Retrospace Mix Tape #22: Name Songs

In my never ending attempt to diversify your playlists, here's another round of off-the-beaten-tracks with names in their title.  Those of you with iTunes filled to the brim with songs like "Hotel California" and "Stairway to Heaven" may be in for a bit of a shock.  Just repeat to yourself that not everything entering your auditory canal needs to have been a big hit.  Sometimes you have to jump off the fairway and hunt around in the rough because the hidden gems often are the sweetest.

And God knows there's been "name songs" a plenty over the years: "Mandy", "Hey Jude", "Joanna" (Kool & the Gang), "Think of Laura" (Christopher Cross), "Barbara Ann", "Angie", "Peg", "Daniel", etc.  Here's a bunch of name songs that perhaps you haven't heard.  Granted, most of them aren't exactly the greatest songs ever recorded, but maybe somewhere in this list you'll find that hidden gem buried in the rough.

Sample Tracks:

Sally by Ian Thomas
Ian Thomas was actually Dave Thomas' (SCTV, Strange Brew) younger brother. This song is a textbook example of that late seventies cock rock, full of rock star posturing and macho Canuck swagger.

Lucinda by The Knack
The band that will forever be associated with the name song "My Sharona", released a number of good recordings that never even grazed the charts - count this name song among them.

Song of Lita by Lou Christie
Everyone remembers "Lightning Strikes"; however, most will care to forget this strange little number.  I include it as a sample to warn you that many of these songs are unbearably awful, but, like this song, oddly fascinating.  Also, the sound quality isn't the best on this track and several others - but such is often the case from old records that have never had an official 'digital remastering'.

DOWNLOAD RETROSPACE MIX TAPE 22

Artist	Title	Year
The Burbank Strings	Theme For Elaina	1964
Comus	Diana	1971
Ross McManus	Patsy Girl	1964
Ian Thomas	Sally	1978
Status Quo	Claudie	1973
Dale McBride	Barbara	1964
Chris Rainbow	Dear Brian	1978
Eddie Holland	Brenda	1964
John Prine	Sam Stone	1971
Jefferson Starship	Caroline	1974
Round Robin	Kick The Little Foot Sally Ann	1964
David Gates	Ann	1973
Lou Christie	Song Of Lita	1966
Chopper	Eddie	1979
Leigh Stephens	Joannie Mann	1969
Sam Riddle	Angela Jones	1966
Canterbury Tayles	Angie	1966
Fanny	Butter Boy	1975
Stealers Wheel	José	1972
Minny Pops	Monica	1979
Paul Stookey	Sebastian	1971
Spooky Tooth	Moriah	1973
The Coachmen	Gabrielle	1967
Chad Mitchell	Suzanne	1967
Michael Nesmith & The First National Band	Rene	1971
Jimmie Spheeris	Esmaria	1971
Justin Hayward	Marie	1977
The Magpies	Maisy	1967
John Barry	Peter Franks	1971
Today's Special	Krista	1968
The Zebra	Miss Anne	1968
Fountain Of Youth	Liza Jane	1969
The Great Love Trip	Noah	1969
Kiki Dee	Jimmy	1970
Barry Manilow	Sandra	1974
Eric Carmen	Hey Deanie	1978
Good Rats	Gino	1979
Ian Hunter & Mick Ronson	Angeline	1979
James Gang	Alexis	1973
Janis Ian	Jesse	1972
Juicy Lucy	Jessica	1971
Knack	Lucinda	1979
Robin Trower	Alethea	1975
Steve Miller Band	Sweet Maree	1976

Notes:

1) I'm well aware "Butter Boy" by Fanny has no business being in this mix. My bad. No idea how that wound up getting in there.  Consider it a "bonus track".

2) "Monica" by Minny Pops may easily be the worst song ever recorded.  The group can be somewhat forgiven because they were an Amsterdam electronic band and, thus, expected to be weird.

3) "Peter Franks" by John Barry is from the Diamonds Are Forever soundtrack