ALWAYS (2-CD Set)

19 Replies

Here’s a 2-CD set of hit songs with plenty of Big Names. I’ve always liked James Taylor’s version of “Handy Man.” “Don’t Know Much” is a Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville classic. And who can resist Natalie Cole’s “Miss You Like Crazy”!

Brook Benton’s “Rainy Night in Georgia” is seldom played on our local Oldies station, but it’s great! I’m a big fan of Brenda Russell’s “Piano in the Dark.” And TOP GUN was improved by Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away.”

Do you remember these songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+

TRACKLIST:

1-1Atlantic Starr–Always Written-By – Lewis*, Lewis*, Lewis*3:59
1-2James Taylor (2)–Handy Man Written-By – Otis Blackwell3:16
1-3Kenny G (2)–Songbird Written-By – Kenny G (2)3:41
1-4Christopher Cross–Sailing Written-By – Christopher Cross4:16
1-5Smokey Robinson–Being With You Written-By – William Robinson Jr.*4:00
1-6Linda Ronstadt And Aaron Neville–Don’t Know Much Written-By – Mann*, Weil*, Snow*3:35
1-7Frankie Valli–My Eyes Adored You Written-By – Crewe*, Nolan*3:33
1-8Anne Murray–Danny’s Song Written-By – Kenny Loggins3:06
1-9Orleans–Dance With Me Written-By – Hall-Hall*2:59
1-10Genesis–In Too Deep Written-By – Rutherford*, Collins*, Banks*4:57
1-11The Doobie Brothers–Real Love Written-By – McDonald*, Henderson*4:20
1-12Natalie Cole–Miss You Like Crazy Written-By – Goffin*, Masser*, Glass*3:49
1-13The Hollies–The Air That I Breathe Written-By – Hammond-Hazlewood4:11
1-14Gordon Lightfoot–If You Could Read My Mind Written-By – Gordon Lightfoot3:48
1-15Carly Simon–You Belong To Me Written-By – Simon*, McDonald*3:51
1-16Air Supply–The One That You Love Written-By – Graham Russell (2)4:17
1-17The Temptations–Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) Written-By – Whitfield-Strong3:51
1-18England Dan And John Ford Coley*–I’d Really Love To See You Tonight Written-By – Parker McGee2:39
1-19Rita Coolidge–We’re All Alone Written-By – Boz Scaggs3:36
1-20The Commodores*–Still Written-By – Lionel Richie, Jr.*3:40
2-1Mike & The Mechanics–The Living Years Written-By – Robertson*, Rutherford*5:30
2-2Jim Croce–Time In A Bottle Written-By – Jim Croce2:24
2-3Roberta Flack–First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Written-By – Ewan MacColl4:16
2-4Brook Benton–Rainy Night In Georgia Written-By – Tony Joe White3:49
2-5Dan Hill–Can’t We Try Written-By – Hill*, Hill*4:02
2-6Taylor Dayne–I’ll Always Love You Written-By – Jimmy George4:18
2-7Chi-Lites*–Oh Girl Written-By – Eugene Record3:28
2-8Randy Vanwarmer–Just When I Needed You MostWritten-By – Randy Vanwarmer3:59
2-9Crystal Gayle–Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue Written-By – Rick Leigh*2:32
2-10Neil Sedaka–Laughter In The Rain Written-By – Sedaka-Cody*2:51
2-11Brenda Russell (2)–Piano In The Dark Written-By – Russell*, Hull*, Cutler*4:22
2-12Michael Johnson (5)–Bluer Than Blue Written-By – Rich Goodrum*2:54
2-13James Taylor (2)–Shower The People Written-By – James Taylor (2)4:00
2-14The Spinners*–Could It Be I’m Falling In Love Written-By – Steals-Steals*4:10
2-15Dolly Parton–Here You Come Again Written-By – Mann-Weil*2:57
2-16Bread–Baby I’m A Want YouWritten-By – David Gates2:28
2-17Charlie Rich–The Most Beautiful Girl Written-By – Sherril*, Wilson*, Bourke*2:42
2-18Laura Branigan–How Am I Supposed To Live Without You Written-By – James*, Bolton*4:29
2-19Elton John–Daniel Written-By – John-Taupin*3:52
2-20Berlin–Take My Breath Away (Love Theme From “Top Gun”) Written-By – Moroder*, Whitlock*4:12

19 thoughts on “ALWAYS (2-CD Set)”

  1. Jerry House

    There’s a lot to like here, and even an old curmudgeon like me can recognize many of the artists. Favorites include James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Brook Benton, The Temptations, The Spinners, Jim Croce, Roberta Flack, and Crystal Gayle. Some of the others I might not seek out on the radio, but I would not change the channel — well, except for Christopher Cross, of course. And, as an old folkie, it’s always good to see Gordon Lightfoot.

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  3. DiscoDollyDeb

    A good compilation—my favorite being “Rainy Night in Georgia” (possibly the most melancholy song of the pop era—and I’m totally here for it!). Other favorites include “You Belong to Me” (the Doobie Brothers also did a version of it), “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”, “Handy Man”, and “If You Could Read My Mind”. I don’t think I’d change the station if any of these songs were on the radio—for the nostalgia value alone if nothing else.

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    2. george Post author

      Deb, some of these songs deserve more airplay on our local Oldies radio station. Till then, I can just listen to ALWAYS while I’m driving around running errands.

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  4. Jeff Meyerson

    What Jerry said goes for me too, including the Christopher Cross. Like Deb, my favorite is “Rainy Night in Georgia.” I have about half a dozen versions of it, including a Sam Moore-Conway Twitty duet (!), Boz Scaggs, Aaron Neville, and Lucinda Williams.

    Jackie is huge Laura Branigan fan. I like that, plus Oh Girl (Tony Soprano’s favorite song), Handy Man, Dance With Me, and Time In a Bottle, among others.

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    1. george Post author

      Jeff, I’ve had ALWAYS on my LISTEN TO REAL SOON stack for years. I finally played it…and then I played it again! Plenty of good songs I don’t hear on the radio any more.

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    1. george Post author

      Fred, I agree with you: ALWAYS has a lot of great songs on those 2 CDs! As you know, most of the complication CDs I feature on Thursdays have some duds and One Hit Wonders. The quality of ALWAYS is above average!

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  7. Todd Mason

    As with Jerry, I never need to hear C. Cross again, and feel similarly about Frankie Valli, Kenny G., Air Supply, Bread, anything from the Commodores featuring Richie, and Neil Sedaka (perhaps his least-bad hit)…while nearly everyone else has recorded at least some work I’ve enjoyed (though I struggle to recall the recordings of Dan Hill or Michael Johnson, but feel no wincing), so a mixed bag. Perhaps a trans-musical wince in sympathy for the tough last decade+ of Laura Brannigan’s life–her husband dying young of cancer, and she not much older of something similarly dire. The rest are solid to not bad enough to skip, and you could do worse for a buck. Very much aimed at ’70s nostagists, clearly, who mis MOR/Adult Rock stations of the ’70s and early ’80s. (Began this comment last night, but accidentally deleted it…perhaps for the best!)

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