Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Today In Oldies 1/26/2011

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies.....Your 24 hour 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's music news source!

 

A View From The Top

For the next few weeks, Everything Oldies will spotlight #1 songs from 30, 40, and 50 years ago!  We'll give you the stories behind the songs and other things you might not have known about some of your favorite 60's, 70's, and 80's music.

Until 1981, Diana Ross had a lackluster history with duets, including an ill-fated album with Marvin Gaye in 1973 that was a commercial and critical disappointment and a "dream collaboration" with Michael Jackson that failed to make the top 40 ("Ease On Down The Road" from the soundtrack to 1978's film version of The Wiz).  She was able to remove the duets albatross with the 2nd biggest selling single of 1981, a song that spent 9 weeks at #1.  The experience of recording the song, however, was not without its obstacles according to the song's writer and Ross's duet partner. 

According to Lionel Richie, recording this song was "a disaster".  The song wasn't originally written as a duet, but when it became part of a movie soundtrack, Motown Records decided on another "dream team" collaboration between Richie and Diana Ross.  Ross told Richie she wanted the part he planned to sing.  He could not sing in the key written for her, forcing him to make it up as he went along.  It was recorded in one day due to a deadline to submit it for the movie.  It proved to be a smash nonetheless, providing Diana Ross with her last #1 song in the U.S. and establishing Lionel Richie as a bona fide superstar away from The Commodores. 

One of a long line of great 80's songs from a bad 80's movie..............

 

Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

Believe it or not, Gilligan's Island and Raiders of the Lost Ark have something in common!  What is it?  (Think "theme songs")

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a comment here with your best guess!

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Which Motown classic got its title based on something the songwriter uttered in the midst of an argument with his girlfriend?

Answer: In the heat of the argument, songwriter Lamont Dozier uttered "Stop! In The Name Of Love"......which became a classic for The Supremes

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