Kenny Loggins unnappreciation

[vermicious knid]

"Kenny and I kept meeting at those awards ceremonies in the 70s, and finally we wrote a song together," Manchester says. She pauses and adds, "It's weird that he chose Stevie Nicks (to record it with.) But you know what? It's business. So I just let it go."
~"The Essence of Melissa Manchester" liner notes, 1997

I think Kenny Loggins is a tool for using Stevie on "Whenever I Call You Friend". Melissa Manchester wrote the song with him, and it would have been natural for her to be the duet partner. But he gave her the shaft and chose someone more commercially potent. Stevie had a greater fame and allure that he could cash in on. I wonder if he told Stevie at the time that he hadn't written the song alone.
I view "Whenever I Call You Friend" as an ironic commentary on how crappy of a friend Kenny Loggins is. If "business" interests get in the way, I'll dump you in favor of this new friend I found.

[GateandGarden]

Wow, I didn't know about the story behind that. :o

I always liked the song in all its cheesiness. :laugh:

[lbelle1214]

I absolutely love Kenny Loggin's music, but he is definitely a weird bird! If anyone gets the notion, you can ready his book "An Unimaginable Life" co-written with his wife. Some very, VERY strange things in there.

[StevieNicksEO17]

I never knew that either. Good story!

I've always loved Whenever I Call You Friend. :)

[Beachwood Mac]

I could never imagine Melissa Manchester singing on that song. It would have taken a totally different turn. I remember that song when it was released and although it was an unexpected collaboration with Stevie - it worked.

Terry

[strandinthewind]

I could never imagine Melissa Manchester singing on that song. It would have taken a totally different turn. I remember that song when it was released and although it was an unexpected collaboration with Stevie - it worked.

Terry

I saw her sing it live in the early 90's. She did a good job, but nothing like Loggins and Nicks.

[Dreammms]

I always liked the song in all its cheesiness. :laugh:

i love this song too. i think it's one of stevie's best vocals.

[dissention]

I don't appreciate him to begin with, his voice annoys the piss out of me. I would have preferred it if it were a solo Melissa Manchester song, but at least she got some cash out of it.

[strandinthewind]

I don't appreciate him to begin with, his voice annoys the piss out of me. I would have preferred it if it were a solo Melissa Manchester song, but at least she got some cash out of it.

He annoys me too.

You don't think La Nicks did a fantastic job on the vocals :eek: I think they are easily in her top five.

Also, a friend of mine was there for many of the sessions :eek:

[dissention]

He annoys me too.

You don't think La Nicks did a fantastic job on the vocals :eek: I think they are easily in her top five.

Also, a friend of mine was there for many of the sessions :eek:

Meh, they're okay. I don't orgasm over them and I rarely listen to the song itself because it's so cheesy. Melissa Manchester is too bland for my taste, but she has a beautiful voice and her last stint at the plastic surgeon's yielded some remarkably good results.

[GateandGarden]

Meh, they're okay. I don't orgasm over them and I rarely listen to the song itself because it's so cheesy.I think the vocals are better than okay, but I still don't think they're her best by any means.

[Dreammms]

I think the vocals are better than okay, but I still don't think they're her best by any means.


what songs do you think stevie has the best vocals on? just curious.

[SapphireSister]

What's the story with him not giving Stevie credit or something for singing on it?

[Johnny Stew]

I think Kenny Loggins is a tool for using Stevie on "Whenever I Call You Friend". Melissa Manchester wrote the song with him, and it would have been natural for her to be the duet partner. But he gave her the shaft and chose someone more commercially potent. Stevie had a greater fame and allure that he could cash in on.Loggins & Messina toured with Fleetwood Mac for a while there, and I've read that Kenny chose to record the song with Stevie because they had become friends. I don't think it was as calculated as you made it sound.

Besides, even though Stevie was pretty popular at the time, there were certainly bigger "names" that he could have chosen as his duet partner.
Not to mention the fact that "Midnight Blue," "Just Too Many People" and "Don't Cry Out Loud" were all huge hits for Melissa at the time... so Loggins could have just as easily picked her, if it was solely commercial appeal he was after.

[Moony]

....and "Don't Cry Out Loud" were all huge hits for Melissa at the time....
Has anyone ever seen the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous?

[BombaySapphire3]

Loggins & Messina toured with Fleetwood Mac for a while there, and I've read that Kenny chose to record the song with Stevie because they had become friends. I don't think it was as calculated as you made it sound.

Besides, even though Stevie was pretty popular at the time, there were certainly bigger "names" that he could have chosen as his duet partner.
Not to mention the fact that "Midnight Blue," "Just Too Many People" and "Don't Cry Out Loud" were all huge hits for Melissa at the time... so Loggins could have just as easily picked her, if it was solely commercial appeal he was after. Having actually been around and already a Fleetwood Mac/Stevie fan then (I had just turned 16 when the song was a hit)I can say that the only female artist in Rock that was bigger at that time than Stevie , was Linda Ronstadt..and not by much. Stevie had come in a close second to Linda in the annual Rolling Stone reader's poll for best female rock singer earlier that year(1978). Kenny was also going after the FM rock station airplay as well as AM .The FM AOR stations would not have played Melissa, she was not thought of as a rock singer .So I think commercial considerations as well as hipness quotient were very much involved with his decision to use Stevie.

[Johnny Stew]

Kenny was also going after the FM rock station airplay as well as AM .The FM AOR stations would not have played Melissa, she was not thought of as a rock singer .So I think commercial considerations as well as hipness quotient were very much involved with his decision to use Stevie.I guess I tend to think of Loggins as being so completely AC, and "Whenever I Call You 'Friend'" as being so immersed in the "lite-rock" genre, that I didn't consider he may have wanted a little "rock" cred by having Stevie's name (and voice!) attached to the song. :o

Thanks for offering another perspective, Robert. :xoxo:

[jwd]

I could never imagine Melissa Manchester singing on that song. It would have taken a totally different turn. I remember that song when it was released and although it was an unexpected collaboration with Stevie - it worked.

I think it would have turned out to be more of a ballad. That's just the kind of singer that Melissa Manchester is. Kenny made the right choice in going with Stevie, giving the song its' more uptempo rock and roll sound.

I actually like Kenny Loggins. I thought he was pretty good with Messina. Loggins and Messina were touring together this year for the first time in I don't know how long. Loggins' Nightwatch and Leap Of Faith albums are GOOD! :)

[LiquidBlue5000]

what songs do you think stevie has the best vocals on? just curious.

"Docklands" :p

[Dreammms]

"Docklands" :p


:lol: :lol: thank GOD i know you arent serious

i miss u :xoxo:

[Macfanforever]

I though Kenny wrote it.

[GODDESS6]

Has anyone ever seen the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous?
one of my fav "stupid movies" of all time~ i get what your saying, the interperative dance thing w/ that chick signing the song "don't cry out loud" :lol: :lol: :lol: :laugh: ~

[ontheEdgeof17]

Has anyone ever seen the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous?


Every day of my life!

That sshhiitt cracks me up.

[David]

I guess I tend to think of Loggins as being so completely AC, and "Whenever I Call You 'Friend'" as being so immersed in the "lite-rock" genre, that I didn't consider he may have wanted a little "rock" cred by having Stevie's name (and voice!) attached to the song.Well, the song itself is AC, but AC wasn't really a separate thing back then, & rock radio stations practically all played the song -- it was a big hit. Plus, you had Stevie Nicks, rock goddess, singing on it, & Kenny Loggins himself at that time wasn't the shmaltzy AC guy that he became in the '80s; in the 1970s he was new solo artist split from Loggins & Messina, which were classic rock through & through. (Remember that both Loggins & Messina toured a little with Fleetwood Mac in 1975, & Kenny opened for Fleetwood Mac a lot in 1977.)

So there was much more of a rock cachet to "Whenever I Call You Friend" than we think of there being twenty-five years later.

[chiliD]

"Docklands" :p

Has anyone happened to hear the similarities in the music between "Docklands" & The Motels' "Take The L"?

[mylittledemon]

Has anyone ever seen the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous?

Dude, CHILI that movie is HILARIOUS!!!!! I love the part with Adam West as the "host." I had the chance to meet him a few years ago, and while everyone was getting Batman-autographs, I just wanted to tell him he was awesome in "Drop Dead Gorgeous." I told him I love the part when all the girls jumped on him and he goes "Yeesss!" He chuckled.

[strandinthewind]

Has anyone happened to hear the similarities in the music between "Docklands" & The Motels' "Take The L"?

There are some similarities, but I LOVE "Take the L" as opposed to Docklands :eek: In fact, I think your deal about merging Martha Davis with FM would have been sublime. She is fab.

[deribish]

yes "take the L" is similar in it's progrssions to Docklands at times. But "TTL" is a far better song in my opinion -- and it's one The Motels best. Love that Martha Davis!

[Bandon]

I don't appreciate him to begin with, his voice annoys the piss out of me. I would have preferred it if it were a solo Melissa Manchester song, but at least she got some cash out of it.

That's interesting because I always thought Kenny Loggins was doing "Fleetwood Mac style" music in the late 70's and early 80's. Several of his tunes sounded as if they could have been from a Lindsey world where "Tusk" had never happened...if Lindsey had kept on the commercial track after "Rumours". Take the hit "I'm Alright" for instance. He even sounded like Lindsey on that song. :]

[David]

yes "take the L" is similar in it's progrssions to Docklands at times. But "TTL" is a far better song in my opinion -- and it's one The Motels best. Love that Martha Davis!Here's the "Docklands" progression:

Verses
Eb | Gm | Gm | F
Eb | Gm | Gm | F
Ab | Cm | Cm | Bb
Eb | Gm | Gm | F

Chorus
AbM7 | Gm7 | Fm7
AbM7 | Gm7 | Fm7
AbM7 | Gm7 | Fm7
Ab | Bb | Csus2

Bridge
Fm7 | Cm7
Fm7 | Cm7
F | Gm
AbM7 | Bb/Ab | AbM7 | Bb/Ab
AbM7 | Bb/Ab | AbM7 | Bb/Ab
AbM7 | Bb/Ab | Csus2

What's the progression on the Motels song? I don't know the song.