Smooth Sailing On Warm Summer Nights

-
Unsplash

In 1970 Linda Hoover, a young singer/songwriter went to New York to make a record with future Steely Dan members Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and Jeff Baxter. Their producer Gary Katz initiated the project. The owner of their record company Roulette was Morris Levy. He was, according to Billboard magazine, "one of the record industry's most controversial and flamboyant players.” He told Linda that he loved her record, but he shelved I Mean To Shine after a dispute over publishing. Eventually the title track was given to Barbra Streisand. Soon afterwards Linda Hoover returned to her native state Florida with two quarter-inch reels of tape made by a friend, dubbed from the master of her album. When you listen to the tracks today, it is unbelievable that it took 52 years to get these taped songs released as an album! I Mean To Shine is the opening track of this cloudcast.

The track by Kali Uchis is from the wonderful seventies inspired soundtrack to the movie Minions: The Rise Of Gru. The song by Drugdealer is brand new as well.

Just like last week, I chose to play a track from the compilation Super Hits Of The 70s, out on Numero Group:

"Pop this oversized 8-Track into your Fleetwood Weltron and enjoy a motley crew of lounge singers, wedding bands, synth enthusiasts, trailer park dreamers, accountants, gym teachers, and more as they bring their own unique energy to classics by Steely Dan, War, Boz Scaggs, Neil Diamond, John Denver, Smokey Robinson, The Carpenters, Redbone, The Box Tops, Fleetwood Mac, and more. Tape warble not included." (Bandcamp)

Enjoy this Smooth Sailing trip for warm summer nights!

Tracklist: 

Linda Hoover (with Steely Dan) – I Mean To Shine (1970/2022)
Deep Heat – Do It Again (1975)
Judy Roberts – I Can’t Help It (1981)
Kali Uchis – Desafinado (2022)
Albin – Chante Dans Ma Maison (1973)
Emma Noble & Nick Corbin ‎– Back On Track (2022)
Marlene With Seawind ‎– Summer Nights (1982)
Marti Caine – Love The Way You Love Me (1981)
Steve Eaton – Without You (1979)
Average White Band – When Will You Be Mine (1979)
Mariya Takeuchi – Plastic Love (1985)
Martin L. Dumas, Jr. – Attitude, Belief & Determination (2015)
Adrian Gurvitz – Untouchable And Free (1979)
Drugdealer – Madison (2022)
Lonette McKee – The Way I Want To Touch You (1974)
Kenny Loggins ‎– Heart To Heart (1982)
State Cows – Hold On (2022)
Partner – Kayuta Hill (1978)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Smooth Operators Present Classic Yacht Rock

-
Image
Unsplash The Smooth Operators (Martijn Soetens and I) introduce you to yacht rock songs that you must have heard at least once in your life! We present some real yacht rock classics and yacht rock songs that we think should have been classics. Harden My Heart by American pop/rock group Quarterflash was written by guitarist Marv Ross and included on the band's debut album, Quarterflash (1981). The song was originally released as a single in early 1980 by Seafood Mama, Quarterflash's predecessor band. Quarterflash's version became a top-10 hit in the United States, peaking at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1982. Guitarist and songwriter Marv Ross remembered that a friend of his had given him the title and that he came up with the lyrics very quickly. Last Monday Michael McDonald, front man of the Doobie Brothers, celebrated his 72th birthday: "Emerging from the laid-back California rock scene of the '70s, McDonald found his niche in a unique blend of...
Read more

Disco Knockouts!

-
Image
Apart from the picture of Sharron Davies, there are two songs that inspired me to make this mix. One of them is a recent track from Duck Sauce. The repetition of the female vocals reminded me of Stars On 45 (I believe they both sampled 'Gotta Go Home' by Boney M). The other one is from Dutch singer Dee Dee. I heard ‘I put a spell on you’ on a recent episode of Tim Sweeney’s ‘Beats in space’. In the accompanying video she looks a little bit like a sex doll, but I love the song! I like the closing track from soul veterans the Drifters, but isn’t it strange to hear guys who were in their thirties at the time sing about schoolgirls? Different times, I guess, when no one had heard of R. Kelly yet... One of my personal favourites is ‘Night time’ from Maggie MacNeal. I bought the 7” which was produced by Michael Lloyd (known for his work for the Osmonds, Lou Rawls and Solomon Burke) way back in 1979. Maggie MacNeal was one half of successful Dutch duo Mouth & MacNeal. Their bigg...
Read more

Hot Sounds From 1979: Yacht Rock, Soul & Billboard Hits

-
Image
Pexels Enjoy the songs that were hits, or at least should have been hits, in Europe and the US during the warm summer of 1979! The opening track by Bell & James is from the new compilation Thom Bell - Didn't I Blow Your Mind? The Sound Of Philadelphia Soul 1969 - 1983 , out on Ace Records. Both LeRoy Bell and Casey James had played in Special Blend before beginning to write songs together. At some point Bell's uncle Thom Bell got them signed to Gamble & Huff as songwriters for their Philadelphia International label. Through the years the duo composed for Elton John, MFSB, The O'Jays, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Freda Payne, Phyllis Hyman, The Three Degrees, and others. Eventually A&M Records took notice and signed them to a full album deal in 1978. Nobody Knows It is from their second album, Only Make Believe . Dance Awa y by Roxy Music was originally written by Bryan Ferry for his 1977 solo album In Your Mind , but did not make the final track listing. It...
Read more