Twostepcublog

    "Don't Turn Around" was a club favorite from married duo the Raes. Appearing on their 1979 album Dancing Up A Storm , the song was written by Bruce Woolley and Rodney Thompson and produced by Harry Hinde. The single never made any charts, but was a DJ pick and a personal favorite..      

    " You Don't Have To Hurt No More " - Mint Condition from the album Definition Of A Band (1996) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #32 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 5   Today's song of the day comes from R&B band Mint Condition , whose third release Definition Of A Band had already scored a top-20 pop hit with " What Kind Of Man Would I Be " in the fall of 1996. The second single from the set was another romantic ballad, "You Don't Have To Hurt No More", with a promise of being the "rebound" a heartbroken woman needs. Written by band keyboardist/guitarist Keri Lewis and produced by the group, the song landed another big success on urban radio, which then crossed over to mainstream stations... "You Don't Have To Hurt No More" landed Mint Condition their fourth top-40 pop hit in April of 1997. The song also climbed to #10 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart, their fifth in the top ten. A third track from the album

    " Music Is The Answer " was a club hit for the late house music pioneer Colonel Abrams. Released as a stand-alone single , the song was produced by Winston Jones, who co-wrote it with Abrams and Marston Freeman. On Billboard magazine's Dance/Disco Top-80 chart, the single peaked at #11 in 1984. Sadly, Abrams passed away in 2016.      

    " I Don't Want To " / " I Love Me Some Him " - Toni Braxton from the album Secrets (1996) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #19 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 15   Today's song of the day comes from soul/pop singer Toni Braxton , whose sophomore effort Secrets had already spun off a pair of massive #1 pop hit singles with " You're Making Me High " and " Un-Break My Heart ", the latter at the turning of the year in 1997. The third and final commercial single released from the record copied the strategy of the lead, with two songs promoted to radio, one leaning more to pop stations and one more to urban radio (in that case, the Waiting To Exhale track "Let It Flow"). The first song, "I Don't Want To", was a breakup ballad written and produced by R. Kelly, though it sure sounded like a Babyface track to me. Describing her despair on losing her lover, the lyrics works as a slow jam as well as a frenetic club track.

    " Double Cross " was a radio hit and club favorite from the Philadelphia-based soul vocal group First Choice. Appearing on their 1979 album Hold Your Horses ,  the song was written and produced by Norman Harris and Ron Tyson. While it was a DJ pick, the single never got to Billboard magazine's Disco Top-80 chart, but it did rise to #60 on their R&B list, and almost made the pop Hot 100, "bubbling under" at #104.        

    " Santeria " - Sublime from the album Sublime (1996) Billboard Hot 100 peak: ineligible to chart Billboard Hot 100 Airplay peak: #43   This week's "robbed hit" comes from the reggae-punk band Sublime , whose breakthrough hit radio single, " What I Got ", was bittersweet, coming after the death of lead singer Brad Nowell. The second song from the group's self-titled 1996 album to be promoted to radio was the lilting "Santeria". Written by Nowell with bandmates Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson, the track described the singer losing his girlfriend, and even though she's replaced he has ill will towards the new guy... Since "Santeria" wasn't released as a commercial single (like "What I Got"), it wasn't able to place on Billboard magazine's official Hot 100 pop chart. However the song got enough mainstream radio love to almost get to the top-40 on the airplay component of the tally in April of 1997. The tr

    " Where Have All The Cowboys Gone? " - Paula Cole from the album This Fire (1996) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8 (three weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 17   Today's song of the day comes from pop singer/songwriter Paula Cole , who grew up in coastal Massachussetts. An alumnus of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Paula signed on with the Imago record label. Her debut album Harbinger was released in 1994, but at the time the Imago label was going bust, and the set's lead single " I Am So Ordinary " only managed to just miss the Canadian top-40 at #42. Warner Brothers' bought off Imago, so things were better for Cole's sophomore effort, This Fire , in 1996. By then she had been touring with alternative rock god Peter Gabriel, so her exposure to the music world was much stronger. Even so, the first single promoted to radio, "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?", arrived five months after the release of the LP. Written and produced by Cole,

    " Fire Night Dance " was a club hit for the Italian dance act the Peter Jacques Band, its name a bastardization of mentor/producer Jacques Fred Petrus. Appearing on their debut album Fire Night Dance , the song was written by Petrus, Mauro Malavasi, and Alan Taylor. On Billboard magazine's National Disco Action Top-40 chart, the Fire Night Dance album was listed as a single entry, with "all cuts" given as key cuts, including the disco classic " Walking On Music ". The record peaked there at #6 in 1979. Tragically, Petrus. who also created disco groups Change, The BBQ Band, Macho, and Revanche, was killed under nefarious circumstances in 1987 in the Caribbean.   

    " Say...If You Feel Alright " - Crystal Waters from the albums NBA AT 50: A Musical Celebration (1996) and Crystal Waters (1997) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #40 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 1   Today's song of the day comes from dance music singer Crystal Waters , whose 1994 single " 100% Pure Love " was a huge radio and club hit, and one of the biggest singles ever not to make the top ten, spending three quarters of a year in the top-40.  In 1996, Crystal sang on David Morales' Bad Yard Club's redo of their own club hit " In De Ghetto ", which went to #20 on Billboard magazine's Dance Club Play chart and nearly made the big pop Hot 100 in America, "bubbling under" the list at #102. A year later, Crystal returned with a track on the sports tie-in album NBA AT 50: A Musical Celebration that would eventually be the lead single from her self-titled third album. "Say...If You Feel Alright", written by Crystal with p

    " Born To Be Alive " was a big club and radio hit for French singer Patrick Hernandez. Appearing on his album Born To Be Alive , the song was written by Patrick and produced by Jean Vanloo. On Billboard magazine's Disco Top-80 chart, the single spent three weeks at #1 in 1979, while also climbing to #16 on the pop Hot 100 here. It was also a huge hit around the world as well.   (click below to see the rest of the post)  

    " I Belong To You (Every Time I See Your Face) " - Rome from the album Rome (1997) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #6 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 21   Today's song of the day comes from R&B singer/songwriter Jerome Woods, who records under the alias Rome . Born in Michigan Rome started his career in California, where he was signed to RCA Records. His debut single was "I Belong To You", subtitled "Every Time I See Your Face" to distinguish itself from the Toni Braxton hit at the time. Written by Woods with producer Gerald Baillergeau, the slow jam found favor with both urban and mainstream radio stations, with its sing-song chorus that reminds me of rap act Bone Thugs-N-Harmony... "I Belong To You" became Rome's first and biggest pop hit, reaching the top ten in June of 1997. The song spent three weeks at #2 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart as well. His self-titled debut album was released that April, and made it to #7 on

    " You Gave Me Love " was a club hit for the soul/funk band from Brooklyn, Crown Heights Affair. Appearing on their album Sure Shot , the song was written by Ida Reid and produced by Bert Decoteaux. On Billboard magazine's Disco Top 100 chart, the single peaked at #12 in 1980, spending a hefty 23 weeks on the list. It also made the British top ten at #10. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

    Friday is here, and it's time to run down my top 100 "hit" tunes from the previous week.  Harry Styles racks up a fifth week at #1, while Michael Franti (pictured above) climbs four notches in the top ten. Songs from Ava Max, BTS, and Dermot Kennedy make the biggest jumps (moves of 10+ places highlighted in red ), while former big hits from Katy Perry, Maren Morris, Tame Impala, Black Pumas, John K, and Sam Fischer drop out. Things are getting bad... This Week                Song/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles (1) 2. Break My Heart - Ava Max (2) 3. Before You Go - Lewis Capaldi (5) 4. Hallucinogenics - Matt Maeson (6) 5. I Hope - Gabby Barrett f/Charlie Puth (3) 6. I Got You - Michael Franti & Spearhead (10) 7. Head and Heart - Joel Corry & MNEK (8) 8. Rain On Me - Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande (7) 9. He

    " Secret Garden " - Bruce Springsteen from the albums Greatest Hits (1995) and Jerry Maguire (Original Soundtrack) (1997) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #19 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 13   Today's song of the day comes from New Jersey's hero Bruce Springsteen , whose " Streets Of Philadelphia " from the Philadelphia movie returned him to the pop top ten in the spring of 1994. A year later, Bruce released his first-ever Greatest Hits album, which had two new tracks on it. The first, the angry and topical " Murder Incorporated ", climbed to #14 on Billboard magazine's Mainstream Rock radio chart. The second was a more tender ballad in "Secret Garden". Written by the artist, who produced the song with Jon Landau and Chuck Plotkin, originally got a muted reception at radio, going to #63 on the pop Hot 100. Later that year, Bruce released a somber acoustic record, The Ghost Of Tom Joad , which unlike his previous folk album, Nebras

    " Promised Land " was a DJ favorite from one of the pioneers of "House Music", Joe Smooth (Joe Welbon). Appearing on his album Promised Land in 1987, the song was written and produced by Smooth, with vocals from Anthony Thomas. The track never made the Billboard dance chart, but in the UK, where house music was having a boom, it went to #56 on the British singles chart, thanks to carryover from a cover version from the British act the Style Council. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

    " Your Woman " - White Town from the album Women In Technology (1997) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #23 (three weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 15   Today's song of the day comes from the one-man alt-rock act White Town , the moniker used by musician Jyoti Mishra. Born in India but immigrating to the UK as a toddler with his family, Mishra created the White Town group at the end of the 1980s. After four independently released EP (extended play) records in the early 90s, Mishra released his debut full-length Socialism, Sexism, and Sexuality in 1994. From the buzz on that Marxist-themed release White Town landed a contract with Chrysalis Records, where he recorded his next album, Women In Technology . The lead single, "Your Woman", took a manipulated sample of a record by Portuguese South African singer Al Bowlly from 1932, " My Woman ", and created a synth-laden layer of funky beats on top, turning gender on its end in the despondent lyrics about not being

    " Sun...I Love You " was a European club favorite from actress and sometimes singer Claudia Cardinale. Born in Tunisia before moving to Italy, Claudia released the track as a one-off single in 1977. It was produced by Leo Carrier, who co-wrote the song. It never reached any charts in America, but was a DJ choice on the other side of the Atlantic...      

    " Falling In Love (Is Hard On The Knees) " - Aerosmith from the album Nine Lives (1997) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #35 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 4   Today's song of the day comes from the Boston hard rock band Aerosmith , whose 1993 album Get A Grip solidified their amazing "comeback", scoring four top-40 pop hits with " Cryin' ", " Amazing ", and two Grammy winners with " Crazy " and " Livin' On The Edge ".  The band capped off their tenure with Geffen Records in 1994 with a track on the Beavis and Butthead companion album, " Deuces Are Wild ", which topped the Mainstream Rock radio chart for four weeks, followed by a hits compilation, Big Ones , that produced another rock radio hit with " Blind Man " (#3 MR) which nearly made the pop top-40 at #48 at the close of the year.  After taking a break, the band finally returned to start the contract they signed with Columbia back in 1991

    " Enter The Dragon " was a pre-disco club favorite from orchestral pop titan Percy Faith and his orchestra. A cover of the title song from the Bruce Lee action movie written by Lalo Schifrin, the song appeared on Faith's 1973 album Corazon . The dramatic track was released a year too early to make the "disco" charts in Billboard magazine, but the instrumental definitely helped predict the sound that would take over the pop scene in short time.  (Click below to see the rest of the post)

    " One More Time " - Real McCoy from the album One More Time (1997) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #27 (three weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 8   Today's song of the day comes from the German Eurodance group Real McCoy , whose debut album in America, Another Night , had spun off three top-40 pop hits with their cover of Redbone's " Come and Get Your Love ", and two #3 singles in " Another Night " and " Run Away ".  However despite their newfound success in the States, in Europe their fortunes were already running cooler, and both Karin Kasar and Ptsy Petersen (the original singer that ended up miming in videos Black Box-style) left. Bringing up Lisa Cork and Vanessa Mason, Olaf Jeglitza and producer Juergen Wind recorded their second and what would be their last full-length album, One More Time . The title song, written by Jeglitza and Wind, was catchy and close enough to the sound of their hits to have American radio on board again for their f

    " In New York " was a club hit for the studio group Passion, put together by producer Ray Martinez and featuring singer Richard Noriega Jr. Appearing on their sole album Don't Stop My Love , the song was also written by Martinez. On Billboard magazine's Disco Top-100 chart, the song was listed along with the 12" single's "A-side", "Don't Bring Back Memories". The single peaked at #43 in 1980.   (Click below to see the rest of the post)  

    " Don't Stop Movin' " - Livin' Joy from the album Don't Stop Movin' (1996) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #67   This week's "robbed hit" comes from the Italian dance act Livin' Joy, formed by siblings Gianni and Paolo Visnadi. The brothers had previously (and for a while concurrently) been a part of the group Alex Party, who had a #2 hit single in the UK and Ireland with the club track " Don't Give Me Your Life " in 1995. Not long after, the pair started Livin' Joy, hiring singer Janice Robinson for the single " Dreamer ". The track that bridged the gap between techno/rave and Eurodance originally went to #18 on the British singles chart, before being re-released in 1995 and going all the way to #1 there. The song also topped Billboard magazine's Dance Club Play list and made the pop Hot 100 chart at #72. Despite the success, Robinson left after that to go her own, having a better go at songwriting than her

    " Everyday Is A Winding Road " - Sheryl Crow from the album Sheryl Crow (1996) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #11 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 12   Today's song of the day comes from Sheryl Crow , whose eponymous sophomore album had scored her third top-10 pop hit with " If It Makes You Happy " at the start of 1997.  The second release from the record was the jangle-pop gem "Everyday Is A Winding Road". Produced by Crow, who wrote the song with fellow "Tuesday Night Music Club" member Bryan McLeod along with Jeff Trott, it mixes sunny breezy instrumentation with a series of vignettes not unlike her "All I Wanna Do" but being a little more grounded than most songs of that type... "Everyday Is A Winding Road" became the second top-40 pop hit from Sheryl Crow , just missing the top ten by a notch in April of 1997. The song peaked at #4 on Billboard magazine's Adult Top-40 radio chart, while getting to #28 on their Adul