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Styx – “Why Me”
If “Why Me” didn’t exactly save Styx, it certainly delayed their demise for a good half decade.
Richard Challen
Apr 29, 20207 min read
Anne Murray – “Daydream Believer”
Was Murray filling an unspoken need? Did radio listeners collectively forget about the existence of “Daydream Believer” in one decade?
Richard Challen
Apr 27, 20207 min read
Led Zeppelin – “Fool In The Rain”
Strip away all the classic rock baggage, and “Fool In The Rain” might be the band’s most gutsy—and successful—stylistic swing ever.
Richard Challen
Apr 24, 20209 min read
Tom Johnston – “Savannah Nights”
When Johnston finally came back, it wasn’t with the Doobies. It was with a 1979 solo single that sounded a whole lot like his previous band.
Richard Challen
Apr 22, 20206 min read
The Dirt Band – “An American Dream”
The Dirt Band didn’t have to overly sweeten Rodney Crowell’s song to make it work for Top 40 radio; they just needed to nail the marketing.
Richard Challen
Apr 20, 20208 min read
Queen – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
Queen had never attempted to record a rockabilly song. But damn if they didn’t nail a perfect approximation on their very first try.
Richard Challen
Apr 17, 20208 min read
The O’Jays – “Forever Mine”
Its impeccably arranged universe gets completely laid out within the opening seconds, and from there, "Forever Mine" simply wallows.
Richard Challen
Apr 15, 20204 min read
Rita Coolidge – “I’d Rather Leave While I’m In Love”
By this point, Coolidge was a battle-scarred veteran of rock 'n roll’s misogyny; intended or not, that history seeps into the margins.
Richard Challen
Apr 13, 20205 min read
Blackfoot – “Train, Train”
“Train, Train” is folklore and Appalachian tradition colliding with Marshall-stack ferocity on the floor of a ruffneck bar.
Richard Challen
Apr 10, 20203 min read
Sugarhill Gang – “Rapper’s Delight”
“Rapper’s Delight” changed music. “Rapper’s Delight” changed culture. “Rapper’s Delight” got everything wrong and still made history.
Richard Challen
Apr 8, 202015 min read
Herb Alpert – “Rotation”
As one of the earliest "chillout" tunes, you could expand this track to a full half-hour and lose none of its hypnotic pull.
Richard Challen
Apr 6, 20208 min read
Steve Forbert – “Romeo’s Tune”
The great paradox of “Romeo’s Tune” is how much work it took to create something that sounds so effortless.
Richard Challen
Apr 3, 20204 min read
Teri DeSario with K.C. – “Yes, I’m Ready”
Pure chemistry, but not the sexual kind. Theirs is closer to platonic puppy love, a first crush rendered in overwhelming Technicolor.
Richard Challen
Apr 1, 20208 min read
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