Throwing back to the week of April 19, 1955, we find Bill Hayes’ ‘The Ballad of Davy Crockett‘ holding on to Billboard’s #1 spot for the last of its five weeks atop the chart.
Hot on its tails at #2 was an instrumental track that would kick off a 10-week stint at #1 the following week: Pérez Prado’s recording of ‘Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White).’
Concluding my look at the albums of 1976…
The final 1976 album I listened to was Marvin Gaye’s I Want You, the singer-songwriter’s 13th studio album. This record followed 1971’s What’s Going On and 1973’s Let’s Get It On, two of Gaye’s most successful albums, and was viewed at the time as a letdown.
I Want You, co-written and co-produced by Gaye with Leon Ware, shifted his sound a little more toward disco. It also doubled down on the sexual themes of Let’s Get It On — this is an excessively horny album.
Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…
Tom Johnston, founding member and lead singer of The Doobie Brothers, had a rough time in the early 70s. An arrest for marijuana possession was followed by a debilitating case of stomach ulcers that landed him in the hospital.
The band had to turn elsewhere in order to keep up their touring schedule, and enlisted singer/songwriter Michael McDonald to sit in on keyboards and lead vocals. McDonald expected the gig to end with the tour, but to his surprise the band asked him to stay on as they entered the studio to record a new album.
Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…
When I saw that Diana Ross released an album in 1976, I decided it had to make the cut this week. Through more than 6,000 Songs of the Day, I’ve never featured a solo song by Ross (though I’ve written about quite a few by The Supremes).
Ross’ seventh album, titled Diana Ross, came out in ’76. It was her second self-titled album (the first was her debut). She later released albums titled Diana and Ross, so she more than covered her bases.
Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…
If you buy into the theory that three great songs make a great album, Steve Miller Band’s Fly Like an Eagle certainly fits the bill.
Best known for its trio of hits — ‘Fly Like an Eagle,’ ‘Take the Money and Run,’ and ‘Rock’n Me’ — Miller’s ninth album was his first to go multi-Platinum, following up on the breakout success of The Joker a few years earlier. It remains his most popular release.
Meet Me In Montauk 