This weekend there 4 new playlists for you to enjoy. The first is my top 60 from Nov. 27, 1999. My #1 that week was “Hangin’ Around” by Counting Crows. At the time I was deep in the Live album “The Distance From Here” and the Michael W. Smith album “Live The Life”. His song “Missing Person” had just ended a 5 week run at #1 and was spending it’s second week at #2. The week prior Live had the #1 song which is not included on the playlist. I had just been to a Live concert (I believe the third time I had seen them). At the time my #1 song of all time was their song “Pillar Of Davidson”. At the concert they performed John Lennon’s “Imagine” and then went into ‘Pillar’. It remains the most amazing concert experience of my life.
Next up, the playlist titled “I’m Bryan Adams and You’re Not”. This is a mix of pop rock from the last 50 years. I was inspired to create this playlist after hearing Richard Marx’s “Satisfied” on the previous playlist. I would say that this style of music is a major part of my personal chart history. It is sorely lacking from the radio airwaves these days but still great songs can be found like White Reaper’s “Real Long Time”, currently at #2 on my personal chart.
On the next playlist we bring the volume down a bit and add a little groove. This one is called “Your Jazz is Popped with Sophistication”. This one was inspired by a song by The Bird and The Bee. I couldn’t describe them better than their Spotify bio. “The Bird & The Bee specialize in a knowing update on swinging easy listening. Grounded equally in clever new wave pop and space age bachelor pad music, they mined the past to make music for a sophisticated present.” There is a whole story behind this that will be told in an upcoming podcast. Their most recent album is a re-interpretation of Van Halen songs.
The playlist is a mix of Pop, R&B and Rock with Jazz undertones. What I learned through processing this playlist was a moniker for a music sub-genre called Sophisti-Pop. Born out of the 80’s, it includes artists like Simply Red, the Blow Monkeys, Basia and Spandau Ballet. There is also a more recent movement of Soul-Pop bands like Lawrence, Ripe and Busty and The Bass .
Finally I will be going to my 40th high school reunion next weekend so I made an extensive playlist of songs from our high school years. If you like the music of the mid to late 70’s you might enjoy this playlist. It certainly was a time for iconic Classic Rock, Disco, Mellow Pop and the beginnings of Yacht Rock.