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Reelin’ in the Years 249: Can’t Get Enough. RIP Mick Ralphs

Mick Ralphs, guitarist with Mott the Hoople and Bad Company among others, died last week. He apparently left Mott the Hoople as the songs he was writing were not suited to singer Ian Hunter’s voice.

They found a compatible home with Paul Rodgers, though, when they formed Bad Company along with Simon Kirke and Boz Burrell.

This is a live version of their first hit, which Ralphs wrote.

Bad Company: Can’t Get Enough

 

Michael Geoffrey (Mick) Ralphs: 31/3/1944 – 23/6/2025. So it goes.

Something Changed 90: Sing it Back

Moloko’s first hit (from 1999.) This song only made no. 45 on first release but after a remix it reached the dizzy heights of no. 4. Not as high as the follow up The Time Is Now; but that was in 2000.

Moloko: Bring it Back

Not Friday On My Mind 91: Darlin’

The only Beach Boys single I actually bought was Darlin’ from 1967. God Only Knows and Good Vibrations were before my singles-buying days.

The Beach Boys: Darlin’

Their Wiki singles discography page says its B-side was a song called Here Today from Pet Sounds.  Well not in the UK it wasn’t, as I remember it very well. That was instead Country Air from the later album Wild Honey. As this video displaying the record label shows. (The murky sound quality was apparently due to a problem with the master tape.)

The Beach Boys: Country Air

Still brilliant as always.

Brian Douglas Wilson: 20/6/1942 – 11/6/2025. So it goes.

Not Friday On My Mind 90: Heroes and Villains

I was very much saddened by the news of Brian Wilson’s death. As the musical driving force behind the Beach Boys he was one of the most influential figures in popular music of the mid to late twentieth century: right up there with Lennon and McCartney.

I have already featured his masterpiece God Only Knows. Also Wild Honey and Do it Again.

But there are so many more. Too many to be confined to one post.

This track was the main follow up to Good Vibrations (the release of Then I Kissed Her was a stopgap.) Many people were disappointed with it but it has all the Wilson hallmarks.

The Beach Boys: Heroes and Villains

Then there’s this track, striking a more melancholy note. The title song from the Surf’s Up album.

The Beach Boys: Surf’s Up

Brian Wilson’s star continues to shine long after his heyday. His songs leave a legacy  to be revered.

Brian Douglas Wilson: 20/6/1942 – 11/6/2025. So it goes.

Friday on my Mind 244: Dance to the Music. RIP Sly Stone

I know it’s not Friday but tomorrow’s post will be taken up by another sad loss.

But Sly Stone left us earlier this week. Sly’s influence was more felt in the US than the UK but his 1960s and 1970s work with Sly and the Family Stone was memorable.

Sly and the Family Stone’s first UK hit – out of four – was their biggest.

Sly and the Family Stone: Dance to the Music

Sylvester Stewart (Sly Stone): 15/31943 – 9/6/2025. So it goes.

Reelin’ in the Years 248: Baby I’m A Want You

I’ve said before that writing love songs, good love songs, is not easy but that David Gates seemed to do it effortlessly. (That last word is doing him a disservice I’m sure.)

The lyric of this song again has issues with grammar but that’s popular music for you.

Bread: Baby I’m A Want You

 

Live It Up 130: You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties

One of those quirky singles that occasionally hits a chord with the public. A UK no 16 in 1980.

 

Jona Lewie: You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties

 

Something Changed 89: Walkaway

Between 1995 and 1999 Liverpool band Cast had ten top twenty hits in the Uk. This is the one I remember most.

Cast: Walkaway

 

Friday on my Mind 243: Goodnight Midnight. RIP Clodagh Rodgers

Irish songstress Clodagh Rodgers died last month.  She is perhaps best remembered for representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971, singing Jack In The Box (a rather too obvious attempt to repeat the success of Puppet on a String. I also recall Monty Python’s Flying Circus  lampooning the song.) As a result of her agreeing to sing the UK entry she apparently received death threats from the IRA.

Prior to that she had had UK hits in 1969 with Come Back and Shake Me (a no 3) and this song, which made no 4 in the charts.

Clodagh Rodgers: Goodnight Midnight

Clodagh Rodgers: 5/3/1947 – 18/4/2025. So it goes.

Reelin’ in the Years 247: Without You

The Guardian only printed the obituary of Joey Molland, guitarist with Badfinger on Wednesday 7/5/25 but it must have been on its website for over a month.

I have featured the band’s big hits Come and Get It, plus Day After Day and No Matter What before.

This song was on their LP No Dice in 1970 but was made more famous by Nilsson a couple of years later.

Badfinger: Without You

 

Nilsson: Without You

 

 

 

Joseph Charles (Joey) Molland: 21/6/1947 – 1/3/2025. So it goes.

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