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

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bad Company’s third studio album, Run With The Pack, was released 50 years ago in January 1976. The supergroup had cemented their place in classic rock with their debut album in 1974, and by this third album in as many years they were known for the intensity of their live shows as well.

Run peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 in 1976 and produced three singles: the title track, “Young Blood” which peaked at #20-and was a Lieber & Stoller cover originally recorded by The Coasters in 1957-and “Honey Child” which peaked at #59. The album is one of my top picks by the band as it features three of my all time favorite songs by them.

Bad Company circa 1975 (L to R): Simon Kirke, Mick Ralphs, Boz Burrell and Paul Rodgers. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Speaking of the great songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller-who gave us so many of the songs Elvis made famous-I recently discovered another one of their tracks during an “Ally McBeal” rewatch.

Near the end of S1 E2, Vonda Shepard starting singing a song that was unfamiliar to me. After a quick Google search of the lyrics, I found the original recording from 1977. It is by English singer Elkie Brooks who I never heard of before but what a discovery. She has an incredibly soulful voice with a hint of rasp that gives Rod Stewart vibes. I cannot find Shepard’s version on line but she did a fabulous job on it, as she did on most of the songs she covered on the show.

Elkie Brooks circa 1975. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Another new-to-me song from my “Ally” rewatch is from Gladys Knight & The Pips. It was written by singer, songwriter & Mississippi native, Jim Weatherly (March 17, 1943 – February 3, 2021). He wrote five songs for their 1973 album, Imagination, their first release for Buddah Records, the label they landed at after leaving Motown. The group’s two biggest hits-“Midnight Train To Georgia”, which was #1 for two weeks in October 1973 and “Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)”, a #2 hit in April 1973-were also written by Weatherly. A year later, the group took yet another one of his compositions, “Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me”, to the #3 spot in April 1974.

He was a quarterback for the Ole Miss Rebels from 1962-1964 while he was a student at the University of Mississippi. After graduation he pursued music which included his own contract from Buddah after the success of “Midnight Train”. Weatherly released 11 albums between 1972 and 2008. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame 20 years ago in 2006 and into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014. His songs were also recorded by Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers and Neil Diamond, amongst others.

Jim Weatherly circa 1973. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bad Company: “Simple Man” (1976, written by Mick Ralphs).

Bad Company: “Love Me Somebody” (1976, written by Paul Rodgers).

Bad Company: “Silver, Blue & Gold“(1976, written by Paul Rodgers).

Elkie Brooks: “Pearl’s A Singer” (1977, written by Ralph Dino, Jerry Leiber, John Sembello and Mike Stoller).

Gladys Knight & The Pips: “Where Peaceful Waters Flow” (1973, written by Jim Weatherly).

Jim Weatherly: “Where Peaceful Waters Flow” (1973, written by Jim Weatherly).

Stay safe & well.