Your opinions, 07/23?

[SAT-I need more room!!]

DJ said:

Johnny Rivers--fine, distinct singer who still tours county and state fairs. Made great music for 13 years, wouldn't change a thing about his songs, covers included! Have a 2-cassette anthology from Rhino. Just beating Tommy Roe as my fave today.
Faves:
Rockin' pneumonia, boogie woogie flu (WOO HOOOO!)
Swayin' to the music (LOVED this since Day 1 way back when, it never quits with me)
Secret agent man
Poor side of town (LOVE it--FULL ending, please)
Memphis
Seventh son
Mountain of love
Summer rain
Maybelline
Midnight special (years before CCR, but a guy named Paul Evans had the hit with it first)
Help me Rhonda
Muddy water (Washed my hands in)
Baby I need your lovin'
Muddy river
Where have all the flowers gone
By the time I get to Phoenix
Curious mind (The "Um" song)
Tracks of my tears (One of my least fave 60's top 10 hits by a pop/rock artist; The Miracles and Linda Ronstadt did it considerably better)
Look to your soul
Sea cruise
Into the mystic
Cupid
Fire and rain
Think his name

Marty Robbins--seems like everyone's dad liked him! "White Sport Coat" was one of my Dad's faves in his college years. But I can't stand El Paso--BO-O-O-ORING!!! But I do like him better than Charlie Rich anyway.
Faves:
Devil woman (Great tune!)
A white sport coat (and a pink carnation) (Hmmmm...The USA filled with 90 million Pink '57 Chevys? ;D ;D )
Don't worry (Billboard erroneously subtitled it "Like all the other times")
Ruby Ann
Ballad of the Alamo
Big iron

Smokey Robinson/Miracles--Seems like many non-musical novices (like my mom) ask "Who are the Miracles?" I'd say the group that did "Tracks of my tears" and "Tears of a clown", and the reaction is often, "Oh yeah, that's Smokey Robinson!" Well, Smokey was such a genius that the group was much left behind in name. Uncomparable vocalist, there's not a tune of theirs or his (unlike many other Motown acts) I dislike. Not my fave today, but have the most respect for.
Faves: (Miracles, with or wothout Smokey)
I second that emotion (One of the few "Big Chill" tunes I never have gotten sick of)
Love machine
Tears of a clown
Shop around
More love (LOVE both their version and Kim Carnes' version)
Do it baby
Going to a go-go
Mickey's monkey (All right now, is everybody ready!!!??)
Ooo baby baby
The tracks of my tears
I don't blame you at all
Baby baby don't cry
Point it out
You've really got a hold on me
If you can want
Come 'round here, I'm the one you need
Doggone right
Special occasion
I'll try something new
The love I saw in you was just a mirage
And others...
Solo: (almost forgot)
Cruisin' (YES! Eat your heart out, Huey & Gwyneth)
Being with you
Tell me tomorrow (VERY underrated)
Just to see her
One heartbeat
Quiet storm
Let me be the clock
Old fashioned love
Baby that's backatcha
The agony and the ecstasy
I've made love to you 1000 times
Baby come close
Open
Blame it on love
And others...

Rockwell--Dislike him all you want, but as far as I know, "Somebody's watching me" has never been out on ANY CD!!!! (Compilations, I can understand due to the usual difficulty with licensing any product with Michael Jackson post-1975 on it, but not even the original album's been out on CD? I DO care!!! I absolutely LOVED that song in '84, as did my middle brother (he had the whole album in fact) Thankfully, I taped it from a college roommate back in '89, and listen to the song sparingly. And LOVE most of the paranoid lyrics in the song--story of my life... ;D And "Phone Caller"'s all right too.

Tommy Roe--LOVE listening to his MCA compilation on CD (Sorry, Boogie--and he's an Atlanta man!). Nothing highly special about the guy, he just had so many great bubble-gummish tunes!
Faves:
Dizzy (eternal top 500)
Sheila
Sweet pea (If I could, I would crank it in my headphones for an hour!!! ;D)
Jam up jelly tight
Everybody
Hooray for Hazel
Jack and Jill
Heather honey (above 2; VERY overlooked)
Stir it up and serve it (rehash of "Jam up")
Stagger Lee
Come on (rehash of "Everybody")
We can make music
Pearl (cooool organ)
Susie darlin'
Carol
The folk singer
It's now winter's day (How this hit top 40 and not many of the above is beyond me)
Party girl
Sing along with me
Dottie I like it

True about the Miracles being forgotten for Smokey!

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Dawn said:

Johnny Rivers - I've always enjoyed most of his songs, but agree that all the cover versions probably have had something of a negative impact on his image, and possibly chances for the Hall. Still, he makes each song his own. Favorites: Summer Rain, Baby I Need Your Lovin', Seventh Son, Poor Side of Town, Swayin' to the Music.

Marty Robbins - My dad likes him too! I wasn't as fond of his music when I was younger, but it's grown on me a lot in recent years. Good singer, with a very distinctive voice. Favorites: El Paso, A White Sport Coat, Devil Woman.

Smokey Robinson/The Miracles - Smokey is a tremendous talent, and although I really enjoy his solo work, I think he was at his best with the Miracles. Just about everything I've heard of his is excellent. Favorites: Ooh Baby Baby, More Love, If You Can Want, Special Occasion, Baby Baby Don't Cry, Tears of a Clown, Do It Baby and Love Machine (Miracles), Cruisin', Being With You, and Quiet Storm (Smokey solo).

Rockwell - I loved 'Somebody's Watching Me' back in the day, but that's about it.

Tommy Roe - Great 60's pop that's always enjoyable to listen to. I'd like to get his greatest hits compilation someday. Favorites: Jam Up Jelly Tight, Dizzy, Sweet Pea, Hooray for Hazel.

Smokey's stuff with the Miracles was really more enjoyable!

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Railyn said:

We "r" music today.

Johnny Rivers - eh. Doable songs: Poor Side Of Town, Memphis Tennessee. Was he the one who had Rockin' Pneumonia on the radio?

Marty Robbins - my grandparents were big fans. El Paso's ok.

Smokey Robinson/The Miracles - tie for favorite Motown artist. Favorites: Mickey's Monkey, Tears Of A Clown, Tracks Of My Tears, Shop Around, Going To A Go Go, Ooh Baby Baby - solo: Cruisin', Bein' With You, Just To See Her

Rockwell - no thanks.

Tommy Roe - love Dizzy. Sweet Pea is ok.

Yes, he's the one with that song on the radio!!

[kathyb]

Johnny Rivers--I have several albums by him, but I haven't listened to them in years. I always liked him, though. He was a pretty cool guy.

Marty Robbins--Can't say as I ever heard anything by him other than El Paso. It was an ok song, but I never really wanted to investigate his music further.

Smokey Robinson/Miracles--Really enjoy a lot of their songs. Seemed like Smokey could do no wrong for awhile there. He was a guest judge on American Idol a couple of months ago. He hasn't aged well. LOL!

Rockwell--For some reason, I had the 12" single of Somebody's Watching Me. I never even liked the song much, don't know why I would have had that. I can't recall the Obscene Phone Caller song. I'm probably not missing much. ;D

Tommy Roe--Yay! I get to tell my story about my dad and Tommy Roe. LOL! Way back when, when "Dizzy" was popular, my dad absolutely hated that song. So, every week, when I would go with my parents to the bowling alley (they were on a league), I would RUSH to the jukebox, put my money in, and select "Dizzy". I'd play it three or four times in a row just to annoy my dad. Such fun that was!
Anyway, I have an album of his (might be "12 in a Roe"), and I used to play it to death. He just had such pleasant, upbeat songs, that I couldn't help but feel cheered up when I'd listen to them. I was a big Tommy Roe fan. His music got me through some low points during my youth.

[Pete70s]

SAT-The said:

After reading Dave's response below, that may have been HIM listening to Sweet Pea! LOL!

Could be, if he was in the Westboro, MA area in the fall of '95!

By the way..... I predict a certain three-piece band from Canada in the very near future.....

[lora]

Smokey Robinson/The Miracle - I love the old Motown sound. The whole era was just wonderful. This is another classic act. Faves - I Second That Emotion, Tracks of My Tears, Love Machine.

Rockwell - For years I thought that Somebody's Watching Me was done by Michael Jackson. LOL. That's the only song I know, so...nothing else to say today, I suppose.

[H2IZCOOL]

Johnny Rivers- One of those forgotten stars. Incredible that he is almost forgotten with all the hits he had. Faves: Summer Rain (All time top 250), Mountain of Love (who WAS Harold Dorman anyway?) Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu, Baby I Need Your Lovin' (very good cover of a very good song), Poor Side of Town, Secret Agent Man, Slow Dancin'.

Marty Robbins- Well MY father never heard of him. ;D I did though. Really like El Paso (a great story song, and a great Western song). Also A White Sport Coat, and Don't Worry (which, I remember Casey Kasem saying, included an unplanned "fuzz" bass due to an audio problem)

Smokey Robinson/The Miracles- Smokey is a great writer, producer and performer. Many faves: Ooh Baby Baby (all time top 250), Shop Around, Tracks of My Tears (notice I didn't list this under Johnny Rivers), All I Need, I Second That Emotion, More Love, Being With You, Tears of A Clown.

Rockwell- Don't know him.

Tommy Roe- Underappreciated IMO. He certainly did have some Buddy Holly in him. Faves: Sheila, Dizzy (Yeah, it's a great song. Love the chord changes), Sweet Pea, It's Now Winters Day (love the melody, but the lyrics ?? "The temperature is falling now to minus ten below" What on earth is MINUS TEN BELOW?? Ten above?), Everybody.

[55dodger]

Johnny Rivers - So what if he did a lot of covers. Most of them where pretty good. Probably will need help from the Veteran's Committee to get into the Rockhall, although I think he belongs. Seven top 10s & a #1 ain't bad. His songs were so easy to sing along with. Wide range of music from some old blues standards to some pretty good ballads. When my kids were really young, they thought Rockin' Pneumonia - Boogie Woogie Flu was the greatest song ever made. Favorites: Mountain of Love, Secret Agen Man, Poor Side of Town, Summer Rain, Rockin' Pneumonia

Marty Robbins - Marty wasn't so bad. Better singer than stock car driver. Another artist my mom & I agreed on. Favorites: White Sport Coat, El Paso, Devil Woman.

Smokey & the Miracles - One of the great influential bands. They always seemed to have something on the charts, and it was usually pretty good. Covered by everybody, guess that's the best tribute. Really didn't care for his solo stuff. Favorites: Shop Around, Really Got a Hold on Me, Tracks of my Tears, Second that Emotion, Tears of a Clown, I Don't Blame You at All.

Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me is a good song.

Tommy Roe - Tommy's problem is he was still making early 60s songs in 1966 & 1967. Although they charted well, they seemed out of place. I like his hits and got his greatest hits on vinyl. Favorites: Sheila, Hooray for Hazel, Dizzy.

[KittyKat - RIP Luciano]

Since I'm running out of time and no one will probably read a post this far back anyway, I'm just commenting on Smokey and The Miracles.

Great songs and great music both solo and in group form.
Faves: Going To A Go-go, You've Really Got A Hold On Me, Tears Of A Clown, Tracks Of My Tears, Come Round Here I'm The One You Need, What's So Good About Goodbye, Who's Lovin You

Solo stuff: Quiet Storm, There Will Come A Day, Cruisin, The Agony and The Ectasy