So pull up a beanbag chair, turn on your lava lamp and take a trip back to a groovier time!
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May 2016 May 31: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Totally Tubular Tuesdays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1980s; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American hard rock band Van Halen with "Jump" (1983)
May 30: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American folk singer-songwriter Melanie with "Brand New Key" (1971)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Melanie, the novelty song is sung from the viewpoint of a girl with roller skates trying to attract the attention of a boy. Many listeners detect sexual innuendo in the lyrics, with the key in its lock thought to symbolize sexual intercourse; Melanie has acknowledged the possibility of detecting sexual innuendo in the song, without confirming or denying the intent. "Brand New Key" was Melanie's greatest success and was produced by her husband, Peter Schekeryk.
May 29: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #2 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor the late Michael Jackson (1958 - 2009) with "Rockin' Robin" (1972)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by American music composer Leon René under the pseudonym of Jimmie Thomas and recorded by the late Bobby Day (1930 - 1990) in 1958, the song was recorded by Jackson for his debut studio album, Got to Be There, thus launching his career as a solo artist.
March 28: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American R&B/soul family musical act Gladys Knight & The Pips with "Midnight Train to Georgia" (1973)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by American singer-songwriter Jim Weatherly, the theme of the song is how romantic love can conquer differences in background. The song has become Knight's signature song.
May 27: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Fast-Forward Fridays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1990s; peaking at #2 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress, author and poet Jewel with "You Were Meant for Me" (1996)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Jewel and American singer-songwriter and guitarist Steve Poltz, the song relates the singer's incomprehension of a failed relationship, and her inadequate attempts at moving on with her life. In the music video Jewel and Poltz appeared together in numerous scenes, most of them depicting how both of them wants to be together but always separated. Poltz later referenced the record in his song 'Happier Hour' through the lyrics "Did I ever tell you I wrote a hit with Jewel? I was truly meant for you and you were truly meant for me."
May 26: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American music group Exile with "Kiss You All Over" (1978)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Originating as a rock and roll group as far back as 1963 under the name The Exiles, the band changed musical styles throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s and shortened their name to Exile in 1973. Written by Australian record producer and songwriter Mike Chapman and English songwriter and record producer Nicky Chinn, who together were a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s, "Kiss You All Over" proved to be Exile's only big hit in the pop rock market. The band moved into Country music following the synth-pop success of "Kiss You All Over"
May 25: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American pop singer B. J. Thomas with "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (1969)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the song was recorded by Thomas in seven takes, after Bacharach expressed dissatisfaction with the first six. American singer-songwriter and comedian Ray Stevens was first offered the opportunity to record it for the film, but turned it down.
May 24: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Totally Tubular Tuesdays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1980s; peaking at #4 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart (#8 on U.K. Singles chart) here is British music duo Eurythmics with "Here Comes the Rain Again" (1984)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart, the single became Eurythmics' fifth Top 10 hit in the U.K. and was the duo's second top ten hit in the United States. The music video, featuring both Lennox and Stewart, was directed by Stewart, John Gerschfield and Jon Roseman, and released in December 1983, a month before the single came out. The video opens with a passing aerial shot of The Old Man of Hoy on the Island of Hoy in the Orkney Islands before transitioning to Lennox walking along the rocky shore and cliff top. She later explores a derelict cottage while wearing a nightgown and holding a lantern. Stewart stalks her with a video camera. In many scenes the two are filmed separately, then superimposed into the same frame. The result is that the viewer may perceive one as being a ghost in the world of the other.
May 23: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #2 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American vocal and instrumental duo the Carpenters with "Rainy Days and Mondays" (1971)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by then-fairly unknown composers Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, the song was released as the first track on the album Carpenters (1971), popularly known as the Tan Album, with instrumental backing by L.A. session musicians from the Wrecking Crew. Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John, one of Karen Carpenter's best friends recorded a cover version of this song on her album Indigo: Women of Song as a tribute to Karen, who died at age 32 from heart failure caused by complications related to anorexia nervosa in 1983.
May 22: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American singer and songwriter the late Eddie Rabbitt (1941 - 1998) with "I Love a Rainy Night" (1980)
May 21: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #3 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American rock band Chicago with "Saturday in the Park" (1972)
May 20: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Fast-Forward Fridays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1990s; peaking at #33 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American singer and actress Cher with "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" (1990)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written and composed by American songwriter Rudy Clark the song was made famous by the 1964 release by the late Betty Everett (1939 - 2001) and became an international hit once again when Cher's remake was cut for the soundtrack of her 1990 film Mermaids in which it played under the closing credits. Although it only peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100, it hit #1 in the United Kingdom, where it remained for five weeks, selling a total of 520,000 copies, making it one of the biggest-selling singles by a female artist in Britain in the 1990s. The original video for "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" was made to promote the movie Mermaids. The video features Cher with Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci, who played her daughters in the film. Cher turns 70 today (born May 20, 1946).
May 19: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #3 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American musician and actor the late Elvis Presley (1935 - 1977) with "In the Ghetto" (1969)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by country music singer, songwriter, and actor Mac Davis and originally titled "The Vicious Circle" the song became a major comeback hit for Presley as it was his first Top 10 hit in the US in four years. It is a narrative of generational poverty: a boy is born to a mother who already has more children than she can feed in the ghetto of Chicago. The boy grows up hungry, steals and fights, purchases a gun and steals a car, attempts to run, but is shot and killed just as his own child is born. The song implies that the newborn will meet the same fate, continuing the cycle of poverty and violence.
May 18: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #9 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart (#1 on U.K. Singles chart) here is British rock band Queen with "Bohemian Rhapsody" (1975)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Queen frontman the late Freddie Mercury (1946 - 1991) at his London home, the song features styles of progressive rock, symphonic rock, hard rock and heavy metal. It was the most expensive single ever made at the time of its release. Although critical reaction was initially mixed, "Bohemian Rhapsody" remains one of Queen's most popular songs and is frequently placed on modern lists of the greatest songs of all time. The single was accompanied by a promotional video, which many scholars consider ground-breaking. The song enjoyed renewed popularity in 1992 as part of the soundtrack to the film Wayne's World.
May 17: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Totally Tubular Tuesdays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1980s; peaking at #2 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Australian soft rock duo Air Supply with "All Out of Love" (1980)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Air Supply singer/guitarist Graham Russell and American record producer Clive Davis, the pop ballad deals with the unrequited love of a singer who feels lost without the object of his affection. In their native Australia, Air Supply released this song in 1978, but for the 1980 international release with Arista Records, Clive Davis (thus giving him song-writing credit) ordered some changes to the song. A big change was in the original line, "I'm all out of love, I want to arrest you." which is an Australian term to get someone's attention. Davis, figuring it would be lost on American audiences had the line changed to "I'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you.."
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by American composer and singer-songwriter Carole King, the song drew inspiration from a line in Taylor's earlier song "Fire and Rain" (1970) that "I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend." Both artists recorded the song simultaneously in 1971 with shared musicians as a single and were included on King's album, Tapestry, as well as Taylor's album, Mud Slide Slim. During the recording process, Taylor also offered to his Apple Records labelmate Mary Hopkin a chance to record the song, which she turned down, a decision she later said she strongly regretted.
May 15: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart (#1 on U.K. Singles chart) here is English rock band The Beatles with "Hey Jude" (1968)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Paul McCartney and credited to the songwriting partnership of Lennon–McCartney, the ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song McCartney wrote to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, during his parents' divorce (in early 1968 Lennon and his wife Cynthia separated because of Lennon's affair with Yoko Ono). Although McCartney originally wrote "Hey Jude" for Julian, Lennon thought it had actually been written for him. More than seven minutes in length, it was at the time the longest single ever to top the British charts.
May 14: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #9 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart (#3 on U.K. Singles chart) here is British pop rock group The Hollies with "Carrie Anne" (1967)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Hollies' members Allan Clarke, Graham Nash (who would leave the Hollies to supply the Nash in the folk-rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), and Tony Hicks, the song was written during a concert the group did with Tom Jones. According to Nash, he had written the song for English singer, songwriter and actress, Marianne Faithfull, but was "too shy" to use her real name. Canadian actress Carrie-Anne Moss was named (by her mother) in honor of the song, which was released three months before her birth.
May 13: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Fast-Forward Fridays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1990s; peaking at #38 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart (#8 on Canadian Singles chart) here is Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress k.d. lang with "Constant Craving" (1992)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by lang and Ben Mink, the song provided lang with mainstream success and is often considered her signature song. The music video was filmed in black-and-white. It presents a fanciful recreation of the premiere of Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot in Paris (1953). lang received a writing credit for the Rolling Stones song, "Anybody Seen My Baby?" (1997), whose chorus sounds strikingly similar to "Constant Craving". Mick Jagger and Keith Richards claimed to have never heard the song before and when they discovered the similarity prior to the song's release, were flummoxed as to how the songs could be so similar. Jagger then soon discovered his daughter listening to a recording of "Constant Craving" on her stereo and realized he had heard the song before many times but only subliminally. The two gave Lang credit, along with Mink, to avoid any possible lawsuits. Afterwards, lang said she was "completely honoured and flattered" to receive the songwriting credit.
May 11: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #18 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American folk singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie with "City of New Orleans" (1972)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by American folk music singer-songwriter the late Steve Goodman (1948 - 1984), the lyrics tell the story of a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad's City of New Orleans in bittersweet and nostalgic terms. Goodman, who first recorded the song in 1971, got the idea while traveling on the Illinois Central line for a visit to his wife's family. While at the Quiet Knight bar in Chicago, Goodman saw Arlo Guthrie and asked to be allowed to play a song for him. Guthrie grudgingly agreed on the condition that if Goodman would buy him a beer, Guthrie would listen to him play for as long as it took to drink the beer. Goodman played "City of New Orleans," which Guthrie liked enough that he asked to record it. The song is now more closely associated with him, although Goodman continued to perform it until his death in 1984.
May 10: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Totally Tubular Tuesdays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1980s; reaching at #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is British new wave band Culture Club with "Karma Chameleon" (1983)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: According to Culture Club frontman Boy George the lyrics suggest the terrible fear of alienation that people have, the fear of standing up for one thing. He has stated, "It's about trying to suck up to everybody. Basically, if you aren't true, if you don't act like you feel, then you get Karma-justice, that's nature's way of paying you back." Filmed at Desborough Island in Weybridge during the summer of 1983, the music video is set in Mississippi in 1870 and depicts a large group of people in late 1800s dress, including some dressed in red, gold, and green (as Boy George sings in the song). Boy George is dressed in what would be known as his signature look: colourful costume, fingerless gloves, long braids, and a black derby. A pickpocket and jewellery thief is seen wandering through the crowd, stealing from unsuspecting folks. The band and other people board a riverboat, The Chameleon, as Boy George continues to sing. The thief is discovered cheating at cards, and is forced to return his ill-gotten gains and walk the plank at the points of ladies' parasols. As the video ends, day has turned to evening and the party continues on the boat as it cruises down the river. The song was originally to be called "Cameo Chameleon"
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips in 1963 while living in New York, the song was inspired by a dream John was having and he woke Michelle to help compose the lyrics. The lyrics of the song express the narrator's longing for the warmth of Los Angeles during a cold winter in New York City. Michelle enjoyed visiting churches, and she and John visited St. Patrick's Cathedral, which inspired the second verse of "California Dreamin’" ("Stopped into a church..."). John hated the verse, as he was turned off to churches by unpleasant memories of parochial school, but he couldn't think of anything better so he left it in. The song became a signpost of the California Myth, an idyllic narrative inspired by the state's beach culture, and the arrival of the nascent counterculture era.
May 8: Today's "Way Back Play Back" is dedicated to my mom and all moms on this Mother's Day; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American rock band Three Dog Night with "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" (1970)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by American singer-songwriter Randy Newman, the song was inspired by Newman's own lighthearted reflection on the Los Angeles music scene of the late 1960s. The lyrics suggest the narrator is a sheltered and extraordinarily straight-laced young man, who recounts what is presumably his first "wild" party in the big city and is shocked and appalled by cigarette-smoking, whiskey-drinking, and loud music and in the chorus of the song the narrator recalls that his "mama told [him] not to come." The first recording of "Mama Told Me Not to Come" was cut by Eric Burdon & The Animals in 1966 however the most popular version is that of Three Dog Night.
May 7: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking at #13 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American folk-rock trio the Stone Poneys with "Different Drum" (1967)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by American musician and member of the Monkees, Mike Nesmith, the song was originally recorded by the northern bluegrass band the Greenbriar Boys in 1965 before becoming the first hit single for a young and up-and-coming singer named Linda Ronstadt who was a member of the Stone Poneys. This cover version flips the gender references in Nesmith's original lyric, replacing "girl" with "boy" when describing her lover, but still referring to him being "pretty". Although credited to the Stone Poneys, Ronstadt was the only member of the trio who actually performed on the record.
May 6: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Fast-Forward Fridays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1990s; peaking at #8 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart (#2 on U.K. Singles chart) here is English rock band Oasis with "Wonderwall" (1995)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Oasis lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist and principal songwriter Noel Gallagher, the song was originally believed to be written for Gallagher's then-girlfriend (later wife) Meg Matthews however after they divorced, it was revealed that the song was actually about an imaginary friend who's gonna come and save you from yourself. Considered one of the band's most popular songs, "Wonderwall" features Gallagher's brother Liam as lead singer.
May 5: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart (#1 on Canadian Singles chart) here is Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot with "Sundown" (1974)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Lightfoot, the song's lyrics describe a troubled romantic relationship, with the narrator recounting an affair with a "hard-loving woman [who's] got me feeling mean". There are rumours that "Sundown" was inspired by Lightfoot's then girlfriend, Cathy Smith, later more infamously known for her involvement in the 1982 drug-related death of actor John Belushi. Lightfoot has commented in interviews that Smith was "the one woman in my life who most hurt me." Smith became an employee and then mistress of Lightfoot in the early to mid-1970s. The Smith-Lightfoot affair was volatile and eventually Smith left Lightfoot and returned to the late Levon Helm of The Band with whom she had been involved prior to Lightfoot. Smith has been connected to The Band's famous song, "The Weight" (1968).
May 4: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American record producer and musician Meco with "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" (1977)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Dedicated to Star Wars fans who celebrate the franchise by wishing each other a galaxy far, far away-themed greeting: “May the fourth be with you,” Meco's disco version of the Star Wars theme is to date it is the biggest-selling instrumental single in the history of recorded music, having sold two million units, being the only one ever to be certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. After seeing the soon-to-be blockbuster several times within the first few days of its release, Meco got the idea to make a disco version of the score by American composer John Williams and contacted American record executive Neil Bogart at Casablanca Records to pitch the project. Only after both the picture itself as well as the original score had become huge hits did Bogart agree to help Meco realize his idea. In a matter of just three weeks they arranged and recorded the album, Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk, and although the album was nominated for "Best Instrumental Pop performer" in 1977, the award ultimately went to John Williams for the original soundtrack album.
May 3: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues with a series called "Totally Tubular Tuesdays" with the grooviest hits of that decade known as the 1980s; reaching at #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is English pop rock band The Escape Club with "Wild, Wild West" (1988)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by The Escape Club, the song gives the band the distinction of being the only British artist to have a #1 hit in the U.S. while never charting in the UK. The song's distinctive video received a lot of MTV airplay however it was banned from being used in their homeland for being allegedly sexist and offensive.
May 2: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; reaching #1 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is Swedish rock band Blue Swede with "Hooked on a Feeling" (1974)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by Mark James and originally performed by American pop singer B. J. Thomas (1968), the newly formed Blue Swede garnered international success with the release of their cover version of the song. The group based its rendition of the song on a 1971 version released by British pop eccentric Jonathan King, which created the "ooga-chaka ooga-chaka" introduction. Their version of the song also tweaked the lyrics to avoid a drug reference.
May 1: Today's "Way Back Play Back" continues a series featuring randomly chosen hits from yesteryear; peaking #3 on U.S. Billboard's Hot 100 chart here is American rock band The Monkees with "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (1967)
Johnny K's Fun Facts: Written by the then husband-and-wige songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, the song was inspired by a street named Pleasant Valley Way, in West Orange, New Jersey where they were living at the time. The road follows a valley through several communities among the Watchung Mountains. The lyrics were a social commentary on status symbols, creature comforts, life in suburbia and "keeping up with the Joneses". The song has been regarded as an understated comment on consumerism while maintaining a relentlessly driving pop beat. The Monkees recorded the most successful version of the song and it became on of their most successful singles.
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