# Half forgotten old songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [June 13, 2024, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840 "2024-06-13T17:24:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/101 "2024-06-18T14:22:49Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Smokie/Smokey only had one song (“Living Next Door to Alice”) which made the top 40 in the U.S., so they’re probably more or less a “one-hit wonder” here. > > Hot Chocolate had a little more success here; they had five top-40 songs, but they’re mostly remembered for “You Sexy Thing” and “Every 1’s a Winner” (both of which I have on my iPhone 😃 ). Smokie and Hot Chocolate were big in Germany in the 70s when I was a kid, they both had strings of hits and were always on the TV and radio. The oldies station I always listen to in the car (WDR4) still plays both bands frequently. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/102 "2024-06-18T14:28:18Z")
thx for correct spelling of Smokie … and the US perspective: I recall “_who the fuck is Alice?_” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WWRt6TYDIpY/hqdefault.jpg "Joan Armatrading - Rockpalast (Live in Germany, 1979) [Full Concert]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWRt6TYDIpY) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/103 "2024-06-18T14:30:50Z")
Also, just for the record, ABBA was huge here in the U.S., but like a lot of the other bands we’re talking about, if you look at which of their songs get any airplay today (on oldies / 1970s stations, for the most part), it’s just a relative handful. And even the “oldies” format, if you can still find a station that features it, has often moved on past the '70s; they’re playing songs from the '80s, and even early '90s, now. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/104 "2024-06-18T14:31:20Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > I recall “_who the fuck is Alice?_” Just for the record, I’m sure you know that: that was not part of the original Smokie version of “Living Next Door To Alice”, but added in a “party” cover by another band (can’t remember the name, it was a Dutch band), I think around the early nineties. ETA: I just remembered the band name: Hermes House Band. Terrible band… ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/105 "2024-06-18T15:01:44Z")
Anyone else here, for a split second, think the reference was to Smokey Robinson? Good thing over 20-years experience here taught me to _just read on_, lol. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/106 "2024-06-18T15:29:46Z")
Very few of these Country crossover hits get played on the Pop/Rock channels. [Southern Nights](https://youtu.be/jYTfV5o2ZMY?si=OrAHvuZmEESIs5zU) - Glen Campbell [You’re Only Lonely](https://youtu.be/quglprlSQ8k?si=22ORvnsqrPsExBnM) - J.D. Souther ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/107 "2024-06-18T16:49:36Z")
Today’s WTF song could be off topic if you only remember the ad. But when I was very young, there was an off-color compellation song on a 45 (like Stars on 45, if anyone remembers THAT) in which this ditty figured prominently. The snippet of the Good and Plenty song was followed up by a woman singing Donna Summer-ly ‘Charlie says he likes my good and plenty’ and a man gruffly and suggestively saying, ‘Cuz it’s finger lickin’ good. It’s finger lickin’ goooooood’. It was all the rage in my Bronx neighborhood way back in the early '70s where we really did have impromptu street parties when people would turn the speakers in their living rooms toward the street. Once upon a time there was an engineer Choo Choo Charlie was his name, I hear He had an engine and he sure had fun He used Good and Plenty Candy to make his train run. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/108 "2024-06-18T17:40:56Z")
Heh, and the mention of Choo Choo Charlie reminded me of this song and band I had forgotten. Choo Choo Charlie is the store manager in this one. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/I9_wUSrzVGc/maxresdefault.jpg "Royal Crescent Mob - Corporation Enema") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9_wUSrzVGc) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/109 "2024-06-18T19:04:39Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Also, just for the record, ABBA was huge here in the U.S I haven’t heard this recently: > **[ABBA - Waterloo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFk6-Mn-8yg%2F)** > > ABBA - Waterloo > [@JohnT](#): > > Anyone else here, for a split second, think the reference was to Smokey Robinson? Ah yup. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/110 "2024-06-18T19:07:01Z")
Also, speaking of ABBA, this is normally not my kind of movie but I actually lilked this a lot: > **[Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) ⭐ 6.5 | Comedy, Music](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8580274/)** > > 2h 3m | PG-13 ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/111 "2024-06-19T02:56:32Z")
I’m not even sure this got much airplay when it came out. Haven’t heard it since… except when I played my copy [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AFSx9fE1qJ8/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHUBoAC3gOKAgwIABABGHIgUCg4MA8=&rs=AOn4CLBqq3GS6wgjDudRNfHFg-gdmSipTA "Madonna 03 - Hanky Panky [I'm Breathless 1990]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFSx9fE1qJ8) ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/112 "2024-06-19T04:04:27Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Anyone else here, for a split second, think the reference was to Smokey Robinson? That happened to me years ago when I first heard the song on the radio. The DJ said, “Here’s Smokie” and when the vocal of the music began, my first thought was, “That doesn’t sound like Smokey Robinson.” ---
**Author:** ![Happytree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happytree/32/3555_2.png) [@Happytree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happytree)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/113 "2024-06-19T15:55:19Z")
> example is “Captain of Her Heart”. What a great song with unusual chord changes. Ha, i would have never remembered that song had you not posted. I would have been a baby when it was released. I remember my brothers and i thinking it was a song about The Captain of the Park. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/114 "2024-06-19T16:20:06Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > (and to a lesser degree for **ABBA** )… lots of “smaller 1970ies hits” that fell completely off the surface of the plan I wouldn’t include ABBA at all in the conversation, at least in the US. ABBA still gets plenty of play, in my experience, and their early-90s Greatest Hits collection _Gold_ led to a bit of a renaissance of their work. Hell, my 10- and 8-year-old kids know and listen to ABBA and it has nothing to do with me. They’ve also gone, at least in my observation, from a band that you might count as a “guilty pleasure” to a band you are unabashedly proud of listening to. And rightfully so. They made some great pop music. It’s certainly not perceived as “uncool” to namecheck ABBA. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/115 "2024-06-19T17:16:28Z")
> [@Happytree](#): > > _“Captain of Her Heart”_ I remember playing that song on the radio when it was current. I haven’t heard it since. It was quite different and catchy. They were from Switzerland. The duo’s name was “Double,” but it was pronounced “DOO-blay.” Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/116 "2024-06-19T19:42:53Z")
I like this cover, really demonstrates what a great song it is. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FEjPSNVdPAQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Captain of Her Heart") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEjPSNVdPAQ) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/117 "2024-06-19T22:00:03Z")
lol, these are half my playlist. I mean, I just heard this… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nhu3orNqZu4/maxresdefault.jpg "I Go Crazy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhu3orNqZu4) After this one popped up: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vTsRP8PW0_o/maxresdefault.jpg "Stephen Bishop - It Might Be You (Official Lyric Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTsRP8PW0_o) And I legitimately cannot tell you how much I loved this one when I was 10… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y1_XmUOKIpA/maxresdefault.jpg "Marilyn McCoo Billy Davis Jnr. You Don't Have To Be A Star") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1_XmUOKIpA) … and, wow, I wonder whatever happened to Syreeta? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3a0A-UZoHnk/maxresdefault.jpg "With You I'm Born Again-Billy Preston & Syreeta") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a0A-UZoHnk) I could go on, but I think I’m going to close this post out with some Jr. Walker and the All Stars: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/x5gYBBL4rGk/maxresdefault.jpg "JUNIOR WALKER and the ALLSTARS WHAT DOES IT TAKE to win your love) 1969") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5gYBBL4rGk) ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/118 "2024-06-19T22:01:37Z")
I have a playlist with songs that seem to fit here. In the next 15 or songs it has: Just Between You and Me - April Wine Sukiaki - A Taste of Honey Beach Baby - First Class Stuck in the Middle With You - Stealers Wheel Popcorn - Hot Butter (mentioned here) So Very Hard to Go - Tower of Power Fox on the Run - Sweet ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/119 "2024-06-19T22:22:51Z")
@JohnT Even Steven Bishop’s most famous song doesn’t get played much. At least I never hear it. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1uztRCOFYyc/maxresdefault.jpg "Stephen Bishop - On And On (Official Lyric Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uztRCOFYyc) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840/120 "2024-06-19T22:27:42Z")
Very similar to Dan Hill’s _Sometimes When We Touch_: > **[Sometimes When We Touch - Dan Hill - Official Video 1994](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IATz8ZVTALo%2F)** > > www.DanHill.com "Sometimes When We Touch" is available for download at iTunes. https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/intimate/id358583848Dan Hill's book "My Fat... Appreciate a 70s guy who said “Fuck it. It’s my only song that anyone remembers, let’s do a real video for it.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-forgotten-old-songs/1002840.md?page=7)