Songs I Like

[hardrockminer]

 A singer turned 80 today.  Seems like yesterday he was singing protest songs with Joan Baez at Newport.  Then he discovered electricity and put together a group that eventually went out on their own as The Band.  Decades later he's still touring and singing, but this one probably defines an entire generation that eventually changed the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90WD_ats6eE

[hardrockminer]

I've been listening a lot to the Beatles since covid began.  Just beginning to realize how incredibly creative they were.  This song was supposedly written in response to someone who told Paul that the Who sang the wildest songs.  And Paul said...we can do that too.  The result was Helter Skelter, probably the first acid rock song ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWW2SzoAXMo

[hardrockminer]

This was so cool!  During the recording of their Let it Be album they moved the recording equipment up to the roof of the studio and played while people walked by below wondering what the hell was going on?  It was their last album and this was the last song on the album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eanMXOq4nYQ

[hardrockminer]

It was possibly the best album ever made.  It changed the direction of rock music for everyone who came after.  I remember everyone in high school singing along with "Billy Shears" in the intro.  Great stuff!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtXl8xAPAtA&list=RDVtXl8xAPAtA&start_radio=1&rv=VtXl8xAPAtA&t=122

[hardrockminer]

Some of you may remember the name Jon Kay, whose real name was Joachim Krauledat.  He sang in a Canadian band called the Sparrows, who I think I remember from the mid 60's.  They eventually became Steppenwolf, putting out a half dozen powerful hits in the late 60s.  This is one of them...a great biker song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLhpXUtxS1c

[hardrockminer]

If you like the blues you'll like this song.  It's a song about people struggling to adjust after New Orleans flooded back in 1927.  The first link is the original song played by Memphis Minnie and sung by Kansas Joe McCoy.  The second link is an updated version by a well known '70's band.  This one is lengthy, with no singing until about 4 minutes in.  I really like the rhythm in both versions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5VmVvsjyKw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwiTs60VoTM

[hardrockminer]

Marvin Gaye had the smoothest silkiest male voice I've ever heard.  But before Marvin there was Smokey, a singer who was almost as smooth and silky.  This song featuring his smoothness comes from the '60s. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv9cWgkpIZ4

[hardrockminer]

Denny Laine played and sang for Moody Blues back in the 60's and 70's.  Then he moved over to Paul McCartney and Wings.  This was his signature song with both bands but in this one he's singing with Wings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMee_r95Nfs

[Twisted_Twin]

https://youtu.be/iFq6eZBS1iM

A classic.

[hardrockminer]

https://youtu.be/iFq6eZBS1iM

A classic.

It is indeed!

I stumbled on this gem today.  JJ Cale.  I haven't heard his music for years.  You have to be good when Eric is your rhythm guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WUeOEkl270

[hardrockminer]

You can't discuss music in the '80's without including Michael Jackson.  To my mind he was the most popular and influential pop musician of the last century.  But of all his songs this one I think is one of his best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9NYDgbKsBE

[rz5mark]

I won't dispute the talent but I cannot STAND the grunts he adds between lyric lines.

[hardrockminer]

I won't dispute the talent but I cannot STAND the grunts he adds between lyric lines.

I knew this one would get a rise out of people!

This guy has been around for a while.  He was a founder of ELO, which I didn't know until recently.  I became aware of him because he was part of the Travelling Wilburys, along with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison.  He's now doing a lot of producing and is highly respected for his work.  His name is Jeff Lynne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nubi_xJJ1Jg

[hardrockminer]

This one is a classic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH-scYWytfs

[hardrockminer]

George Jones once said that Alan Jackson was the last true country singer.  What he meant was that Jackson's songs were closer to country roots than others.  George himself was the epitome of country...with songs about lost love, heavy drinking and dead dogs.  He died in 2013 after a long and successful singing career.  Here is Alan singing one of George's lost love songs at George's funeral. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EEB9Qyiu4g