AMBROSIA - Biggest Part of Me | FIRST TIME COUPLE REACTION (BMC Request)
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
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This is from the album One Eighty - (1980) by Ambrosia
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#Ambrosia
There is no such thing as cheezy, whatever moves you is good for you. I love this band, there is no denying their talent.
Fantastic song, when pop ruled the earth. This song is designed to make you smile.
Too cool folks...I'm 62 & this song STILL makes me think of my wife & how much I absolutely adore her. Ambrosia also goes back a ways & quite eclectic.
"How Much I Feel", "Holdin on to Yesterday" ,"You're the only Woman" are excellent songs to react to. These guys crashed the R and B party with their music. Great reaction, go deeper with Ambrosia. Peace
I went to see ambrosia WITH LRB 💛💛💛💛 about 3 or 4 years ago!! Awesome- even though they are mid 70’s age! The whole band of Ambrosisia signed my 54 year old arm with a sharpie! LRB signed my shirt. Btw they toured together in the 1970’s but LRB was the warm for Ambrosia! My piano tuner is 70, and he tuned their pianos back then. He said they’d drink champagne and party it up with him after the shows 😊😊
Great stuff!!!
This was Ambrosia's pop side. Their first two albums (Ambrosia and Somewhere I've Never Traveled) were actually prog rock (with a pop song here and there). Some really cool stuff on those albums.
Agreed, especially the first one. The cheesy later Ambrosia is still well produced.
...and Road Island! At least 1 side is very experimental. A superb capture of the band. Mr. Drummond's drum fills are so satisfyingly deep!
I enjoy Ambrosia's prog-rock side, but to my ears, songs like this one, which I also love, are actually closer to '70s R & B and soul music, than pop music. Ambrosia may be the only band in history which went from prog-rock on their early albums, to blue-eyed soul and R & B, mixed with some rock, in their most popular period, and then somewhat back to prog-rock, on their last album, "Road Island," while doing it all well!
This band was formed from the ace session musicians of the LA Scene. But I would recommend their first two albums. Even the single Holding On To Yesterday is top notch.
I loved those 2 albums!
There is undeniable musicianship and excellent vocals - Its been one of my top two or 3 favorite songs for 40 years. Cheesy couldn't be further from the truth.
There’s gonna be a lil NicknLex in about 9 months if you keep playin music like this! 😂 Always loved Ambrosia, they don’t really get much attention these days, but back in the day they were a radio staple.
This is an R&B song from these guys. They were a 70s Band with a few other hits. "How Much I Feel," is a great song from Ambrosia.
You MUST hear ambrosia's hit
"HOW MUCH I FEEL" even superior in my unhumble opinion 🥰
Yes - it's a lot more poignant - lost love and all.
Your the only woman is even better! 😁
David Pak has an amazing voice!
One of my favorite bands. Saw them live in So Cal 15 or so times over the years. Yes, this was a monster hit for them. As the story goes, David Pack composed most this song in about ten minutes at his home studio while waiting for his family to get out to the car for a 4th of July celebration in Malibu. He was also the musical director for Bill Clinton’s first inaugural Presidential Ball. I still am a devotee of their more prog/rock/jazz songs. I still remember hearing this played ad nauseum at every wedding reception I attended in the 80’s and 90’s. Even though David is no longer with Ambrosia, he can still hit all the high falsetto notes. He has one of the best “blue-eyed soul” voices around. Last saw him live opening for Kansas in Anaheim back in 2008. Love your reaction channel, Nick n Lex, keep um coming!!
this was a kind of a shopping mall / k-mart song back in the day...but it was the BEST shopping mall / k-mart song ever made.!!
This time period in popular music had such great producers, engineers, and mixers. The sound and arrangements in this genre is infectious, sweet, and all fantastic ear candy.
09:28 that bass lick is the height of the song for me, haha. glad you picked up on it
Ambrosia's commercial/Top 40 hits were ok (especially "How Much I Feel"), but their first 2 progressive rock albums are their real legacy.
(I'm sure I wasn't the only fan who was disappointed when they went commercial).
Cheesy seems kinda a “negative term”, 🤣
Ambrosia & Little River Band has been referred to as Yacht Rock or Easy listening music! ❤️
Their first lp kicks ass !
Have you two reacted to any Todd Rundgren yet? I can't keep up with who's done what anymore! Maybe I Saw The Light or Hello It's Me? He's an amazing singer, song-writter, producer, musician and engineer.
The saxophone player has played for Steely Dan.
There are a few other great hits from David Pack and Ambrosia. “Holding on to Yesterday” and “Nice, Nice, Very Nice” would be good choices. And I agree with other comments that an Awesome full album would be Alan Parsons Project’s debut compilation “Tales of Mystery and the Imagination” where all songs are influenced by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, and all 4 members of Ambrosia play on the album, probably as a return favor for Alan engineering and producing some of Ambrosias best songs.
David Pack also did lead vocals on a few songs from 'Try Anything Once' from 1993.
I only recently learned that Ambrosia encouraged Alan Parsons to do some mixing for their first album! And it really paid off, too, the audio on the whole album is amazing!
@@bobholtzmann Alan Parsons learned working with George Martin.
Nice, Nice, Very Nice was actually a collaboration with Alan Parson, and Kurt Vonnegut is credited as a writer. Good stuff.
@@shyshift That's true - during the Get Back docuseries on the Disney Channel, I saw a brief cut showing Alan Parsons at the EMI recording equipment.
I've never heard of Ambrosia, but I've heard this song on the radio plenty of times.
They knocked it out of the park with with this song 😊
Met David Pak in LA at a Toto concert, 1987-ish, nice guy - talented guy…
The chord associated with Steely Dan is called the Mu chord, or Mu Major. It is formed by adding a major second to a major triad. You can Google it. Guitarist Sam Vallen of Caligula's Horse also uses it. Mu is a Greek letter, another name for Atlantis, and the answer to a well known Zen koan. I wonder which Becker and Fagen were referring to.
I'm pretty certain that to those two tricksters it was "Moo", not "Mu".
Thanks for showing your joy and love of great music. I was 12 when this album hit. It was huge!
I would say that not only do you two like Prog Rock and Jazz but after watching you enjoy Steely Dan, The Little River Band, and now Ambrosia... my generation calls the genre formula that you like so much Yacht Rock. And it's definitely not cheesy. It's actually intricate, technical, and very soothing to the ear!
Smooth pop.
R&B...Soul...Please stop with the ignorant yacht rock B.S..
Pure 70s turntable bliss. Shag rugs, beanbag chairs, black light posters, headphones.
Baaarrrrf!!!
Cheese? Hmm. This IMO is a very well crafted & executed track. The musicianship & production of this composition is 2nd to none
Pure " Yacht Rock " that is a very popular genre here in the UK, there is so many fantastic bands in that genre, you would love Gary Wright - " Dreamweaver " or Gino Vannelli - " I just want to stop " or Pablo Cruise - " Love will find a way " ❤️❤️❤️
Dreamweaver is really cool!
Ambrosia was so much better than those poppy bands that you mentioned!
Cheese? Shit, this song rules. Find someone with that kind of groove these days. Great band. Underrated for sure. Ps. I like that ibanez you got over there;)
You need to see the live video. Its amazing.
It's so fun watching you both hearing songs and groups for the first time that have been the soundtrack of my almost 60 years on this Earth ..... You guys make me SMILE thanks 😊
it used to be called "Adult Contemporary" (AC) but now referred to as Yacht Rock or Blue-eyed Soul
A busy time for saxophonist in 70's-80's pop music.
This is when you turn on the mood light, throw down some satin sheets and get your groove on with your partner! Hahaha I forgot the band but remembered the song. Thanks N&L.
Love the Yacht Rock guys! Just some sweet wholesome melodies. Not to mention some fantastic musicianship! While your still on the super yacht sailing the seas of cheese, you gotta put Pablo Cruise - Whatcha Gonna Do on the HiFi! Nick , it has a killer guitar solo! It'll blow your mind! Awesome vocal harmonies, thumping baseline too!
Yes! I want some Pablo Cruise! A Place in the Sun, Whatcha Gonna Do, and Love Will Find a Way. Pure sugar!
Cool Love is another great Pablo Cruise tune.
Yes!!!
Congrats! You are so close to 40k, I imagine the next subscriber will get you there. Lol. You achieved 40k in about a year, but I predict 50 to 100k will happen much quicker than that.
I never owned this album but you didn’t have to because of radio play.
Comments have already discussed their closer-to-Prog sound in previous work and their connections to Alan Parsons. Last year, I requested “The Raven” to start you on a journey with Alan’s Project - “Tales ...” LP. It would be great to circle back at some point with more tracks or a full album reaction, when you decide. I almost bumped Alan Parsons up on my list, but I’ll wait for now. My request list keeps growing, even as I attempt to narrow it down, it expands. Haha 😂
Great reaction. You both explained it perfectly - This track is “formula” and “Pop,” “Commercial” with a bit of “cheese.” Not saying that’s always a bad thing. But I usually like a little imperfection with my perfection. Lol.
I dislike labels sometimes like “elevator music,” “yacht rock,” and “blue-eyed soul,” but I mistakenly thought this song was by Hall and Oates when I first heard it.
Great job 👏🏼. Bring on the diversity. I, personally don’t survive on Prog alone, so your exploration is welcome. There is so much more out there - decades worth. Have fun and we enjoy watching you. ✨🤪
"I never owned this album but you didn’t have to because of radio play".
THAT is the VERY reason these "Soft Rock" bands at the time got a bit on my nerves :p. There were WORSE bands, but that is when I started my journey on the FM dial. But as I said in my lengthy comment, at the very least these Pop Hits had "musicianship" behind them. And yes we can't live on Prog alone (how about more METAL - hahaHAHAHAAA!!).
Though many are comparing Steely Dan, I think they were on a WHOLE 'nuther level, they may be considered "Yacht Rock", but they had a style all their own, with some incredible writing skills. I rather lean on the FM side with The Dan, than the AM/FM Pop stations back in the day. Fortunately 3 AOR LA stations pre-90's played A LOT of tracks from Steely Dan.
But I have to quote a movie M&M:
- Opening a cassette case; "What the hell Hutch? It's all Rush, how 'bout a little variety?"
- "Rush IS variety!" :P
Prog music is no exception ;).
@@mvunit3 haha Fanboys. Rule #1: In my van, it’s Rush, all Rush, all the time. Rule # 2: Nobody touch the red button.” Lol. I can relate. Thanks, Tony ✨🤪
Hey MM why wait for tomorrow for what you could have done yesterday 😂 bump up Alan Parsons on your list don’t think about it just do it. Actually right now what be a good time. 😂🙏🏽✌🏽♥️
@@michelemichele3375 BIG hug :) Oh! and nice catch there (movie ;)!
@@mauriciodelarosa2449 🤷🏻♀️ If I get a marathon, I’m considering:
Flora Purim (Brazilian jazz Fusion),
Be Bop Deluxe,
Steven Wilson,
and one more: either
1) Leon Russell’s Roll Away the Stone or
2) Minute By Minute by the Doobie Brothers (I’ve over-heard it but NnL and the channel seem to want more Michael McDonald). Or
3) Blood Sweat and Tears - God Bless the Child (just to introduce another horn line-up).
4) Average White Band.
What do you think?! Also, if I get a single song request, I’m probably going for:
1) Talking Heads LIVE - Life During Wartime or
2) Steven Wilson or
3) Procol Harum with orchestra from 2009 in Denmark - Whiter Shade of Pale. Gary Brooker’s vocals are strong (50 years after recording it) and he recently passed away. RIP.
Me and my then girlfriend loved to sing along to this in the car. This is one of my all time favorite songs. So she dumped me. 😢 But I refused to let that ruin the song for me. It couldn’t! 😍 Nothing could.
Not cheesy at all..this is well written music by talented musicians... sax I believe was fone by Corneelius Bumbus who played with Steely,the doobies,list goes on...I like different genres of music..I'm mostly into metal, grunge...but...I'm know great music and talent when I hear it
I'm also HUGE fan of Steely Dan
Sometimes when I go acoustic gigs..I go back to the 60's 70's and 80's...52 now,...and still love the heavy stuff..drop D,C...keeps you young at heart..lol
Welcome to the 80's, some of us never left, this is the music of our youth, music of our lives....
It's funny, when this was popular, I was into different stuff (XTC, Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Brian Eno, Talking Heads, etc.), and I couldn't have told you who this band was- BUT...as a singer, I always would sing along and really loved the harmonies!
Great to hear it again!
Lex, the joy on your face is priceless. I do my dance warm-ups to this song. It's perfect for the ballet series of warm-ups. I'm 69 and have been using this song for that purpose for 50 years.
#nicknlexrequest
Artist: Ella Fitzgerald
Song: How High the Moon, 1960 Live at Deutschlandhalle Berlin (6:58)
Album: Mack the Knife
If you like scat and want something vocally unbelievable, check out this impossible live performance that quite literally no other vocalist in the last 100 years could duplicate. Ella’s voice here stands up against all the jazz-fusion guitarists and keyboardists. Thank god someone recorded this, because it’s a once in a lifetime performance. Enjoy!
Check out their first self titled album from 1975. Great album. Nothing like this. Engineered/produced by Alan Parsons. A must
This is the very definition of 70s/80s yacht rock, and I LOVE it! I was in high school when these guys hit the air waves! Also check out You're The Only Woman and How Much I Feel.
Try Holding On to Yesterday which has a spooky/ethereal sound, my favourite Ambrosia song.
Thank you, @NicknLex. Awesome vocal harmonies.
A great band from the 70s. Good songs and catchy tunes are also included.
How Much I Feel, Holding on to Yesterday...
Amrosia's first album is their best IMO. The band admitted that the label pushed them into the pop direction for their other releases and it led to some band members leaving.
I very highly recommend "Four Moments" from Sebastian Hardie. The first 4 songs on their 1975 debut make up this phenomenal epic track. Excellent vocals and superb musicianship from the entire band on this one. #nicknlexrequest
I'm a big fan of Camel and I have all three Sebastian Hardie albums, (Four Moments from 1975, Windchase from 1976, and Blueprint from 2012) plus the 1977 BAND Windchase album Symphinity, which was formed by ex-Sebastian Hardie members Mario Millo (guitar, vocals) and keyboardist Toivo Pilt, Mario's guitar sounds similar to Andy Latimer and Toivo's keyboards are similar to Pete Bardens.
So much fun to watch Nick...he's feeling it 🎶🎶🎶🥰
Like others have said Ambrosia was a mid 1970’s Prog band and couldn’t get arrested. After 3 unsuccessful albums they do One Eighty, accurately describing their new sound. The album has another hit in this vein You’re The Only Woman but the rest of the album rocks like Kamikaze. The album before this was Life Beyond L.A. and only one hit song but it’s huge called How Much I Feel is still on the radio.
Holdin’ On To Yesterday
Nice,Nice Very Nice
Mama Frog(full blown Prog fusion)
Drink Of Water
Somewhere I’ve Never Traveled
Danse With Me George
I Want To Know
Life Beyond L.A.
Ice Age
In my opinion are their best songs.
Fun Fact: They also appear on The Alan Parsons Project’s debut album Tales Of Mystery and Imagination and he produced their second album,Somewhere I’ve Never Traveled.
I'm a HUGE fan of the track ""For Openers (Welcome Home)" (from the Rock Island album), that totally changed my mind about the band when hearing it on an AOR FM station. And I was just listening to a few tracks on their debut . . . AMAZING!
There was an album called "Road Island" that they put out to prove that they can do a more rocking album, and it's packed full of awesome music showing a completely different side of Ambrosia.
First two albums! Alan Parson as producer. Listen.
I love your hair Lex!
This band was incredible. The 70's were such a great decade of music. Definitely check out more from Ambrosia. Shape I'm In, Kamikaze, Ready and Rock in a Hard Place.
A huge YES to doing more of The Little River Band!
yes band and many other bands are melodic. not ambrosia. they are right on point. no messing around. they pegged it on every single song on their first album.
One more vote for Holdin' on to Yesterday. Awesome song. I saw Ambrosia in Phoenix in 1978 (?) with, believe it or not, Rush. It was an awesome concert and both bands did themselves proud. For something a little different you should listen to their song Mama Frog.
These love songs were written and sung by David Pack of Ambrosia. They were more rock and progressive in many of their other songs.
I actually loved this song. David Pack was influenced by Marvin Gaye which was one of his favorite songs. He can still hit the high notes. He was also fruends with the Doobie Brothers lead singer who also had hits with soul pop type songs. You should linterviews on how he wrote these songs. They just kinda flowed out onto the paper.
I don't mind the five minute song cause it's beutiful they had a live band and agreat arrangement! Where is that today?
I mean, the song is 'OK'. The first album is the one to listen to. "TIme Waits for No One' for example. "Mama Frog" if you want something unusual.
Couple of interesting tidbits regarding this deliciously cheezy tune (nothing in the world wrong with cheese BTW): "Ambrosia lead singer David Pack wrote this song, which in the first verse rhymes "arisin'" "horizon" and "realizin'." He thought the lyric would come off as Hallmark-card cheesy, so he did what any of us would do in the situation: he called Michael McDonald. Pack said he could envision bands singing it at a Holiday Inn; McDonald assured him that was a good thing." and "The drum pattern was something Ambrosia drummer Burleigh Drummond had been working on with his teacher, Freddie Gruber. "He had me doing these exercises that resulted in me playing that groove like 'Biggest Part Of Me' incessantly, Drummond said in The Yacht Rock Book. "I mean, I wouldn't stop. So at our rehearsals, we probably wrote six to eight songs that had that exact same groove. And 'Biggest Part Of Me' just happened to be the best one. So, we owe it all to my drum teacher."
🤗 I pulled out the good 🍷 Wine & crackers for all this 🧀 cheese! 😉🐰
You two are close about falling in love music but really this is what we used to call baby making music timer for obvious reasons.
“Holding On To Yesterday”is a much better representation of this band’s talent IMO…..
Holding Onto Yesterday And Nice Nice Very Nice are among their best progressive rock songs and soars above most tunes even during that magical era of the 1970’s!
Nick, you'd HAVE to be the first one to raise your hand ... cause it's your hand. No one else is gonna do it 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Seriously, Ambrosia started out VERY complex, and it was VERY good, incredible even, but they weren't selling enough albums to stay afloat, so they changed to doing more commercial stuff, as you kind of eluded to. For some other really great songs of theirs, I would do these You're the Only Woman, How Much I Feel and Holdin' On To Yesterday.
Cheese POP? Check out what Rick Beato has called, 'The Most COMPLEX Pop Song of all time'; produced by Sergio Mendez, 'Never Going To Let You Go.' Similar cheese pop level but a hecka hard chord structure. Yet a Remarkably smooth sound for such a complex piece. Cheers 😎👍🍁
Baby making music..uuhhgghhh!😊
If you do "Ambrosia" then you must do "Holdin' on to yesterday". Fun Factoid: The band had to wait for lead singer David Pack to graduate high school before they could embark on their first tour.
There was good pop and bad pop. This was really good pop. Simply a song you don't turn off when you hear it on the radio, even after years.
song is not cheesy, almost a disgrace to call this masterpiece cheesy...
My all time favorite song. I put this song on repeat somedays and listen to to it all day long. So happy your finding these great tracks from my childhood.
What's with the dudes obsession with Steely Dan.Brings them up alot. Now the shirt too? Hey nineteen. 😃
This is pure perfect pop music that just embraces you with warmth. Cheesy maybe but this is consummate songwriting and performance. Interesting thing about Ambrosia... all their hits are this sort of laid back pop but the bulk of their album tracks are straight prog.
You would love “I Just Can’t Let Go” by their lead vocalist, David Pack, Michael McDonald and the late great James Ingram. Their voices were mainstays of pop music in that period of time.
A lot of great 70s bands like little river band, firefall , orleans,atlanta rhythym section,etc.
Nice, nice: very nice!
My other favorite Ambrosia songs are, "You're The Only Woman" and "That's How Much". Absolute Gems..
So great to see you two discovering my favorite music from all those years ago. Love you guys..
LOL I was about to suggest this band as I heard you react to Little River Band. Back in the day (well my day lol) As a struggling musician, these were songs we learn to play to put food on the table. I was 20 years old just getting into Jazz and prog rock ( more jazz) anyway, bands like Pablo Cruse, Ambrosia, Little River Band, would lead us into other groups like Steely Dan, Gino Vannillelli , Passport, Weather Report. Loved the reaction and no matter how cheesy those songs still have memories for someone. Love who you are and like. Theres no onw else like you. Ok my little sop box for the day lol Stay safe guys and I love you both, cheese and all (Smiles)
The intro to this sound is very Gino!
I saw them around the time of their first album opening for Billy Preston & Ike & Tina Review back in'79. (I've seen them recently as well) They are definitely worth seeing.
David Pack re-released this a few yesrs back; you should check that one out as well.
Kids, you two are trying to figure out what to call it?? Back in the 70's and 80's we called it "Yacht Rock".
P.S. Don't be offended when I say 'kids'. I'm 59 and was around when this first played on the radio. 🙂
Baby making music is what we called it.
another Band from the 70's named " Player" they have a song called " Baby come back" incredible song, please check it out
As has already been said, this is one of their most pop songs. The musicianship ship of the band is incredible. In the early 80s I went to a new years Eve concert. 5 bands.
Ambrsia
Camel
Blue Oyster Cult
Wishbone Ash
And Rush
Absolutely incredible concert. Who I really went to see though was Camel. I was not disappointed :)
Another band along these lines is Toto. You might have heard of their guitarist Steve Lukather.
Boz Scaggs Low down live, a great video also
Early 80s era was the Yacht Rock era, and lots of progressive rock groups were making soft rock hits, including Styx, ELO, Genesis and Ambrosia. I have their first 1975 album, simply entitle Ambrosia, and as the first song says, it's "Nice, Nice, Very Nice"! Great vocals, progressive rock arrangements, and lots of unexpected discoveries along the way.
Love the way Lex's head starts moving to this song. 😍
The 70s will never die! Thanks to 70s bands like Ambrosia they are a 70s band playing in the 80s. EVERY good band in the 80s were 70s bands. The rest of the 80s was ca-rap.
Steely Dan got a lot of airplay.
Consider this. There has been songs made that should have never been put “on wax” yet popular despite the cheesy and offensive lyrics. This song by Ambrosia was NOT ONE OF THEM . This song, alone, sold millions of copies. So for the sake of argument, it’s a multi platinum song. This is a song for which the lead singer made for his wife. The soulfulness of this song is so good, without seeing their faces, very few could tell if they were black or white. Believe it or not, it’s a big deal. Anyway, thanks for sharing the song and input.
“Holding on to Yesterday” is a better representation of their original sound.
You should also do some Michael McDonald era Doobie Brothers …. Takin it to the Streets, It Keeps You Running, Minute by Minute… same keyboards sounds (Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hammond, Prophet synth, Yamaha CP-80 piano, etc.). McDonalds collaborations with Christopher Cross (Ride like the Wind) and Kenny Loggins (This is It) has the same vibe.
Pleasantly surprised to see Nick digging this. Some vintage pop is actually pretty damn good.
Lex, please share your real feelings…haters will hate but your true reaction is priceless!
Love you both!
Hollywood Florida
Load up Nice, Nice Very Nice….and also Time Waits For No one….by Ambrosia. Those are from their proggy side. Yes, they started out as proggers.
Haha! Nick; "In the end their was too much 'Ahhhhhh Hooooooo!!!!"
The 80's had plenty of that and especially during the 90's, I call that the "Aguilera Effect" - "Ahhhhhhhwhoooooooah heywa oOOoo AhhhhWooooaaahhHHHhhh hoooooo Yaaaa Yeaaaaaahhh!!" (the exaggerated R&B scat singing). And then a few years ago, what was/is known as; the "Millennial Whoop". Lots of "Oh ohhhhh ohhhhhh", "Wooooo Hooooo!", "Dooo Doo Do, oh yeah" and so on. Gimmicks that made everyone sound the same, so that it could become a formula to wash dishes to.
Here is where they come from (this is what their Wiki page says);
_While Ambrosia had several radio hits in the 1970s, much of the material on their five albums is progressive in nature._
_The founding constituents of Ambrosia were reared in Southern California's South Bay, later adopting San Pedro as their hometown. Their initial musical influences, like many of their generation, came from the Beach Boys, Jimmy Reed, King Crimson, and the Beatles. Ambrosia fused symphonic art rock with a slickly produced pop sound, resulting in a "melodic prog" style._
_Early on, the band was infatuated with Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young and began to experiment with vocal harmonies. After the group attended a show at the Whisky a Go-Go in December 1969 to see an unknown but highly recommended new band called King Crimson, their perception of music was changed._
_The musicians, inspired by the music and artists of the progressive rock era, acquired a significant regional admiration. In 1971, a friend who was doing sound for the Hollywood Bowl, invited them to play there on stage to test a new sound system that had been installed. Gordon Parry, the head engineer in charge at the Bowl, was so impressed with the group that he invited them back to attend performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He introduced them to conductor Zubin Mehta, who featured Ambrosia as part of a so-called All-American Dream Concert._
_In August 1978, Life Beyond L.A. was released. It marked a move away from their lush arrangements and introduced a more raw, aggressive jazz/R&B influence. Christopher North, who had family obligations and was not totally happy with the group's shift away from the sound of the first two albums, had left the group in 1977 during the album's recording._
Their HUGE hits though were: "How Much I Feel" and "Biggest Part of Me", and top 20 hits "You're the Only Woman (You & I)" and "Holdin' on to Yesterday".
Ambrosia, Little River Band, LeRoux, Orleans, Air Supply, England Dan & John Ford Coley, America, Hall & Oates, Seals & Crofts, Michael McDonald, including Fleetwood Mac, Doobie Brothers, Chicago and Toto, and more were all adding to the "Soft Rock" of the late 70's early 80's.
But you have Fleetwood Mac coming from a Blues Rock background with different members in the beginning, Chicago's Rock & Jazz, The Doobies from AOR, Toto becoming more Prog/Rock (even though their 1st 2 hits were AOR), and Ambrosia and LaRoux, trying their hands at "Heavy Rock" at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Ambrosia's last album in 1982; "Road Island" went back to their roots, but released a single called "For Openers (Welcome Home)", which hardly made a dent on AOR FM Radio (went #44 on the Billboard Charts), but I remember it well because it stood out for me, especially when I found-out it was Ambrosia, and knowing nothing about their original sound, only their "Hits" and the style of easy listening. It was quite Heavy, and the album going back to their roots basically ended the band.
"LeRoux" did the same, even though they were always a Soft Rock band from Louisiana. "Take a Ride On a Riverboat" with its 4-part a-cappella intro, the regional smash "New Orleans Ladies", would be their known hits. Then trying their hand at AOR Rock in 1980 ("Up") 1982 ("Last Safe Place") and had their hit "Nobody Said It Was Easy" that peaked at #18. And in 1983 went AOR/Hard/Heavy Rock (think "Night Ranger" and early "Survivor"), which had the hit "Carries Gone" and the track that really surprised me, the Heavy Rock track "Lifeline". The album was made-up of Hard Rock and Power Ballads.
Both bands really surprised me that they could Rock, but the market they were known for pretty much ended their future careers, when at a time that the Record Labels don't want to finance "experiments". But these guys had 3 more albums going back to their "Orleans" roots (some tracks having that "Little Feat" sound) and an album in 2020 "One of These Days" which sounds like Southern Rock.
I guess the "Cheese" can get a bit too much, especially back then. Its nice to go back and hear how different Pop music was compared to today's which most I can't stand. At the very least their was "musicianship" behind the hits and many of the "One Hit Wonders", but there was "Schlock" too.
I was just listening to Ambrosia's 1st album. I'm AMAZED at what they sounded like, as much as I was reminded last week how "Hard" their last single was ("For Openers"), and how good it was.
- Easy on the Cheese guys, though I like my cheese on favorite "foods", I guess it depends where the Parmesan comes from and what type of Cheddar :P.
-"You... do have some cheese, don't you?"
-"Of course, sir. It's a cheese shop!"
But this cheese is very talented cheese! LOL. Thank you for another fun reaction, Nick N Lex! For cool Ambrosia that is not as radio friendly, try Nice, Nice, Very Nice and Time Waits For No One (which is very prog).
Calculated goodness! Exactly!
We had the hotest music growing up!!! Love it!
Yes--as below, a fun Ambrosia tune is " Nice, Nice, Very Nice"
"You're The Only Woman" and "Holding On To Yesterday" my favorites of theirs. Cheers!