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J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.
Here are the latest entries in the "albums that influenced me" series I started writing in May 2020.
Note: Just because an album appears on this list doesn't mean I give it a blanket endorsement. Many of the secular albums on this list are mainly there because they wound up being spoofed by ApologetiX.
1485. Rock On 1968 - Various Artists
The star of Rock On 1968 was Bobby Goldsboro, who opened and closed the album with two sad story songs (both sung in the first person) about short-lived marriages that ended for very different reasons — "Honey" (#1 Canada, #1 U.S pop, #1 adult contemporary) and "Autumn of My Life" (#11 Canada, #19 U.S., #2 U.S. AC). This collection contained two additional Canadian #1 hits that hit the Top Five in the States: "Spooky" by Classics IV (#1 Canada, #3 U.S.) and "Abraham, Martin and John" by Dion (#1 Canada, #4 U.S.). Three more selections were Top 10 hits on both sides of Niagara Falls: "Elenore" by The Turtles (#4 Canada, #6 U.S.), "Nobody But Me" by The Human Beinz (#4 Canada, #8 U.S.), and "Goin' Out of My Head / Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by The Lettermen (#7 U.S., #8 Canada). Rock On 1968 also included another track of special interest to me, "I Love You" by People! (#14 U.S.), featuring Larry Norman before he left the group for a solo career and became one of the founding fathers of Christian rock. However, the sleeper hit here for yours truly was the poignant and poetic "Mr. Businessman" by Ray Stevens (#7 Canada, #28 U.S.) ... a far cry from his novelty hits like "The Streak," "Harry the Hairy Ape," and "Gitarzan," but equally excellent ... and beautiful in its own way. The rest of the tracks on Rock On 1968 were "Sealed With a Kiss" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#7 Canada, #19 U.S.), "On the Road Again" by Canned Heat (#8 Canada, #16 U.S.), and "Darlin’" by The Beach Boys (#13 Canada, #19 U.S.).
1486. Rock On 1969 Volume 2 - Various Artists
Blood, Sweat & Tears racked up three #2 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969. Although formed in New York City, the jazz-rock band had a Canadian lead singer, David Clayton-Thomas (born in England with a Canadian father and raised in Canada), and those same songs all made it to #1 in Canada. Rock On 1969 Volume 2 starts and ends with two of 'em — "Spinning Wheel" and You've Made Me So Very Happy." The third, "And When I Die," was not on this collection. However, four additional Canadian chart toppers were: "In the Year 2525" by Zager & Evans (#1 Canada, #1 U.S., #1 Canada AC, #1 U.S. AC), "Worst That Could Happen" by The Brooklyn Bridge (#1 Canada, #3 U.S.), "Indian Giver" by 1910 Fruitgum Company (#1 Canada, #5 U.S.), and "Everybody's Talkin'" by Nilsson (#1 Canada, #7 U.S.). The remaining six tracks were Top 10 hits in Canada and/or the United States: "This Girl Is a Woman Now" by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (#3 Canada, #9 U.S.), "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" by Crazy Elephant (#3 Canada, #12 U.S.), "More Today Than Yesterday" by Spiral Starecase (#6 Canada, #12 U.S.), "These Eyes" by The Guess Who (#6 U.S., #7 Canada), "Atlantis" by Donovan (#7 U.S., #12 Canada), and "Cherry Hill Park" by Billy Joe Royal (#8 Canada, #15 U.S.). As many readers probably know, The Guess Who was a Canadian band, so I was surprised to discover "These Eyes" actually charted higher in the United States. It's the only one of their 34 Canadian Top 40 singles or 21 U.S. Hot 100 singles to do that. ApologetiX spoofed "Spinning Wheel" in 2016 and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" in 2017.
1487. Rock On 1987 - Various Artists
Two songs that had previously hit #1 on the Hot 100 did so again as remakes in 1987 — "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (The Supremes in 1966 and Kim Wilde in '87) and "Lean One Me" (Bill Withers in 1972 and Club Nouveau in '87). Neither of those tunes had topped the Canadian pop chart the first time around, but the versions by Wilde and Club Nouveau did. They were just two of the five #1 hits on Rock On 1987, the others being "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany (#1 Canada, #1 U.S.), "Touch Me" by Samantha Fox (#1 Canada, #4 U.S.), and "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" by Belinda Carlisle (#1 U.S., #3 Canada). Of course, "I Think You're Alone Now" was also a remake of a previous hit. Tommy James and the Shondells had taken it to the Top 10 (#4 U.S., #6 Canada) in 1967. My favorite song on this compilation just squeaked into the Top 10 in both countries — "Let's Go" by Wang Chung (#9 Canada, #9 U.S.). It's a shame more people don't remember it. If you're keeping score at home, here's how the other half of the tracks on Rock On 1987 did: "Don't You Want Me" by Jody Watley (#6 U.S., #24 Canada), "Tell It To My Heart" by Taylor Dayne (#7 U.S., #9 Canada), "Cross My Broken Heart" by The Jets (#7 US, #17 Canada), "Love You Down" by Ready For The World (#9 U.S., #32 Canada), "Is This Love" by Survivor (#9 U.S., #43 Canada), and "As We Lay" by Shirley Murdock (#23 U.S.) ApologetiX spoofed Tiffany's version of "I Think We're Alone Now" in 2022.
1488. Rock On 1977 - Various Artists
Rock On 1977 contains three songs that hit #1 on both the pop and adult contemporary charts in both Canada and the United States: "Southern Nights" by Glen Campbell, "Don't Give Up On Us" by David Soul, and "Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor. That last one also topped the Canadian country chart. One other track topped the pop charts in both countries but not the AC charts — "I'm Your Boogie Man" by K.C. & The Sunshine Band (#1 Canada, #1 U.S.). Interestingly, it made #1 on the Canadian dance chart, but only went to #9 on the U.S. disco chart. A fifth song, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" by Crystal Gayle, was a triple threat in Canada and did almost as well in the States (#1 Canada pop, #2 U.S. pop, #1 Canada A.C., #4 U.S. AC, #1 Canada Country, #1 U.S. country). Meanwhile, "Right Time Of The Night" by Jennifer Warnes hit #1 on the AC charts in both countries, with pop positions of #3 in Canada and #6 in the States. The other five selections on Rock On 1977 were: "Float On" by The Floaters (#2 U.S., #4 Canada), "Year Of The Cat" by Al Stewart (#3 Canada, #8 U.S.), "Sentimental Lady" by Bob Welch (#3 Canada, #8 U.S.), "Smoke From A Distant Fire" by The Sanford-Townsend Band (#9 U.S.), "I Wanna Get Next To You" by Rose Royce (#10 U.S., #14 Canada), and "Help Is On Its Way" by Little River Band (#14 U.S.).
1489. Time Out of Mind - Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan's 30th studio LP didn't yield any hits, but it did win the Grammy award for Album of the Year. Released September 30, 1997, Time Out of Mind made it to #10 on the Billboard 200, sold a million copies in the United States, and also garnered the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. It was his highest-charting album (by far) since Slow Train Coming in 1979 and generated two singles, "Not Dark Yet" and "Love Sick" (#64 U.K.). The latter was used in a TV commercial for Victoria's Secret in 2004, which gave it more exposure (literally, figuratively, and literally figuratively). But the best-known song on this album is probably "Make You Feel My Love." Although written by Dylan, it was first recorded by Billy Joel and later covered by Garth Brooks, both of whom had success with it, using the slightly-altered title "To Make You Feel My Love." Joel's '97 version was a Top 10 adult contemporary hit (#50 pop, 9 AC), and Brooks' '98 version was a #1 country hit and a Top 10 AC hit (#8 AC). In 2010, Adele's remake became a Top 10 U.K. hit (#4 U.K.). The other cuts on Time Out of Mind I liked the best were "Cold Irons Bound" and the album's epic closer, "Highlands." When I say "epic," I'm referring to the length (16:31), not anything dramatic about the music ... it's one of the most laid-back songs in Dylan's catalog. I later found out "Cold Irons Bound" won a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. Many of you reading this probably never expected Bob to win an award that used the words "best" and "vocal" in the same phrase; I'm well aware that his voice is an acquired taste and only a certain percentage of the population acquires it. By the way, although the aforementioned commercial did feature a supermodel, it also starred Dylan himself, who was about 63 years old at the time. The man was full of surprises. Amazingly, he would achieve seven additional Top 10 LPs — including two that reached #1 — in the next millennium. As if that weren't impressive enough, he was also awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 2008 and a Nobel Prize in 2016 ... and sandwiched between them was the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2012)!
1490. Whitney: The Greatest Hits - Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston left behind quite a musical legacy in her 48 years on earth, including 11 #1 pop hits: "Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "Greatest Love of All," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "So Emotional," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," "I'm Your Baby Tonight," "All the Man That I Need," "I Will Always Love You," and "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)." Moreover, she had eight others that reached the Top Five: "Heartbreak Hotel" (#2), "You Give Good Love" (#3), "I'm Every Woman" (#4), "I Have Nothing" (#4), "I Believe in You and Me" (#4), "It's Not Right but It's Okay" (#4), "My Love Is Your Love" (#4), and "One Moment in Time" (#5). Released on May 5, 2000, Whitney: The Greatest Hits included all 19 of them ... sort of. This 36-track collection featured her ballads the first disc (titled Cool Down) and her livelier songs on a second disc (titled Throw Down). Unfortunately, most of the tracks on Throw Down were dance remixes rather than the hit versions from the radio — a decision that wasn't popular with many critics and fans, including yours truly, who needed the for his playlists of #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5 hits. Whitney: The Greatest Hits also contained two of her four remaining Top 10s: "The Star Spangled Banner" (#6) and "Love Will Save the Day (#9). The only two missing were "Count on Me" (#8) and "Miracle" (#9). There were four brand-new songs, all of which were released as singles, though none even made the Top 50, despite the fact that three of them were duets with superstars — George Michael, Deborah Cox, and Enrique Iglesias. Sadly, Houston only had one new Top 40 hit after 2000 while she was still alive, and that was a re-release of "The Star Spangled Banner" from 1991. After she died in February 2012, three of her other old hits re-charted: "I Will Always Love You" (#3), "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" (#25), and "Greatest Love of All" (#36). Originally, Whitney: The Greatest Hits peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200, but it went to #2 after her death. It has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
1491. Billboard Top Hits: 1983 - Various Artists
Jim Steinman was best known for writing and producing Meat Loaf's biggest hits and albums, but he dominated the charts with two other artists in October 1983. For three straight weeks, two songs Steinman wrote and produced, "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler (#1) and "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" by Air Supply (#2), occupied the top two spots on the Hot 100. “Eclipse” was also #1 a week before "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" got to #2. Both of them are on Billboard Top Hits: 1983, which featured three more #1 hits and three more #2 hits: "Down Under" by Men At Work (#1), "Africa" by Toto (#1), "Maniac" by Michael Sembello (#1), "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant (#2), "Jeopardy" by Greg Kihn Band (#2), and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" by Culture Club (#2). The remaining two tracks didn't miss by much: "Stray Cat Strut" by The Stray Cats (#3) and "True" by Spandau Ballet (#4). ApologetiX has spoofed "Down Under," "Maniac," "Electric Avenue," Jeopardy," and "Stray Cat Strut." Sadly, Steinman passed away at age 73 on April 19, 2021. Meat Loaf died just nine months later at age 74 on January 20, 2002.
1492. Billboard Top Hits: 1989 - Various Artists
Seven of the tracks on Billboard Top Hits: 1989 were #1 hits: "When I See You Smile" by Bad English, "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles, "Toy Soldiers" by Martika, "Don't Wanna Lose You" by Gloria Estefan, "Hangin' Tough" by New Kids On The Block, "Lost In Your Eyes" by Debbie Gibson, and "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx (which ApologetiX spoofed in 2016). The other three selections all peaked at #2: "Soldier of Love" by Donny Osmond, "Heaven" by Warrant, and "Sowing the Seeds of Love" by Tears for Fears. Interestingly, none of runners-up were kept from the summit by any of the aforementioned chart-toppers. Rather, the culprits were "Rock On" by Michael Damian, "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You" by Milli Vanilli, and "Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson. I was surprised enough by Tears for Fears scoring a comeback hit three years after their previous one ("Mother's Talk," which reached #27 in 1986), let alone Donny Osmond 11 years after his previous one ("On the Shelf" with sister Marie, which reached #38 in 1978). Interestingly, neither artist had ever hit #2 before, although Tears for Fears had previously scored two #1s ("Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Shout") and a #3 ("Head Over Heels) and Donny had achieved two #1s ("Go Away Little Girl" solo and "One Bad Apple" with The Osmonds) and two #3s ("Puppy Love" solo and "Yo-Yo" with The Osmonds).
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