And The Stiffs Just Keep On Comin'

[John C]

Travis and Chas, I hope your 1980 info comes from Whitburn or something similar. I know I have useless musical knowledge in my head but either of you were able to quote your info from memory that is scary.

 

[Penrod Rightout]

chas108 mentioning Hall and Oates "How Does it Feel to Be Back" got the gears turning for the 80s Haullin' Oates stiff parade, then travist102 with "Missed Opportunity" ...

So here ya go with a Haullin' Oates Superstiffset everyboddy with the third of three from Darryl and John:

"Possession Obsession"

So many stifferoos from 1980! Good ones, chas108 with Larsen/Feiten, ELO, and the Korgis.

One more for good measure, from 1986: Dream Academy "The Love Parade"

 

[chas108]

John C, I indeed have a Whitburn right here by the computer in my studio...runs thru the end of '86. It was once property of Pittsburgh Top 40 legend B94 (now 93.7 the Fan) but they threw a bunch of stuff out and I scarfed what I could.

What IS spooky is the amount of 1970's 'KB history I remember. I can't overstate the influence personalities like Jack Armstrong, Sandy Beach and Debaser and others had on my decision to pursue radio. It ruined me for life .

Penrod, gotta include Hall & Oates "It's A Laugh" and make it a H&O Fourplay.

 

[SirRoxalot]

I think that we need to define "stiff". I believe that a stiff is a record from a group that's already had a bonafide hit, that was actually released as the "A" side of a single, and failed to move up the charts. Rarities, "deep" album cuts, outright failures, and local hits that never broke nationally aren't really stiffs. Riffling through Whitburn for every song that nudged its way into the Top 100 could add another 600 pages of songs that nobody remembers to this thread.

 

[travist102]

I've listened to a lot of airchecks and radio in the 80s & 90s, and then working in radio gave me more insight into what worked and what didn't... just wait til I get into our station's old CD collection for a lot more stiffs/what-the-hell-was-that records.

I was only 5 in 1980, but the radio was always on in the house... and usually on a Drake-Chenault station (WGBI-FM Scranton). Yeah, I was one of those who thought "Another One Bites The Dust" was sung by 3 ladies, and tried to figure out why all these rock songs were on the same cassette.

 

[Element9]

I think that we need to define "stiff". I believe that a stiff is a record from a group that's already had a bonafide hit, that was actually released as the "A" side of a single, and failed to move up the charts. Rarities, "deep" album cuts, outright failures, and local hits that never broke nationally aren't really stiffs. Riffling through Whitburn for every song that nudged its way into the Top 100 could add another 600 pages of songs that nobody remembers to this thread.

Amen. Now what about Neanderthal Man by Hotlegs. That been mentioned here yet? Don't tell me. Page 32.

 

[chas108]

I think that we need to define "stiff". I believe that a stiff is a record from a group that's already had a bonafide hit, that was actually released as the "A" side of a single, and failed to move up the charts. Rarities, "deep" album cuts, outright failures, and local hits that never broke nationally aren't really stiffs. Riffling through Whitburn for every song that nudged its way into the Top 100 could add another 600 pages of songs that nobody remembers to this thread.

Sir, you make a valid point. B-sides, "deep" cuts, outright failures, rarities and local hits that never broke nationally aren't really stiffs. (I'm sure I'm guilty of invoking Buffalo-area band The Pincushions earlier in the thread so my apologies.)

But I think it's also good to note songs/acts that in their time were heavily hyped but in reality fizzled. (O-Town from the first installment of "Making The Band" comes to mind. Also every follow-up to "My Sharona". And Starz' "Cherry Baby")

I'd also want to make an exception for acts/tunes that picked up a lot of airplay...often called "turntable hits", but then faded away never to be heard again. All but one or two of the 1980 tunes listed fall into that category. Larsen/Feiten, Oak, Ali Thomson, The Korgis, f'r example. All were big enough...or hyped enough by record promoters...to get major market play. I'd heard all the above on WPIX-FM/NYC that year during their 2nd time thru as a Top 40. I guess if no one else remembers them, that explains why that station became a prototype Soft AC ("love songs. Nothing but love songs") not long after.

Let me confuse things a little further. The Beau Brummels' "Laugh Laugh" isn't the kind of song anyone on this thread would call a stiff...but it only got to #15. Michael Jackson's "I Wanna Be Where You Are" went to #16. For someone with Michael Jackson's track record, a song peaking at #16 is definitely a stiff. Joe Jackson's 1979 classic "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" and J.J. Jackson's "But It's Alright" peaked at #21 and #22 respectively...yet both get a lot of airplay to this day. I wouldn't call either a stiff.

Ok, I've muddied the waters enough. BTW Element 9...I've never heard of Hotlegs...but I see they evolved into 10cc.

Travist102...here are two links to what you missed. Consider this the anti-WGBI. First, Jack Armstrong 11/71:
http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/ck-mar21.html

Second is a 'KB composite from 1972...
http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/air1972.html

 

[Silkie]

Something like, "Get Me To The World On Time", as a follow up to The Electric Prunes' "Too Much To Dream Last Night" might fit the bill, unless of course one must deal with the sale of copyright dreams.

 

[Debaser]

Here's one that popped into the old brain pan today:
Richard English-Brandy
And now for today's bonus question...What was the name of this song when it finally did become a hit...and for whom?

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

Ooh, ooh, pick up the phone, I know this... c'mon man, answer the &^%$# phone... stupid d-j's, probably taking a cigarette break or talking to... oh hey, it's Barry Manilow.... the song is Mandy... am I caller #9... did I win... What? You already have a winner? You guys suck. I'm gonna listen to Z-99.... clunk.

 

[Silkie]

Ah, man, I had just typed, "Do I dare guess that it was Mandy, by Barry Manilow?" - and then the red light came on as I hit post. So I wished to review my post, and then added a stiff.

The Sensations had "Let Me In!", and then followed up with "Please Mr. Disc Jockey". I still laugh at "Let Me In!" with that drumbeat..."I thought you were my friend". ROFL

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

Ah, man, I had just typed, "Do I dare guess that it was Mandy, by Barry Manilow?" - and then the red light came on as I hit post. So I wished to review my post, and then added a stiff.

The Sensations had "Let Me In!", and then followed up with "Please Mr. Disc Jockey". I still laugh at "Let Me In!" with that drumbeat..."I thought you were my friend". ROFL

Shoulda used your speed dial like the contest pigeons, bro. ;D Besides, the jock was looking for an in-demo winner and a good phoner from a Female, 35-49.

Now in keeping with the thread, I'll submit for your consideration "Cut The Cake" by AWB.

 

[yugoidar]

I think that we need to define "stiff". I believe that a stiff is a record from a group that's already had a bonafide hit, that was actually released as the "A" side of a single, and failed to move up the charts. Rarities, "deep" album cuts, outright failures, and local hits that never broke nationally aren't really stiffs.

Rox, I like the definition, and certainly we've seen more than a few album cuts, rarities, local hits, etc. over the past year and a half turn up on the list.

Just wonderin', why did you wait until we got a hundred and thirty-eight pages deep into this before you sprung it on us?

 

[SirRoxalot]

Yug, it just seemed that we were gettin' WAY off the beaten path, and I was afraid that we'd end up listing 30 years of Whitburn on here. I really wasn't trying to step on anyones toes, or cast any aspersions (whatever the hell THEY are), just trying to refocus the thread a little.

Maybe a "turntable hits, rarities, "B" sides, and deep cuts" thread would generate a couple of hundred pages...

 

[chas108]

Ah, man, I had just typed, "Do I dare guess that it was Mandy, by Barry Manilow?" - and then the red light came on as I hit post. So I wished to review my post, and then added a stiff.

The Sensations had "Let Me In!", and then followed up with "Please Mr. Disc Jockey". I still laugh at "Let Me In!" with that drumbeat..."I thought you were my friend". ROFL

Shoulda used your speed dial like the contest pigeons, bro. ;D Besides, the jock was looking for an in-demo winner and a good phoner from a Female, 35-49.

Now in keeping with the thread, I'll submit for your consideration "Cut The Cake" by AWB.

AWB's two follow-ups to "Cut The Cake" didn't even make the Top 30, but both were extensively played in Pittsburgh by 13Q and WPEZ: "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" and "School Boy Crush".

 

[Tom Wells]

Back When My Hair was Short - Gunhill Road 1973

The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde - Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames 1967

 

[Debaser]

Ooh, ooh, pick up the phone, I know this... c'mon man, answer the &^%$# phone... stupid d-j's, probably taking a cigarette break or talking to... oh hey, it's Barry Manilow.... the song is Mandy... am I caller #9... did I win... What? You already have a winner? You guys suck. I'm gonna listen to Z-99.... clunk.

LOL...I KNEW I should have disqualified you from playing!!!

 

[Savage]

Playboy - Thee (2 e's) Prophets.

How Does That Grab You Darlin? - Nancy Sinatra (soundalike followup to "Boots," with the pre-fade "bye-bye" gleefully answered by virtually every jock who played it)

You Gotta Be Loved - Tony Hatch and the Montanas (not to be confused with Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas)

Cindy's Birthday - Johnny Crawford (teen idol of the TV Show "The Rifleman." Think Justin Bieber 1961-style, but without all the pesky success.)

Chanson D'Amour - Art and Dotty Todd (including the hideously obvious splice-edit right at the key change towards the end)

 

[Boberator]

Just goes to show how things have changed in 20/30 years. I remember playing "Into The Night" at numerous stations back in my '80's CHR/AC days. The only other song I remember by Benny Mardones was "Sheila C", which was a true stiffiloni. Great song though. I think Benny did a re-recording for '89 though (I'd moved onto Country by then) which, as re-recordings always do, never recaptured the spirit of the original.

Mardones also did a song called "It Might Have Been Love." Tommy Nast played it and "Sheila C" very heavily during his days at 94Rock (WSYR-FM) in Syracuse in the early 80's.

 

[chas108]

I'd heard "Sheila C" at a couple AOR's back then and 94 Rock was one of them...btw if you remember Michelle Michaels, she's still here in Pittsburgh at CC heritage AOR WDVE. Complete with the ol' Burkhart-Abrams Electric Lunch.

Now a stiff from Todd Rundgren that received a couple weeks of airplay in 13Q/Pittsburgh in 1976: A note-for-note cover of "Good Vibrations".