Twostepcublog

    " It Ain't Reggae (But It's Funky) " was a club hit for the Philadelphia-based band Instant Funk, who originally came together in Trenton, New Jersey. Appearing on their debut album Get Down With The Philly Jump , the song was written and produced by the group's Bunny Sigler and Kim Miller. On Billboard magazine's National Disco Action Top-40, the single peaked at #24 in 1977.  

    " Heard It All Before " - Sunshine Anderson from the album Your Woman (2001) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #18 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 13   Today's song comes from Sunshine Anderson (not to be confused with the TV chef Sunny Anderson), who grew up in North Carolina, where she was discovered and signed by producer Michael "Mike City" Flowers to his Soullife imprint on Atlantic Records. In 2001, Anderson released her debut album Your Woman on the label. The lead single from the set was the retro-soul of "Heard It All Before", which she wrote with Flowers along with Chris Dawley and Rayshawn Sherrer.  In the song Anderson catches her man "out there" cheating, and gives a succinct clapback and dismissal without any chance of redemption. Sunshine's flow works well with the lite jazzy production, and it sounded more timeless than a lot of the current R&B at the time. The music video pretty much stays true to the song, using specia...

    " Long Train Running " was a club hit for folk/blues/soul artist Richie Havens. Appearing on his album The End Of The Beginning , the record is a remake of the Doobie Brothers' song written by Tom Johnston. On Billboard magazine's National Disco Action Top-40, the album was listed as a single entry, with "Long Train Running" listed as the sole DJ pick. The set peaked there at #40 in 1976.      

    " Breathless " - The Corrs from the album In Blue (2000) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #34 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 6   Today's song comes from the Corrs, an Irish indie rock band made of three sisters - Andrea, Caroline, and Sharon Corr along with their guitar-playing brother Jim.  Hailing from the city if Dundalk near the border with Northern Ireland, the family played at local pubs until they landed roles in the rock movie The Commitments in 1991 and played a couple of high-profile sporting gigs in America before touring with Celine Dion in the mid 1990s. They were signed to producer David Foster's vanity imprint 143 on Atlantic Records, and he and Jim produced the group's debut album Forgiven, Not Forgotten . Released in 1995, the album's lead single " Runaway " reached the top ten in their Irish home as well as Australia, while making it on to the radio in the U.S., climbing to #68 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart as well as #...

    "Mr. DJ You Know How To Make Me Dance" was a club hit for the studio band The Glass Family, featuring vocals from Yvonne Stevens, aka "Taka Boom", Chaka Khan's sister. Appearing on their album Mr. DJ You Know How To Make Me Dance , the song was written by band member Jim Callon with Starr Arning. On Billboard magazine's National Disco Action Top-40, the single peaked at #11 in 1978.      

    " Free " - Mya from the album Fear Of Flying (2000) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #42 (two weeks)   This week's "robbed hit" comes from R&B singer Mya , who had risen all the way to the runner-up spot on Billboard magazine's pop Hot 100 at the close of 2000 with the second single from her second album Fear Of Flying , " Case Of The Ex " (lead-off " Best Of Me " with Jadakiss stopped short at the halfway mark on that list). The third release from the record was the funky track "Free". Written by Mya (Harrison) and produces James "Jimmy Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis with Alex Richbourg and Tony Tolbert (the latter of the SOTD top-40 band Lo-Key), the song is a self-empowerment anthem for the ladies, especially those who take care of themselves and know to expect a level from the men they seek. The track was hoping for added exposure in the Jamie Foxx movie Bait , where it appeared on the soundtrack, but the film tanke...

    " Love " - Musiq Soulchild from the album Aijuswanaseing (2000)  Billboard Hot 100 peak: #24 (four weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 13   Today's song comes from neo-soul singer/songwriter Musiq Soulchild , whose debut single " Just Friends (Sunny) " placed in Billboard magazine's pop top-40 and R&B top ten at the close of 2000.  His follow-up to that success is the song "Love". Written by Musiq (under his birth name Taalib Hassan Johnson) and producer Andre Harris with Carvin Haggins, the lyrics have Musiq confessing his love for a woman as well as describing the weight that word carries for himself. Just like in "Sunny", there an overwhelming sense of vulnerability there that sets it apart from the normal braggadocio the genre had been falling into. The production is refreshingly sparse and jazz-influenced, with the chorus coming in like a hymn in church. The music video expands the theme, portraying the different kinds of love bet...

    " The Way You Do The Things You Do " was a club hit for the Latin disco band Foxy. Appearing on their self-titled debut album Foxy , the song was written by bandmates Ish Ledesma and Carl Driggs, along with drummer Gille Garcia. On Billboard magazine's National Disco Action Top-40 the single peaked at #5 in 1977.   

    " Survivor " - Destiny's Child from the album Survivor (2001) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 (seven weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 15   Today's song comes from Destiny's Child , who after going through switching out half their lineup during the promotion of their second album The Writing's On The Wall , then booted Farrah Franklin even after her vocals were on their single for the Charlie's Angels reboot movie, the #1 pop hit " Independent Women Part 1 ".  This revolving door of singers seen in full daylight by the public inspired many a joke about how they were like the reality competition show Survivor (well, for good reason). In response, Beyonce' Knowles took a beat track made by producer Anthony Dent and did a full clapback in song form, though a thinly veiled attack on the former members, especially with the " You thought I wouldn't sell without you , sold 9 million" line (um, they were singing on the records too, boo). S...

    " Let's Get It Together " was a club hit for the disco studio group El Coco. Appearing on their album Let's Get It Together , the song was produced by the act's Laurin Rinder and W. Michael Lewis, and written by the singer on the record, Merria Ross. On Billboard magazine's National Disco Top-40 chart, the song was listed along with the "B-Side" of the single, "Fait Le Chat (Do The Cat)", and peaked at #10 in 1976. It also hit #54 on the R&B singles chart and #61 on the pop Hot 100.    (Click below to see the rest of the post)

    " Ride Wit Me " - Nelly featuring City Spud from the album Country Grammar (2000) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #3 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 26   Today's song comes from St. Louis-based rapper Nelly , whose debut album Country Grammar had spun off a top ten pop crossover hit with " (Hot Sh!t) Country Grammar " followed by a top-40 follow-up in " E.I. " in the beginning of 2001. The third single pulled from the record was the smooth hip-hop of "Ride Wit Me", with featured a member of Nelly's affiliated group St. Lunatics. However by the time the single was released, City Spud was in prison convicted of armed robbery. The song was written by the rapper with producer Jason Epperson with a snippet of lyrics of the R&B hit "I Like It" by DeBarge, giving El, Bunny, and William Debarge writing credit. The first verse has Nelly macking on a woman at the club, while the second and third have him bragging up his wheels, though ...

    " Caravan/Watusi Strut " was a club hit for Brazilian producer/composer (Eumir) Deodato. Appearing on his album First Cuckoo , the record is a medley of the swingtime era song "Caravan" by Dizzy Gillespie, Irving Mills, and Juan Tizol, with his own "Watusi Strut". On Record World magazine's Disco File top-20 chart, the single peaked at #9 in 1975.  

    Friday's here, and it's time to run down my top 100 "hit" tunes from the previous week. Lizzo commands the #1 spot for an eleventh week, while newcomer Nicky Youre (pictured above) leap into the top five. Former big hits from Ava Max, Dove Cameron, and Bob Moses drop off my chart, while songs from Charlie Puth, Death Cab For Cutie, and Ozzy Osbourne make the biggest jumps (moves of 10+ places highlighted in red ). And under the list, everything is Spotify playlisted for five and a half hours of the biggest in pop, rock, R&B, country, and dance music. Do nice guys finish last? Stay tuned...   This Week            Song/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. About Damn Time - Lizzo (1) 2. Break My Soul - Beyonce (3)  3. Late Night Talking - Harry Styles (4) 4. Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush (2) 5. Su...

    " All For You " - Janet Jackson from the album All For You (2001) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 (seven weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 20   Today's song is from Janet Jackson , who had returned to #1 on Billboard magazine's pop Hot 100 chart in the summer of 2000 with " Doesn't Really Matter " from the movie Nutty Professor II: The Klumps that she starred in with Eddie Murphy.  That song also appeared on Janet's seventh studio album All For You the following year. The title track was put out as a single in the spring of 2001. "All For You", written primarily by Jackson with producers Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis, sampled " The Glow Of Love " by Italo-disco group Change (which originally featured a young Luther Vandross on vocals), giving members Wayne Garfield, Mauro Malavasi, and David Romani deserved writing credit. And boy, does that sample carry its weight on the record, as Janet rides the groove with ease as...

    "Music Music Music" was a club hit for the studio act California. Released as a stand-alone single, the record is a disco remake of the #1 pop hit from 1950 written by Stephen Weiss and Bernie Baum made popular by Teresa Brewer. This version was produced by Curt Becher and assisted by Beach Boys Brian Wilson and Bruce Johnston. On Billboard magazine's National Disco Action Top-40 chart, the single peaked at #27 in 1976.       

    " Hanging By A Moment " - Lifehouse from the album No Name Face (2000) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 (four weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 45   Today's song comes from the rock band Lifehouse , who originally came together in Los Angeles until the name Blyss, with lead singer/guitarist Jason Wade, bass player Sergio Andrade, and drummer Diff Palmer. Adding lead guitarist Collin Hayden and keyboard player Aaron Lord, the post-grunge group independently released an album called Diff's Lucky Day in 1995. After signing with DreamWorks Records, they took five of the songs from that album for their major-label debut, No Name Face . One that wasn't taken from that disc was the first single, "Hanging By A Moment". Written by Wade and produced by Ron Aniello, the lyrics are pretty vague, with a whisp of loving someone so much that you're leaving your old life behind. There's toss-off verses like " Forgetting all I'm lacking , completely incomplet...

    " Turn Me Up " was a club hit for soul singer Keith Barrow. Appearing on his second album Physical Attraction , the song was written by producer Michael Stokes with Ronn Matlock. On Billboard magazine's National Disco Action Top-40, the single peaked at #29 in 1979, while reaching #79 on the R&B Singles chart. Sadly, Barrow died of complications from AIDS in 1983.      

    " Who I Am " - Jessica Andrews from the album Who I Am (2001) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #28 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 11   Today's song comes from Jessica Andrews , who grew up in Tennessee halfway between Nashville and Memphis. Singing since she was a child, Andrews had toured with Faith Hill and was signed to DreamWorks Records as a teenager. Her debut album, Heart Shaped World , was released in 1999, and the lead single from the set, " I Will Be There For You ", reminded me of Jessica Simpson's breakthrough hit "I Wanna Love You Forever". The song, which was also on the Prince Of Egypt: Nashville alternate soundtrack tie-in album, was a modest hit at country radio at #28, but it got a bit of notice, with the single "bubbling under" the pop Hot 100 chart at #108. The next two releases from the set went just a little higher on the country chart, with " Unbreakable Heart " making it to #24, and all in all four songs f...

    "I Think We're Alone Now/Will You Love Me Tomorrow" was a club hit for San Franciscan singer Scott Allan. Released as a stand-alone single , the record is a medley of two 60's pop hits by Tommy James & The Shondells (written by Ritchie Cordell) and the Shirelles (written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King). On Billboard magazine's Disco Top-100 chart, the single peaked at #21 in 1980.      

    " One More Day " - Diamond Rio from the album One More Day (2001) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #29 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 8   Today's song comes from the country music band Diamond Rio , who had scored a crossover hit on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 all-genre chart in the beginning of 1999 with bouncy fun of " Unbelievable ".  A year later, the band returned with another upbeat song that was to be the title track from their next album, " Stuff ". Filled with philosophy about how material things shouldn't be the most important, the song was naturally shunned by corporate Nashville radio, and stalled down at #36 on Billboard 's Country Airplay chart in the summer of 2000.  Switching gears, the band held back the new album and recorded a heartbreaker ballad to be released next. "One More Day", written by Steven Dale Jones and Bobby Tomberlin, has lead singer Marty Roe dreaming about being granted just one wish, and how he ...