"You're Not Alone" by Amy Grant

       It's the holiday season friends, and the Radio Dial's gift to you is an upbeat album track that should've been a hit off of one of the top selling pop albums of 1991. Let us present miss Amy Grant and her compassionate ode to a heartbroken friend, “You're Not Alone”.

“I saw you walking by yourself, your eyes were crying out for help...

I know you feel your pain is more, than anyone's been hurt before...”

The seventh track off of Amy's 1991 quintuple-platinum “Heart in Motion” LP, “You're...” was one of the few tracks from that album not issued as a single, and thus not played on pop, A/C, dance, or Contemporary Christian (CCM) radio outlets. Heart in Motion's string of hits included “Baby Baby”, “Every Heartbeart”, and “I Will Remember You”, which successfully broke Grant into the world of mainstream top 40 radio, after brief flirtations with the format in 1985 (the US #29 pop crossover hit “Find A Way”), and her 1986 chart topping Peter Cetera duet “The Next Time I Fall”.

Personally, “You're...” was the big hit off the album for me, and it's the only song on the entire LP that I still revisit on a regular basis – even over two decades after it's release. I've always wondered how the song would have done had it been released as a single. I'd think top 20 at least.

Curiously, “You're...” is the only Heart in Motion track not co-written by Grant herself, instead being authored by the UK based songwriting team of Dennis Morgan/Simon Climie/Rob Fisher, who, either together, or individually, penned such great hits as Naked Eyes' “Promises Promises”, Pat Benatar's “Invincible”, George Michael & Aretha Franklin's “I Knew You Were Waiting For Me”, and Rod Stewart's “My Heart Can't Tell You No”. The trio also charted under their own band name of Climie Fisher with the 1988 US #23 hit "Love Changes (Everything)".

Even though it was released by a well-known CCM artist, I never heard “You're...” as religious in any way, mainly because Heart in Motion was such a push into pure pop, and the majority of the songs are not overtly religious at all. Amy sings of hope and love and longing and happiness and sacrifice, but every adult contemporary artist deals in that stock and trade.

I always interpreted it as telling the tale of a guy suffering from a devastating romantic loss, (and whom may even be contemplating suicide), and his female friend (Amy) that is consoling him. Amy’s character comforts the fellow by assuring him that no matter how bad he feels, SHE will always be there for him, hence, HE is not alone in this world. The entirety of verse 2, listed below, solidified this interpretation in my mind.

“The moment that I looked at you, I recognized the killing truth...
You really think there's no way out, but if you let me, I can help you now.
Through all these shattered emotions, there's a lesson to learn...
So come on let me hold you closer, love can soothe what love has burned.”

Alternatively, it also crossed my mind that Amy may have been telling the guy that he's not alone in that everybody has gone through a terrible break up in their lives. His situation, while heartbreaking, is not unique, so Amy and MANY others, can empathize with his plight.

However, while researching the song for my review, I've since learned that the real intent of the song is to say that “you’re not alone because a higher power is always watching over you”. Now, it seems so obvious to me, but I sure didn't arrive at that interpretation on my own.

So whether you hear "You're Not Alone" as a song of friendly compassion and empathy, or reassurance that there is a higher power, I sincerely hope you enjoy this overlooked album cut from the queen of Contemporary Christian music, and for a time in the early 90s, a master of classic upbeat adult contemporary pop.

And, slated on the Radio Dial docket for the new year, a tribute to an iconic alternative rocker who recently left us too soon at the age of 48; and a forgotten top 10 hit for an ‘80s new wave group which draws inspiration from the final visit of the ice cream truck each summer.

And from the entire Radio Dial family, Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and any other positive holiday related greeting you may wish to hear! (oh yeah, and have an awesome Festivus for the rest of us!) Kyle's Radio Dial... The more you listen, the more you REMEMBER!

“You've got to remember... you're not alone in this world...

Always remember... You're not alone in this world”

"Man On Your Mind" by the Little River Band

        Welcome, friends! Thanks for tuning your "interwebs" and your attention, to my modest little corner of the information super highway... Kyle's Radio Dial! Tonight, we take a look back at one of the more rockin' songs from the Australian kings of soft rock, the Little River Band. Let us present their tale of infidelity awareness entitled “Man On Your Mind”!

“I can feel it floating away... inch by inch... day by day.

Love boat... set itself free... cast away, slipping out to sea.”

When compared to the bulk of the Little River Band's (LRB) melodic ballad hit singles (“Lady”, “Cool Change”, “Reminiscing”, etc.), “Man...” is a harder selection from these Australian boys, and it fits quite nicely within the radio landscape of early 80s pop/rock.

Despite the upbeat vibe, the lyrics tell a troubled story about the memory of another man coming in between the singer and his lady. The male protagonist sees all the red flags, including the woman's stress as she tries to conceal the truth. A comment is even made that...

“you can't change your life, by changing your name”

This makes me think that the woman tried to escape her past by marrying the man singing the song, but that very past (the titular "man on her mind") is holding her back emotionally.

However, by the final bridge, there appears to be hope for the relationship, as the singer says...

“He's already fallen... So it's no use to fight... And if he starts callin'...
Let him know you're with me, for the rest of the night.”

This seems to indicate that the woman has finally realized that holding on to the past is damaging her present romance, and it is necessary to move forward with her current guy. Or maybe it's simply that the male character giving her a mild ultimatum... a “you're MY GIRL” kind of assertation, at which point, his macho mannerisms may push the woman further away. So I guess the interpretation can go either way on this. I prefer the more positive outcome.

“Man...” was the third and final single from LRB's 1981 LP Time Exposure, which also yielded the top 10 hits “The Night Owls” (US #6) and “Take It Easy on Me“ (US #10). “Man...”'s peak position in early '82 fell behind these other two hits, but not by much at US #14.

An interesting fact about “Man...” and the entire Time Exposure LP, is that it was produced by none other than “the Fifth Beatle” himself, Sir George Martin! Following the 1970 conclusion of the Beatles, Martin continued to work with McCartney on his Wings and solo material, and also produced works for acts like Jeff Beck, America, Ultravox, Cheap Trick, Kenny Rogers, and Elton John, among many others, including LRB.

“I used to dream it could last forever... But pipe dreams never come true...
I'd be foolin' myself if I never thought something like this... couldn't happen to you”

“Man...” is also one of the few top 40 songs whose lyrics added to my personal lexicon, as it introduced me to the terms “Chinese junk” (an ancient Chinese sailing ship) and “pipe dream” (an impossible goal). Only a few other songs did the same, such as “false bravado”, mentioned in Player's 1978 hit “Baby Come Back”, and “loving by proxy”, from Cutting Crew's 1988 smash “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight”. See, pop music does grow your vocabulary!

In contrast to the relative seriousness of the song's lyrics, the music video for “Man...” is quite campy, as the LRB guys prance around a stage in a goofy and deliberately awkward dance routine. They do appear to be having a good time fooling around for the camera, though.

So sit back and check out LRB's top 20 entry, one of the countless former radio hits that never pop up on radio anymore. And be sure to check back in with the Dial later in the month for the next overlooked track worthy of a second glance.

“I said, Baby... You've got a man on your mind... You've got a weight on your shoulders...
How you ever gonna find the words to say, Goodbye ?”

"Fire in the Twilight" by Wang Chung

         Hello friends! You picked a great time to tune your receivers to Kyle's Radio Dial, as we'll jog your memory with another great track that is unfairly ignored by current radio playlists. Tonight, we feature a movie soundtrack cut that didn't even hit the hot 100, despite being released as a single and associated prominently with a very successful film. Sit right back down in your seat, mister, and listen to Wang Chung's “Fire In the Twilight”, or you'll get another two weeks of detention! 

“Hot on the run from the grip of the power game... The man who leads the way... The man who leads the way...” 

Now, if you grew up in the '80s, AND assuming that you're listening to today's selection while reading (by clicking the window at the end of the article, of course), I'd expect that you instantly recognize “Fire” as the song played during John Hughes' 1985 classic “The Breakfast Club” when Bender, Andrew, Claire, Brian, and Allison are racing back to the library before Principal Vernon catches that they've left their detention posts. 

That very scene is referenced in the music video, though it is not the main focal point. The premise of the video is that Wang Chung members Jack Hues, Nick Feldman, and Darren Costin spend their day performing events in reverse, causing them to upright a knocked over shopping cart, repair a classic car by “unsmashing” it, save the life of a suicide jumper by having him fall upwards to the balcony from which he lept, and so on. Clips from the hallway scene of the movie are played in reverse as Jack Hues runs into a theater, keeping in the spirit of the overall video. 

“Taking a break from the role of the everyday boy... The man who leads the way... The man who leads the way...”

John Hughes, of course, is one of the decade's most iconic directors, having had a hand in writing or directing such memorable titles as National Lampoon's Vacation, Pretty In Pink, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science, and of course, the Breakfast Club. Each of these films had great soundtracks, and The Breakfast Club's theme, Simple Minds' “Don't You (Forget About Me)” was the biggest hit single, topping the chart for one week in 1985. 

“Does he need ya, does he want ya, does he listen to what you say? Is he only waiting for the simple life?” 

I wore this soundtrack out back in the day, and never had any idea there ever was a second single released after Simple Minds' iconic classic theme. Even back in 85, I thought it was a lost opportunity on the part of the record label, as songs such as "We Are Not Alone" by Karla DeVito, or EG Daily's “Waiting”, were very radio friendly, as was Wang Chung's contribution. Years later, I learned that “Fire...” did earn a single release, but I sure never heard it on the radio, despite even having that cool music video. 

It's bizarre that Wang Chung's track didn't score big at top 40 or rock radio, especially since they were up-and-coming hitmakers at the time, having already captured peoples' ears with the US #16 “Dance Hall Days”, and the #41 “To Live And Die In L.A.”. “Fire...” was destined to be barely noticed at #10 on the “bubbled under” charts... which essentially means position #110 on the Hot 100. Hues and Feldman sure as hell made up for it with their next two single releases, the quintessential 80s party tune “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” (US #2 / 86), and the upbeat dance rock number “Let's Go” (US #9 / 87) 

So, check it out and rock out to Wang Chung's obscure “hit-that-should've-been”. And as always, keep it tuned to Kyle's Radio Dial, where the more you listen, the MORE you remember! 

“He is burning... burning in the twilight... he is burning, turning to face us.

He is burning... fire in the twilight... he is burning... turning to lead us away...” 

 

"Defenders of the Flag" by Bruce Hornsby and the Range

          Happy November, friends! As you gorge yourself on your kids Halloween candy (c'mon, I know you do it!), I invite you to check out the latest post, about a tune that suggests that those we hold in high regard, may not be deserved of such attention. Tonight, the Dial brings you Bruce Hornsby and the Range, and their 1988 hit-that-should-have-been, “Defenders of the Flag”!

“It's coming any day now said the captain... It's coming any day now cried the priest...

The people in high places may defend you, but son, you better hope they keep the peace.”

A scathing, yet humorous critique of those societal figures that are expected to be vice-free, the “Defenders” mentioned here are a preacher who has an affair with a choir member, and a judge who checks out risque dancers during his lunch hour. Bruce theorizes that these characters learned their disrespectful behavior from their fathers, and implies that their actions are doing much to cause the destruction of the American ideal.

The lyrics also contain a clever baseball analogy, as Bruce mentions players that throw the ball to home, but “always miss the tag”, implying that the song's characters are failing those that trust them by way of their actions. While the lyrics are admittedly heavy-handed, Hornsby is an expert in using his “Virginia sound” (a unique mix of jazz, blues, rock, and bluegrass) to spotlight social criticisms. His hits “The Valley Road” and “Look Out Any Window” deal with an unwanted pregnancy between people of different social classes; and the polluting of the environment by corporations, respectively, and of course, his signature 1986 #1 smash “The Way It Is” talks about racism and the poor.

“The city halls are falling... The defenders drink their wine...

And when the party's over... Their stomachs start to sag...”

“Defenders” also features noteworthy harmonica work by Huey Lewis, and interestingly enough, this was not the only collaboration between these two '80s icons. Huey produced three tracks (and provided backing vocals on one cut) on Bruce’s debut LP “The Way It Is”, and Bruce and his brother John wrote “Jacob’s Ladder”, which Lewis (with The News), took all the way to US #1 in 1987. Bruce himself recorded a version of “Jacob’s Ladder” in his characteristic down-home Virginia style, and it appears as the very track that follows “Defenders..” on his 1988 LP “Scenes from the Southside”.

While most members of The Range were newcomers to top 40 radio, Joe Puerta (on bass and backing vocals) had charted in the late 70s and early 80s as a member of Ambrosia, contributing to their soft rock classics “How Much I Feel”, “Biggest Part of Me”, and “You’re the Only Woman”. Other members of The Range at the time were George Marinelli and Peter Harris, both of whom contributed guitar & mandolin work, and drummer John Molo.

“If these guys are the good ones... I don't want to know the bad...

You wonder how it happened... They just picked it up from Dad.”

Although “Defenders” never charted at top 40, it was issued as the third single from it's parent LP, and made #11 on the US Mainstream Rock chart. Due to it's current abandonment by terrestrial radio, “Defenders” is truly a hidden gem in Hornsby's discography, waiting to be rediscovered.

Give it a spin, and keep checking back for more great songs from the past that deserve to be celebrated. Kyle's Radio Dial... The more you listen... The MORE you remember!

“Faded old glory hanging like a rag... Defenders, defenders of the flag” .

A RADIO DIAL EXTRA: "Stiletto" by The Night Flight Orchestra

           Well, this is unusual… It seems another modern song has caught my attention, and thus, been picked up by the receivers of the Radio Dial. Just a little over two months after discovering the soulful Lianne La Havas and her hit-that-should-have-been “What You Don’t Do”, I now find myself constantly humming a song that draws inspiration from ‘80s AOR anthems, and apes those styles nearly perfectly. Crank it up and rip the knob off for “Stiletto” by The Night Flight Orchestra! 

Formed by Bjorn Strid and David Andersson of the Swedish melodic death metal group Soilwork, along with Sharlee D'Angelo, Jonas Källsbäck, Richard Larsson, and Sebestian Forslund, The Night Flight Orchestra was created out of Bjorn and David’s mutual appreciation for 70s and 80s classic rock and an attempt to recapture the sound and melody of that era. “Stiletto” is taken from this year’s LP “Skyline Whispers”, and celebrates the intense physical desire the singer feels for his woman, despite the fact that their emotional connection eroded a long time prior. 

“Stiletto” would have sounded perfectly at home on an AOR or rock leaning top 40 station circa ‘85 or ‘86. Strid and Andersson are clearly drawing inspiration from the icons of the era, recalling acts like Loverboy, Survivor, Billy Squier, and Sammy Hagar, and lyrics that evoke the intense longing of Bryan Adams’ “Run To You”, and the aggressive, cocky “swagger” of John Parr's “Naughty Naughty”. There’s also a very real mid ‘80s movie soundtrack quality here, as if “Stiletto” is actually a long lost single recorded for the Rocky III or Over The Top soundtracks.

I was recently introduced to The Night Flight Orchestra by my friend Justin, a serious metal fan by trade, who learned of the band due to it's Soilwork connection. He recommended that I check out “Stiletto” because of my appreciation of all things ‘80s. Upon first listen, I knew I had found the next Radio Dial Extra.

Click the window below and give “Stiletto” a spin. And don’t be surprised if an ‘80s movie styled “montage” starts playing in your mind’s eye as you listen… what you fill that montage with, I’ll leave up to you.

And Justin, I would just like to say… \m/ SLAYER! \m/ 

“Please don’t take off your stilettos… They never tell me lies… I’m under a spell, can never let go… Don't hold me on the line… hold me on the line.”

 

"Tell It Like It Is", and "There's The Girl" by Heart

         Long time readers of the blog know that on occasion, two songs by the same act will share the Radio Dial spotlight. Basically, I can't decide which of the two equally deserved tunes should get the attention, so both songs are featured. Tonight is one of those very times. Settle on in, as the Dial brings you the music of Heart, featuring the inimitable sisterly duo of Ann and Nancy Wilson, and their underplayed hit singles “Tell It Like It Is”, and “There's the Girl”.

“If you want something to play with... go and find yourself a toy.
Cause baby, baby, my time is much too expensive... And I don't want no little boy”

A #8 U.S. hit single pulled from 1980's “Greatest Hits / Live” LP, Ann belts out a passionate cover of this 1966 Aaron Neville soul ballad that lays out the desire felt by the singer for her intended beau.

Coming along at the tail end of their “Little Led Zeppelin” phase, and many years prior to their mid-80s MTV fueled career resurgence, “Tell It...” was their highest charting single at this point in their career. Even the ubiquitous '70s hits “Magic Man” and “Barracuda” lagged slightly behind this hit cover chartwise, as they hit US #9, and #11, respectively.

“Tell It” also dates from a rather cover-heavy period for the band, as it was preceded a year prior by the 1979 single release of Badfinger/Harry Nilsson’s “Without You” (taken from the '78 LP “Magazine“), and was immediately followed by another extract from “Greatest Hits / Live”, a powerful live cover of the pop standard “Unchained Melody” (most closely associated with The Righteous Brothers), which hit US #83 in 1981. Additionally, other covers from the 1980 live set include songs originally recorded by The Beatles, Little Richard, and the Wilson’s sister’s idols… Led Zeppelin, themselves.

“Tell it like it is... Oh yeah, just let your conscience be your guide...
You know, deep down inside... I believe you love me, just forget your foolish pride” 

 

Following a period of declining sales, and diminishing chart success, Heart reinvented themselves and burst back onto the scene in 1985 with their 5X Platinum self titled LP, which, among other hits, contained their first #1 hit single, the ethereal “These Dreams”. The AOR sounds of the new MTV-embracing Heart continued with 1987's “Bad Animals” LP, from which was extracted our second spotlight single, the US #12 hit “There's the Girl”.

“You're a polished diamond... Now you're feeling kinda rough...
Yes I know how long you've been searching... for the perfect touch
You better hear what I say... I can tell your eyes are just about to give you away”

Following the release of Bad Animals' #1 smash ballad “Alone”, and the top 10 “Who Will You Run To”, “There's...” is a warning put to song. A warning by a woman telling her (platonic?) male friend that the girl HE carries a torch for is bad news and will likely leave him heartbroken. I imagine you could even call this girl a “Bad Animal”, as per the album title.

Of note here is that lead vocals are handled by Nancy, not Ann, who typically sang lead on most Heart releases. “There's” peaked at US #12, and was the last sizable hit from its parent LP.

Aside from the Wilson sisters, the only other Heart bandmate to appear on both “Tell It...” and “There's...” is Howard Leese, performing guitar and keyboards on both cuts. The rest of the 1980 line up included Steve Fossen on bass, Roger Fisher on guitars, and Michael DeRosier on drums. By the 1987 release of “There's...”, The Wilsons and Leese were joined by Mark Andes on bass, and drummer Denny Carmassi.

“'Cause there's the girl... that you were after... feel your heart beating faster now
There's the girl that you were after... Can you say that you don't want her anymore?”

 

Yes, I know these tracks aren’t especially “deep cuts” from Heart’s discography, but they are quite rare to hear on terrestrial radio (at least in my home market of central Ohio). In fact, last month I heard “There’s The Girl” on the radio for the first time in at least a decade, and I still haven't heard “Tell It Like It Is” over the airwaves since its original chart run.

Give these forgotten tracks a listen and reawaken your musical memories, brought to you courtesy of Ann and Nancy and the rest of the Heart family, and Kyle's Radio Dial!

"Twilight Zone / Twilight Tone" by The Manhattan Transfer

         Hey friends, thanks for checking in at my humble little slice of the internet, a place where you can be assured of finding songs that awaken your memories and please your ears. It's a modest little blog I call “Kyle's Radio Dial”, and tonight, I spotlight an early '80s disco tribute to a lasting television classic. Read on to learn about and listen to “Twilight Zone / Twilight Tone” by The Manhattan Transfer.

“With a key, you unlock the door to imagination... Beyond it is another dimension...”

Taken from the Transfer's 1979 Extensions LP, and released as a single in early '80, this disco-fied interpretation of the classic TV series came along at the tail end of the disco craze. As the highly publicized “Disco Demolition Night” of July '79 demonstrated, America was growing weary of repetitive dance floor rhythms, and as such, any new single with a beat you could dance to had a rough time climbing the charts in the early months of the new decade. It's not at all surprising that “Zone” only reached US #30, though it fared slightly better in the UK at #25.

The New York based vocal quartet comprising of Tim Hauser, Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, and Cheryl Bentyne, was able to rebound spectacularly from the underwhelming chart performance of “Zone” with their only top 10 hit, the Grammy-award winning “The Boy from New York City”. A cover of the The Ad Libs’ 1965 soul hit, the Transfer took their jazzy remake up to US #7 in 1981.

“When I hear this melody, this strange illusion takes over me... Through a tunnel of the mind, perhaps a present or future time...”

As would be expected, “Zone” incorporates Marius Constant’s iconic “do-do-Doo-do” Twilight Zone opening title theme, and it also works in elements of Bernard Herrmann's background music that was featured in many episodes of the classic series. Alan opens the song with his Rod Serling imitation, while Janis handles the lead vocals.

The song’s verses don’t seem to reference any specific TZ episodes, but instead offer up two vague tales of a psychic girl from Memphis, and a man on an airplane flight that sees “Glen up there bopping a rhythm”. Perhaps this is some sort of Glen Miller shout out?

Interestingly, Twilight Zone (the series) has served as inspiration for many songs, both on and off the Hot 100. Iron Maiden, Rush, Golden Earring, 2 Unlimited, and The Markettes have all recorded songs which were named after the show, or featured lyrical, or musical references to, Serling’s masterpiece.

“Out of nowhere comes this sound, this melody that keeps spinning round and round... Pyramidial locomotion from this mystic unknown zone.”

It’s also not the first attempt to take a disco cover of a classic TV theme onto the pop charts, as the Wilton Place Street Band demonstrated in 1977 when they took their dance floor rendition of the “I Love Lucy” theme to US #24.

While it is unarguably a fun recording, “Zone” can't really be considered a serious tribute to Serling's iconic series, being that it's practically a novelty song. But it is a curious musical trinket of the era, best played on the jukeboxes found in the smoky corners of clubs and bars in… the Twilight Zone. (and on Kyle's Radio Dial of course!)

“Hearin' the twilight... Hearin' the twilight... twilight tone”

"A Night to Remember" by Shalamar

       Get out your dancing shoes, friends! It’s time to dial it all the way back to ’82 for Los Angeles based Shalamar, and their classic jam “A Night to Remember”!

“When you love someone, it's natural, not demanding… and that’s one thing I’m proud to say I’ve found in you.”

Pulled from the group’s 1982 LP Friends, “A Night…” was poised to become Shalamar's third US top 40 hit, (following 1977's “Uptown Festival”, and 1980's “The Second Time Around”), however, this classic cut just missed that goal by stalling at US #44 on the almighty pop charts. Deservedly, the single scored much better on the US R&B chart at #8, and it also made a splash “across the pond”, where its UK #5 peak was Shalamar’s first Top 10.

“Celebrations and my heart could stay united… And there’s nothing in this world to come between me and you…”

A sweet and upbeat melody sung by two lovers excited about spending a memorable night together (possibly their first?), “A Night…” expertly melds the sounds of funk, soul, and pop. It successfully bridges the gap between ‘70s dance floor rhythms and the upcoming mid ‘80s electronic soul movement termed “post-disco”, populated by acts such as The Pointer Sisters, Billy Ocean, The Gap Band, and Starpoint (whose classic “Object of my Desire” was covered by this very blog in August 2014.)

However, given that Shalamar comprises of two men and one woman (Howard and Jody are the main vocalists here, with Jeffrey singing backing accompaniment), another lyrical interpretation holds that this night will be memorable for a much more... ahem... adult reason than what is initially alluded to. To support this theory, it's worth mentioning that Shalamar’s 1980 LP, which produced the R&B chart hit “This Is For The Lover In You”, was entitled “Three For Love”… Hmmm… *scratching chin pensively*

“Let's make a toast to those who helped make this occasion… They turn their back on love…  But that's what drove you straight to me.”

The song is also notable for featuring a third and final verse that comes in around the time that most first-time listeners might assume the song is wrapping up. It appears after no less than five (!!!) chorus repetitions following verse two.

So what became of the group following their mid-80s breakup? Jody, of course, enjoyed a very prominent post-Shalamar career, charting high in the late 80s with tracks like “Looking for a New Love”, “Don’t You Want Me”, and “Real Love”. She even earned the 1988 Best New Artist Grammy, despite having been a part of a successful group earlier in the decade.

Howard’s solo career was less prolific than Jody’s, but he still scored several hits on the US R&B chart, among them, a smooth quiet-storm cover of the Eagles' “I Can't Tell You Why”. Jeffrey Daniels left recording behind, becoming an in-demand choreographer in the process, and worked with such musical luminaries as Paul McCartney, LL Cool J, Michael Jackson, and Sheena Easton.

As catchy as “A Night...” is, I admit I'd completely forgotten about it until I started listening to the Rhapsody playlists created by my buddy Greg, a fellow musicologist, and a long time member of the Radio Dial family. It had been at least 25 years since I last heard Shalamar's classic on the radio, and thanks to Greg's playlist, it was a welcome delight to hear it again, and add it to my own playlist. Why don’t you give it a whirl too, and see if this classic jam catches you the way it did me on the second time around. (See what I did there?)

“So my love to you, baby, I surrender… Get ready. Tonight. Gonna make this a night to remember.”