Not this guy, but he’s got a special place in Muzak history.
Ten years ago yesterday, Evil Squirrel’s Nest dared to tempt you with its very first Monday earworm… as I launched Mecca Muzak Mondays with the rather eclectic “Head On” by a “group” called Man Man. MMM, which focused on more modern (mostly indie) pop hits that appeared on the Mecca CD’s I had to listen to at work, gave way two years later to the Dusty Vinyl Archive which featured songs of a certain vintage that had mostly been forgotten about today. Throw in five different music countdowns along the way, and with the exception of my hospital stay in 2021 (which I made up with a bonus DVA), The Nest has presented you with a new earworm EVERY. SINGLE. MONDAY. since that early June day in 2014 when I brought Honus Honus (pictured above) into your life.
And the host for every Monday Muzak series, DJ Scratchy, had freshly arrived from Not A Punk Rocker (remember her, sigh) just a week before. Who did DJ Scratchy pick to kick off the next ten years of wonderful earworms?
Oops, they missed the bus…
Nononononono!!!! Not them!!!!
OK, that’s better…. I guess.
Back in 1980, Christopher Cross was setting the music world on fire. The same guy who used to fill in for Richie Blackmore in Deep Purple recorded an album full of pussified adult contemporary songs that managed to win him Grammys for Song of the Year (the thoroughly wretched “Sailing”), Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best New Artist to boot…
Though to be fair, any old hack can win Best New Artist…
As much as I love the soft sounds of the late 70’s and early 80’s, I can’t stand most of the dreck Christopher Cross released and was so unjustly rewarded for. However, there is always the exception to the rule, and this is the very awesome exception when it comes to Mr. Cross…
“Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)” was, unsurprisingly, the theme song to the 1981 Dudley Moore flick Arthur, and is cheesy (gulp) “yacht rock” at its very best. I absolutely adore this song, and so did the public in general as it spent three weeks at #1 in late ’81. But, while it’s a good thing that there isn’t much Christopher Cross on the radio anymore, sadly that means this song rarely gets played either. But that’s why I started Muzak Mondays ten years ago, and the mission to keep the great music of the past alive continues on to this very day!
OK, you can all dig into the cake now!
Come back next Monday for more merry muzak…
Evil Squirrel's Nest 
hello …. we remember this song… it was such a melee-thing where the people were closer than sardines in a box… … later it was a “he dumped me and I will be single for ever and ever” -song… it came with a ginormous bucket of ice cream.. that was good…
Good to see you back! I’m sorry to see of the issues the boyz have had and hope they’re feeling better. I would happily send you a virtual ginormous ice cream bucket!
I recognised it as soon as he started singing. It’s not bad, I suppose (he said grudgingly). I always assumed it was called “New York City” or something like that.
I remember Not a Punk Rocker…
DJ Scratchy fondly remembers her as well. Probably wishes she had never sent her to The Nest…
Oh yes, this is a much better Chris Cross selection. Whenever I hear Sailing, I start swaying so much, I nearly fall off the hill. Happy Monday and congratulations on sharing 10 years of musical selections. #rockon
Sailing is just godawful to me. Ride Like the Wind isn’t bad, but something about Michael McDonald just gives me hives…
I don’t mind Michael McDonald that much but ‘Sailing’ is just a gross song-maybe because it was played 9 billion times. Ugh.
Mellow calm choice for a soon to be scorching Monday. Just smack me with a squirrel tail but I did not like the movie Arthur. I don’t know why. It was toxic cute and sweet and have a fine cast. Maybe I’ll go back and see it again when I’m not feeling so cynical (which was my general mood 40 years or so ago). Now I’m much more open to cuteness. Also glad to hear Christopher Cross is over some of his health issues and back touring again. He has such a beautiful voice. Yes, I admit I’ll pick James Hatfield over him if I was browsing through the radio waves, but hey, you never know. Thank you again, and again, and again for another fun Monday Music post.
James Hetfield. F#$%ing auto correct crap.
Ha! At first I thought you were talking about the crappy half of the Righteous Brothers! As for the Real Hetfield, I’ve never been much of a fan of his band…
That’s ok. My musical taste tends to be sort of a train wreck.
Sailing is my favorite CC song – I do sail and I love playing it and dreaming about being out on my boat again. Arthur’s theme is nice but I didn’t like the movie.
Sailing is way too sappy for me. Maybe real sailing as well, since the only time I’ve ever been on moving vessel on the water is when the casino boats here used to be required to cruise, and that’s been over 25 years ago!
I think if you had a turn in a sailboat, you’d really like this song!
Ditto on not caring for the movie but this song – oh yes I did. AND I’ll confess to liking “Sailing” too – just because it really evoked the feeling of the waves and a sailboat sailing along……..corny but nice.
Pam