Anne Murray, favorite Beatles cover of Lennon. Wow. Drugs at the time? Yoko? I think either would work.
David_E
· 4 months ago
I can't help but think that maybe John Lennon was being, umm, ironic (sarcastic/acerbic/assholish) when he made that remark.
Cartoon Whale Farts. Hahahaha. I'd always figured it was six musicians gathered around a bong, "warming up."
Finally, it must be noted that George McCrae went on to have a long and distinguished career as "Mac the Court Clerk" on Night Court.
jasonhare
· 4 months ago
Dude! You totally got me on that last one!
Ted
· 4 months ago
Jason: Please collaborate with Dw and Terje on a kind of Bell Biv Devoe song called "Girl, I Just Wanna Hug You."
MatthewBolin
· 4 months ago
Shhhh....you'll ruin 2010's April 1st post!
DwDunphy
· 4 months ago
Luvvin' and a' huggin' with a New Jack flava-wah-wah-waaaah!!
jabartlett
· 4 months ago
This Chart Attack is all kinds of awesome, as usual. I agree that "The Air That I Breathe" is a gorgeous thing. (I'd like to be happy enough just once to say "If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass.") Also, "There is no huggin' in funk" is destined to replace "There's no crying in baseball" in, well, wherever it might need to be replaced.
Tiny quibble: AM radio listeners in 1974 didn't hear the fade-in intro to Anne Murray's "You Won't See Me." The single has the only last four seconds of the longer intro--and it's a much better radio record as a result.
Gigi
· 4 months ago
Confession: I always get Steve Miller Band and Steely Dan mixed up.
Why all the hating on black people, Jason? First, you gotta talk shit about my Hues Corporation; then you tell us that "huggin'" is not funky (maybe the way *you* hug isn't funky, Captain Pale). Worst of all, you accuse disco of "ruining everybody's lives"?! How about all the lives it *saved*??? Don't fall prey to the "Disco Sucks" philosophy - don't dishonor the memories of all those queers of color who had just a little too much fun at the Paradise Garage.
JonCummings
· 4 months ago
Dammit, Jason! To paraphrase that Alan Freed/Bill Haley/Little Richard movie of the late '50s, DON'T MOCK THE "ROCK"s! You probably hate "Rock Me Gently," too, don't you? It's a character flaw. You should see a therapist, or a life coach, or something.
Beau
· 4 months ago
I didn't realize anyone actually hated "Rock the Boat." If it makes you feel better, imagine that they're saying "Our love is like ... shit on the ocean."
Pete
· 4 months ago
That just made me laugh out loud. Thank you.
rockymtranger
· 4 months ago
For once, I actually don't mind any of the songs on the countdown, although some are borderline ("Annie's Song"). I actually LOVED "Rock and Roll Heaven" back in the day, although I find that one doesn't hold up as well as Steely Dan or the Hollies.
DwDunphy
· 4 months ago
The Hollies had a shockingly strong second act in the '70s, post-Nash. "The Air That I Breathe" is a great song, but I love "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress and Unnecessary Parenthesis)" so much more. The beginning with the picked-out notes, followed by that drum and guitar 'Bang-Bang' pretty much ensures you she's gonna break your heart but you just might like it.
It is awfully hard for me to remember how great Elton and Bernie were in the '70s, up to and including the Blue Moves album... I know they were but, man, the depth of that greatness is unfathomable now. And for anyone who gets angry that I'm cutting them off at that album, re: Popdose Rock Court Elton John. Search it, read it and make your own minds up people.
I remember that late in that decade there was a big push to get an accurate census count of the population in time for the 1980s. God only knows why. But I can't hear "Annie's Song" without the misinterpretation, "You fill up my census..."
Chuck B.
· 4 months ago
I share your sentiments about Carl Wilson's voice on the Elton John song. The world lost one of the most beautiful and soulful voices when he died of cancer. I always thought some of his best vocals were not with the Beach Boys. Case in point, Popdose should feature the album "Like A Brother" by Beckley, Lamm, & Wilson....or at least Carl's part of the album. A curiously passed over piece of music that contains a few of Carl's best vocal moments. Another is "Heaven" which is a standout from his unfortunately mediocre solo attempts.
DwDunphy
· 4 months ago
Weren't Tenille, Wilson and Johnston the primary backup vocals for Pink Floyd The Wall as well?
Now you know why we smoked a lot of dope and drank a lot of beer in the '70s. To dull the pain in our ears.
Musiclectic
· 4 months ago
I always enjoy the Chart Attacks, but this one, in particular, really took me back. I was in junior high at the time and liked almost all of these songs (except #8). #10 is one of my favorite Olivia Newton-John songs because of what I will now affectionately think of as the drunk bullfrog.
drsardonicus
· 4 months ago
There's nothing truly horrible here except "Rock And Roll Heaven", balanced by "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" at the other end. The trick to songs like "Rock The Boat" is that they sound better on AM radio.
Donald Fagen just sounds like a pedophile because he wound up actually singing about pedophiles. When he started out (the super-cool Can't Buy A Thrill) he just sounded like the jaded stuck-in-LA East Coast poet he was, and wound up as the dissipated jazzbo he always wanted to be. The amazing thing was that he had hits sounding like that, but that was probably just due to the time he and Walter Becker spent with Jay & The Americans.
Mark
· 4 months ago
There are a lot of reasons why Annie's Song sucks, but fortunately, the best reason comes a few seconds in, allowing the discerning listener to turn the damn thing off before it goes any further. It's not on the version you have, but on the single version from back in the day. Listen closely: Denver sings "You fill up my senses," and then you hear a female voice--Annie?--murmur, "Awww." Instant vomit. In 35 years, I don't think I've ever heard more than those first few seconds. That "awww" triggers a Pavlovian "TURN IT OFF!!" reaction every time. In fact, on a good day, I can hit the off switch before "senses."
Mark
· 4 months ago
Oops, my bad--I'm so good at turning off Annie's Song that I misplaced the "awww." It comes after the continuation of the opening line, right after "like a light in the forest." Listen for it--it's on this version. You've been warned!
JonCummings
· 4 months ago
I'd never heard that sound before! To me, though, it doesn't sound so much like a sigh of adoration or lust (which reminds me of the hilarious discussion of "Love Won't Let Me Wait" from a few weeks ago). It sounds more like an "ugh" -- as in, "C'mon, Deutschendorf, AGAIN with the forest imagery? Well, at least there's another mink coat in it for me, so go on, nature boy -- give the people what they want."
jasonhare
· 4 months ago
Good call, Mark. I heard that noise and thought about mentioning it, but then I listened so many times that I could have sworn I heard the noise in other spots, and I didn't want my readers thinking I was going crazy. Reputation to uphold and all that.
All Comments
Cartoon Whale Farts. Hahahaha. I'd always figured it was six musicians gathered around a bong, "warming up."
Finally, it must be noted that George McCrae went on to have a long and distinguished career as "Mac the Court Clerk" on Night Court.
Tiny quibble: AM radio listeners in 1974 didn't hear the fade-in intro to Anne Murray's "You Won't See Me." The single has the only last four seconds of the longer intro--and it's a much better radio record as a result.
Why all the hating on black people, Jason? First, you gotta talk shit about my Hues Corporation; then you tell us that "huggin'" is not funky (maybe the way *you* hug isn't funky, Captain Pale). Worst of all, you accuse disco of "ruining everybody's lives"?! How about all the lives it *saved*??? Don't fall prey to the "Disco Sucks" philosophy - don't dishonor the memories of all those queers of color who had just a little too much fun at the Paradise Garage.
It is awfully hard for me to remember how great Elton and Bernie were in the '70s, up to and including the Blue Moves album... I know they were but, man, the depth of that greatness is unfathomable now. And for anyone who gets angry that I'm cutting them off at that album, re: Popdose Rock Court Elton John. Search it, read it and make your own minds up people.
I remember that late in that decade there was a big push to get an accurate census count of the population in time for the 1980s. God only knows why. But I can't hear "Annie's Song" without the misinterpretation, "You fill up my census..."
Donald Fagen just sounds like a pedophile because he wound up actually singing about pedophiles. When he started out (the super-cool Can't Buy A Thrill) he just sounded like the jaded stuck-in-LA East Coast poet he was, and wound up as the dissipated jazzbo he always wanted to be. The amazing thing was that he had hits sounding like that, but that was probably just due to the time he and Walter Becker spent with Jay & The Americans.