TERRY HOKNES - MY FAVORITE SONGS OF ALL TIME !  hoknes@hotmail.com   

2781

TERRY HOKNES

GASERIC

1992

2782

JOHN LENNON

I'M LOSING YOU

1980

2783

BILLY JOEL

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

1978

2784

JESSIE J

DOMINO

2012

2785

KENNY CHESNEY

SHE THINKS MY TRACTORS SEXY

1999

2786

KISS

HOTTER THAN HELL

1974

2787

KLAATU

PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE

1978

2788

TERRY HOKNES

GREATEST GIFT OF ALL

1994

2789

JOHN LENNON

DEAR YOKO

1980

2790

KYLIE MINOGUE

SLOW

2004

2791

TERRY HOKNES

LOVE AND AFFECTION

2001

2792

KISS

PARASITE

1974

2793

KLAATU

KNEE DEEP IN LOVE

1980

2794

LEE ANN WOMACK

I MAY HATE MYSELF IN THE MORNING

2006

2795

MORNING

AND I'M GONE

1970

2796

LINDSAY LOHAN

OVER

2004

2797

KLAATU

HOT BOX CITY

1980

2798

TERRY HOKNES

AT (LIFE'S A...)

1993

2799

RUSH

SUBDIVISIONS

1982

2800

PAUL McCARTNEY

FLAMING PIE

1997
    TERRY HOKNES - GASERIC (1992) Opus #781 - lyrics by Ross Martin

In 1992 age 21 I went and packaged up very first official release album on cassette called COOL ALL OVER.  It featured all my original songs and a weird bunch of genres.  It was reviewed in an issue of the SOMA newspaper in 1992 by Brent Pomeroy.  He liked the musicianship but thought the vocals need work.  The album was recorded primitively on a new 4 track cassette tape recorder I had bought and recorded this album while renting at 314 Cumberland Ave.  Eventually I wrote music for 28 songs by Brent Pomeroy.  My good friend Ross Martin contributed lyrics to 2 songs on the Cool All Over album.

I wrote my first song in 1982 at age 11 in Grade 6.     I would sporadically write 18 few songs over the next 4 years.  Starting with my 19th song (Opus #19) I began writing on a very regular basis starting in December 1986 in Grade 11 at Aden Bowman.  This included writing over 58 songs with my best friend Nels Krauss over the period of 1986-1992.  I wrote 97 songs in 1987 and then 215 songs in 1988.   By the time I graduated high school at age 17 I was up to Opus #268.   I wrote another 178 songs in 1989.   By the time I celebrated my 19th birthday I was up to Opus #524.   At that time I was in first year University living in Muenster, SK in residence at St Peters College at the monastery.  I met a poet from New York named Philip Murray who I collaborated with writing music to his words 91 songs in total.  I wrote my 1000th song the week I turned 25 in January 1996.
    JOHN LENNON - I'M LOSING YOU (1980)

Album:  Double Fantasy (1980)

This was the very first Beatles related album I ever owned (tied with Mind Games).  My mother did own Rubber Soul but when John Lennon died my mom took me to Midtown Plaza to the record shop to buy a John Lennon record.   All his classic albums were sold out except for Mind Games and Double Fantasy so those are the 2 she bought me on approximately December 11th 1980 at age 9 when I was in Grade 4 and that began my obsession with The Beatles and rock music.

December 17th 1990 - my #10 favorite daily song for 1 day at age 19 in 2nd year university honoring the 10th anniversary of John Lennons death.

Double Fantasy is an album released by John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, in 1980. Though initially poorly received, the album is notable for its association with Lennon's murder three weeks after its release, whereupon it became a worldwide commercial success, and went on to win the 1981 Album of the Year at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards.

In the UK album charts, the album had peaked at #14 then slipped to #46 whilst in the US, the album had slowly risen to #11. Upon Lennon's murder, the album jumped to #1 in the US chart, where it stayed for eight weeks and in the UK, it jumped to #2, where it remained for seven weeks before finally spending two weeks at #1.

In 1982, Douglas, Lennon and Ono won the 1981 Album of the Year for Double Fantasy at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards. In 1989 the album was ranked #29 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s    
    BILLY JOEL - JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (1978) hit #3
"Just the Way You Are" is the third cut and most successful single from Billy Joel's 1977 album, The Stranger. It was Joel's first US Top 10 (reaching #3) and UK Top 20 single, as well as Joel's first gold single in the US. "Just the Way You Are", which won the 1978 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, turned Joel's chart career, which had largely stalled out by early 1975, into a roaring, long-lasting success. "Just The Way You Are" also tied another of his #3 hits, "River of Dreams", for most weeks on the Hot 100 of any of his singles, at 27.

The song, which concerned Joel's then wife and business manager Elizabeth Weber, was not liked by either Joel or his band, and Joel had originally decided against making the track a part of the album. However, at the request of both Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow (both were recording in other studios in the same building at the time), Joel and producer Phil Ramone agreed to put the song on the final mix.[1] After Joel and Weber split in 1982, Joel rarely performed the song live after 1986 until the 2000s, although on the Storm Front tour it was included as a short electric guitar instrumental to segue between other songs. Joel has publicly stated that he dislikes playing it live.

When "Just the Way You Are" was released as a single, it was shortened by over a minute. The differences are the removal of the second verse and an earlier fade. A live performance of the song was also used as a music video. On February 18, 1978, Joel performed a shorter version of the song as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live (along with "Only the Good Die Young"). The single version was included in the first release of Greatest Hits Volume I, but the full album version was restored for the remastered release of that compilation.
    JESSIE J - DOMINO (2012) hit #6
Domino" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J from her debut studio album, Who You Are (2011). The song was released on 29 August 2011 as the fifth single from the album. Musically, Domino is a dance-pop song with influences of disco and R&B. It was written by Jessie J, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, Max Martin and Cirkut, and it was produced by Dr. Luke and Cirkut. The song became Jessie J's second number-one single in the UK, following the Dr. Luke-produced "Price Tag" (2011). In the United States, the song peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her most successful single in the USA. It was used in Disney's Re-Micks.   "Domino" was written by Lukasz Gottwald, Claude Kelly, Max Martin, Henry Walter and Jessie J herself The production of the song was helmed by Gottwald under his stage name Dr. Luke and Cirkut (record producer). In July, 2011, Jessie J teased her fans via her official Twitter profile whilst posting 21-second clip of the song. "Domino" officially premiered on 16 August 2011 on Jessie J' official YouTube account. During an interview with MTV Buzzworthy, Jessie J further explained the concept behind the song, "People have heard 'Domino' and said 'it's nothing like you.' But I'm like well the album's really eclectic anyway, and I never go into the studio and say 'I wanna do another song that's like 'Price Tag' or another song like 'Do It Like a Dude'." In the same interview Jessie J unveiled that she listened to Whitney Houston and Prince a lot, so she came up with an idea to write a song that is "timeless, fun and uplifting". The song was released as lead single from the platinum edition of Jessie J's debut album Who You Are and fifth overall.

In the United Kingdom, "Domino" debuted at number 54 on the UK Singles Chart issued for 31 December 2011. It then registered a 20-position climb to number 34, becoming Jessie J's sixth consecutive top 40 hit in the United Kingdom. On 14 January 2012, "Domino" climbed a further 26 places to number eight with sales of 30,192, becoming Jessie J's fifth top ten hit from Who You Are. The single then rose seven places to replace Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" at the top of the UK Singles Chart, registering Jessie J's second number-one hit in the United Kingdom following "Price Tag" in 2011. It was number-one for two consecutive weeks, selling 64,255 copies and 12.01% more in its second week at number-one.
    KENNY CHESNEY - SHE THINK'S MY TRACTORS SEXY (1999)

January 10th 2000 - my #7 favorite daily song for 59 days when I turned 30 while on the road with Marilyn now for over 7 years.

She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" is the title of a country music song written by Jim Collins and Paul Overstreet. It was recorded by Kenny Chesney for his 1999 album Everywhere We Go, from which it was released as the album's third single. The song peaked at number eleven in early 2000 and has been certified Gold by the RIAA.

The song is an up-tempo in the key of B-flat major, with a vocal range from B♭3 to F5. It describes the narrator who is working at a farm, driving a tractor "in the hot summer sun". He describes himself as being attractive to a female, who "thinks [his] tractor's sexy".

"She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" first charted on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart as an album cut, reaching number 72 on the week of June 26, 1999. It re-entered the charts at number 75 on the week of August 14, 1999, then fell out and re-entered again at number 74 on September 4. Its last re-entry was at number 67 on September 25, 1999, spending a total of twenty-one weeks on the U.S. country chart and peaking at number 11.

Cledus T. Judd parodied the song as "My Cellmate Thinks I'm Sexy" on his 2000 album Just Another Day in Parodies. This parody referenced Chesney's and Tim McGraw's June 2000 arrests after stealing a Mounted Reserve deputy's horse. Released as a single late that year, Judd's parody reached number 61 on the country charts.

This song is used in the Rock Band Country Track Pack.
    KISS - HOTTER THAN HELL (1974)

Album: Hotter Than Hell (1974)
I first bought the album "The Originals" in about 1983/1984.   I had bought Kiss bubblegum cards during original release in 1978 at age 7 but never knew what they sounded like at that time.

I spent a full year playing every Kiss album in order on a year long Kiss promotion during 1999/2000.
Hotter Than Hell" is a song by the American hard rock band Kiss, released on their second album of the same name in 1974. It was written by the band's rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, and it shows a heavy influence of the band Free on him. Despite being rarely performed during the years, "Hotter Than Hell" has appeared on many of the band's albums. It has also appeared as a B-side to the album's lone single Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll.

"Hotter Than Hell", as Stanley said, was basically a re-writing of a Free song "All Right Now", mostly because Stanley was a big fan of Free and the song meant a lot to him.

Stanley described the story of the song: "[It] was written about an encounter with somebody in a bar, and then at the end of the song I didn't know quite how to end it so I came up with this riff that was kind of like a Black Sabbath kind of riff and we tacked that on

Hotter Than Hell is the second studio album by American rock band Kiss, released on October 22, 1974. It was certified Gold on June 23, 1977, having shipped 500,000 copies. The album was re-released in 1997 in a remastered version. It peaked on the charts at #100, without the benefit of a hit single. Many of the album's songs are live staples for the band, including "Got to Choose", "Parasite", "Hotter Than Hell", "Let Me Go, Rock & Roll", and "Watchin' You".

 
    KLAATU - PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE (1978)

Album:  Sir Army Suit (1978)

I discovered Klaatu on March 21st 1985 (Klaatu day) age 14 in Grade 9 with the album Hope.  I quickly went out and bought all their albums in 1985.  I might have bought them all at Nudon Book & Records shop at 1111 Louise Ave across from McDonalds.  (I bought at least 100 albums there between 1984 and 1988.  Unfortunately I had no daily song charts during the first run of promotion in 1985 to show my first appreciation for the individual songs.  

Sir Army Suit is the third and antepenultimate album recorded by the Canadian progressive rock band Klaatu. It was different from their two previous albums, 3:47 EST and Hope, adopting more of a pop feel (with one song, "Juicy Luicy", being a disco song). Many of these songs were hold-overs from early demos the band made pre-fame and were revived because band member John Woloschuk had spent a year writing and arranging the "Hope" album leaving him artistically drained. The band's other main songwriter, Dee Long, picked up the ball with many new compositions and ultimately co-produced and engineered the record while the band's regular producer, Terry Brown, was busy working with Rush and Max Webster.

An animated video was released for the album's opening track, "A Routine Day," one of six animated song videos created for the group's ambitious, but never completed, Happy New Year, Planet Earth half-hour animated special.   This is the only original Klaatu album whose cover was not painted by Ted Jones; the cover of Sir Army Suit was painted by Ian Thomas Band keyboardist Hugh Syme, mainly known for album cover work with Rush. The cover represented the first crack in the group's notorious anonymity since all three members appeared on the back cover (the front cover features a self-portrait of Hugh Syme and, ironically, Klaatu's previous graphic artist Ted Jones).

 
    TERRY HOKNES - THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL (1994) Opus #874 lyrics by Marilyn Parney

I wrote my first song in 1982 at age 11 in Grade 6.     I would sporadically write 18 few songs over the next 4 years.  Starting with my 19th song (Opus #19) I began writing on a very regular basis starting in December 1986 in Grade 11 at Aden Bowman.  This included writing over 58 songs with my best friend Nels Krauss over the period of 1986-1992.  I wrote 97 songs in 1987 and then 215 songs in 1988.   By the time I graduated high school at age 17 I was up to Opus #268.   I wrote another 178 songs in 1989.   By the time I celebrated my 19th birthday I was up to Opus #524.   At that time I was in first year University living in Muenster, SK in residence at St Peters College at the monastery.  I met a poet from New York named Philip Murray who I collaborated with writing music to his words 91 songs in total.  I wrote my 1000th song the week I turned 25 in January 1996.
    JOHN LENNON - DEAR YOKO (1980)

Album:  Double Fantasy (1980)

This was the very first Beatles related album I ever owned (tied with Mind Games).  My mother did own Rubber Soul but when John Lennon died my mom took me to Midtown Plaza to the record shop to buy a John Lennon record.   All his classic albums were sold out except for Mind Games and Double Fantasy so those are the 2 she bought me on approximately December 11th 1980 at age 9 when I was in Grade 4 and that began my obsession with The Beatles and rock music.

Double Fantasy is an album released by John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, in 1980. Though initially poorly received, the album is notable for its association with Lennon's murder three weeks after its release, whereupon it became a worldwide commercial success, and went on to win the 1981 Album of the Year at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards.
In the UK album charts, the album had peaked at #14 then slipped to #46 whilst in the US, the album had slowly risen to #11. Upon Lennon's murder, the album jumped to #1 in the US chart, where it stayed for eight weeks and in the UK, it jumped to #2, where it remained for seven weeks before finally spending two weeks at #1.

In 1982, Douglas, Lennon and Ono won the 1981 Album of the Year for Double Fantasy at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards. In 1989 the album was ranked #29 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s
    KYLIE MINOGUE - SLOW (2004)

April 6th 2004 - my #5 favorite daily song for 9 days at age 33 while living at Eastview with Michelle/Brianna

Slow" is a song performed by Australian recording artist and songwriter Kylie Minogue taken from her ninth studio album Body Language (2003). The song was later included on Minogue's second Greatest Hits compilation, Ultimate Kylie (2004). Written by Kylie Minogue, Dan Carey, Emilíana Torrini and produced by Sunnyroads, the song was served as the album's lead single on 3rd November 2003. Musically, the song has an electropop feel.

"Slow" received very positive reviews from music critics and fans alike, who thought the single was a departure from previous singles in sound and style. "Slow" was also marked as a highlight of the album. "Slow" received commercial success worldwide, peaking at number one in her native Australia and Denmark, Spain and United Kingdom. It performed well in other territories, reaching the top ten in Finland, Hungary, Norway, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Germany amongst others. The song had minor success on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number ninety-three, but managed to peak at number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs, making it Minogue's third single to peak there.
    TERRY HOKNES - LOVE AND AFFECTION (2001) Opus #1100 ??

As the new century began a new chapter in songwriting where the focus was more on recording polished songs but writing way less and very sporadic.    I had written 500 songs by the age of 19 and had hit 1000 songs by the age of 25.  But since then I can go over a year at a time without writing a song but really focusing in most cases on a more commercial type of polished song however I still venture into all possible genres.  I continue to play and sing every part on all my songs and recordings.

I hired Neil Meckelborg of Audio Art to record my songs in 2001.  We started out recording a full album at their location downtown behind the Bus depot but eventually worked on recordings at Neil's private studio.  In total we recorded 3 full albums of material of my songs and a full length album of songs I wrote with Marilyn Parney that I produced.  Neil and I also worked on a Trooper hit song karaoke CD in 2001.  I spent 18 months recording with Neil and over 40 songs and over $10,000.00 in studio bills I paid at that time to record the best quality audio ever on my songs.  Neil had used Sonar Cakewalk so I learned how to use it and have used that now for a decade in my own studio.
    KISS - PARASITE (1974)

Album: Hotter Than Hell (1974)
I first bought the album "The Originals" in about 1983/1984.   I had bought Kiss bubblegum cards during original release in 1978 at age 7 but never knew what they sounded like at that time.

I spent a full year playing every Kiss album in order on a year long Kiss promotion during 1999/2000.

Parasite" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss released on the band's second studio album, Hotter Than Hell in 1974. The song is one of three songs featured on the album that were written by the band's lead guitarist Ace Frehley. As one of the hardest songs on the album, "Parasite" was performed on following tour, but the band dropped the song from the setlist for the Destroyer Tour and did not play the song until the Revenge Tour in 1992. The song was performed last time during the Kiss Alive/35 World Tour. As Frehley was insecure in his singing ability, he passed that part to Gene Simmons, band's bassist.

Hotter Than Hell is the second studio album by American rock band Kiss, released on October 22, 1974. It was certified Gold on June 23, 1977, having shipped 500,000 copies. The album was re-released in 1997 in a remastered version. It peaked on the charts at #100, without the benefit of a hit single. Many of the album's songs are live staples for the band, including "Got to Choose", "Parasite", "Hotter Than Hell", "Let Me Go, Rock & Roll", and "Watchin' You".
    KLAATU - KNEE DEEP IN LOVE (1980)

Album:  Endangered Species (1980)

I discovered Klaatu on March 21st 1985 (Klaatu day) age 14 in Grade 9 with the album Hope.  I quickly went out and bought all their albums in 1985.  I might have bought them all at Nudon Book & Records shop at 1111 Louise Ave across from McDonalds.  (I bought at least 100 albums there between 1984 and 1988.  Unfortunately I had no daily song charts during the first run of promotion in 1985 to show my first appreciation for the individual songs.  

Endangered Species is the fourth and penultimate album by the Canadian progressive rock band Klaatu, released in mid-1980. At this time, the band had virtually no artistic control over the music; the album was a project of Capitol Records. To quote the Official Klaatu Website's FAQ (by Dave Bradley):

"An outside producer was brought in, most of the instruments were played by Los Angeles based session musicians, and the band members were asked to add their voices and (usually) one lead instrument per song. The band was sent home before the album was even mixed."

The difference between this album and the rest of Klaatu's work was immediately apparent. The band evidently resented this, as one track on the album ("Sell Out, Sell Out") was a searing attack on Capitol's attempts to "jump on the bandwagon." As it turned out, Capitol's attempts to turn the band into a more conventional and radio-friendly pop/rock band were completely in vain since the album was a commercial and critical bomb. As a result, the band was dropped shortly afterwards by Capitol, though Capitol's Canadian division picked up the band and released their final album Magentalane in Canada only.

Regular Klaatu artist Ted Jones - who had not painted the cover for the group's previous album, Sir Army Suit - returned to paint the album cover

 
    LEE ANN WOMACK - I MAY HATE MYSELF IN THE MORNING (2006)

May 2nd 2005 - my #3 favorite daily song for 32 days at age 34 the month I broke up with Michelle and lost Brianna from my life.  I cried for almost a year having her gone.

I May Hate Myself in the Morning" is the title of a song written by Odie Blackmon and recorded by American country artist Lee Ann Womack. The song was released in October 2004 as the lead-off single for her 2005 album, There's More Where That Came From. It was a Top 10 hit on both the U.S. and Canadian country charts.   The song went #10.

Kalefa Sannh of The New York Times wrote, "That refrain -- I may hate myself in the morning/But I'm gonna love you tonight -- already sounds like a classic couplet, and it also helps add some intriguing wrinkles to Ms. Womack's smooth persona; the lyrics imply, without quite saying so, that the lovers may have other commitments." Editors at Billboard wrote, "The title cut, with its weeping fiddle and soaring performance from Womack, is an instant entry into the country lexicon." Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle wrote, "First single I May Hate Myself in the Morning is a winning example of Womack's new outlook, melding her lilting vocal work with a comfortably lazy arrangement. It's a great moment." Sarah Rodman of the Boston Herald wrote, "The title track is a cheatin' ballad of the highest quality, conjuring equal measures of guilt and giddiness in the grooves."
    MORNING - AND I'M GONE (1970)

Album: Morning (1970)

My #1 album in March 1988 at age age 17 in Grade 12.  I think I bought this album for $2.00 the same day that I bought 12 Dreams of Dr Sardonicus for $2.00 and Pidgeon for $2.00 all at the Tramps record shop that was on 3rd Avenue on my hunt for albums from 1968 in February 1988.

Based in Los Angeles, featuring the talents of Barry Brown vocals/guitar/drums, Terry Johnson vocals/guitar, Jim Hobson vocals/keyboards, Jim Kehn vocals/guitar/drums, Jay Lewis vocals/guitar and bassist Bruce Wallace.

Signed by Vault Records, the band's cleverly titled 1970 debut "Morning" was produced by Brown, Hobson and Lewis. With most of the band contributing material.

(1.) Angelena (Barry Brown - R. Dinsmore) - 3:27 (2.) Early Morning (Jay Lewis) - 2:40 (3.) Tell Me a Story (Jim Hobson) - 3:13 (4.) Easy Keeper (Jay Lewis) - 2:09 (5.) Roll 'em Down (Barry Brown) - 3:05 (6.) Sleepy Eyes (Jim Hobson) - 3:25 (7.) New Day (Jim Hobson - Jay Lewis - Barry Brown) - 1:35 (8.) As It Was (instrumental) (Jay Lewis - Barry Brown) - 2:50 (9.) Time (Jim Hobson) - 3:32 (10.) It'll Take Time (Barry Brown) - 2:30 (11.) And I'm Gone (Jay Lewis) - 5:23 (12.) Dirt Roads (Jim Kehn) - 1:30

A fine Los Angeles-based group, originally known as The Morning and The Evening. The group was formed after Jay Lewis, also known as Jay Donnellan, had been fired from Love by Arthur Lee. Jim Hobson also appeared on Love's Out Here. When the band signed a recording contract with Vault they retained complete control of the writing, engineering, arranging and producing of their first album, which is an underrated folk-influenced gem. It has a crisp, yet often sleepy sound, which is at its best on And I'm Gone and Sleepy Eyes. The album closes with a ninety second country gem Dirt Roads (the only track written by Jim Kehn) which is worthy of comparison with the title track of Quicksilver's Happy Trails.
    LINDSAY LOHAN - OVER (2004)

Album:  Speak (2004)

May 2nd 2005 - my #2 favorite daily song for 70 days at age 34 living at Eastview and at this time I was interested in Audra and broke up with Michelle/Brianna after living together for 15 months.

Over" is a song recorded by American singer Lindsay Lohan for her debut album Speak. It was released as the album's second single in the United States on December 14, 2004 (see 2004 in music). Although the song failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at #1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart where it stayed for three weeks. It was also successful in Australia, where it peaked at #27 on the ARIA Charts.

The song was written by Lohan with the help of Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks, who both produced the album. Its music video was very popular on MTV's Total Request Live. The song is about how her boyfriend is not committing to her.

The single was released on January 18, 2005 in the United States and released on July 12, 2005 in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at #1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart where it stayed for three weeks. It peaked at #27 on the Australia ARIA Charts. This was also her first single in the UK, so far it is the only single she has released there.   "Over" was less successful than her earlier single ("Rumors") in the United States (even though it charted five spots higher), but it did well in other countries, especially Ireland.
    KLAATU - HOT BOX CITY (1980)

Album:  Endangered Species (1980)

I discovered Klaatu on March 21st 1985 (Klaatu day) age 14 in Grade 9 with the album Hope.  I quickly went out and bought all their albums in 1985.  I might have bought them all at Nudon Book & Records shop at 1111 Louise Ave across from McDonalds.  (I bought at least 100 albums there between 1984 and 1988.  Unfortunately I had no daily song charts during the first run of promotion in 1985 to show my first appreciation for the individual songs.  

Endangered Species is the fourth and penultimate album by the Canadian progressive rock band Klaatu, released in mid-1980. At this time, the band had virtually no artistic control over the music; the album was a project of Capitol Records. To quote the Official Klaatu Website's FAQ (by Dave Bradley):

"An outside producer was brought in, most of the instruments were played by Los Angeles based session musicians, and the band members were asked to add their voices and (usually) one lead instrument per song. The band was sent home before the album was even mixed."

The difference between this album and the rest of Klaatu's work was immediately apparent. The band evidently resented this, as one track on the album ("Sell Out, Sell Out") was a searing attack on Capitol's attempts to "jump on the bandwagon." As it turned out, Capitol's attempts to turn the band into a more conventional and radio-friendly pop/rock band were completely in vain since the album was a commercial and critical bomb. As a result, the band was dropped shortly afterwards by Capitol, though Capitol's Canadian division picked up the band and released their final album Magentalane in Canada only.

Regular Klaatu artist Ted Jones - who had not painted the cover for the group's previous album, Sir Army Suit - returned to paint the album cover

 
    TERRY HOKNES - AT (LIFE'S A....)  (1993) Opus #820

I wrote my first song in 1982 at age 11 in Grade 6.     I would sporadically write 18 few songs over the next 4 years.  Starting with my 19th song (Opus #19) I began writing on a very regular basis starting in December 1986 in Grade 11 at Aden Bowman.  This included writing over 58 songs with my best friend Nels Krauss over the period of 1986-1992.  I wrote 97 songs in 1987 and then 215 songs in 1988.   By the time I graduated high school at age 17 I was up to Opus #268.   I wrote another 178 songs in 1989.   By the time I celebrated my 19th birthday I was up to Opus #524.   At that time I was in first year University living in Muenster, SK in residence at St Peters College at the monastery.  I met a poet from New York named Philip Murray who I collaborated with writing music to his words 91 songs in total.  I wrote my 1000th song the week I turned 25 in January 1996.
    RUSH - SUBDIVISIONS (1982)

Album:  Signals (1982)

My best friend Nels Krauss loved Rush more than any other band and Geddy Lee was a big influence on his singing and songwriting styles.  Nels and I recorded 2 albums of originals in 1989.  I saw Rush live in an outdoor concert setting in Nashville TN in 2002.   I have had many people over the years say I either look like Geddy Lee or sing like him.

Subdivisions" is a Rush song released on the 1982 album Signals.

The song has been a staple of the band's live performances, is played regularly on classic-rock radio and appears on several greatest-hits compilations. It was released as a single in 1982, and despite limited success in the UK charts, the song gained a lot of radio airplay in Britain at the time  In the United States, it charted at #3 on the Album Rock Tracks chart. It was also played live prior to its release. Pre-release live versions exist on the Internet. Geddy Lee plays an Oberheim OB-X synthesizer, and the two synthesizer solos were done on a Minimoog.

“Subdivisions” depicts the way that our society revolves around the idea that we all must conform to the “cool” lifestyle. Anyone who does not conform themselves to this lifestyle are seen as outcasts, in their own subdivision. (There's also an obvious reference there to the suburban planning concept of housing subdivisions.)

"Subdivisions" was one of five Rush songs inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on March 28, 2010. The band asked Jacob Moon to perform his version of the song at the gala in their absence
    PAUL McCARTNEY - FLAMING PIE (1997)

Album:  Flaming Pie (1997)

I bought this brand new CD in July 1997 at age 26 while on the road with Marilyn now for 4 years.

Flaming Pie is the tenth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, first released in 1997. His first studio album in over four years, it was mostly recorded following McCartney's involvement in the highly successful The Beatles Anthology project. In Flaming Pie's liner notes McCartney said: "(Anthology) reminded me of The Beatles' standards and the standards that we reached with the songs. So in a way it was a refresher course that set the framework for this album."

Upon its May 1997 release, the critical reaction to Flaming Pie was very strong, with McCartney achieving his best reviews since 1982's Tug of War. The commercial reaction was everything McCartney could have hoped for. With fresh credibility even with young fans who had been introduced to him through the Anthology project, and anticipation raised with the excellent reviews, Flaming Pie debuted at #2 in the UK in May, giving McCartney his best new entry since Flowers in the Dirt eight years before. It was knocked-off the top spot there by the Spice Girls' album Spice.  In the US, reaction was also very positive. The album debuted at #2 (the best chart peak for a McCartney album there since Tug of War) with 121,000 copies sold in its first week, also behind the Spice album that sold only 16,500 more copies that week