the best songs ever

[Eric the Green]

The Sunshine Superman album was dedicated by Donovan to "the bearer of the Eastern gift." This track 3 King Fishers was one of the first and best examples of raga rock using Indian instruments.

[Eric the Green]

But, beautiful song. And more to come!

[Galen]

(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.

I have always thought that the Beatles were overrated myself.  The Moody Blues had much more talent and lasted much longer.  If you don't like their sound in one decade then pick another.  For example this was popular in the early seventies.





Jump ahead to 1986 and they sound like this.  Recognizably the Moody Blues and yet very different.





Or perhaps the nineties would suit you better.





I tend to prefer their earlier work myself.  This number from the sixties is probably what made them famous.

[Eric the Green]

The Moody Blues did a lot of good songs. I picked "Gypsy" from To Our Children's Children's Children in an earlier post above, and I think I mentioned Ride My See Saw. "Never Comes the Day" was good. "Nights in White Satin" is on my top 400 list too.

The Other Side of Life sounds pretty good. I also like The Other Side of This Life (don't know if there's a connection) by Fred Neil (1965).





live version: https://youtu.be/uXe7caP_Crc

Jefferson Airplane did a hard rock interpretation:
https://youtu.be/ltyjNjsz8UU

[Eric the Green]

(07-26-2016, 12:00 AM)taramarie Wrote:

(07-25-2016, 11:51 PM)Eric the Green Wrote: But, beautiful song. And more to come!

It was not read to me as a song, but a poem. That poem had the whole class in tears. It introduced me to the concept of death at the tender age of 5. Read to me by a GI who could not understand why we were crying.

It's funny how we come to the same thing from completely different experiences. I had never heard of the poem or understood the lyrics until today when I made this post. I have known the song since 1966 when it was the theme for the spiritual Transcendental Mustard Seed show on my local station. You have known the poem, apparently since you were 5, and may not have even listened to the song yet. As Leonard Cohen says: Everybody Knows, that's how it goes.

[Galen]

(07-26-2016, 01:49 AM)taramarie Wrote: I liked the beginning of the one from the 70s but then it completely changed tune. Was not keen on the change. 90s was a no for me. I liked the 80s one best and i know the 60 one well and i do like it.

I am not too surprised since you were never exposed to what was referred to psychedelic music and many of the Boomers were using certain recreational pharmaceuticals while listening to it.  I tend to agree with you about the nineties but they were still worth watching live even if there were only three of them left.

Higher and Higher was written by the drummer and so it doesn't fit their usual pattern from the time.  While the drummer is doing a good imitation of Animal from the Muppet Show in this song.  Its a product of the Jesus look that many of the Boomers were into.  Don't ask me why because it makes about as much sense as anything else from the time.  Probably not to your taste since it is a wall of noise but it dates from the early seventies as well.  Xers on the other hand kind of like it since what most of us was listening to was much louder.





This one from a few years earlier you might like better.





One of the things I always liked about them was that their music evolved in a way that the Beatles never managed.  Truth is, most bands can't manage that which is why they don't last that long.

[Eric the Green]

The Jefferson Airplane took off with this song in early Spring 1966, and its album in August.





Listeners could fly high with the innovative electric guitar sound. Although it's too soft on this video recording.

[Eric the Green]

It's strange to say "The Beatles never evolved," when they went from "Love Me Do" and "She Loves You" (for what it was, a great song) into "Things We Said Today," "Michelle" and then "Tomorrow Never Knows," still unsurpassed as a psychedelic song, or almost ANY kind of song for that matter. Monumental change and evolution that led the way for countless other bands. But they did "evolve" quickly, then kind-of declined, and then disbanded, all in an 8-year period. The Moody Blues apparently kept going longer, although with personnel changes. Their late 60s work remains their main contribution that most people know, however. They did evolve quickly too from their first hit "Go Now" quite a bit.

[Galen]

Here is something from Tales of Mystery and Imagination by The Alan Parsons Project.  It was never as popular as Disco was becoming but it did have the virtue of getting a surprising amount of air time in the eightes.





The entire album is worth listening to if you have the time.  I wonder how many people will figure out who is reading the poetry, pretty sure no one under thirty-five will know.  Hint: He was best known for his science fiction performance long before this record was made.

[Eric the Green]

"adore noise, and foreign to psychedelic." That sounds to me like, "adore cockroaches, hate kitty cats." Or, "adore poison (literally?), hate chocolate"

Anyway, "Hair"... OK. Big deal by 1969. Not really "psychedelic" music at all, but certainly counter-cultural. "This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius" is probably the most famous song from Hair, and Fifth Dimension did the most famous pop hit version.

But I liked this version of the title track "Hair" by the sunshine pop group The Cowsills, who also did "The Rain, the Park and Other Things," sort of like "Itchycoo Park," but less psychedelic and explicit. This isn't psychedelic, and it's pure pop, almost bubble-gum; but it's fun. From 1969, I didn't post it because it is too far down my 400 list, but who's counting? I jump around when I feel like it. I didn't post "Layla" here either, from 1970, but Mikebert did, and it's well-enough known anyway. Anyway, here's "Hair"





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

[Eric the Green]

Back to the magic year! This was one of some songs from that time that got lost in the shuffle. But it's definitely highest quality. Barry McGuire released this folk-rock-dixieland-psychedelic song in June 1966. Perfect for its time.





video comment: Change of pace attempt by McGuire failed to click, but it fits beautifully into that laidback mid-60's state of mind, also reflected in songs like "Daydream," "Turn-Down Day," "Younger Girl," "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog," "Groovin'," "Lazy Day," etc., etc. This is a feelgood song of the best type; you're just happy being alive & love every minute that you're alive. Whenever you're in a bad mood, put this song on. You feel better right away.

Speaking of " Daydream ," (early 1966), quite similar and may have inspired Barry,
this summer song from 1966 made it big--- Honorable mention, by The Lovin' Spoonful with John Sebastian: Summer In the City https://youtu.be/m648v4s5sFc
more Spoonful:
Six O'Clock was my favorite https://youtu.be/Vd5DWpfnLFM (1967)
Rain on the Roof (Summer 1966) https://youtu.be/EwDh-xea40s Lyrics a lot like Cloudy Summer Afternoon, and memorable trippy hip psychedelic pop for me.

[Eric the Green]

Pretty-much self insulting to call it "noise," and apt. So, enjoy it. But, no noise from me. Only some more glory

So, Barry from the New Christy Minstrels went dixieland in 1966. The Supremes went a-go-go. Really cool song, not one of their biggest hits, but one of their best. The album made #1 though, later in the year. The title was much made fun of. "Love is like an itching in my heart." I've been bit by the love bug. Speaking of cockroaches

[Galen]

(07-26-2016, 02:41 AM)taramarie Wrote: Heh wall of noise? Try Disturbed. The group called Disturbed. Or Skillet. That would be considered "noise" and i adore it. I do not stick to certain styles or eras. You were right about psychedelic music. It is foreign to me. My mother never listened to it and i only encountered it from a movie called Hair.....i think. Strange movie.

A Boomer from the younger side described it to me that way.  By later standards it was rather tame.  Oddly enough, I was exposed to it before I was in grade school since my mother was rather young.  You want to see strange then try the movie Tommy from about 1970, not the 1975 version which is in color, that is even weirder.  I knew Xers that used to watch that in an altered state of consciousness.

[Galen]

(07-26-2016, 03:00 AM)taramarie Wrote: Eric, only you are hinting that i hate psychedelic music. I just said i never encountered it before till that movie and that was only last year. It is FOREIGN to me. That does not mean i like or dislike. It is foreign to me. It is as distant as the dinosaurs are to me. And i am allowed to like what you consider poison. No one need to insult what they do not like.

It was something of an acquired taste so your reaction didn't surprise me at all.  I don't think that psychedelic music will stand the test of time because it was a product of very specific set of circumstances.  Neither did the reaction of Eric the Obtuse since he always tends to get defensive about that era.

[Eric the Green]

Chill out Tara, get high on the music! Love ya anyway, miss Scorpio

It's certainly a special era. Obviously. Psychedelic was the central feature, no doubt. Sometimes that was subtle or underground though. Lots of great music, and several genres not just one. Lots of artistry. So yes it will last. That includes "Tommy" of course and the Moody Blues and all the others. Which one to post next, hmmmmm... well since this one was mentioned in the comments about Cloudy Summer Afternoon, "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog" was a favorite of mine from Spring 1966. Speaking of cats





The mystical meaning of "love" in the lyrics became clear to me later, but the flip side was more explicit. Norma was ahead of me!
https://youtu.be/lNDICLMf3ds

[Galen]

(07-26-2016, 04:14 AM)taramarie Wrote:

(07-26-2016, 04:00 AM)Galen Wrote:

(07-26-2016, 03:00 AM)taramarie Wrote: Eric, only you are hinting that i hate psychedelic music. I just said i never encountered it before till that movie and that was only last year. It is FOREIGN to me. That does not mean i like or dislike. It is foreign to me. It is as distant as the dinosaurs are to me. And i am allowed to like what you consider poison. No one need to insult what they do not like.

It was something of an acquired taste so your reaction didn't surprise me at all.  I don't think that psychedelic music will stand the test of time because it was a product of very specific set of circumstances.  Neither did the reaction of Eric the Obtuse since he always tends to get defensive about that era.

Silly thing is he obviously assumes i hate it. I don't. There is a difference between foreign and hating. I am detached from it. It is an odd sound to me. Does not mean i hate it. I have not decided yet It may as well be Chinese music as neither sound makes sense no influenced me. I do not think he will understand that though. He lived in different times and that generational bridge will never be crossed for him to understand my position. He cannot say i have not tried it and he cannot say i did not like one of the posts of that music he made. To me that music is just different and a bit of a question mark for me. I am not going around though saying his music is poison. Not insulting it one bit. That is the difference. I just occasionally say no not into it and then i move on. No insulting of what he likes, no insults of the songs, or the era they are from.

Its a Prophet thing.  They have received the Word of God and so the rest of us must conform.  They always were nasty little tyrants.  Eric the Obtuse is not nearly as enlightened as he thinks.  Can't really distinguish facts from subjective taste.

The seventies to me always had a surreal quality to it even if though I didn't use any of the common recreational pharmaceuticals.  It was a decade I would just as soon done without.

[Eric the Green]

(07-26-2016, 04:23 AM)Galen Wrote: Its a Prophet thing.  They have received the Word of God and so the rest of us must conform.

You don't seem to conform too well, "Galen." The Word has eluded ya.

Quote:  They always were nasty little tyrants.  Eric the Obtuse is not nearly as enlightened as he thinks.  Can't really distinguish facts from subjective taste.

Generalizations are approximate. But I think a lot of boomers were nasty little tyrants as kids. I grew up with them. They mellowed out considerably during the Awakening/2T and became love children. That was my experience. Then the 3T began, and right on the cue of the turning clock, us boomers went back to being tyrants again. Strange the way that happened. Makes me a believer in Strauss and Howe, "that I can tell you!" No, I am not as enlightened as I think. Or, whenever I think, I am less enlightened. Take your pick. But it's easy to be smarter than a doctrinaire libertarian like Mr. Galen, so no problem with me there lol

Quote:The seventies to me always had a surreal quality to it even if though I didn't use any of the common recreational pharmaceuticals.  It was a decade I would just as soon done without.

We can say we could do without a decade, but in the end, time is all the same now. It's just time flowing by and staying the same too. There were good things, and things we didn't like, but maybe learned from, in all times. Even the shoddy and ridiculous 00s had some good things. But we are who we are now, because of where we traveled to get here.

[Eric the Green]

Yes I liked that one. It's a runner up on my 400 list. Here's the B side of the Supremes' "Itching in My Heart," perhaps their best B side.





The 4 Tops had a big hit "Reach Out I'll Be There." 1966-- a rich year for Motown and R&B.

[Eric the Green]

Lots of critics cite "Good Vibrations" later in 1966 as the best song ever, and a breakthrough by Brian and the Boys into the psychedelic instrumental innovation, and the creativity of his Smile album. I like it too, but I don't pick it as best song ever. But because the critics cite it, I have to mention the Beach Boys and their breakthrough in 1966.

Lots of genre mixing in '66. The Beach Boys did a folk song early that year. So, folk rock surf music. This is the one I liked.





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

[Eric the Green]

This is the song from 1966 I mentioned that I liked by Warren Zevon of Werewolves of London fame. On this song, he's known as Lyme and teams up with Cybelle, for "Follow Me." You can hear the same smooth rhythmic repetition in this song that enlivens the later one. This song was a long lost oldie until the Nuggets collections came out. Another folk rock proto-psychedelic classic from early 1966.