A Walk Down Memory Lane with Trollheart

Trollheart · 01-01-2023, 10:02 AM

From the album

Title: “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie”
Artist: Baccara
Year: 1977
Writer(s): Frank Dostal/Rolf Soja
Genre: Pop/Disco
Highest chart position (if applicable) 1
Album: Baccara
Did I own it? Oh no I did not.
Album, single, both or neither? Neither
Opinion then: Positive
Opinion now: Positive
These days: Has remained in the public eye since it was adopted by the Scottish national football theme for Euro 2020 (played in 2021 thanks to a little disease you probably never heard of) and was in fact re-recorded for them by Baccara. Also used in a H&M clothing store advert, so in a sense it’s never really gone away.

From the opening female moan that introduces the song to the boppy Latin beat, this song was known and loved by just about everyone when it was released, taking it to the top not only in the UK but most of Europe. Mayte Mateos and Maria Mendiola were Spanish flamenco dancers discovered by an executive of RCA Records in the Canary Islands, and invited to the UK to record the song, which then shot to number one just about everywhere. In essence, it’s an empty disco song about two girls going on about how well they can dance, however a very simple look below the surface shows you an actual empowerment song, wherein the girls rebuff the man’s advances, wanting only to dance: “No sir, I don’t feel very much like talking/ No, neither walking: you wanna know if I can dance.” Ooh yeah! Sing it, sisters!

The whole idea of a Latin-style disco song, while not exactly new, was fresh and innovative enough and interesting enough to make people buy the single, and the fact that the two ladies looked fine probably didn’t hurt either. Again though my jaw drops as I see that for a group with a total of four albums, there are no less than THIRTEEN compilation albums! Madre de dos dios! Or something. Great song though, even if, like me, you certainly cannot even perform anything coming close to a boogie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32wDFCM7iSI

Comus · 01-01-2023, 10:17 AM

Yes Sir, I can boogie is a certified banger.

Trollheart · 01-01-2023, 10:34 AM

It is. It's the kind of song everyone can enjoy without feeling dumb.

**Janszoon** · 01-01-2023, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Title: “Moonlight and Muzak”
Artist: M
Year: 1980

Hey, I just got that record for a buck a couple weeks ago!

LEGALISE DRUGS AND MURDER · 01-02-2023, 02:26 AM

Holy **** I've never spoken to a sixty year old over the internet. What's that like

Trollheart · 01-02-2023, 06:14 AM

Not QUITE sixty yet, cheeky imp! Not for another six months! Eh? Speak up sonny! Can't hear ya! The inter-what? You goin' fishin' or somethin'? When I were a lad we'd go up to Stephen's Green with our nets and catch zzzzzzzzzzzz

rubber soul · 01-02-2023, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LEGALISE DRUGS AND MURDER

Holy **** I've never spoken to a sixty year old over the internet. What's that like

About the same as talking to a fourteen year old I guess.

Trollheart · 01-02-2023, 09:30 AM

But with more unintentional release of bodily gases.

Trollheart · 01-07-2023, 08:41 AM

Title: “(Is This the Way to) Amarillo”
Artist: Tony Christie
Year: 1971
Writer(s): Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield
Genre: Pop
Highest chart position (if applicable) 18 (UK) 121 (US)
Album: n/a
Did I own it? No but my sister did (the older one)
Album, single, both or neither? Single only
Opinion then: Positive
Opinion now: Positive
These days: Remembered for the horrible, stupid Peter Kay version, damn his heart

One of the very first songs I ever heard played in our house, or at least one of the first pop songs, this single was owned by my older sister, who would at the time jealousy guard her suitcase Hi-Fi and singles collection by locking herself in her bedroom, leaving us to listen outside. I remember being impressed and interested by the, to me at the time, description of foreign lands I had only seen in movies like The Magnificent Seven and Stagecoach, places with exotic names like El Paso, San Antonio and Rio Grande (come on: I was at this stage eight years old!) and the idea of a man travelling across the broad expanse of the American west to find his sweetheart in the eponymous town - which at the time I assumed to be in Mexico but is of course in Texas - really fired my imagination.

Tony Christie had a real strident, powerful voice which would remind you of Tom Jones at his peak, a man who elucidated all his words, and lent the song a gravitas that perhaps Neil Sedaka’s own version might not have had. Of course, the whole thing was ruined for me when, for some reason, in 2005 (oh I see, for charity: well that makes it all right, doesn’t it? Bah) so-called comedian Peter Kay decided to do a version (with the collaboration, I’m sad to say, of Christie) and burned all my good memories of the song down. It’s like when someone re-recorded Smokie’s classic “Living Next Door to Alice” and threw in the annoying if slightly amusing refrain “Alice! Alice! Who the fuck is Alice?” Just ruined it. Bastard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBDbUjUH5So

Trollheart · 01-14-2023, 09:58 AM

From the album

Title: “Don’t Know Much”
Artist: Linda Ronstadt with Aaron Neville
Year: 1989
Writer(s): Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil/Tom Snow
Genre: Pop ballad
Highest chart position (if applicable) 2 (UK and US)
Album: Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind
Did I own it? Yes
Album, single, both or neither? Album
Opinion then: Positive
Opinion now: Positive
These days: I imagine it’s largely forgotten

While this was the only hit off her album, it is in fact the track I rate the lowest. It’s a basic ballad, and I see it got great reviews, but for my money there are far better ballads on the album. “Adios”, “I Keep it Hid”, “Shattered”, the title track and the closer “Goodbye My Friend” are all superior tracks, and in fact just about any other track on the album blows this out of the water. I am, never was and probably never will be a fan of Linda Ronstadt - I only knew of her vaguely as some sort of country singer before this - but this album floored me. I chose it for the incredibly evocative and poetic title, and to be perfectly honest I was not expecting much. What I got really amazed me.

But to the single. It’s, as I say, a contemporary ballad, a duet between her and Aaron Neville, of whom I knew nothing at the time and about whom I still know nothing, and want to know less. I have nothing against the guy, but I think Ronstadt could have sung this with anyone and made it a hit, as it’s her voice that makes the song. It’s actually the third cover version of the song, having been a minor hit before for Bill Medley, Bette Midler and then Linda Ronstadt. But for me, the song isn't as important as the album it drew me towards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ElZaDt2D4

01-01-2023, 10:02 AM	#21 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	From the album Title: “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” Artist: Baccara Year: 1977 Writer(s): Frank Dostal/Rolf Soja Genre: Pop/Disco Highest chart position (if applicable) 1 Album: Baccara Did I own it? Oh no I did not. Album, single, both or neither? Neither Opinion then: Positive Opinion now: Positive These days: Has remained in the public eye since it was adopted by the Scottish national football theme for Euro 2020 (played in 2021 thanks to a little disease you probably never heard of) and was in fact re-recorded for them by Baccara. Also used in a H&M clothing store advert, so in a sense it’s never really gone away. From the opening female moan that introduces the song to the boppy Latin beat, this song was known and loved by just about everyone when it was released, taking it to the top not only in the UK but most of Europe. Mayte Mateos and Maria Mendiola were Spanish flamenco dancers discovered by an executive of RCA Records in the Canary Islands, and invited to the UK to record the song, which then shot to number one just about everywhere. In essence, it’s an empty disco song about two girls going on about how well they can dance, however a very simple look below the surface shows you an actual empowerment song, wherein the girls rebuff the man’s advances, wanting only to dance: “No sir, I don’t feel very much like talking/ No, neither walking: you wanna know if I can dance.” Ooh yeah! Sing it, sisters! The whole idea of a Latin-style disco song, while not exactly new, was fresh and innovative enough and interesting enough to make people buy the single, and the fact that the two ladies looked fine probably didn’t hurt either. Again though my jaw drops as I see that for a group with a total of four albums, there are no less than THIRTEEN compilation albums! Madre de dos dios! Or something. Great song though, even if, like me, you certainly cannot even perform anything coming close to a boogie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32wDFCM7iSI __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-01-2023, 10:34 AM	#23 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	It is. It's the kind of song everyone can enjoy without feeling dumb. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-02-2023, 06:14 AM	#26 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Not QUITE sixty yet, cheeky imp! Not for another six months! Eh? Speak up sonny! Can't hear ya! The inter-what? You goin' fishin' or somethin'? When I were a lad we'd go up to Stephen's Green with our nets and catch zzzzzzzzzzzz __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-02-2023, 09:30 AM	#28 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	But with more unintentional release of bodily gases. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-07-2023, 08:41 AM	#29 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Title: “(Is This the Way to) Amarillo” Artist: Tony Christie Year: 1971 Writer(s): Neil Sedaka/Howard Greenfield Genre: Pop Highest chart position (if applicable) 18 (UK) 121 (US) Album: n/a Did I own it? No but my sister did (the older one) Album, single, both or neither? Single only Opinion then: Positive Opinion now: Positive These days: Remembered for the horrible, stupid Peter Kay version, damn his heart One of the very first songs I ever heard played in our house, or at least one of the first pop songs, this single was owned by my older sister, who would at the time jealousy guard her suitcase Hi-Fi and singles collection by locking herself in her bedroom, leaving us to listen outside. I remember being impressed and interested by the, to me at the time, description of foreign lands I had only seen in movies like The Magnificent Seven and Stagecoach, places with exotic names like El Paso, San Antonio and Rio Grande (come on: I was at this stage eight years old!) and the idea of a man travelling across the broad expanse of the American west to find his sweetheart in the eponymous town - which at the time I assumed to be in Mexico but is of course in Texas - really fired my imagination. Tony Christie had a real strident, powerful voice which would remind you of Tom Jones at his peak, a man who elucidated all his words, and lent the song a gravitas that perhaps Neil Sedaka’s own version might not have had. Of course, the whole thing was ruined for me when, for some reason, in 2005 (oh I see, for charity: well that makes it all right, doesn’t it? Bah) so-called comedian Peter Kay decided to do a version (with the collaboration, I’m sad to say, of Christie) and burned all my good memories of the song down. It’s like when someone re-recorded Smokie’s classic “Living Next Door to Alice” and threw in the annoying if slightly amusing refrain “Alice! Alice! Who the fuck is Alice?” Just ruined it. Bastard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBDbUjUH5So __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-02-2023, 02:26 AM	#25 (permalink)
LEGALISE DRUGS AND MURDER Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2021 Posts: 94	Holy **** I've never spoken to a sixty year old over the internet. What's that like

01-14-2023, 09:58 AM	#30 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	From the album Title: “Don’t Know Much” Artist: Linda Ronstadt with Aaron Neville Year: 1989 Writer(s): Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil/Tom Snow Genre: Pop ballad Highest chart position (if applicable) 2 (UK and US) Album: Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind Did I own it? Yes Album, single, both or neither? Album Opinion then: Positive Opinion now: Positive These days: I imagine it’s largely forgotten While this was the only hit off her album, it is in fact the track I rate the lowest. It’s a basic ballad, and I see it got great reviews, but for my money there are far better ballads on the album. “Adios”, “I Keep it Hid”, “Shattered”, the title track and the closer “Goodbye My Friend” are all superior tracks, and in fact just about any other track on the album blows this out of the water. I am, never was and probably never will be a fan of Linda Ronstadt - I only knew of her vaguely as some sort of country singer before this - but this album floored me. I chose it for the incredibly evocative and poetic title, and to be perfectly honest I was not expecting much. What I got really amazed me. But to the single. It’s, as I say, a contemporary ballad, a duet between her and Aaron Neville, of whom I knew nothing at the time and about whom I still know nothing, and want to know less. I have nothing against the guy, but I think Ronstadt could have sung this with anyone and made it a hit, as it’s her voice that makes the song. It’s actually the third cover version of the song, having been a minor hit before for Bill Medley, Bette Midler and then Linda Ronstadt. But for me, the song isn't as important as the album it drew me towards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ElZaDt2D4 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018