SCOTTS HIDDEN TREASURES #67 - Sophomore Slumps?

[Scott]

It’s time to get back to some great music!  This week I purchased some really cool 70's remasters and I started to take a trip back in time and while doing so stumbled into an idea because I was listening to a bunch tunes from second albums.  Why I notice this kind of stuff when I'm just jamming I'll never know but that’s beside the point...

 

My first thought was Sophomore Slumps!  I went about looking for treasures on second albums that failed to live up to their debuts.  But I found myself loving what I was hearing and the slump theory fell apart, at least for me, what do you think?

 

So here’s 5 really cool treasures from 5 sophomore efforts from the 70's.    Enjoy...

PLAYLIST VITALS

• Length: 27 minutes 25 seconds
• Link: http://snack.to/oXxZAI

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TITLE: Gimme Some Water
ARTIST: Eddie Money
ALBUM: Life For The Taking
YEAR: 1978
LENGTH: 3:38
DID YOU KNOW: His first album appeared in 1977. It reached #37 on the charts, and contained two of his most memorable hits, "Baby Hold On" and "Two Tickets to Paradise". Both songs entered the top 40. The next year he followed up with his second album, Life for the Taking. The album charted higher at #17, but neither of its two singles, "Can't Keep a Good Man Down" and "Maybe I'm a Fool", entered the top 20.

 

I see RJHog picked this one up recently, I hope you are enjoying this album RJ, it’s given me years and years of good times!

 

TITLE: Give Me Your Love
ARTIST: The Babys
ALBUM: Broken Heart
YEAR: 1977
LENGTH: 3:37
DID YOU KNOW: Some critics felt the teen-friendly packaging on their second album may have affected the group's appeal to wider audiences, although it is claimed that it was part of an experiment with group members looking like characters from the film A Clockwork Orange.

 

This is actually a pretty subdued album with some really special moments.  Great geetar work in lots of places, and this style of moderate driving beat permeates the album.  Cool album for fans of the band.

 

TITLE: Make Me Smile
ARTIST: Chicago
ALBUM: Chicago II
YEAR: 1970
LENGTH: 3:15
DID YOU KNOW: Although the official title of the album is Chicago, it came to be retroactively known as Chicago II, keeping it in line with the succession of Roman numeral-titled albums that officially began with Chicago III in 1971.

 

Comes to an abrupt end but hey that happens on CD's.  Still a cool tune!  And Terry Kath makes yet another appearance in SHT.  I guess we'll have to deal with it! The guy is, was, and will always be the Chicago sound.

 

TITLE: Miracles
ARTIST: Jefferson Starship
ALBUM: Red Octopus
YEAR: 1975
LENGTH: 6:52
DID YOU KNOW: Marty Balin contributed the haunting ballad "Caroline" to their first album Dragon Fly, but did not join the band again until January 1975. Balin stayed with the group for nearly the remainder of the decade. This line-up proved to be the band's most commercially successful so far. Balin's ballad Miracles helped 1975's Red Octopus reach multiple-platinum status and No.1 in the Billboard charts.

 

A number #1 hit in SHT?  Yup, still killer to this day, haunting, lush, classy, and still valid.  One of my favorite albums of all time!

 

TITLE: Song For America
ARTIST: Kansas
ALBUM: Song For America
YEAR: 1975
LENGTH: 10:01
DID YOU KNOW: The album’s sweeping title track is regarded by violinist Robby Steinhardt as the band’s signature song. The record company's effort to turn this 10-minute piece into a short hit single by cutting it down to a sloppily edited three minutes (with an "instrumental" version on the b-side) failed to impress radio stations.

 

This songs been chopped up more than just for radio, but ignore those, this is the real deal!  When my kids were toddlers I used to crank this song up and they all come running into the room to dance.  This song hits home in more ways than one for me.
Thanks for listening...

 

[RJhog (Admin)]

Good playlist Scott.

 

The Eddie Money song is cool.  I don't remember hearing this before, until recently that is.  Before I dropped XM, I heard this quite a few times.

 

Love The Babys tune.  It really sounds like it would be a great Whitesnake song.

 

Always liked this Chicago song. Isn't that Terry Kath singing?  I don't think he has the greatest voice in the world, yet I really dig it.  Do you know what I mean?

 

I use to love Miracles, but now it's just okay.

 

Kansas song is okay.  A little long for my blood, but definitely not bad.

[Scott]

RJ, Didnt I see that you purchased that Eddie Money CD?  Cuudlve swore I seen that...  and yes thats Kath, he's just one cool mo-fo!

[RJhog (Admin)]

I sure did.  I haven't really spun it yet.  But I was referring to the time that it came out and over the years until recently.  I guess this sounds quite confusing.  Basically, I had not heard the song, that I can remember, until the last couple of years.  But I do remember hearing it on XM in the last year or two several times, and I have since purchased the CD.  Damn, now I'm confused.

[Jon]

This was pretty good, you made fine selections. I don't think I would have changed anything except for Chicago I would have went with 25 or 6 to 4. But that's just me. The rest is spot on, but can't say much about The Baby's, never owned a studio album be them so will have to take your word.