Sunshine Radio: Golden Years Of FM Pop
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| C-Heads / Nessa Pullman |
As I wrote earlier, around the mid-70s popular off-shore pirate stations that used the AM dial on the radio, disappeared one by one, due to government decisions in Europe. The more sophisticated and technically better FM radio stations were willing to play album tracks and longer songs from bands like Electric Light Orchestra and Steely Dan. Those bands used the improved studio techniques and possibilities to a full extent. Eventually FM radio became the new standard worldwide. Especially in the United States AOR artists came to full bloom on the FM dial.
After winning the television talent show Opportunity Knocks, Candlewick
Green signed to Decca Records, and had a hit single with the song Who Do You Think You Are?,
written by Des Dyer and Clive Scott of the band Jigsaw. The single
reached number 21 on the UK singles chart and number 25 on the Dutch Top
40 in the early spring of 1974. Both Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods and
Saint Etienne later covered the song. Keyboardist Andy Ball left in the
autumn of 1975 to join Mud for a 2-year stint as a touring member. With
varying line-ups, Candlewick Green continued performing until the early
2000s, before finally retiring from the international stage.
One of the best West Coast albums of all time is the 1979 self-titled McGuinn, Clark & Hillman album, although I never hear yacht rock aficionados play songs from that LP. The three men were the founding members of iconic sixties band The Byrds, but they refreshed themselves for this album with some percussion and disco influences. It made them sound like The Eagles with dancefloor credibility.
Canadian singer Terry Jacks rewrote the lyrics of the song Le Moribond (The Dying Man) by French chansonnier Jacques Brel and turned it into Seasons In The Sun, about a friend suffering from acute leukemia. The intention was for The Beach Boys to record it when Jacks was producer of their album Surf's Up, but the sessions did not go well. It wasn't until 2021 that their version appeared on the compilation Feel Flows. Jacks recorded his rendition in Vancouver in 1973. The piano arpeggio parts and double bass parts in the second verse were done by a young David Foster, according to Jacks. The guitar part was played by John Murray, although some sources say it was guitar legend Link Wray. Eventually the song became a worldwide success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1974 and top ten in the Netherlands.
Enjoy this new episode of Sunshine Radio! Next up is Cashbox soul chart from way back when.
“kind of Sheryl Crow-ish crossed with a post-Partridge Family pre-L.A. Law Susan Dey kind of thing, but, you know, uh, black. indie folk baroque pop”(Sea Span / Bandcamp)
Tracklist:
Sea Span – Harbor Lights (2024)
Base Stereo Club & Disco Bahia – Stay In Bed (Otra Vez) (2024)
Ian Wilson – Four in The Morning (1985)
Daryl Hall & John Oates – Did It In A Minute (1981)
Flashback Club – Little Lies (2024)
Jim Photoglo – Fool In love With You (1981)
Greg Guidry – Are You Ready For Love? (1982)
Boz Scaggs – A Clue (1977)
The Markley Band – Fallin’ In Love (1982)
Terry Jacks – Seasons In The Sun (1974)
McGuinn, Clark & Hillman – Long Long Time (1979)
Super db – Maquina (2024)
Steely Dan – Pretzel Logic (1974)
213 – Three Little Words (1981)
Walkers – Rumour At The Honky Tonk (1979)
Electric Light Orchestra – Livin’ Thing (1976)
Slade – Look Wot You Dun (1972)
Candlewick Green – Who Do You Think You Are? (1973)
Jigsaw – Sky High (1975)
Bill Withers – Harlem (1971)
Nicolette Larson – Lotta Love (1978)
The Stills-Young Band – Midnight On The Bay (1976)
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