Young Americans – David Bowie

Chart Position: 28

Released Feb 1975

• #486 on Rolling Stone magazines list of 500 greatest songs
• Written by David Bowie
• Guitar: Carlos Alomar
• Keyboards: Mike Garson
• Backing vocals: Luther Vandross, Ava Cherry, Robin Clarke
• Saxophone: David Sanborn
• Produced by Tony Visconti
• Recorded in Philadelphia PA
• The line ‘I heard the news today, oh boy’ is from Beatles’ ‘A Day in the Life’ (1967)
• David Bowie has said this is a song about a newlywed couple who don’t know if they like each other
• This R&B-styled song signified David Bowie’s departure from the ‘glam rock’ style he helped popularize
• U.S. president Richard Nixon is mentioned in this song; he resigned from office only three days before the song was recorded
• Later recorded by The Cure (1995), Braids (1998), Danny Michel (2004), Eight to the Bar (2005), Classic Rock String Quartet (2004), Replica Schmeplica (2007), Hit Co. (2009), Eddy McManus (2011), Lea DeLaria (2015), Loser’s Lounge (2015), Meridian String Quartet (2014), Jellyman’s Daughter (2016), Susan Hyatt (2016), Jasen Samford (2016), Jeff Duff (2017), Louder Than Milk (2017), Durand Jones & Indications (2020), Guitar Tribute Players (2020), Hindley St Country Club (2020) and many others

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Spider Jiving – Andy Fairweather Low

Chart Position: NR

• Written by Andy Fairweather Low
• Guitar: Andy Fairweather Low
• Harmonica: Charlie McCoy
• Backing vocals: Mary & Ginger Hollyday, Lea Jane Berinata and Diane Davidson
• Horns: Memphis Horns
• Recorded in San Francisco CA
• Andy Fairweather Low is a former member of Amen Corner
• Andy Fairweather Low is from Cardiff Wales
• This is Andy Fairweather Low’s only hit single
• Later recorded by Big Ben Atkins (1982) and Eric Clapton & Andy Fairweather Low (2013)

Shaving Cream – Benny Bell

Chart Position: 30

Released Feb 1975

• Originally recorded by Paul Wynn (1946)
• Written and produced by Benny Bell
• This 1940s era song was popularized on the Dr. Demento radio program
• This is Benny Bell’s biggest hit single
• Benny Bell died Jul 1999
• Also recorded by Cats (1970), Fabulous Five Inc. (1975), Jolly Boys (1989), Dave Van Ronk (2005) and Uncle Floyd & Oogie (2018)

When Will I Be Loved – Linda Ronstadt

Chart Position: 2

Released Mar 1975

• Originally recorded by Everly Brothers (1960)
• Written by Phil Everly
• Keyboards: Andrew Gold
• Guitar: Andrew Gold
• Backing vocals: Kenny Edwards, Andrew Gold
• Produced by Peter Asher
• Recorded in Los Angeles CA
• Andrew Gold played many of the instruments on the two top-selling singles (this song and ‘You’re No Good’) from the 1974 LP Heart Like a Wheel
• This is the ‘a’ side of ‘It Doesn’t Matter Anymore’ (1975)
• Also recorded by Brooks Brothers (1960), Per Elvis (1960), Don Duke (1960), Johnny Chester & Chessmen (1965), Manfred Mann (1966), John Denver (1967), The Bunch (1972), Phillip Goodhand-Tait (1972), Tanya Tucker (1975), Holladay Sisters (1975), Bobby Vinton (1976), Susan Raye (1976), Rosemary Clooney (1976), Wayne Newton (1976), Suzanne Prentice (1976), Beggars’ Hill (1976), Bruce Millar (1976), Tennessee Guitars (1977), Saskia & Serge (1977), Sound Effects (1977), Gloria Belle (1978), Bobby Atkins & Countrymen (1978), Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds (1980), Half & Half (1982), Frankie Laine (1986), Little River Band (1988), Grant & Forsyth (1991), Vince Gill w/Karla Bonoff (1994), Cliff Richard w/Phil Everly (1994), Fleetwood Mac (1995), Billy Swan (1996), Janet Villas (2002), Elizabeth Keeney (2003), Deborah Coleman (2004), Omigosh (2008), John Fogerty w/Bruce Springsteen (2009), Robyn Spangler (2011), Amber Joy Poulton (2011), Ed Payne (2012), Touch of Grey Band (2013), Niki & Ed (2015), Robertson Brothers (2015), Stella Parton (2016), Bluejays (2016), Devil’s Daughters (2018), Bridge Motel (2020), Whiskey Jean & Chasers (2022), Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star (2022) and many others

Cut the Cake – Average White Band

Chart Position: 10

Released Mar 1975

• Written by Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart, Robbie McIntosh, Roger Ball, Malcolm Duncan and Steve Ferrone
• Lead vocals: Hamish Stuart
• Keyboards: Roger Ball
• Guitar: Hamish Stuart, Alan Gorrie, Onnie McIntyre
• Saxophone: Roger Ball, Malcolm Duncan
• Backing vocals: Onnie McIntyre
• Produced by Arif Mardin
• Recorded in New York City NY
• Drummer Robbie McIntosh died in 1974
• Later recorded by Jeff Gollub (2002)

Thank You Baby – Stylistics

Chart Position: NR

• Lead vocals: Airrion Love and Russell Thompkins Jr.
• Backing vocals: James Smith, James Dunn & Herb Murrell
• Produced by Hugo & Luigi
• Recorded in New York City NY

I Can’t Tell You Why – Eagles

Chart Position: 8

Released Feb 1980

• Written by Glenn Frey, Timothy B Schmidt and Don Henley
• Lead vocals: Timothy B. Schmidt
• Guitar: Don Felder
• Keyboards: Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Joe Vitale
• Backing vocals: Don Henley, Glenn Frey
• Produced by Bill Szymczyk
• Recorded in Los Angeles CA
• Timothy B. Schmidt, who had replaced Randy Meisner in Poco in 1969, replaced Meisner again in The Eagles in 1979
• Later recorded by Kenny G (1982), Gerald Alston (1988), Howard Hewett (1990), Beelzebubs (1991), Karl Keaton (1993), Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band (1993), Vince Gill (1993), Brownstone (1995), Spectrum (1994), Tracy Wong (1996), Mirage Band (1995), Nashville Superpickers (1994), Larry Carlton (2001), Cruel Sea (2002), Bostick (2004), Charles Simmons (2005), Peter Calo (2002), Vitamin String Quartet (2003), Lazlo Bane (2007), Grassmasters (2006), Nona Reeves (2011), Geyster (2012), Swon Brothers (2013), Dixleys (2014), Martin Nievera (2014), Diana Krall (2015), Crosby Stills & Nash w/Joe Walsh (2016), Guitar Dreamers (2016), Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star (2016), Linda Lavin (2020) and many others

When a Man Loves a Woman – Bette Midler

Chart Position: 35

Released

• From the film The Rose
• Originally recorded by Percy Sledge (1966)
• Written by Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright
• Guitar: Danny Weis, Steve Hunter
• Keyboards: Robbie Buchanan
• Backing vocals: Bill Champlin, Donny Gerard
• Produced by Paul Rothchild
• Recorded in Los Angeles CA
• Also recorded by Joe Simon (1966), Elgins (1966), Floyd Cramer (1966), Soulful Strings (1966), Spencer Davis Group (1966), Bud Shank (1966), Esther Phillips (1966), James Brown (1966), Mae West (1966), We Five (1966), Thee Midniters (1966), Capitols (1966), Jane Morgan (1966), Ripple Blast Singers (1966), Z.Z. Hill (1967), Ace Cannon (1967), Eddie Harris (1967), Willie Mitchell (1967), Wes Montgomery (1967), Kitty Lester (1966), Johnny Rivers (1967), King Curtis (1967), Jerry Butler (1968), Maxine Brown (1968), Shirley Scott (1968), Pat Riccio (1968), Paul Nero (1968), Paul Mauriat (1968), Isabel Bond (1968), Mystics (1968), Lou Rawls (1969), Darrel Banks (1969), Pacific Gas & Electric (1970), Now Generation (1970), Karen Dalton (1971), Spooner Oldham (1972), Laura Lee (1972), Reuben Howell (1973), Jerry Lee Lewis (1973), Rita Hovink (1973), Tommy McLain (1975), Roger Troy (1976), O.V. Wright (1977), Dobie Gray (1977), James & Bobby Purify (1977), Harry Hippy (1977), Leon Russell (1978), Rare Earth (1978), Burton Cummings (1978), Second Life (1978), Dean Conn (1980), Arlen Roth (1980), United Singers (1980), Richard Clayderman (1980), Natalie Cole (1981), Silver Condor (1983), Demis Roussos (1984), Hank Crawford (1984), Johnny “C” (1986), Solomon Burke (1986), Freddie Roy (1987), Art Garfunkel (1988), Jimmy Barnes (1988), John Berry (1990), Michael Bolton (1991), Barbara Mandrell (1991), Ronnie McDowell (1992), Flash Cadillac (1994), Dakotas (1995), James Last (1994), Bernard Purdie (1996), Kenny Rogers (1996), Blowing Free (1996), John Cowan (1997), Gregorian (1999), Danny Wright (1999), Shirley Brown (2000), Lee Towers (2000), Flames (2002), Jan Nielsen (2003), Cotton Club Singers (2004), Andy Abraham (2006), Aaron Neville (2006), Avid All Stars (2007), Alexander O’Neal (2008), Sam Levine (2008), Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. (2008), MacDonald Brothers (2008), Tribute Co. (2010), David Clayton-Thomas (2010), Ben Saunders (2011), Michael Bolton w/Seal (2011), Tim Halperin (2011), Patrick Adams (2012), LaRaDos (2014), David Clooney (2014), Hugh Maynard (2015), Hurricane Ruth (2015), Jillian Edwards (2016), Straight No Chaser (2018), Home Free (2021) and many others

Come Back – J. Geils Band

Chart Position: 32

Released Jan 1980

• Written by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman
• Lead vocals: Peter Wolf
• Keyboards: Seth Justman
• Guitar: J. Geils
• Produced by Seth Justman
• Recorded in North Brookfield MA

Lost in Love – Air Supply

Chart Position: 3

Released Jan 1980

• Written by Graham Russell
• Vocals: Graham Russell, Russell Hitchcock
• Guitar: Graham Russell, Tommy Emanuel
• Keyboards: Frank Esler-Smith
• Backing vocals: David Moyse
• Produced by Rick Chertoff and Charles Fisher
• Recorded in Sydney Australia
• Air Supply is from Melbourne Australia
• Later recorded by Allison Durbin (1979), Dickey Lee w/Kathy Burdick (1980), Demis Roussos (1980), King’s Singers (1981), Midnight Strings Orchestra (1981), Eyes Only (1996), Deep Obsession (1998), Chevelles (2000), Reggae Disco Rockers (2005), Marshall & Alexander (2006), Serenadas (2008), Hit Co. (2010) and Simone Kopmajer (2017)