Perfect Pop Songs

@mitchagain: The Dwight Twilley Band! Their first album (Sincerely) is full of great Pop-Rock. It's like Elvis crossed with The Beatles. Bill Pitcock's flurry of guitar notes in the break midsong in "I'm On Fire" is astounding! Their second album (Twilley Don't Mind) is great too, but then drummer/singer Phil Seymour left the Group to go solo, and his absence really hurt. Future albums were no longer credited to The Dwight Twilley Band (their name was originally going to be Oyster), but just Dwight Twilley. Phil's albums on Boardwalk are real good too. By the way, Pitcock and my ex were a couple for a few years, and he offered to teach our son guitar. What a missed opportunity! An early DTB video (on American Bandstand, I believe) shows Tom Petty playing bass.

Speaking of Tommy James (as someone did above), his "Mony Mony" is a great one. In a similar vein is The Guess Who's version of "Shakin' All Over", my favorite rendition (superior imo to The Who's).

@reubent, do you like the Paul Collins (U.S.) Beat? Their s/t debut is killer Pop-Rock, and they were one of the best live bands I ever saw and heard (at The Whiskey Au Go Go in late '79/early '80). Bristling with kinetic energy, at The Who levels! Pre-The Beat, Paul Collins was the drummer in The Nerves, a trio whose other members were Peter Case (later in The Plimsouls) , and Jack Lee (writer of the Blondie hit "Hanging On The Telephone"). Their single release--a 7" EP, has become collectable, selling for close to $200. My copy is staying in my collection. ;-)

Here's a great one: "Shake Some Action" by The Flamin' Groovies, produced by Dave Edmunds.