Music Break

I haven't posted one of these all year, so here we go:

First up is Shooz by Styx, from the Crystal Ball album, their first with Tommy Shaw.  He and James Young wrote this blues-influenced number, with Shaw taking the lead vocals.  Shaw also plays slide guitar, while Young also contributes a "straight" guitar solo.


In 1973, Paul McCartney and Wings released the single Helen Wheels, which was included in the American version of their album Band On The Run.  The song was written about Paul and Linda McCartney's land rover, known as Hell On Wheels.  The video shows Linda playing synthesizer, Denny Laine on guitar, and Paul playing three instruments.  At this time, Wings were down to just these three, after lead guitarist Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell left the band.  Although "Sir" appears in the video's title, I think this was a while before McCartney was knighted.


One of the biggest hits of 1973 was Bad Bad Leroy Brown, by Jim Croce, who died that year in a plane crash.  This video combines Croce's recording with footage taken from an episode of Sonny and Cher's TV show, in which they covered the song, and make a brief appearance.


In 1979, Journey released their sixth album Evolution, the first to feature Steve Smith on drums, who replaced Aynsley Dunbar.  On Just The Same Way, singer Steve Perry shares the vocals with keyboardist (and original singer) Greg Rolie.  Neal Schon plays guitar and Ross Valory plays bass.


To finish, this is the long version of The Safety Dance by Men Without Hats, who were originally from Montreal, Canada.  The video, which was filmed in England, shows lead singer Ivan Doroschuk dancing and marching around a folksy village with a height-challenged left-handed mandolin player, an attractive blonde woman, and a small dog.