Arachnophonia: Barry Manilow

Posted on April 10, 2024 by marmstr3

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Eli (class of 2024) and features a vinyl LP of Barry Manilow hits. Thanks, Eli!

Barry Manilow

While perhaps somewhat unknown among younger generations, Barry Manilow’s music career has spanned seven decades and has produced 51 top 40 singles and 13 platinum albums. He is most known for his hits “Copacabana,” “Mandy,” and “Could it be Magic,” but my far and away favorite Manilow masterpiece is “I Write the Songs.”

Manilow’s soft and sentimental ballad reached the top spot of Billboard charts upon release in 1977. Except, the song is not Barry Manilow’s. Written in 1975 by Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston, the song was first released by teen sensation David Cassidy in 1975. Cassidy’s version peaked at number 11 on the UK singles chart but has been far outshone by Manilow’s recording, which has tens of millions of plays on Spotify today. Manilow originally refused to record his own version of the song, as he felt that the public would not carefully listen to the lyrics and would think Manilow was singing about himself, instead of another, mysterious “I.” Following the massive success of his version, Manilow wrote and released another song called “I Really Do Write the Songs” as a bonus track of his 2006 reissue of This One’s for You.

If you would like to take a listen to Manilow’s version of the song, as well as his other greatest hits, pay a visit to our vinyl LP collection.

Arachnophonia: Nilsson

Posted on October 11, 2023 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item(s) in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Eli (class of 2024) and features a couple of albums by and a biography of American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (1941-1994). Thanks, Eli!

Harry Nilsson

This Arachnophonia post is centered around Harry Nilsson, an underrated and somewhat forgotten artist, at least by younger generations. Known for his “pioneering vocal overdub…, returns to the Great American Songbook, and fusions of Caribbean sounds,” Nilsson was an international phenomenon in the early 1970s. Sometimes referred to as the “American Beatle,” Nilsson is best known today for his songs “Without You” and “Everybody’s Talkin’,” both of which have over 100 million plays on Spotify.

Aerial Ballet

I find Nilsson to be somewhat of an outlier in his stardom. He achieved great success, winning Grammy awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance & Best Male Contemporary Vocal Performance and produced three international top 10 singles. Yet, Nilsson rarely performed live and never took regular tours. He instead remained relevant through his consistent innovation and unique role within the music industry. Music historians credit Nilsson as the inventor of the “mashup,” thanks to his 1967 cover of the Beatles’ song “You Can’t Do That,” which Nilsson overlaid with vocals from over a dozen other Beatles songs.

Nilsson Schmilsson

Nilsson existed during a transient musical space, providing a smooth link between the psychedelic music of the 60s and the classic singer-songwriter era of the 70s. Rolling Stone lists Nilsson as number 62 on the “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time,” and The Beatles themselves once revealed that Nilsson was their favorite American artist. In a musical world so dominated by The Beatles, Nilsson managed to differentiate his sound while collaborating with the superstars. He became friends with John Lennon and Ringo Starr and became a strong gun control advocate after Lennon was assassinated in 1980. Nilsson died in 1994 from a heart attack while recording his final album Lost and Founnd, which was posthumously released in 2019.

Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter by Alyn Shipton

My personal favorite Nilsson album is Aerial Ballet, released in 1968, while his most popular album is Nilsson Schmilsson, released in 1971. Both are available on CD at Parsons Music Library as is the leading biographical work on Nilsson, Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter, by Alyn Shipton.

Arachnophonia: Elton John “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

Posted on April 25, 2022 by marmstr3

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Christian (class of 2023) and features Elton John’s classic 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Thanks, Christian!

Elton John

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John is one of the most successful and influential musicians of all time, known for his expressive outfits and electrifying performances. In 1973, John released Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, a 17-song album that would go on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide. The album, with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin and produced by Gus Dudgeon, is known as one of John’s best works. Some of the best songs on the album include “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Candle in the Wind,” and “Bennie and the Jets”.

Ever since I had to analyze Goodbye Yellow Brick Road for a school project, the title track is one of my favorite songs. On the surface, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” contains rich vocal harmonies, dreamy piano chords, and a crisp drum beat to create a contemplative atmosphere for John to reflect on his life of fame. As a child, I remember my parents singing along to “Bennie and the Jets” on the radio, another personal favorite song of mine from the album. The song has an instantly recognizable introduction and a spectacular piano solo that displays John’s genius piano and composition skills.

Though John struggled with addiction at the height of his fame, he managed to quit his substance abuse and create his own charity, the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Despite his personal struggles, Elton John is one of the most successful musicians of all time, selling over 300 million records and producing many timeless hits that will live on long after his career is over.

Arachnophonia: America “The Complete Greatest Hits Collection”

Posted on April 22, 2020 by marmstr3

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Jane (class of 2022) and features the band America’s Complete Greatest Hits Collection. Thanks, Jane!

America

The Complete Greatest Hits Collection

If you know me, you know I listen almost exclusively to music from the 70’s and 80’s (see my posts about Steely Dan and A Chorus Line, the musical). That’s not to say that I don’t love music being produced today—I do–but my heart lies in my parents’ music. And a band my parents absolutely loved is America.

America has been making music for decades — really. They have 16 albums, not including special anniversary editions, re-releases, or any other specialty disc. They published their first album, America, in 1971, and their most recent album, Back Pages, is from 2011. That might sound like a lot of music, and it is, but we luckily have a Greatest Hits CD, which encompasses almost all of my favorite songs. “Daisy Jane” is one of the sweetest love songs I know (and it’s not just because 7 year-old me liked that my name was in the title).

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19104741

If you’re a beginner at guitar, start with their arguably most famous song — “A Horse With No Name”. It’s literally two chords going back and forth throughout the entire song. When recently asked, I said that “Ventura Highway” is the song that best represents me. “Tin Man” (based on The Wizard of Oz), “Sister Golden Hair”, “You Can Do Magic”, and “I Need You” are some of my other favorites.

America’s music feels home-y. You can tell they’re really playing their instruments, and it’s so clear through their music that they simply love what they do. Their songs fall under the genre of folk rock, and a lot of them are about the experiences they’ve had in California, which I love listening to if I’m ever feeling homesick about being away from LA.

I actually watched America in concert a few years ago. My mom, my sister and I went together, and we couldn’t believe that after 40 years, they still sounded like their records from the 70s. If you’re looking for good, laid-back, driving with the windows down kind of music, I’d check them out.

(And just a hint: if you like this kind of music, go to the library search website, click on the “Subjects” tab, and type in “Rock music—1971-1980.” You can thank me later)

Arachnophonia: Jim Croce “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim”

Posted on April 12, 2019 by marmstr3

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Molly (class of 2021) and features Jim Croce’s 1972 studio album You Don’t Mess Around With Jim. Thanks, Molly!

Jim Croce

You Don’t Mess Around With Jim

The first time I listened to a song on this album was my first time visiting New York, again after moving to Connecticut. Fittingly, I was sitting in a deli enjoying New York’s finest bagels and Jim Croce’s “New York’s Not My Home” came on. Soon I was engulfed by Croce’s lyrics and every sense of nostalgia. I guess you could say, my similar feelings towards New York made me first start listening to Jim Croce.

In 1968, Jim and his wife, Ingrid Croce, were encouraged to move to New York City by a record producer. They recorded their first album in the Bronx and drove around playing in small clubs and colleges. After being disappointed by the music business in New York, the couple sold all of their belongings except for one guitar to pay their rent and moved back to the countryside of Pennsylvania. Here, Croce was forced to pick up jobs like truck driving and construction work to pay the bills while he continued to write songs. What I like most about Croce’s songs is that many of them tell the stories of these odd times in his life that I find very relateable.

This album carries an array of songs that tell stories in a folk style like “New York’s Not My Home”, “Box #10”, and “Walkin’ Back to Georgia”, while others like “Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels)”, “Time in a Bottle”, and “A Long Time Ago” portray love songs of different sorts. This eclectic mix of songs are very warm and it is an optimistic album I recommend to many.

I also enjoy Croce’s style which I view as a mix of character, humor, and love that creates the most heartfelt and relateable material, especially in this album. In my personal opinion, this album is the best to listen to after a long day to help unwind. The common man feel to this album drops the crypticness of most of today’s folk songs but paves poetic lyrics that tells us a story.

Arachnophonia: Steely Dan “Citizen”

Posted on October 31, 2018 by marmstr3

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about items in the Parsons Music Library‘s collection. All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student worker, Jane (class of 2022) and features Citizen a CD box set by the 1970s rock band Steely Dan. Thanks, Jane!

Steely Dan

Citizen

It’s the summer of 2006, and you’re sitting in the back of a 15 year-old Subaru with the windows down and your whole family is harmonizing to the chorus of “Rose Darling” by Steely Dan. Or, at least, that’s what I was doing. My parents listened to that whole cornucopia of 70’s classic rock, so I grew up with artists like Crosby Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon. I was always particularly drawn to Steely Dan, but I wouldn’t be able to explain why until I revisited their music in 2016.

Simply put, I’m a sucker for interesting harmonies, and no one does it better than Steely Dan. All of their songs highlight different instruments or musical motifs. For example, if you want a strong bass line, songs like “Rikki Don’t Lose that Number” and “Babylon Sisters” might suit your fancy. If you’re looking for a more melodic, wistful sound, check out “Everyone’s Gone to the Movies” (it has some great, unexpected xylophone chords) or “Doctor Wu”.

My favorite though, which I had never heard until after I moved to Richmond, is “Fire in the Hole”. It starts with a rhythmic and intense piano riff that makes way for sliding electric guitar and, of course, a chorus you’ll never get out of your head, sung by none other than Donald Fagen.

People my age don’t really know Steely Dan, but I swear, more should! If you want to give them a listen, check out the “Citizen” CD set at the Music Library with over 60 of their best songs. You won’t regret it.

Arachnophonia: Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

Posted on February 8, 2018 by marmstr3

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by Music Library student worker Colin (class of 2021) and features Bridge Over Troubled Water a classic Simon & Garfunkel album first released in January 1970. Thanks, Colin!

Simon & Garfunkel

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Bridge Over Troubled Water is Simon & Garfunkel’s fifth and final studio album and widely regarded as their best work. Bridge Over Troubled Water hit number 1 on the Billboard 200 in March 1970 and remained there for 10 weeks, sold over 8 million records in the United States, and also earned a Grammy award for Album of the Year in 1971.

Bridge Over Troubled Water is described as the duo’s “‘most effortless album and their most ambitious.’” The album is an eclectic mix of multiple genres, such as rock, jazz, R&B, and gospel, which formed a unique “individual” sound that was met with both acclaim and criticism. Riding the enormous success of their previous album, Bookends, Simon & Garfunkel established themselves as one of the greatest rock duos in the world at the time, before splitting up shortly after the album’s release.

The album has two notable songs that I particularly like and recommend. “The Boxer” is a folk rock selection, and is a narrative, first-person lament that outlines the character of a boxer. The song describes the singer’s struggle to overcome poverty and loneliness, before crafting the boxer character as a metaphor for his life, exhibited in the lyrics “I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains.” “The Boxer” was popularized in the instrumental world due to Drum Corps International’s premier corps, the Bluecoats, and their 2008 production entitled “The Knockout,” in which the corps plays and sings excerpts of “The Boxer.” The Bluecoats’s interpretation of the song is widely recognized as one of the most popular segments of any DCI show in history, and is frequently performed by the corps while they tour over the summer.

The second song I recommend is entitled “Baby Driver.” This song played no part in the naming of 2017’s hit movie Baby Driver, but it was featured in the film. The song features an upbeat, rock vibe that sounds quite similar to The Beach Boys, and “Baby Driver” is sure to stick in your head hours after listening to it.

Spider Sounds: The Carpenters “Now and Then”

Posted on March 30, 2016 by marmstr3

Editor’s Note: “Spider Sounds” invites members of the University of Richmond community to share their thoughts about CDs (or other items in the Parsons Music Library’s collection). The links included will take you to the library catalog record for the item in question, or to additional relevant information. Today’s installment of “Spider Sounds” is by Xixi, one of our student workers, and features the mellow 1970s pop stylings of The Carpenters. Thanks, Xixi!

The Carpenters

Now And Then

In the Carpenters’ 1973 album Now and Then, we got to hear some of the world’s best known songs like “Jambalaya” and “Yesterday Once More.” With Karen Carpenter’s deep melodic voice and Richard Carpenter’s skilled and classical use of string instruments, we hear a smooth harmonious mixture of country, folk, and bluegrass music. The Carpenters were a big hit in the UK, US, and Japan during the 1970s. Many of their songs have been revisited and covered by other artists.

When you feel stressed, frustrated, or lost, listen to the Carpenters’ Now and Then. Every single song aims to tell a story of happiness and sorrow, memories of past and present. You are welcomed not just as an audience, but also a listener, a participant, and a close friend, thinking of “those were such happy times and not so long ago, how I wondered where they’d gone.”

To me, listening to Carpenters’ music is beyond the expression of words, and I always have different thoughts about it at different time periods. I guess that’s the charm of this album and
the Carpenters’ music, that no matter when or where you hear them, you can always be renewed and enriched by the lyrics and rhythm of their songs.

Come visit the Parsons Music Library and discover what we have available!

Listening In

News from Parsons Music Library at The University of Richmond

Tag Archives: 1970s

Arachnophonia: Barry Manilow

Arachnophonia: Nilsson

Arachnophonia: Elton John “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

Arachnophonia: America “The Complete Greatest Hits Collection”

Arachnophonia: Jim Croce “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim”

Arachnophonia: Steely Dan “Citizen”

Arachnophonia: Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

Spider Sounds: The Carpenters “Now and Then”