Top 20 Songs of 1979

Nostalgia continues to run wild.  I've seen posts on the best albums/songs of 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999.  Since I've done one for 1999, I decided to go with a 40th anniversary look at my 20 favorite songs of 1979.

1.  Rock With You/Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
2.  Message In A Bottle - Police
3.  Good Times - Chic
4.  Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFadden & Whitehead
5.  What A Fool Believes - Doobie Brothers
6.  I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
7.  I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick
8.  Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
9.  My Sharona - Knack
10.  I Wanna Be Your Lover - Prince
11.  September - EWF
12.  Got To Be Real - Cheryl Lynn
13.  Suspicions - Eddie Rabbitt
14.  Tragedy - Bee Gees
15.  Gold - John Stewart
16.  Don't Bring Me Down - ELO
17.  We Are Family/Lost In Music - Sister Sledge
18.  Reunited - Peaches & Herb
19.  Is She Really Going Out With Him - Joe Jackson
20. Accidents Will Happen - Elvis Costello

Playlist for 6/25

Rolling Thunder Revue: Bob Dylan Story (Netflix Documentary)
Jamila Woods - Legacy! Legacy!
Jamila Woods - Heavn
Ezra Collective - You Can't Steal My Joy
Alice Clark - s/t
New Thunder Revue - Various (Mojo Magazine June '19 CD)
John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky (Documentary)
Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men (Documentary)

Top 20 Albums of 1979

Nostalgia continues to run wild.  I've seen posts on the best albums/songs of 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999.  Since I've done one for 1999, I decided to go with a 40th anniversary look at my 20 favorite albums of 1979.

1.  Clash - London Calling
2.  Michael Jackson - Off The Wall
3.  Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes
4.  Donna Summer - Bad Girls
5.  Chic - Risque
6.  Talking Heads - Fear of Music
7.  B-52's - s/t
8.  Elvis Costello - Armed Forces
9.  Graham Parker - Squeezing Out Sparks
10.  Earth, Wind & Fire - I Am
11.  ELO - Discovery
12.  Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
13.  Cheap Trick - At Budokan
14.  Gang of Four - Entertainment
15.  Joe Jackson - Look Sharp
16.  Pink Floyd -Wall
17.  Specials - s/t
18.  Public Image Ltd. - Metal Box
19.  Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps
20. Bee Gees - Spirits Having Flown

Playlist for 6/19 (Dr. John Tribute)

Dr. John - Gumbo
Dr. John -  Gris-Gris
Dr. John - Anthology (Rhino)
Dr. John - In The Right Place
Dr. John -Desitively Bonnaroo
Dr. John - In a Sentimental Mood
Dr. John - Goin' Back To New Orleans
Dr. John - Locked Down
Dr. John - Spirit of Satch

Greatest Father's Day Songs

Great Father's Day Songs:
Alan Jackson - Drive
Beyonce - Daddy
Brad Paisley - He Didn't Have To Be
Bruce Springsteen - Independence Day
Bruce Springsteen - My Father's House
Cat Stevens - Father and Son
Dan Fogelberg - Leader Of The Band
Dolly Parton - Daddy's Working Boots
Drive-By Truckers - Outfit
Eric Clapton - My Father's Eyes
Everclear - Father of Mine
George Strait - Best Day
Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle
Holly Dunn - Daddy's Hands
John Lennon - Beautiful Boy
Johnny Cash - Boy Named Sue
Keith Urban - Song For Dad
Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father
Madonna - Papa Don't Preach
Mike & The Mechanics - Living Years
Queen - Father To Son
Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
Tori Amos - Winter
Will Smith - Just The Two Of Us
Zac Brown Band - My Old Man

Playlist for 6/14

Social Power of Music - Various  (Smithsonian Box Set)
Mavis Staples - We Get By
Felice Brothers - Undress
George Benson - Walking to New Orleans
Randy Rogers Band - Hellbent
Pooh Sticks - Great White Wonder

Best Burt Bacharach Songs Poll

This was a fun poll to vote in.  List your Top 30 Burt Bacharach-written songs.  And I hope you believe like I do (and you should) that Bacharach/Hal David belong in the Rock Hall.  And Dionne Warwick too.  Their influence stretched beyond Pop music into R&B and Rock acts.

My Bacharach Top 30.

1.  Walk On By - Dionne Warwick

2.  Don't Make Me Over - Dionne Warwick

3.  Look Of Love - Dusty Springfield

4.  Anyone Who Had A Heart - Dionne Warwick

5.  Baby It's You - Shirelles

6.  House Is Not A Home - Luther Vandross

7.  I Say A Little Prayer - Aretha Franklin or Dionne Warwick (tie)

8.  What The World Needs Now - Jackie DeShannon

9.  Make It Easy On Yourself - Jerry Butler

10.  This Guy's In Love With You - Herb Alpert

11.  My Little Red Book - Love

12.  Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - B.J. Thomas

13.  Only Love Can Break A Heart - Gene Pitney

14.  Wishin' and Hopin' - Dusty Springfield

15.  One Less Bell To Answer - 5th Dimension

16.  Alfie - Dionne Warwick

17.  On My Own - Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald

18.  I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - Dusty Springfield

19.  Any Day Now - Chuck Jackson

20.  What's New Pussycat - Tom Jones

21.  I'll Never Fall In Love Again - Dionne Warwick

22.  Promises, Promises - Dionne Warwick

23.  Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes

24.  Close To You - Carpenters

25.  That's What Friends Are For - Dionne Warwick & Friends

26.  Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Gene Pitney

27.  You'll Never Get To Heaven - Stylistics

28.  Arthur's Theme - Christopher Cross

29.  Reach Out For Me - Dionne Warwick

30.  Do You Know The Way To San Jose - Dionne Warwick

Playlist for 6/7

Vampire Weekend -  Father of the Bride
Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
Little Steven - Summer of Sorcery
Show Must Go On: Queen + Adam Lambert (Documentary)
Ocean Drive - Various
Merle Haggard Songbook - Various (Ace)
Brooks & Dunn - Reboot

RIP Gary Stewart (Rhino Records)

Rhino Records.  If you were into the revitalization of the Rock 'n' Roll canon in the 80's, then that name will bring back fond memories.  And all you have to do is glance at your CD collection, and find a bunch of Rhino product on your shelves.

Gary Stewart was part of the Rhino team in the 80's/90's that sparked a reissue revolution of genres past.  If you own Rhino product, the name Gary Stewart was very familiar to you.  At Rhino, Stewart helped compiled incredible anthologies and compilations on artists and genres that were in dire need of reappraisal.

Gary Stewart died on April 12 of this year from suicide.  And it's taken me a whole month to get the nostalgia of the Rhino era out of my brain to pay tribute to him.  Right now I'm listening to a Spotify playlist of artists that Stewart loved.  It's diverse, as expected, with Glen Campbell, Neko Case, Love, Tom Jones, Howard Tate.

This is what made me a Rhino fanatic in the glory years of the CD revolution.  Here was a company that had employees who thought along the same lines as me when it came to compilations.  Funk, Disco, Country, 80's forgotten hits and of course Rhino's greatest achievement, the Have A Nice Day series on 70's one hit wonder and AM Pop gems.  What all these genre comps & artist anthologies did was turn the initial Rock era canon upside down.

Pre-Internet the Rhino catalog was the greatest thing that could show up in your mailbox.  And a trip to Tower records was soon followed.

If the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had any imagination when it came to the Non-Performer category than they would acknowledge Stewart and along with Rhino founders Richard Foos, Harold Bronson.  And remastering genius Bill Inglot.

Gary Stewart's death is tragedy for all music lovers who still believe that great compilation and anthology is still out there.  Stewart & Rhino were music nerds' best friends.  The next great music mix is still out there.  They should all be dedicated to Stewart and the genius' from Rhino Records.

Top Albums of 1999

Since I did a 20th anniversary Top 20 for 1998 last year, here's my 20 favorite albums of 1999.

1.  Moby - Play
2.  Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway
3.  Robbie Williams - Ego Has Landed
4.  Mandy Barnett - I've Got A Right To Cry
5.  Old 97's - Fight Songs
6.  Paul McCartney - Run Devil Run
7.  Randy Newman - Bad Love
8.  Dixie Chicks - Fly
9.   Steve Earle - Mountain
10.  Albert King w/ Stevie Ray Vaughan - In Session
11.  Beck - Midnite Vultures
12.  Mary J. Blige - Mary
13.  Roots - Things Fall Apart
14.  John Prine - In Spite Of Ourselves
15.  Kelly Willis - What I Deserve
16.  Wilco - Summerteeth
17.  Macy Gray - On How Life Is
18.  Tom Waits - Mule Variations
19.  Backstreet Boys - Millennium
20.  Brad Paisley - Who Needs Pictures

Best Summer Songs

Consider this a never-ending list of my favorite Summer songs.  I've also included songs that may not be about Summer, but have the feel of the season.

All Summer Long - Beach Boys
All Summer Long - Kid Rock
Beautiful Morning - Rascals
Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
California Girls - Beach Boys
California Sun - Rivieras
Cruel Summer - Bananarama
Crystal Blue Persuasion - Tommy James & The Shondells
Dancing In The Moonlight - King Harvest
Dancing In The Street - Martha and the Vandellas
Daydream - Lovin' Spoonful
Everybody Loves The Sunshine - Roy Ayers
Fourth of July - Dave Alvin
Fun, Fun, Fun - Beach Boys
Good Times - Chic
Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
Grazing In The Grass - Friends of Distinction
Groovin' - Rascals
Hot Fun In The Summertime - Sly & The Family Stone
I Live For The Sun - Sunrays
In The Summertime - Mungo & Jerry
Island In The Sun - Harry Belafonte
It's A Great Day To Be Alive - Travis Tritt
Lazy Day - Spanky and Our Gang
Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett
Miserlou - Dick Dale
Palisades Park - Freddy Cannon
Rockaway Beach - Ramones
Saturday In The Park - Chicago
Sealed With A Kiss - Brian Hyland
See You In September - Happenings
School's Out - Alice Cooper
(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Sitting In The Park - Billy Stewart
Sleepwalk - Santo & Johnny
Soak Up The Sun - Sheryl Crow
Southern Nights - Glen Campbell
Steal My Sunshine - Len
Stoned Soul Picnic - Fifth Dimension
Summer Song - Chad & Jeremy
Summer Wind - Frank Sinatra
Summer Nights - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
Summer - War
Summer Breeze - Isley Brothers
Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts
Summer In The City - Lovin' Spoonful
Summer Madness - Kool & The Gang
Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
Summertime - Billy Stewart
Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
Summertime Sadness - Lana Del Rey
Summertime Summertime - Jaimies
Sunny Afternoon - Kinks
Surf City - Jan & Dean
Surfin' U.S.A. - Beach Boys
Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer - Nat King Cole
Thunder Island - Jay Ferguson
Under The Boardwalk - Drifters
Vacation - Go-Go's
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
Wipe Out - Surfaris