Soft Rock Hits (any era)

[paskatefan]

^ We did see Barry Manilow in concert in Las Vegas (circa 2008), and we enjoyed his show very much!

Musically speaking, our favorites include Billy Joel, Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, Bryan Adams, Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac, all of whom we've seen in concert (in most cases numerous times). Always loved the Beatles, & were thrilled to see Paul McCartney in concert a few years ago.

 

[Susan1]

^ We did see Barry Manilow in concert in Las Vegas (circa 2008), and we enjoyed his show very much!

Musically speaking, our favorites include Billy Joel, Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, Bryan Adams, Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac, all of whom we've seen in concert (in most cases numerous times). Always loved the Beatles, & were thrilled to see Paul McCartney in concert a few years ago.

The only concert(s) I've ever been to - Paul McCartney twice (1990 and 1993). They always say it's a once in a lifetime experience. And when my ex-husband's daughter and her husband went to a Paul concert about 10 years ago, she called me from the concert so I could hear him (gotta love today's technology sometimes). She also took a picture and sent it to me.

 

[taf2002]

I love Paul. That said I also liked Barry a lot during his heyday. I think it was partly because his songs were so easy to sing along. I like almost all music but my taste has always been more for hard & soft rock.

 

[Susan1]

I love Paul. That said I also liked Barry a lot during his heyday. I think it was partly because his songs were so easy to sing along. I like almost all music but my taste has always been more for hard & soft rock.

I think my favorite - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6XB2STqyKY

Does anybody know anybody else who made an oldies mix tape with Lesley Gore AND Alice Cooper on it?

And I made one that is all Rod Stewart, Elton John, Hall and Oates, Styx and Genesis non-hit songs pulled from various albums.

 

[Cachoo]

I think my favorite - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6XB2STqyKY

Does anybody know anybody else who made an oldies mix tape with Lesley Gore AND Alice Cooper on it?

And I made one that is all Rod Stewart, Elton John, Hall and Oates, Styx and Genesis non-hit songs pulled from various albums.

WHAT?

btw....heard "American Pie" today...still enjoy that one.

 

[Susan1]

WHAT?

btw....heard "American Pie" today...still enjoy that one.

What what? What's a mix tape? I spent weeks off and on going through my albums and tapes and 45s, and even borrowed some albums from the library. I do not know where I ever would have heard Someone To Lay Down Beside Me by Linda Ronstadt before because I can't stand her and would have had to get her record at the library, but I love that song. It still gives me chills.

Someone to Lay Down Beside Me (2015 Remaster)

Provided to YouTube by Rhino/Elektra Someone to Lay Down Beside Me (2015 Remaster) · Linda Ronstadt Greatest Hits ℗ 1976 Elektra/Asylum Records Piano: Andrew...

www.youtube.com

And I still have the papers where I wrote down all the songs and the times so they would fit. And hitting the record thing at just the right time. I have 6 two sided tapes. One side of one has all Beatles songs when songs were only like 2-1/2 minutes long. I could have my own oldies variety radio station.

They were all also transferred to CD. When my cousin Mark died in 2004, his daughter made a "mix CD" of all his favorite songs with notes for his closest relatives, including me. He had This Used to be my Playground on it, which I love! Who knew. Anyway, I had to buy a CD player. So I took all my tapes to a place over in Centerville to have them transferred. p.s. I still don't have the technology to do that. When I went to pick them up, they all said how much they enjoyed listening to them while they were transferring them. But there are sort of skips in the middle of songs because I guess the CDs go by the ends of tracks and my songs didn't fit in those tracks. I've been going through and listening to those songs on youtube while I'm sitting here because the CD player died a couple years ago. Can I make a "mix laptop"? ha ha

I haven't liked American Pie since day one. Sorry.

 

[taf2002]

I haven't liked American Pie since day one. Sorry.

I adored Buddy Holly (as a good Texan would) so I loved American Pie & I used to be able to sing all the words, all 8 1/2 minutes of it. I was in grade school when he died & the day after he died everyone was crying at school, even some of the boys. Some of the tears were for Richie Valens & the Big Bopper but mostly for Buddy.

 

[easilydistracte]

Back around 1977, I bought Morris Albert's album. Now, here in 2020, I cringe and ask myself, "Why?"

Feelings

I think these three from the 1970s are more my speed--

Tower of Power: So Very Hard to Go

War: All Day Music

Malo: Suavecito

 

[PeterG]

Suzi Quatro - Stumblin' In (with Chris Norman)

 

[Coco]

How is this thread four pages and no one has mentioned Bread or David Gates? Did I just miss it?

David Gates - Goodbye Girl (1978)

David Gates performs "Goodbye Girl".

www.youtube.com

Chicago- (I've been) Searchin So Long

This was filmed on the band's Winter 1977 world tour. This is part of a longer Dutch concert. This song is probably my favorite James Pankow tune. It feature...

www.youtube.com

Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge Live 💙 "Help Me Make It Through The Night"

The songwriter is Kris Krostofferson. The ultimate love song ~ You can see that love burn brightly in this clip, which captures their duet of Rita and Kris s...

www.youtube.com

Wildfire- Michael Martin Murphey

Wildfire- Michael Martin Murphey

www.youtube.com

This last one isn't really soft rock, just a ballad by a rocker

Bob Seger - We've Got Tonight {HD}

"We've Got Tonite" (sic) is a song written by American Bob Seger, from his 1978 album Stranger in Town. It was a hit single for Seger and the Silver Bullet B...

www.youtube.com

 

[Jot the Dot Dot]

How could some miss listing Queen ? Yes, the same band that gave us 'We Will Rock You' and 'Fat Bottomed Girls' could churn out really melodic soft ones.

The Night Comes Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCPQS_sKJXQ
Lily Of The Valley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7K1_g31H0s
Love Of My Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T73WhWTawCE
You Take My Breath Away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_1omWwSrFU
All Dead, All Dead https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFt-78nbNgI

 

[PeterG]

Adam Lambert - Whataya Want from Me

How is this thread four pages and no one has mentioned Bread or David Gates? Did I just miss it?

I like all the songs you listed. But to me they are ballads.

How could some miss listing Queen ? Yes, the same band that gave us 'We Will Rock You' and 'Fat Bottomed Girls' could churn out really melodic soft ones.

The Night Comes Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCPQS_sKJXQ
Lily Of The Valley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7K1_g31H0s
Love Of My Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T73WhWTawCE
You Take My Breath Away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_1omWwSrFU
All Dead, All Dead https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFt-78nbNgI

I consider queen to be a rock band. Although something like Crazy Little Thing Called Love could be considered soft rock. Plus the songs you listed are all album tracks (except one, which flopped), so not hits.

 

[easilydistracte]

Music from the movies--

Gene Pitney: Town Without Pity
The Seekers: Georgy Girl
Lulu: To Sir, With Love
The Bee Gees: How Deep Is Your Love (from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack)


Totally random assortment of songs:

The Temptations: Since I Lost My Baby
The Bee Gees: To Love Somebody
The Guess Who: These Eyes
Stevie Wonder: My Cherie Amour
Van Halen: Dance the Night Away
Extreme: More Than Words

To me, all of the songs I've listed in this post fit the "pop" category. I guess some of them could be classified as "Adult Contemporary," whatever that means. All I know is that I enjoy listening to each song, for myriad reasons.

 

[Cachoo]

Adam Lambert - Whataya Want from Me



I like all the songs you listed. But to me they are ballads.



I consider queen to be a rock band. Although something like Crazy Little Thing Called Love could be considered soft rock. Plus the songs you listed are all album tracks (except one, which flopped), so not hits.

Ok Adam Lambert: I watched American Idol for him alone after the first year. But I wasn't so crazy about some of his songs. HOWEVER I loved how he could retool a hit: And I just sort of melted onto the floor after watching him retool Cher's "Believe" at the Kennedy Center Honors. I didn't even like "Believe." But Adam's version is dazzling.

Adam Lambert - Performing "Believe" by Cher - 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors

The full album VELVET, out now! https://empire.lnk.to/adamlambert_VELVET And get the brand new VELVET merch now: https://us.adamlambert.net Get tickets to th...

youtu.be

 

[easilydistracte]

Quoting myself from upthread. Forgot to comment about one of the songs I had listed:

Extreme: More Than Words

Superficially, I find this song quite beguiling, due to how the whole package in the video was put together: pretty melody skillfully arranged; attractive presentation with the singers/guitarist romantically groomed and costumed; some humor with the uninvolved bandmates waving their Bic lighters around; even the inclusion of the cute studio dog. However, really can't get past that this song is basically some dude essentially saying to his romantic interest: "You can say 'I love you' all you want, but I want you to prove it by __________[fill in the blank]. If you do this, then I'll know you love me and you wouldn't have to waste your time saying it." Talk about coercion!


Anyway, moving on. . .

CBS News Sunday Morning played this song over their closing credits earlier today:

Theme from A Summer Place by Percy Faith and His Orchestra .


As often happens on YouTube, one song led to another, etc.:

Hugh Masekela: Grazing in the Grass
George Benson: Breezin'
Chuck Mangione: Feels So Good
Young-Holt Unlimited: Soulful Strut

Life seemed a lot simpler 40 to 50 years ago.

 

[PeterG]

'Til Tuesday - Voices Carry

 

[easilydistracte]

I don't know how popular these songs were here on the Mainland (if at all), but they were huge hits back home in Hawai'i in the 1960s &'70s:

Sakamoto Kyu: Ue o Muite Arukou ["Sukiyaki"?! Seriously???!!!]

Tokyo Happy Coats: Forevermore
[Recording session track with better quality audio here (with additional song)]

Ohta-San: Song for Anna

 

[easilydistracte]

One of the classic movies networks (AMC? TCM? FX?) was running a rock-and-roll documentary films marathon during the Labor Day weekend. My husband watched some of the programming from time to time. The few minutes I watched of the movie about Leon Russell reminded me of this song:

The Carpenters: A Song for You [cover] Karen Carpenter's voice was so gorgeous!

[Leon Russell's original version]

 

[easilydistracte]

Should have posted this one three months ago:

Bobbie Gentry: Ode to Billie Joe

 

[Spiralgraph]

I'm a soft rock fan mostly and I don't know if the song has been mentioned yet: Love Can Make You Happy sung by Mercy. I used to like it a lot but I heard it played so much on the radio I don't like it as much now.

And I used to sing along to all of American Pie too....

 

[easilydistracte]

I'm a soft rock fan mostly and I don't know if the song has been mentioned yet: Love Can Make You Happy sung by Mercy. I used to like it a lot but I heard it played so much on the radio I don't like it as much now. [My emphasis.]
. . .

Yeah, kinda like these two songs:

Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band
Escape by Rupert Holmes (Also known as the "Pina Colada Song")

Catchy melodies and lyrics, but really annoying after they'd been played a couple of hundred times. . . Plus, I always thought that the couple in "Escape" would have had a big fight after what happened in the song. . .

 

[easilydistracte]

Remembering Helen Reddy with a Southern Gothic-esque song:

Angie Baby

Dark and eerie. . . RIP Ms Reddy.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

I do not know where I ever would have heard Someone To Lay Down Beside Me by Linda Ronstadt before because I can't stand her and would have had to get her record at the library, but I love that song. It still gives me chills.

Someone to Lay Down Beside Me was written by Karla Bonoff and recorded on her first album. She wrote Lose Again also recorded by Linda Ronstadt. KB used to tour with the CA rock groups and musicians like J.D. Souther. She opened for Jackson Browne the year her first album came out. Maybe that's where you heard it.

Someone to Lay Down Beside Me

Provided to YouTube by Columbia/Legacy Someone to Lay Down Beside Me · Karla Bonoff The Best Of Karla Bonoff: All My Life ℗ 1977 Sony Music Entertainment Inc...

www.youtube.com

Someone I've been friends with since elementary school called me today to remind me we went to see Mac Davis and Helen Reddy at the Ohio State Fair Grandstand when we were kids. Those were my first concerts, perfect for pre and new teens because the shows were in the afternoon. So no parents needed to take us since it was on the bus route and we could go everyday. We saw Beach Boys, Jackson 5, Carpenters, Brady Bunch, Osmonds and many others.

Memories

Provided to YouTube by Sony Music EntertainmentMemories · Mac DavisSong Painter℗ 1974 Sony Music EntertainmentReleased on: 1971-05-10Producer: J. FullerCompo...

www.youtube.com

 

[easilydistracte]

Don't know if these two songs meet the "Soft Rock Hits" criteria, but what the heck:

Pet Shop Boys: West End Girls

Tears For Fears: Everybody Wants to Rule the World

[1980s MTV flashback, anyone?]

 

[easilydistracte]

I don't know why, but this song from 1975 starting playing in my head last week--
George Baker Selection: Una Paloma Blanca (Always reminds me of carnivals, for some reason.)

Two songs with Frankie Valli--
With the Four Seasons: I've Got You Under My Skin
Without the Four Seasons: Can't Take My Eyes Off You

 

[Cachoo]

Feeling Dido today: "Here With Me" with help from the "Love Actually" cast:

Dido - Here With Me (Love Actually)

youtu.be

 

[Simone411]

Love that song. I discovered Dido and Here With Me when it was the theme song from Roswell.

Some of my old favorites from Steely Dan:

My Old School- Steely Dan- 1973

Love Steely Dan.They Are A Trip.When You Hear A Steely Dan Song Especially Like This One,You Say What's This?These Guys Are Wild And Unique.Very Special Arti...

www.youtube.com

Rikki Don't Lose That Number

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupRikki Don't Lose That Number · Steely DanPretzel Logic℗ 1974 Geffen RecordsReleased on: 1974-01-01Producer: Gary ...

www.youtube.com

Josie

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupJosie · Steely DanAja℗ 1977 Geffen RecordsReleased on: 1977-01-01Producer: Gary KatzConductor, Associated Perfor...

www.youtube.com

Reelin' In The Years

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupReelin' In The Years · Steely DanCan't Buy A Thrill℗ 1972 UMG Recordings, Inc.Released on: 1972-01-01Producer: Ga...

www.youtube.com

Hey Nineteen

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupHey Nineteen · Steely DanGaucho℗ 1980 Geffen RecordsReleased on: 1984-01-01Producer: Gary KatzStudio Personnel, ...

www.youtube.com

 

[Cachoo]

Love that song. I discovered Dido and Here With Me when it was the theme song from Roswell.

Some of my old favorites from Steely Dan:

My Old School- Steely Dan- 1973

Love Steely Dan.They Are A Trip.When You Hear A Steely Dan Song Especially Like This One,You Say What's This?These Guys Are Wild And Unique.Very Special Arti...

www.youtube.com

Rikki Don't Lose That Number

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupRikki Don't Lose That Number · Steely DanPretzel Logic℗ 1974 Geffen RecordsReleased on: 1974-01-01Producer: Gary ...

www.youtube.com

Josie

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupJosie · Steely DanAja℗ 1977 Geffen RecordsReleased on: 1977-01-01Producer: Gary KatzConductor, Associated Perfor...

www.youtube.com

Reelin' In The Years

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupReelin' In The Years · Steely DanCan't Buy A Thrill℗ 1972 UMG Recordings, Inc.Released on: 1972-01-01Producer: Ga...

www.youtube.com

Hey Nineteen

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupHey Nineteen · Steely DanGaucho℗ 1980 Geffen RecordsReleased on: 1984-01-01Producer: Gary KatzStudio Personnel, ...

www.youtube.com

They had some greats....I still love "Deacon Blues" the most.

 

[Peaches LaTour]

I adored Buddy Holly (as a good Texan would) so I loved American Pie & I used to be able to sing all the words, all 8 1/2 minutes of it. I was in grade school when he died & the day after he died everyone was crying at school, even some of the boys. Some of the tears were for Richie Valens & the Big Bopper but mostly for Buddy.

I am a big Holly fan, too & went to several fan get-togethers in Lubbock & Clear Lake. Had the honor of meeting his parents, brothers & widow.

Saw The Beatles in concert three times & their song, "This Boy" is really lovely as is John's, "Imagine".

 

[Peaches LaTour]

How is this thread four pages and no one has mentioned Bread or David Gates? Did I just miss it?

David Gates - Goodbye Girl (1978)

David Gates performs "Goodbye Girl".

www.youtube.com

Chicago- (I've been) Searchin So Long

This was filmed on the band's Winter 1977 world tour. This is part of a longer Dutch concert. This song is probably my favorite James Pankow tune. It feature...

www.youtube.com

Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge Live 💙 "Help Me Make It Through The Night"

The songwriter is Kris Krostofferson. The ultimate love song ~ You can see that love burn brightly in this clip, which captures their duet of Rita and Kris s...

www.youtube.com

Wildfire- Michael Martin Murphey

Wildfire- Michael Martin Murphey

www.youtube.com

This last one isn't really soft rock, just a ballad by a rocker

Bob Seger - We've Got Tonight {HD}

"We've Got Tonite" (sic) is a song written by American Bob Seger, from his 1978 album Stranger in Town. It was a hit single for Seger and the Silver Bullet B...

www.youtube.com

The last time we saw Seger in concert, he said "We've Got Tonight" was his Mom's favorite song.

Another soft-hit song I like is the little-known, countryish tune, "Abilene" by George Hamilton IV.