Music Favorite songs (cont.)

[DennisN]

Hi, I'm starting a brand new thread for our favorite songs...
(the last one disappeared some time ago, and we have to have a new one, I think )

..a thread for any genre, any style of music, as Cole Porter once wrote, anything goes...

Anything Goes by Cole Porter


I start with a song I heard a couple days ago while I was in a shop, and even though I knew the song I was struck by how cool the guitar is in it... it's a classic song with great guitars, drums and vocals, well, pretty much everything in it is great :

Rush - Tom Sawyer

 

[pinball1970]

Hi, I'm starting a brand new thread for our favorite songs...
(the last one disappeared some time ago, and we have to have a new one, I think )

..a thread for any genre, any style of music, as Cole Porter once wrote, anything goes...

Anything Goes by Cole Porter


I start with a song I heard a couple days ago while I was in a shop, and even though I knew the song I was struck by how cool the guitar is in it... it's a classic song with great guitars, drums and vocals, well, pretty much everything in it is great :

Rush - Tom Sawyer

Anything goes and Tom Sawyer? Ha ha brilliant.

 

[pinball1970]

 

[pinball1970]

 

[Hornbein]

It's 100% song. The power of simplicity.

 

[Hornbein]

As far as songwriting Bob Dyllan was IT. There's a reason he got a Nobel Prize. I don't like his singing but so what? Let someone else do it.

I'd say the Perfect Song would be either The Chimes of Freedom or Mr. Tambourine Man. Everything fits together just right.



His gift evaporated long ago but so what? He has already done what he has done.

 

[DennisN]

The guitar riff in that song is just great.
But hey, don't they sound a bit like Oasis?
They sound like they copied everything from the Gallagher brothers...

But we have to give Oasis some credit, this is a terrific song without a doubt:
("I'm sure you've heard it all before, but you never really had a doubt" )

 

[pinball1970]

1976 was probably one of my most memorable years musically.

 

[Hornbein]

I was playing ebass in the Roxbury ghetto in 1973. Seals and Crofts' Summer Breeze was one of the biggest hits down there. Falsetto singing was all the rage. Marvin Gaye, Eddie Kendricks, The Stylistics. James Brown was also very popular (The Payback) but not taken seriously like Summer Breeze was.

 

[pinball1970]

Part of the Wings over America tour that was played on the radio a lot.

 

[pinball1970]

This was so different when it came out, it still sounds cool today.
Not the best lip sync though!

 

[pinball1970]

 

[pinball1970]

 

[Hornbein]

That's great.

Today they always use Autotune. It's sort of like refined sugar. I liked it until one day I'd had enough for one lifetime.

 

[Hornbein]

My fave song these days is Black Rock Shooter. (Black Rock is a launch pad in Nevada.)

This song is about how life has turned awful and a supplication to the heroine to reappear to presumably subdue evil. As you can hear, TV show theme songs are a lot more energetic in the land of J, frantic even.



Much more complex too. I have a hobby of looking for rock songs with the highest number of major and minor chords. Black Rock Shooter has 14, smashing the previous record of 9 held by Black Hole Sun. If you count seventh and sus 4 and so forth as distinct then it has 32. But you didn't notice that, yes? It sounds smooth and natural, not complicated.

It's sung by a computer program named Hatsune Miku, who must have the most recorded voice in history (though Jerry Garcia might give her a run for her money.) Her release sparked an explosion of musical creativity that lasted a few years. Bedroom composers suddenly had a low cost singer devoid of artistic temperament and available 24/7. All sorts of exciting stuff came out. Then one day it was suddenly over. Everything after that was disco. It's the sort of thing that makes you reconsider astrology -- a certain planetary alignment ended and the gate closed, boom. I'd been through that before. My time of puberty was the classic rock era. A great album came out every month or two. I didn't know this was unusual. Then bang! it was over. The door slammed shut and never opened again. Those records have real staying power. They sell even more today than they did back then.

There are numberless covers of Black Rock Shooter. Here's my fave, I guess because of the harmony singing. In Spanish.

 

[morrobay]

Good news for new music

 

[pinball1970]

 

[pinball1970]

Intro - crunchy chords yeah!

Ebm7 Ab7sus4 Dbmaj9 Gbmaj11 Cm7b5 Bmaj7 Bb7#5

 

[pinball1970]

Part of the Wings over America tour that was played on the radio a lot.

That's weird, I selected Maybe I'm Amazed 1976 version from the Wings over America tour and got Penny Lane 2003 Back in the world Tour! Anyway the below is from the album.

 

[Hornbein]

These home-recorded Joni Mitchell demos for The Hissing Of Summer Lawns are all about as good as songs ever get. You can find the others if you try.



They're better than the versions recorded with the top LA session guys. So she never recorded with them again, taking up with Jaco Pastorius instead. It hurt her popularity but what care she? She already had enough.

As a teenage unwed mother Joni had a daughter whom she gave up for adoption. They reunited maybe 50 years later.

 

[DennisN]

One of my favorite songs with one of my favorite bands:

(such a lovely song, even though there are no singing lead vocals;
the lead vocals are plain talking, but the backing vocals are singing)

R.E.M. - Belong (live)


Studio version: here

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonus, two excellent recent interviews with R.E.M. (even though they don't play together anymore);
the videos are interesting if:

1. you are interested in song writing/composing/lyrics writing in general
   
   and/or
   
   
2. you are a R.E.M. fan

Extended interview: R.E.M. on songwriting, breaking up and their lifelong friendship (CBS)


Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M. (at the producer Rick Beatos channel)


I'm such a big fan of this band that it is ridiculous.

 

[morrobay]

 

[Astronuc]

1976 was probably one of my most memorable years musically.

The Isley Brothers were a favorite band growing up. That Lady was made famous in 1973 (popular radio), but the song had been around since 1964.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Lady_(song)

 

[Astronuc]

This one is for @pinball1970

Emerson Lake & Palmer - Story of Brain Salad Surgery Documentary​

Some commentary on Carl Palmer's drum & percussion kit.


Also, see. Classical Composer Reacts to Karn Evil 9 (ELP) | The Daily Doug (Episode 273)

 

[Hornbein]

This was a hit when I was a kid. Cowritten by Paul Simon.



I like this era of pop music. It comes over the sound systems of Japan's Aeon department stores. Harmony and chords and lyrics. Now it's 90% about looks. Radio has its advantages.

I somehow remember the vocal as being very squeaky. It isn't.

Maybe I'll record a fusion version of this. Fast loud and odd time. If I ever have that much time on my hands.

 

[DennisN]

This was so different when it came out, it still sounds cool today.
Not the best lip sync though!

I had never heard it before, it sounds very interesting, thanks!

 

[difalcojr]

There were 2 albums I wanted to buy in 1967 with the ca. $2.50 that I had saved. I made a hard choice between the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Moby Grape, both new, very hot bands in San Francisco. Chose Moby Grape. One album got famous, the other is mostly unknown. Both still sound good, though. 3 lead guitars, good voices and harmony. Listen to "8:05" at the 6:29 mark. Or "Changes" at 21:46. Their one hit song was "Omaha". Original album cover shown here. It was quickly pulled back from production when it was noticed that drummer Don Stevenson was giving the middle finger salute. When I bought it, it had the airbrushed new cover sans salute. Band only all together a few years.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby_Grape

 

[robphy]

These are two of my favorite songs from Alcatrazz (Graham Bonnet / Yngwie Malmsteen).

Kree Nakoorie and Bigfoot are from the 1983 album No Parole from Rock 'n' Roll .

Yngwie is about 21 in this video. After Steeler, he joined Bonnet to form Alcatrazz.
Mid-tour, Yngwie was fired for fighting with Bonnet .
Yngwie was replaced by Steve Vai, who [according to the WIkipedia article on Malmsteen] had a day to learn the songs.

Kree Nakoorie | Alcatrazz 1984


https://genius.com/Alcatrazz-kree-nakoorie-lyrics

Big Foot | Alcatrazz (studio version)

(I like the studio version better than the live version from the Japan 1984 tour: Big Foot | Alcatrazz 1984 .)

(Other good tracks from this album: Hiroshima Mon Amour and, their hit, Island in the Sun.)

 

[difalcojr]

Found a better one. Very 60's sounding.

 

[DennisN]

One of my favorite Swedish songs, a great composition and probably not very well known outside my country:

Ted Gärdestad - Blue Virgin Isles


There is a version in Swedish, where the lyrics are actually better in my opinion:

Ted Gärdestad - Himlen är oskyldigt blå
("Himlen är oskyldigt blå" means "the sky is innocently blue")

 

[Astronuc]

Another great piece from Emerson, Lake and Palmer (1970), Take a Pebble (live performance).

 

[pinball1970]

 

[pinball1970]

 

[DennisN]

Some happy and lovely music for these dark, cold autumn evenings :

Pepesito Reyes - Descarga #2

 

[DennisN]

One of my favorite songs by Oasis (UK), I love the rock 'n' roll energy in this one:

Oasis - Lyla

 

[DennisN]

Ok, another favorite of mine by Oasis (UK)...

It's such a cool and both laid-back and heavy song at the same time; and they were at this point in their career so confident that they did not care that they opened up an album with a song that was 7m 23s long, and also released it as the first single ...

Oasis - D’You Know What I Mean? (Official Video)

 

[pinball1970]

Ok, another favorite of mine by Oasis (UK)...

It's such a cool and both laid-back and heavy song at the same time; and they were at this point in their career so confident that they did not care that they opened up an album with a song that was 7m 23s long, and also released it as the first single ...

Oasis - D’You Know What I Mean? (Official Video)

This is THE underrated song because the album was not that well received.
Summer Night City is a city in Sweden, this is Manchester

 

[DennisN]

This is THE underrated song because the album was not that well received.
Summer Night City is a city in Sweden, this is Manchester

I remember when it came, I liked it immediately. And I think I remember it was not as popular as their other songs. It is one of the most heavy and a bit psychedelic songs they did, at least as far as I know.

 

[pinball1970]

I remember when it came, I liked it immediately. And I think I remember it was not as popular as their other songs. It is one of the most heavy and a bit psychedelic songs they did, at least as far as I know.

Absolutely, the vibe is just great, harmony great and that little thing he does on the guitar, he flicks from a 4th? I'll have to check.
It's genius.

 

[DennisN]

And if I post britpop, I might aswell post three songs from three other British bands I loved :

Ride - Twisterella (genre: shoegaze)
- pretty much a perfect pop song, in my opinion (I was a big fan of Ride)



Blur - Beetlebum (genre: britpop)
- darn, it's good



Suede - Beautiful Ones (genre: britpop)
- so darn catchy and clever; I saw Suede live in Copenhagen when they were breaking through with their first album

 

[DennisN]

This is not exactly my style of music...
...but weirdly enough it's STILL one of my favorite songs EVER.

The style is sort of upbeat, but the theme is so darn sad it's crazy.

Basically the line "One Way Ticket To The Blues" suggests that the singer will always be sad. How happy is that??? It makes it probably one of the most terribly sad and depressing songs of all time .
It's the opposite of optimism - it's utter pessimism.

And I don't like pessimism.
The lyrics contain exactly 0% happiness and 0% feelgood.
But it's still a frickin' great song.
Music is really weird.

Eruption - One Way Ticket


Originally performed by Neil Sedaka.

The entire lyrics are here.

 

[DennisN]

Can someone please explain to me how it is possible that a person
can be such a godesslike singer like this...? It is almost impossible to believe.

Her vocal talent is extremely unusual. Very, very few people can match her.
She is, in my opinion, at the same level as Freddie Mercury was.
That is, right at the top of the top of the best of all times.

Adele - Someone Like You (Official Music Video)

 

[DennisN]

Another masterpiece with Adele...
I still remember when I heard this the first time.
I am not joking, I was absolutely floored, I could not believe how good it was.
I sat with a jaw drop in front of the computer...
I heard that this song was an instant classic masterpiece after the first listen.

Adele - Hello (Official Music Video)

 

[DennisN]

Another superb singer, yes, superb...
Annie Lennox, the one and only.

Here she rehearses a Queen song together with David Bowie, and she sings so good that Bowie just smiles in amazement, and a bunch of other famous musicians like George Michael stands close by and and listens to her amazing performance:

 

[DennisN]

A guilty pleasure, I am a bit embarassed that I love this song.
But it is SO darn catchy; the strings arrangement in the chorus is PERFECTION.

Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe

 

[DennisN]

Sidenote:

In the former "Favorite songs" thread (which is no more) we talked about Weird Al Yankovic, and I mentioned that the youtuber Professor of Rock might get interviews with the artist. He did, and here are two fun videos :

On 1 CHART-His PARODY SONG Was a BIGGER Hit THAN the Classic Song He Was PARODYING-Professor of Rock


Icon Guitarist Would ONLY AGREE to Song Parody on 1 Condition…He Had To PLAY On it-Professor of Rock

 

[pinball1970]

For me the last true genius song writer and performer from the UK.

She wrote this @13 and recorded it at 16, this a live performance so we just have the piano not the single version which has sublime orchestration.

 

[pinball1970]

Great song. Listening to it now after a few years I do not like the production. I would like to hear a "naked" version.

 

[DennisN]

Great song. Listening to it now after a few years I do not like the production. I would like to hear a "naked" version.

They did some great songs!

I'm still a sucker for this one , powerful beats and nice melodies:



Darn, when I listen to it I'm almost transported back to that time. Back then I was a huge Depeche Mode fan. Well, actually, I still am.

 

[DennisN]

Another excellent song by Tears for Fears, covered by Gary Jules: