September 1, 2023    —–     Chart #209

Hello Music Friends,

Hey folks, welcome to another edition of Chart of the Week. Hard as I try, I so often come back to the early 70’s for songs to include in this weekly blog. So here I go again with another songs that in my mind is completely timeless.

“Danny’s Song” is a song written by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, as a gift for his brother Danny for the birth of his son, Colin. It first appeared on an album by Gator Creek and a year later on the album Sittin’ In, the debut album by Loggins and Messina. The song is well remembered for both the Loggins and Messina original, as well as for Anne Murray’s 1972 top-ten-charting cover.

In 1971, Loggins and Jim Messina released Sittin’ In and, although the album yielded no Top 40 radio hits, “Danny’s Song” received a significant amount of radio airplay. Loggins wrote the song for his brother, Danny Loggins, in 1966 as a senior in high school, when Danny became the father of his first son.

“Danny’s Song” was included as the B-side of one of their early single releases, “Nobody But You”. Loggins and Messina would achieve chart success in 1973 with their song “Your Mama Don’t Dance”, but their version of “Danny’s Song” remains one of their best-known songs through the frequent airplay it received on rock and adult contemporary radio stations.

In case you never heard it, here is Anne Murray:  https://youtu.be/9D7ultFfoiM?si=n_wBzjOM_tsTednT

And Kenny live in the Grand Canyon, 1992: https://youtu.be/322_GED6Ccs?si=esh6rPv5Rbq-7cCB

Although Kenny Loggins continues to get most of the billing for this duo and he did write today’s feature song (when he was in high school!), Jim Messina is no slouch. His guitar playing is legendary. Let’s see here . . . he was in Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Loggins & Messina and has had a solo career. No too shabby.

Enjoy today’s selection.

Keep Rockin’,

Stan Bradshaw