Two Top Tens

Subject: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 30 Nov 02 - 12:02 PM

I've always thought that if someone told me their top five favorite recordings, I could tell them within a three year error of margin, when they were born. Fortunately, not many people have tested me on it. But there's some truth to it. Most people would choose songs they first heard between the onslaught of puberty and their first kid.

But, we don't all live in the past (even folk singers can enjoy recent music.and not necessarily even folk music.)

So, I have two top tens: Puberty to Parenthood and The Last Fifteen Years. Here they are:

PUBERTY TO PARENTHOOD (If you never had kids, try 16 to 26)

These are songs that absolutely blew me away the first time that I heard them... in no particular order..

1. Gee by The Crows
2. Earth Angel by The Penguins
3. Rock Island Line by Lonnie Donegan
4. That'll Be The Day by Buddy Holly
5. Walk, Don't Run by the Ventures
6. Muleskinner Blues by the Fendermen
7. Wimoweh by the Weavers
8. Tuxedo Junction by the Four Freshmen
9. Ace In The Hole by Bob Scobey's Frisco Band
10. Let's Do It by George Van Epps

THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS

1. Everybody Hurts Some Time by REM
2. The Devil's Right Hand by Steve Earle
3. Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits
4. Here She Comes by the La's
5. Infamous Angel by Iris DeMent
6. Working On A Building by the Swan Silvertones
7. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
8. Take Five by Dave Brubeck
9. Jordan by the Stanley Brothers
10. Strange Man by Dorothy Love Coates

Neither of these lists are my ten favorite songs. Every one of these songs stopped me dead in my tracks the first time I heard them.

If you look at my Puberty To Parenthood list, you can probably guess my age within three years..

Howzabout yours... take your time and think of songs that really blew your socks off the first time that you heard them...

Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Nov 02 - 03:50 PM

Hey Jerry, I'm guessing your age as 50-something....
Here's my lists - from PUBERTY to PARENTHOOD

1. One Tin Soldier by the Original Caste
2. Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell
3. Teach Your Children by Crosby Stills Nash and Young
4. Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
5. Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
6. Hound Dog by Elvis
7. THe Wall - Pink Floyd
8. Jesus Christ Superstar - Andrew Lloyd Webber - the whole rock opera
9. Fool's Overture - Supertramp
10. The Last Resort by the Eagles

And in the last 20 years ...

1. The Meeting - Jon Anderson
2. Pocahontas - Neil Young
3. Just about everything by Loreena McKennitt
4. Through Your Hands - Don Henley
5. The entire soundtrack from "The Prince of Egypt" by Stephen               Schwartz
6. Walk of Life by Dire Straits (the happiest sounding song I know)
7. Love Changes Everything - Andrew Lloyd Webber
8. How the West was Lost - Carlos Nakai and Peter Kater
9. One of Us by Joan Osborne
10. In the Eye of the Storm - Roger Hodgson

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 30 Nov 02 - 04:02 PM

I was tempted to put Walk Of Life on my list, but I remember the first time I heard Sultans of Swing... I was driving around in Albany, NY, killing time before doing a concert that night, and Sultans of Swing on the radio. Almost had to pull off the road..

Yeah, I remember 50-something... went to the first Woodstock, though, so a lot of stuff on your list sounds good to me... I was a Father
a month after Woodstock, so I guess I could squeeze Woodstock (the song)or Suite For Judy Blue Eyes on there...


Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Deckman
Date: 30 Nov 02 - 04:44 PM

This looks like it might prove to be an interesting thread Jerry. I'll post to it over the next few days! CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: khandu
Date: 30 Nov 02 - 05:51 PM

Jerry, you already know my age, but here's my list anyway!

Thick as a Brick- Jethro Tull
Peace Train- Cat Stevens
Sultans of Swing-Dire Straits
Operator-Jim Croce
We Used To Know-Jethro Tull
All Along the Watchtower- Jimi Hendrix
Foreigner Suite- Cat Stevens
The Thrill is Gone- BB King
Will the Circle Be Unbroken- (The whole thing!)- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor-MJH

Second list:

Losing My Religion-REM
Run-Collective Soul
Another Harry's Bar- Jethro Tull
Both Sides of Tweed- Dick Gaughan
What It Is- Mark Knopler
When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky- Dylan
Not Dark Yet- Dylan
Bridget O'Malley- Andy M. Stewart
Up the Lazy River- Leon Redbone
Going Home-Mark Knopler

I could think up another hundred for each list, but you only wanted ten....

k

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: sharyn
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 12:08 AM

Adolescence to ? (not all of us are parents):

The Gallery by Joni Mitchell
You're Gonna Lose That Girl by the Beatles
Silly Sisters by June Tabor and Maddy Prior (the whole album)
Sail Away Ladies by Odetta
Classic Scots Ballads by Ewan MacColl (the whole album)
My Son David by Jeannie Robertson
Who'll Stop the Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival
American Pie by Don McClean
Winter and I by Carol Denney
Don't Think Twice It's Alright by Joan Baez

Later Years:

The Granmore Hare by Dick Gaughan
Lola by Swan Arcade
Will Ye Go to Flanders/MacCrimmon's Lament by Out of the Rain
Statesboro Blues by Chris Smither
Dimming of the Day by Richard Thompson
No More Fish, No Fishermen by Finest Kind
Who Built This House by Carol Denney
Enola Gay by Kate McDonnell
The Famous Flower of Serving Men by Martin Carthy
First We'll Take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen

Note: I'm following the conventions of this list by naming the performing artist rather than the author.

This was harder than I thought: typing one title makes me remember another. Then I get almost done and think of something vital I missed. I guess I'm not a top ten kind of a gal

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 08:53 AM

Thanks, Sharyn: It's interesting to see what songs have really been an important part of someone else's lives. I could probably do a completely different list, if I stopped to think about it longer. I remember when I first heard the jazz guitarist, Charlie Christian for the first time, and was completely blow away by it. And for me (being Amurican and remembering the second World War as a kid, there's a whole wealth of popular music from that era that I really loved. In folk, I remember first hearing the Carter Family, sitting in an old kitchen chair in Dave Van Ronk's apartment after having just taking a guitar lesson. He played me some tracks from the Anthology of American Folk Music. I remember the chills that went up my spine, hearing Blind Willie Johnson do Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground. Trying to pick a "top ten" is hard for me, because I have a great love for jazz, folk, rhythm and blues, soul, gospel and rock and roll. But, there were certain songs that just blew me away the first time that I heard them. And most of them still do.

As you get older, I guess it becomes harder to get blown away, but it still happens. And, I see songs on Khandu's list and others that immediately hit me hard... like The Walk Of Life... same for American Pie... And, even though it's longer ago than fifteen years ago, I remember the impact of I Want To Hold Your Hand... all my folkie friends and I were walking the streets of Greenwich Village at the peak of the "Folk Boom" singing I Want To Hold Your Hand... not Blowin' In The Wind.

I'm glad you added so many songs that I've never even heard... I'm sure your list will strike a chord (sorry) with other UKers..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: greg stephens
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 09:18 AM

OK Jerry I'll guess 59.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Amos
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 09:45 AM

Jerry, not to quibble, but "Take Five" is a lot older than fifteen!! Hell, Barky's older than fifteen!!

A

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: greg stephens
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 09:53 AM

Jerry just discovered it in the last fifteen years, Amos. the lad must have led a very sheltered life up to then, though, if he hadnt noticed it before.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 11:00 AM

I've tried to put these in chronological order.

Puberty to Parenthood:

Last Time - Rolling Stones
A Day in the Life - Beatles
Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
White Room - Cream
Fried Hockey Boogie - Canned Heat
Dazed and Confused - Led Zeppelin
Whipping Post - Allman Brothers Band
I Know You Rider - Grateful Dead
Take it Easy / Our Lady of the Well - Jackson Brown
Will the Circle be Unbroken (the whole album) - NGDB

Parenthood to Present:

Ginseng Sullivan - Norman Blake
Old Fashioned Love - John Fahey
Bully of the Town - Highwoods Stringband
Hello in There - John Prine
Another Auld Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg
Christmas in the Trenches - John McCutcheon
Fisherman's Blues - Waterboys
1952 Vincent Black Lightning - Richard Thompson
Drop Down Mamma - North Mississippi Allstars
Land's End - String Cheese Incident

Bruce

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: alanabit
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 11:26 AM

Great idea Jerry.
Childhood to around twenty in no particular order and with some major omissions:
"She Loves You" - The Beatles
"Hey Mr.Tambourine Man" - (Byrds version)
"The Seeker" - The Who
"The Last Time" - The Rolling Stones
"Like a Rolling Stone" - Bob Dylan
"The Mighty Quinn" - Manfred Mann
"The Green Manalishi" - Fleetwood Mac
"Waterloo Sunset" - The Kinks
"Up Around the Bend" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Both Sides Now" - Joni Mitchell


More recent Years:
"Bless These Children" - Bill Boazman (totally unknown UK bluesman)
"Midwinter" - Johnny Coppin
"Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me" - Billie Holiday
"Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me" - Mississippi John Hurt
"Thanksgiving" - Pete Morton
"Head and Heart" - John Martyn
"Cactus Tree" - Joni Mitchell
"Luka" - Suzanne Vega
"Moon River" - Henry Mancini (sung by Audrey Hepburn I think)
"She Sees Spires" - Tonic - (a brilliant US/American group resident in Cologne in the mid nineties)

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: sharyn
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 12:44 PM

Hey Jerry,

I'm just as 'Murican as you are -- not from the U.K. Born and raised a stone's throw from Berkeley, CA. But I didn't listen to the radio much -- got most of my music from L.Ps bought on Telegraph Avenue and from musical friends. When I did listen to the radio it seems like all I heard were endless Karen Carpenter hits, some of which I liked ("Rainy Days and Mondays"), some of which I hated ("Close to You") but none of which belong on a top ten list of mine.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: C-flat
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 02:16 PM

Great idea but a tough call Jerry,

From my schooldays (in no particular order)

1/ Albatross            Fleetwood Mac
2/ Purple Haze          Jimi Hendrix
3/ All Right now       Free
4/ Paperback Writer    The Beatles
5/ In My Life          The Beatles
6/ Superstition         Stevie Wonder
7/ You've Got A Friend James Taylor
8/ Maggie May          Rod Stewart
9/ Baby Love            Diana Ross and the Supremes
10/Peace Train          Cat Stevens

Later.

1/Bohemian Rhapsody      Queen
2/Money For Nothing      Dire Straits
3/Losing My Religion    R.E.M.
4 Every Breath You Take The Police
5/Sultans of Swing       Dire Straits
6/Hotel California       The Eagles
7/Design For Life       Manic Street Preachers
8/Don't Give Up          Peter Gabriel
9/Time In A Bottle       Jim Croce
10/Minor Swing          Django Rheinhardt

I reckon if I did this list 10 times I would make 10 different lists!
Certainly gets the old grey cells working!

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST,Geordie
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 02:40 PM

What a great idea, but not as easy as it seems. But, here we go
Aqualung (the album) Jethro Tull
Madman Across the Water........Elton John
Rubber Soul.......The Beatles
Songs Our Daddy Taught ....The Everly Brothers
King Henry...Steeleye Span (From Below The Salt)
Crazy Man Michael.. Fairport Convention (From Liege and Leaf)
A Case of you..Jonie Mitchell (From Blue)
Visions of Johanna ..Dylan
Love In Vain.....The Stones

I still love all of the above but here is me as an adult..sort of

La Mama Morte....Maria Callas
Anything By Ella Fitzgerald
Reynardine.......June Tabor
Pacing The Cage...Bruce Cockburn
The Storm..Moving Hearts
Losing My Religion...Rem
Raggle Taggle Gypsies...Eliza Carthy
Number Two Top Seam...June Tabor
The Great Silkie...Maddy Prior
The Drunken Piper..Natalie MacMaster and Cookie Rankin
A Lot of Loreena MaKennit.

I have probably left out lots..but just a ghreat thread..thanks for posting it.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 03:12 PM

Hi, Amos:

Of course you're right... I bought Take Five when it came out... probably in the sixties. Getting a little overzealous.

I notice, not surprisingly that even though we are folkies, most of our lists are rife with rock and roll and popular music. I think that Rock Island Line was the only folk song I included, although Muleskinner Blues is close. Another folk song that was a complete revelation to me was Skokiann by the Bullawayo Sweet Rhythm Band. I wonder if anyone else remembers it... it was issued on the London label (you sophisticated Brits) and the Four Lads desecrated it with a cutesie-pootsie version of it. I spent most of my life looking for a re-issue of the song (even though my 45 rpm still sounds pretty good.) I finally found it on a two CD African Jazz set. The rest of the music in the set is recent African Jazz. I love the first CD so much, and have played it so often that I haven't even listened to the second CD yet, and I've had the set for well over a year..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 03:15 PM

As for my age... you're guessing too young.... look at That'll Be The Day, Walk Don't Run..... I walked down town and bought the 45's... wasn't delivered in a perumbulator. By then I was cool, and wearing blue suede shoes..

Crazy man, crazy..

Shades Rasmussen

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: lamarca
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 03:37 PM

I'm going to go by albums as well as songs - it's hard to narrow it down to 10, but my list is more the ones I played over and over, mixed with singles that really floored me - also not in rank order (how can you compare and rank your love for beer and chocolate?):

Foolish Youth
1. For the Roses -Joni Mitchell
2. Tapestry - Carole King
3. Mud Slide Slim - James Taylor
4. Selling England by the Pound - Genesis
5. Brain Salad Surgery -Emerson, Lake and Palmer
6. Liege and Lief - Fairport Convention
7. Turn of the Cards - Renaissance
8. Aqualung - Jethro Tull
9. Abbey Road - The Beatles
10. Bursting at the Seams - The Strawbs
11. Who's Next - The Who
        ("My list goes to eleven...")

Foolish Adulthood - Rock and Pop division
1. Don't Go Back to Rockville - REM
2. Romeo and Juliet - Dire Straits (and most of the rest)
3. Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel (and countless others)
4. Dr. Wu - Steely Dan (I have all their albums)
5. Stop Making Sense soundtrack -Talking Heads
6. Graceland (the whole album) - Paul Simon
7. Wall of Death - Richard and Linda Thompson (and 60 zillion other Thompson songs)
8. A Murder of One - Counting Crows
9. Hey, Jack Kerouac - 10,000 Maniacs
10. Is She Really Going Out with Him? - Joe Jackson
11. Oregon Hill - The Cowboy Junkies

Foolish Adulthood - Folk and World division
1. A Cut Above - June Tabor and Martin Simpson
2. Please to See the King - Steeleye Span
3. Byker Hill - Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick
4. Silly Sisters - June Tabor and Maddy Prior
5. To Scratch That Itch - Luaka Bop Sampler
6. The Real Bahamas - mostly Joseph Spence and the Pindars
7. This Way Home - Cindy Kallet
8. Hourglass - Kate Rusby
9. Scatterlings of Africa - Juluka
10. Morris On - Ashley Hutchings et al.
11. most Yazoo sampler albums
and Gordon Bok and Jean Bosco Mwembe and Blind Willie McTell and Shirley Collins and Louis Armstrong and Norman Blake and The Bothy Band and Nic Jones and Peter Bellamy and Muzikas and Bill Kirchen and, and, and - I can't choose just 10 of these!

I find it almost impossible to limit this to just 10 albums, let alone 10 songs - my favorites change over time! There are artists I went on a complete craze for, and now think - "Oh, God - what did I ever like about them?" Mostly, though, I seem to gravitate to moody, depressed songwriters (Richard Thompson, for example). Maybe we should have the fine psychologists at the NYCFTFU analyze our lists...then, again, maybe we shouldn't!

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Bobert
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 03:46 PM

Whew, Jerry! Ya' had to go and do this to me didn't ya?

First of all, Jerry, I can't belive that anything by "The Crows" would make your first list. Must not have been the same band as Iz thinkin' of...

GUEST: Elvis's "Hound Dog" should make everyone over 50, *A List*, and Mama Thorton's, over 80 *A List*.

Khandu: Tull? Man, didn't think you had it in ya'. I'm kind patial to "New Day Yesterday" from the "Stand Up" LP. But REM doesn't surprise me at all.

Sharyn: With CCR's "Who Will Stop the Rain" on your *A List* I'm peggin' you at 49, give or take Jerry's 3 year variance. But now Chris Smither's "Statesboro Blues"? Whew. That guy can get it on.

Be dubya ell: Got you at 51. You like that 60's drivin' rock with "Last Time" ans the Allman Bros. "Whipping Post" Hey, the Mississippi Allstars are purdy danged hot themselves.

Alanbit: The Byrd's "Tamborine Man", but no Elvis, Venture, Everly Brothers. Hmmmmmm? 47? You really surprised me with Tonic's "She See Spires". Man I loved "Lemon Parade".

C-flat: "Baby Love" should get you on the trustworthy side of 50. I'd say 54 'cause of the Free song.

Geordie: A youngin, here folks. Aqualung is second generation Tull. 45? Lorenna McKennit? You definately like purdier music...

As fir the Bobert's list? Heck, danged if I know, but I'll ponder on it and jump back in later.

Think my *B List* may surprise a few folks, though.

Bobert

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 07:50 PM

Hi, Bobert: Gee by the Crows was released in 1954, I think. Many music historians consider it the first rock and roll record. They were a black, rhythm and blues quartet... the song had repetitive, unimaginative lyrics, with a lot of Oh, Oh Oh Oh's in it. It was the first rhythm and blues group that got airplay on white radio... before Earth Angel or Only you, or all the stuff that followed. The song isn't my all-time favorite rhtyhm and blues recording (although I still like it.) My list is for lack of a more scientific measuremtn... songs that knocked my sock off the first time I heard them. I didn't do my "favorite" list, which would be substantially different. To be on my list, I have to remember the first time I heard the song, and being completely blown away by it...

Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Bobert
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 08:48 PM

Jerry: Whew, glad to hear it wasn't "Crow" from the early 70's. They were a tad routy but did have a real nice song entitled "Keeps Me Runnin'". Awwwh, nevermind, Jerry.

Well, like I may have said earlier, this is a daunting task and an impossible one. I can kind of get my musical landmarks in order but there have been three, not two, distinct general phases (really four) that I've come thru and continue to go thru. Each one has influenced my music. So if you'll allow me to, Jerry, I can do it in three but it's your thread so I ain't gonna jump in and change the rules but I will throw out my early list while awaitin' yer permission to bend the rules a tad.

These are the 10 songs that really got my attention and got me beatin' on an old set of used drums...

"Hound Dog" by Elvis (Has to be on everyone's list. Just has to.)

"Rumble" by Link Wray, who let his axe do the the talkin'.

"16 Tons" by Tennessee Earnie Ford, who taught us to tell the story.

"A Thousand Stars" by Cathy Young was the first song that I ever danced a "slow dance" with a girl. Whew!

"Peggy Sue" by Buddy Holly, which I have done probably more than any other song in my life.

"Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry who brought a little country blues into the mix.

"I've Had It" by the Bell Notes 'cause it had a *hard* side to it that you didn't find in too many songs back then.

"The night was dark, and the moon was yellow... And the leaves came tumblin' down..." Whew! Lloyd Price's "Stagger Lee" was like, ahhhh, a sound explosion! Whew.... NO, make that a double "Whew".

Now, I hate to leave out some of the greats from those days, but before I get to my last two, there were so many folks rearrangin' my wirin' like Fabian, Bobby Darin, the Coasters with "Charlie Brown", the Big Bopper, Dion, Gary U.S. Bonds, Johnny Horton, then Hollywood Argyles, Jerry Lee, Conway Twitty and a bunch of other folk but Iz gonna have to go with....

"Bird Dog" by the Everly Brothers 'cause it was a tad *hoody* (greaser...)... and

"At the Hop" by Danny and the Juniors which was by far my favorite 50's song, next to maybe any one of the other 9 that I've all ready nominted.

Now, Jerry, if you'll let me break the ru,les a tad, I'll go on with this mess...

Bobert

p.s. Great thread, my friend...

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 08:53 PM

Break 'em, Bobert... this thread is a teezer for the Tweezer... just a jumping off point.

I'll take every song you mentioned, except I never heard the Bell Notes.

Jump off...

Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Bobert
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 09:32 PM

Okay, thanks Jerry. Don't mind if I do.

Yeah, as musicans most of us Catfolk had to get thru the 60's startin' with Mo Town and endin' up where ever?....

To me this was my second round of education and here's my 60's'ish Top Ten:

"Baby, I need your Lovin" by the Four Tops. Heard them at the Atlantic City Concert Hall in '65 (with the Supremes) and, well.... Whew! Blown away!

Then, bam, it was Beatles and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" but I always liked "I feel Fine" or "Paper Back Rider". (i'll count that as 2...)

Next thing ya' know there were the Byrds playin' "Turn, turn turn"...

Then things got real interestin' as music just *took off*!

"Crossroads" (written by Robert Johnson) debuted with Cream and....

"As Safe as Yesterday" by Peter Frampton's Humble Pie, and...

"All Along the Watchtower" (written by Bob Dylan) by Jimi Hendrix.

Oh, things were gettin interestin'!

Spooky Tooth takes a crack at the Beatle's "I Am the Walrus" and puts it into the cheap seats!!! Best single song of the 60's!!!!!

Jethro Tull hits the ground runnin' with their "Stand Up" LP which is the best LP of the 60's with "Fat Man" and the great, great "New Day Yesterday". WOW!

Then just when ya think things were coolin' off, a college band from New Engalnd comes along by the name of McKendree Springs and takes Neil Young's song "Down by the River" and KIlls the danged song so bad that no one will ever try to cover that song again. I mean, that electric violin just took rock 'n roll to a new place....

Well, this wraps up Bobert's second *phase8 and I'll go ahead and post it now and go on to *new business*...

Bobert

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Bobert
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 09:57 PM

Well, danged, this last "Top Ten" is gonna take a little explaineratin'. Three years ago I figured that I needed a change, went to Blues Week at Davis and Elkins College and spent a week learning to play blues from Sparky Rucker, John Jackson and Cephis and Wiggins but before that....

"Love Song" by Tesla. Wow, nice love song. Opps. just said that...

"Alive" by Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam. Talk about emotion? Whew... Smokes...

The Arch Angels "Sent by Angels" rocks and sings Praise at the same time...

The Black Crows "Remedy" cooks with gas and has a lot to say...

"Mountain" by Tonic is as fine a hard drivin' rock song that has ever been recorded. Might of fact, Tonic rocks!

Now there's a lesser known feller out there by the name of Mark Germano who has a lot to say and says it very well in "The Rat and the Snake". He tells it like it is...

Then the Bobert got his *blues thing* on and, though I could do
another thirty blues songs will round out my last "ten" with:

"Empire State Express" by Son House and...

"61 Highway" by Mississippi Fred McDowell and...

"Crossroads Blues" by Robert Johnson and...

Alvin Hart Youngblood's "Livin' in a Strain"

Yeah, that's not to ignore Charlie Patton, Muddy Waters, Corey Harris, my main man Sparkey Rucker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo, Furry Lewis, Little Walter, Guy Davis but....

Bobert

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: John Hardly
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 10:13 PM

early

Do You Believe In Magic? - Spoonful
C.C. Rider - Animals version
Ask The Lonely - Four Tops
People Got To Be Free - Rascals
For What It's Worth - Springfield
Big John's Special - Benny Goodman (recording -- HI-FI)
June Is Bustin' Out All Over - Carousel cast
Close Your Eyes - Taylor
That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be - Simon
America - Simon

more recent

Love Will Always Find Its Way - Pettis
Much At All - Werner
Who Will Watch... - Laurie Lewis
Yarns - LJ Booth
(It Wasn't S'pose to Be) Like This - Mallett
TV - Kristina Olsen
Late In The Day - Tim O'Brien
Love At The Five and Dime - Griffith
Dimming Of The Day - I like Bonnie Raitt's version best
Something by -- Nashville Bluegrass Band

This kind of list makes you shake your own head at the ones you choose to leave out. I guess these are merely samplings of favorites.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 10:58 PM

well, I'm not sure I should post here, because very little 'moved' me between puberty and parenthood. I just did not like much of the pop music between 1951 and 1959....you wanta know what really knocked my socks off in that era?

Johnny Standley (It's in the Book!) and a live concert by Mahalia Jackson!...and a record of trumpet solos by Raphael Mendez and his sons. What a mix, huh?

then after discovering folk music in about 1962, it all changed.

So...the last 15 years, I have heard so much that it is hard to pick. I tend to be moved by the 'big' ballads and such...but the top several songs that really got me were perhaps a couple of Eric Bogle anti-war songs and a couple or moving things by Craig Johnson...(see the threads on Craig)...(sitting here realizing I could pick 70-80...but NOT 10...)

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: sharyn
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 11:03 PM

Bobert, I'm forty-four at present, but I guess forty-nine is pretty close (and getting closer)

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Dec 02 - 11:39 PM

Yarns is a great song by L.J. Booth. I was the first one who offered him a booking on the east coast many years ago... anybody know if he is still recording... guess I could go check Amazon.com..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 12:56 AM

This is going to be tough, Bobert, believe it or not Crow was on my list so I'll start there;
1. Some Sunny Day-Crow
2. Miss Hesitation-Jessi Colin Young
3. Statsboro Blues-David Bromberg
4. Havin' a wonderful time-Geoff Muldaur
5. Take a chance-Jerry Riopelle
6. Milk Cow-Norman Greenbaum
7. White Bird-It's a beautiful day
8. Nice to be here-Moody Blues
9. Song for Mr. C-Shawn Phillips
10. Northwoods Man-Wendy Wauldman
Later years;
1. Let the Day Begin-The Call
2. Ants in the kitchen-Masters of Reality
3. Middle aged boogie blues-Saffire the Uppity Blues Women
4. Just won't burn-Susan Tedeshi
5. Don't get me wrong-The Pretenders
6. When I grow up-Michelle Shocked
7. Come into my kitchen-Robert Johnson
8. The Richest One- Toni Price
9.Six String Down-Jimmy Vaughn
10. Looking for a Rainbow-Chris Rea
Just a short list-this is hard.
Peace, Rustic

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 01:20 AM

Being raised on folk music at home, thanks to WFMT's Midnight Special, my younger version top ten (before age 26) was:
1. Outside of a Small Circle of Friends--Phil Ochs
2. Dirty Linen--Fairport Convention
3. Crucifixion--Jim & Jean (yeah I know it was by Phil Ochs)
4. Poor Ditching Boy--Richard Thompson
5. Farmer is the man--Ry Cooder
6. The Coachman--John Roberts & Tony Barrand
7. The Hustler--Eric Andersen
8. Dance of Death--Patrick Sky
9. Reynardine--Bert Jansch
10. Wagonner's Lad--Bert Jansch/John Renbourn

Still like all those selections, but more recently.

1. Bless the Weather--live version by John Martyn
2. Lament to Limerick medley--Sue Richards (Bonnie Rideout, fiddle)
3. Famous Flower of Serving Men--Martin Carthy
4. Cruel Brother--Five Hand Reel
5. Oisin (sp?)--Anne Lister
6. 1000 Cranes/1000 Candles--Small Potatoes
7. Sailor's Rest--Stan Rogers
8. Fair Annie--Martin Simpson
9. Beeswing--Richard Thompson
10. Bonnie Gateshead Lass--Bob Fox & Stu Luckley

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: alanabit
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 07:46 AM

Hi Bobert. Yes. I'm forty-seven going on thirty! You know a different Tonic to me though.
The name was originally used by a US/Brit combo, which was living in Cologne in the mid nineties. When their second album, "Habitual Loafers of Necessity" was about to be released, they found out by chance that a Californian band, signed my a major label, was due to release a CD under that name. It turned out that the company had given them a list of names to choose from - and they opted for "Tonic". Following internet negotiations a settlement was negotiated and the Cologne band agreed to a name change. Regrettably they opted to call themselves "The Woodhall Four". I have heard one or two of the American band's tracks on MTV (which I rarely glance at)and they seem quite a good rock band. They have nothing like the extraordinary songwriting ability or originality of the band I knew. If you are interested, PM me and I will send you something in the post.
Elvis? There's thing. By the time I heard Elvis singles which were current releases they were dross like the single from "Fun in Acapulco" (whatever it was) or the gooey sentimental crap that could just as well have been Ronnie Carroll or Bobby Vee. The first singles must have seemed astonishing at the time, but I guess you had to be there. The Elvis I recall was an overweight, self indulgent mother's boy. As for Chuck Berry...now we are talking!

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST,Geordie
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 08:49 AM

Five Hand Reel wow......I had forgotten them . How many records did they actually make ?

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Declan
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 10:47 AM

Very hard to keep this down to 10 on either list. For me its stuff I first heard up to about 18 and things I've heard since. I'm not a parent yet. Today's list is :

Older Stuff

Sultans of Swing                 Dire Straits
Bullfrog Blues                        Rory Gallagher
Bohemian Rhapsody                 Queen
Arthur Mc Bride & The Seargent         Paul Brady
Deportee                        Woody Guthrie
Joe Hill                        Luke Kelly
Stairway to Heaven                  Led Zeppelin
Freebird                        Lynyrd Skynyrd
The Band Played Waltzing Matilda Liam Clancy
The Cliffs of Dooneen                 Planxty

More recent

Weather with You               Crowded House
Trouble in the Field               Maura O Connell
Annan Waters                        Nic Jones
Desparados Waiting for a Train         Guy Clarke
Racing in the Streets                Bruce Springsteen
Sam Stone                        John Prine
Once I Loved                        Mick Flynn
Bee's Wing                        Richard Thompson
Port of Call                         Kieran Halpin
The tinkerman's daughter        Niamh Parsons

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Bert
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 01:01 PM

Well Jerry, Thanks for starting this thread.

I think Earth Angel is a giveaway. I'd guess your age at around 65.

N ow I'll go away and think about my favourite songs. There's so many that I'll have to weed them out a bit.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 01:58 PM

You got it,within the three year age range, Bert. I'm 67.

If you're around my age or slightly older and from the U.S. of A.,upi might remember a recording that I thought changed the history of popular music than any single record. I did a speech on it in college. Back in the early-50's a young kid took his guitar into one of those record your voice booths, and made a rather wobbly recording of a song he'd written. Oh, Happy Day. His name was Don Howard. He got some local DJ to spin it, and the kids liked it, so some small record label decided to release it... wobbly speed and all. At first, everyone over 21 hated it, and tried to get stations from playing it. Then the big labels had singers like Tennessee Ernie Ford cover it. But, despite all the covers, Howard's recording was the one that sold. What was so revolutionary about it was that it was a young kid who couldn't play guitar much beyond strumming, and couldn't sing very well. But, he had a hit record, dammit, and if he could, why not any other skinny young kid in America? The record companies saw that there was money to be made, and it was a wedding made in Corporate Heaven. I still have my 45, which still sounds good to me. They've never re-issued the record, to my knowledge, but it caused a real convulsion in the music industry. Anyone remember it.. sung reallllll slow...

The sun is shining, Oh, happy day
No more troubles and no skies of grey..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 04 Dec 02 - 04:11 PM

Geordie,

    Five Hand Reel made three albums with Dick Gaughan and a fourth one, after he left. I understand the band never made any royalties from their work. A shame, they were great albums.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Rustic Rebel
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 05:15 PM

Why did this thread slip away so fast? I really enjoy reading all these old and new tunes, and peoples choices in music, so...refresh!

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Firecat
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 08:37 PM

Well, I DEFINITELY can't do Puberty to Parenthood, cos I'm not even 19 yet! (Roll on next month!) So I'm gonna do from 8 to 12 and 13 to 18.

8 to 12

Waterfalls by TLC (1993)
A Different Beat by Boyzone (1996)
Stay Another Day by East 17 (1994)
Guess How I Feel (did it in school)
Any Dream Will Do from Joseph (did it in school)
Summer Holiday by Cliff Richard (did it in school)
Bohemian Rapsody by Queen (No 1 for my 8th birthday, 1992))
Eston Hills (learnt off a tape)
Katy The Conqueror (learnt off a tape)
You Must Love Me from Evita (1995)

13 to 18

I'm A Man Not A Boy by North And South (1997)
Tarantino's New Star by North And South (1997)
Breathing by North And South (1997)
No Sweat '98 by North And South (1998)
Cold As Ice by North And South (1997)
Touch Of Love by Cleopatra (1999)
Never Had A Dream Come True by S Club 7 (2000)
Words Are Not Enough by Steps (2001)
When I Remeber When by Five (2000)
Holding On For You by Liberty X (2002)

I've got loads more favourites in the more recent selection, and I didn't put any Take That in the earlier lot, but there you go. It's hard just choosing ten!

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 09:02 PM

Thanks for posting your list, Firecat! It's nice to have a range of music, and ages. After running a folk concert series for many years and considering the youngsters in the crowd anyone under fifty, I wish there were more people like you who were coming along to keep the music alive. And bring a fresh, new perspective.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Midchuck
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 09:41 PM

I couldn't get it down into two lists. I've lived too long. I got it to three, by fudging some entries, but it should have been three lists of 30 or 40 each, to get all the really significant ones.

Birth to Parenthood (1941-1970):

1) "The Kid's Last Fight" by Frankie Laine
2) "Walk, Don't Run" by The Ventures
3) "Apache" by Jorgen (sp?) Ingmann (sp?)
4) "Rave On" by Buddy Holly
5) "Silver Dagger" by Joan Baez (first album)
6) "Wildwood Flower" (same as 3)
7) "Walk Right In" by the Rooftop Singers, I think it was - for the 12-string work.
8) John Herald's intro on "Four Rode By" by Ian and Sylvia
9) "Black Mountain Rag" by Doc Watson (first Vanguard album)
10) Everything Ian and Sylvia did on their first three or four albums. No way can I choose one.

Parenthood to Empty-nester (1970-1996):

1) "Voices in the Hills" by Dick McCormack (I know you never heard of it, but it's in the DT. Check it out.)
2) "No Better Reason" also by Dick. You also never heard of it.
3) "Fill One Room" By Dick McC yet again. You also never heard of it, but you will if you buy the whole Mudcat set.
4) "The Mary Ellen Carter" by Stan Rogers
5) "Northwest Passage" by Stan Rogers
6) "Reynardine" - the version sung by Mick Moloney
7) "The Year of '88" by Christopher Shaw
8) Ian Tyson's version of "Home on the Range"
9) "Claude Dallas" by Ian Tyson and Tom Russell (recorded by both)
10) Ian Tyson's whole "Cowboy Culture" series - especially "Cowboyography"

Empty-nester to present (1996-2002):

1) "Tom Ames' Prayer" by Steve Earle. Especially Norman Blake's guitar break thereupon.
2) "Copperhead Road" by Steve Earle. I know it came out a lot earlier, but I'm slow getting to these things...
3) "Wrangling Dudes" by Andrea Cady. You never heard of it unless you have our second CD or the Mudcat series.
4) "Double Diamond II" (my title) by Andrea Cady. You never heard of it either.
5) "Adirondack River Song" (my title) by Andrea Cady. Again, you never heard of it.
6) "Miner's Lullaby" Lyrics by Utah Phillips, Music by Stecher and Brislin. I still have trouble listening to it.
7) "High Atmosphere" by Robin and Linda Williams
8) "West Rutland Marble Bawn" on Dan Milner's Irish in America album. It got to me in particular because West Rutland is 15 miles from me, and when I was a bright young lawyer for the Marble Company I did work on tax appeals on some of the quarries mentioned in the song.
9) "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Richard Thompson - Del McCoury's version.
10) Tom Russell. Everything. Especially the western stuff. Also especially Andrew Hardin's guitar work on "Angel of Lyon."

Peter.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST,Fred Miller
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 08:43 AM

I'm not assertive enough in my tastes to form lists, but it's funny how many particular tunes from other people's lists I've made a point to learn, like each and all the Tull stuff people named, but also Life's a Long Song, which has a nice guitar part, and some other things. The Buddy Holly, Everly Brothers stuff, The Dire Straights stuff--except, for me, The Walk of Life, which isn't one of my favorites...

As the happiest-sounding tune I'd substitute Ritchie Haven's cover of Here Comes the Sun, which I heard in the movie Hideous Kinky, and had to go buy.

...The one Pretenders tune is the one I learned, Cowboy Junkies Oregon Hill, R.E.M's tunes including Rockville. But I wouldn't do some of this stuff because too many people do some of them. Nobody has mentioned the art-rock stuff (well, Genesis} like Yes that I grew up stoned with--pseudo-classical guitar parts like The Ancient, and electric flamenco-ish Sound Chaser. Nerdy yes, but I liked it too.

   My mother told me when she was young everyone listened to swing, and she didn't get into music until she heard Elvis sing the line "like a one-eyed cat peeping in a seafood store." Great story, Mom. But I think that was Bill Haley and the Comets, Shake Rattle & Roll.

The first time I heard the Wattersons on the radio I scrambled to find a tape to record it. First time I heard Lucinda Williams. I started hearing Philip Glass at modern dance things and thought What IS this stuff? Had to find it.

What's going to be fun is finding some of the ones that I don't know.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST,daylia
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 09:33 AM

To GUEST Fred Miller

If you're still into the art-rock stuff like Yes, check out what Jon Anderson has been doing over the last 10 years or so. There's a collection called "Anderson, Buford,Wakeman and Howe" (all Yes members) that's includes some pretty amazing stuff. I think I included "The Meeting" on my second list.

The songs range from the mystical -

"Surely I could tell
When I sleep tonight, a Dream will call
And raise It's head in majesty
Dividing all my energy
In the meeting of Your Love ..."

- to the political -

"This world ain't big enough - for stars and stripes"

As a piano player, Anderson's talents always blew me away ....

Cheers

- daylia

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST,Fred Miller
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 06:32 PM

Well I haven't really kept up, Daylia. But I do have that collection--my brother keeps up, and is an enabler. I still use some of the old stuff to gauge my technical progress, since I learned a lot of it before I could come close to playing it. I have heard enough to notice Anderson can still sing like crazy, maybe better. But it can't be helped, I associate that music with myself in a time I'm a bit embarrassed by--I was a very messed-up puppy. I envy people who don't have that problem, feel free to like whatever they like.

   I wanted to mention also the music from Hair, which I heard back in elementary school, and utterly loved, with it's improvised-sounding lyrics, a little awkwardly fitted.

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST,daylia
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 07:07 PM

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST,daylia
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 08:37 PM

Yeah Fred I wanted to include Hair, and Godspell, and Tommy, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the Band's "Last Waltz", and and and ...

Keeping it to "Two Top Tens" makes for kinda painful choices!

Interesting, in this thread, how some people follow the 'rules' and keep their lists to exactly 10, and others just kinda let their lists unfold. And I wonder how many feel a little embarrassed about the songs they liked or the memories that those songs 'conjure' up! Betcha just about everyone.

Except maybe for the ones who made however many lists of any old length

;-) daylia

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: GUEST,Bobert
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 10:21 PM

Firecat: You be da man, brother! And don't let the oldsters 'round this joint scare you away.

You a <+++++++< head, too?

Perfect-0 head?

Spread-head?

Man, I may be old, but not that old...

The "Phishman" Bobert

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Firecat
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 03:57 PM

Bobert, don't you mean "You be da woman, sister"? I do happen to be a girl!

And I'm not sure what you mean by <+++++++< head, Perfect-0 head or Spread-head. Sorry!

Subject: RE: Two Top Tens
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 Dec 02 - 04:04 PM

Bobert To English, Firecat... the first symbol is for a Phish head... if you like the jam group, hair apparent to the Grateful Dead, Phish.
I'll leave it to Bobert to translate the others. I shoulda took Bobert 101 when I was in school.

Jerry (none of the above.)