So maybe it's not folk music [in the strictest sense of that term], but I want to take this opportunity to say that mid 20th century R&B/Soul music rocks!

I came across this link to the 100 Greatest 'Classic' R&B/Soul Songs of the 1950s-1970s:
100 Greatest Classic R&B/Soul Songs

The criteria given for this selection is "R&B Soul songs - Chosen for their impact, influence and quality in R&B from 1950-1979 (excluding songs with a clearly pop slant). - - Ballads have their own list"

Actually that site lists 175 songs. Here's the first 25 songs on that list:

1. Respect - Aretha Franklin
2. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
3. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
4. What'd I Say - Ray Charles
5. Maybellene - Chuck Berry
6. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag - James Brown
7. Money Honey - Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters
8. Shake, Rattle, & Roll - Big Joe Turner
9. My Girl - The Temptations
10. Long Tall Sally - Little Richard
11. In The Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
12. Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino
13. Sixty Minute Man - The Dominoes
14. Everyday People - Sly & The Family Stone
15. Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price
16. Heat Wave - Martha & The Vandellas
17. One Nation Under A Groove - Parliment Funkadelic
18. Reach Out, I'll Be There - The Four Tops
19. It's Your Thing - The Isley Brothers
20. Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston
21. The Tracks Of My Tears - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
22. Jungle Boogie - Kool & The Gang
23. Baby Love - The Supremes
24. Why Do Fools Fall In Love? - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
25. Shining Star - Earth, Wind & Fire

-snip-

Not that it matters, but I know every one of those songs except
# 13 & #20.

There's bound to be disagreement about a list like this. Not to be nitpicky, but I'd rank #11 "In The Midnight Hour" higher up on the list. And speaking of Wilson Picket, I don't see the song "Land of A Thousand Dances" on that list, or but then again, I broke my reading glasses and can't see that well without them.

But here's what I wanna know-where's Al Green's and Luther Vandross's songs? Oh maybe they're in the Ballads list. And did I miss The Shirelle's "Tonight's The Night", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", and "Mama Said There'll Be Days Like This"?

Why isn't Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips" on that list or Aretha's
"I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You}" or The Clover's "Love Potion # 9"? And where's The Coasters' "Charlie Brown", "Little Egypt" and "On Broadway" ???

Those are just some of the songs that come to my mind that I think shoulda been on that list.

What about you? Do you have any favorite pre-1980's R&B/Soul songs?

What songs should have been on that list and what songs shoulda been left off of it?