Transport Yourself Back A Decade Or Five With These Classic Rock VideosIn Correlation With Our Drum Charts
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| "San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie | "Shining Star" by The Manhattans |
| "Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair." 1967 stands as a highwater year in rock music. That summer, known as the "summer of love," one could turn on the radio at any moment and hear the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album in its entirety, the Doors' "Light My Fire," and "San Francisco," an ode to the hippie scene in that city, written by John Phillips of the Mamas and Papas, and sung by his friend from his folk group days, Scott McKenzie. "San Francisco" went to #4 that year. | There is one thing better than to have a hit, and that is to have a hit with a memorable "feel good" hook (the Doobies' "Listen To The Music" comes to mind). On such a hit, a group can tour forever. "Shining Star" is such a hit. "We toured for years behind that record alone," Manhatten singer Blue Lovett said. "It's just one of those tunes that makes you feel good." "Shining Star" was a hit (#5) in 1980. |
| "Shout" by The Isley Brothers | "Soul Man" by Sam & Dave |
| Those who doubt the influence of gospel upon early rock 'n' roll need only listen to "Shout," this rave-up from the Isley Brothers in 1959. The organist on the track, Professor Herman Stephens, was the organist at the brothers' church! This song was made up on the spot at a concert that year. It has been an audience pleaser ever since. "Shout" was also used in the movie Animal House. | Sam and Dave (Sam Moore and Dave Prater) were a singing duo in the Miami nightclubs when they were noticed by Stax Records executives in 1965, the year soul music exploded on the charts. "Soul Man," was their biggest hit, going to #2 in 1967. The "Steve" ("play it, Steve!") referred to in the second chorus is guitarist Steve Cropper, songwriter and legendary session musician. |
| "Splish Splash" by Bobby Darin | "Stayin' Alive" by The Bee Gees |
| Bobby Darin was a Brill Building writer and a recording artist whose discography leaves us with no particular style. "Teen Queen" and "Splish Splash" were soon followed by "Mack The Knife" and "Beyond the Sea." Later a folk song entered the charts: "If I Were A Carpenter." Darin squeezed a lot into his short life. He must have known it was going to be short. | The apex of the '70s disco craze was the film Saturday Night Fever. The soundtrack, which heavily featured the Bee Gees, became the largest selling soundtrack of all time, and for awhile the biggest selling CD of any kind (it was edged out in 1984, by Michael Jackson's Thriller), selling over 25 million copies. "Stayin' Alive" was released on Christmas eve, 1977, and made its way to #1 for four weeks. This clip is the music video. |
"Steal Away" by Robbie Dupree | "Streets Of Philidelphia" by Bruce Springsteen |
| This 1980 recording went to #6 on the charts. | This 1982 recording went to #2 on the charts. From the movie Streets Of Philadelphia, starring Tom Hanks. |
| "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs | "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2 |
| #1 in 1963, Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs also did "Bottle Of Wine." | Early U2, from the album War. |
| "Sweet Dreams" by Patsy Cline | "The Sweetest Taboo" by Sade |
| #5 in 1963. | Boy, do I love playing this linear groove. #5 in 1986. |
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