“Heard It On The Radio” CD series were released by the now disappeared Renaissance label comprising long lost 45 rpm singles from the late Seventies / Early Eighties never obtainable on digital format before. Ironically, few or these were radio hits – in fact, many of them are rather obscure – but should have been.
Renaissance’s prime intention was the rescue from oblivion of these good ’80s songs and made them available in good audio quality not only for musicologists and archivists, but for true lovers of the AOR / rock&pop that once ruled FM radio airwaves.
There were 3 volumes (already featured here), while in 2001 two more (Vol. 4 & 5) were presented only as ‘promo’ just to promote original album reissues from some of the artists included.
The “Heard It On The Radio” series were resurrected marketing label RDEG, re-releasing the official first three volumes, and then the previously not for sale Vol. 4 & 5, but with a slightly different tracklist due legal / permission issues.
Here’s RDEG Vol.5 (featuring an almost completely different tracklist than Renaissance’s vol.5 promo).
Among the quite known numbers we find Alcatrazz biggest hit “Island In the Sun”, Chris Thompson’s Night “Hot Summer Nights”, “Burning Flame” by Vitamin Z (feat. Alan Parsons’ singer Geoff Barradale) and Tane Cain’s “Holdin’ On” which peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100.
As usual we have very rare singles from no less obscure bands like Private Lightning or Lindisfarne, and minor hits as Tony Carey’s “A Fine, Fine Day” (I love the story this song tells) or “Two Silhouettes” by Russ Ballard.
Enjoy.
01 – Alcatrazz – Island In the Sun
02 – Chilliwack – Whatcha Gonna Do
03 – Device – Hanging On a Heart Attack
04 – Esquire – To the Rescue
05 – Flash And The Pan – Down Among the Dead Men
06 – Hotel – You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
07 – Kayak – Keep the Change
08 – Night – Hot Summer Nights
09 – Lindisfarne – Run for Home
10 – Prism – Don’t Let Him Know
11 – Private Lightning – Physical Speed
12 – Russ Ballard – Two Silhouettes
13 – Sad Cafe – Run Home Girl
14 – Shooting Star – Straight Ahead
15 – Tane Cain – Holdin’ On
16 – Tony Carey – A Fine, Fine Day
17 – Vitamin Z – Burning Flame
V.A. – Heard It On The Radio Volume 5 [Renaissance Records / Rdeg rarities] 2011 , MP3+FLAC