My Music Collection #7: Arrival by ABBA

  

 

Arrival - ABBA

Arrival was ABBA's 4th studio album and was released October 11, 1976 (Compact Disc 1984). This is the first record album I remember getting as a kid in the mid-70's. ABBA was all over the radio in that era. At the time the music catchy with wonderful harmony's of Agnetha and Ann-Frid(Frida). Although they seemed upbeat at the time I later realized much of the lyrics(Usually written  members Bjorn and Benny) being sung were of adult relationships and breakups. I later realized they had been two couples that were married and divorced all the while they carried on making music. They were perhaps Sweden's version of Fleetwood Mac. This album is a sentimental favorite of mine. 

ABBA is: Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad(Frida), Anna Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus

 

Arrival Song list

1. When I Kissed the Teacher
2. Dancing Queen
3. My Love, My Life
4. Dum Dum Diddle
5. Knowing Me, Knowing You
6. Money, Money, Money
7. That's Me
8. Why Did it Have To Be Me?
9. Tiger
10. Arrival
11. Fernando*
12. Happy Hawaii*

*CD Bonus Tracks

 Produced by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus

 

Dancing Queen would hit number one almost everywhere, or at least it seemed like it. It would become an iconic pop/disco song of the era. Knowing Me, Knowing You would also be a huge hit. Fernando was originally recorded for a solo album by Frida then with lyrical translation(Swedish to English) it was released as a single a few months before the album. Happy Hawaii was recorded for the album but didn't make the final cut. It was released as a B-side to  Knowing Me, Knowing You. 

 

 

My Music Collection #6: Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen

Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen

The original album was released on June 4, 1984, on LP(vinyl to you youngsters) and cassettes. It was to be the first music Compact Disc to be pressed and released in the United States by CBS Records Plant in Terre Haute,  Indiana just a few months later on September 24, 1984. 

The album was Springsteen's 7th studio album. The record was recorded over several years concurrently with his previous album Nebraska. Born in the U.S.A. would have a fuller pop/rock production versus the grittier stripped-down Nebraska album. 

The album has sold over 17 million albums in the U.S. alone and 30 million worldwide, unsurprisingly making it The Boss's biggest and most successful album to date. It hit number one in the album charts for 7 weeks in the summer of 84 and stayed on the charts for 135 weeks. It also spurned 7 top ten hits. 

When this came out I was in my late teens entering my senior year of high school. I remember the single "Dancing in the Dark" being the first released and it made a big splash  I believe it was Springsteen's first music video for MTV. Then it was just one hit song after another for the next year and a half. There was a bit of a controversy when President Ronald Reagan's reelection campaign would play the title song or Reagan used it in speeches thinking it was a patriotic song when it was actually about a disillusioned Vietnam War veteran returning home.  

I did have this on cassette when it came out and a few of the singles off of it. Recently replaying in CD reminded me how solid this album is. Not really anything that I'd consider album filler. This is as much of a pop album as one would get from Springsteen but it's done very well. I don't think his artistic street cred suffered much afterward. 

Song List:

1.  Born in the U.S.A.
2. Cover Me
3. Darlington County
4. Working on the Highway
5. Downbound Train
6. I'm on Fire
7. No Surrender
8. Bobby Jean
9. I'm Goin' Down
10. Glory Days
11. Dancing in the Dark
12. My Hometown

All songs written by Bruce Springsteen.

Album Cover Photography: Annie Leibowitz

Produced by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Stevie Van Zandt

My Music Collection #5: Fire of Unknown Origin - Blue Oyster Cult

 

 

I've long been a fan of this album and have it on vinyl and finally got the Compact Disc version. This was Blue Oyster Cult's 8th studio album. Produced by Martin Birch.It was released in June of 1981 and came out on CD in 1985. It would turn out to be the last with the original lineup as drummer Albert Bouchard would be let let go while touring for this album. 

 

Song List:

1. Fire of Unknown Origin

2. Burnin' For You

3 Veteran of the Psychic Wars

4. Sole Survivor 

5. Heavy Metal: The Black and Silver

6. Vengeance(The Pact)

7. After Dark

8. Joan Crawford

9. Don't Turn Your Back

A few of the songs were written for the movie Heavy Metal. The song "Vengeance(The Pact)" even follows the story line of a movie. Ironically the song that made it the film "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" was not one of the ones written for the movie. 

Song list

 

 

The album would peak at #24 on Billboard 200 charts. The song "Burnin' For You" , aided by an early MTV video, hit #1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Charts..

I really enjoy this one and is my favorite by them. 

My Music Collection #4: Love Transcends - Jackie Venson

 

Love Transcends by Jackie Venson.

 I was blown away when I discovered Jackie doing a live version “Rollin’ On” on Tik Tok(full video above). She’s an incredible blues guitarist and singer. I’m surprised I hadn’t heard of her before. This is a self-produced album on CD-r and as a bonus includes an autographed picture. Worth checking out if you’re into the blues. She is an Austin, Texas native and attended Berklee College of Music. This is her third studio album(self-released) which I ordered from her Bandcamp site and I think it may be available on her website.

Song list:

1. One Step Forward
2. Down by the Riverside*/Up Above My Head**
3. Always Free
4. 'Til This Pain Goes Away
5. Rollin' On
6. See What You Want
7. Cover My Eyes
8. Fall of the USA
9. Love Transcends
10. Rollin' On (Acoustic)
11. Love Transcends (Acoustic)

Music & Lyrics by Jackie Venson except where noted.

* Author Unknown/Negro Spiritual

** Sister Rosetts Tharpe

Produced by Tim Palmer

Released 9/24/21

Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Ringo Starr!

 

Happy 83rd Birthday to Ringo! (Aka: Sir Richard Starkey). 

 

 

 Album: Ringo - Ringo Starr

 

If you get only one Ringo album I’d recommend this one. I believe it’s the last ex-Beatle solo album to have contributions from all 4 ex-Beatles. Also contributing are members of The Band, Harry Nilsson, Martha Reeves, Billy Preston and Klaus Voorman contributing bass and lithographs shown in the pictures(he also did the cover the Beatles Revolver album). Even ex-Beatles Road Manager/Roadie Mal Evans(look for him in the Get Back film) gets a songwriting co-credit. 

 

 

 

Song List:

1. I'm the Greatest (J. Lennon)
2. Have You Seen My Baby (R. Newman)
3. Photograph (R. Starkey-G. Harrison)
4. Sunshine Life For Me(Sail Away Raymond) (G. Harrison)
5. You're Sixteen(You're Beautiful and You're Mine) (R. Sherman-R. Sherman)
6. Oh My My (V. Poncia-R. Starkey)
7. Step Lightly (R. Starkey)
8. Six O'Clock (McCartney)
9. Devil Woman (R. Starkey- V. Poncia)
10. You and Me (Babe) (G. Harrison - M. Evans)
11. It Don't Come Easy* (Richard Starkey)
12. Early 1970* (Richard Starkey)
13. Down and Out* (Richard Starkey)

*CD Bonus tracks

Produced by Richard Perry

Original Album Release: Nov. 2, 1973

Reissue: 1991

 

 

 

 

As Ringo would say:

Peace and Love!

I'll Be Back - MonaLisa Twins (Beatles Cover)

John Lennon 1980: The Last Days in the Life by Kenneth Womack

John Lennon 1980: The Last Days in the Life by Kenneth Womack
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Audible Audio-book - 10 hours 32 minutes

Narrator Paul Woodson

Sometimes it takes the steam out of a book or story when you already know how it ends. With this book, I would say Ken Womack did an excellent job of making what was the last year of Lennon's life interesting and a compelling story. It could be broken down into different parts. Early on we see John starting to feel the creative juices that have been quiet for some time awaken. Partly inspired by his old partner Paul McCartney's new song "Coming Up" (Paul's career was also changing gears too.) coupled with a sailing trip. The latter half of the book is primarily John & Yoko making what would be his final album Double Fantasy(and posthumously released Milk and Honey). This is where John comes alive and is the strongest, making music again. He becomes very focused and is a musician on a mission to make his long-awaited comeback album. It's the first time I've read of an in depth look into making his final album. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of John Lennon and The Beatles and want learn more of his final days. 

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