Top 20 hits on my birthday - thoughts
Thought I'd listen to the top 20 tracks according to Tunecast as per my original birthday, because I'm self-centered. |
| 20 | Herb Alpert
Rise
Daft Punk must love this. |
| 19 | M
Pop muzik
This is one of those songs I don't really think about as a song anymore, more like background music to a documentary about the end of the decade or the invention of the casio or something. The way swing music now sounds like selling homeware. |
| 18 | Dave Edmunds
Girls talk
This sounds so out of step, it's like this is '59. It's actually a peachy keen little song. |
| 17 | GQ
I do love you you
It's a funky slow jam I guess. I was expecting something different from an album called Disco Nights. Not my thing. |
| 16 | Sniff 'n' the Tears
Driver's seat
Dramatic opening. Sniff sounds like a man with troubles on his mind, looking out to stormy seas in his polo neck. This really goes nowhere. |
| 15 | Patrick Hernandez
Born to be alive
Slice of zany disco delivered with verve. Not bad. |
| 14 | Supertramp
Goodbye Stranger
Yeah I don't get this. The chorus is lame. |
| 13 | Eddie Rabbitt
Suspicions
I didn't expect Eddie to sound like this, judging from his album cover. I was more picturing disco delivered by a guy from a 70's booze ad. This is kind of a country Bryan Ferry. |
| 12 | Robert Palmer
Bad case of loving you
I have a confession. I like Robert Palmer. I know he was one of the cheesiest guys around with his goofball sleaze image, but I can't help smiling when I hear that voice. And "Johnny and Mary" is a stone cold classic. |
| 11 | Nick Lowe
Cruel to be kind
It's a tight piece of songwriting. Not my favourite, but it's solid. Sounds like a real throwback to a simpler time. Probably an influence on a ton of acts I like. |
| 10 | Bonnie Pointer
Heaven must have sent you
Crazy bass stabs. It's fun. I'd never listen to it again, but Bonnie's ok by me. |
| 9 | Commodores
Sail on
I'm not really a fan, but Lionel Ritchie has a great voice. He sounds different here, almost made me question if he sang lead on this. Pleasant enough - I quite like the controlled progress into the built up ending. Something unusual about it structurally. |
| 8 | The Knack
My Sharona
No-one, I mean no-one, couldn't like this one. I even bob my head when that Toyota ad comes on with the converted lyric "My Toyota". |
| 7 | Dionne Warwick
I'll never love this way again
I've actually heard this! Similiar to no 5. But definitely superior. It has that big diva ballad vibe. I wouldn't listen to this by choice, but it's got a certain something. |
| 6 | Charlie Daniels Band
The Devil went down to Georgia
It's ok. I don't like jokes songs that much. The "chorus" sounds a bit too clean. |
| 5 | Maxine Nightingale
Lead me on
This must have been a movie credits song. Too awful to listen to for more than a minute. |
| 4 | Little River Band
Lonesome Loser
There's sort of harmonious vocal opening that 70's soft rock bands often employed with devastating blandness - you know the rest of the song will plod along. This is a textbook example, but the lyrics take on a strange poignancy in the Trump era. |
| 3 | Electric Light Orchestra
Don't Bring Me Down
The opening of this always makes me think Damon Albarn is going to scream "Woo hoo" in a second or two. I don't listen to ELO, but this song isn't bad. This is a good one to dance to if you're plastered, it doesn't require extravagant motion. You can bop in place and still hold a drink with a small straw. |
| 2 | Earth, Wind and Fire
After the love is gone
I don't really know them well, despite them always being listed as an influence by countless people. I'm assuming this song wasn't part of what initially made people notice them. This is the definition of easy listening. Seriously, no wonder lounges were so plush in the 70's, you could easily take a short kip on a night out listening to this. |
| 1 | Robert John
Sad Eyes
I read this wrong initially and thought it would be Elton John. I've never heard of this guy - not sure how this was ever a Number 1. There's a sweet generic solo about two and a half minutes in. This is part of the played out "You're hot, we went out a few times, but I was always gonna dump you" genre. Finishes off with some shriek vocals over the generic pap ending - a lame attempt to inject some fire into this marmalade. |
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