the time.  Both Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix played on the album.
Stoney End  by Barbara Streisand
Bruce risks the ire of the group by making Streisand his staff pick this week.  The title track to Streisand's 12th studio album was the one that found her successfully making the jump from Broadway music to the pop/rock genre.  The song itself is a story of bad choices with a boy leading down a bad road to a stony end.
Superstar by Murray Head & Choir
Wayne's staff pick is the theme of the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar," and represents a questioning ghost of Judas asking Jesus if he intended for things to happen the way they did.  In addition to the hippie culture of the time, there was also an ascendant Jesus movement happening in culture which this musical successfully tapped.
One Man Band by Three Dog Night
Brian wraps up the staff picks with a harmonic hit from Three Dog Night's album "Naturally."  The song peaked at number 19 in the U.S.  
   
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Way Back Home by the Jazz Crusaders
This instrumental was on the charts just before the Jazz Crusaders shortened their name to the Crusaders in 1971. 
Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”
NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

This is the album that turned heavy metal into pop, or started the hair metal genre of the 80's.  Slippery When Wet was the third studio album by Bon Jovi, and would be their best selling album to date.
The band was David Bryan on keyboards, Tico Torres on percussion, Alec John Such on bass, Richie Sambora on guitar, and Jon Bon Jovi on lead vocals and rhythm guitar.
Bon Jovi deliberately targeted a mainstream audience with this album.  They wrote 30 songs and auditioned them to teenagers in New York and New Jersey.  The album's songs were then ordered based on the opinions of this teenaged focus group.
The band collaborated with Desmond Child, a hall of fame songwriter who wrote songs like "I Was Made for Loving You" by Kiss and Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You."  Slippery When Wet would be the top selling album of 1987, and would go 12x platinum.  It would also make Bon Jovi the first glam rock band to have two number 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 with "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer."
Bon Jovi - the band, and Jon Bon Jovi as a soloist - would never leave the rock pantheon A-list after this album.  
 
Raise Your Hands
Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wrote this one.  It was the B-side to "You Give Love a Bad Name," and was not released as a single.  If it sounds familiar you might be remembering it from a scene in the Mel Brooks film "Spaceballs."
You Give Love a Bad Name
This is the first single from the album and would hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1986.  Child, Bon Jovi, and Sambora re-wrote the song which started as a song for Bonnie Tyler called "If You Were a Woman (And I was a Man)"  The video was directed by Wayne Isham, who was also directing videos for Motley Crue at the same time.  Motley Crue felt betrayed that Wayne would direct a Bon Jovi video, since they were competing with each other at the time.
I'd Die for You
This song is a deeper cut with keyboard work reminiscent of the song "Runaway" from their first album.  
Wanted Dead of Alive
This track hit number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and uses old west imagery to describe the lonely life of a rock star.  Bon Jovi and Sambora would perform an acoustic version of this tune on the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, and would inspire the network to create their "MTV Unplugged" series.  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Glory of Love by Peter Cetera (from the motion picture The Karate Kid part II)
This solo song from Chicago front man Peter Cetera was on the charts after being featured in the 1986 summer sequel starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Wild, Wild Life by Talking Heads
Wayne leads off the staff picks with a critically acclaimed song from the Talking Heads album, "True Stories."  The song was featured in the film "True Stories," a satirical comedy directed by David Byrne, front man for the Talking Heads.  This was the third and last top 40 hit the band would create.
Higher Love by Steve Winwood
Brian's staff pick is Winwood's first number 1 hit in the United States.  Will Jennings wrote the lyrics, inspired by his experience with church in the deep South.  Chaka Khan provides the backing vocals, enhancing the gospel feel of the song - a modern day hymn.
Sweet Freedom by Michael McDonald
Rob's staff pick was featured in the buddy cop movie "Running Scared," starring Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines.  This was the last top 10 hit to date for McDonald.  In addition to his solo work, McDonald has worked with many musicians including Steely Dan, Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, and most famously as lead vocalist for the Doobie Brothers, with which he is touring today.
Venus by Bananarama
Bruce finishes the staff picks with a number 7 hit from an English pop group formed by the trio of Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward.  The original was released in 1969 by Netherlands group Shocking Blue.  Bananarama began covering this song when they first formed in 1980, but didn't release the single until they had recorded original songs so they would be taken seriously as musicians.
 
COMEDY TRACK:
Big Fat Blonde by The Rainmakers
The Rainmakers released their debut album in 1986.  One of their fans was horror novelist Stephen King, who quoted the band's lyrics in some of his novels.
Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”
NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

Buffalo Springfield was a fusion of Canadian and American musicians, and was also a fusion of folk, country, and psychedelic rock.  The band lineup included Canadians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, and Americans Stephen Stills and Richie Furay.  While their debut album was recorded quickly, their second album, Buffalo Springfield Again, would be recorded over a period of nine months.  This was due to Young frequently departing from the band, and to bassist Bruce Palmer being deported and having to sneak into the country illegally to record the album.
Young and Stills had met in 1965 in Ontario.  Stills was forming a band in Los Angeles with Richie Furay.  After a band breakup in Toronto, Young and Palmer went in search of Stills, driving from Canada to Los Angeles in a hearse.  After searching for a couple of weeks, the four met up in LA traffic.  Dewey Martin from the Standells was added as drummer.  The group gets its name from a steam-driven manufacturing machine made by the Buffalo Springfield Roller Company.  
Buffalo Springfield would break up in 1968 after one more album, with the band members going on to other projects.  Stephen Stills and Neil Young would both appear in Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.  Richie Furay would go on to form the group Poco.  Of course Neil Young would have a solo career as well.  
We hope you enjoy this album, one of the founding albums of the West Coast psychedelic sound.
 
Bluebird
Stephen Stills wrote this multi-part song, and Neil Young is on lead guitar.  Stills wrote this song about his girlfriend, and is on lead vocals.  The jam in the center of the song is a duet with Stephen Stills on acoustic guitar and Neil Young on electric guitar.  You can hear the prototype of the sound that would soon become  Crosby, Stills and Nash in this song. 
Mr. Soul
Neil Young wrote this track about his ambivalent-to-negative feelings about rock stardom.  While it is one of the more famous songs off this album, it was originally released as the B-side to "Bluebird."  Neil Young would record this later as a solo artist in 1982.
Good Time Boy
Richie Furay wrote this deeper cut.  This has a funky, soul sound, reminiscent of James Brown.  "Sock it to me now, groove it on me now, lay it on me now."
Rock & Roll Woman
If this sounds even more like Crosby, Stills, and Nash than the others, there's a reason for it.  Neil Young did not play on this track, and David Crosby was brought in to sing backing vocals.  The rock and roll woman referenced in this song is Grace Slick. 
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
The Bare Necessities (from the animated film "Jungle Book")
Disney's animated take on Rudyard Kipling's book would be released this month.  It was the last film to be produced by Walt Disney, who died during its production.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Ode to Billie Joe by Bobbie Gentry
Rob starts the staff picks with a story telling song.  This gothic tale is about a family discussion of Billy Joe Mcallister, who had committed suicide.  Gentry said that the song is about indifference to suffering of others, and was inspired by the murder of Emmitt Till.  
In the Heat of the Night by Ray Charles
Brian's staff pick is the theme from the motion picture of the same name starring Sydney Poitier.  The score for the movie was created by Quincey Jones, who also composed the song.  Marilyn and Alan Bergman wrote the song for the film to have a backwoods gospel feel.  
Lonely Drifter by Pieces of Eight
Bruce brings us some Carolina beach music.  Originally recorded by The O'Jays in 1963, Pieces of Eight would record this and hit the charts as a one-hit wonder.  The group was formed when Raleigh based group The Tassels joined with two of the Greenwood, South Carolina band The Swinging Medallions.  The name comes from the group being an 8-piece band.
My White Bicycle by Tomorrow
Wayne closes out the staff picks with a psychedelic one-hit wonder.  The guitarist on this is Steve Howe, who would later be a member of the band Yes.  The reference to "white bicycle" was inspired by an early sharing program in Amsterdam where bicycles were painted white and provided to the public for free use.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Title 15 by the Rolling Stones
We close with an instrumental song off the Stones album "Their Satanic Magesties Request."
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

The pressure on the Eagles to create an album to follow up their 1976 masterpiece "Hotel California" was intense, and it took 18 months and five different studios to produce The Long Run.  This was their sixth studio album, and their last album before thier 14-year hiatus.  It would mark the introduction of Timothy B. Schmit to the band, who took over bass and high vocal duties from the departing founder, Randy Meisner.
The Long Run was originally intended to be a double album, but the band just didn't have enough songs in their creative arsenal for that.  In fact, the band was completely burned out after a long tour prior to entering the studio.  Don Henley, Glen Frey, and Don Felder were joined by Joe Walsh (who was added to the group on the "Hotel California" album) and Timothy B. Schmit.  Frey and Henley would contribute most of the songs, but Schmit and Walsh would contribute songs they had originated, and frequent collaborator J.D. Souther would add to the tracks.  Bob Segar would contribute as well.
The album would be a hit, going 7x platinum, and would sport multiple number 1 singles, including the Grammy award winning "Heartache Tonight."  Nevertheless, they would receive disappointing critical reviews.  Perhaps this is not surprising given the comparisons to "Hotel California."  
Friend of the show John Lynch joins us in Wayne's absence for this last-of-the millennium album from the Eagles.
 
The Long Run
The title track is a Memphis blues-inspired tune.  The lyrics are a response to critics who considered the Eagles to be washed up, and unable to compete with the disco and punk sounds prevalent in the late 70's.  Henley and Frey answer, "who is gonna make it?  We'll find out in the long run."
I Can't Tell You Why
This is a song composed primarily by Timothy B. Schmit prior to joining the band, and was loosely based on his own experiences.  The rock ballad would be their third single released from the album.  Uncommonly for Eagles songs, Glen Frey plays lead on this song, and Don Felder is on the organ.
In the City
Joe Walsh originally recorded this song for the soundtrack to the film "The Warriors," and it was re-recorded by the Eagles for this album. Though not released as a single, it got significant airplay on AOR stations at the time.  It has become a staple for band tours.
The Sad Café
While not released as a single, this track would make it onto the Eagles Greatest Hits, volume II.  It was inspired by The Troubadour nightclub in Hollywood where the Eagles had previously played.  The song relays the tale of so many musicians who came through that nightclub, most of whom did not make it big.  David Sandborn provides the saxophone work on this song.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from the television series “The Facts of Life”
"The Facts of Life" started its run in this month, and was originally a spinoff from the series "Diff'rent Strokes."
 
STAFF PICKS:
Hot Summer Night by Night
Bruce's staff pick is from a short-lived band out of Los Angeles, and is a cover of a song originally performed by Walter Egan in 1978.  The lead vocalist for this song is Stevie Vann, who emigrated from Zambia with her then-husband Robert "Mutt" Lange.  The group also had a male lead in Chris Thompson, who would be recognizable as the lead vocalist for Manfred Mann's version of "Blinded By the Light."
Rock Lobster  by The B-52's
Put on your nose guard!  Put on your life guard!  Rob brings us the B-52's signature song, and the one that truly launched their career.  It came off their second studio album, "Wild Planet."  Fred Schneider said the song was inspired by a club called "2001" in Atlanta, which showed slides of puppies, babies, and lobsters on a grill.
All of My Love by Led Zeppelin
John Lynch's staff pick was released in August as a single, and is a softer rock ballad from the late stages of the band.  The song was written in honor of Plant's son Karac, who died while Plant was on tour with the band in 1977.  John Paul Jones plays keyboards on this piece.
I Can't Stand It No More by Peter Frampton
Brian wraps up the staff picks with the first single from Frampton's album "Where I Should Be."  Peter Frampton had just starred in the remake of the movie "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band," which was panned by critics and failed commercially.  He also had a bad auto accident in the Bahamas requiring months of therapy.  The song made it to number 14 on the pop charts.  
   
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Parisian Thoroughfare by Supersax
You can't go wrong with a sax!  Jazz group Supersax closes out our podcast this week.
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While The Fixx had already experienced success on the charts with their debut album in 1982, their sophomore studio album entitled Reach the Beach would be this London New Wave group's most successful effort.  This album was released in May 1983, and was heading up the charts in August.
The Fixx was led by singer/songwriter Cyril Jon "Cy" Curnin on vocals.  Other members of the band included Rupert Greenall on keyboards, Jamie West-Oram on guitar and Adam Woods on percussion.  Bassist Alfie Agius was with the band at the start of the recording but left partway through the sessions and was replaced by Dan K. Brown would would not become a full member until their next album.
Reach the Beach would top out on the Billboard album charts at number 8, and would feature prominently in the British Invasion New Wave sound of the early 80's.  
Curnin and Woods founded the band, originally calling it “Portraits.”  They took the name The Fixx after guitarist West-Oram joined, and changed the spelling to The Fixx as a condition for signing with MCA Records, who was concerned about drug user implication of the name.
The Fixx continue to record and tour today, and have an album being released in 2022
Friend of the show John Lynch joins us for this album feature.
 
Saved By Zero
This first single released from the album was a big hit, reaching number 20 on the charts in August 1983.  It is inspired by the Buddhist mantra Sunyata, and reflects the freedom in not holding on to anything - of having nothing to lose.  Ironically, Toyota used the song to advertise zero percent financing on their cars.
Running
A deeper cut with a lot of energy and a heavy use of synthesizers, this track has a great new wave feel.  The lyrics reflect a recurring anxious dream of running, but not being able to get away from the danger.
Reach the Beach
The title track is also a deep cut which was not released as a single.  The synthesizers are prominent on this song as well.  The lyrics use drifting in the ocean as a metaphor for being away from a lover and the hope of the relationship is stated as reaching the beach.
One Thing Leads to Another
The biggest hit from the album is the band's most successful single and their signature song.  The tune is a critique of politicians who won't "do what they say, say what you mean."  Curnin said about this song, if you're going to be a liar you need to be a good one or things will go "pear shaped" quickly.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (from the motion picture “Risky Business”)
Tom Cruise demonstrates the proper way to dance in your underwear in this teen flick.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Lawyers In Love by Jackson Browne
Bruce's staff pick is the first single off Browne's seventh studio album.  It peaked at number 12 and was his last top 20 hit on American pop charts to date.  It's a political song, but has a dry wit about the cold war conservatism and materialism of Reagan's America.  
(Keep Feeling) Fascination by the Human League
Brian features another popular new wave hit with a great bass riff.  This song hit number 1 on the US dance charts and number 8 on the pop charts.  “And then the conversation turned until the sun went down, and many fantasies were learned on that day.”
Red Red Wine by UB40
John Lynch brings us a reggae cover of a song originally performed by Neil Diamond in 1967.  This song hit number 1 on the charts in the US, UK, and Canada, and number 2 on the Australian charts.  The lyrics are about a man who can only drown his sorrows from love lost in red wine.
It's a Mistake by Men at Work
Rob's staff pick tells the story of a soldier who hits the wrong button by mistake, starting World War III.  Cold war imagery made a frequent appearance in song lyrics and videos at the time.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Love On a Real Train by Tangerine Dream
We close out with a jazz instrumental from German band Tangerine Dream which appeared in "Risky Business."  
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

A case could be made that Led Zeppelin IV is the biggest heavy metal album of all time.  However, "IV" isn't really the name of the album.  The actual title was four symbols, one selected by each band member.  The record company hated the idea for obvious reasons, but what they thought was "professional suicide" turned out to be the best selling album for the band and one of the top rated Rock albums of all time.
The rollout of Led Zeppelin IV without a pronounceable title and without written information on the album sleeve was a reaction to their experience with the previous album.  Led Zeppelin III had been highly anticipated and a commercial success, but received several negative reviews from critics.  This response affected the band, particularly Jimmy Page.  Led Zeppelin stopped touring and returned to Headley Grange in Hampshire, England for recording the new material.  The relaxed environment of the country house was good for removing distractions and encouraging spontaneity.
The result was both a commercial and critical success, and a defining album for heavy metal throughout the 70's.  Every track on this album would be played on AOR and hard rock radio stations.
Folks, this is an album you need to hear in its entirety.
 
Rock and Roll
The second track on the album is now a rock and roll standard.  It came out of a jam session the band had while producing the album.  John Bonham started with a drum introduction from "Keep A-Knockin'" by Little Richard.  Jimmy Page adds a guitar riff inspired by Chuck Berry.  Ian Stewart, pianist for the Rolling Stones, joins on the song.  It is one of the few songs for which all four band members got writing credits.
Four Sticks
A song for which the name doesn't match the lyrics, "Four Sticks" is so named because John Bonham used two sets of drumsticks - two sticks in each hand - while recording the song.  He recorded only two takes, and Jimmy Page said that "it was physically impossible for him to do another."
Black Dog
Another song for which the name doesn't appear in the lyrics, "Black Dog" received its name from a black Labrador retriever found wandering around Headley Grange mansion while they were recording.  The alternate a cappella vocals and start and stop instrumentation was inspired by Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well."
Stairway to Heaven
This instantly recognizable epic is Led Zeppelin's signature song.  The band was setting out to create an epic when they wrote it, as they wanted a song to replace "Dazed and Confused" as the centerpiece of their concerts.  Amazingly, it did not chart because it was never released as a single.  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Main theme from the motion picture Diamonds Are Forever
Bond...James Bond!  This Bond film was the last one with Sean Connery as James Bond before being replaced by Roger Moore.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Hallelujah by Sweathog
Wayne leads off the staff picks a Christian rock crossover, similar to "Jesus Christ, Superstar" and "Godspell."  Sweathog was a band out of San Francisco which became a top opening act for groups like Black Sabbath, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Grand Funk Railroad.   
Day After Day by Badfinger
Brian's staff pick sounds like the Beatles, perhaps because George Harrison produced this album, and participates on guitar and backing vocals.  It tells the story of a boy daydreaming about a girl "looking out from my lonely room, day after day."
Never Been to Spain by Three Dog Night
Rob's staff pick from Three Dog Night features Cory Wells on lead vocal duties.  Three Dog Night had three singers who would trade off on providing lead vocals.  This song was penned by folks singer-songwriter Hoyt Axton, and discusses places the singer has never been, but compares spots that might be good proxies for these locations.
Peace Train by Cat Stevens
Bruce finishes the staff picks with Cat Stevens' first top 10 hit in the U.S.  After converting to Islam and changing his name from Cat Stevens to Yusuf Islam, he performed the song as a call for a peaceful solution to the Iraq War, as well as playing it at the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize concert when Muhammad Yunus received the award for his work in micro-lending to the poor.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Scorpio by Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band
A funky instrumental from the film "Scorpio" takes us out of this podcast.  The song was on the charts this month, though the movie would not appear until 1973.
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

The Clash got their start as a punk band, though they would move through elements of reggae, ska, funk, and new wave over time.  The debut album eponymously titled The Clash would stay solidly in the punk movement which began trending the year before.  Lead vocalist Pete Strummer and lead guitarist Mick Jones would write most of their original songs.  Other personnel on this album included bassist Paul Simonon and drummers Topper Headon and Terry Chimes (listed as Tory Crimes).
The debut album was recorded in three weeks in February 1977 for a cost of 4,000 pounds.  It was released in the UK in April 1977, but would be released in the US in 1979 as their second album.  The US release would see a different track listing, and some songs would be swapped out.  
Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", The Clash had signed a record deal with CBS Records in January 1977, and the organization pushed for a cleaner sound on their subsequent albums.  This debut album represents the most consistent punk rock album The Clash would produce.  However, The Clash would also have a staying power which was unusual in bands coming out of the punk movement.
 
Janie Jones
The first song on the album is short, as are most Punk songs and most songs on this album.  The name of the song comes from a minor English pop singer in the 1960's who scandalized the nation in 1973 when she was convicted of running a prostitution ring.
White Riot
The idea of this song was to encourage whites to join in with black rioters to fight the establishment.  The Clash was upset when the extreme right wing took this song as an anthem.
I'm So Bored With the U.S.A.
This is a response to the influx of American TV and culture.  At the time a lot of American shows, particularly detective dramas, were on British TV.  The song was used regularly as a set opener on American tours to (in Strummer's words) "find out if they had a sense of humor." 
London's Burning
The song is mainly about the punk scene's main choice of drug at the time:  speed.  It can also refer to the city lit up by headlights and streetlights of traffic, and people driving around or watching television with no real purpose in their lives.  The guitar solo near the end of the song is unusual in punk rock, where a more minimalist attitude was typical.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Chevy Van by Sammy Johns (from the motion picture "The Van")
The Van was a low-budget teen comedy released in April 1977 that would kick off the genre which would include "Porky's," "Up the Creek." and "Caddyshack."
 
STAFF PICKS:
Hotel California by the Eagles
Bruce leads off the staff picks with the iconic title track to the Eagles' biggest studio album.  It won the Grammy Award for record of the year in 1978.  The band says the song is their interpretation of the high life in Los Angeles - the idea of moving from innocence to experience.  Felder, Henley, and Frey get writing credits, though Joe Walsh came up with the dual-guitar part at the end. 
Cherry Baby by Starz
Rob's staff pick is a deeper cut by and American heavy metal band from New Jersey.  Starz never developed a lot of commercial success, but they had a cult following and were influential for a number of bands including Poison, Bon Jovi, and Twisted Sister.  Several of the band members were from the band Looking Glass.
Do Ya by the Electric Light Orchestra
Brian brings us a hit that Jeff Lynne originally wrote in 1971 for a band called The Move.  Todd Rundgren also recorded this song before ELO's version came out on their album "A New World Record."  This version has a nice balance of rock guitars and symphonic elements typical of ELO.
(Get a) Grip (On Yourself) by The Stranglers
Wayne closes out the staff picks with another band that came up in the Punk scene but bridged to a more new wave sound.  The band is unusual for punk bands because of the presence of keyboards.  The song is based on the band's life in Chiddingfold, Surry England.  It is about understanding who you really are and being true to your identity.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Spring Rain by Bebu Silvetti
We finish off with a disco-infused instrumental piece that was on the charts in this month.
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Squeeze came out of the mid-70's New Wave scene in the UK, but would cross genres into Rockabilly, R&B, and Psychedelia by the early 80's.  In 1982 they released Singles - 45's and Under as a compilation album of their biggest hits.  Squeeze was led by two singer songwriters, Chris Dilford (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Glenn Tilbrook (keyboards, lead guitar, vocals) who composed most of their material.  At the time of the release of this “greatest hits” album, the band had broken up, leaving only Dilford and Tilbrook as a duet.  The pair would normally work with Dilford writing the lyrics and Tilbrook writing and singing the music.  
Squeeze was inspired by the Kinks, the Beatles, David Bowie, and Elvis Costello (who co-produced their breakthrough album, East Side Stories).  They started when Dilford stole money from his mom's pocketbook to place an ad for a guitarist "for his band," which didn't exist.  Tilbrook was the only one who responded, and the rest, as they say, was history.
The group wove stories with their songs, usually lighthearted, with a healthy sense of humor.  
While Wayne and Bruce are away, friends of the show Todd Hendricks and Bill Cook join Rob and Brian for this album feature.
 
Tempted
The first commercial breakthrough comes from their fourth studio album, “East Side Story.” It is unusual because it features Paul Carrack on lead vocals rather than Glenn Tilbrook or Chris Dilford.  The sound was inspired by The Temptations, and the lyrics were inspired from Dilford's experiences in touring North America.
Up the Junction
This deeper cut was originally released in 1979 on their second album "Cool for Cats."  Glenn Tilbrook takes on his normal role as lead singer.  This is a little bit of working class humor about a man living with a woman who becomes pregnant.  The song is unusual in that it doesn't have a chorus, but tells the story in a "stream of consciousness" style.
Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)
Originally released on their third studio album, Argybargy, this track is an audio snapshot of a British budget holiday camp by the sea.  It did not hit the US charts, but got airplay on College radio stations.  "Pulling Mussels" is British slang for sex.  There are lots of humorous lyrics in this story.
Black Coffee in Bed
The first single from the fifth Squeeze album, "Sweets from a Stranger," and was a hit on the US Mainstream Chart - the only song to chart from that album.  Elvis Costello and Paul Young sing backing vocals on this track about a lost love.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Main Theme from the television series "St. Elsewhere”
This hospital-centered show debuted in October 1982.  The stories centered around a Catholic hospital named Saint Eligius.  Howie Mandel would get his big break as a member of this cast.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Jack & Diane by John Cougar
Brian brings us a famous “little ditty” about high school romance by John Cougar before he took on his real last name.  Though some thought it was autobiographical, John Mellencamp has said that it is a story about what he observed in small town America.  Mellencamp didn't like the song at first and didn't want to release it, but was fortunately convinced to do so by others.
Abracadabra by the Steve Miller Band
Bill Cook (aka “Lil‘ Wayne”) features a hit from Miller's 12th studio album.  Though we're not convinced that this is Miller's best work (and the video is horrible), the “breathy synthesizer” and pop sensibilities gave it significant airplay on both pop and rock stations. The lyrics were inspired by Diana Ross.
Somebody's Baby by Jackson Browne
Special guest Todd Hendricks' staff pick was the last Jackson Browne song to chart.  It didn't appear on any Browne album until years later on a "Greatest Hits" album.  It was released on the soundtrack from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."  Browne was originally known as a songwriter before he rolled out his solo work.
When the War Is Over by Cold Chisel
Rob's closes out the staff picks with a track recommended by Mark Whyte, a friend of the show from Australia.  Cold Chisel is a very popular band in Australia, but is not well known in the United States. This is off their 1982 album, "Circus Animals" and features multiple singers taking turns on lead vocals.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Spunky by Bob James
This week's podcast closes out with a jazz instrumental from James' 1982 album "Hands Down."
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

Episode NotesYes indeed, folks, Christmas time is here again!  We at What the Riff!?! want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and here are a few rocking songs of the season for you to put on your playlist.
“Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)” by the Ramones
The founders of the punk movement offer this take on a Christmas song, with the rapid tempo and rough lyrics we've come to know and love as a classic Ramones style.  Christmas is a time to be together with family,  but some families are a little less together than others!
“Little Saint Nick” by the Beach Boys
A little bit more sand than snow, this well-known Christmas classic takes inspiration from the surfin' genre of the Beach Boys in songs like "Little Deuce Coupe".
“I Believe in Santa Claus” by REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon produced an album of Christmas standards in 2009.  The re-release in 2010 included three bonus tracks, one of which was this original song penned by Cronin and Hall.
“You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by  Thurl Ravenscroft
Ravenscroft's bass voice is iconic for this classic song from the animated special, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  He also contributed his voice to Tony the Tiger for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes commercials.
“Santa Claus is Comin' to Town'” by Bruce Springsteen
How we missed this song in the first three Christmas episodes is a mystery, but Springsteen's rendition of this Christmas standard has been heard on rock radio stations everywhere since the mid-70's.  This rendition has made lists of both the best and the worst Christmas songs of all time.
“Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley
Brian wouldn't let us get through another episode without taking on this iconic song.  Doye O'Dell may have recorded this sad Christmas tune in 1948, but Presley's version is without a doubt the most famous one.
“Mele Kalikinaka” by Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
The name of this song is a phonologic translation of the word "Merry Christmas" into the Hawaiian language.  Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters sang this song in 1950, but it made us think of its appearance in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."
“Up on the Housetop” by Gene Autry
While Autry sang this classic in 1953, it actually originated much earlier.  Benjamin Hamby wrote it in 1864, and it is the second-oldest secular Christmas song, after "Jingle Bells."   
“I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas” by Gayla Peevey
Bruce thought this was sung by Bernadette Peters, but it was actually performed by then 10-year-old child prodigy Gayla Peevey in 1953.  The song inspired a fundraiser which resulted in the Oklahoma City Zoo acquiring a baby hippo named Matilda..
“Soulful Christmas”  by James Brown
While it is definitely a Christmas song, it is also a song of Thanksgiving, with the Godfather of Soul expressing his thanks for his fans coming to his shows and buying his albums.
“Another Lonely Christmas” by Prince
Prince penned this original Christmas song during his "Purple Rain" days, and it appeared as the B-side to the single "I Would Die 4 U."  The initial recording took place on February 18th, 1984 when Prince was essentially operating solo, and it tells the story of a man whose lover died on Christmas Day.
“The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole
Robert Wells and Mel Torme wrote this standard in a hot July, and it had its beginnings as a psychological way for Bob Wells to think of cold things during the heat wave.  Nat King Cole recorded the most famous version of this song in 1946, adding a small string section over the objections  of Capitol Records.
“'Zat You Santa Claus” by Buster Poindexter & His Banshees of Blue
Poindexter and his band cover this lesser-known Christmas tune originally sung by Louis Armstrong and the Commanders in 1953.  It tells the story of a guy frightened by a knock on his door while hanging up his stocking.
“Another Christmas Song” by Stephen Colbert
Ingrid brings us a track by comedian Stephen Colbert, who parodies a Christmas song with the intention of becoming rich off its popularity.
“Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives
This song was featured in the Rankin-Bass Christmas Special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."  Ives provides the voice for Sam the Snowman, the narrator of the show.  This song finishes off that special, and also finishes off our special podcast.
Merry Christmas, y'all!
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

By the time Billy Joel released The Stranger, his fifth studio album, he was at risk of being dropped by Columbia Records.  His second album, Piano Man, had been a surprise success, but the follow-up third and fourth studio albums had met with disappointing commercial appeal.   
Joel had a solid band that had toured with him for his previous album, Turnstiles, and he wanted to keep that band for the next album.  He first considered Beatles producer George Martin to be his producer for this album, but decided against him when Martin wanted to use session players instead of Joel's band for the album.  Instead, Joel turned to Phil Ramone (co-founder of A&R Recording) to produce The Stranger.  The album would produce four singles, all hits, and would be a commercial and critical success.  It would also be Columbia Records best selling album release, and Joel's best selling non-compilation album.
Bruce and Wayne are out, and for the first time ever, TWO friends of the show Bill Cook and Todd Hendricks join in for this podcast.
 
The Stranger
This title track examines the way we all hide aspects of ourselves, projecting one image to the public while a stranger lurks deep inside.  Joel had originally intended the whistling to be a wind instrument, but when he demonstrated it to producer Phil Ramone, Ramone determined that his whistling was perfect.
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
The opening track to the album was also the first single, and is a commentary on those in working class ethnic communities around New York who put in long hours for the appearances of success.  "Anthony works in a grocery store, saving his pennies for someday."  A Broadway musical featuring the music of Billy Joel took the name of this song as well.
Only the Good Die Young
The third single from the album was quite controversial at the time, because it is about a boy encouraging a religious Catholic girl to have premarital sex with him, though she considers it sinful.  The name Virginia comes from a high school crush of Joel's named Virginia Callahan.  As is often the case, attempts to ban the song only made it more popular.
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
Although not released as a single, this epic medley received significant airplay on AOR stations at the time, and is one of Billy Joel's favorites.  This 7-plus medley is in three parts, the longest of which is "The Ballad of Brenda and Eddie," two high school sweethearts and their journey through life.  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Main Theme from the television series “Soap”
This parody of the television soap operas premiered in September 1977.  It would be highly controversial throughout its four year run, drawing criticism from the Moral Majority, the Roman Catholic Church, and a number of gay organizations.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Whatcha Gonna Do? by Pablo Cruise
Rob kicks off the staff picks with a band named after a non-existent person (think Pink Floyd or Jethro Tull).  "Pablo" represents a down-to-earth individual and "Cruise" represents an easy-going approach to life.  The song cautions against taking a good relationship for granted.   
Handyman  by James Taylor
Bill Cook's staff pick was actually a cover originally recorded by the Sparks of Rhythm in 1953.  Jame's Taylor's version hit number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned him his second Grammy award.  
Smoke from a Distant Fire by the Sanford Townsend Band
John WayneTownsend and Ed Sanford head up the band that takes their name, and Todd Hendricks brings us this one-hit wonder.  Although the band recorded and worked out of Mussel Shoals, worked with a number of acts, and opened for bands like Fleetwood Mac and Foreigner, they never made the charts beyond this hit.
I'm In You by Peter Frampton
Brian brings us the title track from the follow-up studio album to his amazingly popular live album "Frampton Comes Alive."  A&M Records put a lot of pressure on Frampton to have another hit after the live album, and this was his biggest-selling single, though the album was a let-down to the company.  This acoustic version highlights his guitar talents.   
   
TRIBUTE TRACK:
Memories by Elvis Presley
This is the month that Elvis died, and this song is our tribute to the King.
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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.