Tag Archives: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

Music Monday: February 24, 2025

Posted in Music Monday by

Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Several now classic and legendary songs hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts 50 years ago. This week I am focusing on three of my favorite #1 songs of 1975 – Part 1.

The year started with Elton John in the top spot for two weeks with his cover of a 1967 Beatles song. One of the song’s co-writers-John Lennon, billed on the cover track as “Dr. Winston O’Boogie”-played guitar and contributed backing vocals to it. The two artists collaborated on Lennon’s song, “Whatever Gets You Through The Night” in 1974. It became a #1 hit on November 16 that year, a feat John predicted would happen. That forced Lennon to settle a bet by appearing on stage at John’s concert at NYC’s Madison Square on Thanksgiving night on November 28, 1974 where the two performed that song & a cover of The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There”.

John ended the year with two other #1 songs: “Philadelphia Freedom” hit the top spot for two weeks in April & “Island Girl” was #1 for three weeks in November 1975. He also provided backing vocals on Neil Sedaka’s song, “Bad Blood”, which was #1 for three weeks in October that year. That same month, John became godfather to Lennon’s second son, Sean. 1975 was one of several outstanding years for Elton John.

Elton John (L) and John Lennon (R) on stage at NYC’s Madison Square Garden on November 28, 1974. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The next song to hit #1 in 1975 was by Barry Manilow. The first top selling record of his career reached that position for one week on January 18. Two more #1 records would follow for him over the years along with 11 Top Ten hits to add to his previous success as a jingle writer, a theme song writer & a pianist for The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler. I love a couple of other songs by him-“Weekend In New England” and “Trying To Get The Feeling”, specifically-but Manilow’s #1 track from 1975 had me from the line, “You kissed me and stopped me from shaking”.

Barry Manilow’s second album was released in October 1974. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

On February 15, 1975 Linda Ronstadt took over the #1 spot for one week with a track from her fifth album, Heart Like A Wheel. That proved to be her breakthrough record, as it reached #1 on the Billboard Albums chart the same day her cover of the 1963 song by Dee Dee Warwick (sister to Dionne) gave Ronstadt the biggest selling song of her career. Ten Top 10 hits would follow in the next several decades as she successfully explored a number of different genres of music, but 1975 was the year Ronstadt broke through as one of the industry’s greatest talents.

Today’s Linda Ronstadt’s song is from her fifth album, released in November 1974. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Elton John: “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” (1974, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

Barry Manilow: “Mandy” (1974, written by Scott English and Richard Kerr).

Linda Ronstadt: “You’re No Good” (1974, written by Clint Ballard Jr.).

Stay safe & well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 468

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

June 2021 blog

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

In 1973 while John Lennon & Yoko Ono were living in NYC, their marriage hit a rough spot. They separated for 18 months & he relocated across the country to California. Ono often referred to that time as Lennon’s “lost weekend”. But despite the state of his marriage, Lennon was incredibly busy making music during those months. He recorded two solo albums-1974’s Walls And Bridges and 1975’s Rock & Roll. He also worked with Elton John on his cover of “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” & Lennon’s song, “Whatever Gets You Through The Night” (Day 246). He & Ono reconnected backstage at John’s concert in November 1974, but Lennon was not done making great music.

He collaborated with David Bowie on a cover of “Across The Universe” and today’s song. Lennon co-wrote the track, played guitar & did the backing vocals as well. It was released on June 28, 1975 and by September of that year it hit the top spot in the country for two different weeks. It was Bowie’s first #1 hit in the United States.

In October 1975 Lennon turned 35 and became a father for the second time. The following year, he received his green card after years of fighting with the U.S. government for it. He finally became a permanent resident of NYC, where Bowie had moved to the year before. They remained friends until Lennon’s death in 1980.

“Fame what you like is in the limo
Fame what you get is no tomorrow
Fame what you need you have to borrow
Fame”.

Bowie Lennon

L-R: David Bowie, Yoko Ono & John Lennon backstage at the Grammys in 1975. Photo by @kwamebphoto. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

David Bowie (featuring John Lennon): “Fame” (1975, written by Carlos Alomar, David Bowie and John Lennon).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.