My Top Music Of The Week 4/18

1. Bat Out Of Hell - Meat Loaf (NEW, 1977) **1 week #1**

I've always enjoyed the music of Meat Loaf as well as Jim Steinman's writing and production. However, I'd never disciplined myself enough to play an ML album until this week. I did own the CD Hits Out Of Hell but sold it for need of money. Even then, I didn't play it enough to appreciate it. It's amazing what an artist's death can do.

2. Get Up With Brotherhood Of Man (NEW, 2013)

Around roughly 1997, Brotherhood Of Man recorded a slew of new versions of their hits as well as new cover songs. Many independent albums were released with the material and my #2 is one of them. Among the ones I'd never heard are Love Grows (Edison Lighthouse) and a medley of You're The One That I Want and Summer Nights (John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John).

3. Early Works 1972-1976 - ABBA (Home CD)

I put this together using the group's singles, selected album tracks, and B-sides. Hits include Waterloo, Honey Honey, SOS, I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do, Mamma Mia, Fernando

4. The Very Best Of Guys 'N Dolls (Home playlist)

This is my condensed version of the group's compilation There's A Whole Lot Of Love: The Greatest Hits. The title track was their biggest hit.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4AxtumLEO3p6VzCVIJGrjW

5. The Very Best Of Ellen Foley (1992)

Inspired by my Meat Loaf exploration, I played this collection which includes Ellen's #1 Dutch single, We Belong To The Night.

6. Dead Ringer - Meat Loaf (NEW, 1981)

Meat Loaf's second album came after a bout with losing his voice. You can tell a dramatic difference here, but to me he sounds like a classical tenor doing rock. Dead Ringer contains his original version of Read 'Em And Weep (a hit for Barry Manilow) and the chart single I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us. Cher teams up with him on Dead Ringer For Love. 

7. The Albums 1970-73 - The New Seekers (2019)

This week I played the first disc of this set which includes the group's first two albums The New Seekers and Keith Potger & The New Seekers, both released in 1970 (Keith was a member of The Seekers who formed the new group). The singles were Meet My Lord and Look What They've Done To My Song Ma (the latter became their first US Top 40 hit). There are two bonus tracks from a single Keith released in 1969, The World Would Never Turn Again and Santa Maria.

8. Spoiled Girl - Carly Simon (1985)

Carly's only album for Epic Records contains the singles Tired Of Being Blonde and My New Boyfriend. A bonus track, Black Honeymoon, is included on the reissue.

9. Anthology - Katrina & The Waves (1995)

The title of this compilation is a bit overstated. It's merely made up of the group's self-titled 1985 album and four songs from their 1986 follow-up Waves. The singles were Walking On Sunshine, Do You Want Crying, Que Te Quiero, Is That It?, and Sun Street.

10. The Best Of Jane Olivor (1990)

Jane's biggest hit on this album was the adult contemporary single The Last Time I Felt Like This with Johnny Mathis. There's also her two charting pop songs, He's So Fine and Some Enchanted Evening.

11. 70's Mix - Various Artists (Home playlist)

I added the Eagles (Take It To The Limit) and Don Francisco (He's Alive) this week.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnQBnNTT2mO59DCNnbLPh01oA0KKsgGYG

12. The Hunter - Blondie (1982)

Blondie's last album for 17 years contains the singles Island Of Lost Souls and War Child.

My Top Music Of The Week 4/9

1. 50 Years: Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac (2018) **5 weeks #1**

Christine McVie is releasing a new solo album in June entitled Songbird. I'm getting geared up for it.

2. Dedicated To The One I Love - Linda Ronstadt (1996)

Linda recorded this album of covers as lullabies. The vocals are mostly handled by Linda with Valerie Carter on harmony. Aaron Neville appears in a duet on Brahms Lullaby.

3. Carpenters (1971)

The duo's third album includes the singles Rainy Days And Mondays, Superstar, and For All We Know.

4. Pleasure Victim - Berlin (1982)

Berlin's breakthrough album contains such techno staples as Sex (I'm A...), The Metro, and Masquerade.

5. The Albums 1970-73 - The New Seekers (2018)

I selected the second disc of the box set featuring the albums Beautiful People and New Colours, both released in 1971. Singles include Beautiful People, Never Ending Song Of Love, When There's No Love Left, Good Old Fashioned Music, and Tonight.

6. Plastic Letters - Blondie (2001)

This is a reissue of the group's second album from 1977 featuring Denis and (I'm Always Touched By Your Presence, Dear. Bonus tracks include Once I Had A Love (aka The Disco Song, an early version of Heart Of Glass), Scenery, Poet's Problem, and a live version of Detroit 442.

7. Voyage - ABBA (2021)

ABBA lost Record of the Year to Silk Sonic at the Grammy awards this year. On the plus side, Dancing Queen was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016.

8. The Kick Inside - Kate Bush (1978)

Kate's debut album includes Wuthering Heights and The Man With The Child In His Eyes.

9. Anytime...Anywhere/Love Me Again - Rita Coolidge (2008)

This is a pairing of Rita's 1977 and 1978 albums, respectively. It contains such singles as (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher And Higher, We're All Alone, The Way You Do The Things You Do, and You.

10. The Groop 2.0 (Home playlist)

The Groop gained notoriety for having two songs in the film Midnight Cowboy, A Famous Myth and Tears And Joys, both of which I added to the 2007 reissue of their only album from 1969.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2oBxwM1BCETjJWyp5OFEti

My Top Music Of The Week 4/2

1. Voyage - ABBA (2021) **14 weeks #1**

ABBA has received their first-ever Grammy nomination for Record of the Year (I Still Have Faith In You). The awards are being televised tomorrow night. Fingers crossed!

2. Chain Reaction: The Very Best Of Diana Ross (Home playlist)

I put this together using 15 of Diana's solo singles. The title track is the only one not to make the Top 40 but is my favorite by her.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1i4UIB2Oada2bHnDQVkjbx

3. Afflatus - The Polyphonic Spree (2021)

4. The Collection - Rita Coolidge (Import, 1995)

5. Come Upstairs - Carly Simon (1980)

Carly's first album for Warner Bros. includes the singles Jesse,Take Me As I Am, and the title track.

6. 4 Play - Berlin (2005)

The Polyphonic Spree's current album has me revisiting other covers albums I've loved over the years. Berlin's contains nine songs including favorites The Dope Show (Marilyn Manson) and For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield). No More Words from VH-1's Bands Reunited is also present.

7. Dave & Sugar (1976)

The trio's debut album includes the #1 country hit The Door Is Always Open as well as the singles I'm Gonna Love You and Queen Of The Silver Dollar.

8. Welcome Home: The Collection - Peters & Lee (2014)

9. Stars/Time/Bubbles/Love - The Free Design (2004)

This is a reissue of the group's 1970 album. It contains a cover of Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head. Bonus tracks include the previously unreleased To A Black Boy and the single mix of Butterflies Are Free.

10. Panic Of Girls - Blondie (2011)

My Top Music Of The Week 3/26

Top singles indicated where applicable

1. Voyage - ABBA (2021) **13 weeks #1**

Don't Shut Me Down

2. Afflatus - The Polyphonic Spree (2021)

3. Together We're Heavy - The Polyphonic Spree (2004)

Hold Me Now

4. My Colouring Book - Agnetha Faltskog (2004)

If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind

5. Yes, It's True. - The Polyphonic Spree (2013)

You Don't Know Me

6. The Singles + - Mouth & MacNeal (Home edit of 2001 release)

How Do You Do?

7. Most Of All: The Best Of Deborah Harry (1999)

Backfired

8. 70's Mix - Various Artists (Home playlist)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnQBnNTT2mO59DCNnbLPh01oA0KKsgGYG

9. Magic: The Very Best Of Olivia Newton-John (2001)

Physical

10. In A Lifetime - Clannad (2020)

Theme From Harry's Game

My Top Music Of The Week 3/18

Top singles indicated where applicable

1. Retrospective 2002-2021 - The Polyphonic Spree (Home playlist) **1 week #1**

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnQBnNTT2mO6FTiUkZYjMH9JNJ7rsHRVj

Soldier Girl

2. The World Of Peters & Lee (1996)

Welcome Home

3. Banba - Clannad (1993)

Mystery Game

4. The Kick Inside - Kate Bush (1978)

Wuthering Heights

5. Brigade - Heart (1990)

All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You

6. Hotcakes - Carly Simon (1974)

Mockingbird (with James Taylor)

7. The Ultimate 5th Dimension (2003)

Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In

8. Greatest Hits - The Tourists (1997)

I Only Want To Be With You

9. ABBA--The Album: Deluxe Edition (2013)

Take A Chance On Me

10. The Very Best Of Kiki Dee (1994)

Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Elton John)

11. The Rumour - Olivia Newton-John (1988)

The Rumour

12. Together/Farewell Album - The New Seekers (2019)

You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me

13. Songs From The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live - The Polyphonic Spree (NEW, 2013)

My Top Music Of The Week 2/28

1. Afflatus - The Polyphonic Spree (2021) **4 weeks #1**

2. Make Your Move - Captain & Tennille (1979)

The duo's first of two albums for Casablanca includes their #1 hit Do That To Me One More Time as well as the singles Happy Together (A Fantasy) and Love On A Shoestring.

3. Rock A Little - Stevie Nicks (1985)

Stevie's third solo album contains Talk To Me, I Can't Wait, and Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You?.

4. Heaven/Earth - The Free Design (1969)

I've been a fan of The Free Design since 2008 but don't seem to play them enough. I'm trying to do better. The version of Heaven/Earth I played on Spotify includes bonus solo tracks by Ellen Dedrick, Nature Boy and Settlement Boy, but omits the songs they recorded with Tony Mottola that were featured on the official reissue.

5. Remind 2.0 - Brotherhood Of Man (Home CD)

This is my expanded version of a 1997 compilation. I added Lightning Flash and Catch Me Catch Me If You Can.

6. Yes, It's True. - The Polyphonic Spree (2013)

7. Voyage - ABBA (2021)

8. The Farewell Album - Peters & Lee (1980)

9. You Could Be Born Again - The Free Design (1969)

Highlights from this album include covers of California Dreamin', The Windows Of The World, and Eleanor Rigby. The bonus tracks are from a Christmas single the group released with Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas) and Christmas Is The Day.

10. The Fragile Army - The Polyphonic Spree (2007)

11. KooKoo - Debbie Harry (1981)

Debbie's first post-Blondie album was produced by Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards of Chic. It contains the singles Backfired and The Jam Was Moving.

12. Cosmic Thing - The B-52's (1989)

The group's big comeback album includes Channel Z, Love Shack, Roam, and Deadbeat Club.

My Top Music Of The Week 2/20

1. Afflatus - The Polyphonic Spree (2021) **3 weeks #1**

2. Love Songs - Carpenters (1999)

This is a compilation I've never owned but played on Spotify for Valentine's Day this week. It contains 20 tracks including two of the duo's #1 hits, (They Long To Be) Close To You and Top Of The World. There's also the 1977 outtake You're The One, previously released on Lovelines in 1989.

3. Retrospective 2002-2021 - The Polyphonic Spree (Home playlist)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnQBnNTT2mO6FTiUkZYjMH9JNJ7rsHRVj

4. 10 Best - Melissa Manchester (Home CD)

I derived the songs for this disc from Melissa's 1997 compilation, The Essence Of Melissa Manchester. It contains her Top 10 hits Midnight Blue and You Should Hear How She Talks About You as well as Lovers After All, a duet with Peabo Bryson.

5. Voyage - ABBA (2021)

6. Favorites - Juice Newton (Home playlist)

This is made up of mostly songs from Juice's breakthrough albums Juice (1981) and Quiet Lies (1982). Her Top 10 hits Angel Of The Morning, Queen Of Hearts, The Sweetest Thing, and Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me are present here. A few later releases round it out such as Both To Each Other (Friends And Lovers) with Eddie Rabbitt.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7AZRFzN56ut7eCHSgVtfuD

7. Together We're Heavy - The Polyphonic Spree (2004)

8. Love Songs - Heart (2006)

This is the other album I played on Valentine's Day. Live versions of the group's hits Magic Man, These Dreams, and Alone are included as well as a cover of Elton John's Love Song.

9. The Very Best Of Eve Graham & The New Seekers (Home CD)

10. Gold - Olivia Newton-John (2005)

This 2-CD set is probably the most comprehensive collection representing Olivia's career starting with If Not For You and ending with her 1998 version I Honestly Love You with Babyface.

11. Anthology - Kim Carnes (Home playlist)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnQBnNTT2mO5_-b0XT9LsyDUNGRQJ0Uih

12. Duets - Linda Ronstadt (2014)

Linda's hits Don't Know Much and All My Life (with Aaron Neville) and Somewhere Out There (with James Ingram) highlight this compilation. There are also two songs, The New Partner Waltz (with Carl Jackson) and Pretty Bird (with Laurie Lewis) which I'd never heard before.