Almost Hits

Almost Hits: The Monroes, "What Do All The People Know" (1982)

Almost Hits: The Monroes, “What Do All The People Know” (1982)

From San Diego, California came the Monroes, whose impossibly infectious “What Do All The People Know” stalled at the #59 spot on the national charts in the spring of 1982. You May Also Like: Huey Lewis and the News – ‘Picture This’ (1982): On Second Thought

Almost Hits: Andy Kim, "Rainbow Ride" (1969)

Almost Hits: Andy Kim, “Rainbow Ride” (1969)

I like to think I’m pretty normal, or at least I can pass for normal on most days. But as I get older, I’m beginning to visualize that somewhere, in the back of my mind, there’s an office where some part of me spends time sorting, evaluating and archiving memoriesRead More

Almost Hits: Peter Gabriel, "Solsbury Hill" (1977)

Almost Hits: Peter Gabriel, “Solsbury Hill” (1977)

After Peter Gabriel’s exodus from Genesis, the band was scrambling to replace the lead singer that was essential in the group morphing into one of the top prog rock acts of the early ’70s. You May Also Like: When Peter Gabriel Suddenly Decided to Open Up on ‘Us’

Almost Hits: Joe Walsh, "Life of Illusion" (1981)

Almost Hits: Joe Walsh, “Life of Illusion” (1981)

Growing up in Chicago, I listened to WLS-AM before it became all-talk radio. It served as one of my earliest introductions to rock and helped form my musical tastes. You May Also Like: Quoan – Fine Dining (2018)

Almost Hits: R.E.M., "It's the End of the World as We Know It [and I Feel Fine]" (1987)

Almost Hits: R.E.M., “It’s the End of the World as We Know It [and I Feel Fine]” (1987)

“It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)” is one of the longer song titles in rock ‘n roll and one of the more oddball releases from R.E.M. (probably only superseded by “Leave” from New Adventures In Hi-Fi). You May Also Like: Joe Mandica,Read More

Almost Hits: The Fun and Games, “The Grooviest Girl In The World” (1969)

Almost Hits: The Fun and Games, “The Grooviest Girl In The World” (1969)

Sounding like the Turtles on a bubblegum bender, “The Grooviest Girl In The World” received loads of airplay throughout Southern California and the Southwest during the early months of 1969 You May Also Like: The Countdown 5 – Complete Recordings 1965-1969 (2018) Ken Sharp, “Girl / Forget That Girl” (2020):Read More

Almost Hits: The Kinks, "Waterloo Sunset" (1967)

Almost Hits: The Kinks, “Waterloo Sunset” (1967)

I would’ve thought there was enough of a melancholic beauty and universal appeal to the 1967 Kinks’ classic “Waterloo Sunset” that it would have transcended any Anglocentric provincialism You May Also Like: Richard Turgeon, “Sunset” (2020): One Track Mind How the Kinks’ ‘Kronikles’ Put Their Towering Late-’60s Era in Perspective

Almost Hits: The Grateful Dead, "Truckin" (1970)

Almost Hits: The Grateful Dead, “Truckin” (1970)

In the early 1970s, a band taking their act to the road had a much more romantic feel to it. For most rock and roll bands, there wasn’t a bubble protecting them from the rest of the world. You May Also Like: Grateful Dead’s ‘Long Strange Trip’ Film Reminds MeRead More

Alan Parsons Project, "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" (1977): Almost Hits

Alan Parsons Project, “I Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You” (1977): Almost Hits

Typically the word “funky” does not spring to mind when considering the Alan Parsons Project. This 1977 single is the exception.

Almost Hits: Squeeze, "Tempted" (1981)

Almost Hits: Squeeze, “Tempted” (1981)

Probably anyone between the ages of 40 and 60 would be surprised to learn that Squeeze’s most familiar song didn’t even crack the top 40 in the US, much less the top 20. You May Also Like: No related posts.

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