1,001 songs to listen to before you die...

[Moses Julep]

I sing the last part of Hey Jude to my newborn to soothe her and put her to sleep, works like a charm >_>

[Liam]

265.      

‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’, Jimi Hendrix (1968)

Influenced by: Mannish Boy • Muddy Waters (1955)   

Influence on: Theme from Shaft • Isaac Hayes (1971)   

Covered by: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (1984) • The Hamsters (1996) • Kenny Wayne Shepherd (1997) • Angélique Kidjo (1998) • Térez Montcalm (2006) • Jacques Stotzem (2009)

It is hard to be a wrestling fan and not love this song. Even without that, the song just sounds so massive from the moment things kick in after the intro, screeching solos, wah-wah pedals and all. The lyrics themselves set the tone: ‘Well, I stand up next to a mountain and I chop it down with the edge of my hand’. He sounds like that is completely possible as the sheer feeling of size that this song creates never wavers.

267.      

‘The Pusher’, Steppenwolf (1968)

A song from the counterculture film ‘Easy Rider’, it was written by Hoyt Axton (great name) after a friend he knew died of an overdose. The lyrics make an interesting delineation between the dealer, with grass and dope, and the pusher, who is a monster who sells heroin, considered a much more serious issue. A pleasant enough rock song, one that feels that it gets its spot due to its head-on tackling of drugs and association with ‘Easy Rider’ as much as anything else, though the solo at around the four minute mark was pretty cool.

267.      

‘The Weight’, The Band (1968)

The book states that this song underperformed due to how it almost felt too old and comfortable, like a song of yesteryear that had been passed down through generations. It does feel curiously out of place compared to a chunk of the songs listed in and around it, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In a time where noise, drugs, and psychedelia was the way forward, this must have felt like a pair of old slippers.

[METALMAN]

Voodoo Child is a belter of a song. It kicks ass.

Never heard the Steppenwolf song, although I love Born to Be Wild. Maybe I’ll like this one too? (I can’t listen to it at the moment but I will later)

The Weight is a really nice song. There was a period where I really started to turn against it because those heartland rock bands like the Gaslight Anthem and that sort of thing started doing really bad overwrought covers of it. But that’s not the Band’s fault.

[Liam]

268.      

‘Days’, The Kinks (1968)

A song I know but had seemingly forgotten the existence of up until this very moment. I also definitely had no idea that this was a track by the Kinks. This was written at a time when Ray Davies was debating about going solo due to squabbling within the band, so acts somewhat as a goodbye that celebrates the good whilst not exactly seeing them in a rose tinted manner. The book points out that Davies tended towards the down-to-earth whilst others were indulging in psychedelic streams of conscious; if anything, it helps the work from the Kinks to stand out, giving it more of a timeless feeling in its execution.

269.      

‘My Way’, Frank Sinatra (1969)

There might not be a better match of singer, persona and song narrative than Frank Sinatra singing ‘My Way’. Written by Paul Anka and inspired by a French song called ‘Comme d’habitude’ that Anka actually disliked. Sinatra, just like Claude Francois, was experiencing heart ache due to a failed marriage, whilst also contemplating retirement. The unapologetic, nostalgic lyrics may have been written by Anka, but they feel so Sinatra, building up to the crescendo of instrument and vocal that signifies the finish. A great song for a reason.

270.      

‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, Roberta Flack (1969)

A love song written by Ewan MacColl upon being introduced to his soon-to-be third wife, Peggy Seeger, this was a different arrangement that took the song to new heights. Flack’s ethereal, yet powerful in places, voice and the minimalist instrumental creates a haziness, a dreamy tone that effectively conveys falling in love at first sight. A mixture of inclusion on ‘Play Misty for Me’ and a Grammy for Roberta Flack that came four years later turned the song into more of a standard than it was originally, but there are few songs as good at catching the moment when love strikes.

[Skummy]

I had no idea that Ewan MacColl wrote that!

[METALMAN]

These are all okay, I guess.

I like most Kinks singles but I've always found Days to be a bit of a weedy tune that goes nowhere. On the subject of Ewan MacC, I don't like the Kirsty MacColl version either.

Uh...My Way is okay, but I don't really like triumphant, defiant Frank Sinatra. It's a bit too Las Vegas. He's better when he's sad and broken.

First Time Ever I Saw Your Face didn't actually become a hit until 1972. I mean, it was released in 1969, so there's no reason it shouldn't be here, but I always think of it as a 70s song. Anyway, I think it's a bit dull. But Roberta Flack also did Feel Like Makin Love which is a great song, so she's alright.

So there you go, MacColls: Ewan wrote a boring song and Kirsty did a bad cover of a bad song. Get it up yez.

Edited April 21, 2020 by metalman

[Liam]

271.      

‘I’m Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin’), Candi Staton (1969)

I’m not quite sure why, but I always assumed Candi Staton was a 70s/80s singer, rather than someone who made anything that was released in the 60s. Staton has a great ache and raspy-ness to her voice that helps to sell a narrative about standing by your man and longing for him not to leave. This up tempo song highlights a little the direction she would eventually go with disco-pleasers such as ‘Young Hearts Run Free’, whilst the instrumentation in general adds some soul to what could have otherwise been a maudlin song based on lyrics alone.

272.      

‘She Moves Through The Fair’, Fairport Convention (1969)

A traditional Irish folk song given new life as Fairport Convention (apparently) moved away from the US-centric take on folk and looked closer to home for inspiration. Sandy Denny is the singer here, a new addition to the band, and she is the star of the song with beautifully melodious vocals. The simple instrumentation adds a spectral feeling to the whole thing, with the original melody largely unchanged yet focus on the acoustic guitar and a wandering bass line. It makes me want to seek out more of their music, which is – I guess – one of the highest accolades I can personally give on this list.

273.      

‘Many Rivers to Cross’, Jimmy Cliff (1969)

Jimmy Cliff’s eponymous album had led with a couple of protest songs and a Cat Stevens cover in terms of singles, meaning this wasn’t actually released and it took its inclusion on a 1972 soundtrack for it to get its due. Cliff was searching for spiritual answers when the song was recorded, and the gospel element speaks to this being a song about Cliff’s own search. He converted to Islam shortly after this album was released, whilst the lyrics speak to a soul searching for meaning, yet defiantly so. A great song.

[METALMAN]

Fairport Convention are excellent, as is much of the solo music by Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson (the guitarist) - would definitely recommend going further if you liked that song.

I don't know the other two but they sound good enough from the quick snippets I listened to. I'm like you: I always thought of Candi Staton as someone from a bit later on so surprised to see her there.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I missed Voodoo Child!

My parents were/are huge Hendrix fans and owned multiple albums, often times multiple copies of the same ones. That was something we listened to a lot during my childhood.

Then the first time I saw Hogan come out to it after I had gotten into wrestling I was like WOAH FUCK HOLD ON A SECOND NOW! AWESOME.

[Colly]

On 18/04/2020 at 22:21, metalman said:

 

Hey Jude is a bit of a cliche with the way McCartney wheels it out whenever there's a big event, but they aren't many songs that work better for the massive crowd interaction thing.

I've never seen McCartney but one of my favourite festival moments was when just before the Strokes headlined Leeds festival in 2002 they played Hey Jude over the PA and pretty much that whole massive crowd sang along. Lovely stuff.

[VerbalPuke]

A lot of really cool stuff in here. I love Jimi Hendrix so again, cool to see him. 

Very surprised by that Steppenwolf Song, it's a good one and there's actually a great cover of it by a group called Left Lane Cruiser that do a really nice job on it. I would have figured they picked Magic Carpet Ride or Born to Be Wild, but I like this one. It's a pretty neat way of being anti-drug but not necessarily "uptight" as those hippies would say. 

[Liam]

274.      

‘In The Ghetto’, Elvis Presley (1969)

Influenced by: The Wind Cries Mary • The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)   

Influence on: The Sun Refused to Shine •Richard Hawley (2007)   

Covered by: Sammy Davis Jr. (1970) • Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (1984) • The Cranberries (2001)

Having not scored a US top three in four years, ‘In The Ghetto’ was Elvis back to form and back into the eye of the public once more. Not exactly known for his political songs, Elvis was convinced to sing the song as the producer mused about offering the song to another singer – a tactic that had been known to work in the past. Elvis provides a strong vocal that feels a fair bit away from the hip shaking and lip curling of yesteryear, whilst the female backing vocalist and the brief drum beats add a lot without overpowering the rest of the tune.

275.      

 

 

‘Oh Well, part 1 and 2’, Fleetwood Mac (1969)

Influenced by: Boom Boom • John Lee Hooker (1961)   

Influence on: Black Dog • Led Zeppelin (1971)   

Covered by: Big Country (1993) • Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes (2000) • Stephen Pearcy (2006) • Todd Wolfe & Under the Radar (2008) • The Rockets (2009)

This is an interesting choice that feels a bit like the early Pink Floyd that found its way onto the list. When the later incarnation goes on to do different/more popular/better things (delete as applicable), it is always interesting to see what came before. Part 1 is blisteringly aggressive blues, whilst the second part focuses more on a slightly unnervy attempt at being spiritual. Peter Green wrote the song and this seemed to aim to catch both sides of his personality: the aggression with the peace. Part 1 is good; I can do without Part 2.

276.      

‘The Real Thing’, Russell Morris (1969)

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I read about this song, but it was six minutes I was happy to give over to it. A song written by Johnny Young, a singer who felt he wasn’t the right man to sing it, it was passed onto Russell Morris instead. Catchy from the opening bars onwards, mixing pop with psychedelic-rock and some really weird quirks throughout that made it stand out compared to other songs on the list, it was a huge hit in Australia, where Young came from.

[GoGo Yubari]

That Russell Morris video is something else.

[Liam]

277.      

‘Sister Morphine’, Marianne Faithful (1969)

Written by Faithful, then-boyfriend Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it came from a melody that Jagger had in his head for six months. The music was recorded, with Faithful adding her vocals afterwards, though it was soon removed from sale when Decca realised what the song was about (man dying from car crash injuries, a letter written to the nurse, drugs). There is a real unnerving tone set by Faithful’s vocals, though to be expected based on the narrative of the song, and supported ably by some wandering guitar solo sections. The book references that Faithful used her cut to help fund a pretty crippling drug addiction, making the lyrics a little too on the nose.

278.      

‘Okie from Muskogee’, Merle Haggard (1969)

This feels like it makes its way onto the list more for its interesting political take rather than anything to do with the music. That isn’t necessarily a knock on the song which is a fine and catchy country music tune, just that it is Haggard’s decision to poke fun of liberals that surprised many, or so it seems. At a time when a lot of musicians were talking about counter culture ideas, Haggard took a much more conservative view of life. In some ways, I’m glad this was included in the book as much because it shows that not every piece of music was a rule breaking celebration and it strikes a balance. There isn’t much more, personally, to say about the song itself.

279.      

‘Heartbreaker’, Led Zeppelin (1969)

Bluesier and rockier than their debut album, ‘Led Zeppelin II’ was the record that produced this song. I’m going to get some hate I’m sure, but I’ve never been a huge fan of Led Zeppelin, primarily as I don’t particularly care for Robert Plant’s vocal style. However, that doesn’t take away from Jimmy Page’s guitar work, which is pretty much always on point whenever I heard a song by Zeppelin. The song pretty much stops in the middle to give Page a chance to shred, showcasing his ridiculously high level of skill. Decent, but not amongst their best for me.

[Malenko]

The Woodstock era, revered by many is just not for me.

[METALMAN]

I really like Merle Haggard. I worked in Bakersfield in California a few years back and lived near Merle Haggard Drive. That was what made me interested enough to listen to some of his music - probably the best thing I got out of my stay.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Despite the more conservative leanings of the song Okie is a jam. But like, thinking about it, if the counter-culture was mainstream at the time, isn't it counter-culture to be like "actually let's just be nice normal conservative folk" or whatever?

Though anyway, I prefer "Mama Tried" and "I Think I'll Just Sit Here And Drink". "Drink" is much later in his career though.

Also be remiss not to mention his and Willie's cover of "Pancho & Lefty"..

[METALMAN]

But was the counterculture really mainstream? Sure, some of the fashions and music might have broken through, but most of the things Merle Haggard talked about - marijuana and LSD consumption, avoiding the military draft - were relatively minor concerns.

Whereas waving the US flag, wearing leather boots or watching American football were - and are -  resolutely mainstream activities. Remember, during the supposed rush of this countercultural revolution Americans voted for Richard Nixon, and then they voted for him again. And there was still a lot of support for sending soldiers to Vietnam. I think Merle Haggard was still in the majority at this point.

What it's suggestive of to me is the tendency for conservatives to think their "culture" is under attack because some people are being a bit different, even as their culture continues to retain its hegemonic position. And we see a lot of that today - although the accompanying music is rather worse.

And anyway, much of 1960s hippie counterculture was just a slightly different type of American materialistic individualism. American conservatives want to be able to what they want without The Man telling them what to do. So did the hippies.

Good songs though.

Edited April 25, 2020 by metalman

[Liam]

280.      

‘Is That All There Is?’, Peggy Lee (1969)

A song that was originally offered to both Marlene Dietrich and Barbara Streisand, this instead found surprising fame for Lee as she had her first real hit since the 50s. The mix of spoken word and Lee’s melodious vocals is a great contrast, whilst there is something about the lyrics that catches a feeling many can empathise with. If that is all there is, why not just have a dance, a drink and some fun? There’s a coolness about the spoken word part in particular that I like, which raises this song above where it might have been otherwise.

281.      

‘Sweetness’, Yes (1969)

I don’t really know anything by Yes (I’m sure I’ve heard the odd song on soundtracks), but the book mentioned that this is a step away from the proggier style they’d furrow in the 70s. The band had wanted Paul McCartney to produce their debut album, and you can see the influence of the Beatle in this pop-rock ballad. It is all just very pleasant. Nothing mindblowing, but the instruments create a serene soundscape upon which the celebratory lyrics can flourish. It almost reminds me of a 90s indie-pop bands output, in some ways.

282.      

‘Suspicious Minds’, Elvis Presley (1969)

Influenced by: Crying • Roy Orbison (1961)   

Influence on: Jealous Guy • John Lennon (1971)

Covered by: Dee Dee Warwick (1971) • Thelma Houston (1980) • Candi Staton (1981) • Fine Young Cannibals (1985) • Dwight Yoakam (1992) • True West (1998) • Jesper Lundgaard (2002) • Helmut Lotti (2002)

If I was ever going to point to an Elvis song as my unarguable favourite, it would have to be this one. Whilst the lyrics don’t really go anywhere, it only really serves to highlight the narrative of the song, and Presley is entirely believable as the man in this story. You get an interesting fake fade out towards the end that was novel, and the live versions of this song that really ramp up the frenetic emotion of Presley take this song over the top for me. His final number one; an impressive way to go out.

[Liam]

283.      

‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’, Crosby, Stills and Nash (1969)

Influenced by: All I Have to Do Is Dream • The Everly Brothers (1958)   

Influence on: Take It Easy • Eagles (1972)  

Covered by: Liberace (1969)

I can’t start with this without mentioning that I love that Liberace is the one notable cover of this song. Stephen Stills perhaps underplayed this song by suggesting it was a collection of pieces just thrown together and called a ‘suite’. I’ve never listened to any C,S and N that I am aware of and if this is a good indicator of what they offer, then perhaps I should rectify that. Great vocal harmonies, lively instrumentation and a willingness to experiment add up to an excellent seven minute song that unsurprisingly became a live favourite.

284.      

‘Pinball Wizard’, The Who (1969)

Influenced by: S. F. Sorrow Is Born • The Pretty Things (1968)   

Influence on: Jesus of Suburbia • Green Day (2004)   

Covered by: Rod Stewart (1972) • Elton John (1975) • Mary McCaslin (1977) • Carl Dixon (2003) • McFly (2005) • The Flaming Lips (2008)

It is the guitar work underneath everything all that gives an otherwise not particularly quick song a feeling of pace and power.  Not one of Pete Townshend’s favourites in terms of writing – he thought it was clumsy – but a great example of what he could do with a guitar. Some dubious lyrics aside, it does have that grandiose scope that made it ripe for film as well as cover versions all at once. An early prototypical take on the eventually popular rock opera theme.

285.      

‘Je’ t’aime… moi non plus’, Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg (1969)

Influenced by: What’d I Say Parts 1 & 2 • Ray Charles (1959)   

Influence on: Love to Love You Baby • Donna Summer (1975)   

Covered by: Donna Summer (1978) • Pet Shop Boys & Sam Taylor-Wood (1999)

I feel that there always has to be a certain amount of props given to a non-English language song that completely permeates (penetrates?) the English speaking conscience in some manner or form. Whether you know who does it, or its full name, this is a song that most people would have heard of and would raise a wry smile. I love that the story goes that this was actually written alongside Brigitte Bardot the year before, but she got cold feet about releasing it since she was married to someone else. Birkin able filled the hole that Bardot left as they began to date and this sexually charged result was one of the results. Birkin’s sighs, moans and breathy vocals probably  got the song banned as well as contributed to its popularity. Listening to this with headphones on, I wasn't quite prepared for the aural bombardment.