Customer Reviews

Have a Nice Day 8

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With vol. 8 in Rhino's Have a Nice Day Series and its look at the music scene of the Seventies, we finally move on to 1972, when each of these twelve songs was originally released. As usual, there are a number of one-hit wonders (seven if you count Python Lee Jackson's "In a Broken Dream" which failed to crack the Top 40--it's inclusion is no doubt due to the fact that Rod Stewart does the lead vocal).

Only two other songs stalled in the bottom half of the Top 40: Jo Jo Gunne's "Run Run Run" and the Addrisi Brothers' "We've Got to Get It On." [Trivia alert: Jo Jo Gunne was fronted by Spirit guitarist Jay Ferguson, and Don and Dick Addrisi penned the Association hit "Never My Love."]

The rest of the tracks were Top 20 hits and all but two hit the Top 10. Four of these were million-sellers: "Nice To Be With You," "How Do You Do?" (hey, who said bubblegum pop didn't carry over into the Seventies?), the tear-jerking "Alone Again (Naturally)," and "Candy Man," a No. 1 song taken from "Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."

One of my favorites is former Zombies frontman Rod Argent's "Hold Your Head Up." It would be their only Top 40 hit, but it impressed me enough to buy their album, ALL TOGETHER NOW. Commander Cody's cover of "Hot Rod Lincoln" outcharted both Sixties' versions. And "Sylvia's Mother" began a long association between Dr. Hook and author/songwriter Shel Silverstein (who also wrote "On the Cover of the Rolling Stone). Track for track, this is one of the stronger efforts in this series.

Like some other volumes of this series, filler tracks compete with hits, and considering the title of the collection, one expects more than such non-hits as "In a Broken Dream" by Python Lee Jackson and other barely-qualifying tunes like "Run Run Run" by Jo Jo Gunne. To add insult to injury, an awfully edited version of the classic rocker "Hold Your Head Up" by Argent is included--the complete version would have been welcome. But better songs make this CD more worthwhile, and all are in their original versions.

Volume 8 of the "Have a Nice Day" series is one of the weaker discs in the set. There are some solid offerings here, such as Argent's "Hold Your Head Up" and Dr Hook's "Sylvia's Mother." The strength of this volume, if you can call it that, is in softer MOR pop cuts like Gallery's "Nice to be With You", Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again, Naturally" and the Addrisi Brothers often overlooked "We've Got to Get It On Again."

If you said "Who, What?" to that last title, you know what's wrong here. Volume 8 simply has too many near-misses and complete misses to be considered a major force in this generally very good series. If you can only afford a limited number of volumes, skip this one.

This series is terrific. Some songs are great,while others could have been left off. On the whole, this volume(and the entire set of 25) is worth the price for those who love this music.

Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 8 has twelve tracks to help bring back the good memories of those years gone by. The quality of the sound is excellent.

Jo Jo Gunne's "Run Run Run" has a funky rock flavor to it with some incredible guitar playing--love it! The Addrisi Brothers' "We've Got To Get It On Again" is a tune that doesn't ring a bell with me although it's a rather good song. The musical arrangement is very good.

Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show perform an anemic "Sylvia's Mother;" although they harmonize well and the musical arrangement is solid I just don't quite care for the song anyway. It's tough to put it into words; but "Sylvia's Mother" is just one of those middling songs that never quite make it over the fence.

"Nice To Be With You" by Gallery features singing and music that will make you want to jump up and start dancing wherever you are; I really like this ballad. There's also the stunning "Day By Day" from the musical Godspell. Day By Day" features great sound effects using percussion, backup vocalists and strong singing by Robin Lamont.

Another major highlight of this album is by the great Gilbert O'Sullivan. He sings "Alone Again (Naturally)" with all the passion of an exceptionally talented man. This melancholy ballad is sure to please you very much.

"Hold Your Head Up" by Argent is good, solid `70s rock with a beat you won't forget anytime soon. They sing this to perfection; I think this was easily one of their biggest hits ever. Listen also a delightful performance by the immortal Sammy Davis, Jr. as he performs "The Candy Man." The backup chorus supports Sammy well and he sings this strong with great emotion. "The Candy Man" is so joyful it's bound to make you happy when you listen to it.

This is a good installment in the CD series by Rhino; but I have my usual complaint. The album has only twelve songs. They could have--and should have--done better. Why not add a song or two? The last number, "Motorcycle Mama," could have been left off and another stronger number substituted at the very least.

Overall, people who enjoy the `70s sound will appreciate this album. It's got some good numbers although it's a tad short at twelve tracks. The last number could have been dropped and replaced by another song. Oh, well. I will make this a four star review because of my disappointment; but still it's a good CD.

I was 19 years old when these songs, yes every one of them, was being played on the radio. But, unfortunately, there was an ebb-and-flow to popular music back then. I thought that 1971 was a great year for music. 1972 started off pretty good with Bang a Gong, Let's Stay Together, Heart of Gold, Sweet Seasons, Betcha By Golly Wow, Morning Has Broken, Roundabout, Doctor My Eyes, I Saw The Light, etc.,etc., But something went wrong. Quite frankly 1972 would turn out some really terrible, putrid records like the tearful, Sylvia's Mother; and the suicidal, Alone Again Naturally. I don't care what chart positions those songs had. I'll always hate those songs. But I loved the rockin' Run Run Run, along with the re-working of the 1951 C&W hit, Hot Rod Lincoln, the cheerful Nice to Be With You, the mildly suggestive How Do You Do? but especially Rod Argent's Hold Your Head Up, which countered all the negative stuff being played. It was One of the best records from '72, definitely!

....that's what this era was all about to me.

The line-up on this volume looks like they found my old stack of records from the attic. Now I didn't have "Run Run Run" from Jo Jo Gunne (hey, it's fun to say that!), but I did have most of these other songs. I wonder what happened to all my old 45's. I don't think I would throw them away or give them away. This is going to bug me all day thinking about it.

Anyway, nothing says AM radio in Ann Arbor Michigan like hearing "Hot Rod Lincoln" from Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, "Nice To Be With You" by Gallery, "Day by Day" from Godspell, "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan, and "Hold Your Head Up" (45 edit) by Argent.

That tracks that really stand out the most as rare and wonderful are "We've Got to Get it On Again" by the Addrisi Brothers, and the ultimate 1972 novelty classic "How Do You Do" (45 edit) by Mouth and MacNeal. These two songs, and "Hot Rod Lincoln" make this CD worth twice the cost if I had to pay it.
I remember that I use to have a "British Invasion" collection on vinyl, which featured this late charting single of "In A Broken Dream" by Python Lee Jackson (sung by Rod Stewart). This song was recorded and released in England back in 1967, but for some reason it got released as a single in the US 5 years later. It missed the Top 40 still but it's still a great song. A highlight for me on this volume. Similarly, also from 1967, The Moody Blues "Nights in White Satin" was also released in 1972, but this 5 years late song went all the way up to #2. No, it's not on this CD, I'm just making a comparative point.

I like "Motorcycle Mama". Somehow, that Top 20 single got passed me back then. This song adds to what makes this volume great. Although it charted pretty well, I don't really care for much of anything from Dr. Hook. ""Sylvia's Mother" doesn't impress me at all. All I really liked from them was "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" available on Volume 10. "The Candy Man" from Sammy Davis, Jr. was a number one record, but understandably childish and forgettable and regrettable. It's got all the annoying charm of Ray Stevens "Everything is Beautiful". These two songs could have possibly complemented each other if they were together on one volume. And hell, why not just add "Rubber Duckie" from Ernie? All the little children would love it!

So having Sammy Davis, Jr's pop ditty and having Argent's "Hold Your Head Up" edited down like this causes this volume to lose a star and a half, so I'll be generous and only take away one star.

This has songs for both the hot rodder on your Christmas list ("Motorcycle Mama", "Run Run Run", "Hot Rod Lincoln"), and the musicals fan ("Day by Day" and "Candy Man"), and if that special someone likes BOTH, they will love this album!