the best songs ever

[gabrielle]

Here's one from '76 I forgot:





Fond childhood memories.   (This was a favorite of my dad's)

[gabrielle]

Not sure what year this was, but I used to have this concert on 8 track when I was a kid.

[Eric the Green]

(06-21-2016, 01:06 AM)gabrielle Wrote: Here's one from '76 I forgot:







Fond childhood memories.   (This was a favorite of my dad's)

I agree with that one. I have some Lightfoot to post soon.

[Eric the Green]

Back to 1975 for this one, my favorite Doobie. It's their tightest and most thrilling composition. But it also appeals to "the days where I spent my youth," because I can see the hills above Santa Cruz and Loma Prieta from my house. In fact, in 1971 (or so) the Doobie Brothers lived on the same block as I did, and I could hear them practicing their early song which I heard as "Peanut Butter." (actually Feeling Farther Down). But I only had heard this "Santa Cruz" song once or twice when I put it on my top 400 in 1977. After a while I wasn't even sure it existed and I was about to take it off when I found it on you tube. I did not even know the title; I just assumed it was "the Hills Above Santa Cruz." But it's "Neal's Fandango", which refers not only to the lively hispanic dance, but to Neal Cassidy and the inspiring, freewheeling ways of the beatniks and the young hippies who admired him. Obviously it also reminds me of those days of my youth too. It may still be under-rated on my list, as it certainly is among Doobie tunes.





Doobie Brothers – Neal's Fandango Lyrics
Well, a travelin' man's affliction makes it hard to settle down
But I'm stuck here in the flatlands while my heart is homeward bound
Goin' back, I'm too tired to roam, Loma Prieta my mountain home
On the hills above Santa Cruz, in the place where I spent my youth
Well it was Neal Cassady that started me to travelin'
All the stories that were told, I believed them every one
And it's a windin' road I'm on you understand
And no time to worry 'bout tomorrow when you're followin' the sun

Papa don't you worry now and mama don't you cry
Sweet woman don't forsake me, I'll be comin' by and by

Goin' back, I'm too tired to roam, Loma Prieta my mountain home
On the hills above Santa Cruz, in the place where I spent my youth
Songwriters: SIMMONS, PAT
Neal's Fandango lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

[Eric the Green]

1973/74; Seven Island Suite by Gordon Lightfoot





Musically and even lyrically, has much in common with the Doobie tune above.

Interesting discussion of Seven Island Suite here:
http://www.corfid.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=15180

"If you feel it you better believe it, you're gonna see it, do you really know
It is rising like a feather, dipping and dancing from below
There's a new wave that is breaking in the wake of a passing ship
Every nation's gonna be shaken, put it together, don't let it slip"

ooo wee, yes sir ree!

lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/gordonlig...suite.html

[Eric the Green]

Finale of Quadrophenia. Also known as Pete's tune.





Interesting that gabrielle posted Heart. I posted the Heart song I preferred, which then led into Quadrophenia in the next post. Heart also did the best cover of this very soulful song, Love Reign O'er Me.

https://youtu.be/GaK0fS8WhLg

I also have developed my own vocal, organ and piano cover of it, and performed it, but I haven't recorded it yet. Obviously central to my own experience too. I have to switch to lower octaves though in places; I can't match Roger's (or Ann's) vocal range!

[Ragnarök_62]

(06-21-2016, 03:16 PM)Eric the Green Wrote: Finale of Quadrophenia. Also known as Pete's tune.

<snip vid>

Interesting that gabrielle posted Heart. I posted the Heart song I preferred, which then led into Quadrophenia in the next post. Heart also did the best cover of this very soulful song, Love Reign O'er Me.


I also have developed my own vocal, organ and piano cover of it, and performed it, but I haven't recorded it yet. Obviously central to my own experience too. I have to switch to lower octaves though in places; I can't match Roger's (or Ann's) vocal range!

Yes you can hit that vocal range. 

1. Get a script for Androgel.
2. Get that 2nd shot at puberty.
3. Problem solved.

[Galen]

(06-21-2016, 01:06 AM)gabrielle Wrote: Here's one from '76 I forgot:





Fond childhood memories.   (This was a favorite of my dad's)

Not so much after they played it 50,000 times on the radio.  Only one of the many reasons why the seventies are decade I could have done without.

[Eric the Green]

Pete Townshend and The Who's "Quadrophenia" (1973) is musical alchemy. This is most vividly presented in the 2 instrumentals; both equally great. Near the beginning is "Quadrophenia" which introduces the four main themes in succession. It is like an overture. Near the end is "The Rock" which does the same, but then combines them so that we hear 3 or 4 of the themes simultaneously. This kind of counterpoint is a rare feat in music, and you may remember that the only pop song since Quadrophenia that may have accomplished this, as far as I know, is "Pray" by Justin Bieber and the Messengers; also the best song in pop since then.







The premise of Quadrophenia is that Jimmy, the young protagonist, has mental illness. The popular idea of schizophrenia is "split personality," and although that's not actually what it is, it serves as a good idea for the opera, except that Jimmy's personality is further split into four. Furthermore, there's an "as above, so below" scenario, because Jimmy identifies with The Who, so that Pete designs four themes representing both one aspect of Jimmy's personality, and at the same time a member of The Who. Each theme appears in several places in the opera, including in the two instrumentals, and also is presented individually as a song from the opera.

The tough guy and desperate, angry-protester theme is "Helpless Dancer" (Roger's theme) which appears on side 2 of the 4 LP sides. The romantic is open to wonder and self-discovery, and is represented by "Is It Me? (for a moment)," (John Entwhistle's theme), heard as part of "Dr. Jimmy" on side 4. John had written and performed a song called "Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde" on an earlier album. The heroic but manic "Bell Boy" (Keith's theme, sung by Keith) is the final track on side 3. The lost seeker of redemption is "Love Reign O'er Me" (Pete's theme), which follows "The Rock" to conclude the album in a blaze of passion and glory with a unique, intense, rumbling, blizzard-like climax of drumming, chords, and a guitar-glissade.

The Rock represents the potential for transformation through integration of the four parts of our being, and of Jimmy's personality. Maybe we all are kind-of like Jimmy. I go on to compare the four themes in one to The World, the final card of tarot, which pictures the throne of God image in Revelation, and to the four elements in alchemical and neo-pagan/esoteric philosophy which are represented by the four beasts in the picture around the goddess of wisdom in the center. "The Rock" is the alchemical philosopher's stone of rock! Picture the 4 members of The Who on the world card: Keith is the Bull (earth/Faith), Roger is the Lion (fire/Strength), Pete is the Eagle (water/Love), and John is the Man (air/Temperance).



In the Bible, of course, the four beasts also symbolize the four main gospel writers. The four generational archetypes obviously come to mind too. But which is which? And can they come together?

[Eric the Green]

(06-22-2016, 02:39 AM)Galen Wrote:

(06-21-2016, 01:06 AM)gabrielle Wrote: Here's one from '76 I forgot:





Fond childhood memories.   (This was a favorite of my dad's)

Not so much after they played it 50,000 times on the radio.  Only one of the many reasons why the seventies are (a) decade I could have done without.

Culturally, I generally go along with the theory that "the sixties" are 1963-1973, "the seventies" are 1974-1984, and "the eighties" are 1985-1995.

(contrary to Galen, of course, it's the eighties that I could have done without; not personally, but culturally and politically)

[Ragnarök_62]

[quote pid='3555' dateline='1466581196']

galen Wrote:Not so much after they played it 50,000 times on the radio.  Only one of the many reasons why the seventies are decade I could have done without.

[/quote]


I liked the period of the 1960's-1970's.  However, I do agree that certain songs like the one mentioned here, Disco Duck, Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald, and Convoy were way overdone.  In fact I have no issue with Convoy, except the radio station overplayed that one.  Turning wise it goes as follows:

1T which hung on longer in Oklahoma : Good.
2T arrived in 1969: Good , except for Disco.
3T arrived on schedule, 1984 : Awesome in all ways.
4T This just sucks in all ways except for some good obscure songs from Airbourne,Acid King, Smoking Spore, AC/DC, etc. Some examples of suckage are the Security State, continued Wars of Choice, War on Drugs which yeah, started in the 3T, Civil Asset forfeiture = legalized robbery by government entities, and dumb Fed policies like QE.  Of course, my shitlist is pretty endless wrt 4T! I wish there were a fast forward button, but oh well.
next 1T , this can't come soon enough!
next 2T , I'll be like real old, but I think it will pan out OK if I get the same reactions my Lost relatives had.

[Eric the Green]

(06-22-2016, 11:11 AM)Ragnarök_62 Wrote: [quote pid='3555' dateline='1466581196']
I liked the period of the 1960's-1970's.  However, I do agree that certain songs like the one mentioned here, Disco Duck, Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald, and Convoy were way overdone.  In fact I have no issue with Convoy, except the radio station overplayed that one.  Turning wise it goes as follows:

1T which hung on longer in Oklahoma : Good.
2T arrived in 1969: Good , except for Disco.
3T arrived on schedule, 1984 : Awesome in all ways.
4T This just sucks in all ways except for some good obscure songs from Airbourne,Acid King, Smoking Spore, AC/DC, etc. Some examples of suckage are the Security State, continued Wars of Choice, War on Drugs which yeah, started in the 3T, Civil Asset forfeiture = legalized robbery by government entities, and dumb Fed policies like QE.  Of course, my shitlist is pretty endless wrt 4T! I wish there were a fast forward button, but oh well.
next 1T , this can't come soon enough!
next 2T , I'll be like real old, but I think it will pan out OK if I get the same reactions my Lost relatives had.
[/quote]

Off topic. But these things you mention about the 4T came along earlier. Security State is essentially post 9-11-2001. And it was not as bad under Obama. War on Drugs started in 2T, and is less-pursued now than before. Now some states have legalized marijuana. That's better than before. QE is no problem, and was the only solution allowed by the Republicans to the recession. But yeah, the recession sucks. But it is ENTIRELY the result of late 2T and 3T policies. Awesome in all ways? Of course not. The 3T sucked in all ways. You can't blame the 4T, in short, for the policies created in earlier turnings. We have to pay the piper now, and people are increasingly willing to do that. So, 4T is better! And culturally, yes, our 4T still sees the lousy results in pop and on broadcast TV from decades of earlier neglect and commercialism. As far as songs being overplayed, I think over-playing songs was the default policy of radio stations for decades, and you certainly can't single out the ones you mentioned.

[gabrielle]

(06-22-2016, 02:39 AM)Galen Wrote:

(06-21-2016, 01:06 AM)gabrielle Wrote: Here's one from '76 I forgot:





Fond childhood memories.   (This was a favorite of my dad's)

Not so much after they played it 50,000 times on the radio.  Only one of the many reasons why the seventies are decade I could have done without.

I didn't really mind hearing it over and over because I liked  it.  There were other songs from the 70s that were played over and over that I couldn't stand, like this one:





And this one:

[Eric the Green]

Now now, this is the best songs ever thread, not the worst!

[Eric the Green]

One more from Quadrophenia: Keith's theme, Bell Boy

A beach is a place where a man can feel, he's the only soul in the world that's real.

[Eric the Green]

A beautiful song from a beautiful man

[Eric the Green]

Lightfoot: Is There Anyone Home?

I wonder about that on the internet; a realm made of stone?





Turn around, there's a man behind you with a gun.

[Eric the Green]

When I think back on all the crap I've learned in high school
It's a wonder I can think at all
Though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall





1973. My Mom gave me a camera for Christmas that year, I think. I still have not converted to digital. Very expensive!
Mama don't take my kodacrome away!

[Eric the Green]

One more from 1973 for now, from early in the year. Steely Dan's first hit, and still the best. And of course you know, I like wheels going round and round. Do It Again.

[gabrielle]

(06-22-2016, 02:12 PM)Eric the Green Wrote:



A beautiful song from a beautiful man

I love this song.