John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
"Cold Turkey"
1969

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_LLuj1LOh8

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
"Give Peace A Chance"
1969

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgyvPhc7zms

Mama Cass Elliot
"Dream A Little Dream of Me"
1968

Technically speaking this was recorded as a Mamas and Papas song, but released by the record company as a Mama Cass single as the band was in the process of breaking up and the company wanted to launch Cass as a solo artist. This caused some consternation with the band members. If you listen closely you hear John Phillips at the beginning saying "and now to sing this lovely ballad...here is Mama Cass".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtTVsfBnyRE

Roger McGuinn
"Ballad of Easy Rider"
1969

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds wrote (with a little help from Bob Dylan) and recorded this song for the movie "Easy Rider". It appears in the movie's final scene. Although The Byrds themselves would record a full band version of the song that same year and even call their new album "Ballad of Easy Rider", I prefer this solo acoustic guitar/harmonica version. To this day this version can only be found in the movie and on the soundtrack album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWoMz6C7INQ

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
"Cold Turkey"
1969

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
"Give Peace A Chance"
1969


O0 Classics!


Mama Cass Elliot
"Dream A Little Dream of Me"
1968

Technically speaking this was recorded as a Mamas and Papas song, but released by the record company as a Mama Cass single as the band was in the process of breaking up and the company wanted to launch Cass as a solo artist. This caused some consternation with the band members. If you listen closely you hear John Phillips at the beginning saying "and now to sing this lovely ballad...here is Mama Cass".


O0 I like this, too!


Roger McGuinn
"Ballad of Easy Rider"
1969

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds wrote (with a little help from Bob Dylan) and recorded this song for the movie "Easy Rider". It appears in the movie's final scene. Although The Byrds themselves would record a full band version of the song that same year and even call their new album "Ballad of Easy Rider", I prefer this solo acoustic guitar/harmonica version. To this day this version can only be found in the movie and on the soundtrack album.


O0 New to me - nice!

I'm not sure how this one exactly fits in, since it is actually by the band that the solo singer is from. Are you confused yet? In 1968 Dave Mason had a foot in and a foot out of Traffic. I guess he had left, but he recorded a solo single backed by all the other members of Traffic. The song is called "Just For You". The flipside is Dave backed by the British band Family, whom he would go on to produce an album for. That song is called "Little Woman" and it has something of a medieval feel.

A year later in 1969 "Just For You" also came out on the Traffic album "Last Exit" which was a cobbled together collection of singles, B sides and live tracks (though it holds up remarkably well). So this one is kind of an odd duck. But they're both cool songs and "Just For You" definitely has that Traffic feel.

"Just For You"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLUsQkiQvyI

"Little Woman"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URu1d6bgaPY

I could probably name several by Beatles members (specifically John, Paul, or George). In fact, I just may do so right now.

For example, George Harrison had some great solo hits, including "What Is Life" from 1971:
8eEQ4J6Lnrs

I could probably name several by Beatles members (specifically John, Paul, or George). In fact, I just may do so right now.

For example, George Harrison had some great solo hits, including "What Is Life" from 1971:


We haven't yet gotten an answer from Whistledog, who started the "best solo songs by singers who were in 70s bands" and "best solo songs by singers who were in 80s bands" (I followed suit with "best solo songs by singers who were in 60s bands") as to whether we are limiting this to solo songs by band members while they were in the bands, or whether it includes solo songs  by band members after they left (which widens the field considerably).  So far I've limited my posts to the former. Your choice falls into the latter category. I suspect it will end up encompassing all. You know how expansive things are around here.  :D

We haven't yet gotten an answer from Whistledog, who started the "best solo songs by singers who were in 70s bands" and "best solo songs by singers who were in 80s bands" (I followed suit with "best solo songs by singers who were in 60s bands") as to whether we are limiting this to solo songs by band members while they were in the bands, or whether it includes solo songs  by band members after they left (which widens the field considerably).  So far I've limited my posts to the former. Your choice falls into the latter category. I suspect it will end up encompassing all. You know how expansive things are around here.  :D


...Rrright. I just interpreted the title to refer to singers "who were in (x decade) bands" (past tense), whether or not they did solo work while still technically part of their respective bands.

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
"Cold Turkey"
1969
Please do not mention the flip side to this single.

"Saved By The Bell"
Robin Gibb
1969

He gained worldwide fame as a member of the Bee Gees pop group with older brother Barry and fraternal twin brother Maurice.

6Qahm4RKrSY

Van Morrison was originally in the band, Them.  Here's his first iconic solo smash:

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl (1967)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfmkgQRmmeE

After leaving The Guess Who in 1975, lead singer Burton Cummings embarked on a solo career and is best remembered in the US for his debut 1976 single Stand Tall which reached the Top 10 and was one of only 2 Top 40 hits he would have in the US (the other being You Saved My Soul in 1981). 

In Canada, he had many hits, and one of his best known is called Fine State of Affairs, which in 1980 became his 3rd Canadian Top 10 hit as a solo artist and is still regularly heard on radio stations that play older hits.  It's got a killer sax solo, which right there is GOLD for me!

v9Ktaf4Belg

Eddy Grant is a Guyanese-British singer who is best known for his 1983 hit Electric Avenue.  He was a founding member of the British band The Equals, who are best remembered for their 1968 hit Baby Come Back which was a #1 hit in the UK, and peaked at #32 in the US and #9 in Canada

For me, his best solo hit was the title track to the 1984 film Romancing The Stone which peaked at #26 in the US and #7 in Canada, but only reached #52 in the UK

kCt-b8xWzX4

Glenn Shorrock is a British born Australian singer who is best known as lead singer for Little River Band from 1975-1982 and again from 1987-1996, but in the 60s, he was a founding member of a group called The Twilights, who were quite popular in Australia.

In 1982, he left Little River Band for a solo career, and while he had a few hits in Australia, his only chart hit as a solo artist in the US was Don't Girls Get Lonely which peaked at US #69 in 1983.  Don't let its low chart placing fool you though.  This song is fantastic!

dwVKjobZtZo

Susan Jacks sadly passed away in April of this year.  She had such a beautiful voice and is best remembered as the lead singer for The Poppy Family of which her then husband Terry Jacks was also guitarist and singer, whose song Which Way You Goin' Billy? peaked at #9 in Canada during October of 1969 and #2 in the US during June of 1970. 

The group disbanded in 1972 and both went on solo careers.  While Susan never reached the US Top 40, Terry did with the infamous Seasons in the Sun, but both had many hits in Canada that the rest of the world never got to hear

For me, Terry's best song was called Hey Country Girl.  It peaked in Canada at #73 in 1977, has a really great flute solo and is super fun to sing along with!

SG_2ZV18Zds

In 1980, Susan reached #93 in Canada with the song All The Tea in China, which became her 9th solo hit and helped earn her a 1981 Juno Award (Canada's version of the Grammy) nomination for artist of the year.  Despite its low chart placing, it was on the radio all the time and I remember it well and still love it!

CT-hPMLU-mI

Felix Cavaliere is an American singer best known as the voice and keyboardist for the popular 60s band The Young Rascals.  In 1980, he reached #36 in the US with a solo single titled Only a Lonely Heart Sees

Sax solo for the win!

CLM14gwU9hM

One (well two) more (for now)..

Phil mentioned The Bee Gees earlier.  Here are 2 hits from 2 of the Brothers Gibb from 1984 that any pop music fan needs to know about, if they don't already! 

Barry Gibb peaked at #37 in the US and #53 in Canada with Shine Shine.  The trumpet solo in this is just fantastic!

MJWZDFU-jLg

Robin Gibb peaked at #37 in the US and #34 in Canada with Boys Do Fall in Love.  This one is in my Top 10 80s favourites of all time!  The music video is noted for an appearance of a CD player, which at the time was still new technology that cost upwards of $1,000

D8WSSG3UzwU

From Diana Ross, late of the Supremes - the theme from 'Mahogany'.
From Jim Capaldi, late of Traffic - 'It's All Up To You'.