Playlist for 3/7

Lucinda Williams - World's Gone Wrong

U2 - Days of Ash

James Hunter Six - Off the Fence

Zach Bryan - With Heaven On Top 

Robbie Williams - Britpop

Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern 

Santana - Caravanserai

Pat Metheny - Bright Sized Life

Paul McCartney: Man on the Run (Documentary) 

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025 film) 

RIP Neil Sedaka

  Neil Sedaka first became a star in the post-Elvis Army/pre-Beatles era of the early 1960's.  It's a part of Rock history that often gets dismissed by music critics.  Despite the fact that some incredible records came out during that time.  Sedaka often gets lumped in with the teen idols of the era, usually the most scorned by critics.  But Sedaka was more of a Pop professional than those idols.   For one he played piano and co-wrote his own songs.  His songs became hits for Connie Francis and Gene Pitney. Still, if you're looking for a reason that Sedaka was never nominated, let alone put in under Musical Excellence or Influence, consider the era he first had hits.  

  The British Invasion put an end to Sedaka's 60's chart run.  His hits would be ones that others covered.  Which gives me the chance to bring up another early 60's institution that deserves more respect: the Brill Building.  The NYC building that was home to a bunch of the greatest songwriters who crafted future classic songs: Goffin/King, Bacharach/David, Mann/Weil, Barry/Greenwich, Leiber/Stoller, Neil Diamond and Sedaka/Greenfield.  

  Sedaka's 70's comeback didn't begin in United States, but in the UK.  There he recorded three albums of varying success.  But the recordings caught the attention of Elton John who signed him to his new Rocket Records in 1974.  A compilation album, Sedaka's Back, containing tracks from those three albums was released to acclaim in the U.S.  And one of its tracks, 1975's "Laughter In the Rain" became Sedaka's first number one since the early 60's. Sedaka's Back is a great album.  Even though a compilation, its still his best album, outside of greatest hits sets.  Sedaka quickly followed it up with 75's The Hungry Years, and had another one with "Bad Blood" that featured Elton on vocals.  But things began to slow down in 1976.  The hits dried up again.  After 1976 Sedaka only had one other Top 40 hit, a duet in 1980 with his daughter.  

  But he never stopped recording or touring.  Most of us that hadn't followed him in years caught up with him again during the 2020 COVID shutdown.  Sedaka took to social media to do mini concerts consisting of his hits, deep tracks and covers.  The ultimate professional, he never let up on his posts up until his death.  Because Neil Sedaka loved to please.  His passion was performing and pleasing his audience.  Nearly 68 years since his first Top 40 hit, he accomplished that and more. 

Latest Podcast Appearance (Rock in Retrospect Podcast)

 I joined host Nick Bambach's the Rock in Retrospect podcast, with some others, to talk about the 2026 Rock Hall nominees.  

Rock in Retrospect

Poll: February 1986 Songs

  Latest poll I voted in was for songs from February 1986.   Not the greatest list of songs to be honest.  But I've always loved my top pick.

Pop Radio Gold

"How Will I Know", Whitney Houston : 1
"My Hometown", Bruce Springsteen : 2
"I'm Your Man", Wham! : 3
"That's What Friends Are For", Dionne & Friends (with Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) : 4
"A Love Bizarre", Sheila E. : 5
"Tender Love", Force M.D.'s : 6
"These Dreams", Heart : 7
"I Miss You", Klymaxx : 8
"When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going", Billy Ocean : 9
"Broken Wings", Mr. Mister : 10
"Life In A Northern Town", Dream Academy : 11
"Do Me Baby", Meli'sa Morgan : 12
"Secret Lovers", Atlantic Starr : 13
"Conga", Miami Sound Machine : 14
"Silent Running", Mike + the Mechanics : 15
"Alive And Kicking", Simple Minds : 16
"I Like You", Phyllis Nelson : 17
"Can You Feel The Beat", Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force : 18
"You're A Friend Of Mine", Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne : 19
"Walk Of Life", Dire Straits : 20
"Tonight She Comes", Cars : 21
"It's Only Love", Bryan Adams & Tina Turner : 22
"Tarzan Boy", Baltimora : 23
"The Sweetest Taboo", Sade : 24
"Party All The Time", Eddie Murphy : 25
"Day By Day", Hooters : 26
"Sara", Starship : 27
"Living In America", James Brown : 28
"Russians", Sting : 29
"Goodbye", Night Ranger : 30
"Say You, Say Me", Lionel Richie : 31
"Talk To Me", Stevie Nicks : 32
"Go Home", Stevie Wonder : 33
"Kyrie", Mr. Mister : 34
"King For A Day", Thompson Twins : 35
"Sidewalk Talk", Jellybean  : 36
"The Sun Always Shines On TV", A-Ha : 37
"Separate Lives", Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin : 38
"Burning Heart", Survivor : 39
"Spies Like Us", Paul McCartney : 40

Playlist for 2/20

Clipse - Let God Sort Em Out

Cecile McLorin Salvant - Oh Snap

Thelonious Monk - Standards 

Doc Pomus - Songs for Elvis (the Demos)

Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately (Documentary) 

I’m Chevy Chase and You're Not (Documentary) 

Happy and You Know It (Documentary) 

Poll: Top 77 Songs of All-Time

  My first time voting in this yearly poll. Vote for 10 songs. I didn’t spend too much time on my picks. Just thought of 10 all-time faves. If I had to vote in this again, I might change a song or two. But this is still a varied list of 10 songs I love.

Top 77 Songs All-Time

Here's how you voted this year:

 1: Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley (1969)

 2: You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Righteous Brothers (1965)

 3: Respect - Aretha Franklin (1967)

 4: Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell (1968)

 5: I Only Have Eyes For You - Flamingos (1959)

 6: Midnight Train To Georgia - Gladys Knight & the Pips (1973)

 7: Stop In The Name Of Love - Diana Ross Supremes (1965)

 8: The Love I Lost - Harold Melvin& the Blue Notes (1973)

 9: Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac (1977)

10: Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - Spinners 

Favorite Love Songs for Valentine's Day

All of these Valentine's Day type tracks have meant something to me at some point in my life.

If you want to find out what other songs I'm adding, then check out my Spotify playlist
A Not On Every Best Love Songs Ever Playlist

Al Green - Sha-La-La
Alexander O'Neal - If You Were Here Tonight
Atlantic Starr - Send For Me
Aretha Franklin - Day Dreaming
Barry White - Can't Get Enough
Bill Withers - Lovely Day
Boz Scaggs -  We're All Alone
Bread - Make It With You
Con Funk Shun - Love's Train
Daryl Hall & John Oates - One On One
DeBarge - All This Love
Earth, Wind & Fire - Love's Holiday
Ella Fitzgerald - I Concentrate On You
ELO - Strange Magic
Elvis Presley - Fame and Fortune
Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You
Frank Sinatra - You Make Me Feel So Young
Gap Band - Yearning For Your Love
Gladys Knight & The Pips - You're The Best Thing That's Ever Happened To Me
Gregory Abbott - Shake You Down
Isley Brothers - Voyage to Atlantis
Janet Jackson - Let's Wait Awhile
Jackie Wilson - To Be Loved
Jason Isbell - If We Were Vampires
Jimmy LaFave - Into Your Life
Joni Mitchell - Case of You
L.T.D.  - Love Ballad
Luther Vandross - If Only For One Night
Major Harris - Love Won't Let Me Wait
Manhattans - Shining Star
Marvin Gaye - After The Dance
Maxwell - Whenever, Wherever, Whatever
Maze featuring Frankie Beverly - I Wanna Thank You
Merle Haggard - That's The Way Love Goes
Michael Jackson - Lady In My Life
Neil Young - Harvest Moon
Norman Connors - You Are My Starship
O'Jays - Lovin' You
Patti LaBelle - Love, Need and Want You
Peabo Bryson - I'm So Into You
Prince  - Adore
Randy Travis - Forever and Ever, Amen
Ray, Goodman & Brown - Special Lady
Rene & Angela - Your Smile
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Closer I Get To You
Rodney Crowell - After All This Time
Rose Royce - Wishing On A Star
Roxy Music - Avalon
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan - Sweet Thing
Sam Cooke - Nothing Can Change This Love
Smokey Robinson - Quiet Storm
Spinners - Could It Be I'm Falling In Love
Stevie Wonder - You and I
Stylistics - I'm Stone In Love With You
T-Connection - Best of My Love
Teddy Pendergrass & Stephanie Mills - Feel The Fire
Terence Trent D'Arby - Let's Go Forward
Tom Jones - Move Closer
Tony! Toni! Tone! -  Anniversary
Whispers - Lady
Willie Nelson - Moonlight In Vermont

Ranking: Songs from Teddy Pendergrass - TP

   Released in 1980, TP is Teddy Pendergrass' greatest album.  And famously, despite being released on Philadelphia International Records, it has no songs produced or written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.  But expertly chosen songs from Ashford & Simpson, Peabo Bryson, Cecil Womack and others more than make up for G & H's absence.  There are two incredible duets with Stephanie Mills.  Too bad they never did a duets album together.  I've said this about many R&B albums from this era.  You won't find these types of records listed on various greatest album countdowns ever lists.  This era of R&B was and still is vastly underrated in history.  Having said many of the best albums from that era, TP as well, were critically praised when they were released.  

1.  Love T.KO.

2.  Feel the Fire (w/Stephanie Mills)

3,  Is It Still Good To Ya

4.  Take Me In Your Arms Tonight (w/Stephanie Mills)

5.  Can't We Try

6.  Girl You Know

7.  I Just Called To Say

8.  Let Me Love You