On the Record for 7-19
By Jon Busdeker on Jul. 19, 2007
Q: There was a song in the late ’60s or early ’70s with the lyric “and the Mississippi River runs like molasses in the summertime.” Can you tell me the name of the song and who the artist is?
A: The song is “Look Through My Window” and was written by John Phillips. As the founder and, arguably, the creative force behind the Mamas & the Papas, Phillips, along with his wife, Michelle, and Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot, helped create and define the so-called California sound of the 1960s. Although “Look Through My Window” was written in 1964, it wasn’t released until 1967 with the group’s third album, “Deliver.” By the time the song was released, the band had achieved incredible success behind such songs as “Monday Monday,” “California Dreaming” and “Go Where You Want to Go.” At the same time, however, the band was experiencing significant internal problems, largely revolving around the various love interests within the group.
Q: I used to play in a big band back in the ’80s and one of our horn players taught us a cool Motown song. The chorus was “baby, baby love really hurts without you.” Could you tell me the name of the group and title of that song?
A: The lyrics you remember are part of Billy Ocean’s first hit, “Love Really Hurts Without You.” Ocean was born in Trinidad in 1950 and moved to England when he was 8 years old. In 1975, he released his debut album, which included “Love Really Hurts Without You.” The song reached No. 2 on the UK charts and No. 22 on the American charts. After four Top 20 UK hits, he had his first international hit in 1984 with “Caribbean Queen,” which reached the top of the U.S. charts. His success continued with five more Top Five hits in the U.S. including the No. 1 hits “There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)” and “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car.” Since then, Ocean has continued to release new music but has not been able to match his mid-’80s success.
Q: There’s an AVIS commercial depicting a guy driving and getting directions from his car “voice.” The female giving directions sings a couple verses that go something like this: “I get a little bit lonely and you’re never coming round.” If possible, I’d like to know who she is, the name of the song and any albums.
A: The song in the Avis ad is Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Born in 1951 in Skewen, Wales, Tyler began singing in pubs in the early ’70s. As her career was gaining momentum, she had surgery to remove nodules on her vocal chords, which resulted in her raspy voice. In 1978, she had a No. 3 hit with “It’s a Heartache.” A few years later, as her career stalled, she contacted Jim Steinman, the man behind Meat Loaf’s 14 million selling “Bat Out of Hell” album. The collaboration resulted in “Total Eclipse of the Heart” which spent four weeks at No. 1 in the U.S. in 1983 and helped the album from which it came, “Faster Than the Speed of Night,” reach No. 4. After recording a moderately successful song for the “Footloose” soundtrack (1988’s “Holding Out for a Hero” ), Tyler hasn’t been heard from since.
By Bradford Brady and John Maron. What’s the name of that song? Where are they now? What does that lyric mean? Send your questions about songs, albums, and the musicians who make them to
or visit http://www.musicontherecord.com. Brady and Maron are freelance music writers based in Raleigh, N.C.
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