Eddie Rabbitt - S/D

"Drivin' My Life Away" has that "Subterranean Homesick Blues" vocal rhythm going on during the "windshield wipers beatin out the tempo" part; so I always liked that one. Always kind of liked "I Love a Rainy Night," too. And last year, Tim McGraw did this amazing smooth-jazzed quiet-storm yacht-rock version of "Suspicions," which I'd never even thought of before, and it was my favorite single of the year that didn't have Lil Mama on it. Also, Eddie wrote "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis, right? But I've never explored him otherwise; obviously I need to. Back then, I mostly assumed he was a total wimp. (Maybe he was, but maybe he was a good wimp!)

Dude was born in BROOKLYN! Which makes him a country-music pioneer of sorts, right?

I agree that "Rainy Night" and especially "Drivin' My Life Away" still sound pretty great, especially on the car radio while driving somewhere on a rainy night. Always hated his Crystal Gayle duet "Just You And I", while "Suspicion" and "Every Which Way But Loose" I'm indifferent to. And that pretty much covers every song I know by the man.

(Has this question been asked before? I feel certain I've given this exact reply in the past. A search turned up nothing.)

Didn't Sweet Pea Atkinson cover one of his songs? "Suspicions"? "Someone Could Lose a Heart"?

Will chime in rather uselessly as to loving "Rainy Night" and "Drivin' My Life Away". I feel like I should investigate more of his stuff.

"I Love the Rainy Night" has a production sound that is really different than records of that period, with that big watery echoing sound, it is more like a 50s recording than something from 1981. The recording has an odd hypnotic quality.

otm

Yes! It's built for am radio or something. Maybe along similar lines, Paul Davis' "'65 Love Affair" always sounds especially weird to me...

that is a special record. he makes the fingersnapping sound like rain and he presents a sentiment that goes around (not beyond) what i normally look for in a song. nobody ever made a classic record about other little things i like that i can't explain but he did it. he captured a feeling well.

I love that song, I couldn't have told you who did it until reading this thread. To the soulseek machine, thanks!

"Yes! It's built for am radio or something."

Jimmy Dean's "Big Bad John" is another classic country song that I think also has that hypnotic feel.

"I Love the Rainy Night" has a production sound that is really different than records of that period, with that big watery echoing sound, it is more like a 50s recording than something from 1981.

I kinda think that was the point. Both this song and "Drivin' My Life Away" sound like intentional throwbacks to rockabilly. (Maybe rockabilly LITE, but still...)

Yes! It's built for am radio or something. Maybe along similar lines, Paul Davis' "'65 Love Affair" always sounds especially weird to me...

Well, with a nostalgic title like that, it was obvious he wasn't looking towards the future.