Londonbeat’s “I’ve Been Thinking About You” was everywhere in 1990, hitting #1 in the US, Canada, Australia, Germany and more. Weirdly, the massive tune only made it to #2 in the UK … where the “London beat” presumably was. It’s fitting in a way since only one of the four band members was actually born in London. Two are from the US and one, Trinidad.

Eventually, there were two versions of the “I’ve Been Thinking About You” music video – the cheapo green-screen version and the one where the record company spent money on a set, more than one dancer, and a fan to blow around clothes.

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You’ve heard this song in commercials. You’ve heard it on oldies radio. It’s been used in The Crown and I, Robot and even as the name for a TV series, but odds are still good you see the wrong face in your mind when you hear Fontella Bass sing “Rescue Me.” Despite the song reaching #4 on the Billboard pop chart two years before Aretha Franklin ever had anything close to a hit single, so many people still think “Rescue Me” belongs to the Queen of Soul. Here’s the original Fontella Bass track laid over a colorized version of a live TV appearance.

You can understand why someone might hear Aretha in “Rescue Me.” Both Bass and Franklin were soul singers who grew up in the gospel choir – Bass in St. Louis and Franklin in Detroit. Aretha never officially covered “Rescue Me,” although she recorded a thirty-second version with new lyrics in the early 1990s to promote Pizza Hut. You gotta wonder if the ad agency knew it was Fontella Bass’ song when making the pitch.

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This next song has been bouncing around the back of my head since I was a kid, but I learned only yesterday that it’s not Roger Miller. It sure sounds like the guy who wrote and performed country-leaning novelty hits including “Dang Me” and King of the Road”  … but it’s actually one-hit wonder Leroy Pullins from Berea, Ky. His full name was Carl Leroy Pullins, but I think we can all agree that “Leroy” is funnier than “Carl.”

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John Valenti’s “Anything You Want” only made it to #37 on the Billboard charts in 1976, so you’re forgiven if you don’t remember it. That said, give a listen and tell me you wouldn’t believe it’s Stevie Wonder vocals over a generic disco stomp. The biggest giveaway is the guitar solo instead of a synth or clavinet.

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I’ve been sitting on this one for a while because it’s the perfect example of thinking you know who’s singing that song you’ve heard a million times. “Rock Me Gently” has that flawless Neil Diamond vibe – a voice that both belts and croons, cornball lyrics, a Brill Building level of pop songcraft … but that’s not Neil Diamond. It’s Canadian singer/songwriter Andy Kim.

1974’s “Rock Me Gently” was Kim’s only #1 in the US, but he’s not a one-hit wonder either. Kim had a total of six other songs in the Top 40 between 1968 and 1974. “Baby, I Love You” got to #9 and “Be My Baby” hit #17 – both covers of hits originally by The Ronettes. Kim sings both of those in a higher register than “Rock Me Gently,” although he could have raided Neil Diamond’s closet for this TV appearance.

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