TOP 100 A.O.R. – WESTCOAST POP SONGS

L’A.O.R. o meglio Westcoast Pop è un termine geo-musicale dal significato ampio. Un'identità capace di unire in una indefinibile sintassi pop gli artisti più  disparati e geograficamente lontani con un sound aperto e raffinato. Si guadagnò una  reputazione a partire dalla seconda metà degli anni Settanta e con esso c’è stata la personalizzazione dei songwriter, l’apporto decisivo dei sessionmen più creativi e del ruolo del produttore. Fino alla fine degli anni Ottanta questo stile è stato anche l’espressione più evoluta di fare un tipo di musica accessibile, ma allo stesso tempo sofisticata, unendo il più delle volte e fondendoli certi aspetti fondamentali della musica bianca (la melodia) e quella della musica nera (la ritmica). L’A.O.R. di matrice westcoast è riuscito ad ispirare dischi di classe indiscussa ed indiscutibile e canzoni memorabili.  Nel corso del tempo molti personaggi che l’hanno reso celebre se ne sono allontanati, alcuni si sono riciclati, altri sono finiti ingloriosamente, altri sono stati eroi di una sola stagione. Qui ci sono 100 canzoni che ne hanno fatto la storia. La scelta dei brani è una selezione modello, con fisse e varianti, di un sistema artistico inquadrabile ovviamente nella più varia estrazione e suscettibilità. 

Mauro Ronconi

1) Livin' It Up - Bill LaBounty (Taken from the album 'Bill LaBounty' on Curb/Warner 1982)
2) What A Fool Believes - Doobie Brothers (Taken from the album “Minute by Minute” on Warner       Bros. 1978)
3) After the Love Has Gone - Earth, Wind & Fire (Taken from the album “I Am” on Columbia 1979)
4) What You Won't Do For Love - Bobby Caldwell (Taken from the album “Bobby Caldwell” on Clouds 1978)
5) Nothin'  You Can Do About It – Airplay (Taken from the album “Airplay” on RCA 1980)
6) I Just Wanna Stop - Gino Vannelli  (Taken from the album “Brother to Brother” on A&M 1978)
7) Heart To Heart – Kenny Loggins (Taken from the album “High Adventure” on Columbia 1982)
8) A Love Of Your Own – Ned Doheny (Taken from the album “Hard Candy” on Columbia 1976)
9) Cool Night – Paul Davis (Taken from the album “Cool Night” on Arista 1981)
10) Steal Away – Robbie Dupree (Taken from the album “Robbie Dupree” on Elektra 1980)
11) Mornin' – Al Jarreau (Taken from the album “Jarreau” on Warner Bros. 1983)
12) Who's Right, Who's Wrong – Pages (Taken from the album “Future Street” on Epic 1979)
13) Turn Your Love Around – George Benson (Taken from a single on Warner Bros. 1981)
14) Fly Away – Peter Allen (Taken from the album “Bi-Coastal” on A&M 1980)
15) You Might Need Somebody – Randy Crawford (Taken from the album “Secret Combination” on Warner Bros. 1981)
16) Hard To Say I'm Sorry – Chicago (Taken from the album “Chicago 16” on Full Moon 1982)
17) Margarita – Marc Jordan (Taken from the album “A Hole in the Wall” on Sound Design 1983)
18) Is It You – Lee Ritenour (Taken from the album “Rit” on Elektra 1981)
19) Jojo – Boz Scaggs (Taken from the album “Middle Man” on Columbia 1980)
20) A Fool At Heart – Stephen Bishop (Taken from the album “Bish” on ABC 1978)
21) Baby Come Back – Player (Taken from the album “Player” on RSO 1977)
22) Friends in Love – Dionne Warwick & Johnny Mathis (Taken from the album “Friends in Love” on Arista 1982)
23) Slippin' Away – Leon Ware (Taken from the album“Leon Ware” on Elektra 1982)
24) Never Be the Same - Christopher Cross (Taken from the album “Christopher Cross” on Warner Bros. 1979)
25) That's Why - Michael McDonald (Taken from the album “If That's What It Takes” on Warner Bros. 1982)
26) Breakin' Away – Al Jarreau  (Taken from the album “Breakin' Away” on Warner Bros. 1981)
27) Biggest Part of Me – Ambrosia (Taken from the album “One Eighty” on Warner Bros. 1980)
28) Through The Fire – Chaka Khan (Taken from the album “I Feel for You” on Warner Bros. 1984)
29) I.G.Y. – Donald Fagen (Taken from the album “The Nightfly” on Warner Bros. 1982)
30) The Lady Wants To Know – Michael Franks (Taken from the album “Sleeping Gypsy” on Warner Bros. 1977)
31) This Is It – Kenny Loggins (Taken from the album “Keep The Fire” on Columbia 1979)
32) No Way Out – Paul Anka (Taken from the album “Walk a Fine Line” on Columbia 1983)
33) Keep A Light On – Maxus (Taken from the album “Maxus” on Warner Bros. 1981)
34) It's Something – Brenda Russell (Taken from the album “Two Eyes” on Warner Bros. 1983)
35) Slow Fade - Bill LaBounty (Taken from the album 'Bill LaBounty' on Curb/Warner 1982)
36) Midnight Rendezvous – David Roberts (Taken from the album “All Dressed Up” on Elektra 1982)
37) Smile Again - Manhattan Transfer (Taken from the album “Mecca For Moderns” on Atlantic 1981)
38) Like Yesterday - Wilson Bros. (Taken from the album “Another Night” on ATCO 1979)
39) Tonight Tonight - Bill Champlin (Taken from the album “Runaway” on Elektra 1981)
40) Goin' Down – Greg Guidry (Taken from the album “Over the Line” on Columbia 1982)
41) Free Fallin' – Robbie Dupree (Taken from the album “Street Corner Heroes” on Elektra 1981)
42) Oh Yeah! – Bill Withers (Taken from the album “Watching You Watching Me” on Columbia 1985)
43) Don't Cry Out Loud - Melissa Manchester (Taken from the album “Don't Cry Out Loud” on Arista 1978)
44) I Just Can't Let Go – David Pack (Taken from the album -  “Anywhere You Go” on Warner Bros. 1985)
45) Love Is Here To Stay – Roby Duke (taken from the album “Not the Same” on MCA - Songbird 1982)
46) Whatever We Imagine – James Ingram (Taken from the album “It’s Your Night” on Qwest 1983)
47) Let's Give A Little More This Time – Sergio Mendes (Taken from the album “Confetti” on A&M 1984)
48) Feel Like Flying – Gino Vannelli (Taken from the album “Brother to Brother” on A&M 1978)
49) Tell Me – Terence Boylan (Taken from the album “Suzy” on Asylum 1980)
50) Hasty Heart - Nielsen/Pearson (Taken from the album “Blind Luck” on Capitol 1983)
51) Wild Again - Carole Bayer Sager (Taken from the album “Sometimes Late at Night” on Boardwalk 1981)
52) I'm A Camera – Marc Jordan (Taken from the album “Blue Desert” on Warner Bros. 1979)
53) For You, For Love - Average White Band (Taken from the album “Shine” on RCA 1980))
54) That Didn't Hurt Too Bad – Robert Byrne (Taken from the album “Blame It On The Night” on Mercury 1979)

55) Proud – Joe Chemay Band (Taken from the album “The Riper The Finer” on Unicorn Records 1981)

56) Look What You've Done to Me – Boz Scaggs (Taken from the album “Hits!” on Columbia 1980)

57) So Beautiful It Hurts – Rupert Holmes (Taken from the album “Pursuit of Happiness” on Private Stock 1978)

58) Who'll Be the Fool Tonight - Larsen-Feiten Band (Taken from the album “Larsen-Feiten Band” on Warner Bros. 1980)

59) Somebody's Angel – Peter Allen (Taken from the album “Bi-Coastal” on A&M 1980)

60) The Hits Just Keep On Coming – Far Cry (Taken from the album “The More Things Change...” on Columbia 1980

61) We Both Tried – Tavares (Taken from the album “Supercharged” on Capitol 1980)

62) I Still Run To You – Amy Holland (Taken from the album “On Your Every Word” on Capitol 1983)

63) Just For The Moment - Ray Kennedy (Taken from the album “Ray Kennedy” on ARC 1980)

64) All Right - Christopher Cross (Taken from the album “Another Page” on Warner Bros. 1983)

65) Lay Back – Michael Sembello (Taken from the album “Bossa Nova Hotel” on Warner Bros. 1983)

66) You Can Come Home to Me – Frank Weber (Taken from the album “Frank Weber” on RCA 1980)

67) Loving You – Bobby Caldwell (Taken from the album “Carry On” on Polydor 1982)

68) In the Way – Eric Tagg (Taken from the album “Dreamwalkin'” on Agharta 1982)

69) Who's Holding Donna Now – De Barge (Taken from the album “Rhythm of the Night” on Motown 1985)

70) On and On – Stephen Bishop (Taken from the album “Careless “ on ABC 1976)
71) Fool in Love with You – Jim Photoglo (Taken from the album “Fool in Love with You” on 20th Century-Fox 1981)

72) Endless Nights – Bill Cantos (Taken from the album “Who Are You” on Pioneer Japan 1995)

73) All Behind Us Now – Patti Austin (Taken from the album “Patti Austin” on Qwest 1984)

74) Handsome Dudes – Helen Reddy (Taken from the album “Imagination” on MCA 1983)

75) I Wonder What You're Like – Robert Kraft (Taken from the album “Retro Active” on RCA 1982)

76) Hearts – Marty Balin (Taken from the album “Balin” on EMI 1981)

77) One More Try For Love - Byrne and Barnes (Taken from the album “An Eye for an Eye” on Climax 1981)

78) I Keep Forgettin’ - Michael McDonald (Taken from the album “If That's What It Takes” on Warner Bros. 1982)

79) Love You Like I Never Loved Before - John O'Banion (Taken from the album “John O’Banion on Elektra 1981) 

80) Never Gonna Let You Go – China (Taken from the album “China” on Epic 1981)

81) Learn To Love Again - Lou Rawls & Tata Vega (Taken from the album “Love All Your Blues Away” on  Epic 1986)

82) Rosalee - Michael Johnson (Taken from the album “Home Free” on EMI America 1981)

83) Hot Rod Hearts – Robbie Dupree (Taken from the album “Robbie Dupree” on Elektra 1980)

84) On My Way Home To You – Michael Franks (Taken from the album “One Bad Habit on Warner Bros. 1980)

85) Making Love - Finis Henderson (Taken from the album “ Finis” on Motown 1983)

86) Whatever Happened - Dane Donohue (Taken from the album “Dane Donohue” on Columbia 1978)

87) Trying To Get To You - Valerie Carter (Taken from the album “Wild Child” on Columbia 1978)

88) Blame it On the Night - Robert Byrne (Taken from the album “Blame It On The Night” on Mercury 1979)

89) Hold On - Kelly Willard (Taken from the album “Willing Heart” on Maranatha! 1981

90) I Don't Even Know Your Name - Fee Waybill (Taken from the album “Read My Lips” on Capitol 1984)

91) My Old Friend – Al Jarreau (Taken from the album “Breakin' Away” on Warner Bros. 1981)

92) Real Love - Doobie Brothers (Taken from the album “One Step Closer” on Warner Bros. 1980)

93) Gotta Get Back To Love - Bill Champlin (Taken from the album “Runaway” on Elektra 1981)

94) Your Loss - Rick Bowles (Taken from the album “Free for the Evening” on Polydor 1982)

95) Wait for Me – Alessi (Taken from the album “Words and Music on A&M 1979)

96) Who's Foolin' Who - Frankie Bleu (Taken from the album “Who's Foolin' Who” on Unicorn Records 1982)

97) Just To See Her - Lou Pardini (Taken from the album“Live and Let Live” on Victor Japan 1996)

98) Don't Talk – Larry Lee (Taken from the album “Marooned” on Columbia 1982)

99) It's Only Love - Marc Jordan (Taken from the album “A Hole in the Wall” on Sound Design 1983)

100) Mixed-Up Guy - Jimmy Webb  (Taken from the album “El Mirage” on Atlantic 1977)  

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