Winds of Change - Jefferson Starship (1982)

"Winds of change" would be an apt description of Jefferson Starship's long history and musical evolution as of 1982. Not only were musical styles and the industry itself considerably different than when the group was formed as Jefferson Airplane in the mid 1960s, but the band had gone through several personnel changes and even a new group name. Despite all the changes, the group showed a great deal of flexibility and resilience, and continued to be a consistent album and Billboard Hot 100 chart presence throughout the 1970s and well into the 1980s.

The group's album Winds of Change, their eighth under the Jefferson Starship name, was released on Grunt Records in September 1982. The title track was the second single from the album, following the top 30 hit "Be My Lady." Unfortunately, despite impressive lead vocal performances from Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas, "Winds of Change" was not quite as successful, spending only two weeks in the Billboard top 40 in March 1983 and peaking at #38.

Although there have been numerous hits compilations released of the group's work, the single appears not to have been included among the track listings. The album Winds of Change is still available, however. You can listen to audio samples of the title track and others via Barnes & Noble: http://music.barnesandnoble.com/Winds-of-Change/Jefferson-Starship/e/886972404226.

Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone - The Manhattan Transfer (1979)

In 1979, the disco phenomenon was in full swing, and exerted a great deal of influence over the American music market. Many artists who recorded music in genres as diverse as jazz, rock, and country were inspired to record material with a disco flavor. Some of the efforts were quite successful and well done, and among these was The Manhattan Transfer's "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone," a danceable tune inspired by the music from the popular 1960s television program.

The song was recorded during a time of transition for the group, as they moved from a more pop-vocal based sound into a more jazz-oriented one. "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone" was the most successful single from the well-regarded 1979 Extensions album, peaking at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late spring 1980, as well as a #12 placement on the Disco chart. The group would go on to even greater pop success in 1981 with their remake of the Ad Libs' hit, "The Boy from New York City."

Listen to a sample of "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone" here: http://music.barnesandnoble.com/Extensions/The-Manhattan-Transfer/e/075678156526/?itm=4 . The song is included on several of their hits collections as well as Extensions.

Happiness Is Just Around the Bend - The Main Ingredient (1974)

The Main Ingredient's first two top 40 Billboard singles, "Everybody Plays the Fool" and "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" were earnest ballads with a decidedly pensive tone. However, "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend," their third hit single, found the group taking a more upbeat and optimistic approach, both in lyrical content and musical style.

"Happiness is Just Around the Bend" was the second single from the group's Euphrates River album, which also featured the aforementioned "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" and the excellent "California My Way," a minor pop and R&B hit. "Happiness" was not as successful as its predecessor hit singles, managing only a #35 placing on the Billboard Hot 100 in late summer 1974, although it did do quite well on the R&B chart, peaking at #7. Organist Brian Auger had also recorded a version of the song for his 1973 album, Closer to It.

A remastered version of Euphrates River is currently available as an import, and "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend" is also available on several greatest hits collections from the group. Click on the link to access an audio sample of the song, via Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Plays-Fool-Best-Ingredient/dp/B0009VNBS8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1222360991&sr=1-1.

Wrack My Brain - Ringo Starr (1981)

Following a solid run of hit singles earlier in the decade, Ringo Starr experienced a bit of a chart dry spell in the mid-to-late 1970s. His fortune changed somewhat, however, with the release of his eighth album, Stop and Smell the Roses. The album, which was recorded during late 1980 and early 1981, featured contributions from several of Ringo's musical contemporaries, including former Beatles Paul McCartney and George Harrison, the latter of whom wrote the single, "Wrack My Brain."

"Wrack My Brain" was released as a single on Boardwalk Records in November 1981; it would peak at #38 on the Billboard chart the following month. While not as commercially successful as Ringo's earlier hits, it was a catchy song that featured him in top form. It remains Ringo's last top 40 single to date, although he has continued to record and tour to much acclaim.

Stop and Smell the Roses is currently out of print, but "Wrack My Brain" is available on the collection Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr. A brief sample of the song can be heard on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ringo-Starr/e/B000APT4V6/ref=ntt_mus_dp_pel .