Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Ruby Anniversary Song of the Week: "Get Ready" by Rare Earth


Playing a mixture of rock, funk, and blue-eyed soul, Rare Earth received a good measure of AM and FM radio airplay during the early 1970s.  "Get Ready", their first single, debuted inauspiciously at #91 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending March 14, 1970.  It took 13 weeks for the song to reach the top ten, where it resided for 5 weeks.  Overall it spent an impressive 20 weeks on the chart.

"ABC" by the Jackson 5.  (41, 1, 13)
After their debut single, "I Want You Back", Retiring Guy was never much of a fan.

"Lovin' Livin' Maid (She's Just a Woman)" by Led Zeppelin.  (87, 65, 5)
Led Zeppelin II.  Back in the day, who didn't have this album in their collection?
"Whole Lotta Love" kicked the group into high gear.
Not exactly poetry, but lyrics some of us will never forget.
A-you need coolin'
Woman I ain't foolin'
I'm gonna say it yeah
Go back to schoolin'
A-way down inside
Woman you need love
I'm gonna give ya my love
I'm gonna give ya my love, ohhhhh


"Come Into My Life" by Jimmy Cliff.  (90, 89, 3)
His follow-up to "Wonderful World, Beautiful People".  And his last appearance on the Hot 100.

"My Woman My Woman My Wife" by Marty Robbins.  (92, 42, 8)
Marty's final appearance on the Hot 100.  His best effort:  "El Paso", which spent 2 weeks at #1 in late 1959.  (Retiring Guy thinks that Robbins spent a lot of time in front of a mirror.)

"For the Love of Him" by Bobbi Martin.  (93, 13, 14)
Bobbi puts sense 2 of this definition to music.

Verse 1:
When he opens the door says I'm home
Beware of the look in his eyes
They tell you the mood he's in
What kind of day it's been

Chorus:
For the love of him
Make it your reason for living
Give all the love you can give him
All the love you can

Verse 2:
There'll be little things he forgets to do
Have you told him today I love you
When he reaches out be there
Show him that someone cares,

Would Retiring Guy like this song more if Dusty Springfield sang it?

"Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone" by Charley Pride.  (94, 70, 7)
Although 29 of his singles reached #1 on the country charts, only 9 of them made an appearance on the Hot 100.  Best performer:  "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" reached #21 in early 1972.  (Sidebar:  Retiring Guy has always wondered is 'San Antone' is an outside kinda thing.)

"Reflections of my Life" by Marmalade.  (96, 10, 15)
Retiring Guy wonders why the group changed its name from Dean Ford and the Gaylords to Marmalade.  In their only American hit, they do a decent BeeGees imitation.

"You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Lou Rawls.  (99, 95, 3)
The third and least successful version of this song.  But that voice!

"Laughin' and Clownin'" by Ray Charles.  (100, 98, 2)
The song was written by Sam Cooke.

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