About Oldies Music

The List: Giving Thanks

2009-11-19T18:24:56Z

As with people, these songs -- the 11 Top 40 hits of the '50s, '60s, and '70s which thanked someone in their titles -- say "thank you" in various ways: they can be heartfelt, sappy, ironic, or sardonic. But while some got their chart mojo from their gratitude, others relied less on what they were saying than how they were saying it. Rock and roll, in other words. See if your favorite song of thanks made it to the list!

The List: Giving Thanks originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 18:24:56.

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Profile: Carole King

2009-11-17T21:02:20Z

Carole King had already helped create the girl-group phenomenon, establish a new generation of rock songwriters, and make unprecedented advances in the record industry for women when she released her 1971 Tapestry album. But that monster smash not only created the sound of a decade, it ushered in a new era of superstar success. Learn all about Carole King in my latest profile.

Profile: Carole King originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 21:02:20.

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The Beatles Rock Band: "With A Little Help From My Friends"

2009-11-15T03:37:39Z

The latest in a series of song histories based on the classic tunes in the video game The Beatles: Rock Band... it may be forever linked to the opening fanfare of the most famous album in history, but Ringo's good-natured wink at the audience was actually an afterthought. And good-natured or not, it has at least three levels of controversy attached to it. Read a detailed breakdown of "With A Little Help From My Friends" in my latest Beatles fact sheet.

The Beatles Rock Band: "With A Little Help From My Friends" originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 03:37:39.

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The Oldies Encyclopedia: "Mod"

2009-11-13T02:00:38Z

Not just a bunch of dilettantes wearing tailor-made suits and putting around on Italian scooters, the Mods helped bring a new strain of American R&B over to the UK -- in the process developing a real genre of music while opening a sharp class divide that sometimes led to out-and-out street warfare. Read more about Mod music and its history in my latest encyclopedia entry.

The Oldies Encyclopedia: "Mod" originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 02:00:38.

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The Top Ten Oldies Christmas Albums

2009-11-12T03:23:24Z

Whatever your religious beliefs, the holidays are (almost) upon us again... and while oldies music tends to be Christmas-oriented, there's no reason anyone can't enjoy these ten CD collections -- spanning rock and roll, pop, R&B, country, blues, jazz, reggae, and instrumental rock -- through the end of the year. This list gathers together the best Christmas music, both sacred and secular, released in the first golden era of rock and roll... get a jump on your holiday party right here!

The Top Ten Oldies Christmas Albums originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 03:23:24.

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The Ultimate Guide To Disco

2009-11-04T18:26:38Z

Love it or loathe it, disco was the musical phenomenon of its era... in America, anyway. But disco also brought R&B finally into America's living rooms, romanticized soul, revived an earlier era of ballroom dancing, reduced funk to the basics, and birthed the entire world of modern dance music. Read all about disco -- the hits, the history, and the histrionics -- in my latest Ultimate Guide.

The Ultimate Guide To Disco originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 18:26:38.

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Solid Gold Spotlight: "Monster Mash"

2009-10-31T17:35:11Z

The "national anthem of Halloween" may be the most popular song of the costuming season, but, as this history proves, it only got that way with a lot of help. Wondering how the Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop," Ronny and the Daytonas, and Leon Russell fit into the picture? Curious as to how it almost never saw the light of day? Wondering what Boris Karloff and Elvis thought of it? Look no further. Read the story of "Monster Mash" here.

Solid Gold Spotlight: "Monster Mash" originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 17:35:11.

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The Beatles Rock Band: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

2009-10-27T05:34:47Z

The latest in a series of song histories based on the classic tunes in the video game The Beatles: Rock Band... this one may be the title track from the most famous album of all time, but it wasn't even written when the album's recording began, and it wasn't part of a medley yet, either! But, hey, how many songs with French horn quartets does Jimi Hendrix bother to learn, anyway? Read a detailed breakdown of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" in my latest Beatles fact sheet.

The Beatles Rock Band: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 05:34:47.

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Profile: Darlene Love

2009-10-26T22:32:51Z

She's already been nominated once for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and may very well finally get in come 2010. But if you don't watch David Letterman (or the Lethal Weapon movies, for that matter) you may still not be familiar with Darlene, who's only one of Phil Spector's favorite female vocalists and arguably the finest girl-group singer of all time. Learn all about Darlene Love in my latest profile.

Profile: Darlene Love originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 22:32:51.

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The Oldies Encyclopedia: Merseybeat

2009-10-24T15:58:38Z

Too many music fans still assume that Merseybeat, the first wave of what would become known as the British Invasion, was a collection of bands aping the Beatles. In fact, the scene had been around as long as they had, and the Fab Four were simply the most popular group in a genre that was not only bigger than any one band, but even bigger than Liverpool itself. Read more about Merseybeat music and its history in my latest encyclopedia entry.

The Oldies Encyclopedia: Merseybeat originally appeared on About.com Oldies Music on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 15:58:38.

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