Posts

"Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler.

OK, girls and boys, more big-hair 80s: This Jim Steinman/Dean Pitchford composition was first recorded by Bonnie Tyler in 1984 for the "Footloose" soundtrack. It peaked at #34 US and #2 UK. The classic opening couplet is a modern example of the nostalgic literary ubi sunt motif. Also part of the "Shrek 2" and "Short Circuit 2" soundtracks. Masterfully covered by Joss Stone. Song? Answer: "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler. "Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?/ Where's the street-wise Hercules to fight the rising odds?" is popularly considered a nostalgic yearning for the unreachable or for what is gone. Ubi sunt (literally "where are...") is a phrase taken from the Latin Ubi sunt qui ante nos fuerunt?, meaning "Where are those who were before us?"

Frankie Valli.

Yo, how you doin'? This 60s-70s musical icon and Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer ALSO played Rusty Millio in The Sopranos. Answer: Frankie Valli.

Hall and Oates.

OK, boys and girls, back to Philly: This 70s-80s duo met in 1967 at the elevator of the Adelphi Ballroom in Philly while trying to escape gunfire during a "Battle of the Bands". They were both students at Temple. Duo? Answer: Hall and Oates (Daryl Hall and John Oates). Man, talk about a hit-making machine! Unfortunately, the ol' guys have had some bitter legal battles and both say they will never perform together again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYEpFJhuu1E&list=RDdYEpFJhuu1E&start_radio=1

"Mr. Tanner" by Harry Chapin.

OK, girls and boys, back to the 70s: The chorus to "O Holy Night" was sung by a baritone with cello accompaniment as a contrapuntal theme in this poignant 1973 song. Song? Artist? Answer: "Mr. Tanner" by Harry Chapin. In my humble opinion, his best song ever. Baritone: Big John Wallace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upZB5VlbC6o&list=RDupZB5VlbC6o&start_radio=1

"Sea Of Love" by Phil Phillips and The Twilights.

OK, girls and boys, more 50s one-hit wonders: John Phillip Baptiste co-wrote this classic romantic 1959 ballad with George Khoury while working as a bellboy in Louisiana trying to tell his then-girlfriend how much he loved her. #1 R&B, #2 Billboard Hot 100. He received only $6,800 in royalties for the song! A hit for The Honeydrippers in '84 and for Del Shannon in '81 (#33). Tom Waits' version is part of the soundtrack of the Al Pacino/Ellen Barkin '89 movie of the same name. Featured in the "Juno" soundtrack in '07. Artist? Song? Answer: "Sea Of Love" by Phil Phillips and The Twilights. Baptiste recorded as Phil Phillips and "The Twilights" was an ensemble of session musicians out of Khoury's studio. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrkNRcyvtF4&list=RDlrkNRcyvtF4&start_radio=1

"Little Arrows" by Leapy Lee.

OK, boys and girls, more 60s one-hit wonders: English singer Graham Pulleyblank's only hit came in 1968 with a bubbly Albert Hammond/Mike Hazelwood country-pop composition about Cupid. #2 UK, #16 Billboard Hot 100, #11 Country, Certified Gold Disc. Then session musician Jimmy Page played guitar during the recording. Unfortunately, the artist spent 3 years in prison after stabbing an actor in 1970 during a brawl at a West End pub in London. Song? Artist's stage name? Answer: "Little Arrows" by Leapy Lee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQHuAX5h5XA&list=RDQQHuAX5h5XA&start_radio=1

"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes".

OK, girls and boys, back to the 30s: This 1933 Kern/Harbach show-tune collaboration was written for the operetta "Roberta". A torch song about the pain of unrequited or lost love. Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra's version topped the charts in '34. Irene Dunne sang it in the '35 film adaptation. Masterfully covered by, among many others, Nat "King" Cole in '46. The "definitive" version is by The Platters ('58), topping the Pop charts and peaking at #3 R&B. Featured in "American Graffiti" ('73) and Holden Caufield listened to it while on the carousel in "The Catcher in the Rye". Song? Answer: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". Nobody did it like The Platters! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfBboBz3yoc&list=RDvfBboBz3yoc&start_radio=1