What the Riff?!?

1977 June - Alan Parsons Project - I Robot


Listen Later

FEATURE: The Alan Parsons Project - I Robot from JUNE 1977

Isaac Asimov's science fiction was the inspiration for The Alan Parsons Project's second album, and I Robot draws on concepts of artificial intelligence in its songs. The Alan Parsons Project is a progressive rock group led by Parsons and Eric Woolfson at the core and surrounding themselves with session musicians. Alan Parsons had extensive credibility in the industry as Assistant Engineer for The Beatles "Abby Road" and "Let It Be," and had served as Engineer for Pink Floyd's monster album "The Dark Side of the Moon." Parsons and Woodson would go on to put out many albums and hits as The Alan Parsons Project.

Genesis Ch. 1 V.32

This is the last track on the album. Alan Parsons has a symphonic quality, and often features instrumental music such as this track. The book of Genesis in the Bible only contains 31 verses in chapter 1, and this title is an allusion to the fall of man and the rise of the machine. This is spelled out on the album where it says, "I Robot, the story of the rise of the machine and the decline of man, which paradoxically coincided with his discovery of the wheel, and a warning that his brief dominance of this planet will probably end because man tried to create robot in his own image."

Total Eclipse

Another essentially instrumental song with an ethereal, almost movie soundtrack quality.

I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You

This track was one of the popular singles from this album, and has made it onto Grand Theft Auto V, and the TV series Mind Hunter. The back beat is a distinctive sign that this album was released during the height of the disco era. Check out the abrupt ending.

Breakdown

The lead singer reminds our group of Lindsey Buckingham. Alan Parsons used a number of session musicians, and this provides a lot of variety in the sound.

MOVIE OR SHOW TUNE:

Star Wars Main Theme

Here's one we all know well. Folks were lining up for the movie Star Wars, and John Williams hit a home run with this instrumental masterpiece.

STAFF PICKS:

Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel

This was the first hit off Gabriel's first solo album. While this song is about his leaving Genesis, but Gabriel succeeds in keeping the song positive rather than feeling like he had an axe to grind. Written in 7/4 time.

Rocky's Hot Club - Peter Frampton

This song was inspired by Frampton's dog. Stevie Wonder plays harmonica on this entertaining track. Peter Frampton had done well with "Frampton Comes Alive," and considered himself to have rushed his next album.

Smoke From a Distant Fire - Sanford-Townsend Band

This one-hit wonder reached number 9 on the Billboard chart. These songwriters for Loggins and Messina had written this song a decade before it was released.

Telephone Line - Electric Light Orchestra

Jeff Lynne's ELO was a technological and symphonic delight. ELO's concerts entertained both in their orchestration and in the lighting and special effects they brought to bear.

LAUGH TRACK

Ain't Gonna Bump No More — Joe Tex

This novelty song gives sage (but politically incorrect) advice on who to avoid on the disco floor!

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” 

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

What the Riff?!?By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks and Brian Dickhute

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

46 ratings


More shows like What the Riff?!?

View all
Planet Money by NPR

Planet Money

30,856 Listeners

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast by Marc Maron

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

29,252 Listeners

Monday Morning Podcast by All Things Comedy

Monday Morning Podcast

31,991 Listeners

Seincast: A Seinfeld Podcast by Seincast

Seincast: A Seinfeld Podcast

1,699 Listeners

The Ben Shapiro Show by The Daily Wire

The Ben Shapiro Show

153,664 Listeners

The Von Haessler Doctrine by Cox Media Group

The Von Haessler Doctrine

705 Listeners

Carolina Insider by The Varsity Podcast Network

Carolina Insider

888 Listeners

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia by Slate Podcasts

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

2,049 Listeners

One Shining Podcast with Tate Frazier by The Ringer

One Shining Podcast with Tate Frazier

3,233 Listeners

Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast by Surely You Can't Be Serious Productions, LLC

Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast

130 Listeners

Madigan’s Pubcast by Kathleen Madigan

Madigan’s Pubcast

2,623 Listeners

Honestly with Bari Weiss by The Free Press

Honestly with Bari Weiss

8,610 Listeners

1001 Album Complaints by The Chop Unlimited

1001 Album Complaints

88 Listeners

The Tucker Carlson Show by Tucker Carlson Network

The Tucker Carlson Show

14,948 Listeners