Pina Colada song

[megoat]

That is ridiculous. You do realize that most of the labels you listed for 1975 are under the umbrella of a handful of much larger media corporations? It's no secret that by the mid 70's the recording industry had consolidated its power, and while on the surface it may seem that there were a wide variety of labels, the truth of the matter is that a label like Motown, if it had started in say, 1975, would not have had a chance of getting airplay. Nor would have a Sun records or an Atlantic Records for that matter.

Out of that whole list you just posted, name one that is a true independent that was a new label in the 1970's..... Many of those labels started out as independents in the 50's/60's but by the 70's had been turned into something quite different. By the 1970's the game totally changed.

That's just plain wrong. Looking at the 100 Top Singles from 1975 alone, here are ALL the record labels present for that year:

RCA
A&M
Capitol
MCA
TK
Midland International
ABC/Dot
Asylum
Epic
Elektra
Playboy
Motown
Rocket
RSO
Avco
Warner Brothers
Curtom
Private Stock
Mercury
Atlantic
20th Century
Columbia
Grunt
Bell
Warner/Curb
Tamla
Chelsea
Anchor
Apple
Roadshow
T-Neck
UA
GRC
Fantasy
Shelter
EMI
Arista
Swan Song
Buddah
Wooden Nickel
MGM
Big Tree
Claridge
Spring
Rak

Now looking at the Top 100 Singles of 1956. The first five labels combined are over half of the 100 singles:

RCA (11 mentions)
Columbia (11 mentions)
Dot (10 mentions)
Capitol (8 mentions)
Mercury (13 mentions)
Era
Decca
King
Imperial
Liberty
Coral
Fraternity
Gee
Luniverse
Glory
ABC
MGM
Cadence
Speciality
Atlantic
Vik
London
DeLuxe
Verve
RPM
Modern
Sun
Aladdin

[grayhank]

I'm not sure what your point is. All labels are owned by somebody and yes there are subsidiaries and subsidiaries of other subsidiaries. You can't throw hypotheticals in there. You can't say what could have happened with Motown or Sun when and where because that history has already passed. We do know what did in fact happen with both those companies through their history. I just go by what the facts tell me through what I've researched.

[megoat]

Big deal, you have a bunch of Billboard books. Yawn.

The point I was making, this is not a hypothetical, show me the evidence of say, by 1978, of a truly independent label, in the tradition of a Sun records or a Motown, scoring a top 40 hit. You'll have to look long and hard.

I was only responding to your initial assertion that somehow the 1970's were the golden days of radio, when in fact it was the beginning of the end of interesting popular radio. Gone was the ability for bands to have regional hits. Gone was the ability for small labels to have access to the airwaves. Gone was the ability for visionary DJ's to decide their playlists. The real action went underground......

I'm not sure what your point is. All labels are owned by somebody and yes there are subsidiaries and subsidiaries of other subsidiaries. You can't throw hypotheticals in there. You can't say what could have happened with Motown or Sun when and where because that history has already passed. We do know what did in fact happen with both those companies through their history. I just go by what the facts tell me through what I've researched.

http://a663.ac-images.myspacecdn.com...b0a795c086.jpg

[grayhank]

Chrysalis 1972-1993

Call Me - Blondie (80)
Mickey - Toni Basil (82)
Hot Child in the City - Nick Gilder (78)
Power of Love - Huey Lewis (85)
The Tide is High - Blondie (81)
Mony Mony - Billy Idol (87)
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles - Proclaimers (93)
Love is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar (83)
Jeans On - David Dunas (77)
Living In the Past - Jethro Tull (73)
Isn't It Time - The Babys (78)
Heartbreaker - Pat Benatar (80)
People Everyday - Arrested Development (92)
Don't Shed A Tear - Paul Carrack (88)
Bungle in the Jungle - Jethro Tull (75)

And I never said that the 70s were the golden age of radio. I said you would hear more variety of music styles coming from radio stations in general. In the earlier days of Billboard there was basically only 1 chart that stations went by the Hot 100 Chart. As more and more styles of music became more evident, Billboard added charts to each style of music over the years. The R&B Chart, The Album Rock Chart, Latin Chart, C&W Chart, Dance Chart, Adult Contemporary Chart, Modern Rock Chart etc.

[megoat]

Chrysalis 1972-1993

Call Me - Blondie (80)
Mickey - Toni Basil (82)
Hot Child in the City - Nick Gilder (78)
Power of Love - Huey Lewis (85)
The Tide is High - Blondie (81)
Mony Mony - Billy Idol (87)
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles - Proclaimers (93)
Love is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar (83)
Jeans On - David Dunas (77)
Living In the Past - Jethro Tull (73)
Isn't It Time - The Babys (78)
Heartbreaker - Pat Benatar (80)
People Everyday - Arrested Development (92)
Don't Shed A Tear - Paul Carrack (88)
Bungle in the Jungle - Jethro Tull (75)

Ha, ha, ha. Chrysalis, is your idea of an independent? Man, conversation over.

As an aside, I had some dealings with the publishing side of Chrysalis in the mid 90's. One of the worst experiences of my life. What a bunch of wankers.....

[huedell]

Thanks for the rock trivia grayhank Jim Steinman is a genius songwriter

[huedell]

I just read Rupert Holmes' wikipedia entry (the guy who wrote the PINA COLADA song)
and I was just stunned---

Not ONLY did Holmes write that song and a few other solo hits

and not ONLY did he work with Streisand on A STAR IS BORN and write hits for her...

Holmes also wrote songs for: Gene Pitney, the Platters, the Drifters, Wayne Newton
and television's The Partridge Family

Holmes also wrote the hugely successful play based on GEORGE BURNS' life "Goodnite, Gracie"
(you know, the one starring FRANK GORSHIN)

Holmes also wrote sixty PLUS episodes of a TV show called Remember WENN---all
of 'em wriiten by him HIMSELF (wow) for AMC

He's also written other successful plays and a novel---

Wow--that Pina Colada guy is a freakin' powerhouse prolific dude!

[grayhank]

Well not my idea of an independant (and frankly I couldn't care less about independants). I have yet to see you come up with any facts whatsoever to support your statements. So just who are all these alleged super talented independant artists and labels you speak of? Obviously if they had any talent at all somebody would have signed them which might help explain why groups like Starland Vocal Band had a #1 Single with "Afternoon Delight" and you have yet to come up with anything better.

You're just taking a contradictory position for the sake of being contradictory, simply because you have nothing to base your opinions on. I think the conversation is done now.

[megoat]

So just who are all these alleged super talented independant artists and labels you speak of? Obviously if they had any talent at all somebody would have signed them which might help explain why groups like Starland Vocal Band had a #1 Single with "Afternoon Delight" and you have yet to come up with anything better.

This is the singular funniest thing I've read on the internet this week. Thanks.

The only point I was trying to make was that by the late 70's, commerical mainstream radio had been dominated by a handful of major labels who made it impossible for outside independent voices to be heard. I did not make this up. Check the historical record. Much has been written about this. It is no secret. Oh yeah, your Billboard "Hot 100" books prolly ain't gonna talk about it much.....

My "evidence" is that great independent labels of the past like SUN or MOTOWN--that had HUGE AND GIGANTIC influence on popular music--could not operate outside of the uber corporate music industry climate of the late 70's. That is why you can not find an independent voice on the Billboard charts circa 1978.

And, IMO, this was the reason for my original assertion that the 1970's marked the beginning of the decline of popular radio.....

Obviously you see things differently........

[EmergencyIan]

Yeah, I love "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)", as well.

How about the Carpenters? Anyone?


- Ian

[huedell]

Yeah, I love "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)", as well.

How about the Carpenters? Anyone?

The Carpenters Ian? Another great GREAT discography.
Great material from that band/duo, yes--- and very consistent too.
A lot of great cover tunes too.

And how about that intro to CALLING OCCUPANTS OF INTERPLANETARY
CRAFT? Brilliant.

[EmergencyIan]

Karen really 'massaged" a song. Some of her vocals give me goosebumps.


- Ian

[Mikey]

I love The Carpenters

Remember that scene with Spade and Farley in Tommy Boy ?

Superstar on the radio .......

That scene was sooooo me

[nvmbrsdoom5]

Wow Huedell you really took my initial post and ran with that one LOL

A "tough guy look"? I guess, I never saw it that way, I think I look like Gregg Allman haha! But he's a heck of alot tougher than I am. And he hooked up with Cher, haha.

Yeah I agree with you about the "guilty pleasure" thing, I don't feel the slightest bit guilty or ashamed to say I love stuff like Abba or Air Supply. Good music is good music, and it's all subjective anyhow. I just made that comment regarding my "metal" status because people tend to judge by looks and assume that everyone has more narrow tastes especially in the metal community. And unfortunately, alot of metal guys ARE very narrow minded, which I hate.

Funny side note-- You guys were talking about Hall And Oates earlier...I love them, great songwriters and they always had primo musicians backing them up. Ironically, the guy who produced some of their biggest albums was a british producer named Neil Kernon, and he wound up producing our fourth album! I got to hear alot of good stories about Hall & Oates, it was pretty cool.

Some classic Seventies artists who I'm pretty nuts about are-
ABBA ( love 'em, listen to them all the time, watch their videos on DVD, the whole shebang)
America
Cat Stevens
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show ( yeah I even love their later "disco" era stuff, I think it's great!)
Billy Joel
Elton John
Gerry Rafferty ("Bakers Street", "Right Down The Line", etc. He had some excellent songs)
Ambrosia

I could go on and on but I'll stop now, sorry!

[MarkStalcup]

I love 70s music - even some Bee Gees - and I like most all music. I just can't stand the Pina Colada song...to me it reeks of some guy in a white Travolta suit wearing an open shirt and gold chains saying "Hey, baby - what's your sign?"

That said...a Carolina band called Sunny Ledfurd did a cover/update called "Red Bull and Vodka" a few years back...and the Pina Colada version reveals by comparison how sad and silly these darn kids today are...

To wit: the lyrics.

I was tired of my lady, we been together too long.
Like a worn out remix of my favorite song.
And while she lay there sleeping, I got on the internet.
And in the personal column, there was this letter I read.

If you like red bull and vodka, and gettin' down in the rain.
If you're not into punk rock, if you have half a brain.
If you like hittin' it at midnight, and make the whole room shake,
Well I'm the love that you look for, so ride with me and escape.
I didn't think about my lady, I know that sounds kind of mean.
I wasn't tryin' to be shady, but there's a lot honeys out there that I'm tryin' to see.
I went to the website, took out a personal add.
And it described the lady I'd been wantin' so bad.
Cause I like red bull and vodka, and gettin down in the rain.
Don't like livin' in LA, but Myrtle Beach is OK.
We gotta hook hook up at midnight, so I can see what you shake,
At a bar called Tipsy's where we'll plan our escape.
So I kicked it with high hopes as she walked in the place.
Damn her body was bangin', I knew the curves of her face.
It was my same old girlfriend, and she said oh, damn it's you.
Then we laughed cause we were busted, and I said I never knew
That you like red bull and vodka, and gettin' down in the rain.
You like the sound of my guitar, and the bump of the bass.
I wanna hit it after midnight, I wanna see it on your face.
You're my girl and you know it, so ride with me and escape.