Volume 2 Of Chuck Small’s “Who Sings It ? “

In the introduction to this series, I said the “Who Sings It?” CD series I created tended to keep tracks in chronological order.

I lied… Or… my memory was faulty.

Which is probably a more accurate explanation – as this second set shows.

In this installment, several performers were known as well for their acting accomplishments as much as anything they put on vinyl.

Many more people know Vicki Lawrence as Carol Burnett’s erstwhile sidekick, a longtime game show and talk show host, and “Mama” from “Mama’s Family” rather than them singer of a classic story-song No. 1, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”

Complete sidebar: The song’s content has nothing to do with this classic Julia Sugarbaker rant from “Designing Women…”

… other than the invocation of its title. But it’s still worth your three minutes to watch it. Dixie Carter was a comic gem.

Cheryl Ladd was known mainly as the actor who portrayed the younger sister of Farrah Fawcett-Majors on “Charlie’s Angels.”

But she made her own name quickly, with a Top 40 hit in 1978, “Think It Over.”

The song spawned a goofy Long-Distance Dedication story on American Top 40, where a teenage boy asked her to his prom and wanted her to “think it over.” She, of course, declined – but with a sweet thank-you for the thought.

And while Paul Nicholas is barely an after-thought in the United States, he’s far better known in the United Kingdom as a longtime stage and screen actor than as the singer of “Heaven on the 7th Floor.”

On the other hand, while Dobie Gray had successful acting experience in a touring production of “Hair,” he’s far better known for his classic 1973 hit “Drift Away” (and, to a lesser extent, the 21st century duet remake of that song with Uncle Kracker).

This go-around, there’s only one song not on Spotify, and another whose version isn’t quite the
same as the original.

The playlist for this week can be found at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5V2j4tp8TkAn3KoXgO7fpu

Here are the YouTube links for those two missing songs:

Lady Flash’s
“Street Singin’”
(1976):

Barry Manilow’s backing trio had one moment in the chart sun. And it’s a shame it’s not on Spotify (although their work with Manilow is). Here’s a YouTube link:

As I listen to it now, I hear echoes of Manilow’s “It’s a Miracle,” which makes sense, since he co-wrote and co-produced this song, one year after “Miracle.”

The Raes’
“A Little Lovin’ (Keeps the Doctor Away)”
(1979)

Where were we before the Internet? Back in the day, I thought the Raes were a sibling vocal group along the lines of the Pointer Sisters.

Turns out they were a married duo, popular for a bit in Canada, whose sole U.S. charter peaked at No. 61.

This one got a lot of airplay on Chicago FM radio in early 1979.

And for those wondering how in the world I could include Meri Wilson’s “Telephone Man” in this set?

Remember: I was 13 going on 14 in the sexy summer of ’77.

Which of these do you like? Hate?

Share your thoughts in the comments!

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