My Top Music Of The Week 7/10

1.  After The Goldrush: The Dawn/Pye Anthology 1973-1977 - Prelude (NEW) **1 week #1**
(Sanctuary - 2006)
I discovered Prelude on an online radio station called Pop Goes The 70's.  They had played the group's only US pop hit, an a cappella cover of Neil Young's After The Goldrush.  I was already a fan of Linda Ronstadt's version recorded in 1995.  I'm not a fan of Neil's, but even his original is good.  I went on to buy one Prelude CD and one LP.  However, I'd put them on the back-burner until I found this anthology on Spotify.  They remind me a little of Crosby, Stills & Nash with their harmonies. This collection is comprised of Prelude's first four albums How Long Is Forever? (released as After The Goldrush in the US), Dutch Courage, Owlcreek Incident (which I have), and Back Into The Light.

2.  Anthology - Mac & Katie Kissoon
(Home compilation)

3.  Archive Series - Prelude
(Rialto - 1997)
This is the CD I purchased by Prelude several years ago.  I came to find out this week that it's comprised of the group's work after 1977.  This includes a re-recording of After The Goldrush. Additionally it contains the UK hit Platinum Blonde.

4.  Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie
(Atlantic - 2017)

5.  Portrait - The 5th Dimension
(Buddha - 2000)
This is a reissue of the group's 1970 album featuring the hits One Less Bell To Answer, Puppet Man, and Save The Country.  The highlight for me is the medley of The Declaration, A Change Is Gonna Come, and People Got To Be Free.  The single On The Beach (In The Summertime) is included as a bonus track.

6.  Greatest Hits - Human League
(A&M - 1988)
Greatest Hits is the first official compilation by the group.  It features the #1 hits Don't You Want Me and Human as well as the top ten (Keep Feeling) Fascination.  An early single by the original lineup, Being Boiled (1978), made its US debut on this disc.

7.  Tonight - Blondie (NEW - Track)
(2017)
This song is a bonus track on some copies of the group's current album Pollinator.  It was added on YouTube this week where I played it.

8.  Pollinator - Blondie
(Noble ID - 2017)
Blondie's current album finds them back to a more rock sound after the dance-oriented Ghosts Of Download (2014). It includes appearances by Joan Jett and John Roberts (Bob's Burgers).  It's my top album of the year being #1 for six week so far.

9.  Private Audition - Heart
(Epic - 1982)
This includes the top forty single This Man Is Mine as well as the rock hit City's Burning.  It became the first album to feature more than one song by Nancy Wilson, The Situation and One Word.

10.  The Best Of Linda Ronstadt 1991-2006
(Home compilation)
I intended for this to be something that picked up where The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt left off. I put this it together blending singles, covers, and collaborations with Valerie Carter, Emmylou Harris, Aaron Neville, Bernie Leadon, Dolly Parton, and Ann Savoy.

11.  Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics
(RCA - 2005)
This is an expanded  version of the duo's 1982 album.  It features the singles Love Is A Stranger and the #1 title track.  Bonus songs include Home Is Where The Heart Is, Monkey Monkey, Baby's Gone Blue, Satellite Of Love, and remixes of the two singles.

12.  A Day Without Rain - Enya
(Reprise - 2000)
A Day Without Rain is Enya's most successful album to date reaching #2 in the US.  It features the singles Only Time and Wild Child.

13.  Gold: Greatest Hits - ABBA
(Polydor - 2008)
This is a reissue of the 1992 compilation by the group.  The full versions of Voulez-Vous and The Name Of The Game are used this time around.

14.  Knock On Wood: The Anthology (Edit) - Amii Stewart
(Home compilation)
The official release of this came out last year.  There are numerous versions of a few songs so I made a playlist on Spotify that narrows it down to one of each.  Singles include the #1 title track as well as Light My Fire/137 Disco Heaven, The Letter, and Jealousy.

15.  One Voice - Barbra Streisand
(Columbia - 1987)
This live album is derived from Barbra's HBO special.  Barry Gibb is a guest on Guilty and What Kind Of Fool.



Prelude, "After The Goldrush" (US #22, Billboard, 1974):

My Top Music Of The Week 7/3

1.  Anthology - Mac & Katie Kissoon **1 week #1**
(NEW - Home compilation)
I gave an overview of this original collection here on July 1.

2.  Divinyls
(Virgin - 1990)
This was the duo's most successful album featuring the hit single "I Touch Myself."

3.  Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie
(Atlantic - 2017)
The new "Fleetwood Mac" album doesn't disappoint even with the absence of Stevie Nicks.  It reminds me a little of "Tango In The Night." My favorite song on it is Christine's "Game Of Pretend."

4.  These Dreams: Heart's Greatest Hits
(Capitol - 1997)
This is a clever combining of singles from all of Heart's albums from 1985 to 1995 as well as their Mushroom singles and live versions of CBS singles (licensed by Capitol).

5.  The Groop 2.0
(Home compilation)
The Groop gained notoriety after having two of their songs on the Midnight Cowboy soundtrack in 1969. They released their only album (self-titled) afterward.  It was reissued with bonus tracks in 2007.  I made my own expanded edition with the Midnight Cowboy tracks.

6.  The Singles 1976-2014 - Blondie
(Home compilation)
I put this together on Spotify using all of the group's singles up to their Ghosts Of Download album.

7.  I See A Star: The Mouth & MacNeal Anthology
(Home compilation)
I compiled this using songs from the duo's CDs The Singles +, How Do You Do (Dutch compilation), and the LP Pocketful Of Hits.  It includes an English and Dutch version of the title track.

8.  The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt
(Elektra - 2002)
This collection covers Linda's career from 1967 to 1993.

9.  Frida
(Universal - 2002) Sweden
This album is actually called 14 Hits.  However, I played it on Spotify and it's identified as self-titled. It's a collection of solo tracks by the ABBA singer from 1975 to 1984.

10.  The Swinging Soul Of Mac & Katie Kissoon...Plus
(G5 - 1989) France
This was the first CD I bought by the duo.  It's one of two I used to put together my #1 this week.

11.  Dancing In Berlin: The Collection - Berlin
(Home compilation)
I compiled this using songs from the group's albums from 1982 to 2002.  It includes two songs from lead singer Terri Nunn's only solo album Moment Of Truth.

12.  One Of Us - Joan Osborne
(Artemis Nashville - 2005)
This collection is made up of mostly covers but includes Joan's worldwide hit of the same name.

New Home Compilation: "Anthology," by MAC & KATIE KISSOON

This is my first post for Blogspot in five years.  After experimenting with other forums, I decided to come back.

Mac & Katie Kissoon are a brother-sister duo from Trinidad.  They were a one-hit wonder in the US with the song "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep."  I discovered them in a rather unusual way for me.  I first heard the fore-mentioned song played on Comcast's Music Choice 70s channel.  I went on to purchase the 45 plus two import compilation CDs.  I decided most recently to sell the CDs for extra money but not before ripping them to my computer and making a large compilation out them.  The result is a total of 36 tracks over two playlists.

I liken Mac and Katie's sound to that of Donny & Marie Osmond.  They also fit in with my love of such European artists as The New Seekers, Mouth & MacNeal, Brotherhood Of Man, and Middle Of The Road who originally recorded Chripy Chirpy Cheep Cheep but only charted abroad with it. Unlike the latter artists listed, I hadn't played much of the Kissoons and am working on changing that.

Highlights of my original anthology include an early version of Love Will Keep Us Together (a #12 hit for them in the Netherlands, 1973), covers of It's All Over Now (Bobby Womack) and Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) (Edison Lighthouse), and two Mouth & MacNeal songs, Hey You Love (#1 in Switzerland) and Sing Along.  My favorite of all the songs included is one called Otis, Janis, Jimi And Me.  It's a tribute to Redding, Joplin, and Hendrix and has a catchy rhythm that blends R&B with a country feel.

Mac and Katie released a comeback CD in 1997 called From Now On which I hope to get a copy of eventually.  Katie has also had a stellar career as a background vocalist singing with such artists as The Human League and Pink Floyd.

"Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" (Billboard #20, US, 1971):

A detailed discography can be found at https://www.discogs.com/artist/388339-Mac-And-Katie-Kissoon.

MY TOP MUSIC OF THE WEEK (9-12)

All titles issued in the US except where noted.

1.  The Best Of TRACEY ULLMAN **3 weeks #1**
     (Rhino - 1992)



2.  My Colouring Book - AGNETHA FALTSKOG
     (WEA - 2004) Sweden

3.  Tapestry - CAROLE KING
     (Epic - 1971)

4.  Reality Effect (US issue) - THE TOURISTS
     (American Beat - 2007) Recorded in 1979
     Different tracklisting from the original UK issue

5.  BLONDIE
     (Chrysalis - 2001) Expanded edition of 1976 album

6.  The Collection - RITA COOLIDGE
     (Spectrum - 1995) UK

7.  Tina! - TINA TURNER
     (Capitol - 2008)

8.  The Very Best Of KIKI DEE
     (Polygram - 1994) UK

9.  Go: The Very Best Of MOBY
     (Mute - 2006) Europe

10.  KAREN CARPENTER
       (A&M - 1996) Recorded in 1979

MY TOP MUSIC OF THE WEEK (9-5)

All titles issued in the US except where noted.

1.  The Best Of TRACEY ULLMAN **2 weeks #1**
     (Rhino - 1992)



Tracey finds herself at #1 on my weekly list for the first time since December 2007.  It's one of my favorites yet with all the other music in my collection I put her on the backburner several times.  Her music style was inspired by the girl groups of the 60's.  She was a one-hit wonder in 1984 when They Don't Know made Billboard's Hot 100 reaching #8 (it missed the Adult Contemporary Top 10 by one notch).  The Best Of Tracey Ullman is made up of her entire first album You Broke My Heart In 17 Places (1983), five songs from her second effort You Caught Me Out (1984), and 4 non-album A-sides.  I broke it out after starting rehearsals for a local production of Beehive, a musical devoted to the evolution of 60's music by top female artists.  This disc has some of the catchiest tunes and covers I've ever heard and I'm inclined to make it more prominent in my listening.

2.  Panic Of Girls - BLONDIE
     (EMI - 2011) UK

3.  Voulez-Vous: Deluxe Edition - ABBA
     (Polar - 2010) Europe
     Expanded edition of 1979 album

4.  Greatest Hits (And More) - HELEN REDDY
     (Capitol - 1987)

*5.  Winter Light - LINDA RONSTADT
     (Elektra - 1993)

*6.  My Colouring Book - AGNETHA FALTSKOG
     (WEA - 2004) Sweden

7.  Will You Be Staying After Sunday? - THE PEPPERMINT RAINBOW
     (Rev-Ola - 2008) UK; Expanded edition of 1969 album

8.  These Dreams: HEART's Greatest Hits
     (Capitol - 1997)

9.  Summer Dream - SWEET PEOPLE
     (Spectrum - 1990) Germany

10.  Relish - JOAN OSBORNE
       (Mercury - 1996)

* Also inspired by my participation in Beehive with its 60's covers.

MY TOP MUSIC OF THE WEEK (8-29)

All titles issued in the US except where noted.

1.  Stars/Time/Bubbles/Love - THE FREE DESIGN **2 weeks #1**
     (Light In The Attic - 2004) Expanded edition of 1970 album

2.  The Best Of TRACEY ULLMAN
     (Rhino - 1992)
     This disc is made up of Tracey's first album You Broke My Heart In 17 Places (1983), 5 songs
     from her second album You Caught Me Out (1984), and 4 non-album A-sides.

3.  Pure - THE PRIMITIVES
     (RCA - 1989)

4.  The Singles 1969-1973 - CARPENTERS
     (A&M - 1973) Japan

5.  Perfect Harmony - THE NEW SEEKERS
     (Spectrum - 1993) Germany

6.  25 Years: The Chain - FLEETWOOD MAC
     (Warner Bros. - 1992)

7.  THE GROOP
     (Sundazed - 2007) Expanded edition of 1969 album

8.  Bubbles - THE FREE DESIGN
     (Siesta) Spain
     Compilation of songs from the group's first six albums, 1967-1971.  Date of release unlisted.

9.  Most Of All: The Best Of DEBORAH HARRY
     (Chrysalis - 1999) UK

10.  My Colouring Book - AGNETHA FALTSKOG
       (WEA - 2004) Sweden

MY TOP MUSIC OF THE WEEK (8-22)

All titles issued in the US except where noted.

1.  Stars-Time-Bubbles-Love - THE FREE DESIGN **1 week #1**
     (Light In The Attic - 2004) Expanded edition of 1970 album



2.  Back To Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992 - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
     (Geffen - 1992)
     4 of 17 songs are previously unreleased

3.  The Ultimate 5TH DIMENSION
     (Arista/BMG Heritage - 2004)
     Includes a rendition of Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye, a previously unreleased song from
     1973

4.  Greatest Hits - THE TOURISTS
     (Camden - 1997) UK
     Pre-Eurythmics band with Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart.  The CD is made up of 18 songs from
     the group's 3 albums and 2 from a single-only release.

5.  The Definitive Collection - ABBA
     (Polar/UTV - 2001)

6.  Say You Will - FLEETWOOD MAC
     (Reprise - 2003)

7.  The Very Best Of CHER
     (Warner Bros./MCA/Geffen - 2003)

8.  MARILYN MARTIN
     (Wounded Bird - 2005) Recorded in 1986

8.  Greatest - GO-GO'S
     (IRS - 1990)

10.  Reproduction - THE HUMAN LEAGUE
       (Caroline - 2003) Expanded edition of 1979 album