Cats, due to the not exactly target rich environment that is the twenty first century, it might be time to do a bit of “facing backwards”, as a certain jazz artist of that era might opine.
What we would like is a bit o’ nostalgia. Back when normality was the norm and collectivists hadn’t yet lost their tiny collective simple minds.
Back when everything that was widely accepted as completely normal would be not be loudly trumpeted as “far right-wing extremism”.
Back when women did not possess “middle legs” and the concept of marrying a beagle was, quite frankly ridiculous.
Yes, we’re talking about a century that ended almost twenty-five years ago, Cats.
Back when men were men, women were sexy and various creatures of the animal kingdom had no reason to worry about a 150 kilo human heffalump attempting to “get it on” with them.
So we’d like you to identify your top three favourite songs from that century in the comments, please.
Here’s some initial candidates:
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
(I can’t get no) Satisfaction
We are the Champions/We will rock you
Wuthering heights
All along the Watchtower
Song to the Siren
Light my Fire
Mr Tambourine Man
Let’s have some tunes, Cats!
Ooh a fresh new smelling Radio Show thread!
Been thinking about it, Got three I like, but I’ll put up one which might be four or five.
Love Me Madly Again (1977)
The Righteous Brothers Unchained Melody
Er…link failure, but you all know it.
Stand By Me Ben E. King
And…Ben E. King again, A Rose in Spanish Harlem.
Sigh. I guess I’m a romantic at heart.
Before I do anything else, how do you add a link?
Time for me to add some specialness to the thread
Oh superman.
Just something completely different, haunting and one of the more unlikely hits of the century.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkfpi2H8tOE
Another simple and nice little ditty
Ice Cream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAhv0XGv8Pc
And another oddity, from Brother where for art thou.
Oh death
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehFINQKctq0
Ask me tomorrow and ill have a completely different selection.
I find this the quintessential love song.
The Air That I Breathe – The Hollies
https://youtu.be/7duPNQCp-w4?si=O72iGJ3t8U5KsKF-
The second half of the twentieth century was the age of rock music and this song is one of my favourites:
Atomic – Blondie
https://youtu.be/O_WLw_0DFQQ?si=9WmHNZWcFy1qQHMG
Dilly Dally Everton Syvester
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXW-sL5gzHQ Gerry Rafferty – Get It Right Next Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ortOAiClE34 Cow Cow Boogie by Ella Mae Morse
The 60s were the instrumentals heyday and this one always spoke to me. It’s also a superb piece of music by one of legendary guitarists.
Sacha – Hank Marvin
https://youtu.be/XuYpR6CBQLM?si=JP48sON4byIqOYlv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFv_PoZ2iP0I’ve got a Gal in Kalamazoo
FWIW here’re my three.
PJ Harvey – The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore (2000)
Sky – Desperate for Your Love (1985)
Dire Straits – Telegraph Road (1982)
First, they need to be turned up to 11 on a stereo with good bass and treble. And second I’m going on the official calendar, which says the last century ended on 31.12.2000, so Ms Harvey’s track from October of that year counts…
Sadly YT vids just don’t have the clarity of even a cheap CD player. Ah well, at least they’re available.
Lenny Kravitz
Smoke on the Water. Deep Purple.
Ghost Riders in the Sky. Burl Ives.
Stairway to Heaven. Led Zeppelin
..
But it changes all the time.
Here, There and Everywhere. Original Beatles. Covered by lots, all good. I Put a Spell on You, Nina Simone, Joe Cocker, CCR, Jose Feliciano. Lots of others. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out. Spencer Davis.
I made up a “short” list like you, Rabz.
Illusions in G Major – ELO
Love Her Madly – The Doors
All Good People – Yes
One for the Vine – Genesis
And She Was -Talking Heads
I Cheat the Hangman – The Doobie Brothers
Imitation of Life – REM
But my favourite three are:
Tightrope – ELO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy91SQ5jPtU
Downtown Train – Tom Waits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLtZKkCIVmI
I Was Only Joking – Rod Stewart (I’ll put it in the next comment)
Of course, tomorrow’s list will be different.
I love this version – two old farts having a ball, as they should. The only fault is that he’s changed the end lyric.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eky7gH6-ax0
Long way to the top
mcArthur Park (Glen Campbell)
don’t cry for me Argentina Julie covingron
Calli reminded me of ELO.
Rockaria is wonderful.
https://youtu.be/dfK8t4j7I64?si=1bb4JeA3MrYfFFmg
Drama
run joey run
tell lara I love her
to the door of the sun
the epics
nostradamus (al Stewart)
evie 1-3- Stevie wright
new York serenade (Springsteen)
I prefer the Zoot version of Eleanor Rigby, much more energy.
https://youtu.be/iptr7i7sFkM?si=aHymZicRIv8NRQ40
Disco
born to be alive
stayin alive
nutbush city limits
Had ELO on vinyl. When I finished uni I gave my turntable away to a flatmate, with all my discs. He valued the gift! Which still makes my heart warm forty years later.
ELO – The Diary Of Horace Wimp (1979)
The Great Curve … 🙂
Sun turnin’ ’round with graceful motion
We’re setting off with soft explosion
Bound for a star with fiery oceans …
Fellas, I’m ready to get up and do my thang, I tells ya!
Yeah, no, Yarks – Kashmir
Kate Bush’s only real competitor in the legendary “Seventies Siren Stakes”
Her catalogue ranks with or possibly exceeds the former’s …
Blonde V Brunette, in the best possible way.
Brandy (you’re a fIne girl) — Looking Glass
We’ve only just begun — Karen Carpenter
The hungry years — Doug Parkinson
Impossible to choose just three!
Quite a few of my faves already mentioned, here are some more.
When the Levee Breaks – Led Zeppelin
Some Velvet Morning – Nancy and Lee
Billie Jean – Whacko Jacko
I’m a Man – Spencer Davis Group
Fall of the Cards – Kim Carnes
She’s Not There – The Zombies
Does anyone think that Taylor Swift will be reverently remembered in 50 years time?
Son of a preacher man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAZLgsDRUv4
Born To Be Wild – Steppenwolf
Tuesday Afternoon – Moody Blues
Ruby Tuesday – Stones
Hey Litts – Nutbush city limits 🙂
And of course, The Tubular Bells:
https://youtu.be/y-u-u0ERQbU?si=tJOv3-vTn7lgsRAv
the past, when it was the present, looking at the future
(which is the new present)
21st Century Schizoid Man
(King Crimson. Prescient)
Who remembers the Telstar satellite when we watched live the broadcast of the first Trans Atlantic music – “Telstar”.
Here’s the music by the Tornados.
Duncan, Dusty’s string of hits are all worth a mention.
A voice that could transform mere words into living emotions. Outstanding.
Pearl Jam – Black
Tori Amos – Yes Anastasia
Dire Straits – Romeo and Juliet
Guns N Roses – Don’t Cry (Illusion II version)
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody.
Iron Maiden: Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Procol Harum: Whiter Shade of Pale.
(Sorry for the late entry. I’ve been flat out like a raw prawn.)
A thematic triplet: Love songs
Silly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap87QgZKTNw
Confused: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGpFcHTxjZs
Glaswegian funk:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_H7QykJ53g
Three more…
Visions of Johanna Bob Dylan (God knows what it’s about, I just like the line “in this room the heat pipes just cough”}
Machine Gun Jimi Hendrix (Miles Davis’ favourite Hendrix track. Allegedly)
Little Johnny Jewel Televison.
Famous Blue Raincoat Mr Sincerely L. Cohen (God knows what it’s about, I just like the line “Sincerely, L. Cohen”)
Into Dust Mazzy Star (God knows what it’s about, it just sounds like it makes sense)
Swampland The Scientists
Farmers Never Visit Nightclubs and Nightclubs Never Visit Farmers. (For the title. Early Triffids available only on cassette. Allegedly)
the chase – performed by Pepe la pue
fire (Springsteen or pointers)
keep your hands to yourself (Georgia sattelites)
jump in my car (Ted Mulry gang)
OK – I’ll throw in a couple:
There are so many possibilities, but gotta have something from two of the greatest female performers ever (1) Aretha, but not one of her classics: I always enjoy Freeway of Love, and (2) the incomparable Joni Mitchell at her peak:Coyote
Billy Field, Bad Habits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAGfBXgKwQ8
The Verve. Bittersweet Symphony.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lyu1KKwC74
Anything by Joe Jackson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ydOAVpVZ00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ydOAVpVZ00
Must add, favourite drinking song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T1c7GkzRQQ
There are so many more than just three. Anything by Floyd, (post Atom Heart Mother) Early Neil Young (up to Tonight’s The Night) Early Wings (up to Venus and Mars) ELO, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Steely Dan, and although I never liked Toto, I’d have to include their song Africa, because anybody who can fit ….. As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti into the lyrics of a song deserves a vote.
Tony.
top 3 though choice is bit arbitrary, ofc
Can – Future Days
Go Betweens – Cattle & Cane
Gimme Shelter – Stones
honourable mentions