On Rock & Romance Cruise #4, one of my top highlights was watching Edgar Winter perform “Frankenstein”. If you stayed up to watch that show on deck, you know how great it was. ...And those billowing white locks blowing in the sea breeze. Come on!
By happenstance, I was in the elevator with him after the show, and he was perfectly coifed, while I looked like I had been in a wind tunnel, somewhat resembling Rosanna Rossana Danna. I was tempted to ask him about his hair, but my fear of being a complete weirdo thankfully stopped me.
A Few Frankenstein Factoids
“Frankenstein” topped the US Billboard Hot 100, replacing Paul McCartney’s “My Love”. It sold over one million copies and thankfully is still played in heavy rotation on classic rock channels. Interestingly, the song was one of 184 instrumentals to make the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1970s and one of 11 that reached the #1 position.
Pondering the masterpiece of Frankenstein, I realize how many wonderful instrumentals there were in the 1970s. Many of these songs conjure up some of my most vivid memories. Not sure why that’s the case, other than perhaps the absence of lyrics enabled me to create my own stories to complement the notes. Whatever the reason, the decade had some incredible songs sans lyrics.
Here are a few of my other instrumental favorites:
Pick Up the Pieces – Average White Band I absolutely loved this song as a kid. They were cool and on Soul Train, as well as American Bandstand. I’ve seen them a few times, including opening for Tower of Power, and Hamish Stuart in Ringo Starr’s All Star Band. Could AWD be an option for a future R&R Cruise? I’d like to listen to them while sipping a pina colada any day of the week!
Love’s Theme – Love Unlimited Orchestra I think I just naturally hear Barry White’s large string orchestral piece whenever a cruise ship sets sail. Doesn't everyone?
Machine Gun – Commodores A funk, disco classic featured in the movie “Boogie Nights” and sampled by the Beastie Boys. Interestingly, you don’t hear Lionel Ritchie’s voice on this one, but you do hear him on keyboards.
Night on Disco Mountain - David Shire On the Saturday Night Fever double album, this might be disco at its most ridiculously dramatic!
Fire on High – ELO The song kind of scared me as a kid with its weird backward vocals and church singing that sounded like something out of “The Omen”. But it was cool because it opened CBS Sport Spectacular and remains cool to this day. Looking forward to hearing the Orchestra perform it again next year!
Popcorn – Hot Butter More Moog, please!
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