An episode of Ramblin’ Tunes full of popular tracks digging the vibes of life. Indulge yourself in a blend of soul, funk, rock, pop and r&b during this 29 tracks show.
| Title | Artist | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Quiero | Julio Iglesias | “Quiero” by Julio Iglesias. A song from 1975 written by Cecilia and Narciso Yepes. About a special place by the sea, where the wind and the breeze embrace you. |
| Good Times | Chic | Chic’s “Good Times” is a block party favourite composed by Nile Rodgers with Bernard Edwards’ distinctive bassline, making it one of the most copied and sampled records ever. |
| Another One Bites The Dust | Queen | Queen bass player John Deacon wrote “Another One Bites The Dust” song. Deacon was influenced by the Chic song Good Times. All four members of Queen wrote songs, and each wrote at least one hit. |
| Rappers Delight | Sugarhill Gang | “Rapper’s Delight,” released on September 16, 1979, got rap into the mainstream helped by Sylvia Robinson at Sugar Hill Records. “Rapper’s Delight” used real musicians to re-create the “Good Times” rhythm because the technology didn’t exist to make it into a sample loop. |
| We Are Family | Sister Sledge | (The four) Sister(s) Sledge’ biggest hit “We Are Family” released in 1979. This was written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers who got the idea for the song’s title when they first met the sisters. The sisters’ grandmother was an opera singer who taught the girls how to harmonize and invited them to sing at her church. As a result, in their early days of performing around Philadelphia, they were known as Mrs. Williams’ Granddaughters. |
| Happiness | The Pointer Sisters | “Happiness” is a song by The Pointer Sisters, written by Allen Toussaint, which was released in early 1979. |
| Respect Yourself | Bruce Willis | In 1986, American actor Bruce Willis (as his fictitious alter-ego Bruno Radolini) began a short-lived singing career. Willis covered the Staple Singers’ seventies hit “Respect Yourself” for his 1987 album ‘The Return of Bruno’, featuring backing vocals by the Pointer Sisters; June Pointer also sings a verse. |
| If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me) | The Staple Singers | “If You’re Ready (Come Go with Me)” is a song by the Staple Singers. The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing family band, composed of patriarch Roebuck “Pops” Staples, Cleotha, Pervis, Mavis and Yvonne who replaced her brother when he was drafted into the U.S. Army, and again in 1970. |
| I Can See Clearly Now | Johnny Nash | Houston, Texas’ born Johnny Nash wrote and performed “I Can See Clearly Now”, a song of hope and courage for individuals who have experienced adversity in their lives but have overcome it. |
| The Tide Is High | Blondie | “The Tide Is High” is 1967 song originally recorded by the Jamaican group The Paragons, written by John Holt. Australian producer Mike Chapman helped American band Blondie to record their number hit version in 1980. |
| For me … Formidable | Charles Aznavour | “Formidable” is a French love song, composed by Charles Aznavour, and written by Jacques Plante, based on the theme of a “humorous declaration of love by Charles Aznavour in Franglais.” The singer loves the woman he is singing for. He sang in French because it is a more romantic language than English, and he wants her to understand how much he loves her. Even though she doesn’t seem to be interested in him. He’s actually wondering why he loves her at all since she mocks him and everything else. |
| Sympathique | Pink Martini | Thomas Lauderdale founded the “little orchestra” Pink Martini in 1994 to provide more beautiful and inclusive musical soundtracks for political fundraisers for causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, cleaning up the Willamette River, funding for libraries, public broadcasting, education and parks. China Forbes and Lauderdale co-wrote many of the band originals. Their first song – “Sympathique” (Je ne veus pas travailler) – became an overnight sensation in France, was nominated for “Song of the Year” at France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards, and to this day remains a mantra (“Je ne veux pas travailler” or “I don’t want to work”) for striking French workers. |
| Que Sera, Sera | Doris Day | Doris Day’s signature song “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) is a song written by the team of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans that was first published in 1955. Doris Day introduced it in the Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). |
| At Seventeen | Janis Ian | “At Seventeen” It is one of Janis Ian’s most commercially successful songs, considered by critics her signature song. “At Seventeen”, written by Janis Ian at the age of 23 and released in 1975, is a ballad about being a social outcast in high school, particularly with respect to adolescent cruelty and rejection. Some commentators viewed “At Seventeen” as a gay anthem by the line “I learned the truth at seventeen” as discovering one’s homosexuality. |
| Time In a Bottle | Jim Croce | “Time in a Bottle” is a song by singer-songwriter Jim Croce. He wrote the lyrics after his wife Ingrid told him she was pregnant in December 1970. Two years later, as Jim Croce’s songs were topping the music charts, his plane crashed in Natchitoches, Louisiana, on September 20, 1973, a week before his son’s second birthday. |
| Wonderful Life | Black | “Wonderful Life” by Black, aka Colin Vearncombe (1962-2016), The irony of this song is that it took Colin’s miserable situations that made him write the song (a couple of car crashes, mother’s serious illness, dropped by a record company, marriage breakup and being homeless). Moreover, he died from a car accident on his way to the airport to start writing sessions after the release of his new album “Blind Faith” in 2016. |
| Cherish the Day | Sade | “Cherish the Day” is a song by English band Sade, released in 1993. Sade’s minimalist lyrics… say all that needs to be said: a joyous soulful song embracing one to cherish each and every day. Helen Folasade Adu was born in Ibadan, Nigeria (1959) and best known as Sade Adu. Sade grew up listening to American soul music, particularly the wave led in the 1970’s by artists such as Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, and Bill Withers. |
| Lovely Day | Bill Withers | “Lovely Day” is a song by American soul and R&B singer Bill Withers, released in December 1977 and re-released multiple times since it was used in several adverts over the years. Toward the end of the song Withers holds a note for 18 seconds. |
| Don’t Get Me Wrong | The Pretenders | Written by Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, “Don’t Get Me Wrong” describes the complexities of love from a female perspective: “If you say hello and I take a ride Upon a sea where the mystic moon Is playing havoc with the tide”. |
| Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps | CAKE | Cuban songwriter Osvaldo Farrés wrote the original Spanish song (“Quizas Quizas Quizas”) which became a hit for Bobby Capó in 1947. A year later it got translated in English by Joe Davis. US Californian band CAKE released their version in 1996. The song is a plea for clarity and to finally know if their efforts are appreciated and reciprocated. |
| These Boots Were For Walkin | Nancy Sinatra | “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra. It charted on January 22, 1966, and reached No. 1 in the United States Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart. |
| Under My Thumb | The Rolling Stones | “Under My Thumb” by the English rock band the Rolling Stones is written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Brian Jones (their original lead guitarist) made it a musical gem thanks to the variety of instruments he played. |
| Wild World | Cat Stevens | “Wild World” is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens and released in 1970. Stevens was inspired by the end of his romance with model and actress Patti (lady) D’Arbanville. Patricia D’Arbanville is an American actress, known as the title character in the David Hamilton film Bilitis (1977). |
| Every Breath You Take | The Police | The Police frontman Sting (Gordon Sumner) wrote “Every Breath You Take”. Sting wrote the song in 1982 in the aftermath of his separation from Northern Irish actress Frances Tomelty and the beginning of his relationship with Trudie Styler. Sting declared it is about the obsession with a lost lover, and the jealousy and surveillance that follow. |
| In The Air Tonight | Phil Collins | The grim track “In The Air” as well as all songs on his Phil Collins’ album “Face Value” are referring to negative feelings surrounding his first divorce in 1980 from his wife, Andrea Bertorelli, a Candian-born former actress. |
| The Winner Takes It All | ABBA | “The Winner Takes It All” by ABBA was released in 1980. The sad experience of ABBA band members’ Bjorn and Agnetha’s divorce (the previous year) left its mark on the lyrics of “The Winner Takes It All”. This song was once voted “Britain’s Favourite Break-Up Song.” |
| Go Your Own Way | Fleetwood Mac | “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac released in 1977, the first single from the Rumours album, which became one of the best-selling of all time. Lindsey Buckingham wrote this as a message to Stevie Nicks. Stevie Nicks got equal time on the album with “Dreams,” her message to Lindsey Buckingham. While the Rumours album was being recorded, the marriage of John and Christine McVie (both of them Mac members) was also coming to an end. |
Sources
The information sources of the song facts include, but are not limited to, Wikipedia, songfacts.com, discogs.com, secondhandsongs.com, YouTube and artists’ related websites.
