70's, 80's 'Feel Good' Music

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"Get Down on It" is a 1981 song by American band Kool & the Gang. It was originally released on their Something Special album in 1981. The single was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Record World called it a "kinetic dancer" and said that the "chant-like chorus hook is contagious.

Get Down On It - Kool &The Gang​

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In 2004, British pop group Blue recorded the song for their greatest hits compilation album Best of Blue, which features Kool & the Gang and American rapper Lil' Kim. The song was released as the second single from the compilation in Japan and across Europe except in the UK. Blue's version became a hit in mainland Europe, including Spain, where it reached number three and spent eight weeks in the top 20.

Blue, Kool & The Gang, Lil' Kim - Get Down On It​

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"Never Knew Love Like This Before" is a song written and produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, and recorded by American R&B singer Stephanie Mills for her fourth studio album, Sweet Sensation (1980). The single was released in August 1980 by 20th Century Fox Records and is inspired by the birth of Lucas' daughter Lisa.
The song became Mills' most successful song in the United States, peaking at number six on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, outperforming "What Cha' Gonna Do with My Lovin'", which peaked at 22 in 1979. "Never Knew Love Like This Before" also charted on the R&B and Adult Contemporary charts, peaking at number 12 and five, respectively. The song was a bigger commercial success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number four
"Never Knew Love Like This Before" won Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards in 1981, beating fellow nominees including Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, and Minnie Riperton.

"Never Knew Love Like This Before" Stephanie Mills​

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The track received a renewed interest after the song title was used for the fourth episode of the second season of the American drama series Pose, which aired on 9 July 2019. The episode concludes with the character of Candy, portrayed by Angelica Ross, lip-synching to the song; the scene received critical acclaim.
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked "Never Knew Love Like This Before" number 19 in their list of "The 50 Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time".

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"Yesterday Once More", written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis, is a hit song by The Carpenters from their 1973 album Now & Then. Thematically the song concerns reminiscing about songs of a generation gone by. It segues into a long medley, consisting of eight covers of 1960s tunes incorporated into a faux oldies radio program. The work takes up the entire B-side of the album.
It is The Carpenters' biggest-selling record worldwide and their best-selling single in the UK, peaking at number 2.
Richard Carpenter stated, on a Japanese documentary, that it was his favorite of all the songs that he had written. He has performed an instrumental version at concerts.
According to Cash Box, on June 2, 1973, "Yesterday Once More" was the highest-debuting single at No. 71. By August 4, it had reached No. 1.

Yesterday once more - The Carpenters​

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Hong Kong singer Priscilla Chan (singer) covered the song at her 1989 farewell concert. The performance is widely regarded as one of the best cover versions of Yesterday Once More.

Priscilla Chan 1989 - Yesterday Once More​

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"The Winner Takes It All" was a major success for ABBA, hitting No. 1 in Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa and the United Kingdom. It reached the Top 5 in Austria, Finland, France, West Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Zimbabwe, while peaking in the Top 10 in Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain and the United States (where it became ABBA's fourth and final American Top 10 hit, peaking at No. 8; the song spent 26 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, more than any other ABBA single). It was also the group's second Billboard Adult Contemporary #1 (after "Fernando"). "The Winner Takes It All" was also a hit in Brazil: it was included on the soundtrack of "Coração Alado" ("Winged Heart"), a popular soap opera in 1980, as the main theme.
The track was listed as the 23rd most popular single on the US Billboard year-end chart for 1981.
A music video to promote the song was filmed in July 1980 on Marstrand, an island on the Swedish west coast. It was directed by Lasse Hallström. Appropriately, the video was shot ten days after the divorce of Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog was officially declared by the courts. It starts with a black-and-white photo montage of ABBA, then moves to the face of Agnetha singing the song. Interspersed in the video is footage of her walking alone, still photographs, and shots of the other happier members of the band.

The Societetshuset in Marstrand town, where the music video was filmed in the summer of 1980

 

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Soulful Dynamics are a band that was formed in Liberia in 1965, and arrived in Hamburg in 1969. They are best known for their 1970 hit song "Mademoiselle Ninette". Their other hits include: "Annabelle", "Birdie", "Saah-Saah-Kumba-Kumba" and "Coconuts from Congoville".

Soulful Dynamics - Jungle People​

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"Hurts So Good" is a song by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, then performing under the stage name "John Cougar". The song was a number two hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for the singer/songwriter. It was the first of three major hit singles from his 1982 album American Fool. The others were "Jack & Diane" and "Hand to Hold on To," which were all released in 1982. The song was also a critical success with Mellencamp, winning the Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male at the 25th Grammy Awards on February 23, 1983.

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John Mellencamp - Hurts So Good (Live at Farm Aid 1995)​

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John Mellencamp, Hurts So Good (live), San Francisco, March 17, 2023​

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"Knock on Wood" is a song by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper released as a single by Floyd in 1966. The song was later covered by other artists, most notably Amii Stewart in 1979. Stewart's disco version was the most successful on weekly music charts.

Knock On Wood - Eddie Floyd​

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Knock on Wood - Ami Stewart​

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John Fogerty - Knock On Wood​

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