the best songs ever

[Eric the Green]

The Hollies' best; their harmonies took some getting used to, but I realized later how profound the feelings expressed are in the innovative sounds and melody. And my brother met his wife at a bus stop.

[Eric the Green]

Oh gosh, so much to cover. It's 1966! I made this video of the flip side of That's the Way It's Gonna Be, composed and sung/played by Lee and arranged by Curt Boettcher. Some of the most heavenly vocal harmonies ever. Those were the times!

[Ragnarök_62]

(07-21-2016, 12:06 PM)Eric the Green Wrote: The Hollies' best; their harmonies took some getting used to, but I realized later how profound the feelings expressed are in the innovative sounds and melody. And my brother met his wife at a bus stop.

Odd, the song below reminds me of good times as a kid with my cousins.





It's strange how some songs are "nice" because the evoke nice memories.

[Eric the Green]

Yes they do. On the other hand, it's also true that for those who can get them, some songs and music evoke nice memories because they are so nice i.e. good; iow the best songs ever

[Eric the Green]

I want to introduce some astrology and cultural history as we go through the next group of posts that cover the Summer of 1966. Late in the year the forces were gathering for a great transformation, and for a wonderful climax of musical and cultural creativity, as well as for the polarization that has afflicted us ever since. In the next two years society exploded, in America and worldwide. In November this was correlated in the sky when during an eclipse all the planets formed into a peace symbol.



But this was just intensifying the new forces that were released in the Summer. Between June 1966 and Feb 1967 all the slow outer planets formed the base for this peace symbol in the sky. At the base of the peace symbol itself was electric and revolutionary Uranus intensified by potent Pluto in Virgo. Opposing the revolution was Saturn, the brake and symbol of the Establishment, lost at sea in Pisces. Jupiter, Neptune and Saturn formed a mutual grand trine in the 3 water signs of passion, escape and mysticism.



There have been greater cultural awakenings and revolutions before in history, which led to even greater and more-lasting achievements in the arts and deeper changes in society. But I suggest none in the lifetimes of living generations. The early 1990s had potential too, with the Uranus-Neptune alignment. Great changes in world order happened, for sure, but the cultural revolution of that time was much less profound. Certainly grunge cannot compare even a little bit. Instead, all the major changes in society in our time, for better or worse, stem from the mid-sixties, and were extended in the 1989-1994 era.

From Oct/Nov. 1965 this revolution was building up, and it was truly launched in late June 1966 when the conjunction matured. That was the lightning stroke, the detonation of the explosion. Many of us like myself actually felt it, and were transformed by it. These following among the best songs ever expressed it and helped launch it. This also applies to "That's the Way It's Gonna Be/Many Are the Times" discussed above which were also made at this time, but released a little bit later, and probably Fred Neil's "The Dolphins" and maybe Judy Collins' "Suzanne" too. And probably Pink Floyd's early jam sessions that matured into Interstellar Overdrive by 1967.

[Eric the Green]

First up is the Revolver album, the greatest ever by The Beatles, released in early August. The first to be recorded on the album, probably in April or May, was Tomorrow Never Knows, which not only well and truly launched "acid rock," but remains the best example of it. Here again is the link to the commentator I mentioned before:
https://youtu.be/-vwfGz75vlU?t=6m45s





A few years after 1966, it reached #5 on my all-time list.

Another interesting discussion!
https://youtu.be/kYYEReQx-ME

[Eric the Green]

comment on video below: Best love song ever written and admitted by Paul himself . Who's with me?

I can't find a video that defies the you-tube and UMG copyright mavens right now, but here is Paul singing it live:





And certainly as profound a mystical song as Tomorrow Never Knows; #14 on my list. After all, God IS here, there and everywhere!

[gabrielle]

I loved the Beatles when I was a teen.

[Eric the Green]

(07-23-2016, 01:37 AM)taramarie Wrote: No sorry cannot stand the Beatles. My mother likes them but not enough to own any tapes records or cds of their music THANKFULLY. She is more of an Elvis or Cliff Richard lady which is lucky for me as i have to live with whatever music she has on.

No excuse for not liking Here There and Everywhere though. Purest music!

[Eric the Green]

No videos of my next pick on you tube. Let's try this new site I found on a you tube comment. There may be some other sites that come up along with it. So here goes:

http://www.my-free-mp3.com/mp3/Got+to+Ge...he+Beatles

You have to click on the play button. Then it keeps playing.
This was the track that revved us up just before Tomorrow Never Knows. Got to Get You Into My Life! Always great to play them together. A great awakening 1966 song!

[Eric the Green]

First created in June 1966, it was circulated on an EP among the hippies. Here is an early version from that time when the cultural bomb went off and the lightning struck.

https://youtu.be/qrop2MRtsZE

A more-developed version was released on the first album by Country Joe & The Fish in early 1967, Electric Music for the Mind and Body. I like both versions; in fact I don't know which one I originally heard. It is one of the greatest and (maybe) most famous psychedelic anthems and signature tracks. A local radio host used it for his "love line" call in show theme. Especially powerful are the first two sections; the brilliant, dramatic, haunting, bewitched and ear-grabbing opening, and the following softer section that's like the Moonlight Sonata. It's one of the greatest examples of organ rock too. You know I like that! I was blown away when I first heard the EP in Jan 1967 at a UU youth conference. Just what the title "Section 43" is about, though, I never found out. Sometimes revolutionary groups are organized in sections, and this was after all Berkeley.





It gained more fame when it dropped peoples' jaws and blew minds at the Monterey Pop Festival
https://youtu.be/lt2W3mgekRo

Oh yeah, it's all-time #9 on my list. For some months in 1967 it was all-time #1.

The third track from the EP was Grace, dedicated to Ms. Slick. (Bass Strings already covered a page or two back)
https://youtu.be/ePjNmV2qKus

Later on his second album he also released a tribute song to Janis Joplin that was a hit single.

[Eric the Green]

The next two songs from the Summer of 1966 by two wonderful gals were part of my awakening, and that of others. Long lost singer Julie Monday recorded this single in 1966. Maybe I saved it for posterity by making this video, and some people appreciated it. The song was covered later by Debi Boone. Even though mostly forgotten, this song captured the wonderful spirit of those times as well as anything. Julie (where is she?) sounds something like a cross between Linda Ronstadt and Joanie Mitchell; folky, easy, romantic, natural. The elusive moment of 1966 may be gone, but today is still today. The label says written by G. Kennington and produced by Joey Brooks; a wonderful, mystical orchestral sound. That's me with Terri the Car, inviting you to come. The wistful flip side is great too: "Time is Running Out for Me"

[Eric the Green]

I probably under-rate this one considering its iconic status in my own life. Powerful vocal by Petula Clark, great orchestral arrangement, and a melody of the purest beauty, make "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love" a true classic landmark in music. Building to a great climax, I was so happy when it came out in late June 1966, and how it helped reveal love to me, at the very moment of a cultural shift I could feel happening, that I went into a mystical bliss that is still a part of me. A catalyst for my awakening at Summer Solstice 1966. Petula considers it one of her two best songs; greater than her huge hit "Downtown" that launched her career in early 1965. Like the title of her immediately-previous hit to this one in Summer 1966, this song was "a sign of the times" indeed!





While this song can represent the process of discovery of mystical love, the amazing and wonderful follow-up "Who Am I" was more specifically counter-cultural in its lyrics. "All the dreams that I believe in." Unforgettable too!

[Eric the Green]

Right before "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love" surged to the top of the current picks list I was keeping in those days, this other amazing new song was my #1 pick, which was equally significant to my subsequent "evolution" and even more influential in the culture. This was "5D Fifth Dimension" by Jim McGuinn and The Byrds. I first noticed the music, but remember-- I had taken piano lessons earlier, but not organ, and I wasn't listening to classical organ music yet. But the organ was featured in most of my favorite songs and my picks here. This was one of the first ones, and I'm sure looking back that this was part of why I liked it so much. And according to wikipedia, "The song features the Bach-influenced organ and electric piano playing of Los Angeles composer, arranger, producer, and session musician Van Dyke Parks." So it definitely paved the way for my future interests in that way.





And not only musically, but as the years followed I realized how significant the lyrics were too. I didn't really pay much attention initially. Wikipedia's comments on this are interesting too. We know that the editors are pro-science, so I wonder how much that influenced their report on the song. They give prominence to McGuinn's comments that the song was an attempt to explain Einstein's theory of relativity. But also reported is this: "Talking to Michael Ross of Creem magazine in 1970, McGuinn further explained the song's meaning: "'5D' was an ethereal trip into metaphysics, into an almost Moslem submission to an Allah, an almighty spirit, free-floating, the fifth dimension being the 'mesh' which Einstein theorized about. He proved theoretically - but I choose to believe it." The song's abstract lyrics were largely interpreted by the band's audience as being about an LSD trip, much to McGuinn's dismay. The notion that the song was about drugs was given further credence when it was singled out, within a month of its release, by Variety magazine as one of a recent spate of pop songs containing references to illegal drug use. As a result of these allegations, the song was banned by some radio stations in the U.S.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5D_(Fifth_Dimension)

Naturally, McGuinn would want to deny the song is about LSD, if that gets it banned on radio stations. But it seems a bit coy to me. For one thing, on the Fifth Dimension album which came out on July 18, and which I bought quickly, the Byrds are pictured as standing and sitting on some kind of magic rug, all of them holding cups. Now, what is in those cups? And of course there's the psychedelic colors in the name "Byrds." And they had a bit earlier in 1966 released as a single "Eight Miles High," which is widely regarded as the first psychedelic song, and was included on the album.



And then, the lyrics are strikingly similar to those of " Tomorrow Never Knows ."
http://genius.com/The-beatles-tomorrow-n...ows-lyrics
Now, we know these were taken from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, a key book from mystical Buddhism, so the mystical aspect and not the science aspect must be the main point of the song. Of course John Lennon used the book as a guide to taking an LSD trip. And what about the line, "I saw the great blunder my teachers had made, scientific delirium madness" which is scarcely an endorsement of science, but seems to me to indicate that McGuinn had transcended the scientific delusions which limit our consciousness. I certainly regarded the song more and more as great advice to live by as well as a guide to some kind of trip. Particularly the line, "just relaxed and payin' attention."

Oh, how is it that I could come out to here
And be still floatin'
And never hit bottom and keep falling through
Just relaxed and paying attention

All my two dimensional boundaries were gone
I had lost to them badly
I saw that world crumble and thought I was dead
But I found my senses still working

And as I continued to drop through the hole
I found all surrounding
To show me that joy innocently is
Just be quiet and feel it around you

And I opened my heart to the whole universe
And I found it was loving
And I saw the great blunder my teachers had made
Scientific delerium madness

Oh!

I will keep falling as long as I live
All without ending
And I will remember the place that is now
That has ended before the beginning

Oh, how is it that I could come out to here
And be still floatin'
And never hit bottom and keep falling through
Just relaxed and paying attention

http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/The_Byrds:5...Dimension)

[Eric the Green]

I always listen to the next very-experiential and scenic track on this landmark 1966 Byrds album, which is certainly the best version of one of the best folk songs ever, Wild Mountain Thyme; also known as "Purple Heather" and "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?" Based on old Scottish and Irish airs, it's first form was "The Braes of Balquhither" by Scottish poet Robert Tannahill (1774–1810). Francis Peake of the UK put together the song we know, and recorded and released it in 1957.





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

It has been recorded by over 80 artists, including:
Judy Collins
Joan Baez
The New Christy Minstrels
Lee Mallory
Bob Dylan
Marianne Faithful
Van Morrison
Bert Jansch (of Pentangle)
Glenn Frey
Rod Stewart
The Irish Rovers
Lisa Lynne
James Taylor
Thin Lizzy
many more-recent artists
etc.

"carry your cup in your hand!"

[Eric the Green]

Side 2 track 1 on Fifth Dimension by the Byrds, is known as the first psychedelic song, Eight Miles High. I got to like it as much as Wild Mountain Thyme and 5D, although I didn't like it that much when it was a single. Because of its unusual instrumentation and melody, it takes time to grow on you, perhaps. Of course for someone like Tara, a lot of these psychedelic songs would take some time to appreciate.





wikipedia says:
"Eight Miles High" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds, written by Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn (a.k.a. Roger McGuinn), and David Crosby and first released as a single on March 14, 1966 (see 1966 in music). Musically influenced by Ravi Shankar and John Coltrane, "Eight Miles High", along with its McGuinn and Crosby-penned B-side "Why", was influential in developing the musical styles of psychedelic rock, raga rock, and psychedelic pop. Accordingly, critics often cite "Eight Miles High" as being the first bona fide psychedelic rock song, as well as a classic of the counterculture era.

The song was subject to a U.S. radio ban shortly after its release, following allegations published in the broadcasting trade journal the Gavin Report regarding perceived drug connotations in its lyrics. The band strenuously denied these allegations at the time, but in later years both Clark and Crosby admitted that the song was at least partly inspired by their own drug use. The failure of "Eight Miles High" to reach the Billboard Top 10 is usually attributed to the broadcasting ban, but some commentators have suggested that the song's complexity and uncommercial nature were greater factors.

"Eight Miles High" reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 24 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was also included on the band's third album, Fifth Dimension, which was released on July 18, 1966. "Eight Miles High" became the Byrds' third and final U.S. Top 20 hit, and was also their last release before the departure of Gene Clark, the band's principal songwriter at the time.

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

Even their name "The Byrds" seems an obvious reference to flying high, or getting high, and probably refers to "take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship" from their first big hit Mr. Tambourine Man. We'll get to a version of that one.

[Eric the Green]

Good Tara, thanks. Happy listening.

[Eric the Green]

The Byrds' Fifth Dimension was in another dimension of music and sound. Two more goodies! This is David Crosby's explanation of a satori awakening experience and sheer wonder of life. I'm not crying; laughing mostly, as you can see.





Rock solid folk-rock-psychedelic, intriguing lyrics. The 1966 vibes to the max! I See You!





For a borderline Byrds pick or honorable mention, I'll go back to 1965 for The Bells of Rhymney. It was in fact used as the theme for the late 1966-early 1967 radio show on KFRC on which I first heard Get Together and Suzanne, where those songs were first broadcast ever. The show had a long title, but basically it was from the Bible, "the transcendental mustard seed." Ah, here tis!

http://bayarearadio.org/audio/mustardseed/index.shtml

Such a wonderful show. Mr. Pierce also appeared on the San Jose progressive rock station, I think it was the one my Dad built, KOME, as "A friend", or at the other station he worked at in the 50s, KSJO; not sure now, in the early 1970s; this gig was not mentioned in the article, probably because most people didn't know that "A Friend" was Allan Pierce. But I knew, because his voice was unmistakable.

From a tribute to Mr. Pierce on the 3rd Ear Music website:

"Allan Pierce was always the wise ever-slim & thin elder laid-back statesman, even in those early days. Grey sideburns & lengthy thinning hair - sometimes under the braided British golf cap - underscored by a broad constant well-weathered & experience-lined smile... and that voice! That voice that he could wield like a wand regardless of whether he was advising, scolding or charming you, on air or face-to-face; extracting the potential artist & rebels out of us all.

His role on earth seemed to be checking out the good in all humanity; giving people breaks & making us feel good about ourselves, whether we deserved it or not."

A Program, featuring the theme song: http://bayarearadio.org/audio/mustardsee...ed%201.mp3

Here's the song:

https://youtu.be/rGFb_xZR3K0

From wikipedia:
"The Bells of Rhymney" is a song first recorded by folk singer Pete Seeger, using words written by Welsh poet Idris Davies. The lyrics to the song were drawn from part of Davies' poetic work Gwalia Deserta, which was first published in 1938.[1] The work was inspired by a local coal mining disaster and by the failure of the 1926 General Strike and the "Bells of Rhymney" stanzas follow the pattern of the nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons".[1][2] In addition to Rhymney, the poem also refers to the bells of a number of other places in South Wales, including Merthyr, Rhondda, Blaina, Caerphilly, Neath, Brecon, Swansea, Newport, Cardiff, and the Wye Valley.[1][3]

Two decades after Gwalia Deserta was published, Seeger used one part of the work as lyrics for his song "The Bells of Rhymney" after discovering them in a book by Dylan Thomas.[4] The song was first released as part of a suite of songs, including "Sinking of the Ruben James" and "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly", on Seeger and Sonny Terry's 1958 live album, Pete Seeger and Sonny Terry.[5] The song was also included on Seeger's 1967 compilation album, Pete Seeger's Greatest Hits.[6] Seeger's recording included his whistling Coda, which was done live. Also, the word "IF" is repeated in the third verse.

Arguably the most famous rendition of the song is the version recorded by the American folk rock band The Byrds.[2] The Byrds' recording of "The Bells of Rhymney" was committed to tape on April 14, 1965, and released as part of the band's debut album, Mr. Tambourine Man.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bells_of_Rhymney

[Eric the Green]

I was lucky enough to get this album for free, because Epic Records also did a lot of classical music and also sent this album to our house for my Dad's radio station. I appropriated it! This song is strikingly flowing, sweeping, folk-psychedelic, scenic, earth-goddess music! Donovan, "Celeste"





Dedicated by Donovan to "the lady weaver of all the skies"

The same flowing song/music-techniques appeared in Section 43 and in the Doors' "The End."

During that magical moment of Summer 1966, the current number one hit was " Sunshine Superman ," the opening title track on this album. It has some other "best song" goddie-goodies though! This was a very hip and influential album in the "scene." So I'll post a couple of other tracks next. Well, I guess I have to make it three!

[Eric the Green]

I used this opening track of side 2 from the Sunshine Superman album as the theme for my annual bewitched music genre program. Many other cover versions were made of it too. And it's another organ rock classic. And it was the season, and the turning.





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season_of_...tch_(song)

And this other haunting bewitched tune from Sunshine Superman was well-known for introducing the Jefferson Airplane to Donovan's fans who wanted to blow their minds and fly high with The Fat Angel (Mama Cass). Fly Trans-Love airways; get you there on time. Ride his silver bike. Mystic Folk-rock psychedelic. gas! gas!





Jefferson Airplane return the compliment, finally!
https://youtu.be/9A7jM-7bNYs
comment on this video: I'm transported back in time to decade I never lived in when I hear this.
another comment:
If memory serves me correct the line about the silver bike is a jerry garcia ref. who arrived at sessions on a silver bicycle.