Classic Compilation – Hitline (1980)

Sometimes when I come across a compilation album I’ll see a few songs that make me say “Yes!” but then look at the rest of the track listing, and say, “Wait … what?”

This was the case when I flipped over the K-Tel double LP compilation Hitline.

Released in 1980, the first LP is filled with disco and soul, including two classic Michael Jackson songs.

The second LP is led off by the pina colada song.

Exactly what kind of party is this? (click the image to enlarge)

After just a bit of research, apparently the common thread is that all but one of the songs reached the Top 40 (Carrie Lucas’ “Dance With You” being the outlier), with the vast majority of them cracking the Top 10.

The really good news is that, for once, K-Tel didn’t attempt to cram all the songs onto one album, as had been their habit, so the listening experience doesn’t include any random fade outs, questionable edits, or even more questionable sound quality.

But again, I ask – exactly what kind of party is this?

For the price of $2 I picked it up, and found out.

Let’s dive into some of the highlights.

Record One

Michael Jackson – Rock With You

Musically, you really can’t go wrong with classic MJ.

“Rock With You” had one foot in disco, with the other firmly in pop, and because of that crossover appeal it has an enduring quality, rather than feeling dated (sorry disco, you were great, but you were definitely of a time).

No matter what generation you’re in, you feel the need to get up and move your body when “Rock With You” comes on. I’m moving mine now just writing about it! (was that an overshare?)

Sister Sledge – We Are Family

“We Are Family” is a disco classic, but for me it has the added bonus of making me think of baseball, because it was the theme of the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. That team took this vibe all the way to winning the World Series.

So while some hear this tune and imagine a glittering disco ball, those of us who are baseball fans think of grainy footage of Willie Stargell, and Dave Parker.

Raydio – You Can’t Change That

I have been very open about my deep appreciation for the catalog of Ray Parker Jr. Over the past handful of years of digging through used vinyl I discovered his pre-Ghostbusters fame band Raydio, his remarkable ability to play just about any instrument, and the fact that he was a true trailblazer.

“You Can’t Change That” was a soulful gem from a band, and a man, who deserve a much bigger place in music history.

Kool & The Gang – Ladies Night

It’s ladies night! An anthem from Kool & The Gang, simply put, it feels good, and we could use more music in our lives that feels good.

As an aside, when did we stop describing women as “sophisticated mama?” This seems like something that should be brought back, and would be appreciated by all parties involved. I think I’m gonna give it a try!

Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough

The first record of this double LP compilation is bookended by Michael Jackson songs, and it’s tough to argue with that decision, because one song isn’t enough, and the as the man himself sang – “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.”

After this song, however, the boogie gets put on hold, as the second LP starts out with a happy little pop tune about … attempted infidelity.

Record Two

Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Pina Colada Song)

This is one of those songs most of us recognize, and I’d venture that a good number of us can sing the chorus, but did we ever take the time to actually listen to what it’s about?

The song involves a guy reading the personals while his lady is asleep. He sees one he likes, and writes his own personal ad as a response, inviting the woman to a bar. On the given night, the woman walks in, and he discovers that it was his lady who wrote the original personal ad, and she discovers it was her man who wrote the response. They laugh about it, but it’s kind messed up, right?

In the end we’re left with the wildly fractured moral – hey hon, isn’t cute we both tried to cheat on each other, and instead it brought us closer together?

KC & The Sunshine Band – Please Don’t Go

While “Please Don’t Go” is a classic, hearing it on this compilation reminded me that we were given a really fun Eurodance cover of the song in 1992. Actually we were given TWO Eurodance covers of it – Double You’s version, which came out in January of ’92, and KWS’ wildly similar cover that was released just a few months later.

Double You’s version was a hit in Europe, while KWS’ version took over America, and is the one we all remember (am I assuming too much with the “we all” part of that sentence?).

A lawsuit ended up happening, and compensation made its way to Double You’s producer for KWS’ version, but it’s still a heck of a tune.

John Stewart – Gold

First off, let’s get one thing straight, this is John Stewart, former member of the Kingston Trio, not to be confused with Jon Stewart, Daily Show host, who, for all we know, could be a huge John Stewart fan.

John’s wonderful bass driven tune “Gold” was a commentary on the music industry, and featured Stevie Nicks on backing vocals, and Lindsey Buckingham on guitar. For as great as the song is, he wound up hating it, and stopped performing it at shows.

Thankfully, just because Stewart stopped performing it doesn’t mean we have to keep it on the shelf, and if you haven’t heard it, or haven’t heard it in a while, it’s a great listen.

Fun fact – Stewart also wrote The Monkees “Daydream Believer.”

Robert Palmer – Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)

For as great as many of the songs on his compilation are, K-Tel absolutely saved the best for last, closing things out with Robert Palmer’s incredible cover of “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor).”

Originally recorded by Moon Martin in 1978, Palmer’s version came out a year later. With a much bigger sound, and Palmer’s vocals simply being stronger than Martin’s, Palmer’s version was the one that was destined to become a hit.

It’s wild to realize this song came out in 1979, because it sounds like it could’ve been released in the mid ‘80s.

Does Palmer get enough credit for his influence in transitioning music from the ‘70s to the ‘80s? Probably not, so let’s remind everyone of his greatness by blasting this song at an obscenely high volume while singing along.

In conclusion, while there are some truly fantastic songs on Hitline, as a whole it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but that can happen when you focus solely on hits rather than a musical theme. That said, it’s a nice snapshot of the close of the ‘70s, and with songs like “Rock With You” and “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor),” it has an indication of where music would be going in the decade to come.