15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez | Playlist 🎧

6. Michael McDonald, “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)”

💿 If That’s What It Takes • 🏷 Warner • 📅 1982

“I keep forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore / I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again.” 🎙 Michael McDonald had a successful run as a member of 🎙 Doobie Brothers, an iconic, soft-rock, pop-soul collective. He also experienced a successful run as a solo artist beginning with his first and best studio album, 💿 If That’s What It Takes.  The crown jewel of his 1982, gold-certified LP is 🎵 “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)”. “I Keep Forgettin’” was a pop hit, peaking at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, his most successful solo single.

“I Keep Forgettin’” is an exceptional example of sound songwriting, period (McDonald, 🎼 ✍ Ed Sanford, 🎼 ✍ Jerry Leiber, and 🎼 ✍ Mike Stoller). The lyrics are strong, but also, the crossover appeal is what really stands out.  McDonald lies somewhere in the rock/pop/soul sphere, which makes him appeal to multiple audiences.  Thematically, McDonald is struggling with a break-up.  Sure, we’ve heard ‘this song and dance’ many times but it never grows old.  Clearly, McDonald hates that things have ended, and he isn’t coping well.  In the bridge, he asserts, “Don’t say that, don’t say that, don’t say that / I know you’re not mine anymore-anymore-anytime / But tell me how come I…” Basically, like all of us who have broken up with someone, you have to work through it, sigh.

Appears in 🔻:

• Michael McDonald, “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 62 (2022)
• 11 Fabulous Songs You’ll KEEP Spinning

7. Shalamar, “The Second Time Around”

💿 Big Fun • 🏷 Unidisc Music Inc. • 🗓 1979

🎵 “The Second Time Around” appears on the 1979 🎙 Shalamar album, 💿 Big Fun. Big Fun earned the disco/funk/soul collective a gold album.  Likewise, the song at hand, a top ten hit on the pop charts, is certified gold too.  The edition of Shalamar that appears on “The Second Time Around” and Big Fun is comprised of 🎙 Howard Hewett (lead vocals), 🎙 Jody Watley, and 🎙 Jeffrey Daniel. Throughout the course of this late 1970s classic, Howard Hewett serves up commanding, compelling lead vocals. He sounds nothing short of exuberant, energetic, and utterly sublime.

Of course, it’s not all about Howard, though he’s ‘kind of a big deal’ on “The Second Time Around!” The record is a feel-good, surefire vibe. It was written by 🎼 ✍ Leon Sylvers III and 🎼 ✍ William Shelby.  Sigh, I wish I’d written this bop! It’s set in a bright major key – D-flat to be precise 🤓. Musically, it’s the funky groove, robust bass line, keys, and the crisp, rhythmic guitar that truly stand out.  Beyond the instrumental backdrop, the lyrics are sweet, encouraging her that love can be found, even if it didn’t work out the first time. “But you can’t keep runnin’ away from love / ‘Cause the first one let you down, no, no, no,” Hewett sings, adding, “With me, true love can still be found / Love can still be found.” Awesome! Of course, the centerpiece of “The Second Time Around” is the catchy chorus, carried by the backing vocals (Watley and Daniel), and of course, marvelous ad-libs by Hewett.

“The second time around

Ooh, the second time is so much better, baby

The second time around

And I’ll make it better than the first time.”

Appears in 🔻: 

• Shalamar, “The Second Time Around”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 50 (2022)
• 2^nd: 5ive Songs No. 31 (2022)

8. Billy Preston, “Nothing From Nothing”

💿 The Kids & Me • 🏷 A&M • 🗓 1974 

“Nothing from nothing leaves nothing / You gotta have something if you wanna be with me.” Woo, so true, 🎙 Billy Preston! The iconic musician extraordinaire had a surefire pop hit on his hands with 🎵 “Nothing From Nothing” in 1974 (💿 The Kids & Me).  The brief, but funky, potent classic spent one week atop the Billboard Hot 100. It marked Preston’s third and final no. 1 hit overall (his second as the lead artist).  Preston penned “Nothing From Nothing” alongside 🎼 ✍ Bruce Fisher.  He produced the record himself. 

Musically, “Nothing From Nothing” is one of the funkiest records of all time, PERIOD. The keyboard work is awesome, as to be expected from a keyboardist as gifted and elite as Preston was.  Furthermore, “Nothing From Nothing” is masterfully arranged and orchestrated from the tightness of the rhythm section to the horns.  The musical canvas which Preston gets to sing over is celestial – R&B/soul/funk heaven if you will!  The lyrics are fun, capitalizing on nothingness. Notably, beyond the famous, infectious chorus, there is one terrific verse:

“I’m not trying to be your hero

‘Cause that zero is too cold for me

I’m not trying to be your highness

‘Cause that minus is too low to see, yeah

Nothing from nothing leaves nothing

And I’m not stuffing, believe you me

Don’t you remember I told ya

I’m a soldier in the war on poverty

Yeah, yes, I am.”

It’s hard to believe “Nothing From Nothing” is pushing 50 years old.  This old-school soul joint still sounds fresh in the 2020s – truly timeless.  He wouldn’t win the 🏆 Grammy he was nominated for 😏, but he also didn’t need a Grammy to validate the sheer excellence of “Nothing From Nothing” (he’d win two in his lifetime, by the way).  If you need a lift on a down day, let the classic, soulful vibes of this Billy Preston gem elevate you!

Appears in 🔻:

• Billy Preston, “Nothing From Nothing”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 60 (2022)

9. Donna Summer, “Heaven Knows” (Ft. Brooklyn Dreams)

💿 On The Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II • 🏷 UMG Recordings Inc. • 📅 1979 

“Heaven knows / It’s not the way it should be / And heaven knows / It’s not the way it could be / And don’t you know / There’s no need to leave.” Two words: 🎙 Donna Summer. How about an additional word: #ICONIC.  Oh, and two more words, for good measure: 🎵 “Heaven Knows”! This hit (💿 On The Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II) from one of the most legendary artists in the game peaked at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. Notably, Summer got an assist from 🎙 Brooklyn Dreams.

Of course, the chorus is the centerpiece of “Heaven Knows.” It’s one of the catchiest, most memorable, and tuneful choruses you’ll ever hear. Still, there’s even more to love.  The record features an electrifying disco groove and makes awesome use of percussion.  Besides the percussive element, the orchestration and production (🎛 Giorgio Moroder and 🎛 Pete Bellotte) – which kicks some serious ass – stand out thanks to the exuberant strings and biting horns. I mentioned Brooklyn Dreams’ assistance earlier. It’s ultimately a nice collaborative vocal performance between Summer and Dreams’ 🎙 Joe “Bean” Esposito – a match made in HEAVEN. Still, “Heaven Knows” is most celestial because Donna Summer is the superstar without question.  Rest in peace, queen!

Appears in 🔻:

• Donna Summer, “Heaven Knows”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 56 (2022)
• 13 Utterly Celestial Heaven Gems

10. Rod Stewart, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

💿 Blondes Have More Fun • 🏷 WEA Records B.V. • 🗓 1978

“Sugar, sugar / Ooh.” Indeed! In the 1970s, disco was inescapable. Musicians who weren’t disco musicians were performing disco for good reason – it had a dominant run.  It died, sure, but it had a dominant run! 🎙 Rod Stewart certainly wasn’t a disco artist, but one of his biggest hits embodies it: 🎵 “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”. “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” from his 1978 album, 💿 Blondes Have More Fun, marked a departure  Expectedly, some liked it, and others loathed it.   Compared to his discography, it is pop to the core.

While the lyrics aren’t deep, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” does have a story beyond the electrifying danceable instrument and silly title.  Is that story distinct? Well, no. Many men and women have partaken of the experience, honestly.  Shy guy meets lonely girl in the club, they go back to his place (“They catch a cab to his high-rise apartment / At last, he can tell her exactly what his heart meant”), they have sex (“They wake at dawn ‘cause all the birds are singing / Two total strangers but that ain’t what they’re thinking”) – yeah,  you get the picture.  Still, even if the substance is missing, this record is irresistible and has stood the test of time, maybe surprisingly.  The chorus is golden:

“If you want my body and you think I’m sexy

Come on sugar, let me know

If you really need me, just reach out and touch me

Come on honey tell me so

Tell me so, baby.” 

🎵 “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” wasn’t without its skeptics and detractors.  Still, despite the criticism and accidental plagiarism, Rod Stewart ultimately got the last laugh.  “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” stayed no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks.

Appears in 🔻:

• Rod Stewart, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 59 (2022)

11. Dionne Warwick & The Spinners, “Then Came You”

💿 Then Came You • 🏷 Warner • 🗓 1975

“Ever since I met you / Seems that I can’t forget you / The thought of you / Keeps running through, the back of my mind.” For 🎙 Dionne Warwick, 🎵 “Then Came You” (💿 Then Came You, 1975) marked her first no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.  Warwick, who experienced an incredibly successful career, would only earn one other no. 1 hit ( 🎵 “That’s What Friends are For”). For another legendary act collaborating with Warwick, 🎙 The Spinners, surprisingly, “Then Came You” marked their sole no. 1 hit. “Then Came You” gave both Warwick and The Spinners a big moment in their respective careers.

“I’m so darned proud of you

I wanna sing about you

All I know

You made love grow

By touching my hand.”

The song is electrifying from start to finish.  This 1974 gem was written by 🎼 ✍ Philip Pugh and 🎼 ✍ Sherman Marshall. 🎛 Thom Bell produces this masterpiece, with all its vintage soul cues – the funky riffs, alluring groove, lush strings, and stellar keyboard work.  The music alone is enough to make “Then Came You” a vibe – a surefire soul bop. But of course, Warwick and The Spinners’ lead singer, 🎙 Bobby Smith deserve plenty of credit for their sensational vocals.  Warwick, of course, who is tough to categorize, falls somewhere between R&B and pop – not your quintessential soul singer per se.  Here, she holds her own with her expressive, unique instrument, blending exceptionally well duetting with Smith.  There’s sheer exuberance in “Then Came You”; it bears an innocence and arguably, fun, that’s not always perceptible on modern R&B/contemporary soul records.  The chorus, of course, is the centerpiece, where Warwick and The Spinners reveal their cards:

“I never knew love before

Then came you (Ooh-ooh-ooh)

Then came you

Hey, hey, hey, then came you.”

Appears in 🔻:

• Dionne Warwick & The Spinners, “Then Came You”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 57 (2022)

12. Lou Reed, “Walk on the Wild Side”

💿 Transformer • 🏷 RCA • 📅 1972

When it comes to the late, great 🎙 Lou Reed, the first song that comes to mind is: 🎵 “Walk on the Wild Side”.  This highlight from 💿 Transformer (1972), written about Andy Warhol’s friends and the New York underground, peaked at no. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.  One of the greatest songs of all time, Reed brilliantly captures oddballs perfectly, all of whom happen to be members of the LGBTQ+ community.  Worth noting that Reed was bisexual and struggled with his sexuality. The colorful characters he sings about in “Walk on the Wild Side” are Holly, Candy, Little Joe, Sugar Plum Fairy, and Jackie.

In the first verse, Lou sings about Holly Woodlawn: “Plucked her eyebrows on the way / Shaved her legs and then he was a she.” Holly was transgender, a topic today that wasn’t often covered in rock or any musical genre back in the day.  In the second verse, Candy Darling (also trans) gets her moment, with arguably the most famous line in the song: “But she never lost her head / Even when she was giving head.” Wow! Oral sex – a blow job – in an early 70s song? It’s commonplace now in many rap songs, but eyebrow-raising then. In the third verse, Reed portrays bisexual actor Joe Dallesandro as a hustler, true to the character he plays.  In the fourth, Sugar Plum Fairy (Joe Campbell, a former lover of gay activist, Harvey Milk) gets his moment, while Jackie Curtis’ demons (“Jackie is just speeding away…”) in the fifth and final verse preface her eventual death from a heroin overdose at just 38.  How Reed portrays oddballs and misfits makes “Walk on the Wild Side” not only outlandish but a certified classic.  Another reason why “Walk on the Wild Side” is so great? The music. Reed keeps things on the lighter side.  After all, it is the lyrics, which tell a compelling story, that are ultimately the reason why this song is a success.  That said, musically, the bass line, the background vocals where (“the colored girls say / doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo), and the baritone saxophone solo marks some of the song’s bright spots.

Appears in 🔻:

• Lou Reed, “Walk on the Wild Side”: Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘 12 (2022)
• 15 Incredible Walk Songs

13. Stevie Wonder, “I Wish”

💿 Songs in the Key of Life • 🏷 Motown • 📅 1976

“Looking back on when I was a little nappy-headed boy.” That iconic 🎙 Stevie Wonder lyric hails from one of his very best songs, 🎵 “I Wish”. “I Wish” is in elite company in the 🏆 award-winning musician’s catalog; it is one of his no. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.  That’s right, this reflective joint spent one week atop the pop charts, showing Mr. Wonder flexing those crossover muscles – something he’s done throughout his career. Furthermore, it appears on arguably the best and most important album in his discography, 💿 Songs in the Key of Life (1976). The entertaining first verse continues, “then my only worry was Christmas, what would be my toy / Even though we sometimes would not get a thing / We were happy with the joy the day would bring.”

There are more compelling lines besides those excerpted from the first verse.  In the second verse, Stevie sings, “Brother said he’s telling ‘bout you playin’ doctor with that girl.” Ooh, wee! There’s also, “Smokin’ cigarettes and writing something nasty on the wall / Teacher sends you to the principal’s office down the hall.” The verses are awesome, but we all know the biggest claim to fame is the timeless chorus:

“I wish those days could come back once more

Why did those days ever have to go?

I wish those days could come back once more

Why did those days ever have to go?

‘Cause I love them so.”

Beyond the chorus, there’s no way you can mention “I Wish” and not compliment the funkiness of the production.  Those electric keys! That drum groove! The harmonic progression! Let’s just be honest here, Stevie Wonder kicks ass and takes names – NO CAP!

Appears in 🔻: 

• Stevie Wonder, “I Wish”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 54 (2022)
• 14 Enjoyable & Remarkable Wish Songs

14. Whitney Houston, “How Will I Know”

💿 Whitney Houston • 🏷 Arista • 📅 1985

“There’s a boy I know, he’s the one I dream of /… When I wake from dreaming, tell me, is it really love?” ‘Boy, oh, boy’ did 🎙 Janet Jackson pass up an awesome record! No problem as 🎙 Whitney Houston earned a no. 1 hit with 🎵 “How Will I Know”.  “How Will I Know,” written by 🎼 ✍George Merrill, 🎼 ✍ Shannon Rubicam, and 🎼 ✍ 🎛 Narada Michael Walden (who also produces) is the quintessential 1980s record.  It successfully straddles pop and R&B, a place where Houston would often find tremendous success as well as an identity crisis.

This innocent record appears as the sixth track on Houston’s 1985 debut album, 💿Whitney Houston.  It commences with an inescapable, electrifying groove. Bright and exuberant, this major key joint never grows old. The chorus is incredibly memorable, including Whitney’s own background vocals:

“How will I know if he really loves me?

I say a prayer with every heartbeat

I fall in love whenever we meet

I’m asking you what you know about these things

How will I know if he’s thinking of me?

I try to phone, but I’m too shy (Can’t speak)

Falling in love is so bittersweet

This love is strong, why do I feel weak?”

Houston sings like an angel, owning this memorable gem from the start. Also, like so many of the 80s songs, “How Will I Know” gives us a modulation – aka a key change.  Also, shout out to the music video 🎶📼 – #ICONIC!!!

Appears in 🔻: 

• Whitney Houston, “How Will I Know”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 48 (2022)
• 13 Ultra Compelling HOW Songs
• Whitney Houston vs. Sam Smith: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 23 (2022)

 15. The O’Jays, “Stairway to Heaven”

💿 Family Reunion • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 1975

Ohio-born soul collective, 🎙 The O’Jays, comprised of 🎙 Walter Williams, Sr. and 🎙 Eddie Levert (and various other members, including the deceased 🎙 William Powell), is one of the greatest groups of all time. The hits are endless for this Philadelphia soul proponent, who famously worked with the legendary, dynamic duo of 🎼✍ 🎛 Kenneth Gamble and 🎼✍ 🎛 Leon Huff.  One of the greatest fruits of their labor: 🎵 “Stairway to Heaven”.

“Stairway to Heaven” is, indeed, heavenly; north of six minutes of sheer glory.  It arrives as the sixth track on The O’Jays’ platinum-certified, 1975 album, 💿 Family Reunion.  The moment you hear the silky smooth, lush backdrop, you know it’s Gamble and Huff.  The writing/production team sees their music continue to find new life within R&B and hip-hop. 🎙 Chrisette Michele repurposed “Stairway to Heaven” brilliantly in 2013 with her own slice of R&B heaven, 🎵 “A Couple of Forevers”. Honestly, these guys could just flat-out sing.  Here, they provide a vocal bible of sorts, bringing smooth moments as well as dynamic, truly gritty moments.

“Here we go, climbing the stairway to heaven

Here we go, walking the road of ecstasy

Taking a load of the whole world off our shoulders

The door is wide open for you

The door is open for me.”

Yes! That’s before The O’Jays put ample emphasis on “Climbing the stairway to heaven / And we’re going step by step together.” Oh, the love, it’s L-I-T!  “Stairway to Heaven” sounds and feels like musical salvation, if such a thing exists.

Appears in 🔻:

• The O’Jays, “Stairway to Heaven”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 44 (2022)
• The O’Jays vs. Chrisette Michele: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 21 (2022)
• 13 Utterly Celestial Heaven Gems