"More than Words" was still quite available for listening when I got back from my 2 year mission in the summer of 92 and was able to consume media again. And I admit that in the few dances that I DJ'd (small church dances) that I played this as a go-to slow dance at a couple of them. I guess I never paid so much attention to the lyrics. This song sung by a woman would feel socially more acceptable, right? It would be typical (generally speaking) for a woman to ask for more active expression of love than words (sending flowers, planning a date, arranging a surprise for her), but in our culture when a man asks the same, it's hard not to think that what he's wanting is sex. And the lyrics do lean that way. It's funny that this song upsets Tom so much. I'm sure that it's the passive-aggressive nature of the request that offends most...and that is a turn off, but there are so many songs out there that are even worse in their attitude. I guess the thing is, this one is packaged so delicately and tastefully that you expect it to be sincere and honorable, but the lyrics maybe aren't quite there. A bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing. At least The Faces "Stay with Me" or Foreigner's "Hot Blooded" aren't putting up a fake front like Extreme may be here.
Of course, maybe we're just getting a little too angry about it all because we didn't write and perform a sensitive ballad that girls loved and went to #1 one. Maybe we're just jealous.
The song is crazy catchy. Some days I like it pretty well, but other days I'm just not that interested...it comes off a little too pretentious. In the end, I give it a 7.
25 years before this virtual week…
It’s May 1966 and the #1 song is “When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge. You’ve heard Mr. Bolton sing it, but have you heard the original? Here’s Tom’s article:
https://www.stereogum.com/2013080/the-number-ones-percy-sledges-when-a-man-loves-a-woman/columns/the-number-ones/
Tom gave it an 8. I’m surprised, because this is one of those songs that usually has endless praise heaped upon it. But I will make a confession. I do not like this song. I like the middle section...the bridge where the rhythm guitar really comes to the front. That part is pleasant enough, but the rest is just too much of a dirge for me. Too slow. It’s well done--I’m not knocking the talent. I just don’t want to hear it very often. We all have to be contrary sometimes, right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phsw4gOcPTc
"Rhythm of My Heart" is one I've heard enough times over the years that I know it pretty well, but I've never cared enough to know the title of it. Not a bad song for later Rod.
1. Running Bear – Johnny Preston (What a weak set of #1s)
2. Why – Frankie Avalon
3. El Paso – Marty Robbins
4. I Just Want To Be Your Everything – Andy Gibb
5. I’m In You – Peter Frampton
6. Neutron Dance – Pointer Sisters
7. My Heart Belongs To Me – Barbra Streisand
8. Jet Airliner – Steve Miller Band
9. Method of Modern Love – Hall & Oates
10. Among My Souvenirs – Connie Francis
"Easy" is such an easy 10. Ooooh!
I can't explain why a minor key strumalong sleeper like "Losing My Religion" irks me so much, but the very minor key sounding "My Heart Belongs To Me" seems so pretty. The ending of the song is wonderful. I gave it a 9.
I like all of today's pre-HOT100 songs.
I know Tom's doing his best to make yet another Mariah Carey ballad article interesting. It's hardly his fault if it's kinda not. The song is barely interesting...only the chorus is slightly less than boring here. The craft is there, but it is very generic and I have no attachment to it whatsoever. I give it a 6.
DURING THE REIGN OF I LIKE THE WAY (THE KISSING GAME)
75: HARRY MACDONOUGH--”The Girl on the Magazine”
75 years before this virtual week…
It’s May 1916 and the #1 song is “The Girl on the Magazine” by Harry MacDonough. It’s the second #1 in a row from the Broadway play Stop! Look! Listen! and also the second in a row written by Irving Berlin. In the song, rather than pursuing a relationship with a real, live woman, the singer is infatuated with the virtual girl on the magazine cover. In this case, she is painted (although with today’s airbrush techniques, photos are practically painted). It’s one thing to be attracted to the occasional picture, but our singer may be taking it too far.
My home is a picture book
If ever you came to look
You'd find her in ev'ry corner
And in ev'ry nook
She's fairer than all the queens
And loving her simply means
That I'm kept busy buying magazines
Sounds like unhealthy behavior. Thank goodness we don’t have these problems in modern times!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iODpqN9hQw0
"Strawberry Letter 23" is a total 10, and probably the song that I couldn't identify for the longest time. I remembered it from my youth, but in the 80s no station would play 70s disco/funk PERIOD. I heard Paul Schaffer play it as bumper music on Late Night with David Letterman, but never heard the song again until the mid-90s when retro disco shows were finally becoming a thing on radio. I heard the song while working an evening shift by myself and about had a heart attack. I was so glad the DJ named the song. I purchased the record soon after.
Tom's writeup of today's song was way more interesting than the song itself. It's a bearable backing track, but the song doesn't feel like it goes anywhere, and the endless melisma/ad-libbing at the end is a turn-off. I give it a 5.
I mentioned this above, be we can always count on you irish to remember all the different mixes of songs from this era. I recall the second version as the one that I heard on the radio. I liked it better than the album version, which I got. But they're both fine.
BUT! While I was speaking of those that care less about the music, I trust that you do care about the music itself, too, so I would trust your playlist more. I have faith in you rollerboogie. :) (But I don't have time to listen to everybody's playlists).
We had that experience when we bought the "House of Love" album. The album version of "Lucky One" wasn't the same as the remix that got radio play, and I liked the radio version better.
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