As temperatures here have been unpleasantly high, and I know the same is true for many other parts of the world, I thought I’d go again this week with some appropriate tunes. Three are heat songs, two are hot: I’ve played three of them before, another in a different version, and one is new here. But all feel right for today. Just remember though: we have it on ‘good’ authority that these ever increasing temperatures are all a hoax, and the fact that you might be melting is just a figment of your imagination.

I’m starting with the first-timer, a gentle little lead in to the set:

That ‘gentle’ was as accurate as ‘hoax,’ I think! But if there were any cobwebs lurking in your head they are gone now, right? Heatseeker was the opening track on AC/DC’s eleventh album, Blow up Your Video, which was released in February 1988, and reached #2 in the UK and Australia, had several top ten placings in other countries, and got to #12 in the US, where it went Platinum for sales of a million. The track had been released as a single the previous month, peaking at #5 in Australia and #12 in the UK, also getting to #15 on the US Mainstream Rock chart, based on radio airplay. It may not be their best known track, but it has the typical AC/DC feel, which is fine by me.

I’ve played this one before, but I like it so you’re getting it again:

Asia were a UK prog rock supergroup, formed by former members of King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson, Lake And Palmer. Heat Of The Moment was the opening track on their debut album, Asia, released in March 1982, which gave the band instant success. I bought the album and played it a lot at the time, less so since then. The album topped the charts in the US, but had to make do with a peak of #11 in the UK. This track was released the following month as the lead single from it, and got to #4 in the US. It only reached #46 here in the UK, though: I guess we saw them as an albums band, given its members’ previous history. Their 1983 follow up Alpha went to #5 in the UK and #6 in the US, but after that sales fell sharply: maybe the title of this one was somewhat prescient for them!

I’ve previously played Martha and the Vandellas doing this next one, but fancied a change. And when I say ‘fancy,’ you get my drift, I expect:

Linda Ronstadt released her version of Heat Wave on her sixth solo album, Prisoner In Disguise, in September 1975. The record reached #4 in the US, where it went Platinum for a million sales, and peaked at #13 in Canada. As far as I can tell its only other chart success was in Australia, where it reached a modest #76. This track was released as a single at the same time, and got to #5 in the US and #12 in Canada. If pressed I’d probably say that I still prefer the original, but anything involving Linda is always good for me.

Another returning tune next. This one is always on my list, as the video is so very good, and the song isn’t too shabby either:

The Rolling Stones with She Was Hot, which was a track on their November 1983 album Undercover, and then became a single in January 1984. The album got to #1 in Sweden and The Netherlands, #2 in Canada, #3 in the UK and #4 in the US: it sold a million in the US and 100k here. The single wasn’t a huge success, only making #42 in the UK and #44 in the US, but I still love the video. The role of the temptress was played by Anita Morris, an actor who had risen to fame in Broadway musicals. I think she was a very good choice for it.

And if that was too steamy for you, how about a more laid back pop classic to close today:

T. Rex began as Tyrannosaurus Rex, and were known here for an early series of albums with mythical themes, which performed respectably in our charts and gave them a few lower ranked hit singles, but their big breakthrough came in 1970 with the abbreviation of their name and their hit single, Ride A White Swan, which got to #2 here (#76 in the US) and began an incredible spell of four UK #2 hits and 4 #1s in less than three years. Hot Love was their next single, released in February 1971, and gave them the first of those #1s, though it only reached #72 in the US. The track was only released as a single, though it has since been on many compilation albums and was included on a re-release of their September 1971 album Electric Warrior. This performance was from the BBC’s Top Of The Pops show – you can see their resident dance troupe, Pan’s People, prominently in it. Marc Bolan, who led the band and wrote their songs, was much adored by fans, particularly the female ones, and T.Rex were part of the soundtrack to my uni days. Marc came to a tragic end, when he died after his girlfriend crashed their car into a tree. I remember it well: he was just two weeks away from his 30th birthday, and his death occurred on my 24th. We had been out for a meal, and turned on the tv news when we got home: that rather dampened my celebration.

That’s it for the music, but before I forget here are my usual links to the two places I’m sharing this post: Esme’s Senior Salon Pit Stop and Cathy’s Monday’s (On Sundays) Music Moves Me. Both are well worth your time for a visit.

Hopefully you are doing OK in the extreme weather – it’s a little cooler here today, thankfully. I’ll see you again in a couple of days, if my eyes haven’t gone square from watching too much football. Until then, take care 😊