So I am going to play every 45 in my collection.......(Part 3!!)

Dawn-Knock Three Times/Home
This sure was worth the 77 cents that the price tag attached to the sleeve shows was paid for this! Cool view of apartment building wooing....but I'm dying to know...What was the girl's response??? Basically "Candida" part although it is somehow even more intoxicating! I swear it must be those horns....I can't get enough of "Come a Little Bit Closer" by Jay and the Americans either! And count me in on any song with "pipe" sound effects.

 

Dawn-Summer Sand/The Sweet Soft Sounds of Love
A minor hit reaching #33, it would be their last charting single as simply Dawn. The melody of the chorus strongly reminds me "Snoopy versus the Red Baron"....Really!

 

Dawn (featuring Tony Orlando)-You're a Lady/In the Park
A lowly hit, it only reached #70 in 1972. The opening sounds straight out of the 40's. The hushed vocal from Tony doesn't work for me at all. Plain and simple...I hate this song! Good thing he had a big hit coming right around the corner.

 

Dawn (featuring Tony Orlando)-Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree/I Can't Believe How Much I Love You
Does this hold a record for longest titles on both sides of a 45??
Interesting how a lot of people don't realize the singer of the song is actually a prisoner returning home and not a soldier. The melody is infectious and the story fun. Hell, even I want to cheer at the end when he sees a hundred yellow ribbons around the tree!

 

Dawn featuring Tony Orlando-Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose?/The Spark of Love is Kindlin'
Another big hit, reaching #3 in the USA. A purposefully dated sounding tune...it sounds as if was from the turn of the century. This was made to be performed at a cabaret. I may wince a few times during it but on the whole I like it a lot!

 

These threads are worth it for the pics of the labels alone! Thanks for posting.

 

It certainly is cool and interesting to watch the label update through the years of a particular artists catalog.

 

Tony Orlando and Dawn-Who's in the Strawberry Patch With Sally?/Ukulele Man
Another single from the "Dawn's New Ragtime Follies" album, it continues the throwback feel of the previous single although this only hit #27. Tony must have worn a top hat and danced with a cane to this at some point.....Did they perform these tunes on their show? I can't remember when it aired but these songs seem made for a vaudeville act.

 

Tony Orlando and Dawn-Steppin' Out/She Can't Hold a Candle to You
Not to be confused with the Joe Jackson tune..... I'm a bit surprised this hit the top ten as it isn't that great compared to their previous efforts.

 

It was one of his major R&B hits.

 

Danielle Dax-Big Hollow Man (remix)/Muzzles UK ISSUE
She always had the most original sleeve photos/paintings. This photo is just creepy but very eye catching. Another shot from the sessions is included on the label of the 45. I always liked this song in its original format, and this remix a few years later has a cool vibe to it also. A true "pop artist", Ms. Dax is not for everyone but check it out....

 

I just checked it out on YouTube....great song!!!! Apparently it holds the distinction of being the first record to hit #1 on the R&B charts and fail to make the Pop Top 100 since 1955!!! I just checked all of my 70's soul comps and no dice....Now I REALLY need a Tyrone Davis comp!

 

Candida sounds exactly like You Can't Love 'em All by Solomon Burke. The Tokens must have had incriminating photos of Leiber, Stoller and Bert Burns to get away with it.

 

Morris Day-The Oak Tree/The Oak Tree (dance instrumental)
Is Morris doing his impersonation of the "Thriller" dance on the picture sleeve??
I really dig The Time...even the Pandemonium reunion LP and Morris is funny as hell in the flicks with Prince. This jam begins with some humorous conversation and then it launches into a pretty funky tune. "Spread your branches...you know what to do".....

 

Morris Day-Color of Success/Color of Success (Instrumental mix)
The intro is a piece of "Over the Rainbow"....why?? The spoken "news casts" in this song are a glimpse into what was going on at "The Time"......it mentions the breakup of the band in humorous fashion and Morris' upcoming music and movie projects. Unfortunately for Morris, his best tunes were already behind him for the most part. This song has a nice groove to it and gets the most play around here of Morris' solo efforts.

 

You aint' kidding!! That is a really good track.....I'll take Solomon Burke over Tony Orlando any day of the week!

 

Mel Torme did a great version too. The Drifters did a so-so version in '66

 

Morris Day-Fishnet/Maybe
Morris likes women with big legs! This ode to thick legged women was co-written Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and musically it sounds right off of the Janet Jackson hit parade.

 

One of the best sounding 7"s I've ever heard. Absolutely explosive.

 

It seemed like this song was in the top 40 forever. I just wiki'd it, and it spent 40 weeks in the top 100. Wow! Davis issued a lot of excellent country rock albums before ever having a real hit. His album "Ride 'Em Cowboy" is a classic.

 

My grade school chorus teacher had us sing this song. I always thought it was strange that a bunch of Catholic grade school kids would be singing a song about a stripper. LOL

 

Juggsnelson, I am also digging all the labels, picture sleeves and company sleeves. I'm not an avid 45 collector by any means, my collection is only about 200 records, but I am really enjoying this thread.

 

Funny Story! It seems that sometimes people really do not pay attention to the lyrics at all! We used to be able to play records in the cafeteria at grade school during lunch and I still remember this kid in my class playing "Sugar Walls" by Sheena Easton every day for weeks straight!!! When I found out years later what it referred to I was shocked!

 

Thanks! I am having a lot of fun checking these labels and sleeves out closely myself. Funny the details you pick up on when you really take a hard look at the picture sleeves.

 

Taylor Dayne-Tell It To My Heart/(Instrumental) UK AND USA ISSUES
Gotta go with liking the USA sleeve here a little more......that big 80's hair really worked for Taylor!
Seeing that I have always lived on Long Island, I have heard plenty of Taylor Dayne over the years! This is by far my favorite as most of the others pale in comparison to me. A fine example of freestyle mixing with a great pop hook. She even got a Grammy nod for this tune.