CAFFE` LATTE` 
TOP 1200 CHOICE TRACKS
(MID-WEEK BONUS) #868-864
#868 IT'S TOO LATE Carole King
This Top 1200 listing includes some unforgettable examples of Carole King's songcraft. Her songbook is long and timeless with staples that include "The Loco-Motion" (Little Eva), "One Fine Day" (The Chiffons), "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"  (The Shirelles), "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (The Monkees) and "Take Good Care Of My Baby" (Bobby Vee). Her compositions have been interpreted by a range of acts as vast as The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Marcia Hines, The Drifters, Grand Funk and Kylie Minogue. 
Despite penning chart hits and international #1 songs for other acts, King's solo career floundered. That is, until 1971, and the best seller 'Tapestry' LP. "It's Too Late", co-written by King with Toni Stern, was one of the new songs included on her album. Lou Adler produced the track. Both the LP and single proved popular and reached #1. 

#867 BEDROOM EYES Kate Ceberano
Kate Ceberano was born in Australia in 1966, growing up in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Over the years, the voluptuous entertainer has wowed audiences in both concerts and musicals. Following a stint as lead singer of dance/ funk group I'm Talking in 1985, the singer has recorded prolifically, covering a wide array of musical styles, including jazz, pop, R&B and adult contemporary. "Bedroom Eyes" was penned by Raymond Jones and Sam McKinney. The former contributed backing vocals on Ceberano's version. In 1989, the track became her first solo hit, peaking at #2 in Australia (it is still her biggest hit to date). It was included on her very successful debut solo LP 'Brave'; which also reached #2 nationally.

#866 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles
The uplifting "Here Comes The Sun" is an example of how much George Harrison's songwriting ability had developed. His offerings for the Beatles' albums were now on par with compositions from principal songsmiths John Lennon & Paul McCartney. 
Harrison created the song in Eric Clapton's garden, enjoying the first signs of warmer weather. It was a welcome contrast to the tensions bubbling under that were to eventually lead to the group's denouement. Despite not being released a a physical single, it is one of the best known songs by Harrison, if not The Beatles. George Martin produced the track, augmenting it with strings. The song was one of the tracks on The Beatles' last recorded LP, 'Abbey Road'. 

#865 ROCKARIA! Electric Light Orchestra
ELO's front man and songwriter and producer Jeff Lynne was at his most creative when engineering this hit single from 1977. First heard on the group's 'A New World Record' album (issued the year before), the lyrics throw together 2 protagonists from conflicting worlds. She is from the world of opera and you can hear arias weave in and out during the song. He is a rocker evoking the roots of rock 'n roll and - as was usual for the Electric Light Orchestra- the Beatles. By the song's end, the 2 worlds have come together. It's a stomping and upbeat cut from a group that used technology to tell a story in ways that were not matched at the time. It was unusual to hear opera in a rock song; the operatic segments were performed by actual opera singer Mary Thomas.

#864 SPENDING MY TIME Roxette
Roxette is a Swedish duo formed in 1984,comprised of Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson. Their first chart successes were limited to their homeland. They burst through with "The Look" in 1989. More hits followed. 
"Spending My Time" was penned by Gessle with Mats Persson. It first emerged as a track on the duo's 1991 album 'Joyride'. The ballad features Fredriksson on lead vocals and made the charts around the world.

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