Showing posts with label Rod Stewart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rod Stewart. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Folk Rock: Top 100 Songs

Folk Rock:

Top 100 Songs

Originally this was a list of the top top folk and folk rock songs. However, I’ve now split it into two lists – one focused on folk and traditional songs and this one focused on folk rock songs. These lists were generated by aggregating multiple lists that focused on folk and folk rock and then reordering the songs based on their overall status in Dave’s Music Database.

Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.

1. Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)
2. Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965)
3. The Animals “The House of the Rising Sun” (1964)
4. Rod Stewart “Maggie May” (1971)
5. Simon & Garfunkel “The Sounds of Silence” (1965)
6. The Byrds (1965), Bob Dylan (1965) “Mr. Tambourine Man”
7. Buffalo Springfield “For What It’s Worth” (1966)
8. The Mamas & the Papas “California Dreamin’” (1966)
9. Neil Young “Heart of Gold” (1972)
10. Simon & Garfunkel “Mrs. Robinson” (1968)

11. James Taylor “Fire and Rain” (1970)
12. Bob Dylan (1963), Peter, Paul & Mary (1963) “Blowin’ in the Wind”
13. The Turtles “Happy Together” (1967)
14. Carole King “It’s Too Late” (1971)
15. The Byrds (1965), Judy Collins (1963), Pete Seeger (1959) “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)”
16. Sonny & Cher “I Got You Babe” (1965)
17. America “A Horse with No Name” (1971)
18. Crosby, Stills & Nash “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” (1969)
19. Bob Dylan “The Times They Are A-Changin’” (1964)
20. Bob Dylan “Tangled Up in Blue” (1975)

21. Joni Mitchell “Big Yellow Taxi” (1970)
22. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Ohio” (1970)
23. The Mamas & the Papas “Monday Monday” (1966)
24. The Beatles “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” (1965)
25. The Lovin’ Spoonful “Summer in the City” (1966)
26. The Youngbloods “Get Together” (1967)
27. Simon & Garfunkel “The Boxer” (1969)
28. Scott McKenzie “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)” (1967)
29. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Teach Your Children” (1970)
30. Bob Dylan “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (1965)

31. America “Ventura Highway” (1972)
32. Donovan “Sunshine Superman” (1966)
33. Cat Stevens “Morning Has Broken” (1971)
34. Gordon Lightfoot “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (1976)
35. Simon & Garfunkel “Scarborough Fair/Canticle” (1966)
36. Neil Young “Cinnamon Girl” (1969)
37. Leonard Cohen “Suzanne” (1967)
38. Harry Nilsson “Everybody’s Talkin’” (1968)
39. Barry McGuire “Eve of Destruction” (1965)
40. Joni Mitchell “A Case of You” (1971)

41. The Lovin’ Spoonful “Do You Believe in Magic?” (1965)
42. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Our House” (1970)
43. Neil Young “Old Man” (1972)
44. Love “Alone Again Or” (1967)
45. The Searchers “Needles and Pins” (1964)
46. Bob Dylan “Hurricane” (1975)
47. Bob Dylan “Positively 4th Street” (1965)
48. Joni Mitchell (1970), Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970), Matthews’ Southern Comfort (1970), Assembled Multitude (1970) “Woodstock”
49. Janis Ian “At Seventeen” (1975)
50. Pete Seeger (1963), Joan Baez (1963) “We Shall Overcome”

51. Donovan “Mellow Yellow” (1966)
52. Cat Stevens “Wild World” (1970)
53. Crosby, Stills & Nash “Marrakesh Express” (1969)
54. Simon & Garfunkel “Homeward Bound” (1966)
55. Bob Dylan (1963), Peter, Paul & Mary (1963) “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”
56. Bob Dylan “Just Like a Woman” (1966)
57. Bob Dylan “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” (1966)
58. The Rooftop Singers “Walk Right In” (1962)
59. The Byrds “So You Wanna Be a Rock and Roll Star” (1967)
60. Neil Young “Southern Man” (1970)

61. The Lovin’ Spoonful “Daydream” (1966)
62. Judy Collins (1968), Joni Mitchell (1969), Dave Van Ronk (1969) “Both Sides Now”
63. Peter, Paul & Mary “Puff the Magic Dragon” (1963)
64. Bob Dylan (1964, The Byrds (1967) “My Back Pages”
65. Simon & Garfunkel “I Am a Rock” (1966)
66. Donovan “Catch the Wind” (1965)
67. Buffalo Springfield “Mr. Soul” (1967)
68. Pete Seeger (1963), Peter, Paul & Mary (1962), Trini Lopez (1963) “If I Had a Hammer”
69. The Mamas & the Papas “Creeque Alley” (1967)
70. Bob Dylan “I Want You” (1966)

71. Arlo Guthrie “Alice’s Restaurant” (1967)
72. Crosby, Stills & Nash “Wooden Ships” (1969)
73. Peter, Paul & Mary (1969), John Denver (1969) “Leaving on a Jet Plane”
74. The Byrds “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better” (1965)
75. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Helplessly Hoping” (1969)
76. You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (1965)
77. The Grass Roots “Let’s Live for Today” (1967)
78. Neil Young “Down by the River” (1969)
79. The Turtles “It Ain't Me Babe” (1965)
80. The Mamas & the Papas “Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)” (1967)

81. Country Joe & the Fish “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag” (1967)
82. Led Zeppelin “Gallows Pole” (1970)
83. Hedy West (1961), Bobby Bare (1963), Peter, Paul & Mary (1963), Joan Baez (1965) “500 Miles”
84. The Brothers Four “Greenfields” (1960)
85. Joan Baez “Diamonds and Rust” (1975)
86. The Association “Along Comes Mary” (1966)
87. The Lovin’ Spoonful “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice” (1965)
88. Bob Dylan “Masters of War” (1963)
89. Joni Mitchell “The Circle Game” (1970)
90. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young “Helpless” (1970)

91. Simon & Garfunkel “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” (1966)
92. Leonard Cohen “Famous Blue Raincoat” (1971)
93. Pete Seeger (1962), The Kingston Trio (1962), Joan Baez (1965) “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”
94. Gale Garnett “We'll Sing in the Sunshine” (1964)
95. Neil Young “After the Gold Rush” (1970)
96. Tim Hardin (1967), Bobby Darin (1966) “If I Were a Carpenter”
97. Buffy Sainte-Marie (1964), Donovan (1965) “Universal Soldier”
98. Janis Ian “Society’s Child (Baby I’ve Been Thinking)” (1967)
99. The Mamas & the Papas “I Saw Her Again” (1966)
100. Phil Ochs “I Ain't Marchin’ Anymore” (1965)

Resources/Related Links:

First posted 4/19/2020; last updated 11/18/2025.

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Thursday, January 19, 2023

Jeff Beck: Top 30 Songs

Jeff Beck

Top 30 Songs

Jeff Beck was born on June 24, 1944, in Wallington, Surrey, England. He died on January 10, 2023 at age 78. He is considered one of the best and most influential guitarists of all time, being credited with how his experimentation with feedback, distortion, and fuzz tone opened the door for psychedelic rock. All Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine called him “as innovative as Jimmy Page, as tasteful as Eric Clapton, and nearly as visionary as Jimi Hendrix.”

He became well-known as a guitarist with the Yardbirds from 1965 to 1967 before forming his own group, The Jeff Beck Group, which lasted from 1967 to 1972. The next year he recorded an album with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, both of Vanilla Fudge. He then became a solo artist, largely recording instrumental albums.

He only released three solo albums in the 1980s, but in 1984 he worked with The Honeydrippers, a one-time supergroup which also featured Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and Nile Rodgers. In the ‘90s, he played guitar on a number of projects, including Jon Bon Jovi’s solo album Blaze of Glory (1990), Roger Waters’ Amused to Death (1992), Kate Bush’s The Red Shoes (1993), and Paul Rodgers’ Muddy Water Blues (1993).

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds in 1992. He was inducted a second time as a solo artist in 2009. He won eight Grammys from 1985 to 2010.

For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

Spotify Podcast:

Check out the podcast Remembering Jeff Beck, 1944-2023, based on this list. Debut: January 18, 2023, at 7pm CST. New episodes based on Dave’s Music Database lists are posted every Tuesday at 7pm CST.

Awards:

Top 30 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.)

DMDB Top 5%:

1. Shapes of Things (Yardbirds, 1966)
2. Heart Full of Soul (Yardbirds, 1965)

DMDB Top 10%:

3. Rockin’ at Midnight (The Honeydrippers, 1984)

DMDB Top 20%:

4. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (Yardbirds, 1966)
5. People Get Ready (with Rod Stewart, 1985)
6. Over Under Sideways Down (Yardbirds, 1966)
7. Beck’s Bolero (Jeff Beck Group, 1967)
8. I Ain’t Superstitious (Jeff Beck Group, 1968)
9. I’m a Man (Yardbirds, 1965)
10. Ol’ Man River (Jeff Beck Group, 1968)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

11. Down So Long (live with Sting from Live for Life, 1986)
12. Freeway Jam (1975)
13. ‘Cause We’ve Ended Up As Lovers (1975)
14. Hi-Ho Silver Lining (1967)
15. Goo Goo Barabajagal (Love Is Hot) (Donovan with the Jeff Beck Group, 1969)
16. Plynth (Water Down the Drain) (Jeff Beck Group, 1969)
17. Tallyman (1967)
18. I’ve Been Drinking (Jeff Beck Group, 1968)
19. Manic Depression (with Seal, 1993)
20. She’s a Woman (1975)

21. Evil Hearted You (Yardbirds, 1965)
22. Love Is Blue (L'Amour Est Blue) (Jeff Beck Group, 1968)
23. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (1976)
24. Like a Rolling Stone (with Seal, 2012)
25. Going Down (Jeff Beck Group, 1972)
26. Gets Us All in the End (1985)
27. Still I’m Sad (Yardbirds, 1965)
28. Train Kept A-Rollin’ (Yardbirds, 1965)
29. A Day in the Life (1998)
30. Scatter Brain (1975)

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 1/17/2023; last updated 1/19/2023.

 
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Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Music Maker Inductees (September 2020)

Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 Acts

Originally posted 9/22/2020.

January 22, 2019 marked the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog! To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announced its own Hall of Fame. This seventh class of music maker inductees celebrates some of the all-time Billboard Hot 100 acts from 1958-2015 (see the full list here). These are the top 20 from that list, minus previous inductees, which included the Beatles, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Prince, The Rolling Stones, and Stevie Wonder.

See the full list of music maker inductees here.

Bee Gees (active 1966-2001)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

Pop/disco trio from Manchester, England consisting of brothers Barry and twins Maurice and Robin. They first performed in December 1955. They went to Australia in 1958; performed as the Gibbs, later as BG’s, finally the Bee Gees. Returned to England in February 1967. In 1969, each tried a solo career. Reunited the next year. Best known for 1977’s Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, which is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time. “Stayin’ Alive” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era. Read more.

Chicago (active 1967-)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

Jazz-oriented rock group formed in Chicago. Originally called The Big Thing; later Chicago Transit Authority. Members included Peter Cetera (v/b: 67-85), Robert Lamm (k/v), James Pankow (trombone), Lee Loughnane (trumpet), Terry Kath (g; died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot on 1/23/78 at age 31), Walt Parazaider (reeds), Danny Seraphine (d: 67-89), Donnie Dacus (g: 78-79), Bill Champlin (k: 82-), Jason Scheff (v: 85-), and DaWayne Bailey (g: 89-). Best known for #1 songs “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” and “Look Away” as well as album rock staples “25 or 6 to 4” and “Saturday in the Park.” Read more.

Daryl Hall & John Oates (active 1974-)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

Pop-rock, blue-eyed-soul duo. Met while students at Temple University in 1967. Hall sang backup for many top soul groups before teaming up with Oates in 1972. In the late 1980s, they passed the Everly Brothers as the #1 charting duo of the rock era. Had #1 pop hits with “Rich Girl,” “Kiss on My List,” “Private Eyes,” “I Can’t Go for That,” “Maneater” and “Out of Touch.” Read more.

Janet Jackson (1966-)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

R&B/pop singer born in Gary, Indiana. Youngest of nine children. Her older brothers, including Michael Jackson, were in the Jackson 5. She debuted at age 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with her brothers. She was a regular on TV’s Good Times (1977-79), Diff’rent Strokes (1981-82) and Fame (1984-85) before becoming a superstar singer. She had #1 hits with “When I Think of You,” “Miss You Much,” “Escapade,” “Black Cat,” “Love Will Never Do Without You,” and “That’s the Way Love Goes.” Read more.

Paul McCartney (1942-)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

Rock singer/songwriter and bassist born James Paul McCartney in Liverpool, England. With the Quarrymen and the Beatles (60-70) before going solo and recording with the Wings (71-79). He had #1 hits with “My Love,” “Band on the Run,” “Listen to What the Man Said,” “Silly Love Songs,” “With a Little Luck,” “Coming Up,” “Ebony and Ivory” (a duet with Stevie Wonder), and “Say, Say, Say” (a duet with Michael Jackson). Read more.

Olivia Newton-John (1948-)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

Country/pop singer born in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. With Pat & Olivia duo and group Tomorrow before going solo. Moved to Australia in 1953. At age 16, won talent contest to England. CMA Award for 1974 Female Vocalist of the Year. In movies Grease, whose soundtrack is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time, as well as Xanadu, and Two of a Kind. Had #1 hits with “I Honestly Love You,” “Have You Never Been Mellow,” “You’re the One That I Want,” “Magic,” and “Physical.” Read more.

Rihanna (1988-)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

Pop/R&B singer born in Saint Michael, Barbados. Youngest artist (age 23) in Billboard history to land 10 #1’s. “Umbrella,” “Love the Way You Lie,” “We Found Love,” and “Work” are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Digital Era. Read more.

Rod Stewart (1945-)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

Rock singer born Roderick David Stewart in Highgate, London, England. With the Shotgun Express (66),Jeff Beck Group (67-69), andThe Faces (69-75). Has worked as a solo artist since 1969. “Maggie May” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era. He had #1 hits with that song, “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright), “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?,” and “All for Love.” Read more.

The Supremes (active 1959-1976)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

Female R&B vocal group from Detroit. Formed as The Primettes in 1959. Signed to Motown’s Tamla label in 1960. Changed name to The Supremes in 1961. Members included Diana Ross (59-69), Mary Wilson (59-76), Florence Ballard (59-67; died 2/22/76), Barbara Martin (59-61), Cindy Birdsong (67-76), Jean Terrell (69-73), Lynda Lawrence (72-73), Scherrie Payne (73-76), and Susaye Green (76). Had a dozen #1 hits including “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” and “You Can’t Hurry Love,” all of which rank in the DMDB’s top 1% of songs. Read more.

Usher (1978-)

Inducted September 2020 as a “Top Billboard Hot 100 Act”

R&B singer born Usher Raymond IV on 10/14/1978 in Dallas, TX. “Yeah!” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Digital Era. His album Confessions ranks in the top 100 albums of the 21st century. Read more.
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Friday, May 29, 2020

The Top 100 Songs by Singers/Songwriters

First posted 4/22/2020; updated 5/29/2020.

Singers & Songwriters:

Top 100 Songs, 1970-1979

The Singers and Songwriters compilations were a series of albums issued in the early 2000s by Time-Life. The U.S. series covered 445 songs over 19 volumes. The focus of the albums was on the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s. That meant most songs were written and performed by the same artist and most were released from 1970 to 1979 and fit most comfortably into the genre known as “soft rock” or “adult contemporary.”

To create this list, Dave’s Music Database took all 445 songs featured on the collections and ranked them according to their overall DMDB status. Non-‘70s songs were left off this list, but songs not necessarily recorded by the same artist who initially wrote them are included. A few other lists were also factored in to include some important songs not featured on any of the collections. Here are the results:

1. Elton John “Your Song” (1970)
2. Rod Stewart “Maggie May” (1971)
3. Don McLean “American Pie” (1971)
4. Carole King “It’s Too Late” (1971)
5. Carly Simon “You’re So Vain” (1972)
6. Harry Chapin “Cat’s in the Cradle” (1974)
7. Warren Zevon “Werewolves of London” (1978)
8. Janis Ian “At Seventeen” (1975)
9. Cat Stevens “Wild World” (1970)
10. John Lennon “Imagine” (1971)

11. George Harrison “My Sweet Lord” (1970)
12. Neil Young “Heart of Gold” (1972)
13. Elvis Costello “Alison” (1977)
14. David Bowie “Life on Mars?” (1973)
15. Jackson Brown “Running on Empty” (1978)
16. Gordon Lightfoot “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (1976)
17. Eagles “New Kid in Town” (1976)
18. Lou Reed “Perfect Day” (1972)
19. Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” (1971)
20. Janis Joplin “Me and Bobby McGee” (1971)

21. America “A Horse with No Name” (1971)
22. Harry Nilsson “Without You” (1971)
23. Elton John “Tiny Dancer” (1971)
24. Gerry Rafferty “Baker Street” (1978)
25. Elton John “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (1973)
26. Roberta Flack “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (1970)
27. Bill Withers “Lean on Me” (1972)
28. James Taylor “Fire and Rain” (1970)
29. Commodores “Three Times a Lady” (1978)
30. The Doobie Brothers “Black Water” (1974)

31. 10cc “I’m Not in Love” (1975)
32. Elton John “Daniel” (1972)
33. The Grateful Dead “Truckin’” (1970)
34. Gladys Knight & the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia” (1973)
35. The Temptations “Just My Imagination Running Away with Me” (1971)
36. Elton John “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (1974)
37. Todd Rundgren “Hello It’s Me” (1972)
38. Stealers Wheel “Stuck in the Middle with You” (1973)
39. Marvin Gaye “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology Song)” (1971)
40. The Doobie Brothers “What a Fool Believes” (1978)

41. Chicago “If You Leave Me Now” (1976)
42. The Doobie Brothers “Listen to the Music” (1972)
43. Daryl Hall & John Oates “She’s Gone” (1973)
44. Peter Frampton “Baby I Love Your Way” (1975)
45. Fleetwood Mac “You Make Loving Fun” (1977)
46. Eric Carmen “All by Myself” (1975)
47. Grateful Dead “Uncle John’s Band” (1970)
48. Commodores “Easy” (1977)
49. Dobie Gray “Drift Away” (1973)
50. Elton John “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” (1975)

51. Gary Wright “Dream Weaver” (1975)
52. Stephen Stills “Love the One You’re With” (1970)
53. America “Ventura Highway” (1972)
54. Todd Rundgren “I Saw the Light” (1972)
55. Three Dog Night “Mama Told Me Not to Come” (1970)
56. America “Sister Golden Hair” (1975)
57. Cat Stevens “Morning Has Broken” (1971)
58. Rick Nelson & the Stone Canyon Band “Garden Party” (1972)
59. Commodores “Still” (1979)
60. Elvin Bishop “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” (1976)

61. Fleetwood Mac “Say You Love Me” (1975)
62. Brook Benton “Rainy Night in Georgia” (1970)
63. Rod Stewart “You Wear It Well” (1972)
64. Commodores “Sail On” (1979)
65. Stephen Bishop “On and On” (1977)
66. Jefferson Starship “Miracles” (1975)
67. Grateful Dead “Sugar Magnolia” (1970)
68. Grateful Dead “Friend of the Devil” (1970)
69. Gary Wright “Love Is Alive” (1975)
70. Stevie Wonder “Superstition” (1972)

71. Paul Simon “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” (1975)
72. Dolly Parton “Jolene” (1973)
73. Terry Jacks “Seasons in the Sun” (1974)
74. Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing” (1978)
75. Gilbert O’Sullivan “Alone Again (Naturally)” (1972)
76. Tony Orlando & Dawn “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” (1973)
77. Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy” (1975)
78. Jim Croce “Time in a Bottle” (1972)
79. Elton John & Kiki Dee “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” (1976)
80. Rod Stewart “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” (1976)

81. Olivia Newton-John “I Honestly Love You” (1974)
82. Eric Clapton “I Shot the Sheriff” (1974)
83. Al Stewart “Year of the Cat” (1976)
84. Joe Cocker “You Are So Beautiful” (1974)
85. Johnny Nash “I Can See Clearly Now” (1972)
86. John Denver “Take Me Home, Country Roads” (1971)
87. Charlie Rich “The Most Beautiful Girl” (1973)
88. Starland Vocal Band “Afternoon Delight” (1976)
89. Linda Ronstadt “You’re No Good” (1974)
90. Captain & Tennille “Love Will Keep Us Together” (1975)

91. Christopher Cross “Sailing” (1979)
92. Rupert Holmes “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” (1979)
93. Bill Withers “Ain’t No Sunshine” (1971)
94. Player “Baby Come Back” (1977)
95. Jim Croce “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” (1973)
96. Blue Swede “Hooked on a Feeling” (1974)
97. Tony Orlando & Dawn “Knock Three Times” (1970)
98. John Denver “Sunshine on My Shoulders” (1971)
99. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band “Mr. Bojangles” (1970)
100. Mary MacGregor “Torn Between Two Lovers” (1976)

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Friday, January 10, 2020

Rod Stewart: Top 100 Songs

First posted 1/2/2020; updated 1/5/2020.

Rod Stewart

image from Billboard.com

Rock singer Roderick David Stewart was born on this day (January 10) in 1945 in Highgate, London, England. He worked with the Shotgun Express (1966), the Jeff Beck Group (1967-69), and The Faces (69-75) and has maintained a solo career since 1969. His song, “Maggie May,” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, 1954-1999.

Awards:

Top 100 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Stewart’s work with the Jeff Beck Group and The Faces are includes as well as his solo material. Songs are solo hits unless noted otherwise. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.)

DMDB Top 1%:

1. Maggie May (1971) #1 US, CB, HR, UK, CN, AU
2. Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright) (1976) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, CN
3. Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? (1978) #1 US, CB, HR, RR, UK, CN, AU

DMDB Top 5%:

4. All for Love (Bryan Adams with Sting & Rod Stewart, 1993) #1 US, CB, RR, CN, AU
5. Sailing (1975) #1 UK
6. You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim) (1977) #1 RR, CN, AU
7. Have I Told You Lately (1991) #1 AC, CN
8. Stay with Me (The Faces, 1971)
9. The First Cut Is the Deepest (1976)
10. Downtown Train (1989) #1 CB, RR, AC, AR, CN

DMDB Top 10%:

11. I Don’t Want to Talk About It (1975) #1 UK
12. You Wear It Well (1972) #1 UK
13. Reason to Believe (1971)
14. Young Turks (1981)
15. This Old Heart of Mine (Rod Stewart & Ron Isley, 1989) #1 AC
16. Rhythm of My Heart (1991) #1 CB, CN
17. Passion (1980)
18. Tonight I’m Yours (1981) 19. I Know I’m Losing You (The Faces, 1971)
20. Forever Young (1988)
21. Hot Legs (1977)

DMDB Top 20%:

22. The Motown Song (Rod Stewart & the Temptations, 1991) #1 CN
23. Blue Moon (Rod Stewart & Eric Clapton, 2004)
24. Baby Jane (1983) #1 UK
25. People Get Ready (Rod Stewart & Jeff Beck, 1985)
26. Some Guys Have All the Luck (1984)
27. Handbags and Gladrags (1969)
28. The Killing of Georgie (1976)
29. Infatuation (1984)
30. Leave Virginia Alone (1995) #1 CN

31. I Was Only Joking (1977)
32. Twistin’ the Night Away (1972)
33. Love Touch (1986)
34. Get Back (1976)
35. They Can’t Take That Away from Me (2002)
36. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (Rod Stewart & Cher, 2003)
37. What Am I Gonna Do? (1983)
38. Your Song (1992)
39. Broken Arrow (1991)
40. My Heart Can’t Tell You No (1988)

41. Someone to Watch Over Me (2003)
42. Ain’t Love a Bitch (1978)
43. Angel (The Faces, 1972)
44. Lost in You (1988)
45. These Foolish Things Remind Me of You (2002)
46. Oh No, Not My Baby (1973)
47. Having a Party (live with Ron Wood, 1993)
48. In a Broken Dream (Python Lee Jackson with Rod Stewart, 1969)
49. Cindy Incidentally (The Faces, 1973)
50. Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
51. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (Rod Stewart with Dave Koz, 2012) #1 AC

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

52. Reason to Believe (live with Ron Wood, 1993)
53. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (2012)
54. It Takes Two (Rod Stewart & Tina Turner, 1990)
55. You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything (The Faces, 1974)
56. Winter Wonderland (Rod Stewart & Michael Buble, 2012)
57. Another Heartache (1986)
58. This Old Heart of Mine (1975)
59. Ooh La La (1998)
60. Every Beat of My Heart (1986)

61. Gasoline Alley (1970)
62. Baby It’s Cold Outside (Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton, 2004)
63. If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don’t Want to Be Right (1977)
64. If We Fall in Love Tonight (1996)
65. I’ve Got a Crush on You (Rod Stewart & Diana Ross, 2005)
66. Crazy About Her (1988)
67. I Can’t Deny It (2001)
68. How Long (1981)
69. So Far Away (1995)
70. What Made Milwaukee Famous (1972)

71. What a Wonderful World (Rod Stewart & Stevie Wonder, 2004)
72. Farewell/Bring It on Home to Me/You Send Me (1974)
73. Debris (The Faces, 1971)
74. I Don’t Want to Talk About It (1989)
75. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (2005)
76. Somebody Speical (1980)
77. Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (2006)
78. Mandolin Wind (1971)
79. Ole Ola (Muhler Brasileia) (Rod Stewart & the Scottish World Cup Squad, 1978)
80. I’ve Been Drinking (Jeff Beck Group, 1968)

81. Twistin’ the Night Away (1987)
82. Time After Time (2003)
83. Faith of the Heart (1999)
84. Pool Hall Richard (The Faces, 1973)
85. Street Fighting Man (1969)
86. It’s All Over Now (1970)
87. Cut Across Shorty (Rod Stewart live Ron Wood, 1993)
88. All Right Now (1984)
89. Beck’s Bolero (Jeff Beck Group, 1968)
90. Tom Traubert’s Blues (Waltzing Matilda) (1992)

91. Love Is Blue (L’Amour Est Blue) (Jeff Beck Group, 1968)
92. Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
93. Mine for Me (1974)
94. Gi’ Me Wings (1980)
95. My Girl (1980)
96. Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? (N-Trance with Rod Stewart, 1997)
97. Tora Tora Tora (Out with the Boys) (1981)
98. Jealous (1981)
99. Don’t Come Around Here (Rod Stewart with Helicopter Girl, 2001)
100. Guess I’ll Always Love You (live, 1998)

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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame

Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame:

2013-2015

According to the Ultimate Classic Rock, their Hall of Fame “is 100 percent fan-voted. Every artist who makes it into our hallowed hall has earned his or her spot there. We started this in March 2013. Since then, many of rock’s biggest names have been voted to victory. Take a look at some of the legends who have made it into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame.” The Hall appears to have been discontinued in 2015.

See other Hall of Fames.

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First posted 3/4/2015; last updated 7/12/2025.
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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Rock Memoirs Aren’t All About the Rich and Famous

Originally written for my PopMatters.com "Aural Fixation" column, but not published.

image from nytimes.com

Summary: This fall several superstars added their autobiographies to the ever-increasing market of rock memoirs. However, there’s a lesser-told story deserving of an audience as well: the life of working-class musicians who travel by van instead of private jet, tour clubs instead of stadiums, and are staying in dives instead of suites. Here’s one of their tales.
Music fans salivating for self-penned tales of debauchery and stardom from their favorite rock gods can dive into recent autobiographies from Pete Townshend (Who I Am: A Memoir, Harper), Neil Young (Waging Heavy Peace, Blue Rider Press), and Rod Stewart (Rod: The Autobiography, Crown Archetype). There’s an understandable appeal to getting a (hopefully) unguarded glimpse into the life of a legend. These are musical giants who have lived lives we mere mortals cannot imagine and likely could not have survived.

The bigger the star and the more sordid the life, the better. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Keith Richards’ Life did as well as it did. The guy personifies rock-n-roll at its baddest and best – arguably better than anyone else in history.

When unpacking the personal accounts of a superstar, however, fans aren’t just curious about how these legends achieved immortal status. Readers also want to peak behind the mask to see larger-than-life superheroes drop their oversized personas and reveal their humanity. People want to know that those who have attained unfathomable success have been plagued by fear and failure along the way.

A few months ago, Rob Sheffield put together a list for Rolling Stone on the best rock tomes (“The 25 Greatest Rock Memoirs of All Time,” 13 August 2012). Sheffield acknowledged the all-too-familiar rags-to-riches (and sometimes back to rags) blueprint of the rock memoir.

Unsurprisingly Sheffield’s list is populated with books on Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, and David Bowie. The more intriguing titles, however, are those about more unfamiliar names like Nick Kent and Kristin Hersch. As Sheffield says, “Great rock memoirs don’t always come from great artists: sometimes it takes one-hit wonders, losers, hacks, junkies, crooks.”

In that spirit, the book which caught my attention was Black Postcards (Penguin Books, 2008) by Dean Wareham.

Who?

Exactly. Readers keyed in to the indie-rock scene of the 1980s and ‘90s may know him as the frontman of Galaxie 500 and Luna, but if you’re like me you’d heard of him or his bands.

This seemed like more fertile soil than digging through the conventional bio of one of rock’s elite. For every superstar living a life of stadium tours, private jets, and hotel suites, there are hundreds of working-class musicians gigging in dives, traveling in cramped vans, and crashing in cheap motels.

Wareham actually achieved a measure of success many would be overjoyed to have – albums with tens of thousands in sales, appearances on national talk shows, and videos aired on MTV, even if only on a limited basis.

Still, there’s something which differentiates the Dean Warehams from the Keith Richards of the world. What motivates the musicians who have to keep their day jobs to keep slogging it out? Do they still believe they’ll make it big someday? Did they never dream of stardom in the first place?

For the uninitiated, here’s a brief overview of Wareham’s career. He tells how in the summer of 1987 he was in New York playing with Speedy and the Castanets. “There I was under the lights at CBGB for the first time in my life, just now realizing that I was onstage with a fool and that I needed to quit the band immediately” (p. 32).

After a summer of moping over a lost girlfriend and listening to Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers’ Back in your Life, he hooked up with Damon and Naomi, a pair of Harvard grad students who had dated since high school. As Wareham says, “You can spend your time placing ads…and sifting through messages left on your answering machine by idiot musicians…but the best thing is to start a band with your friends” (33). Galaxie 500, named after an old car, was born. As stated in their All Music bio, “their minimalist dirges presaged the rise of both the shoegazer and slowcore movements of the 1990s.”

However, when Wareham tired of butting heads with the voting block of his coupled rhythm section, he dissolved the band in 1990. After a solo EP in 1991, he formed Luna. With musical influences like Wire, Joy Division, New Order, and Sonic Youth, Wareham wasn’t exactly going to overcome what he cited as one of the dream-pop outfit’s biggest obstacles: they weren’t grunge. Nonetheless, Luna survived personnel changes over a twelve-year career which saw the release of seven studio albums.

I sought out a compilation and was a click away from buying it before opting to explore YouTube first. With apologies to Wareham disciples, I was unimpressed and the album remained on the virtual shelf.

The book left me with a similar dissatisfaction. Wareham chronicles nearly two decades of a life of touring small clubs in the U.S. and Europe. While there are the requisite tales of sexual conquests and drug binges, they are delivered with an aloofness suggesting nothing really excites him. The book cover says it all – a head shot of Wareham with a blank look on his face.

He reports celebrity run-ins with rapper Flavor Flav and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ lead singer Anthony Kiedis with a ho-hum detachment and a mere paragraph or two when seemingly a chapter’s worth of insight could be offered.

There’s also a quality of self-absorption. He was in New York in 2001 when terrorists brought down the twin towers. However, instead of offering moving insight into the immense tragedy happening right in front of him, he focuses on the personal turmoil of leaving his wife for Britta, the bassist in Luna.

The distance Wareham puts between himself and his lifestyle does provide the benefit of preventing this book from becoming a why-didn’t-we-make-it-big whine fest. Wareham confesses he’d “never lain awake at night dreaming of being a big rock star” (106) and that he wasn’t interested in shoehorning catchy choruses into his songs in return for radio airplay. He relayed a meeting in which he said, to the disappointment of the record executive, that he just wanted to make records. “It never occurred to me to want to be a household name.”

Dean Wareham lacked the necessary ambition and possibly talent to ever make it big. He was never destined to be a Pete Townshend, Neil Young, or Rod Stewart. He never dreamed of stardom, but Black Postcards offers an account of someone who succeeded. His life wasn’t necessarily one filled with passion, but Wareham seemed to live the life he wanted – and that’s all anyone can hope for.

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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I'm with the Drummer

Some 30 years ago, a new family moved into the cul de sac where my family lived. One of the four kids, Matt, was a couple years younger than me and ended up being the kind of playmate whose phone number is still lodged in your brain decades later. He was your average kid - until he got his drum set. Then he became that guy everyone knows will make it big - the guy who will be the celebrity at his high school reunion, the guy whose name will be dropped by people writing entries in personal blogs.

Oh, Matt isn't a household name, but he sure plays with one. In 2001, after a stint with Blondie, he became a technician for Rod Stewart, eventually turning that into an onstage gig as a percussionist and drummer. In the last decade, Matt has logged hundreds of nights all over the world supporting rock music's most famous gravelly voiced icon. However, at Kansas City's Sprint Center on July 28, 2009, there was a sizable crowd gathered for more than just Rod. One need only look at the 30 or so people gathered afterward to go backstage as Matt's guests.

Matt and I recently did the reconnect on Facebook thing, but before tonight I'm not sure when I last saw him. However, seeing him tonight was a wonderful treat. On stage, the highlight of the evening was when Matt and the other drummer, Dave Palmer, got their spotlight during the "Downtown Train" drum solo (or, I guess, drum "dual"). It was the most emotionally moving moment I've ever had at a concert. I heard this guy playing drums in his basement as a kid!

However, this wasn't just about bragging rights to say "I knew him when." This was about the powerful experience of seeing someone do what he loves, what he's been dedicated to for years, and seeing him reach the level of success he deserves for his passion and dedication.

Matt doesn't just deserve to be where he is because he's good at hitting things. When my brother and I and the rest of the "Matt groupies" chatted with him afterward, he was gracious, humble, and appreciative. You gotta figure the Blondies and Rod Stewarts and anyone else on his resume are there because of those skills as well as Matt's talent. Bravo to you, Matt. You've come a long way from a basement on Baltimore Ct. - and deservedly so.
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Friday, May 1, 1992

Jimmy Guterman: The Best Rock ‘n’ Roll Records of All Time

Jimmy Guterman:

The Best Rock ‘n’ Roll Records of All Time

In this book, critic Jimmy Guterman, who has written for Rolling Stone and other magazines, ranks what he considers the best rock albums of all time. He only allows one album per artist, a practice I consider absurd. Since when should the influence of acts like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, or Bob Dylan be restricted to one work to represent their vast impact on the rock genre? It becomes even sillier when he doesn’t even follow his own rule. His listings for Marvin Gaye, the Drifters, and Charlie Rich are really two albums each.

Still, Guterman does break with the equally ludicrous rule applied by some listmakers to not include live albums or compilations. This allows for the inclusion of artists like James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Chuck Berry who don’t usually have studio albums on best-of lists. He may have gone too far, however, considering roughly one third of the albums on this list are not traditional studio releases.

Finally, Guterman does include many familiar names, but falls into the trap of a rock critic pushing his favorites that the general public know nothing about. I get that this is a personal list, but by keying in so specifically on the rock genre, the implication is that these are vital albums to understanding the history of the genre. How much familiarity does the average person have with acts like the Morells or Arthur Alexander?

Check out other best-of album lists by individuals/critics here.

1. Rod Stewart Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
2. The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street (1972)
3. Van Morrison Astral Weeks (1968)
4. James Brown Star Time (box set: 1956-84, released 1991)
5. Otis Redding The Dictionary of Soul (1966)
6. Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (live, recorded 1964)
7. Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)
8. Chuck Berry The Chess Box (recorded 1955-73, released 1988)
9. Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987)
10. The Clash London Calling (1979)

11. Bob Dylan Ten of Swords (bootleg box set: 1961-66, released 1985)
12. Elvis Presley The Complete Burbank Sessions, Vol. 1 (live bootleg recorded 1968, released 1978)
13. The Beatles Please Please Me (1963)
14. Bruce Springsteen Nebraska (1982)
15. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Radio One (recorded live 1967, released 1988)
16. Lonnie Mack The Wham! of That Memphis Man (1963)
17. Dusty Springfield Dusty in Memphis (1969)
18. Various Artists 1000 Volts of Stax: Rare and Unissued Tracks from the Golden Era of Soul (compilation: 1967-73, released 1991)
19. Carl Perkins The Classic Carl Perkins (box set: 1954-65, released 1990)
20. Creedence Clearwater Revival Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)

21. Little Richard The Specialty Sessions (box set: 1955-64, released 1989)
22. Derek and the Dominos Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)
23. Ray Charles Live (live recordings: 1958-59, released 1973)
24. Bo Diddley Beach Party (live recordings: 1963, released 1964)
25. Various Artists Greatest Rap Hits, Vol. 2 (compilation: 1981)
26. Neil Young Tonight’s the Night (recorded 1973, released 1975)
27. Marvin Gaye What’s Going On (1971) / Let’s Get It On (1973)
28. Elvis Costello King of America (1986)
29. Smokey Robinson Where There’s Smoke… (1979)
30. Jason & the Scorchers Fervor (1984)

31. Robert Cray Strong Persuader (1986)
32. The Moonglows Look! It’s the Moonglows (1956)
33. Pretenders Pretenders (1979)
34. Jackie Wilson The Jackie Wilson Story (compilation, released 1983)
35. Roy Orbison For the Lonely (compilation: 1956-65, released 1989)
36. Ted Hawkins On the Boardwalk (1986)
37. Stevie Wonder Innervisions (1973)
38. Patsy Cline Stop, Look and Listen (compilation, 1986)
39. Burning Spear Garvey’s Ghost (1976)
40. Ry Cooder Paradise and Lunch (1974)

41. Sam & Dave The Best of (compilation: 1965-69, released 1987)
42. Parliament The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein (1976)
43. The Contours Do You Love Me (1962)
44. Richard & Linda Thompson Shoot Out the Lights (1982)
45. Hank Williams Jr. Hank Williams Jr. and Friends (1975)
46. Bob Marley & the Wailers Catch a Fire (1973)
47. Rank and File Sundown (1982)
48. Various Artists The Nonesuch Explorer: Music from Distant Corners of the World (compilation, 1971)
49. Gary “U.S.” Bonds On the Line (1982)
50. Wilbert Harrison Let’s Work Together (1969)

51. The Firesign Theater Everything You Know Is Wrong (1974)
52. Sly & the Family Stone There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971)
53. Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979)
54. The Drifters Let the Boogie Woogie Roll (compilation: 1953-58, released 1988) / All-Time Greatest Hits and More (compilation: 1959-65, released 1988)
55. Huey “Piano” Smith Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival (1980)
56. Iron City Houserockers Have a Good Time But Get Out Alive (1980)
57. Johnny Horton The World of Johnny Horton (compilation, released 1966)
58. Merle Haggard A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World (Or, My Salute to Bob Wills) (1970)
59. Everly Brothers Roots (1968)
60. Graham Parker Heat Treatment (1976)

61. LaVern Baker Real Gone Gal (1984)
62. The Temptations Anthology (compilation: 1964-72, released 1973)
63. Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, & Elvis Presley The Complete Million Dollar Session (recorded 1956, released 1987)
64. Etta James Tell Mama (1968)
65. James Carr You Got My Mind Messed Up (1966)
66. Al Green Call Me (1973)
67. Buddy Holly The Complete Buddy Holly (box set, released 1979)
68. The Four Tops Second Album (1965)
69. Johnny Cash The Sun Years (compilation: 1954-58, released 1985)
70. Rockpile Seconds of Pleasure (1980)

71. Mott the Hoople Mott (1973)
72. Steve Forbert Alive on Arrival (1978)
73. John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (1970)
74. The Persuasions Chirpin’ (1977)
75. Junior Walker & the All-Stars Compact Command Performances (compilation, released 1986)
76. Fela Anikulapo Kuti and the Africa ‘70 Roforofo Flight (1975)
77. Arthur Alexander The Greatest (compilation, released 1989)
78. B.B. King Live at the Regal (live, recorded 1964, released 1965)
79. The Morells Shake and Push (1983)
80. Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs The Best of (compilation, released 1967)

81. Charlie Rich Original Hits and Midnight Demos (compilation, released 1985) / Don’t Put No Headstone on My Grave (1986)
82. Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes Hearts of Stone (1978)
83. Dwight Yoakam Just Lookin’ for a Hit (1989)
84. John Cougar Mellencamp Scarecrow (1985)
85. Bunny Wailer Hook, Line, and Sinker (1982)
86. Various Artists Sun City (1986)
87. Womack & Womack Love Wars (1983)
88. X See How Great We Are (1987)
89. The Kinks Greatest Hits (compilation, released 1989)
90. The Mekons Rock ‘N’ Roll (1989)

91. The Blasters Hard Line (1985)
92. Ritchie Valens Ritchie Valens (1959)
93. Lone Justice Lone Justice (1985)
94. Ennio Morricone Once Upon a Time in the West (soundtrack, 1972)
95. The Who Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy (compilation: 1964-70, released 1971)
96. The English Beat Special Beat Service (1982)
97. Paul Kelly Post (1985)
98. Tina Turner Private Dancer (1984)
99. The Kingsmen The Best Of (compilation, released 1991)
100. The Georgia Satellites In the Land of Salvation and Sin (1989)

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First posted 12/13/2021.

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Sunday, November 26, 1989

MTV Unplugged premiered.

November 26, 1989

MTV Unplugged premiered

The premise of MTV’s Unplugged was simple: popular artists performed generally acoustic sets. The show, created by producers Robert Small and Jim Burns, aired regularly on the cable music channel from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009. More than 100 episodes of the show have been filmed. It was nominated for three Primetime Emmy awards and won a George Foster Peabody Award (given for enlightening and invigorating television programming).

The first episode was taped on October 31, 1989 and aired on November 26, 1989. It featured Squeeze, Syd Straw, and Elliot Easton. The first 13 episodes were hosted by singer/songwriter Jules Shear. The format evolved to a showcase for single artists with many of the performances resulting in album releases, including Grammys for Album of the Year for Eric Clapton (1992) and Tony Bennett (1994). Clapton’s Unplugged would become the best-selling live album of all time with 26 million copies.

Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged album was a platinum seller and produced the #1 cover of the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There.” Nirvana’s 1994 MTV Unplugged in New York was a #1 album selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. The nine-million selling Hell Freezes Over live 1994 reunion album from the Eagles grew out of a special taped under the Unplugged banner.

Other notable artists to appear on the show included Bryan Adams, Alice in Chains, Phil Collins, the Cranberries, Duran Duran, Bob Dylan, Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Kiss, Korn, Annie Lennox, Ricky Martin, Paul McCartney, George Michael, Alanis Morissette, Oasis, Pearl Jam, Robert Plant & Jimmy Page, Queensryche, Shakira, Rod Stewart, Stone Temple Pilots, Sting, and 10,000 Maniacs.

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First posted 11/24/2023.

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Saturday, January 18, 1986

“That’s What Friends Are For” hit #1

That’s What Friends Are For

Dionne & Friends (Elton John, Gladys Knight, & Stevie Wonder)

Writer(s): Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager (see lyrics here)

First Charted: November 9, 1985

Peak: 14 US, 13 CB, 12 RR, 12 AC, 13 RB, 16 UK, 11 CN, 11 AU, 4 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.)

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 1.1 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 2.0 radio, 80.74 video, 92.71 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, two of history’s most celebrated songwriters, combined their talents for the music for 1982’s Night Shift. The five songs they wrote for the movie were recorded by Bacharch, Al Jarreau, the Pointer Sisters, Quaterflash, and Rod Stewart. Despite the impressive talent roster, the soundtrack failed to produce a top 40 hit.

Sager had hopes for “That’s What Friends Are For,” the song recorded by Stewart. As she said, “It felt like Rod could put a little edge on the song that might make it very attractive.” FB However, she adds, “the record company didn’t want to consider it as a single for Rod because they thought it was too soft. The song quietly disappeared into oblivion.” FB

In 1983, television producer Aaron Spelling tapped Sager and Bacharach to write the theme song for Finder of Lost Loves. At Spelling’s suggestion, Bacharach reached out to Dionne Warwick to record the song. They hadn’t spoken in ten years, but Warwick had been the go-to artist to record compositions for Bacharach and then-songwriting-partner Hal David, recording 33 chart hits from 1962 to 1971 which were penned by the duo. FB

The reunion led to Bacharach and Sager producing material for Warwick in 1985. She and Stevie Wonder had just worked together on The Woman in Red soundtrack and Sager suggested the pair record “That’s What Friends Are For.” On the day of recording, Neil Simon and Elizabeth Taylor visited the studio. Sager knew what an AIDS activist Taylor was and proposed the proceeds from the song be donated to AIDS research. Warwick suggested they add Gladys Knight as a singer and Clive Davis, President of Arista Records (the company which released the single), suggested adding Elton John as well. FB In addition to singing, John and Wonder lent their respective piano and harmonica-playing skills to the song. WK

The result was a massive hit, topping the Billboard pop, adult contemporary, and R&B charts and being named the magazine’s Song of the Year. It also won the Grammy for Song of the Year. It raised $3 million for American Foundation for AIDS Research WK at a time when the disease carried a stigma for anyone even willing to discuss it. SF

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First posted 12/15/2019; last updated 10/28/2022.

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