Flashback Friday: Guys And Dolls - I Got The Fire In Me

"Don't walk away from the light"

Guys And Dolls were a UK disco-pop group popular in the late 70's/early 80's. While a lot of their earlier stuff is a little too discofied for me, once they developed more Abba-esque new wave elements, they became much more interesting. I think the ballad Broken Dreams is their classic track, but it's a little too subdued for a Friday. Instead, I'm going to post the excellent (and total Abba rip-off) I Got The Fire In Me. I love the give and take between the female and male vocals and, of course, that glistening cotton-candy production. I do have one request, though. My kingdom to anyone who has an mp3 of their late-career single Glory To The Beautiful People. I can't seem to find one anywhere, and I really love that track. It sounds so much like Scissor Sisters!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy their greatest hits here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Flashback Friday: The Teens - We'll Have A Party Tonite 'Nite

"Let's do some rock 'n roll with a little bit of soul"

Yes, that "tonite" is deliberately misspelled. The Teens were a late 70's boyband concocted in Germany. It's so funny looking at them and extrapolating the formula to the present day. In comparison to today's standards, the music these guys were making seems so innocent and basic, yet the basic meaning (ie: "have fun") is the same. This song is probably my favorite of theirs, with its stupid-fun refrain and clinky, glitter-rock-lite production. The singer's like a mini Harry Styles, though with none of the post-pubescent angst. You'd do well to listen to a few of these guys' singles. Other than that, the albums unfortunately aren't really worth it.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Find out more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Flashback Friday: John Miles - Music

"Music was my first love and it'll be my last"

How about a rousing, cheesy ballad for our flashback today? It doesn't get any more earnest than this. Music, by English musician John Miles, was a big hit in Europe in the late 70's. It alternates between tender balladry and out-an-out symphonic grandeur. If you know me, it'll be no surprise that I'm in it for the symphonic grandeur part, particularly the last couple of minutes. I always laugh at the first falsetto verse in the song (soooo cheesy), but by the end of the track I'm brought around to loving everything about this gargantuan piece of over-the-top awesomeness. We don't have this kind of stuff in us anymore. It's a shame, really.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Flashback Friday: Boney M - Brown Girl In The Ring

"Show me a motion"

I'd always been hesitant to explore Boney M's music, and I think a lot of that has to do with the band name. But there's no denying their big influence in the late 70's around Europe. In some circles, they're as beloved as Abba. So, I've been delving into their back catalog these past few weeks and picking quite a few tracks that I really like. In these late Summer days, a track like Brown Girl In The Ring is just what I'm in the mood for. It's a cover of a traditional children's song from the Caribbean, but as recorded by Boney M, it became an addictive hit pop single. I feel like the song is particularly appropriate because today was the last day of the kid's summer camp that I lead every year. There's nothing better than spending your summer connecting to your inner child, though to be honest, my inner child is never very far away!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy their greatest hits here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Flashback Friday: Champagne - Rock 'n Roll Star

"Fortune and fame, oh what a shame"

Do you like Abba? And have you heard the Dutch version of them? If not, this should be fun. Champagne are clearly an Abba knockoff, down to the facial hair of the guys in the band. This is no bad thing, though. They were successful in the late 70's/very early 80's in the Netherlands, though they only released one actual album. To me, their output is pretty spotty, but when they're good... they're great. This is my favorite track, an Abba pastiche if I've ever heard one. It has a very strong chorus with tons of harmonies and overdubs. It's also got that vaguely folk-inspired sound that some of Abba's most anthemic songs (Fernando, Chiquitita, SOS) had. It's incredibly old-fashioned, but sometimes that's just what you feel like.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Learn more about them here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Flashback Friday: The Surfers - Windsurfin'

"Everybody has fun, fun, fun"

Sometimes, you don't even know that you're in the mood for a disco Beach Boys pastiche by a Dutch group until you hear it. Yes, you read that right. This is a disco Beach Boys pastiche by a Dutch group. And it was a European hit thirty-some years ago. And, it's ridiculously fun. Ridiculously stupid, as well, but that's what makes it so delirious. This is about as novelty as novelty gets, and that's no bad thing. I feel like any song with a sound like this almost has to be novelty to impart its full effect. More than that, though, I love how specific the lyrics are. This isn't just surfing. It's windsurfing. How many songs do we have about that? You know this is going on your Summer playlist this year ;)



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Watch the hilarious video here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.