SATURDAY'S SINGLES : ROCKWELL and JIM STAFFORD

[maggot]

Good morning my creepies and welcome back to Saturday's Singles, an All Halloweekend edition, as we count down the days until Halloween. With three more days to go we bring you this Sinister song from Michigan born vocalist, Rockwell (Kennedy William Gordy ). He is the son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy and is best known for the song we are spinning today. "Somebody's Watching Me" was released  January 14, 1984 on the aforementioned Motown label and produced by Curtis Anthony Nolen and Rockwell. The torrid tale of paranoia set to music reached #31 on Billboard's Top Tracks chart, #14 in Italy, Finland, and Austria, #12 in Australia, #7 in Norway, #6 in Ireland and the UK, #5 in New Zealand and South Africa, #4 in the Netherlands and Sweden, #3 in Switzerland and on the Dance/Disco Top 80, #2 in Canada, West Germany, on the Hot 100 and the Cash Box, and #1 in Belgium, France, and Spain and #1 on the Hot Black Singles chart. The tune is the title track from his debut and features an instrumental version of the song as it's B-side. Both Michael Jackson and his Brother Jermaine appear on the track.

Rockwell – lead vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, drums, percussion

Teri DeSario, Norman Dozier, Oma Drake, Marva Holcolm, Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson, Lyndie White, Monalisa Young and Terry Young – backing vocals

Nicholas Brown and Thomas J. Parker – electric guitar

Dave Cochran – bass guitar

Norman Dozier, Russell Ferrante, Jim Foeber, Gregg Karukas, Michael Lang, Anthony Santosusso and Randy Waldman – keyboards, synthesizers

Ricky Lawson, Phillip Madayag and Anthony Santosusso – drums, percussion

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Our second single comes from the Spooktacular side of things. "Swamp Witch" by Jim Stafford was released in 1973 on the MGM label and produced by  Phil Gernhard . The tune was Stafford's first single and peaked at #46 in Canada, #39 on the Hot 100, #21 in Australia. It hails from his self titled debut album and features "Nifty Fifties Blues" as it's flip side. The song warns would be trespassers to steer clear of the Swamp Witch Hattie's shack, or else. Jim Stafford was born right down the road in Winter Haven, FL and we've seen him in concert more times than we can count, have met him several tinmes, and always seem to find something for him to sign.  Last time we saw him at The Ritz, we bought a flash drive with his entire discography on it.

Jim Stafford - 

 Vocals, guitar, fiddle, piano, banjo, harmonica, humor

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