Roll Up The Windows, Don't Let Them Hear: Queen, MC Hammer, Air Supply, Rehab with Hank Williams Jr.

"TURN THIS MUTHA OUT"   MC HAMMER

When I first moved to Florida, I went to a concert at the Thunderdome, as it was known at the time, now it's Tropicana Field, home of the Rays.   SWV, Oaktown 357, Boyz II Men, and the headliner, MC Hammer.   If you're into old school rap, you've got to love this 1990 jam.   "Hammer, You ain't hitting in New York, So what you gonna do about that, Hammer??" ---- "I'm gonna turn this mutha out!!!"     A total entertainer, the man with the best moves of the decade (well up there with Michael Jackson), and a rapper for the fans.    It may not be cool anymore but I always crank this one up!

"SOMEBODY TO LOVE"    QUEEN

When you pull up next to a guy's car, you can learn a lot  from the music blasting from his stereo.   Queen is one of those bands that probably every guy loves a bunch of their songs but  doesn't go around telling anyone.   "Somebody To Love" opens with a Freddie Mercury falsetto, an operatic choir, and a twinkling of piano keys.   But you have to crank up one of the best rock songs of the 70's!

"BARTENDER SONG"   REHAB

You've got to smile at how this band got their name.  Three musicians with drug and alcohol issues met in rehab, decided to form a band, and guess what they chose!   In 2008, they re-wrote an earlier song of theirs called "Sittin In A Bar", remixed it with Hank Williams Jr. and scored a top 40 hit.   It's a little twangy and corny but it's so much fun!

 

"SWEET DREAMS"    AIR SUPPLY

On Saturday Night Live, they loved to make fun of the effeminate guys in Air Supply.  But give this song a listen and there is so much going on!  Great musical textures, layering of vocals with keyboards, mixed with timeless lyrics, "Sweet Dreams" is 80's gold.  Plus the vintage video set in their native Australia perfectly captured the time period.  The band is still alive and well, although their audience is older.  I even caught them selling CDs on Home Shopping Network or QVC one time.