Thirty duets for your listening/singing-along-with pleasure!
Follow Tunes Du Jour on Facebhttp://www.facebook.com/tunesdujourook
Follow me on Bluesky
Follow me on Instagram
Tunes Du Jour Presents 1979
The year 1979 was a vibrant time in popular music, characterized by disco’s stronghold on the charts and a rich variety of emerging and evolving genres. From dancefloor anthems to rock classics, the year’s hits reflected a dynamic musical landscape.
Disco reigned supreme in 1979, dominating the airwaves and nightclubs alike. Gloria Gaynor’s empowering “I Will Survive” became an instant classic, while Chic’s “Good Times” and Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” kept dance floors packed. The genre’s influence extended far and wide, with Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” becoming a cultural phenomenon, Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” showcasing disco’s enduring appeal, and Amii Stewart’s cover of “Knock on Wood” breathing new life into a soul classic. McFadden & Whitehead’s “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” and Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” further exemplified disco’s ability to blend uplifting messages with irresistible rhythms.
While disco flourished, rock music continued to evolve and diversify. AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” solidified their status as the preeminent heavy metal band of the era, its raw energy and power chords setting a new standard for the genre. Dire Straits’ “Sultans of Swing” showcased a more refined, guitar-driven sound, while The Police emerged with “Message in a Bottle,” signaling the rise of post-punk. The new wave and power pop scenes gained momentum with Elvis Costello & the Attractions’ “Oliver’s Army,” The Jam’s “The Eton Rifles,” and Squeeze’s “Up the Junction” all making their mark. Meanwhile, M’s “Pop Muzik” and Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” demonstrated how disco influences could be merged with new wave sensibilities.
The year also saw the birth of iconic pop hits that would define the era. Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” hinted at the superstardom that awaited him, while The Knack’s “My Sharona” became an instant power pop classic. The Buggles’ prophetic “Video Killed the Radio Star” not only topped charts but would later make history as the first music video played on MTV. Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” continued to showcase the enduring appeal of funk, while R&B ballads like Peaches & Herb’s “Reunited” and The Commodores’ “Still” made significant impacts on the pop charts.
As 1979 drew to a close, the musical landscape was rich and varied. While disco maintained its grip on popular culture, the seeds of change were being sown. The diversity of the year’s hits, from Charlie Daniels Band’s country crossover “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” to Rickie Lee Jones’ jazz-influenced “Chuck E’s In Love,” stood out against the backdrop of disco and straightforward pop tunes. This musical variety, along with emerging studio technologies and evolving artist expressions, set the stage for the significant shifts that would characterize the sound of the coming decade.
Follow Tunes Du Jour on Facebook
Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 12-13-23
WHAT TIME IS IT? Time to celebrate the 67th birthday of The Time’s Morris Day! A few of his selections are on today’s playlist.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5HGp6sA2mAESD5SwZa9Yrh?si=d3f23ce6e4204584
Follow Tunes du Jour on Facebook
Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 12-10-23
“Nightshift” was Commodores’ biggest hit following the departure of usual lead singer Lionel Richie. The group’s Walter Orange, a co-writer of the song, sings lead on verse one. Orange also sang lead on Commodores’ hits “Brick House” and “Too Hot Ta Trot.” So there.
Commodores’ Walter Orange was born on this date (or maybe yesterday’s date) in 1946. Two of the group’s songs on which he sang lead are included on today’s playlist.
Follow Tunes du Jour on Facebook
Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 9-30-22
Today’s playlist celebrates the September 30 birthdays of Frankie Lymon, T. Rex’s Marc Bolan, Sugababes’ Keisha Buchanan, The 5th Dimension’s Marilyn McCoo, Johnny Mathis, Butthole Surfers’ Gibby Haynes, Patrice Rushen, T-Pain, The Lox’s Sheek, Len Cariou, and The Brady Bunch’s Barry Williams; and the October 1 birthdays of Youssou N’Dour, Donny Hathaway, Richard Harris, The Shocking Blue’s Mariska Veres, Peaches & Herb’s Herb Fame, Brownsville Station’s Cub Coda, The Capitols’ Samuel George, Jebediah’s Bob Evans, Julie Andrews, Shalamar’s Howard Hewett, and Thomas Leer.
Follow Tunes du Jour on Facebook
Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
Throwback Thursday: 1979
Nineteen seventy-nine was a very good year in music. In compiling today’s Throwback Thursday playlist focusing on 1979 I had so many very good songs from which to choose. 208 songs, to be exact. That’s how many 1979 cuts bring me much joy. There are another 181 1979 tracks I also like. Somehow I was able to whittle it down to the 30 cuts below. Some years it’s a struggle to come up with 30!
Disco was at its commercial peak in 1979. So many of the disco songs that charted then remain popular today – “I Will Survive,” “We Are Family,” “Y.M.C.A.,” “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” “Hot Stuff,” “Good Times,” “Heart of Glass,” “Ring My Bell,” “Knock on Wood,” “Got To Be Real.” While the genre seemed omnipresent, there was more to 1979 music than clams on the half shell and roller skates roller skates. Hear what was going on below.
Follow Tunes du Jour on Facebook.
Follow Tunes du Jour on Twitter.
Follow me on Instagram.
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (10-1-20)
Inspired by the October 1 birthdays of Shalamar’s Howard Hewett, Donny Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Youssou N’Dour, Peaches & Herb’s Herb Fame, Shocking Blue’s Mariska Veres, Richard Harris, Brownsville Station’s Cub Koda and The Capitols’ Samuel George.
20 Duets
Duets. Twenty of ’em.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Click here to like Tunes du Jour on Facebook!
Follow me on Twitter: @tunesdujour
Follow me on Instagram: @glennschwartz
It’s Aretha Franklin’s Birthday And I Need To Dance!
In 1994, Aretha Franklin took “A Deeper Love” to #1 on the dance club chart. Her record was a remake of a song that hit #1 on the dance club chart just two years prior. The 1992 version was credited to Clivillés + Cole, the song’s writers and producers, with vocals performed by Deborah Cooper. Clivillés + Cole, the C + C of C + C Music Factory, produced the Aretha’s version as well.
“A Deeper Love” was one of six #1 singles Aretha had on the dance club chart, which shows that in addition to being the Queen of Soul, she was a dance queen as well. It kicks off our weekly dance party, in honor of the Queen, who turns 74 today.
Click here to like Tunes du Jour on Facebook!
Follow me on Twitter: @TunesDuJour
Throwback Thursday – 1979
Blondie’s hit single “Heart of Glass” was written by band members Debbie Harry and Chris Stein and had the working title of “The Disco Song.” Drummer Clem Burke said his part was inspired by the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.”
Said Harry “When we did ‘Heart of Glass’ it wasn’t too cool in our social set to play disco. But we did it because we wanted to be uncool,” with the band’s keyboardist Jimmy Destri adding “We used to do ‘Heart of Glass’ to upset people.”
The song was included on Blondie’s Parallel Lines LP “as a novelty item to put more diversity into the album,” per Stein. The novelty song became the group’s first charted single and first #1, in 1979. Its success prompted John Lennon to send Ringo Starr a postcard advising to write songs like “Heart of Glass.”
Today’s Throwback Thursday playlist spotlights twenty of the best tracks from 1979, kicking off with Blondie’s upsetting disco novelty.
Click here to like Tunes du Jour on Facebook!
Follow me on Twitter: @TunesDuJour