Happy 40th Birthday to Fleetwood Mac's album, Rumours

On February 4, 1977, Fleetwood Mac released their most popular album called Rumours.

This was actually the band's 11th album, but 2nd album for Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham who joined the band in 1975.

You want a soap opera and drama.  This was the album.  While Fleetwood Mac were recording Rumours, so much stuff was going on in the band.  Married couple John and Christine McVie were going through a divorce, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were breaking up and Mick Fleetwood were having problems with his marriage which end up in a divorce.  Majority of the songs are about each other.  Stevie and Lindsey wrote songs about each other and Christine wrote songs about her soon to ex ,John.

The album went to no. 1 for the first time on April 2, 1977 knocking Eagles "Hotel California from the no. 1 spot (which was also very popular during that time) before Hotel California knocked them from the no. 1 spot two weeks before.  It was at no. 1 for 31 weeks(not consecutive weeks).  The album won Album of the Year at the Grammy in 1978 beating the Eagles "Hotel California".  The album sold 20 million copies.


Here's my take on each track:

Second Hand News: This is not my favorite.

Dreams:  Dreams would become their first and only no. 1.

Never Going Back Again:  You have to listen to Lindsey play this song acoustically.  It sounds soo good.

Don't Stop:  Lindsey and Christine share lead vocals on this song.  This song is usually one of their encores and almost ends the show.  This was also former President Clinton campaign song and Fleetwood Mac got back together for that one night in 1993 to sing this song.

Go Your Own Way:  This song was about Stevie.  Stevie hated this song for years especially the line, "Packing up, shacking up is all you wanna do".

Songbird:  Fleetwood Mac ended the show with this song for many years before Christine left the band in 1998, but its back in the setlist when Christine rejoined.  One of the best songs that Christine ever sang.

The Chain:  This is Fleetwood Mac's only song that was written by the whole band.  They begin their show with this song.  Lindsey sings lead on this song with Stevie and Christine harmonizing.

You Make Loving Fun:  Christine wrote this song about a guy she was dating at that time.

I Don't Want To Know:  Stevie and Lindsey harmonizing on this song.  There's an alternative version of this song of Lindsey just singing.  This song was also a placement for the song Silver Spring which would be on The Dance CD in 1997.

Oh Daddy:  Not one of my favorite tracks.

Gold Dust Woman:  One of Stevie's best songs.  If you see her in concert, she really gets into this song.

Honorable mention:
Silver Springs:  This song was actually kicked off the album was replaced by I Don't Want To Know. Back in the early 1990s, Stevie wanted to put this song on her solo album and Mick Fleetwood said no.  She would leave the band after that and wouldn't unite with her fellow bandmates until 1993.

This was actually the song that got me hooked to Fleetwood Mac. They played the heck out of this song back in 1997. Even though I first saw them on tv in 1993 played President Clinton's Inauguration Ball, I really didn't become a fan until 1997.    This is my all time favorite Stevie song.

As you watch the video, Lindsey and Stevie really get into this song as they look each other during the climax of this song:
                                "I'll follow you down til the sound of my voice will haunt you.  
                                You're never get away from the sound of the woman that loves."

In my opinion.  This is one of the best albums of the 70s.

Happy Groundhog Day!! Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow?

February 2nd is sometimes one of the hated days of the year(one of my favorite since its after my birthday and have a meteorology degree). If you are interested in February 2nd.

Every year on February 2nd, people around the U.S. turned their attention to a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil to see if he will see his shadow or not.

The verdict is in.  Sorry everybody.   saw his shadow and that means 6 more week of winter.  To tell the truth, it really hasn't felt like winter here in Mississippi.  We probably got we might see one or two times of winter, but lately.  Its been feeling like spring.

Out of the 129 prediction Punxsutawney Phil has made.  He didn't see his 18 times.  The last time he saw he didn't see his shadow was just last year.

I also recommend the movie called Groundhog Day.  Its stars Bill Murray, Andie McDowell, and Chris Elliot.  Bill Murray's character Phil Connors is stuck in a time loop where when he wakes up, its still February 2nd.  Its a great movie.

Happy Groundhog Day!!!

Glenn Frey made his acting debut on Miami Vice 32 years ago today.

After the Eagles broke up in 1980, Glenn decided to try his hand at a solo career.  If that wasn't enough. Glenn decided he wanted to act.   His first acting role was for a show that just started on NBC.  What was that show?  Miami Vice starring Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs.

In this episode Crockett and Tubbs are recruited by the DEA to figure out who's kidnapping drug smugglers family and sometime killing them. The DEA thinks there's a leak in the department, but they don't know who.   They will give them everything they need to get started, but they are on their own when it comes to backup, support and transportation.

With the help of Tucker (who's kinda out of it and still doesn't know who Tubbs is), gives them the name of pilot that can take them to Cartagena. Here enters Glenn's character, Jimmy who's a pilot. He would take them to Cartagena for $25,000.00 no questions.  He also wants to get in and out of there and doesn't like violence.

In the end, they find out who's doing all the killing and kill the guy.

Throughout the episode, they play Glenn's song called "Smuggler's Blues" which is also named after the episode.  The song went to no. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.  They would also use You Belong To The City on the Miami Vice soundtrack.

Smuggler's Blues Music Video

After this episode, Glenn would star in a few more movies and tv.  Here's the list.
Let's Get Harry - 1986
Wiseguy (Dead Dog Arc) - 1989
Arli$$ - 2002
Nash Bridges (Rampage) - 1997
Jerry Maguire - 1997
South of Sunset - 1993 (lasted only 1 episode, but the whole first season is going around the web on bootleg)

Happy 32nd Birthday to Glenn's tv debut on Miami Vice.

The day I met one of my favorite singers.

I will always remembered January 25, 2015.  That's the day I met country music singer. 

When I heard John was going to be in West Monroe and the concert was free, I had to go.  I didn't know when was the next chance I would see him in concert.  So I hop in my Nissan and drove the almost 2 hours to West Monroe. 

I've been a fan of John's music since 1994 when I first started listening to country music.  He's got one of the most nice unique tenor voices in country music.  Nobody has his voice in country music.

He had hits like biggest hits were Your Love Amazes Me(his only no. 1 song), You and Only You, Standing On the Edge of Goodbye, Change My Mind.  

The great thing about John is his family is in his band.  His wife, Robin has been singing with him since the beginning of his career and his two sons, Sean Thomas and Caelan play guitar and drums.

I hate I didn't write down the songs he sang, but he sang a lot of my favorite songs.

After the concert, John had a meet and greet.  I got a picture with him.  He also autograph the flyer of the concert and he gave me a pick.

I was lucky enough to see him again a year later with Billy Dean, Linda Davis and two other singers. I didn't have to travel too far. When I saw John in 2015, I didn't have anything autograph. This time I was ready.  He signed my three CDs I had and my ticket stub.

If John comes back to Mississippi or is close to me, I will definitely see him again.

We lost another legend.

Today the music world lost another legend.  Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees died today after a long battle with cancer. He was 62.  We lost Donna Summer a few days ago to cancer and now we get the news about Robin losing his battle with cancer.

He, his older brother Barry and twin brother Maurice made up the group we called The Bee Gees. You had Barry with his baritone and sometimes falsetto voice.  Robin with his rich vibrato tenor voice and Maurice blended in with his brothers. I have to say they are one of the best groups of all times behind the Beatles. Their harmonies were very tight and very well known.  I have to say The Bee Gees and The Osmonds are known for their tight harmonies.  You don't see that these days.

His twin brother, Maurice died in 2003.  His younger brother, Andy died in 1988.  Barry becomes the only surviving member of the Bee Gees.  Its sad that this is now the end of the Bee Gees.

Robin will be miss.  We will miss you, Robin.  RIP

Here are some of my favorite Bee Gees that Robin sings.

I've Gotta Get A Message to You

Saved By The Bell

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Finally new music by the Osmonds

My favorite group, The Osmonds, just released their new CD called Can't Get There Without You.  Its probably been since the 80s the Osmonds had new music. I have to say. I love love love this CD. This is my favorite first Osmond CD with new music.  Since I was born 1980, I didn't buy their albums in the 70s.

I have so many favorite songs on this CD, but the ones I seem to repeat a lot is Fall to Fly, Breakable and Will You Go With Me.  I really hope the guys do a few albums.

Fall To Fly

Breakable

Will You Go With Me

The Temptations vs The Osmonds version of I Can't Get Next To You

I was watching Dancing With the Stars and its Motown Week this week. They had The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and Martha Reeves singing live on the show.  Each dancers had either one of those three singing as they danced. They were all great except Martha Reeves.  She was way off key.  They 4 white guys group called Human Nature singing different Motown songs either going into commercial and singing coming back from commercial. They were great.  I would definitely see them in concert.

Anyway. The Temptations sung a song that another group sang just around that time and they still sing this in concert.  The Temptations sang I Can't Get Next to You.  . The first group that came into my mind was The Osmonds.  The song was part of Motown Special, Making Music Medley and of course Havin' A Party/I Can't Get Next to You Medley in concert. The first time they recorded "I Can't Get Next to You" was part of a medley called Motown Special. They didn't record the whole song until 1974 on their Love Me For A Reason album.  The Temptations' version came out in 1969 and went to number 1. I still love both versions.

The Osmonds Version

The Temptations Version

The two groups in action dancing to I Can't Get Next to You.

The song comes in at 2:29.

The song comes in at 3:38.

Maybe I'm bias, but I love The Osmonds version. Even though half the song is played in concert today.