Crowd shot masthead ApologetiX Logo Keith Haynie plays bassBill Hubauer plays lead guitarJ. Jackson sings leadJimmy Vegas Tanner plays drums
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03.18.24Get Multiple Downloads for One Donation
03.18.24USBs Include New Single & Next CD
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03.18.24Over 1650 Tracks for $100
03.16.24Influential Albums: 1402-1408
03.16.24New CD Slightly Delayed, BOGO Continues
03.16.24How to Get the ApX Library, USBs, Multiple Downloads
03.16.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
03.16.24Easter Season Playlist 2024
03.12.24This Week's News Bulletin
03.09.24Influential Albums: 1395-1401
03.09.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
03.09.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
03.05.24This Week's News Bulletin
03.03.24New Single: '74 Solo Smashes
03.01.24A Serious Problem We're Trying to Address
02.29.24All About Our Next CD
02.29.24Influential Albums: 1388-1394
02.29.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.29.24Clues for 2024 Single #5
02.25.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.22.24Get Ready for Our Next CD
02.22.24Influential Albums: 1381-1387
02.22.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.22.24Wayne Is Retiring, What's Next for Him and Us?
02.22.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
02.19.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.19.24New Single: Billy & The Beach
02.16.24Influential Albums: 1374-1380
02.16.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.16.24Remembering ApX Friend Paul "Doc" Nigh (1956-2024)
02.16.24Clues for 2024 Single #4
02.10.24Influential Albums: 1367-1373
02.10.24Fans Making Plans to Attend Our Big Show September 1
02.10.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.10.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
02.06.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.06.24New Single: '74 & '83
02.03.24ApX Lead Singer/Lyricist Shares His Testimony 36 Years Later
02.03.24Influential Albums: 1360-1366
02.03.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.03.24Latest CD Added to iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Etc.
02.02.24Clues for 2024 Single #3
01.29.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.26.24Influential Albums: 1353-1359
01.26.24How to Get the ApX Library, USBs, Multiple Downloads
01.26.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
01.26.24Flashback: J.'s Vision for ApologetiX in 2014
01.26.24J.'s Vision for ApologetiX in 2024
01.26.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
01.24.24Checking in With ApX Alum Drummer Fred Behanna
01.22.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.22.24New Single: '70s #1 Hits That Remade '60s Top 10 Hits
01.19.24Influential Albums: 1346-1352
01.19.24Encouraging Message from Longtime Fan in Oklahoma
01.19.24This Week's Bible-Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
01.15.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.12.24Influential Albums: 1339-1346
01.12.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
01.12.24Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
01.12.24New Testament Reading Started Wednesday
01.11.24New Worship Songs Available from ApX Alum Bill Rieger
01.08.24New Single: '81 & '83
01.08.24New CD BOGO Ends Sunday
01.08.24New USB Thumb Drives on the Way
01.05.24Clues for 2024 Single #1
01.05.24Influential Albums: 1332-1338
01.05.24Have You Heard About the Other Music City Miracle?
01.05.24This Week's Bible Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
12.29.23Influential Albums: 1325-1331
12.29.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.28.232023: A Record-Breaking Record-Making Year
12.28.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
12.26.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.26.23New Single: 1974 & 2008
12.23.23Influential Albums: 1318-1324
12.23.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.23.23ApologetiX Updated Christmas Playlist
12.18.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.18.23New Samson CD Mailed to Fans, New Orders Sent as They Come In
12.16.23Influential Albums: 1311-1317
12.16.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.16.23New Story
12.16.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
12.11.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.11.23New Single: '83 & '84
12.11.23ApX Apparel: Order by Tuesday with Express Shipping
12.07.23New ApX Apparel and More: Order Soon for Christmas
12.07.23Influential Albums: 1304-1310
12.07.23Just Reword CD Added to iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Etc.
12.07.23Clues for 2023 Single #25
12.04.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.02.23Influential Albums: 1297-1303
12.02.23This Week's Bible Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
12.02.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
12.02.23New Shirts & Other ApX Merch Coming Soon
12.02.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
11.28.23This Week's News Bulletin
11.28.23New Christmas Single: All '80s
11.24.23Influential Albums: 1290-1296

Influential Albums: 561-567
Sat., Nov. 27. 2021 12:22am EST

J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.

Here are the latest entries in the "albums that influenced me" series I started writing in May 2020. Rather than listing the albums in order of preference or excellence, I'd been listing them in chronological order of when they influenced me, as best as I recall. We were well into 1987, and you'll start seeing a lot of Christian albums once we get to 1988.

However, in May 2021, I realized that I'd neglected to include many influential albums along the way, so I've been catching up on those for a while before we get to that momentous moment in '88 when my life and musical trajectory was forever changed. You'll still see plenty of secular albums after that, but music was never the same for me after.

561. ChangesTwoBowie - David Bowie
Released in 1981, ChangesTwoBowie was a nice follow-up to the 1976 compilation ChangesBowie, but it could have been so much better. I was immensely bummed that it didn't contain my favorite Bowie song, "Heroes," or "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)." I also wish it had "TVC 15." All three of those songs came out between 1976-80, so they would have fit in nicely. However, ChangesTwo Bowie did have these four favorites of mine: "Aladdin Sane (1913–1938–197?)," "Oh! You Pretty Things," "Starman," and "Fashion." It also had "Ashes to Ashes," Bowie's '80 sequel to "Space Oddity," continuing the story of Major Tom. "Ashes to Ashes" went to #1 in the U.K. but only went to #101 on the Billboard Hot 100. Personally, I preferred Peter Schilling's
'84 sequel "Major Tom (Coming Home)," which went to #14 in the states but only went to #42 in the U.K. Maybe that's part of the reason why Bowie later released a song called "I'm Afraid of Americans."

562. The Sting: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Marvin Hamlisch
I liked Sting songs many years before I got into The Police. My family had the sheet music for "The Entertainer." I couldn't read a lick of it, but I still spent many hours at the piano in our living room, figuring out the notes. Even though it was written in 1902, "The Entertainer" became a huge hit in 1974, going all the way to #3 on the pop chart and #1 on the adult contemporary chart. We owned the 45, too, and I played the flip side, "Solace," a lot as well. The Sting had been released on Christmas Day 1973. The music made me want to see the movie, but it was PG, and I was only nine at the time. I wouldn't have understood what was going on anyway, but I finally got to see it years later. Anyway, the soundtrack album went #1 for five weeks, starting in early May '74, and "The Entertainer" peaked on the pop chart that same month. The movie won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. As recently as 2018, it was ranked 20th all-time on the list of highest-grossing films in the United States, when adjusted for ticket-price inflation.

563. Greatest Hits - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
If you think Kenny Rogers' Top 40 career began with 1977's "Lucille," then you missed the first act of the show. Rogers had seven Top 40 hits with The First Edition between 1968-70, including the psychedelic smash "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" (#5) and the country classic "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" (#6). Other favorites of mine were "Reuben James" (#26) and "Something's Burning" (#11). They were all on this album, which I'm guessing I borrowed from the IUP library. For the record, the other Top 40 hits were "But You Know I Love You" (#19), "Tell It All Brother" (#17), and "Heed the Call" (#33).

564. Toto IV - Toto
Released in April 1982, Toto IV went to #4 (of course) on the album chart and garnered six Grammy awards, including Album of the Year. It sold about five million copies worldwide, including three million in the United States. This is another album I bought for somebody else, not myself, although I did have the #1 hit "Africa" and the #2 hit "Rosanna." Toto IV also contained two other Top 40 hits, "I Won't Hold You Back" (#10) and "Make Believe" (#30). My first exposure to Toto was through their first two singles, "Hold the Line" (#5) and "I'll Supply the Love" (#45), from their eponymous debut album, released in 1978. ApologetiX has spoofed both "Rosanna" and "Hold the Line," but my favorite Toto single was actually "99," an oft-forgotten #26 hit from their second album, Hydra. In 2018, Toto lead guitarist Steve Lukather published a book called The Gospel According to Luke. It isn't a biblical book (far from it), but it is one of the most interesting and refreshingly candid rock autobiographies I have ever read.

565. Aretha's Gold - Aretha Franklin
I bought this one as a discount 8-track, and it gave me problems from the outset, but what a great collection! Released in 1969, Aretha's Gold featured nine Top 10 hits and two others that hit the Top 20 — all released between 1967 and 1968. The biggest hit was "Respect," which went to #1. The second-biggest was the equally awesome "Chain of Fools," which went to #2. In fact, the hits on Aretha's Gold covered almost every position on the Top 10 without repeating: "Baby I Love You" (#4), (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (#5), "The House That Jack Built" (#6), "Think" (#7), "A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like) (#8), and "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" (#9), and I Say a Little Prayer (#10). She also had a #11 hit in 1970 with "Don't Play That Song." Aretha finally got the elusive #3 hit in 1973 with "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)." In addition to that, she'd rack up an another seven Top 10 hits, reaching all of the following positions a second time: #1-3, 5-7, and 9.

566. Greatest Hits - Tony Orlando & Dawn
This was another failed experiment on my part. I knew it was risky to buy a used 8-track at a flea market. But you gotta love Tony Orlando. And if you don't ... he still loves you. Released in June 1975, Greatest Hits featured five Top 10 hits: "Knock Three Times" (#1), "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" (#1), "Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose (#3), "Candida (#4), and "Steppin' Out (Gonna Boogie Tonight)" (#7). It also contained the lesser-known Top 40 hits "Look in My Eyes Pretty Woman" (#11), "Who's in the Strawberry Patch with Sally (#27), "Summer Sand" (#33), and "What Are You Doing Sunday" (#39). Unfortunately, it did not include the group's third and final #1 hit, "He Don't Love You," which went to #1 for three weeks in May 1975.

567. Bachman-Turner Overdrive II - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
I think I got my copy of this from my brother-in-law Dan. Released in December 1973, Bachman-Turner Overdrive II went to #4 on the album chart and featured two of the band's signature songs, "Takin' Care of Business" (#12) and "Let It Ride" (#23). ApologetiX has spoofed both of those tunes, and believe it or not, I wrote both parodies (and our spoof of their 1974 #1 hit "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet") years before our resident BTO fan, Keith Haynie, even joined the band. But it's largely thanks to Keith that I recognize other songs on this album like "Tramp" and "Welcome Home." He played a ton of BTO in the band van, bus, and RVs over the years. I like this album's opening track "Blown," too, which features lead vocals by Randy Bachman's brother Tim. My first memory of "Takin' Care of Business" involves some of the other boys in my fourth-grade class singing a spoof called "Takin' Care of Toilets." Ah, kids and potty humor.

Note: Just because the albums on my list influenced me back then doesn't mean I give them all a blanket endorsement now. I started actively listening to music in the early 70's and didn't become a born-again Christian until early '88. However, I hope you'll see (as I do) how God's hand was at work behind the scenes from the start, preparing me for the work I believe He intended for me to do.