Richard Perry, one of many nice file producers of the Seventies and ’80s, died on Tuesday Dec. 24 at age 82. Like such modern producers as Jack Antonoff, Greg Kurstin, Finneas and Daniel Nigro, Perry was almost as well-known, a minimum of amongst pop obsessives, because the artists he labored with.
No producer can assure a success, then or now. However Village Voice stated of Perry in 1973, “the rungs on the ladder of success appear a lot nearer collectively when Perry is your information.”
Rolling Stone dubbed Perry “Producer of the 12 months” for 1973 for his work with Carly Simon and Ringo Starr. The Grammys didn’t but have a producer of the 12 months, non-classical class, at the moment, however Perry was nominated for file of the 12 months in each 1973 (Nilsson’s “With out You”) and 1974 (Simon’s “You’re So Useless”).
The Grammys lastly added a producer class the next 12 months. Perry was nominated for that award twice, although he didn’t win. He misplaced in 1977 to Stevie Marvel and in 1978 to Peter Asher – additionally nice producers, to make sure, however it might have been good if Perry had gotten the glory sooner or later.
Perry’s pattern works, which had been included on the Grammy nominations listing, in 1977 had been Burton Cummings’ eponymous solo debut album (and its prime 10 hit “Stand Tall”) and The Manhattan Switch’s third studio album, Coming Out. His pattern works in 1978 had been Diana Ross’ Child It’s Me, Simon’s “No one Does It Higher” and Leo Sayer’s Infinite Flight (and its hits “You Make Me Really feel Like Dancing,” “Once I Want You” and “How A lot Love”) and likewise Sayer’s “Thunder in My Coronary heart,” the lead single and title observe from his follow-up studio album.
Perry topped Billboard’s end-of-year Pop Producers recap twice. He led in 1977 and once more in 1984.
Perry produced greater than 30 songs that made the highest 20 on the Billboard Sizzling 100. Listed here are 10 specific favorites.
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“Stand Tall,” Burton Cummings (1977)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 10
Songwriter: Burton Cummings
Notes: This elegant energy ballad was the primary and largest solo hit by the previous lead singer of The Guess Who.
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“I Solely Have Eyes for You,” Artwork Garfunkel (1975)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 18
Songwriters: Al Dubin, Harry Warren
Notes: Perry was 17 when The Flamingos’ traditional doo-wop model of this tune was a No. 11 hit on the Sizzling 100 in 1959, however the tune goes again a lot additional than that. It was first a success in 1934 for bandleaders Ben Selvin and Eddy Duchin. Garfunkel’s hypnotic and immaculate file was Perry’s valentine to the music of his youth (simply as this listing is mine).
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“How A lot Love,” Leo Sayer (1977)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 17
Songwriters: Barry Mann, Leo Sayer
Notes: This frisky, disco-accented observe was Sayer’s follow-up to “Once I Want You,” and helped brighten the temper after that fairly somber ballad. It was the third prime 20 hit from Sayer’s Infinite Flight album, which made the highest 10 on the Billboard 200 in June 1977. Loads of followers on the time thought “How A lot Love” was by Elton John. It does have that EJ spark.
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“Oh My My,” Ringo Starr (1974)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 5
Songwriters: Vini Poncia, Ringo Starr
Notes: This was the third consecutive prime 5 hit on the Sizzling 100 from the Ringo album, following “{Photograph}” and “You’re Sixteen,” at a time when touchdown three prime 5 hits from an album was a rarity. Martha Reeves and Merry Clayton sang backing vocals on the observe. Billy Preston (piano and organ) and Tom Scott (sax) performed on it.
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“I’m So Excited,” The Pointer Sisters (1982-84)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 30 in 1982; No. 9 in 1984
Songwriters: Trevor Lawrence; Anita, June and Ruth Pointer
Notes: This exhilarating file “solely” reached No. 30 when it was first launched in 1982, however after a brand new combine was launched in 1984, it lastly earned the highest 10 rating it had deserved all alongside.
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“With out You,” Nilsson (1972)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 1 (4 weeks)
Songwriters: Tom Evans, Pete Ham
Notes: This energy ballad was Perry’s longest-running No. 1 hit on the Sizzling 100 (although Carly Simon’s “You’re So Useless” logged extra weeks within the prime 10). “With out You” held off the Carpenters’ “Hurting Every Different,” maintaining it to a No. 2 peak. Mariah Carey took the tune to No. 3 in 1994.
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“No one Does It Higher,” Carly Simon (1977)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 2
Songwriters: Marvin Hamlisch, Carole Bayer Sager
Notes: Had been it not for Debby Boone’s “You Gentle Up My Life,” the longest-running No. 1 hit of the Seventies, this attractive, refined tune would have turn into Simon’s second No. 1 produced by Perry. As an alternative, it needed to accept three weeks at No. 2 behind a file whose large success was a thriller, then and now. Right here’s a comfort prize: This may at all times be at or close to the highest of nearly everybody’s listing of all-time favourite James Bond songs.
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“Bounce (For My Love),” The Pointer Sisters (1984)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 3
Songwriters: Steve Mitchell, Marti Sharron, Gary Skardina
Notes: This catchy smash introduced the group a Grammy for greatest pop efficiency by a duo or group with vocal. It later soundtracked one of many cleverest scenes in Love Really, the place the prime minister performed by Hugh Grant is caught dancing to the beat. The subtitle “For My Love” was added to the title after Van Halen’s “Bounce” grew to become a No. 1 smash on the Sizzling 100 in early 1984.
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“Stoney Finish,” Barbra Streisand (1971)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 6
Songwriter: Laura Nyro
Notes: Streisand was a famous person when this file was launched, however she wasn’t a lot of a pop hitmaker. This was her first prime 10 hit on the Sizzling 100 because the beautiful “Folks” in 1964. Streisand was simply 28 on the time, however she wasn’t actually in contact with modern pop music. Enter Richard Perry, who introduced her this Laura Nyro tune and opened a brand new part in Streisand’s profession. Kudos to Streisand for having the braveness (and expertise) to tug this off and to Perry for pushing her in a brand new path. By the top of the last decade, Streisand ranked with Donna Summer season and Linda Ronstadt as the most popular feminine singers in modern pop.
Enjoyable Truth: Peggy Lipton, then one of many co-stars of ABC’s The Mod Squad, had bubbled below the Sizzling 100 with this tune in 1968.
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“You’re So Useless,” Carly Simon (1973)
Sizzling 100 peak: No. 1 (three weeks)
Songwriter: Carly Simon
Notes: It’s onerous to imagine this file is 52 years previous. It nonetheless sounds scorching and recent right this moment, from the opening bass notes and whispered “son of a gun” to Mick Jagger’s backing vocals. The file, a ferocious take-down of an unworthy lover, paved the best way the best way for such different take-downs as Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good” and Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know.” Janet Jackson interpolated the tune in her 2001 hit “Son of a Gun (I Betcha Assume This Tune Is About You).” The long-running thriller of who the tune is about (Warren Beatty, by most accounts) has grown tedious, however the file itself is a smash for the ages.
