Joan Armatrading - Joan Armatrading (1976)

“Joan Armatrading” by Joan Armatrading (1976)

Release Date: September 1976
Produced by Glyn Johns
Genre: Rock, Pop, Folk-Rock, Blues
Label: A&M

Chart Positions: #11 (New Zealand), #12 (UK), #52 (Australia), #67 (US)
Certifications: Gold (UK, Canada)
Awards: N/A

Singles and Chart Positions: 
“Love And Affection” #10 (UK), #16 (Ireland)
“Down To Zero” (no chart data)
 Singles Certifications: N/A
Other Charting Tracks: N/A

Best Tracks: “Love and Affection,” “Water With The Wine,” “People,” “Join The Boys,” “Like Fire,” “Tall In The Saddle”

“Joan Armatrading” by Joan Armatrading (Click Here)

Trivia: “Joan Armatrading” is Joan’s third studio album and her first to chart anywhere in the world. This is the album that put Joan on the map. The album mixes acoustic work with jazz-influenced material and displays Joan’s range of interest in music. The album was a big hit in the UK reaching #12 accompanied with a Top 10 UK hit “Love and Affection.”

"Love and Affection" 1976

In 1976, Robin Denselow wrote in The Guardian that the album "showed that we now have a black artist in Britain with the same sort of vocal range, originality (in fact even greater originality in terms of musical influences) and lyrical sensitivity" as Joni Mitchell.

Producer Glyn Johns has produced albums for many greats including Steve Miller Band, Eagles, Humble Pie, The Who, Boz Scaggs, Eric Clapton and more. He helped launch Joan Armatrading’s career when he was hired on to produce this album. He remained with her on her next three albums.

Joan signed to A&M Records is 1972 but it wasn't until after A&M gained worldwide rights to Joan's music that they decided to pour a good amount of money and effort into promoting Joan. A 3 1/2 minute film clip of the singer/guitarist performing "Love and Affection." A&M spent an unprecedented nine months promoting Armatrading's self-titled album, which included magazine ads, television spots (such as an appearance on Saturday Night Live) and promo copies of the album sent to every music critic and concert promoter throughout the world as well as a few film clips one of which shows comments from reviews. A&M spent near $300,000 promoting the album before it was even released.

Up to this point, Armatrading had shown that she had a lovely voice and an ear for interesting arrangements, but her work had been steeped in the folk idiom of the early '70s. Her third album changed all that, with producer Glyn Johns bringing in members of Gallagher & Lyle, Fairport Convention, and the Faces to punch up her folksy sound with elements of rock, country, and disco. The result is her most muscular music to date, with Armatrading adopting a swagger that showed her tales of unluckiness in love didn't have to have dire consequences ("Tall in the Saddle," "Water With the Wine"). Of course, it helped that the record featured her best material delivered in a wonderfully expressive voice that can capture the shades between song and speech like a sweeter version of Ian Anderson. "Down to Zero" (which features pedal steel guitarist B.J. Cole) and "Love and Affection" are the album's most memorable tracks, the latter breaking into the U.K.'s Top Ten (the album itself made the U.K. Top 20). But what endears this record to fans is the quality of each song; it wouldn't be fair to call anything here filler. The artsy and eclectic "Like Fire," the beautiful ballad "Save Me," and the ingratiating melodies of "Somebody Who Loves You" are just as likely to strike a chord with listeners as the better-known cuts. While Glyn Johns deserves credit for bringing Joan Armatrading's songs into a more flattering setting -- it's not coincidental that the record feels like a polished version of The Who by Numbers -- his real stroke of genius was letting the artist flower to her full potential. For many, this album remains the high point in her catalog.

Joan Armatrading 

Link to “Joan Armatrading” (Click Here)

JOAN ARMATRADING

Phoebe Snow - Second Childhood (1976)

“Second Childhood” by Phoebe Snow (1976)

Release Date: January 1976
Produced by Phil Ramone
Genre: Soft Rock, Pop, Adult Contemporary, Lite Jazz
Label: Columbia

Chart Positions: #13 (US), #18 (New Zealand), #10 (US Jazz), #33 (US R&B)
Certifications: Gold (US)

Singles: “All Over,” “Two Fisted Love” (No Chart Data on both singles)
Singles Certifications: N/A
Other Charting Tracks: N/A
Best Tracks: “All Over,” “Two Fisted Love,” “ Sweet Disposition”

“Second Childhood” by Phoebe Snow (Click Here)

"Second Childhood" is the second album by singer–songwriter Phoebe Snow, released in 1976. The album Certified Gold by the RIAA on July 09, 1976 .

Phoebe's voice caresses the melodies, soars and swoops with ease and great accuracy over the astonishingly wide vocal range she possesses. The musicians accompanying her play with a sensitivity and empathy rarely heard in popular music, but that's hardly surprising when you consider that the players featured on the album read like a who's who of America's finest. Artists in their own right, they bring their expertise to the magic in this amazing work. Featured on the album is jazz legend Ron Carter (on bass), Ken Ascher (who co-wrote “The Rainbow Connection” with Paul Williams), highly prolific session drummer Steve Gadd, guitar legend Tony Levin (who has played with everybody from King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Paul Simon and John Lennon), percussionist Ralph MacDonald and saxophonist David Sanborn amongst a host of others.

Phoebe Snow wrote seven of the ten tracks. Interestingly, although there were three singles from this album not one of them charted anywhere in the world - not even on side charts such as jazz, adult contemporary or R&B.

"All Over" (1976)

Link to “Second Childhood” (Click Here)

PHOEBE SNOW

Heatwave - Too Hot To Handle (1976)

“Too Hot To Handle” by Heatwave (1976)

Release Date: 1976 (UK), May 30, 1977 (US)
Produced by Barry Blue
Genre: R&B, Funk, Disco
Label: GTO (UK), Epic (US)

Chart Positions: #11 (US), #5 (US R&B), #14 (Canada), #36 (New Zealand), #46 (UK)
Certifications: Platinum (US), Silver (UK)

Singles: 
“Ain’t No Half Steppin’” (No chart data)
“Super Soul Sister” (No chart data)
“Boogie Nights” #1 (UK, New Zealand), #2 (US, Canada), #3 (Brazil), #5 (US R&B), #6 (Norway), #11 (Sweden), #17 (Netherlands), #27 (Belgium), #31 (Germany), #54 (Australia)
“Too Hot To Handle” #15 (UK), #28 (New Zealand), #36 (US Disco)
“Always and Forever” #2 (US R&B), #9 (UK), #10 (Canada), #17 (Ireland), #18 (US), #33 (US Adult Contemporary), #89 (Japan)
Singles Certifications: “Boogie Nights” Silver (UK), Gold (Canada), Platinum (US), “Always and Forever” Silver (UK), Platinum (US)
Other Charting Tracks: N/A
Best Tracks: “Boogie Nights,” “Ain’t No Half Steppin’,” “ Always and Forever,” “Super Soul Sister,” “All You Do Is Dial”

“Too Hot To Handle” by Heatwave (Click Here)

Trivia: “Too Hot To Handle” is the debut album from Heatwave, an international funk/disco band formed in 1975. Its most popular lineup featured Americans Johnnie Wilder, Jr. and Keith Wilder (vocals) of Dayton, Ohio, Englishman Rod Temperton (keyboards), Swiss Mario Mantese (bass), Czechoslovak Ernest "Bilbo" Berger (drums), Jamaican Eric Johns (guitar) and Briton Roy Carter (guitar).

Initially “Boogie Nights” was released in France in 1975, where it became a hit in the dance clubs but did not catch on in other parts of the world. Soon after, in 1976, they released two singles in the UK; “Ain’t No Half Steppin” and “Super Soul sister” both songs failed to chart. Finally another push was given to “Boogie Nights,” this time on an international level, this time around the song because a huge hit making it into the Top 10 in more than half a dozen countries around the world. In the US the song reached #2 and was certified Platinum for more than 1 million copies sold.

“Always and Forever” did not chart as high as “Boogie Nights,” though it was a worldwide hit and has gone on to become a smooth groove classic. The song has been used in weddings and proms throughout the world and remains a favorite Valentine’s Day song.

The album showed much potential for the group as the album employs nothing but quality tracks.

The legendary Rod Temperton (keyboards and synthesizer) composed all the songs on the album. Temperton went on to international fame as a songwriter and vocal arranger. He wrote several songs for Michael Jackson including “Rock With You,” “Off The Wall,” “Burn This Disco Out,” “Thriller,” “Baby Be Mine” and “The Lady In My Life.” Temperton also wrote hits for artists such as Manhattan Transfer, Donna Summer, Brothers Johnson, George Benson and Quincy Jones. Temperton also wrote three songs for Karen Carpenter’s solo album in 1979-80 for which he also composed the vocal arrangements.

"Boogie Nights" by Heatwave

Link to “Too Hot To Handle” (Click Here) 

HEATWAVE

Diana Ross by Diana Ross (1976)

“Diana Ross” by Diana Ross (1976)

Release Date: February 10, 1976
Produced by Michael Masser, Hal Davis, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Berry Gordy, Don Costa, Lawrecne Brown, Gil Askey
Genre: Soul, Disco, Pop
Label: Motown

Chart Positions: #2 (Netherlands, Canada), #4 (UK), #5 (US), #8 (France), #26 (Sweden), #27 (Japan), #39 (Australia)
Certifications: Gold (US, UK)

Singles: “I Thought It Took A Little Time (But I Fell In Love Today)” #32 (UK), #47 (US), #53 (Canada), #4 (US Adult Contemporary), #6 (US R&B), “Love Hangover” #1 (US, Ireland), #3 (Canada, France), #10 (UK), #16 (Italy), #18 (Netherlands), #23 (Holland), #28 New Zealand), #69 (Australia), #1 (USR&B, US Dance), #19 (US Adult Contemporary), “One Love In My Lifetime” #24 (Canada), #25 (US), #10 (US R&B), #31 (US Adult Contemporary)
Singles Certifications: “Love Hangover” Gold (US)
Other Charting Tracks: N/A
Best Tracks: “Love Hangover,” “One Love In My Lifetime,” “Smile,” “Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)”

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“Diana Ross” by Diana Ross (Click Here)

Trivia: “Diana Ross” the album was Ross' biggest-selling album since 1973's "Touch Me in the Morning", and the first of Ross' albums since her debut to yield more than four hit singles. It reached #5 on the US Billboard 200 album chart, #4 on the US Billboard R&B Album Chart and the Top 5 in the UK, where it was awarded a Gold disc for sales in excess of 100,000 copies. It was her second eponymously named album. The first was released in 1970 and was later renamed “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” The 1976 album includes the track, “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)” which was released, four months before the release of “Diana Ross,” as a single from the soundtrack “Mahogany.”

The #1 hit single “Love Hangover” is one of Diana Ross’ biggest selling singles of her entire career. Ross received a Grammy Award nomination for "Love Hangover" (Best R&B Performance, Female Artist), and an Oscar nomination for Best Song for "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)". With "Love Hangover" Diana Ross was again stepping out of her comfort zone and leading the pack. Yes, there had been disco hits over the previous year but none as dark and deep as "Love Hangover," maybe with the exception of Donna summer's "Love To Love You Baby," which was released three months later. "Love Hangover" hit the charts and sizzled all the way to the top. Diana commented, "I remember Suzanne de Passe bringing me 'Love Hangover," she had to make me believe in the song because it wasn't exactly a song, it was all feeling." Despite Diana's reservations she took it to the studio and recorded it in one take. She ad-libbed most of it. She had recently finished filming the role of Billie Holiday for the film "Lady Sings The Blues" so she put a little Billie into the song in the part where she sings, "If there's a cure for this."

"Love Hangover" (1976)

The album's third single "One Love In My Lifetime" was a sizable hit reaching #25 on the US chart, as well as #24 in Canada and received a fair amount of airplay.

Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson (Ashford & Simpson) wrote and produced the anthemic Gospel tinged "Ain't Nothing But A Maybe."

Diana closes the album with the Charlie Chaplin tune "Smile," which, as an instrumental, first appeared on the soundtrack for Chaplin's 1936 film "Modern Times." In 1954 John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons added the lyrics and gave it the title "Smile." Nat King Cole took the song into the Top Ten in 1954. Diana Ross's schmaltzy jazz and blues tinged rendition echoes her work portraying Billie Holiday. 

Back Cover of "Diana Ross"

Diana Ross (1976)

Link to “Diana Ross” (Click Here) 

DIANA ROSS

Lou Rawls - All Things In Time (1976)

“All Things In Time” by Lou Rawls (1976)

Release Date: June 7, 1976
Produced by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Bunny Sigler, Dexter Wansel, Jack Faith, Bobby Martin
Genre: Philadelphia Soul, Jazz, Adult Contemporary, R&B
Label: Philadelphia International Records
Chart Positions: #7 (US)
Certifications: Platinum (US), Gold (Canada)

Singles: “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” #1 (South Africa), #2 (US, Canada), #8 (Netherlands), #10 (UK, Belgium), #16 (New Zealand), #22 (Australia), #1 (US R&B, US Dance, US Adult Contemporary), “Groovy People” #64 (US), #19 (US R&B), #19 (US Adult Contemporary), "From Now On" #53 (UK)
Other Charting Songs: "this Song Will Last Forever" #74 (US R&B)
Singles Certifications: You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" (US Gold, Canada)

All Things in Time is an album by American R&B singer Lou Rawls, released in June 1976 on the Philadelphia International Records (PIR) label. It was his 27th studio album. Coming after a career lull in the years immediately preceding, All Things in Time was Rawls' first album for PIR; at the time he was the first artist to sign with PIR after having already enjoyed a substantial recording career and chart success with other record labels.

“All Things In Time” by Lou Rawls (Click Here) 

“All Things in Time” became an immediate success on the back of its celebrated lead single "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine", which gave Rawls the biggest hit of his career. The album was Rawls' third R&B chart topper (the first since 1966), and reached #7 on the pop chart. It was certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA for sales in excess of 1 million.

“All Things in Time” was highly rated by critics on its original release for the quality and variety of its material, faultless production standards and Rawls' vocal performances.

Rawls was one of the few acts on the label that could do great work with a variety of producers and arrangers. The biggest track was the bravado-filled "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine." With its subtle Latin rhythms and Rawls' tongue-in-cheek intonations.

"Time" written by Jack Faith and Allan Felder has Rawls doing a pitch-perfect vocal that makes the song sound like a standard. Despite not being released as a single “Time” with Rawls’ rich crooning vocal, reached #8 on the US Dance chart.

On this album, Rawls also got a chance to do work with the quixotic Bunny Sigler. Both "Need You Forever" and "From Now On" have Sigler accentuating Rawls' rougher edges. Unfortunately, all of the tracks aren't great here. All Things in Time ends on a great note, on "Let's Fall in Love All Over Again," a song previously done by Billy Paul and Nancy Wilson, Rawls' take is arguably the best version.

The lead single “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” ensured the success of this album. The legendary songwriting team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff wrote the song. They were the powerhouse producers behind most of the Philadelphia Sound, and they wrote this song specifically for Rawls. The track helped lure Rawls to Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label, as he was impressed that they took the time to understand his voice and write something to suit it. The song was not only a huge pop hit but was an even bigger crossover hit reaching #1 on the US R&B chart, US Dance chart and the US Adult Contemporary chart. The song was a popular favorite in roller skate rinks across the US during 1976 and 1977. “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” was a chart topper in South Africa and reached #2 in both the US and Canada. In the UK it charted a tad bit lower reaching #10. “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” was certified Gold in the US for sales of more than 500,000. The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category but lost out to Stevie Wonder's "Songs In The Key Of Life."

"You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" (1976)

“Groovy People, with its electric guitar chord opening, was the second single from the album. Though it did receive airplay it charted low at US #64 and made it into the Top 20 on both the US R&B and Adult Contemporary charts. Fans were thrilled by the songs optimistic nature and Rawls’ carefree vocal performance.  The song received a Grammy Nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance but lost out to Stevie Wonder's "I Wish." The song’s b-side “This Song Will Last Forever” made it to #74 on the US R&B charts.

Lou Rawls (1976)

Link to “All Things In Time” (Click Here)

LOU RAWLS

Commodores - Hot On The Tracks (1976)

“Hot On The Tracks” by Commodores (1976)

Release Date: June 1976
Produced by James Anthony Carmichael and Commodores
Genre: R&B, Soul, Funk
Label: Motown
Chart Positions: #12 (US), #28 (Canada), #39 (New Zealand)
Certifications: N/A

Singles: “Just To Be Close To You” #7 (US), #12 (Canada), #62 (UK), “Come Inside,” “Let’s Get Started,” “Fancy Dancer” #39 (US), #2 (France), #65 (Canada)

Hot on the Tracks is the fourth studio album by the Commodores, released by Motown Records in 1976. It includes the Top Ten single "Just to Be Close to You". The album was the band's first to top the R&B albums chart, where it stayed for six non-consecutive weeks, and peaked at number twelve on the pop albums chart.

“Hot On The Tracks” by Commodores (Click Here) 

Song after song this album never strays from its focus of funk and R&B jams. Several songs groove with a tight dance beat that gets you movin’. This was their last album that was pure funk and soul.

This was Commodores' last album true funk and soul album before taking the complete dive in pop and adult contemporary sound such as the classics "Easy" and "Three Times A Lady." "Hot On The Tracks" has a wonderful tight quality - never slick or too smooth, but just nicely put together - commercial, but not so much that it loses it's soul. It's a mixture of funk and sweet soul, done with a focused well crafted approach, and enough of a blend of the two style to keep things interesting.

Just To Be Close To You (1976)

The first single “Just To Be Close To You” was Commodores’ second Top Ten hit hot on the heels of “Sweet Love.” "Just to Be Close to You," initially met with strong resistance from pop radio stations. The song stayed at number one on the R&B chart for two weeks, and reached number seven on the US singles chart in the fall of 1976. The second single, a great funk groove, “Come Inside” failed to chart though continued the reputation they built on delivering heavy jams blended with soulful vocal harmonies. “Let’s Get Started,” the album’s third single reached #3 on the US Dance charts bringing a great dance jam to the table. The hard stompin’ guitar led jam; “Fancy Dancer” was the fourth and final single from the album. The song soared to the Top 40 reaching US #39 and #2 in France.

Commodores (1976)

Link to “Hot On The Tracks” (Click Here)

COMMODORES

Thelma Houston - Any Way You Like It (1976)

“Any Way You Like It” by Thelma Houston (1976)

Release Date: October 28, 1976
Produced by Hal Davis, Michael L. Smith, Michael Sutton, Harold Johnson, Joe Porter, Clayton Ivey, Terry Woodford, Michael Masser, Ronald Miller, William Goldstein
Chart Positions: #11 (US), #21 Sweden, #25 Denmark
Certifications: N/A
Singles: “I Don’t Know Why I Love You,” “Don’t Leave Me This Way” #1 (US, South Africa), #4 (Canada, Netherlands, Sweden), #5 (Germany), #6 (Australia), #7 (Belgium), #11 (Spain), #13 (France, UK), #15 (Italy), #17 (New Zealand), #18 (Austria), “Anyway You Like It,”  (no chart data), “If It’s The Last Thing I Do” #46 (US), #81 (Canada)

Any Way You Like It is the fourth album by Thelma Houston, released late October 1976 on Tamla Records. The album features energetic disco songs with fierce vocal performances by Houston on side 1, while side 2 focuses on ballads.

“Any Way You Like It” by Thelma Houston (Click Here)

In 1976, Motown gave the go ahead on a second album for Thelma, assembling it from the various sessions she had undertaken since her first LP with producers including the teams of Hal Davis and Michael Sutton, and Clayton Ivey and Terry Woodford. The album includes the major hit single, "Don't Leave Me This Way", Houston's remake of the Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes 1975 song, zoomed to No. 1 in the US charts. In the US, "If It's the Last Thing I Do", a track originally recorded in 1972, was chosen for the second single release on MoWest, while Europe had an edited version of the Stevie Wonder cover, "I Don't Know Why I Love You".
A re-recorded version of "Don't Leave Me This Way" was #19 on the dance charts in December 1994.
Arthur G. Wright, Michael L. Smith, Harold Johnson, Paul Riser, Clayton Ivey, Ted Stovall and Terry Woodford arranged the album.

“Don’t Leave Me This Way,” a song which first appeared on Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes 1975 album “Wake Up Everybody” was released as a single by them in 1977 shortly after Thelma Houston’s disco version hit the charts. The Blue Notes' original version of the song, featuring Teddy Pendergrass' lead vocal was not issued as a single in the United States at the time, the Blue Notes' recording reached #3 on the US Billboard Disco Chart in the wake of Thelma Houston's version. The song proved to be the group's biggest hit in the UK, #5 on the UK singles chart, when released there as a single in 1977. Motown covered “Don’t Leave Me This Way” in 1976. Originally assigned to Diana Ross, it was intended to be the follow-up to her hit "Love Hangover" but was reassigned and given to the upcoming Motown artist Thelma Houston instead. Studio musicians on the track included James Gadson on drums, Henry E. Davis (of the band L.T.D.) on bass, and John Barnes on keyboards.
Houston's version became a massive international hit, topping the soul singles and disco charts as well as reaching #1 on the US singles chart for one week in April 1977. The song peaked at #13 in the UK. Later in the year, it was featured on the soundtrack of the movie, Looking for Mr. Goodbar. In 1978, "Don't Leave Me This Way" won the award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female at the 20th Annual Grammy Awards.

"Don't Leave Me This Way"

The album’s next single “Any Way You Like It” was co-written by Thelma Houston but failed to chart. Soon after the fourth single, “If It’s The Last Thing I Do,” a song that Thelma Houston first recorded in 1972 for Motown offshoot label Mowest. The song was never released but Houston gave it another try for her 1976 album and as a single was a moderate success reaching #46 in the US and #81 in Canada. The song also reached #12 on the US R&B chart. The song was recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1957 for his album “Close To You” but was not included on the album. His version was finally released in 2002 as a bonus track on the expanded edition of the album.

One of the album’s more soulful and funky cuts the Stevie Wonder-penned “I Don’t Know Why I Love You” displays Houston’s Gospel vocal abilities. The song was the first single to be released from “Any Way You Like It,” but was only released throughout Europe. Wonder’s version simply titled “I Don’t Know Why” was recorded and released in 1968 on his album “for Once In My Life.” Wonder released it as a single and experienced minor success with the song reaching #39 in the US, #41 in Canada and #14 in the UK.

“Come To Me,” a shimmering ballad and album highlight was co-written by Jermaine Jackson.

Thelma Houston (1976)

Link to “Any Way You Like It” (Click Here)

THELMA HOUSTON

Rod Stewart - A Night On The Town (1976)

“A Night On The Town” by Rod Stewart (1976)

Release Date: June 18, 1976
Produced by Tom Dowd
Genres: Rock, Pop, Classic Rock, Adult Contemporary
Chart Positions: #1 (UK, Australia, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden), #2 (US), #5 (Netherlands), #23 (Japan), #29 (Germany)
Certifications: 6xPlatinum (Australia), 2xPlatinum (US, Canada), Platinum (UK)

Singles: “Tonight’s The Night” (#1 US, Canada), #2 (Brazil, Ireland, New Zealand), #3 (Australia), #4 (France), #5 (Netherlands), (UK), #6 (Norway), #7 (Sweden, Holland), #13 (Belgium), #26 (Germany), #2 (US Adult Contemporary)
“The Killing Of Georgie” ##2 (UK), #7 (Canada), #9 (France), #24 (Holland), #25 (Netherlands), #30 (US), #36 (Germany), #38 (Australia)
“The First Cut Is The Deepest” #1 (UK, Germany, Netherlands), #4 (Ireland), #5 (New Zealand), #10 (France), #21 (US), #3 (US Adult Contemporary)
Singles Certifications: "Tonight's The Night" Gold (US, Canada), "The First Cut Is The Deepest" Silver (UK)

A Night on the Town is Rod Stewart's seventh album, released in 1976. The cover art is based on Pierre-Auguste Renoir's painting Bal du moulin de la Galette, with Stewart inserted in the centre in period costume. Stewart performed "Big Bayou" regularly with The Faces during their final US tour the previous year, although the version found on "A Night On The Town" was based on the one Ronnie Wood released on his 1975 solo album, Now Look.

“A Night On The Town" by Rod Stewart (Click Here) 

“A Night On The Town” was a star-studded event with guest players such as Eagles band-member Joe Walsh on guitar, David Lindley (“Mercury Blues”) on guitar, legendary record producer and songwriter David Foster (known for his 1985 hit “Love Theme from St. Elmos Fire) playing keyboards, R&B and Blues musician Booker T. Jones on keyboards, Tower of Power on horns and Arif Mardin composing the strings arrangement. Producer Tom Dowd produced many other popular acts of the time including Kenny Loggins, Chicago, Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Meatloaf, J. Geils Band, Diana Ross, Willie Nelson, The Eagles as well as many jazz greats such as Charles Mingus, Herbie Mann, Ornette Coleman, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and a host of others.

The first single release “Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)” shot up the charts instantly and was a huge hit throughout the world. This was his comeback hit in the US. His previous Top 15 US hit was 1972’s “You Wear It Well.” The song was 1977’s #1 song in the US and Canada.

According to Dan Peek of America, Stewart's inspiration for "Tonight's the Night" was America's Top 30 hit "Today's the Day": Peek recalls that one evening when he and his guest Rod Stewart were playing together in Peek's home recording studio: "I played 'Today's the Day', the song I had been working on. Rod said that he liked it and that it gave him an idea for a song. Of course after his recording of 'Tonight's the Night' came out I laughed when I remembered what he'd said. I'm sure I probably smacked my forehead and said: 'Why didn't I think of that?'"

The song features a French spoken part from Britt Ekland who was Stewart's girlfriend at the time. Some listeners have interpreted the song as an incestuous pedophile's successful seduction of his daughter. Stewart's persona explicitly refers to his partner as his "virgin child," and among her French comments at the end, she asks, "What is Mama going to say?" The song was partially banned in some parts of the UK because of its suggestive lyrics. Later the ban was dropped due to public demand.

“The Killing of Georgie” was the album’s second single release. This was a personal song to Rod. The song tells the story of a gay man who was killed in New York City. A two-part song, Part I was the more popular hit and was blended into the more melancholy and sombre Part II. The song's lyrics tell the tale of a friend of the narrator's, a gay man, the eponymous Georgie. The song follows Georgie through his life. When Georgie reveals his sexuality to his parents his father asks, "How can my son not be straight, after all I've said and done for him?" Georgie, cast out by his parents, leaves home and heads for New York City where he becomes successful and popular in Manhattan's upper class, "the toast of the Great White Way". The narrator visits him in Summer 1975, when Georgie tells him he's in love; the narrator is pleased for him. Georgie attends the opening night of a Broadway musical, but has no interest in lingering afterward so he leaves "before the final curtain call" and heads crosstown. He is attacked near East 53rd Street by a New Jersey gang of thieves that was waiting in a car on a "darkened side street" and one thief inadvertently kills him. The narrator remembers Georgie's advice on living life to the full while young, before it ends. The song ends with the narrator begging Georgie to stay.
The year of Georgie's death is given as 1975 purely for the purposes of the song's rhyme. The murder of the individual on which the song is based occurred in 1974.

"The Killing of Georgie"

In the May 1995 issue of Mojo, Stewart explained: "That was a true story about a gay friend of The Faces. He was especially close to me and Mac. But he was knifed or shot, I can't remember which. That was a song I wrote totally on me own over the chord of open E." The switchblade knife in the song's lyrics implies that Georgie was stabbed to death.

When he was asked about writing a song with a gay theme, Stewart said, "It's probably because I was surrounded by gay people at that stage. I had a gay PR man, a gay manager. Everyone around me was gay. I don't know whether that prompted me into it or not. I think it was a brave step, but it wasn't a risk. You can't write a song like that unless you've experienced it. But it was a subject that no one had approached before. And I think it still stands up today."

The third and final single from “A Night On The Town,” “The First Cut Is The Deepest” was released in the UK as a double a-side coupled with “I Don’t Want To Talk About It.” In the US the song was released with “Balltrap” as its b-side. “The First Cut Is The Deepest” was written by Cat Stevens and was first recorded by P.P. Arnold in May 1967. P.P. Arnold did a good amount of recording with Small Faces in 1967 and also recorded a duet with Rod Stewart the same year. Stevens released his version a few months later on his album “New Masters.”

Album highlight “Pink Flamingo” was recorded in 1966 by Manfred Mann and was a #1 hit in the UK and Top 30 hit in the US for them.

Written by Rod Stewart, “Fool For You” takes him back to his early 70s days with a sound similar to “Maggie Mae” and “You Wear It Well.” "Fool for You" is a melodic and heart-breaking tale of a man realizing he's involved with a woman who lives in a world in which he will never belong. He feels his out of his league and can never make her happy so he's breaking off the relationship (by letter, of course) with great sadness as he is still very much in love.(He's even leaving her his records!

Rod Stewart 1976

Link to “A Night On The Town”: (Click Here)

ROD STEWART

Dolly Parton - All I Can Do (1976)

“All I Can Do” by Dolly Parton (1976)

Release Date: August 6, 1976
Produced by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
Chart Positions: #3 (US Country Chart)
Certifications: N/A
Singles: “All I Can Do” (US Country Charts #3, Canada Country Charts #1), “Hey Lucky Lady” (US Country Charts #19, Canada Country Charts #11)

“All I Can Do” is the album released just before Dolly made her mark as a worldwide music superstar. It is her 17th solo album and her 29th album overall (including collaboration albums with Porter Wagoner).

“All I Can Do” by Dolly Parton (Click Here)

The album includes eight songs written by Parton and two covers; Emmylou Harris' "Boulder to Birmingham" and Merle Haggard's "Life's Like Poetry". The album was released around the time Parton began appearing regularly in the supermarket tabloids, and "Shattered Image", which advised to "stay out of my closet if your own's full of trash" was said to be a reaction to that. Parton re-recorded "Shattered Image" for her 2002 Halos & Horns album. "The Fire That Keeps You Warm" was originally recorded by Parton and Porter Wagoner on the 1974 album Porter 'n' Dolly. This was the last Parton album on which Porter Wagoner would get producing credit.

Dolly received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal.

The upbeat “All I Can Do” was released as the album’s lead single and made it to #3 on the US Country Charts and #1 on the Canadian Country Music Charts. “Hey Lucky Lady” was the second single and reached #19 on the US Country Charts and #11 on the Canadian Country Music Charts.

"All I Can Do"

Link to “All I Can Do” (Click Here) 

DOLLY PARTON