08 March 2009

Heart "Alone"



"Alone" is a song composed by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. It first appeared on via Steinberg and Kelly's pet project, 1983's I-Ten, Taking a Cold Look. It was later recorded by John Stamos in his role as Gino Minelli, on the original soundtrack of the CBS sitcom Dreams in 1984. American rock band Heart made it a hit in 1987. Twenty years later, CĂ©line Dion recorded it for her album Taking Chances. The song was given to Heart and released as the first single from their ninth studio album Bad Animals. Heart's version is a power ballad which begins with a piano line and a subdued vocal from Ann Wilson, only to build to a dramatic love song. "Alone" is Heart's biggest hit, spending three weeks at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It is also their most successful single in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. Paula Abdul was choreographer for the video. [Wikipedia]

Foreigner "Waiting For A Girl Like You"



"Waiting for a Girl Like You" is a song by British-American rock band Foreigner. The distinctive synthesizer theme was performed by the then-unknown Thomas Dolby. It was the second single released from the album 4 (1981), and was co-written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. It has become one of the band's most famous songs worldwide, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at #8 on the UK Singles Chart. Despite not reaching the top of the Hot 100, it reached #1 on the Rock Tracks chart for one week. "Waiting for a Girl Like You" achieved an odd chart distinction by spending a record-setting 10 weeks in the #2 position of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, without ever reaching the top. [Wikipedia]

Johnny Hates Jazz "Shattered Dreams"



Shattered Dreams" is a hit pop song by British pop group Johnny Hates Jazz. Written by the band's lead singer, the band's debut single was a worldwide hit. The song entered the UK Singles Chart in March 1987 at a lowly #92 but gained popularity through extensive radio play and video rotation on MTV and the song quickly climbed the charts and peaked at #5 in mid May 1987 and spent 3 weeks there, and the song would spend a total of 16 weeks in the chart. The song fared even better the following year in the U.S. There, "Shattered Dreams" was released early in 1988 with a totally different music video, shot entirely in black and white, and the single peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and went all the way to #1 on the ARC Weekly Top 40 chart. The song also topped Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart for one week. A midtempo club remix of the track was released on 12" vinyl. Billboard magazine ranked "Shattered Dreams" as the #26 song of the year 1988 in their December 31 issue.[Wikipedia]

Toto "Africa"



Africa" is a song by rock band Toto. The song was included on their 1982 album Toto IV, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1983 and number three on the UK Singles Chart the same month.

Arguably Toto’s most recognizable song, “Africa” hit Number 1 on the Billboard Charts in February 1983. It was almost cut from the Toto IV record prior to its release. Having spent an incredible amount of time producing the tune, the band became so tired of the song that they didn’t want it on the album. The song itself was very different from anything the band had done before, and some members felt that it didn’t sound like Toto. [Wikipedia]

Pink Floyd "Careful With That Axe Eugene"

Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here"



Pink Floyd are an English rock band who initially earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and later, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd are known for philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art, and elaborate live shows. One of rock music's most successful acts, the group have sold over 210 million albums worldwide[1][2][3] including 74.5 million albums in the United States.[4] Pink Floyd influenced progressive rock artists of the 1970s such as Genesis and Yes,[5] as well as contemporary artists such as Nine Inch Nails [6], and Dream Theater.[7] Pink Floyd were formed in London in 1965 when Syd Barrett moved down from Cambridge and joined The Tea Set, a group consisting of Regent Street Polytechnic architecture students Nick Mason, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Bob Klose.[8] The group had moderate mainstream success and were one of the most popular bands in the London underground music scene in the late 1960s as a psychedelic band led by Syd Barrett. However, Barrett's erratic behaviour eventually led his colleagues to replace him with guitarist and singer David Gilmour. After Barrett's departure, singer and bass player Roger Waters gradually became the dominant force in the group by the late-1970s, until his departure from the group in 1985. The band had always been popular in England, though they did not achieve true worldwide success until the concept albums The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), and Animals (1977), and the rock opera The Wall (1979).

In 1985, Waters declared Pink Floyd "a spent force", but the remaining members, led by Gilmour, continued recording and touring under the name Pink Floyd. Waters sued them for the name and eventually they reached a settlement out of court, under which Gilmour, Mason and Wright would continue as Pink Floyd. They again enjoyed worldwide success with A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994). Waters performed with the band for the first time in 24 years on 2 July 2005 at the London Live 8 concert.

Dire Straits "Walk of Life"



Dire Straits were a British rock band, formed in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (vocals and lead guitar), his younger brother David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion), and managed by Ed Bicknell. Although the band was formed in an era when punk rock was at the forefront, Dire Straits played a more conventional style, albeit with a stripped-down sound that appealed to audiences also weary of the overproduced stadium rock of the 1970s. In their early days, Mark and David requested that pub owners turn down their sound so that patrons could converse while the band played, an indication of their unassuming demeanor. Despite this oddly self-effacing approach to rock and roll, Dire Straits soon became hugely successful, with their first album going multi-platinum globally.

Throughout Dire Straits' career Mark Knopfler was the songwriter and also the driving force behind the group. The band's best-known songs include "Sultans of Swing", "Romeo and Juliet", "Tunnel of Love", "Telegraph Road", "Private Investigations", "Money for Nothing", "Walk of Life", "So Far Away", "Brothers in Arms" and "Calling Elvis".

Toto "Angel Don't Cry"

Toto "Rosanna"



Toto was an American rock band founded in 1977[1] by some of the most popular and experienced session musicians of the era. The band enjoyed great commercial success in the 1980s, beginning with the band's self-titled debut, released in 1978, which immediately brought the band into the mainstream rock spectrum of the time. Continuing with 1982's critically acclaimed and commercially successful Toto IV, Toto became one of the biggest selling music groups of their era. They also composed the theme music for the film Dune. Although their popularity in the United States diminished in the 1990s and 2000s, they continued to tour and sold out arenas, clubs, and theaters internationally. Toto was known for their technical prowess in the studio, as well as a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard rock, R&B, and jazz, and although they were regularly associated with the soft rock genre, and particularly the neo-progressive rock genre, this broad array of musical styles helped them appeal to a variety of musicians and non-musician listeners. The band released 17 albums and have sold over 30 million records to date.[1] Their 18th release Falling In Between Live, was released in August 2007. It had been recorded in March 2007 in Paris. As a result of guitarist Steve Lukather's departure from the band, Toto broke up after the last leg of their 2008 tour.