Customer Reviews

Have a Nice Day 20

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This 70's collaberation of pop hits is one of many in this series. This particular one just so happens to have some titles that are really hard to locate by themselves. You can also impress your friends with your uncanny ability of music knowledge when you rattle off the artist when you hear these songs on the radio. Bill Whitt

All original versions of 70s hits, but who would expect to see "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" next to "Disco Duck"? Despite this uneveness, the collection holds up very well, and no 70s devotee can call his collection complete without it.

This chapter of Rhino's "Have A Nice Day" series of 70s musical fast-food is slightly more nutritious. Oh, you still get the tear-jerking story song ("Blind Man In The Bleachers," although "Run Joey Run" was the better David Geddes single), and the novelty hit (Rick Dees' #1 "Disco Duck," which he has run from and back to ever since) and two patronizing Vegas-style ballads (Mac Davis' #1 "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" and Engelbert's creamy-smooth "After the Lovin'").

But you also get some southern soul (Sanford-Townsend, Hot's Soul Children-ish "Angel In Your Arms"), a British superstar's US Top 10 debut ("Devil Woman") and final Top 10 for a fine harmony duo (Seals & Crofts' emotional "Get Closer"). Then, for the finale, you get Dean Friedman's 1977 one-shot "Ariel." A tale of teenage first love New York style, it captures the sound and feel of the "Grease" movie music that would sweep the country a year later. It ought to become a script for "Freaks and Geeks" or "That 70s Show" if it hasn't been already (Favorite line: "She said Hi/I said 'Yeah, I guess I am.") Highly recommended for those needing a teenage nostalgia trip.

It opens with "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me" by Mac Davis from 1972, and ends with "Smoke From A Distant Fire" by The Sanford/Townsend Band from 1978. There was quite a lot of growing up in my life between these two songs. But, in between, there are some great gems here. Some that I've never heard before and just love that I have them now on this CD. I think it's funny to have "Disco Duck" by Rick Dees. Two obscure songs I've never heard before are just fantastic on this CD. "Judy Mae" by Boomer Castleman and "Living Next Door To Alice" by Smokie. "Ariel" by Dean Friedman sounds like something Billy Joel would do, and "After The Lovin" by Engelbert Hunperdinck doesn't sound like something that would be on pop radio in 1977 but that's just the quirkiness of the 1970's, I guess. "Angel in Your Arms" by Hot sounds like it should be in Rhino's "Didn't It Blow Your Mind" series because it sounds more like soul pop rather than white pop. "Get Closer" by Seals and Crofts, "Devil Woman" by Cliff Richard and "Do You Wanna Make Love" by Peter McCann are cherishable radio friendly gems.

The one song that I just can't stand here is "The Last Game of the Season (A Blind Man in the Bleachers)" by David Geddes. What a stupid song. He also did "Run Joey Run" which was mildly comical and dark at the same time but this release of "The Last Game of the Season (A Blind Man in the Bleachers)" just stinks beyond belief. If this song were a movie, I'd probably walk out of the theatre. I like songs that celebrate life and aspire happy thoughts, however, this song is totally depressing while trying to be insistent that one should feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Because of this song, and the bizarre mix and wide time-span of this collection, it loses two stars for me.

I have listened to the cuts from this CD and was amazed at how quickly it transported me back to the time. There were several tracks that I was delighted to see since the artists were not popular enough to have an entire album re-released. If you are in a mood for a good dose of nostalgia, this is the set for you!!

Since there are so many good songs on "Super Hits of the '70's - Have A Nice Day Vol. 20", hitting the continuation button on your stereo is highly recommended for a number of reasons. Volume 20 of this 25 volume series spotlights the pop/Top 40 hits from 1976-'77. There are untimely classic ballads of the tear-jerker variety found in Peter McCann's "Do You Wanna Make Love" (released in the late summer of '77) and in Engelbert Humperdinck's "After The Lovin'" (released at the beginning of '77). Continuing through the ballads, Seals & Crofts feature one of their final chart hits from late summer '76 with the up close and personal "Get Closer", while Mac Davis's "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" predates this collection of hits by some four to five years, with a release date of 1972. A hits collection wouldn't be a hits collection without the smooth, mellow vocal stylings of Cliff Richard, whose ghoulish smash hit "Devil Woman", is featured in this wonderful array of mostly late '70's favorites. Of David Geddes' two 1975 chart hits titled "Run Joey Run" (which can be found on Vol. 15) and "The Last Game of the Season (A Blind Man In The Bleachers)", the former tune is just downright crude and horrible, while the latter track is warm and sentimental, and therefore, fits rather snuggily into this collection with ease. Boomer Castleman's "Judy Mae" is the only weak entry of the bunch, whose lyrics sound a bit too "Hatfields and McCoys"-ish to suit me. Los Angeles based trio Hot had their only hit titled "Angel In Your Arms", which shows up here, and is yet another delightful ballad. This wouldn't be a true '70's collection without at least one disco song - that being "Disco Duck (Part I)", provided in a wacky style that only Rick Dees And His Cast Of Idiots can bring to the disco table. One-hit wonders Smokie had a major hit with "Living Next Door To Alice" in early '77. "Alice" was written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, both of whom went on to even bigger glory as songwriters in the late '70's/early '80's for such artists as Exile, Bonnie Tyler and others. Smokie frontman Chris Norman teamed up with Suzi Quatro on the later hit "Stumblin' In (found on Vol. 22). If you're into '50's nostalgia, there's Dean Friedman's "Ariel" to whet your appetite. If there is a best song on this CD, that honor should rightfully go to The Sanford/Townsend Band's one and only hit smash, the jazzy-bluesy "Smoke From A Distant Fire". With so many good songs to choose from in this stalwart collection of marvelous compositions, "Have A Nice Day Vol. 20" is one CD you'll definitely come back to time and again. If you're a completist, you'll need this one in your must have, must own collection. Keep in mind that each CD in this series has its own style of songs to suit different musical tastes, so it's not necessary to collect all 25 CD's. On that note, it is most wise to pick and choose your favorites as you go along. "Vol. 20" is a sure-fire winner!

I bought this album to replace some songs for my music collection. 8 out of 12 songs are good. Some of these are hard to find as digital mp3's. Good album. I would mostly recommend it.

Used it for my radio show on KGPL 91.7 fm On historical route 66

This was the 1st time ordering from Amazon. Product was in excellent condition. Arrived much sooner than the estimated time given.

In good conscience I can only give this cd 4 stars. Let's face it, much of the music of the 70's was drek. But there is one song on this particular collection that just might make it worth buying, and that is Dean Friedman's "Ariel". It's a clever, tuneful, funny, and quite tender song of young love that you almost never hear anymore (and maybe never heard much of when it was released). Then again, you could log on to Dean's website and order this and more of his music direct.