1,001 songs to listen to before you die...

[Liam]

250.      

‘The Snake’, Al Wilson (1968)

A narrative about a woman who took in a snake, only to be bitten as the reptile reverted to type, this is fun from the opening notes. This was a cover, but apparently turned this into more of a stomper than the original bossa nova stylings. The horns dart around excitedly, Wilson hisses his way through the narrative-cum-warning, whilst the drumming rolls incorporated a full octave kit of five drums rather than the usual five. The book speaks of how popular this was on dance floors and it isn’t hard to understand why. A complete tune.

251.      

‘Oh Happy Day’, The Edwin Hawkins Singers (1968)

The Northern California State Youth Choir needed money, so commissioned Century Record Productions to record a live performance that only saw five hundred pressings. This song was one of the outcomes as another underground radio sensation was picked up, leading to this being released as a single and the choir name changed to be named after the choir leader. The singles sold millions worldwide and earned Hawkins a Grammy. I’m giving the background to this more than talking about the song as it speaks for itself. Very few things sound better than a choir in full flow, and that is what ‘Oh Happy Day’ offered.

252.      

‘Israelites’, Desmond Dekker and the Aces (1968)

Going back to the very first song on this list, this is a song I primarily know due to its bastardisation and use for an advert. However, this does this ground breaking song a complete disservice. Going to No. 1 in the charts in the UK and No.9 in the Billboard charts, it was one of the first examples of ska/reggae crossing over into other countries as well as it charted No. 1 in West Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands as well. It spoke to the power of an engaging vocal delivery and melody – the lyrics themselves were (and still are) fairly impenetrable for non-Jamaican speakers. However, that didn’t stop the success of the song one bit.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Liam

[Curt McGirt]

I doubt this makes it on, but I always thought it was a great example of covering a song and altering it enough to be totally different but awesome. This is almost proto-metal. 

 

[ohtani's jacket]

Liam, you skipped 247-249.

[Liam]

9 hours ago, ohtani's jacket said:

Liam, you skipped 247-249.

Ah, typical. I posted it elsewhere that day, didn't post it here, and forgot to rectify it. Will fix later.

[Liam]

253.      

‘Wichita Lineman’, Glen Campbell (1968)

There is something about place that often creates a great song – Route 66, Waterloo Sunset, and many more. There is an old souled nature to this song that was surprisingly written by Jimmy Webb when he was just twenty-one. Campbell had been a guitar for hire for a while, yet this hit just as his solo career really took off. It hits feelings of longing and nostalgia all at once, whilst being eternally singable.

254.      

‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, Marvin Gaye (1968)

Speaking of songs that are ‘singable’, Gaye’s ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ is another member of the club. Naturally, it’d be hard to do Gaye’s work justice, but it is definitely fun to try. The fourth take on this song (not all were released), this found success after a faster version by Gladys Knight and the Pips was No. 2 in the US charts. More passionate than the Pips with a more urgent feeling, the Gaye version went to the top of the charts both sides of the Atlantic and remains a classic.

 

255.      

‘America’, Simon and Garfunkel (1968)

The second song of the three that focuses on place as its real focus, though perhaps a song with a more negative take overall. Layered instrumentation, incorporating guitar, pipe organ and jazz fills, accompany a narrative of a road trip from Saginaw to New York, one that leaves the persona ‘empty and aching’ by the end. However, the lushness of the melody throughout represents the hope of youth in a fashion that helps to create a beautiful song overall. I’ve never heard this song, but am glad I have through this project.

[Liam]

256.      

‘Ain’t Got No; I Got Life’, Nina Simone (1968)

Influenced by: I Got a Woman • Ray Charles (1954)   

Influence on: You Remind Me • Mary J. Blige (1991)   

Covered by: Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & Trinity (1970) • Red Box (1986) • Jim Guthrie (2004) • Le Volume Courbe (2005) • Mika (2008)

A song that I always thought was greatly affirmational without really knowing the story behind it. Two songs from ‘Hair’, a musical about peace, love and freedom, smashed together during turbulent times for black people in America (Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated this year as well). What might have otherwise have been throwaway songs on the musical (having listened, they lack the punchiness of Simone’s treatment) were turned into a song that acted as somewhat more of a call to arms than the original might have been intended as. Simplistic, yet catchy.

257.      

‘Piece of my Heart’, Big Brother and the Holding Company (1968)

Influenced by: Strange Brew • Cream (1967)   

Influence on: You Had Me • Joss Stone (2004)   

Covered by: Marmalade (1968) • Dusty Springfield (1968) • Bryan Ferry (1973) • Bonnie Tyler (1977) • Etta James (1978) • Sammy Hagar (1981) • Faith Hill (1994) • Beverley Knight (2006)

A song that has been covered by everyone and their mother, meaning I’d never actually heard the this version. I can see why this one is held in such high regard (a cover itself). A standard soul version by Emma Franklin was transformed with heart wrenching delivery by Janis Joplin (a take really sung from the heart, or at least it felt so) alongside the screaming guitar sounds. This is a much more raw version of this song than I’ve ever heard before, yet it needs that to make it truly work. You should be able to feel the pain of the persona singing the song, and Joplin delivered.

258.      

‘Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud’, James Brown (1968)

During the aforementioned turbulent time for black people in America, I was not aware that the choices of James Brown hadn’t always painted him in the best light. He was criticised for performing for the U.S. Army in Vietnam for one example of his ‘transgressions’ in the eyes of some. This was a redemption song for him as much as anything; a chance to use his platform as an entertainer to show solidarity with his people. It’s James Brown – it is always going to be funky; it wasn’t always going to come with such an overt political stance.

[Liam]

259.      

‘Hard To Handle’, Otis Redding (1968)

One of the last songs recorded by Redding before his premature death (indeed, this was released after the plane crash that killed him), this ended up coming from the same album that included ‘Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay’. This song seems to have been chosen due to it being proof that he was still able to put out a banging R&B tune even at a point where people were querying as to whether that was going to be his direction going forward. An up tempo song that was very openly about getting his freak on, it is one that didn’t leave much of an impression with me outside of it being a decent song. It came, it existed, it went.

260.      

‘A Minha Menina’, Os Mutantes (1968)

One of the more eye opening pieces of music in the 60s selections so far, primarily because it is a song from a band I’ve never heard of and sounds unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. A mix of psychedelia, bossa nova and samba, all mixed up with a desire to write pop songs, led to Os Mutantes, brothers Arnaldo and Sérgio Dias Baptista and singer Rita Lee. From the moment the fuzzy electric guitar comes in, this gripped me, and the whole upbeat tone and just overall liveliness of it all is wild. A band who went on to inspire David Byrne and Beck, so influential as well as catchy.

261.      

‘Sympathy for the Devil’, The Rolling Stones (1968)

I’ve never been a huge Rolling Stones fan, but I feel like I know a decent song when I hear one. This is good, irrelevant of my apathy to a lot of the group’s output. Such open references to the Devil were always going to cause an uproar at this point in time and it all just added to this creation of the bad boy image that became the norm in heavy rock over the decades to come. Underneath all of this shock and awe though is a really catchy song. Originally a ballad, the dark samba rhythm (so the book calls it) was suggested by Keith Richards and just drives the song forward in a hypnotic fashion.

[Liam]

262.      

‘Pressure Drop’, Toots and the Maytals (1968)

Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert left prison after eighteen months for alleged marijuana possession and entered the studio to record the biggest album of his career. One that saw success on an international scale, the mix of Hibberts’ strong, uplifting vocals and a danceable ‘skank’ underneath it all make it a song that is hard not to groove along to in some capacity. Honestly, try not to move about listening to this song – it is almost impossible.

263.      

‘Cyprus Avenue’, Van Morrison (1968)

Another song that aims to evoke feelings associated with a specific place (though the road in Belfast was actually ‘Cypress Avenue’), there is something elegiac in the way this song sounds. Somewhat stream of consciousness in nature, it drifts along as Morrison talks about railroads, beauties in carriages and lonely train drivers. Morrison’s impassioned vocal delivery I think is one upon which your mileage may vary, but I personally like it. Apparently, this became a fixture of his live shows, though it involved the song shifting genres as it spiralled to a longer running time than the original.

264.      

‘Hey Jude’, The Beatles (1968)

Influenced by: Somewhere to Lay My Head • The Sensational Nightingales (1954)   

Influence on: Do You Realize?? • The Flaming Lips (2002)   

Covered by: Wilson Pickett (1968) • Ella Fitzgerald (1969) • Grateful Dead (1969)

A song conceived by Paul McCartney as a balm to support Julian Lennon as his parents were getting a divorce, it is hard to dislike ‘Hey Jude’. Yes, it is long, and yes, the last bit goes on for a ridiculous amount of time, but it is another slice of pop that just feels timeless from the Beatles. It is also another song by them that I just didn’t realise how much went into making – a thirty six piece orchestra worked on the recording, with Lennon trying his best to get them to join in on the clapping and singing on the almost four minute long coda.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Liam

[ohtani's jacket]

1967

I keep on jumping the gun about artists the list has left off. Let's run through the choices quickly:

The End would be a decent song if it was half the length. That spoken word part is atrocious -- the west is the best? Get here and we'll do the rest? I'm a poet and I don't even know it. Like most teenagers from my era, I went through a Jim Morrison phase. I still like some Doors songs, but man, that spoken word shit.

I love Captain Beefheart. I went through a period where I listened to a huge amount of his work. I swear he could release that record in any era and it would sound completely unique. Amazing artist.

What is that Sinatra song doing here? That was an incredibly weak pick in my book. Worst pick since the Elvis cover of Bob Dylan. Pick a real bossa nova track if you're so inclined.

Heroin is one of my favorite Lou Reed tracks. Great song. I prefer it to Venus in Furs or Nico's song Chelsea Girls. I've never used the stuff but I imagine it's the same rush as this song. 

The Buffalo Springfield song reminds me of every 80s TV show/film about 'Nam. Not it's fault. It's actually about protests but all I can picture is soldiers creeping through the jungle on patrol. And helicopters and napalm bombs. 

The Look of Love isn't my favorite Dusty song but I appreciate the talents involved. 

I'd Rather Go Blind is a massive tune. Actually, this song and Dark End of the Street, I first discovered through Clarence Carter, who himself was blind:

The intro to this song is amazing:

That Jackie Wilson song is one of my all-time favorite songs. You really need to watch him sing it high:

Beatles songs are a given. There's not much you can say about them. I figure everyone would make their own picks if they were in the authors' shoes.

Am I the only one who thinks that Jefferson Airplane song is god awful? If you're gonna write a song about drugs, Purple Haze is much better.

The only Spencer Davis Group song I would have considered is Gimme Some Lovin'.

I like Jimi but I don't think Fire needs to be on this list. 

I was hanging out with a friend in New Zealand at Christmas time and I asked him what he thought the perfect pop song was. We both shouted "Waterloo Sunset!" What a beautiful piece of music.

I don't mind Ode to Billie Joe. I like country music and I like a good story song. But it's not something I can put to ease whatever mood I'm in.

Some good stuff at the end. I like Leonard Cohen a lot, one of the few Love songs that really strikes a chord in me, and I really like the Lennon parts of Day in the Life. That Walker song was a decent impersonation of Brel. Lots of Aretha creeping into the list. One of the first funk songs. 

I like Pink Floyd more than I should for someone who's stoner friends thrashed it to death when I was a kid, but Emily Plays doesn't belong anywhere near this list. 

A Whiter Shade of Pale depresses the fuck out of me. 

Great Smokey Robinson song. I'm glad they included his stuff. 

Cream do nothing for me as a super group.

I actually prefer the Cat Stevens' version of The First Cut is the Deepest but the P.P. Arnold story is a compelling one. 

Other stuff from 1967:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the incredible:

 

[Liam]

265.      

‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’, Jimi Hendrix (1968)

Influenced by: Mannish Boy • Muddy Waters (1955)   

Influence on: Theme from Shaft • Isaac Hayes (1971)   

Covered by: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (1984) • The Hamsters (1996) • Kenny Wayne Shepherd (1997) • Angélique Kidjo (1998) • Térez Montcalm (2006) • Jacques Stotzem (2009)

It is hard to be a wrestling fan and not love this song. Even without that, the song just sounds so massive from the moment things kick in after the intro, screeching solos, wah-wah pedals and all. The lyrics themselves set the tone: ‘Well, I stand up next to a mountain and I chop it down with the edge of my hand’. He sounds like that is completely possible as the sheer feeling of size that this song creates never wavers.

267.      

‘The Pusher’, Steppenwolf (1968)

A song from the counterculture film ‘Easy Rider’, it was written by Hoyt Axton (great name) after a friend he knew died of an overdose. The lyrics make an interesting delineation between the dealer, with grass and dope, and the pusher, who is a monster who sells heroin, considered a much more serious issue. A pleasant enough rock song, one that feels that it gets its spot due to its head-on tackling of drugs and association with ‘Easy Rider’ as much as anything else, though the solo at around the four minute mark was pretty cool.

267.      

‘The Weight’, The Band (1968)

The book states that this song underperformed due to how it almost felt too old and comfortable, like a song of yesteryear that had been passed down through generations. It does feel curiously out of place compared to a chunk of the songs listed in and around it, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In a time where noise, drugs, and psychedelia was the way forward, this must have felt like a pair of old slippers.

[Liam]

268.      

‘Days’, The Kinks (1968)

A song I know but had seemingly forgotten the existence of up until this very moment. I also definitely had no idea that this was a track by the Kinks. This was written at a time when Ray Davies was debating about going solo due to squabbling within the band, so acts somewhat as a goodbye that celebrates the good whilst not exactly seeing them in a rose tinted manner. The book points out that Davies tended towards the down-to-earth whilst others were indulging in psychedelic streams of conscious; if anything, it helps the work from the Kinks to stand out, giving it more of a timeless feeling in its execution.

269.      

‘My Way’, Frank Sinatra (1969)

There might not be a better match of singer, persona and song narrative than Frank Sinatra singing ‘My Way’. Written by Paul Anka and inspired by a French song called ‘Comme d’habitude’ that Anka actually disliked. Sinatra, just like Claude Francois, was experiencing heart ache due to a failed marriage, whilst also contemplating retirement. The unapologetic, nostalgic lyrics may have been written by Anka, but they feel so Sinatra, building up to the crescendo of instrument and vocal that signifies the finish. A great song for a reason.

270.      

‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, Roberta Flack (1969)

A love song written by Ewan MacColl upon being introduced to his soon-to-be third wife, Peggy Seeger, this was a different arrangement that took the song to new heights. Flack’s ethereal, yet powerful in places, voice and the minimalist instrumental creates a haziness, a dreamy tone that effectively conveys falling in love at first sight. A mixture of inclusion on ‘Play Misty for Me’ and a Grammy for Roberta Flack that came four years later turned the song into more of a standard than it was originally, but there are few songs as good at catching the moment when love strikes.

[Liam]

271.      

‘I’m Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin’), Candi Staton (1969)

I’m not quite sure why, but I always assumed Candi Staton was a 70s/80s singer, rather than someone who made anything that was released in the 60s. Staton has a great ache and raspy-ness to her voice that helps to sell a narrative about standing by your man and longing for him not to leave. This up tempo song highlights a little the direction she would eventually go with disco-pleasers such as ‘Young Hearts Run Free’, whilst the instrumentation in general adds some soul to what could have otherwise been a maudlin song based on lyrics alone.

272.      

‘She Moves Through The Fair’, Fairport Convention (1969)

A traditional Irish folk song given new life as Fairport Convention (apparently) moved away from the US-centric take on folk and looked closer to home for inspiration. Sandy Denny is the singer here, a new addition to the band, and she is the star of the song with beautifully melodious vocals. The simple instrumentation adds a spectral feeling to the whole thing, with the original melody largely unchanged yet focus on the acoustic guitar and a wandering bass line. It makes me want to seek out more of their music, which is – I guess – one of the highest accolades I can personally give on this list.

273.      

‘Many Rivers to Cross’, Jimmy Cliff (1969)

Jimmy Cliff’s eponymous album had led with a couple of protest songs and a Cat Stevens cover in terms of singles, meaning this wasn’t actually released and it took its inclusion on a 1972 soundtrack for it to get its due. Cliff was searching for spiritual answers when the song was recorded, and the gospel element speaks to this being a song about Cliff’s own search. He converted to Islam shortly after this album was released, whilst the lyrics speak to a soul searching for meaning, yet defiantly so. A great song.

[Liam]

274.      

‘In The Ghetto’, Elvis Presley (1969)

Influenced by: The Wind Cries Mary • The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)   

Influence on: The Sun Refused to Shine •Richard Hawley (2007)   

Covered by: Sammy Davis Jr. (1970) • Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (1984) • The Cranberries (2001)

Having not scored a US top three in four years, ‘In The Ghetto’ was Elvis back to form and back into the eye of the public once more. Not exactly known for his political songs, Elvis was convinced to sing the song as the producer mused about offering the song to another singer – a tactic that had been known to work in the past. Elvis provides a strong vocal that feels a fair bit away from the hip shaking and lip curling of yesteryear, whilst the female backing vocalist and the brief drum beats add a lot without overpowering the rest of the tune.

275.      

 

 

‘Oh Well, part 1 and 2’, Fleetwood Mac (1969)

Influenced by: Boom Boom • John Lee Hooker (1961)   

Influence on: Black Dog • Led Zeppelin (1971)   

Covered by: Big Country (1993) • Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes (2000) • Stephen Pearcy (2006) • Todd Wolfe & Under the Radar (2008) • The Rockets (2009)

This is an interesting choice that feels a bit like the early Pink Floyd that found its way onto the list. When the later incarnation goes on to do different/more popular/better things (delete as applicable), it is always interesting to see what came before. Part 1 is blisteringly aggressive blues, whilst the second part focuses more on a slightly unnervy attempt at being spiritual. Peter Green wrote the song and this seemed to aim to catch both sides of his personality: the aggression with the peace. Part 1 is good; I can do without Part 2.

276.      

‘The Real Thing’, Russell Morris (1969)

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I read about this song, but it was six minutes I was happy to give over to it. A song written by Johnny Young, a singer who felt he wasn’t the right man to sing it, it was passed onto Russell Morris instead. Catchy from the opening bars onwards, mixing pop with psychedelic-rock and some really weird quirks throughout that made it stand out compared to other songs on the list, it was a huge hit in Australia, where Young came from.

[OSJ]

If you were to put Sinatra's version of "My Way" in the top 10, you would not necessarily be wrong.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

So, ah, yeah, this thread remains my all time favourite on this forum. I mean, you shouldn't have to feel compelled to complete the full list, Liam but, I mean, you pretty much have to now, right?

That being said, it's already popped up but Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through The Grapevine is pretty much the greatest song ever, no? Or, at least, it's almost certainly the main one that horrendous singers in my office try to sing along to when it comes on the radio.

[ohtani's jacket]

1968

I wasn't thrilled with the choices they made here. I know the point of the list isn't to represent a particular year, but 1968 was more interesting than the list would have you believe.

First off some positives -- The Snake was a song I'd never head before. Apparently, it was a big hit in the Northern Soul scene. That was cool. I really liked the Toots & The Mytals tune as well. I was wondering when reggae would start popping up. That's about it for the positives. I like that Otis song but there is any number of Southern Soul tunes they could have included in its place. I like gospel but Happy Day didn't do a lot for me. And of course, the Marvin song is a classic.

My main gripe with the list is more tracks from Nina Simone, The Kinks, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. I like all those artists -- in fact, I love Nina and the Kinks -- but I think there's room for more diversity. I know they justify their reasons for each track in the book, but I feel like they could have left off those Nina Simone and Kinks' tracks from the list and we would have been none the lesser for it. 

I like Glenn Campbell's voice but the orchestration on that track is a bit lush. I'd like to hear a stripped down version of that song with just Glenn and a guitar. One thing I learned from the choices is that Erna Franklin was Aretha's sister. I kind of like her version of Another Piece of My Heart better than Joplin's. 

It was nice to see them include Os Mutantes. And that Hendrix track is still epic. I didn't like the Simon and Garfunkel or Van Morrison tracks as much as Liam. Pusher was an interesting pick. Can't say I've delved into Steppenwolf much so that was at least new. 

Personally, I'm surprised they haven't included anything from the Zombies yet. The Zombies and Muddy Waters are the two omissions that stand out the most to me thus far.

Anyway, enough of the complaining. Here are the songs that interest me from this year:

Everyday People, Sly and the Family Stone
Folsom Prison Blues (live), Johnny Cash
Waitin' Around to Die, Townes Van Zandt
I Walk on Guilded Splinters, Dr. John, The Night Tripper
Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In), First Edition

A song I am currently obsessed with:

Should have been on the list, IMO:

Todd Rundgren's band before he went solo:

Dutch rock:

The original single:

Garage punk:

I'm not a big fan of psychedelic rock but this is cool:

Nice garage rock tune:

Nice piece of garage bubblegum:

FIRE!

More fire!

Watch out, Big Mama Thorton is pissed:

Worth watching for the video if nothing else:

Who's makin' love to your old lady?

A beautiful song Eddie Floyd wrote after Redding's death:

Did you know soul could be this sexy?

I really love William Bell if you couldn't tell:

Always listen to mama:

Hip hop fans will recognize this one:

Do Your Thing!

Lastly, a Motown song that breaks all the songwriting rules. One of my very favorite songs:

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by ohtani's jacket

[Liam]

Thanks for all the kind words thus far, and for any thoughts on the songs themselves.

I have very limited knowledge of music outside of 80-00s, with the odd song here, the odd band here. Therefore, it has been interesting getting some other potential choices listed, whilst also somewhat explaining my affinity for some songs (perhaps those I already knew) against others (where I don’t understand the context, perhaps?). I’m sure I’m shrugging my shoulders at some songs that are more important than I realise, whilst enjoying songs that shouldn’t strictly be on the list. It is hard to tell.

[Liam]

277.      

‘Sister Morphine’, Marianne Faithful (1969)

Written by Faithful, then-boyfriend Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it came from a melody that Jagger had in his head for six months. The music was recorded, with Faithful adding her vocals afterwards, though it was soon removed from sale when Decca realised what the song was about (man dying from car crash injuries, a letter written to the nurse, drugs). There is a real unnerving tone set by Faithful’s vocals, though to be expected based on the narrative of the song, and supported ably by some wandering guitar solo sections. The book references that Faithful used her cut to help fund a pretty crippling drug addiction, making the lyrics a little too on the nose.

278.      

‘Okie from Muskogee’, Merle Haggard (1969)

This feels like it makes its way onto the list more for its interesting political take rather than anything to do with the music. That isn’t necessarily a knock on the song which is a fine and catchy country music tune, just that it is Haggard’s decision to poke fun of liberals that surprised many, or so it seems. At a time when a lot of musicians were talking about counter culture ideas, Haggard took a much more conservative view of life. In some ways, I’m glad this was included in the book as much because it shows that not every piece of music was a rule breaking celebration and it strikes a balance. There isn’t much more, personally, to say about the song itself.

279.      

‘Heartbreaker’, Led Zeppelin (1969)

Bluesier and rockier than their debut album, ‘Led Zeppelin II’ was the record that produced this song. I’m going to get some hate I’m sure, but I’ve never been a huge fan of Led Zeppelin, primarily as I don’t particularly care for Robert Plant’s vocal style. However, that doesn’t take away from Jimmy Page’s guitar work, which is pretty much always on point whenever I heard a song by Zeppelin. The song pretty much stops in the middle to give Page a chance to shred, showcasing his ridiculously high level of skill. Decent, but not amongst their best for me.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Liam

[Curt McGirt]

"2 + 2 = ?" is brilliant. Never heard it until now. What a searing anti-war song.

EDIT: Whoa, and THIS was the German B-side? Dark.

Early Seger kicked ass. Look up "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man", "Heavy Music", "Lucifer", etc. 

Edited April 28, 2020 by Curt McGirt

[Liam]

280.      

‘Is That All There Is?’, Peggy Lee (1969)

A song that was originally offered to both Marlene Dietrich and Barbara Streisand, this instead found surprising fame for Lee as she had her first real hit since the 50s. The mix of spoken word and Lee’s melodious vocals is a great contrast, whilst there is something about the lyrics that catches a feeling many can empathise with. If that is all there is, why not just have a dance, a drink and some fun? There’s a coolness about the spoken word part in particular that I like, which raises this song above where it might have been otherwise.

281.      

‘Sweetness’, Yes (1969)

I don’t really know anything by Yes (I’m sure I’ve heard the odd song on soundtracks), but the book mentioned that this is a step away from the proggier style they’d furrow in the 70s. The band had wanted Paul McCartney to produce their debut album, and you can see the influence of the Beatle in this pop-rock ballad. It is all just very pleasant. Nothing mindblowing, but the instruments create a serene soundscape upon which the celebratory lyrics can flourish. It almost reminds me of a 90s indie-pop bands output, in some ways.

282.      

‘Suspicious Minds’, Elvis Presley (1969)

Influenced by: Crying • Roy Orbison (1961)   

Influence on: Jealous Guy • John Lennon (1971)

Covered by: Dee Dee Warwick (1971) • Thelma Houston (1980) • Candi Staton (1981) • Fine Young Cannibals (1985) • Dwight Yoakam (1992) • True West (1998) • Jesper Lundgaard (2002) • Helmut Lotti (2002)

If I was ever going to point to an Elvis song as my unarguable favourite, it would have to be this one. Whilst the lyrics don’t really go anywhere, it only really serves to highlight the narrative of the song, and Presley is entirely believable as the man in this story. You get an interesting fake fade out towards the end that was novel, and the live versions of this song that really ramp up the frenetic emotion of Presley take this song over the top for me. His final number one; an impressive way to go out.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Liam

[Curt McGirt]

Heh, just wait until the NEXT King Crimson song from that album shows up... night and day is putting it mildly.

[Liam]

33 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

Heh, just wait until the NEXT King Crimson song from that album shows up... night and day is putting it mildly.

Is it the right song that I posted? Someone on the other forum suggested it wasn't, but I have no frame of reference. 

[Curt McGirt]

That's a version. It's hard to find Crim online because they are Metallica/Prince-esque sticklers about their music showing up anywhere for free. The song I was referencing that should be next up is "21st Century Schizoid Man", which if "Crimson King" is on the list, I guarantee will also be. 

EDIT: Well, they might've eased up a bit, there's more than I thought on Youtube and they have an official channel now. That might've been an issue in the past anyway

Edited April 29, 2020 by Curt McGirt

[Liam]

283.      

‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’, Crosby, Stills and Nash (1969)

Influenced by: All I Have to Do Is Dream • The Everly Brothers (1958)   

Influence on: Take It Easy • Eagles (1972)  

Covered by: Liberace (1969)

I can’t start with this without mentioning that I love that Liberace is the one notable cover of this song. Stephen Stills perhaps underplayed this song by suggesting it was a collection of pieces just thrown together and called a ‘suite’. I’ve never listened to any C,S and N that I am aware of and if this is a good indicator of what they offer, then perhaps I should rectify that. Great vocal harmonies, lively instrumentation and a willingness to experiment add up to an excellent seven minute song that unsurprisingly became a live favourite.

284.      

‘Pinball Wizard’, The Who (1969)

Influenced by: S. F. Sorrow Is Born • The Pretty Things (1968)   

Influence on: Jesus of Suburbia • Green Day (2004)   

Covered by: Rod Stewart (1972) • Elton John (1975) • Mary McCaslin (1977) • Carl Dixon (2003) • McFly (2005) • The Flaming Lips (2008)

It is the guitar work underneath everything all that gives an otherwise not particularly quick song a feeling of pace and power.  Not one of Pete Townshend’s favourites in terms of writing – he thought it was clumsy – but a great example of what he could do with a guitar. Some dubious lyrics aside, it does have that grandiose scope that made it ripe for film as well as cover versions all at once. An early prototypical take on the eventually popular rock opera theme.

285.      

‘Je’ t’aime… moi non plus’, Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg (1969)

Influenced by: What’d I Say Parts 1 & 2 • Ray Charles (1959)   

Influence on: Love to Love You Baby • Donna Summer (1975)   

Covered by: Donna Summer (1978) • Pet Shop Boys & Sam Taylor-Wood (1999)

I feel that there always has to be a certain amount of props given to a non-English language song that completely permeates (penetrates?) the English speaking conscience in some manner or form. Whether you know who does it, or its full name, this is a song that most people would have heard of and would raise a wry smile. I love that the story goes that this was actually written alongside Brigitte Bardot the year before, but she got cold feet about releasing it since she was married to someone else. Birkin able filled the hole that Bardot left as they began to date and this sexually charged result was one of the results. Birkin’s sighs, moans and breathy vocals probably  got the song banned as well as contributed to its popularity. Listening to this with headphones on, I wasn't quite prepared for the aural bombardment.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Liam

[Liam]

286.      

‘Is It Because I’m Black?’, Syl Johnson (1969)

In the wake of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, attitudes towards race relations became more radical and polarised in some areas. Rather than some of the hopeful songs that have been on this list before, Johnson sings mournfully about the challenges he faces being a black man in America at the time. Bluesy and slow, the song allows Johnson’s lyrics to shine in particular as you’d probably expect on a tune that aimed to take a swipe at systemic prejudice. Johnson’s vocals sound equally bitter, world-weary and desperate as things play out over the seven minutes, though there is some hope that black people might come together to make a change. A sobering slice of history.

287.      

‘I Want To Take You Higher’, Sly and the Family Stone (1969)

Slapping bass, funky guitar and the charisma of Sly Stone make this an earworm from the get go, though there was some suggestion that it was the live version in particular that people grew to love. This was probably borne out by the relative lack of chart success even though the song was released three times: once as a B side and twice as a single. It isn’t hard to imagine this being a banger live as the funky music is coupled with call and response style vocals – all good fun for getting down to.

288.      

‘The Court of the Crimson King’, King Crimson (1969)

Influenced by: The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles, and Fripp • Giles, Giles and Fripp (1968)   

Influence on: The Devil’s Triangle • King Crimson (1970)   

Covered by: Doc Severinsen (1970) • Saxon Killing Ground (2001)

Your mileage may vary with a song like this is probably the best way to start. I’m not always the hugest fan of prog music but I don’t mind, so this isn’t too bad for me. The epic instrumentation, especially in the first half of the song, are particular highlights, though they then do give way to some interesting woodwind work that gets all a bit twee for my liking. That the writer, Ian McDonald, went on relatively shortly after this to play for the band Foreigner, which feels very, very different in tone. I think this is a song where you just have to admire the vision, whether you like what it actually sounds like or not.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Liam