Song of the day: Amy MacDonald- Mr Rock & Roll

In 2007, Amy MacDonald made her debute. The first song from the album This Is The Life, Mr. Rock & Roll, was the first full single from the album. The song is about being yourself, in the song presented by two people who fit together, but as a result of not being themselves, they pass each other. In the UK, the song made it to number 12.

Amy MacDonald- Mr Rock & Roll

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Song of the day: Sheppard- Geronimo

A new Australian band, which clearly stated they were there with their first single. Geronimo was number 1 in Australia, and almost reached the US charts. The song was inspired by a very famous Apache leader, namely Geronimo, who shouted out his name before he did something courageous. I think it’s a great song and we probably will hear more of the band in the future! Enjoy

Sheppard- Geronimo

Song of the day: Magic!- Rude

The band Magic! made their debute this year. The band is a Canadian reggae band, and they made a smashing hit of their debute single. The song was based on a bad relation of the singer with a girlfriend, but the story was changed a bit for the record: in the song, the singer is still meeting her and he asks her father if he can propose. In the US and the UK, it hit number 1! Enjoy

Magic!- Rude

Song of the day: Curtis Mayfield- Move On Up

Curtis Mayfield made his debute in 1970, with his debute album Curtis (original name!). On the album, a nine minute long song called Move On Up is featured. In the US, this song was not released on single, but an edit was made for the UK, where Curtis got to place 12. Later, in 1979, a disco group used this song along with other songs, to make a medley out of it. They had a number one hit. Enjoy

Curtis Mayfield- Move On Up

Song of the day: Boney M.- Sunny

This song has made a long journey before ending up with Boney M. It was written in 1966 by Bobby Hebb, when his brother was stabbed to death and president Kennedy was murdered, both happening in 1963 in 48 hours. He then wrote the song. It took some time to release it, but 3 years later it was released and it made him go on tour with the Beatles. In 1976 he updated the song to a disco version. In that same year Boney M. came with a cover of the original version, which was on their debute album. It followed the hit Daddy Cool, and this song became a hit, too. The song has been recorded by many other artists, like Frank Sinatra, Cher, Ella Fitzgerald, The Four Seasons, The Four Tops and many others. Enjoy the Boney M version:

Boney M.- Sunny

Song of the day: Tiziano Ferro- Perdono

In 2001, an Italian singer made his debute with the album Xdono. The lead single made it to number one in lots of countries, like Austria, Spain, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. The music was based on a sample of R. Kelly. Though I do not very much like R Kelly, I do like this song. Not typically summer, but it has the right feeling for a summer day with a bit of rain (like today). Enjoy

Tiziano Ferro- Perdono

Song of the day: Suzanne Vega- Tom’s Diner

A few days ago, I heard a song on the radio which made me think of another song. Sounds a bit strange, but I knew the text, however, the music did not sound right. Luckily my laptop was on, so I googled the lyrics. And then I found out this song the radio was playing was a remix of the eighties song by Suzanne Vega. To me, it seemed useless, since the real original was good, and the dance version was worse than dance versions normally are. This song was written in 1981 by Suzanne Vega, then it was released by a magazine in 1984, but three years later, in 1987, it was featured on her debute album as the first track. So I was thinking: Tom’s Diner? What’s that? Well, it’s a restaurant in New York, Tom’s Restaurant. To find out the date of writing, a sort of puzzle has to be solved. Some people have done this for me, but I’ll guide you through.

An actor has died of drinking, as Suzanne Vega reads in the newspaper on the front page. She then turns to the backside, to read the funnies. This means she is reading the New York Post, which has both of the conditions. The actor is William Holden (Bridge Over The River Kwai). The article about his death was published on the 18th of November in 1981, which is believed to be the writing day.

Enough information. A beautiful song, both in composition and in clever (short) lines. Enjoy

Suzanne Vega- Tom’s Diner

Song of the day: Bronski Beat- Smalltown Boy

Yeah, I’m a bit embarrassed… not because of the song, no, it’s very good. Great music, nice beat too, and a great voice singing it. That’s the cause of my embarrassement: the voice. I’ve always thought it was a woman singing the song, just like the music of the Communards. But the DJ on the radio was saying it’s a man! How could I have misheard such a thing? Probably because the man is singing really high, and since I can produce nothing but a bass, every man has to be in the range of Barry White. I think it’s something like that. However, it’s a great eighties song from the debute album of Bronski Beat, about homophobia, a problem which still exists. Enjoy

Bronski Beat- Smalltown Boy

Song of the day: Run-DMC vs. Jason Nevins- It’s Like That

Run-D.M.C.. One of those hip hop groups who started in the eighties and had some big successes. They had a single, their debute, with It’s Like That, a song that was no hit at all and is not remembered. In 1986, they took a song from Aerosmith, Walk This Way, to change it into something completely different. This was their first real success. And then it went up and down. Some songs charted, others didn’t, until 1998. Jason Nevins, a DJ, remixed their debute, It’s Like That. It was a huge success, scoring in some countries a number one hit. And today it’s the song of the day, so enjoy

Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins- It’s Like That

Song of the day: Natalie Cole- This Will Be

Yes, this was the debute single of Natalie Cole! Of course, her father was already very famous (the old Nat King Cole, a popular crooner), and now his daughter was out there to become famous, too. And she took a good shot with her debute: it was a number one R&B record, and a number 6 pop record. And I understand that: it’s just a great song, danceable and it makes you happy! Enjoy

Natalie Cole- This Will Be

Song of the day: LL Cool J- I Need Love

An eighties rapper today, who was very desperate for love, I think. Not only the song is looking for love, his name, too. It means: Ladies Love Cool James. Yeah, bit too, I think. However, his song in 1987 helped him to become one of the biggest stars in hip hop, and he made some nice songs. Thereby, he did some collaborate with Shalamar and Jennifer Lopez, so I think he doesn’t need love anymore. He gets enough from adoring women. However, it was his debute hit, so in the time, he needed it. Enjoy

L.L. Cool J- I Need Love

Song of the day: Charles & Eddie- Would I Lie To You

Wow, this is an oldie from the nineties! And some already know what I’m gonna say. It was their only hit… After this big hit there was nothing anymore. And I think that’s always a bit disappointing. You have your debute and it is a big hit, and after that, there’s nothing… but let’s face it: it’s better than having nothing! Enjoy:

Charles & Eddie- Would I Lie To You?

Song of the day: Kylie Minogue- The Locomotion

In the end of the eighties, Kylie Minogue recorded her first and debute hit, which is song of the day today. After that, she had several other hits, but halfway the nineties, she sort of disappeared from the hit charts… returning in 2002 with her biggest hit, I Can’t Get You Out Of My Head, which sticks in my head if I hear it. Therefore, the song of the day is this song, which doesn’t stay in my head for the rest of the day! Enjoy:

Kylie Minogue- The Locomotion

Song of the day: King- Love & Pride

Dance music? I love it! And that’s why you see dance music regularly on this blog. This is another classic from the eighties! Of course, eighties music is good music, but it’s also the time of disco! And actually, this was the debute from King. A very good debute, because it is the only song I know by them. I was actually puzzled when I came across a Best Of album on the internet. Did they have more hits? I don’t know… But for today, enjoy:

King- Love & Pride

Song of the day: Enrique Iglesias- Bailamos

Sometimes not only father is a singer, but his children follow him. An example are Frank and Nancy Sinatra, but another example can be Julio and Enrique Iglesias. And I have to confess: I’m not a big fan of Julio Iglesias. But what I don’t have with his father, I have it with his son: Enrique Iglesias is one of my favourite artists! He makes such nice, up-tempo songs and it really makes me feel good if I hear something by Enrique Iglesias!

The song of the day is made by Enrique Iglesias, and it was his debute single. It was an enormous summer hit in the late nineties, and it meant the start of his career. Enjoy

Enrique Iglesias- Bailamos

Song of the day: Gipsy Kings- Bamboleo

A classic song in the summer. There will never be a summer when this song is not played, just like Vamos A La Playa by Righeira. It was recorded in 1987, and it was one of the biggest hits for the Gipsy Kings. They made it very popular, and that was shown by the great number of artists covering as well. Not only was this song their first big hit, it provided them success and they became famous in quite a part of the world, and that’s probably the reason they are still around. Today their first hit is the song of the day! Enjoy:

Gipsy Kings- Bamboléo

Song of the day: Shaggy- Oh Carolina!

This song was and still is on my MP3-player. It was one of the first songs to enter my first MP3-player, which I still have, and when playing my music, I kept making the mistake that it was a song of a rock ‘n roll cd. Now I know better.

Oh Carolina was the first single of the debute album by Shaggy. This song was a big hit in 1993, so long after the rock ‘n roll time. But it is a logical mistake. Why?
It’s a cover! The original was recorded and released in 1960, and was made by the Folkes Brothers. And that is in the rock ‘n roll time. But that doesn’t matter, since it was the first hit single, and some others would follow. Do you still remember Boombastic? It Wasn’t Me? or Angel?

(One thing between us (and maybe Shaggy is reading this, too), but I always have the feeling that he is a bit drunk. I know it probably is his voice, but I can’t stop thinking that he drunk some glasses of vodka before recording Boombastic. Totally my interpretation.)

The song of today:

Shaggy- Oh Carolina

Song of the day: The Power Station- Some Like It Hot

Oh yes! The debute album of the Power Station! Do you remember? 1985, and the big hit: Some Like It Hot!
I like that song, it’s really good! And it says something about a lot of persons, who like the summer (like me).
So listen to that song, because it some like it hot, some like it when the heat is on…

And vote for the Summer Song of the Day Top 20! >>>>

Song of the day: Johnny Hates Jazz- Turn Back The Clock

Yes, here he is. Johnny Hates Jazz, a group which is active again after a big break.
And I can tell you: The album track which is the same as the title will be the song of the day.

Boring? Yes, but I can’t help it that it’s such a good song! My favourite and title track is:

Turn Back The Clock!