by

Song of the Day #6,464: ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ – Joe Cocker

Our next Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2025 inductee is another who made it in on his first nomination — English singer Joe Cocker. That nomination came 31 years after he became eligible.

Most of Cocker’s best-known and best-loved songs were covers of other artists’ music, but he made those songs completely his own. Just listen to his soulful rendition of The Beatles’ ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ and it’s hard to believe it’s the same song Ringo Starr delivered so earnestly on Sgt. Peppers.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #6,463: ‘The Twist’ – Chubby Checker

The next inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2025 — Chubby Checker — arguably made it on the strength of just one song.

But what a song! Checker’s ‘The Twist’ was considered the #1 Billboard song of all-time for more than 60 years based on its strength and longevity on the Hot 100. It was only recently eclipsed by The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights.’

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #6,461: ‘Sara’ – Starship

The week of March 15, 1986, found Starship atop the Hot 100 for the second time. The first ‘Starship’ single to accomplish the feat was ‘We Built This City,’ which reached #1 in December of 1985.

That song is widely considered one of the worst of all time, so ‘Sara’ is an improvement simply by default. It’s certainly a better song than ‘We Built This City,’ and maybe even a somewhat good song, period? You tell me.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #6,460: ‘December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)’ – The Four Seasons

Throwing back to the week of March 14, 1976, sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100 is a classic disco doo-wop song that returned its legendary group to the #1 spot for the first time in more than a decade.

The Four Seasons had four #1 hits between 1962 and 1964 — ‘Sherry,’ ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry,’ ‘Walk Like a Man,’ and ‘Rag Doll,’ doo-wop hits that made splendid use of Frankie Valli’s falsetto. Another six singles made it into at least the top 20.

Continue reading →