Starland Vocal Band
Encyclopedia
Starland Vocal Band were an American
pop
band
, known primarily for "Afternoon Delight
", one of the biggest-selling singles
in 1976.
of Bill Danoff
and Taffy Nivert. The band was also composed of Jon Carroll (keyboards
, vocals
) and Margot Chapman (vocals). Carroll and Chapman were also married after meeting as members of the group, but later divorced. Their son Ben Carroll is also a musician.
The group's debut album was the self-titled Starland Vocal Band and included “Afternoon Delight”. The song was a #1 hit and the album also charted
. The group was nominated for four Grammy Award
s and won two — Best arrangement (voices) and Best New Artist. The follow-up album Rear View Mirror was a failure in comparison, although it was a minor chart entry, spending 13 weeks on the Billboard 200
(reaching a peak of #104). In 2010 Billboard named "Afternoon Delight" the 20th sexiest song of all time.http://www.billboard.com/#/news/sexy-songs-4-1004066342.story
The band hosted a self-titled variety show
that ran on CBS
for six weeks in the summer of 1977. David Letterman
, then still unknown, also participated in the show, as did Mark Russell
, Jeff Altman
, and Proctor and Bergman
.
The band broke up in 1981, unable to match their previous success. Danoff and Nivert divorced shortly afterwards. Each of the band members went on to a solo career.
In 1998 the Starland Vocal Band reunited for a few concerts, often featuring the children of the four original members as vocalists. In 2007, they appeared on a 1970s special on the New Jersey Network (NJN)
, singing "Afternoon Delight".
Danoff and Nivert co-wrote the hit song "Take Me Home, Country Roads
" with John Denver
. Denver subsequently signed them to his label Windsong Records
.
s are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
. Band won two award from five nominations.
|-
|rowspan="4"|1977
|Starland Vocal Band
|Best New Artist
|
|-
|rowspan="3"| "Afternoon Delight
"
|Record of the Year
|
|-
|Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
|
|-
|Best Arrangement for Voices (duo, group or chorus)
|
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, known primarily for "Afternoon Delight
Afternoon Delight (song)
"Afternoon Delight" is the title of a song recorded by American group, Starland Vocal Band, featuring close harmony and sexually suggestive wordplay. It was written by Bill Danoff, one of the members of the band. It became a number-one U.S. Billboard Hot 100 single on July 10, 1976...
", one of the biggest-selling singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in 1976.
Career
The group began as 'Fat City', a husband/wife duoDuet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
of Bill Danoff
Bill Danoff
Bill Danoff is an American songwriter and singer. His best known song as a performer is "Afternoon Delight", which Danoff performed as a member of the Starland Vocal Band...
and Taffy Nivert. The band was also composed of Jon Carroll (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) and Margot Chapman (vocals). Carroll and Chapman were also married after meeting as members of the group, but later divorced. Their son Ben Carroll is also a musician.
The group's debut album was the self-titled Starland Vocal Band and included “Afternoon Delight”. The song was a #1 hit and the album also charted
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. The group was nominated for four Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s and won two — Best arrangement (voices) and Best New Artist. The follow-up album Rear View Mirror was a failure in comparison, although it was a minor chart entry, spending 13 weeks on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
(reaching a peak of #104). In 2010 Billboard named "Afternoon Delight" the 20th sexiest song of all time.http://www.billboard.com/#/news/sexy-songs-4-1004066342.story
The band hosted a self-titled variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
that ran on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
for six weeks in the summer of 1977. David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
, then still unknown, also participated in the show, as did Mark Russell
Mark Russell
Mark Russell is an American political satirist/comedian. He also sings and plays the piano.-Biography:...
, Jeff Altman
Jeff Altman
Jeff Altman is an American stand-up comedian who has appeared as a guest on Late Show with David Letterman 40 times, most recently on October 7, 2011. He has also had numerous acting roles in movies and television such as Dr...
, and Proctor and Bergman
Proctor and Bergman
Proctor and Bergman are the comedians Philip Proctor and Peter Bergman, two of the four members of The Firesign Theatre. The two Midwestern members of the group performed as a double act for a while in the mid-1970s and recorded a few albums, though all four members continued to perform and record...
.
The band broke up in 1981, unable to match their previous success. Danoff and Nivert divorced shortly afterwards. Each of the band members went on to a solo career.
In 1998 the Starland Vocal Band reunited for a few concerts, often featuring the children of the four original members as vocalists. In 2007, they appeared on a 1970s special on the New Jersey Network (NJN)
New Jersey Network
The New Jersey Network, or NJN, was a network of public television and radio stations serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. NJN was a member of the Public Broadcasting Service for television and the National Public Radio for radio, broadcasting their programming as well as producing and...
, singing "Afternoon Delight".
Danoff and Nivert co-wrote the hit song "Take Me Home, Country Roads
Take Me Home, Country Roads
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a song written by John Denver, Taffy Nivert, and Bill Danoff and initially recorded by John Denver. It was included on his 1971 breakout album Poems, Prayers and Promises; the single went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100...
" with John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
. Denver subsequently signed them to his label Windsong Records
Windstar Records
Windstar Records is a record label based out of Snowmass, Colorado, that was founded by John Denver in 1976. The label primarily caters to folk music artists and bands, and has signed acts such as Denver, Starland Vocal Band , Maxine Nightingale, Johnny's Dance Band, Nanette Mancini, and Tom Crum...
.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
||
| 1976 | Starland Vocal Band
|
20 |
| 1977 | Rear View Mirror
|
104 |
| 1978 | Late Nite Radio
|
— |
| 1980 | 4 X 4
|
— |
| 1980 | Christmas at Home
|
— |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
CAN RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
CAN AC RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
|||
| 1976 | "Afternoon Delight Afternoon Delight (song) "Afternoon Delight" is the title of a song recorded by American group, Starland Vocal Band, featuring close harmony and sexually suggestive wordplay. It was written by Bill Danoff, one of the members of the band. It became a number-one U.S. Billboard Hot 100 single on July 10, 1976... " |
1 | 1 | 6 | Starland Vocal Band |
| "California Day" | 66 | — | 22 | ||
| 1977 | "Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll!" | 71 | 92 | — | |
| "Liberated Woman" | — | — | — | Rear View Mirror | |
| "The Light of My Life" | — | — | 36 | ||
| 1978 | "Mr. Wrong" | — | — | 33 | |
| "Love, I Thought I Would Never Find Love" | — | — | — | Late Nite Radio | |
| 1979 | "Loving You With My Eyes" | 71 | — | 26 | 4 X 4 |
Grammy Awards
The Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., known variously as The Recording Academy or NARAS, is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its...
. Band won two award from five nominations.
|-
|rowspan="4"|1977
|Starland Vocal Band
|Best New Artist
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
|
|-
|rowspan="3"| "Afternoon Delight
Afternoon Delight (song)
"Afternoon Delight" is the title of a song recorded by American group, Starland Vocal Band, featuring close harmony and sexually suggestive wordplay. It was written by Bill Danoff, one of the members of the band. It became a number-one U.S. Billboard Hot 100 single on July 10, 1976...
"
|Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
|
|-
|Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
|
|-
|Best Arrangement for Voices (duo, group or chorus)
Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices
The Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices was awarded from 1977 to 1986. From 1977 to 1981 it was called the Grammy Award for Best Arrangement for Voices...
|
Cultural references
- The March 8, 2011 episode of GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
featured "Afternoon Delight." - In The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "'Round Springfield'Round Springfield"Round Springfield" is the 22nd episode of the sixth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on April 30, 1995. In the episode, Bart is rushed to hospital after eating a jagged metal Krusty-O and decides to sue Krusty the Clown. Whilst visiting Bart, Lisa meets her old mentor, jazz musician...
", Homer SimpsonHomer SimpsonHomer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
suggests that Lisa get a tattoo of Bleeding Gums Murphy (who died after Lisa performed "Stars and Stripes Forever" at school) just like he did with Starland Vocal Band (to which Homer realizes his mistake and says that the band sucked). Another Simpsons episode (The Fat and the FurriestThe Fat and the Furriest"The Fat and the Furriest" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, which originally aired November 30, 2003. The episode is about Homer fighting a bear.-Plot:...
) had Lenny, Carl, and Bart dance to and sing Afternoon Delight as Homer gets attacked by a bear. - In the Adult Swim airing of the Family Guy episode Stewie Kills Lois, Meg is on her bed in her pajamas, listening to Afternoon Delight while stroking a pack of hot dogs and declaring that the hot dogs would be the New York Knicks (The FOX airing has Meg in her normal clothes outside her room with the hot dogs in hand).
- Taffy Danoff has been heard on the Washington, DC morning radio show, Elliot in the MorningElliot in the MorningElliot in the Morning is a morning radio talk show hosted by DJ Elliot Segal. It airs weekdays from "5:48 until 10-something" on WWDC-FM in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and on WRXL in Richmond, Virginia...
on DC101. She has said that the members of Starland Vocal Band received a one-time payment for recording "Afternoon Delight", and receive no royaltiesRoyaltiesRoyalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
for the song. - In the motion picture Good Will HuntingGood Will HuntingGood Will Hunting is a 1997 drama film directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, and Stellan Skarsgård...
, the main character Will Hunting is forced to visit a hypnotherapist. At first he pretends to be under hypnosis by telling a youthly trauma, but soon he converts his story into the lyrics of Afternoon Delight and finishes by singing it, showing he was pretending to be hypnotised. The song is played again over the closing credits. - In the movie PCUPCU (film)PCU is a 1994 comedy film. The film depicts college life at the fictional Port Chester University, and represents "an exaggerated view of contemporary college life...." The film is based on the experiences of writers Adam Leff and Zak Penn at...
, Jeremy PivenJeremy PivenJeremy Samuel Piven is an American film producer and actor best known for his role as Ari Gold in the television series Entourage for which he has won three Emmy Awards as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor....
's character selects the Starland Vocal Band's CD from a group and puts it into the player on repeat and then locks the entertainment center forcing the party goers to hear it over and over again. - Afternoon Delight has been played in Frat PackFrat PackThe "Frat Pack" is a nickname given to a group of male Hollywood comedy actors who have appeared together in many of the highest grossing comedy movies since the late 1990s...
films such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron BurgundyAnchorman: The Legend of Ron BurgundyAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, or simply Anchorman, is a 2004 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film, which was also written by Ferrell and McKay, is a tongue-in-cheek take on the culture of the 1970s, particularly the then-new Action News format...
(a movie where the song is actually sung by the lead characters) and Starsky & HutchStarsky & Hutch (film)Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a film adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s....
. - An episodeAfternoon Delight (Arrested Development episode)"Afternoon Delight" is the 28th episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development.-Synopsis:Michael Bluth finds the frozen banana stand vandalized by teenagers, a local holiday tradition, and heads home to find his son, George Michael, to engage in their tradition of rebuilding the stand...
of Arrested Development involves two different references to "Afternoon Delight." One involving a mixup between a playful term for sex (like in the song) and marijuana, the other was an awkward rendition of the song between relatives Maeby and Michael Bluth and afterwards a duet by George Michael Bluth and Lindsay Bluth. Later George Michael sheepishly states "you wouldn't think it was so dirty." - A Sports NightSports NightSports Night is an American television series about a fictional sports news show also called Sports Night. It focuses on the friendships, pitfalls, and ethical issues the creative talent of the program face while trying to produce a good show under constant network pressure...
episode refers to Starland Vocal Band winning a Best New Artist award for 1978, beating out Elvis CostelloElvis CostelloElvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
. However, the year was wrong (they won in 1977), and they did not compete against Costello—the other nominees were BostonBoston (band)Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
, The Brothers Johnson, Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah BandDr. Buzzard's Original Savannah BandDr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band was a big band and swing influenced disco band, formed in the Bronx, New York. They are best known for their #1 US dance hit, "Cherchez La Femme"/C'est si bon, from their self-titled debut album....
, and Wild CherryWild Cherry (band)Wild Cherry was a funk/rock band best known for their funk song "Play That Funky Music".-History:Rob Parissi was raised in the steel mill town of Mingo Junction, Ohio. Parissi graduated from Mingo High School in 1968. Rob formed the band Wild Cherry in 1970 in Steubenville, Ohio, one mile north of...
. - A Murphy BrownMurphy BrownMurphy Brown is an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988, to May 18, 1998, for a total of 247 episodes. The program starred Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional CBS television...
episode has Kay relating a story of her young life in which she was the touring manager for the Starland Vocal Band.
External links
- [ Starland Vocal Band] at Allmusic
- Starland Vocal Band at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
- Bill Danoff official website
- Jon Carroll official website