Music Programming
....__ By Pat Matthews
Hats Off
"Saturday Night Fever" continues
to be the phenomenon of 1978 . The
soundtrack lp has sold over ten
million copies as a package , and
there has been (at last count) eight
singles pulled from the double record
set doing quite nicely individually .
I would just like to pay a personal
tribute to the Bee Gees . These guys
have been performing together for
over twenty years and recording
internationally for . close to fifteen .
They've gotten their hands into just
about everything going on in the
music world today .
Their new album is going to be
released soon and according to their
manager , it will be a cross between
Paul McCartney and Sergio Mendes-
Brazilian Beauty , I guess. I can't wait .
It should be interesting . Hats off this
issue to the brothers Gibb , certainly
the premier artists of the 1970s.
Take Me Back to Chicago- Chica-
go- Columbia 3-10737
Finally getting around to saluting
its namesake , this powerhouse of
brass and tight vocals continues to be
one of the most consistent groups
around. This particular track features
Chaka Khan on background vocals
on the fade of the song and this is
something they haven 't done on
previous recordings. Not as strong as
"Baby What A Big Surprise"-but
the group's name alone should wear
well . (B-Pop)
I Was Only Joking-Rod Stewart-
Warner Brothers WBS 8658
Back to the ballads. Rod Stewart
at his very best. All about being an
outcast to society in his youth-drop-
ping out of school , wasting his life
away . The title is an apology to his
lady friend . It's a pretty song
featuring nice acoustic guitar , raspy
vocals (natch) , and simple piano
triplets throughout . It sounds oh so
familiar , like most of his stuff.
Definitely will be a hit! Features a
great bridge and is co-authored by
Rod
himself!
(A-Pop)
(A-MOR)
Last Dance- Donna Summer-Ca-
sablanca NB 926 OJ
"Thank God It's Friday" -a mov-
ie . Why not? The disco sex goddess
shines so very brightly on this one. It
opens as a tender love ballad , then
WHAMMO! It's a driving , hot disco
scorcher that'll never send anyone
home . Quite on the contrary , it
should make every crowd want just a
little bit more . (B-Pop) (A-Disco)
Only When fm Lonely- Jigsaw-
20th Century Fox TC-2369
This is a great record! It has every
ingredient necessary to make it zoom
right up the charts, so to speak . GET
ON IT RIGHT AWAY! The key to
the whole success of this song
besides the strong vocals, super
string arrangement, great lyrics and
lonesome trumpet is the fact that
there is a double chorus . All songs.
with double , repeating choruses.
become hits . Bet the ranch! (A -R&B)
(A-Pop) (A-MOR)
Nothing is Your Own- Michael
Murphy - Epic 8-50540
So~nding a lot like Chicago ,
instrumentally speaking , this could
be Michael Murphy's first com-
mercially successful single in many
moons ("calling Wiiiiiildfire") -the
horns and percussion keep it all
together and moving . Except for the
title , the lyrics seem a bit banal.
Incidentally , the 4 :02 version is
better than the 2:59 one . (B-Pop)
The Groove Line- Heatwave- Epic
8-50524
This record sounds so much like
"Boogie Nights" it's frightening . But I
guess when you've got a winning
sound , you stick with it . Which is
exactly why you should act on this
one sooner than immediately . It's a
nice transition from "Always and
Forever ." Heatwave says it best
when they sing , "We 're keepin' it
hot. " (A-Pop) (A-R&B)
Roll With the Changes- R E 0
Speedwagon - Epic 8-50545
From the lp "You Can Tune A
Piano , But You Can't Tune A Fish"
(where haven 't I heard that before?) .
This is a high energy rockin ' number.
Speedwagon's been around awhile,
but so far has only had a "cult
following ." This cut should do for
them what "Street Corner Serenade"
did for Wet Willie . It's definitely rock
and roll , with the changes added to
beef it up . (B-Pop)
One Life To Live - Lou Rawls-
Philadelphia lnt'l 288-3643
Certainly not one to rest on his
laurels, the golden voice of MOR
soul touches this one and it turns to
gold (or is it platinum?) . The message
is "to spread love and make this day
the beginning of a brand new
life" - what else can I say? Add it!
(B-Pop) (A-R&B) (A-MOR)
You Keep Me Dancing-Samantha
Sang- Private Stock PS 45, 188
Maybe she'll regret not consulting
the Gibb brothers this time around ,
but because of the Bee Gees' touch
on her previous success "Emotion, "
the carryover should help the sales of
this one . Once again , it's soft disco
featuring the gutsy vocals of this
young lady . The title is the hook , the
song's okay. (A-Pop) (A-Disco)
DARK HORSE OF THE MONTH ;
Loving Just You - Brainstorm -
Tabu ZS8-5503
I had this brainstorm , you see
and ... never mind . This is a soulful
medium tempo ballad that doesn 't
remind me too much of any currently
successful artists and this is the
reason it's my darkhorse choice. This
record will definitely be an R&B
smash and could cross over . (A-
R&B) (C-Pop)
Sorry , fellas - no country tunes
this time around .