I invite you to plug-in with the “Sparks” community hosted by good pal, Annie at McGuffy’s Reader where you can energize your soul and make the world a little better with sparks of encouragement. Let’s make the world a better place, one person at a time beginning with #1! 😉
Good morning, Kittens and Dawgs! Another year has slipped through our fingers. The holidays are now over. I don’t know if I should be happy or sad. I admit I love all things Christmas, especially the mewsic but I know not everyone shares these feelings. “What?”, you say. I know I can’t believe it, either.
Anywho, it’s time to get back to normal. I’m glad you decided to join me today for Monday’s Mewsic Moves Me. It’s always fabulous to see you! Are you ready to get into the groove? This week’s theme is “freebie” pick, so I’m continuing with my “#1 One-Hit Wonders” series with these six songs from 1975 – ’76.
- “Lovin’ You” (1975) recorded by American singer Minnie Riperton hit #1 in April . I found these factoids from Wikipedia interesting. “Lovin’ You” is the fourth single from the album Perfect Angel (1974). As with the rest of the album, Stevie Wonder played keyboard backing (credited as “El Toro Negro”, Spanish for the black bull, as Wonder is a Taurus). According to the liner notes from Riperton’s compilation CD Petals, the melody for “Lovin’ You” was created to be a distraction for her baby daughter, Maya Rudolph, so that Minnie and her husband Richard could hang out. Maya was in the studio with her mother on recording day and Riperton can be heard singing her daughter’s name at the end, but only in the unedited or album version. The song fades out early in the radio edit because the disc jockeys felt that the repeated “Maya” was being overdone and that it would be misunderstood as a Mayan chant. Sadly, Ripteron died at a young age from Breast Cancer in 1979, she was only 31.
- “The Hustle” (1975) inspired by the dance was written and recorded by Van McCoy. This pop instrumental sensation hit the top of the charts (Billboard Hot 100 & Hot Soul Singles) as well as revitalizing couple dancing which seemed doomed by the early 70s. McCoy died in 1979 from a heart attack. He was only 39.
- “Afternoon Delight” (1976) Starland Vocal Band. I was only 14 years old when this one-hit wonder topped the charts and I didn’t need any diagrams or talks on the meaning behind this song. I found the back story on this song interesting at Wikipedia. The title came from the happy hour menu at Clyde’s restaurant in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. where Bill Danoff was eating with fellow band member Margot Chapman while his then-wife Taffy Danoff was undergoing surgery for cervical cancer. Danoff enjoyed writing the song and downplayed the somewhat controversial lyrics, saying, “I didn’t want to write an all-out sex song … I just wanted to write something that was fun and hinted at sex.” Coincidentally, it is listed as the 20th sexiest song of all time.
- “Disco Duck” (1976) written and recorded by radio personality Rick Dees. It took Dees one day to write his song inspired by the 60s unusual dance tune, The Duck, but finding someone to perform the song proved a challenge but three months later pulled it off with an orchestral disco style with a Donald Duck-like vocals of Ken Pruitt. The story of the song focuses on a man at a party who can’t resist the urge to get up and dance like a duck. When the music stops, he sits down and when it starts again he does it again but when he gets up to dance he notices everyone is mimicking his moves. This probably is my most memorable disco song and it was so fun to dance to!
- “Play That Funky Music” (1976) by Wild Cherry hit the top of the leader board in September. The month DH and I began our courtship. I learned this tidbit about the band from Songfacts…”Wild Cherry was a hard rock band. They had a regular gig at the 2001 Club, and with disco big at the time, their sound didn’t go over well. After one show, a black audience member shouted, “Play some funky music, white boy.” Parissi decided they should, and wrote down the phrase on a bar order pad. They recorded it in Cleveland with a disco sound: drum and bass mixed way up front. The lyrics concerned the band, but Parissi insisted on keeping them.”
- “A Fifth of Beethoven” (1976) by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band is an adaption of Beethoven 5th Symphony as you may know but did you know this about Murphy….He was an orchestral leader who studied both classical and jazz music piano at the Manhattan School of Music. At one time he was the arranger for Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show orchestra. He played nearly every instrument on this song but forced to credit it to an imaginary ensemble. It hit #1 in October of ’76. Source credit: Songfacts
Which song selection is your favorite?
Do you have any fond memories to go with any of these tunes?
Please read…This is a weekly hop for mewsic enthusiasts regardless if you follow our weekly theme or not. I ask that you do not link non-mewsic posts below to boost traffic to your site. You’re welcome to leave your URL in comments with a brief description inviting me to check it out. Thank you!
Now, I invite you step on the floor with my dance partners: XmasDolly, Stacy, & Colette!
[tweetthis]Tell a friend & hit the dance floor with “your choice” #music with the #4M gals! @xmasdolly [/tweetthis]
What mewsic moves you?
In last week’s New Year’s Song Parodies BoTB Showdown. I used two big hit tunes remixed to make you laugh with Hella Cravings set to Adele’s “Hello” and All About That Change with Meghan Trainer & James Cordon set to “All About That Bass”.
After giving close consideration to both parodies, I decided to go with “Hella Cravings”. The clever lyrics of ones love/hate relationship to food/exercise is spot on and so hilarious. I think we all can relate to this at one point. I know I need to get back into the exercise groove now that the holidays are over and I definitely need to cut back…wayback on my diet. Anywho, the BoTBs winner is Dustin & Genevieve with their Adele parody “Hella Cravings”
I’m gonna leave you with another parody that works with my New Year’s theme by Dustin & Genevieve. My next battle showdown scheduled post is the 15th, so mark your calendar and join me in the fun. 😉
[tweetthis]#Dustin&Genevieve wins #BoTB parody showdown with “Hella Cravings”! #music[/tweetthis]
The fun doesn’t stop, I’ll be back tomorrow with Cathy Chats!
