Top 500 Songs of All time Countdown – Page 2

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #104: Across the Universe by The Beatles (+) as covered by Aurora (KEXP)

This list of songs is inspired by lists published by radio station KEXP-FM from Seattle in 2010, as well as the latest poll taken in 2021 by Rolling Stone Magazine. For the most part I will faithfully countdown from their lists, starting at Song #500 and going until I reach Song #1. When you see the song title listed as something like: Song #XXX (KEXP)….it means that I am working off of the official KEXP list. Song XXX (RS) means the song is coming from the Rolling Stone list. If I post the song title as being: Song #xxx (KTOM), it means I have gone rogue and am inserting a song choice from my own personal list of tunes I really like. In any case, you are going to get to hear a great song and learn the story behind it. Finally, just so everyone is aware, I am not a music critic nor a musician. I am a music fan and an armchair storyteller. Here is the story behind today’s song. Enjoy.

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #104: Across the Universe by The Beatles (covered by Aurora, too).

One of the greatest pleasures that I am deriving from doing this countdown is getting the opportunity to do a deeper dive into some of the music of groups that I have always loved but never really explored in depth before. This includes finding songs like, “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” by The Rolling Stones the other day and now, finding “Across the Universe” by The Beatles. I believe that this is truly their loveliest song. It is like a lullaby for adults. It was written by John Lennon and it reads like poetry set to music; all delicate and whispery and unlike almost anything else in their vast catalogue of brilliant music. The funny thing about this….at least for me….is that I came across this song by accident. I wasn’t listening to Beatles music when I discovered it. Instead, I found it by way of a YouTube algorithm which suggested one of those, “If you like Song “A” then, you might like this song, too”-type of suggestions that pop up all of the time. The song they suggested was a cover of “Across the Universe” by Norwegian pixie, Aurora. Her version is really ethereal and, from what I have learned about the song from Lennon, himself, I believe that she has recorded the definitive version of this song. In any case, Aurora’s cover led me to John Lennon and then, to the story of “Across the Universe”, which I shall share with you now.

As you may know from our posts on The Beatles, most of their songs were written by Paul McCartney or John Lennon. In the beginning, the two lads would often sit and write together. But, as time went on, they began to write separately. When it came to this, the process would be that they would write alone at home and then, return the next day and present their song choice to the rest of the band who, at that point, would accept or reject the song. If accepted, the band would workshop the song until they felt it was ready to be recorded. In the process of recording the song, the magic would happen and these songs would be fleshed out into the wondrous final form that most of their songs ended up taking. Unfortunately, when The Beatles assembled to work on songs for the “Let It Be” album (which ended up being the final time their recorded together, as the songs for their final album, “Abbey Road” were cobbled together from the “Let It Be” sessions), the writing process was beginning to break down for the band. John was pulling away from the group. He was showing up later and later in the day to work on the album. In the void that John’s absence formed, Paul McCartney began taking more control of the sessions. This meant that his songs got more practise time given to them and, as a result, they became more polished and album-ready. With the rest of the band becoming fatigued from working so much on Paul’s songs, they had little energy to give any songs by John their due. One of the songs that John felt got short changed was, “Across the Universe”.

As lovely and quaint as “Across the Universe” is, it is really a song that was born out of sadness and loss. John wrote the song as his marriage to his first wife, Cynthia, was ending. The story is that they were arguing one night at bed time and John was tired of the sound of her voice so he tried tuning her words out as she spoke. However, instead of reacting with anger, as many spouses do when a marriage is ending, John turned to the lessons he had learned from his experiences in India with Transcendental Meditation so, he turned his thoughts toward peacefulness and harmony. As a result, his feelings toward his ex-wife’s voice manifested itself in the form of a poem which ended up forming the lyrics to “All Across the Universe”. John is quoted as claiming that “Across the Universe” is the finest song he has ever written (and, when you hear/read the lyrics, you will agree that they are very different from much of what Lennon wrote throughout his tenure with The Beatles).

So, John Lennon brought his new song to the band to be workshopped for “Let It Be”, only to find the band engrossed in Paul’s songs, instead. “Across the Universe” was only ever given cursory treatment by the band and, in the end, the song was given to the World Wildlife Federation (the original WWF of the world) for use in a charity album they were putting together. That version ended up having bird chirps added to it. The version of the song that The Beatles used always dissatisfied Lennon. He claimed it was symbolic of all that was going wrong with the band and he blamed Paul McCartney for sabotaging his song. In the end, after The Beatles broke up, Lennon asked the infamous producer, Phil Spector to work on the song. Spector added a symphony and a backing choir, which pleased Lennon. “Across the Universe” ended up being added on to the “Abbey Road” album but never turned out to be the song John Lennon had hoped it would be for the band.

In the decades that have followed the breaking up of The Beatles, many artists and bands have covered their songs. Thus, there is a whole category of music you can search for on the Internet that will organize these covers all into one place for easy access. For me, as I mentioned earlier, it was YouTube that brought me to this song because of their recommendation to try the cover of “Across the Universe” by Norwegian singer, Aurora. So, I listened to it out of curiosity and I am glad that I did. For my money, her version of the song must have been what John Lennon heard in his head when he first thought of those lyrics. Aurora has a soft, almost child-like voice. She reminds me of Bjork, in a way. She was born in Norway and grew up near a fjord that, she states, caused her to believe she was growing up as a child in Narnia. She has been singing professionally since she was sixteen, when she had a hit called “Runaway“. I thought she was Irish when I first heard her accent but, she is Norwegian (and a lovely, talented, eclectic soul, as you will soon see). Her version of “Across the Universe” is crisply sung; the notes seem to hang in the frosty air like ice crystals. I could almost hear the peaceful vibe Lennon was searching for, coming through in the softness of her song styling. In any case, I believe that her softer touch is more appropriate for the song than is John Lennon’s raspier voice singing those same words. As Dylan felt with Hendrix and “All Along the Watch Tower” and as Pete Seeger felt about The Byrds with “Turn, Turn, Turn”, sometimes, the cover becomes the definitive take on a song that was already good on its own. Is that the case with Aurora’s cover? I will leave that up to you to decide. You know that, for me, it is the best version, according to my tastes.

For now, let’s have ourselves a listen to a song that stands out as being more poetic than most when it comes to The Beatles catalogue. Here is John Lennon and the lyric version of “Across the Universe”, followed by Aurora, with her cover. Enjoy them both.

The link to the video for the song, “All Across the Universe” by The Beatles, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Beatles, can be found here.

The link to the video for the song, “All Across the Universe”, as covered by Aurora, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Aurora, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for supporting musical Titans, such as The Beatles while, at the same time, promoting rising stars such as Aurora. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #105: All Along the Watch Tower by Bob Dylan (+) covered by Jimi Hendrix (RS)

RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #105: All Along the Watch Tower by Bob Dylan and covered famously by Jimi Hendrix.

For those of you who are well-acquainted with the Bible, you will know that there is a lot of symbolic importance to the image of a Watch Tower. In the Book of Ezekiel, there is much talk about preparing for the Second Coming of the Lord. As part of those preparations, a Watch Tower is to be constructed and manned with followers in order to be ready to receive the Lord when that Second Coming happened. If you require further proof that a “Watch Tower’ holds religious significance, note that the Jehovah Witness organization publishes a newsletter/magazine that they have christened as “The Watch Tower”, too.

This brings us to Bob Dylan. Dylan is universally regarded as being one of the most influential and important figures in all of music history. There are many reasons this is so but, foremost among them, is the impact he had on how songs were written. Prior to Bob Dylan appearing on the scene, many hit songs were written in a fairly simplistic manner. For example, think of “Peggy Sue” by Buddy Holly, “Wake up, Little Susie!” by The Everly Brothers and, of course, that old chestnut, “How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?” When Bob Dylan appeared, he did so with a poet’s sensibility. It was because of Bob Dylan’s storytelling that songs were permitted to extend beyond the three minute mark that was the benchmark for songs prior to that. Dylan is also credited with bringing a sense of complexity to his lyrics; creating songs that read like novels, with verses that contained fully-developed characters and scenarios that unfolded at a more leisurely pace. More than anything, Dylan wrote like someone who was a perfect marriage of a poet and a musician; he created songs with beautiful language that, also, contained excellent musical structure.

There are many who claim that when Bob Dylan write “All Along the Watch Tower” for his eighth studio album, “John Wesley Harding”, he was actually using the song as a ploy during contract re-negotiation. That he dressed up his lyrics in Biblical imagery doesn’t change the fact that Dylan, at the time, thought his reputation had grown to the point where he deserved a greater share of the revenue he was bringing in. Read the first two verses and see if you agree:

“There must be some kind of way outta here!

Said the Joker to the Thief.

There’s too much confusion.

I can’t get no relief.

Businessmen, they drink my wine.

Plowmen dig my earth.

None will level on the line

Nobody offered his word.”

That Dylan borrowed language from the Bible seems fitting in that there is much in the way of beautiful langauge in the Bible. But, more than that, what Dylan did was create a new standard for songwriting. One bit of evidence for this can be seen in the fact that, not only did he write songs that sold well for him but, he also wrote songs that were so lyrically-poetic and so structurally-sound that they were admired by others who were able to cover them well and turn them into something uniquely their own. The Byrds did that with “Mr. Tambourine Man”, for instance, and so did a young guitar prodigy known as Jimi Hendrix, with “All Along the Watch Tower”.

How Jimi Hendrix came to record “All Along the Watch Tower” remains open to question but, the general consensus is that he was given a cassette of songs that Dylan had been working on that were recorded as demos. One of the songs was “All Along the Watch Tower”. Hendrix was already a huge admirer of Bob Dylan and was excited to listen to new work of his. So, as the story goes, Hendrix took the cassette tape back home, listened to it on repeat and, as midnight gave way to dawn, he began seeing the song through his own eyes. Consequently, Hendrix began to see where he could add in his own signature guitar licks (which were the guitar-version of Dylan’s poetic lyrics). Jimi Hendrix is regarded as highly for his guitar playing as Bob Dylan is for his songwriting. So, in covering “All Along the Watch Tower”, Hendrix is matching Dylan’s genius, note by note and, in the end, he created a cover song that, even Bob Dylan, himself, declared as being the best version of the song.

All in all, “All Along the Watch Tower” is a song that spawned two enormously strong versions of itself as gifts to the world. The genius of a songwriter, matched with the genius of the world’s greatest guitar player, gives us all one of the greatest single songs of all time. So, without further delay, here is “All Along the Watch Tower” by, both, Bob Dylan and by Jimi Hendrix. Enjoy them, both.

The link to the video for the song, “All Along the Watch Tower” by Bob Dylan, can be found here.

The link to the video for the song, “All Along the Watch Tower”, as covered by Jimi Hendrix, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Bob Dylan, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Jimi Hendrix, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Rolling Stone Magazine, can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #106: Waiting Room by Fugazi (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #106: Waiting Room by Fugazi.

If you have ever watched a major league baseball game, you may have noticed that, when a player for the home team comes up to bat, the announcer will play a song that was chosen by the player to represent them as an athlete and as a real person. In baseball lingo, these songs are called, “Walk-up songs”. Well, if we, as regular people, had our own version of a walk-up song play whenever we showed up somewhere, I would want my walk-up song to be “Waiting Room” by Fugazi.

Fugazi was a hardcore band that formed in the Washington area. The band came from the same musical melting pot, as did Dave Grohl when he was in high school, prior to drumming for Nirvana and then, leading the Foo Fighters. The Washington music scene was quite vibrant for awhile and the members of Fugzai were all integral figures in its’ rich history. If you have never heard of Fugazi then, the temptation exists to rush to judgement and view them as just a bunch of loud noisemakers. But, to do so would be to miss out on the story of one of the bands with the most integrity of any band in this entire countdown list. They possess musical ideals which are as pure as they come. So, buckle up and settle in because here is the story of one of my favourite bands of all-time, Fugazi.

Fugazi came into existance almost by accident. Lead singer, Ian MacKaye, had been in several smaller bands and had seen them come and go and had grown tired of that cycle of musical life. So, he decided to never be in a band again but, instead, to simply find kindred spirits who liked to play and to make music with them for the pure pleasure of making Art. So, he met a drummer named Brendan Canty and a bassist named Joe Lally and they began hanging out and jamming. Soon, a friend of the trio, named Guy Picciotto, began hanging around and was soon asked to join the group and play. Well, one thing led to another and soon enough, the “band of players” started pitching some song ideas to each other. Before too long, they began stitching together snippets of lyrics and of music that seemed to work together and, before they realized it, they had enough actual songs to create an EP. And then, not too long after, they had enough songs for a second EP. Putting the two EPs together, the guys released an album called, “13 Songs”. “Waiting Room” was one of those first thirteen songs.

With an album at the ready, the guys had to decide if they wanted to do the “band-thing” again. They decided that they did but, before agreeing to tour in support of “13 Songs”, they met to discuss a philosophy on how best to be the kind of band they wanted to be but had never been able to in the past. It was as a result of this meeting, that many of the ideals that helped shape Fugazi, as a band, came to be. Those ideals are what helped to separate Fugazi form all other bands on this list. Their willingness to adhere to their own principles over time has resulted in them accruing much respect from fans and other bands. Here is what Fugazi decided would have to happen if they were to become a band:

1- The guys all believed that their music should be accessible to all of their fans, regardless of income. So, Fugazi championed the idea of the “five dollar concert”. By keeping ticket prices within reach of their fans (many of whom were teenagers), the band ensured that those most passionate about their music were the ones who actually got to see the band in person. So, no matter where they played, a Fugazi show cost only $5.00 per ticket.

2- In keeping with this theme, Fugazi made it known that they would only play “All Ages” shows. So, if a particular venue sold alcohol, for example, Fugazi would not play there. They knew their fan base tended to be younger so, they wanted to ensure that those kids would be allowed through the venue doors without having to show ID thus, Fugazi became known as an “All Ages” band.

3- As far as I know, Fugazi are the only band in this entire countdown list who do not license any band merchandise. In their own words, “Fugazi is a band, not a brand”. Even though their music might be loud and fast, it is still a work of Art and, in the minds of the band, that Art should be enjoyed for what it is, without any monetary considerations clouding anyone’s judgement. They also wanted their fans to be fans and not billboards. So, if you ever see a Fugazi t-shirt, it is self-made or an unauthorized shirt.

4- The band like their shows to be intimate; with the audience being able to interact with the band as they play. Consequently, Fugazi will play almost any venue that fits their criteria for “All Ages” shows. They have played in basements, restaurants, local parks, community halls, hockey rinks and so on. Anywhere fans can gather and they can plug in their instruents is a venue worth using, in their minds.

5- The band refuses to market themselves by doing interviews in magazines, on radio stations or any internet organziation that promote alcohol or cigarette use. Thus, Fugazi has never appeared within the covers of a magazine like, “Rolling Stone”. The band has always trusted their fanbase to do word-of-mouth advertising for them. As a result, in a career that has spanned nearly two decades, seen the band perfrom several thousand shows, Fugazi takes great pride in the fact that almost every single one of their shows has been “Sold Out” without them having to play the corporate advertising game.

6- Finally, one of the most common images one might have when you think of a Punk Rock or Hardcore concert is a mosh pit. Well, Fugazi have banned violent actors from their shows which, in turn, has seen the end of mosh pits, too. Fugazi believe that the ideal situation in a concert setting is being close to the band, while singing and dancing and having the time of your life. Again, since many of their fans are younger, Fugazi want their shows to be safe places to be. As a result, the band travels with little in the way of security and are known for policing their own shows from the stage. If they see someone starting to cause trouble, they will stop the show, talk to them from the stage (usually, in a disarmingly friendly manner) and will offer them their five dollars back. Because of the relationship the band has with their fans, instances of biligerent behaviour are few and far between.

The song, “Waiting Room” is all about having the patience to avoid rushing to judgement and ending up making bad decisions. The song is Fugazi’s most “radio-friendly” song and is responsible for many of the three million album sales the band has enjoyed over the years. “Waiting Room” is a song about waiting for the right opportunity to come along….as a band….as a fan…and holding on when the right match appears. The video that I will show backs this notion up in spades. I have played this video on FB before. It is, arguably, my favourite live concert video of all-time. While it is a grainy video from a hand-held camera, it shows everything I love about Fugazi: the intimacy of the setting, the completely in-sync relationship that exists between the band and their fans and, finally, the energy of a band who are giving their all for their Art and for their fans. If I was a rock star, this is how I would want my concert experiences to be. It may look like an insane asylum on screen but, it is musical heaven to me. When I speak of music as a joy-filled experience, this is what I have in mind and this is why I would want “Waiting Room” by Fugazi as my walk-up song in life.

Without further delay, here are Fugazi and a bunch of their best friends, or so it seems, with “Waiting Room” from the album, “13 Songs”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Waiting Room” by Fugazi, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Fugazi, can be found here……*actually, this is a bit of a trick because Fugazi have no official website, sell no merchandise., etc. So, there you go.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for giving all bands and artists a safe home for promote their Art. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #107: Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) by The Rolling Stones (RS)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #107: Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) by The Rolling Stones.

Let me start this post off with a bit of an editorial comment.

When I first played around with the idea of telling the stories behind some of the top 500 songs of all-time, my hope was to eliminate some of the “accidental ignorance” we all display when we bop along to an inappropriate song without being aware of what that song really means. My specific inspiration was that I wanted my girls to know that some of the songs they would sing to on the radio were, actually, songs written by men about their sexual fantasies regarding young women. I would never tell Leah and Sophie that they couldn’t listen to a certain song but, by providing some information, I would allow them to make their own, informed decisions about what sort of influences they wanted to bring into their lives. Some girls like being fussed and fawned over that way. To each her own, I suppose. But, at least, armed with the proper information, listeners can decide if a particular song is right for them or not and go on from there.

This sort of mindset comes into play with the song that was supposed to be listed here at spot #107…..”Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones. I fully and completely admit that for most of my life, I never really listened to the lyrics for this song. I sort of tuned in at the part that went,

“You should of heard her just around midnight!”

I always believed that “Brown Sugar” was simply a bawdy song about inter-racial sex. I have no issue with inter-racial sex when it is between consenting adults. So, I happily bopped along with this song and considered it on par with the other big hits by The Rolling Stones such as “Jumping Jack Flash”, “Satisfaction”, “Sympathy for the Devil”, “Gimme Shelter” and so on. But recently, in a decision that had nothing to do with me, I read that The Rolling Stones had decided to drop “Brown Sugar” from their concert playlist because the song was “no longer appropriate”. My uninformed reaction was that maybe this was a little bit of political correctness run amok. But, instead of over-reacting and composing outraged tweets and social media posts, I did some research. In doing so, I have come to understand what all the fuss was about regarding “Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones.

“Brown Sugar” is actually about inter-racial sex. But, the problem is that the steamy sex that Mick Jagger wrote about and sang about is not between consenting adults at all. It is in regard to the rape of female slaves by white slave owners. The lyrics, that I never really paid attention to, bear this out:

“Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields

Sold in the market down in New Orleans

Skydog slaver know he’s doin’ alright

Hear him whip the women, just around midnight.“

….and, it goes on from there. I never paid attention to the full lyrics. I just bopped mindlessly along, like so many others, to the chorus and thought it was a fun, sexy song. But, I see it differently now and, if it is not appropriate for The Rolling Stones anymore then, it won’t be a song that goes on my list of the best songs of all-time, either. Sorry.

So, what to do instead?

Well, The Rolling Stones have many other great hits which we WILL still see as the last 100 songs in this countdown roll by. However, for this particular song slot, I thought it might be a good idea to highlight a lesser known song that illustrates what a truly magnificent Blues-based Rock n’ Roll band they really were. So, I went back in time a bit to an album that they called, “Goat’s Head Soup”….from which “Angie” was the big hit….and chose a song called, “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)”. This song really rocks. It shows the band at the height of their musical powers. The song is based upon two stories about black children in NYC during the 1970s and how difficult it was/still is to be black in America. There is a lot of fury in this song, helped in great part by the presence of “The Fifth Beatle”, Mr. Billy Preston, who ups the funk factor significantly. There is, also, a horn section that is used to great effect in this song, too.

So, get ready for a song that, while it may not rank as being one of The Rolling Stones more recognizable hits, “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” is certainly one of the funkiest songs in their entire catalogue.

So, sorry/not sorry for omitting “Brown Sugar”. Here, instead, are The Rolling Stones with “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” from the album, “Goat’s Head Soup” Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” by The Rolling Stones, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Rolling Stones, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for loving Funk and Blues, as much as any station, anywhere. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #108: In The Still of the Night by The Five Satins (RS)

RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #108: In The Still of the Night by The Five Satins.

“In The Still of the Night” by The Five Satins is one of the best loved and most famous “Doo Wop” songs of all-time. A “Doo Wop” song is one that is based on singing and, in particular, on harmonies. In the case of “In The Still of the Night”, the song was written by a man named Fred Parris. Parris had a deep, rich voice. He sang lead vocals and, as such, he sang all of the verses and the chorus. He was backed by four back-up singers whose job it was to harmonize on the off-beats, usually using sounds (as opposed to real words). The overall effect was that the voices of the back-up singers would act like a traditional rhythm section would, as if instruments were being used.

“In The Still of the Night” was written in the mid-1950s by Parris. The song is about his desire for a girl and his hope that, even though he is going away, she will wait for him and they will reunite upon his return. Until that time, the memory of their last night together will have to help tide him over. Unfortunately for Parris, not long after recording “In The Still of the NIght”, he shipped out on active duty with the US Army. It was while stationed overseas that “In The Still of the Night” began receiving modest radio airplay. In an effort to capitalize on the attention the song was getting, a new singer was hired to replace Parris and, as a result, when the first live performances of the song were given, Parris was not even there to sing his own song. Eventually, he was honourably discharged and was able to resume his career.

“In The Still of the Night” never had much success when it came to the music charts. However, it has endured through the years and has emerged as the definitive example of a great Doo Wop song. “In The Still of the Night” was used to great effect in the movie, “Dirty Dancing”, as well as during the opening scenes in the recent movie, “The Irishman”.

“In The Still of the Night” is part of the soundtrack of the 1950s and is one of the best songs to illustrate the beauty of vocal harmonizing. This has, in turn, has inspired modern day groups such as Boyz II Men, who are carrying on the tradition of Doo Wop in a way that must have made Fred Parris proud.

For now, let’s listen to one of the greatest Doo Wop songs of all-time….”In The Still of the Night” by The Five Satins. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “In The Still of the Night” by The Five Satins, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Five Satins, can be found here.

The link to the video of the song, “In The Still of the Night”, as covered by Boyz II Men, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Boyz II Men, can be found here.

The link to the video for the movie, “The Irishman”, which uses “In The Still of the Night”, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Rolling Stone Magazine, can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #109: Kashmir by Led Zeppelin (RS)

RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #109: Kashmir by Led Zeppelin.

By the time “Kashmir” was released by Led Zeppelin, the band was already an international rock n’ roll juggernaut. In fact, the success of “Kashmir” on the radio helped Led Zeppelin to achieve a very rare feat for a band. “Kashmir” was a single from an album called, “Physical Graffiti”. When that album entered the Top 100 Album chart, it did so along with five other Led Zeppelin albums: “Houses of the Holy”, along with “Led Zeppelin-I, II, III and IV” giving the band six charting albums at the same time.

The song was constructed over a number of years; with the lyrics and the musical structure coming together separately. The lyrics were inspired by a trip that Robert Plant and Jimmy Page took across the top of Morocco by car, as one does. This trip took the pair through parts of the Sahara Desert, as well as, through valleys with mountains so tall it felt as though the sky and stars were their only connection to the rest of the world. It was while driving along, with the Moroccan wind in their hair, that Robert Plant came up with the following lines that open “Kashmir”:

“Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face

And stars fill my dreams.

I’m a traveller of both, time and space

To be where I have been.

To sit with elders of the gentle race

This world has seldom seen

They talk of days for which they sit and wait

All will be revealed.”

As for the musical structure of “Kashmir”, that came together because of a guitar riff that Jimmy Page had been using to tune his guitar and a drum rhythm set down by drummer, John Bonham. The two found themselves alone one weekend at Page’s estate and began combining both bits of music which, when done, started to form the foundation of the very strong sound for which “Kashmir” has become known for. The pair recorded the music they had created and then presented it to the rest of the band. Plant thought his lyrics would be a match and, as it turned out, he was correct. However, what really set the song up to another level was the notion of adding an orchestral backing. Plant, Page and Bonham all thought their original work had the potential to produce an epic-sounding song but, that the song was still lacking one final touch which was, as it turned out, an orchestra. With strings and horns at the ready, “Kashmir” developed a sense of fullness and power that has established the song as one of the most unique-sounding songs of all-time. The only problem with this is that, as a result, “Kashmir” is a song that is often challenging to replicate live, due to the sound systems being used or the acoustics of the venue. An example of this is that Led Zeppelin played “Kashmir” during the original “Live-Aid” concert organized by Bob Geldoff but, they were so embarrassed by the sound quality of their performance that they forbid Geldoff from including their portion of the show in the official soundtrack to “Live-Aid”.

For me, “Kashmir” is an awesome-sounding song that is best served coming through good quality headphones or else, coming out of good quality speakers. So, if you have access to a good sound system then, crank this video because “Kashmir” is meant to be played to the fullest extent of its’ capabilities.

So, without further delay, here are Led Zeppelin with “Kashmir” which, for the record, is nowhere near Morocco (Its’ near Pakistan). Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Led Zeppelin, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Rolling Stone Magazine, can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #110: Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #110: Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits.

“Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits was their very first single and was our introduction to a band who have gone on to sell close to 150 million albums worldwide; in fact, they are the fifth greatest selling band in UK history. Their string of hits include my personal favourite song of theirs, “Romeo and Juliet”, along with the Grammy-winning “Song of the Year”, “Money For Nothing” and other Top Twenty hits such as “Twisting By The Pool”, “Walk of Life”, “Telegraph Road”, “Private Investigations” and many more.

Dire Straits has been lead by singer/guitarist, Mark Knopfler all through their tenure as an official band. In addition to his work with Dire Straits, Knofler has also served as a session guitarist extraordinaire for the likes of Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Paul McCartney. When Knofler plays behind Paul McCartney, he often assumes the parts of Beatles songs that John Lennon would have played thus, enabling McCartney to, more or less, faithfully recreate some of his most famous hits.

When it comes to the song, “Sultans of Swing”, itself, the story is an interesting one. As it turns out, Knopfler, his brother, David and a few friends decided to make a demo tape of a few songs they had been playing around with. “Sultans of Swing” was one of those songs. They were able to make the demo tape for, at the time, the low, low price of $175 British Pounds. When they shopped the demo tape around, the producer who signed them said that he was as impressed with their economical ability to produce music on a budget, as he was with the power of their songs. Of those demo songs, “Sultans of Swing” was the one that stood out and was the obvious choice for their first single. As with many songs by unknown bands, “Sultans of Swing” did not receive a big promotional push. Instead, it was played by local DJs and ended up building up momentum based upon word-of-mouth praise from listeners. Eventually, the song ended up getting national airplay on the BBC and the rest is history.

The song, “Sultans of Swing” chronicles the life of a bar band. It is about being that kind of band who plays multiple sets a night in a local bar; often acting as mere background music to romantic encounters or drunken get-togethers by friends. The song is sung from the band’s point of view and featured the very skillful guitar playing of Knopfler. From this song, the legend of Mark Knopfler as a guitarist, as well as, a lyricist on a par with the likes of Lou Reed and Bob Dylan, was born. “Sultans of Swing” is a story song that talks about the life led by most professional musicians. Not everyone who plays, does so in front of packed arenas. Most sing their songs in places with sticky floors and sweat-soaked walls and bathrooms where machines sell condoms for a buck. If you can win over a crowd in a place like that then, you have found your calling. To some, once success arrives, the search for a return to that feeling of intimacy that comes from playing in a packed bar on a Friday or Saturday night is what it is all about. The Rolling Stones played the El Macambo nightclub in Toronto at the height of their fame for that very reason. There is a purity to being a bar band. The “Sultans of Swing” is the anthem to all who have lived that life and who continue to do so.

Here is a tiny bit of music trivia for you, before we end this post. The type of guitar pictured on the front cover of the hit album, “Brothers In Arms” features a shiny guitar; the kind that Mark Knopfler tended to favour. This type of guitar is made by the National Guitar Company and is generally just called, a “National” guitar. Anyway, in the opening verse of his hit song, “Graceland”, Paul Simon stated the following, “The Mississippi Delta was shining like a National guitar….” which was a direct reference by Simon to Knopfler’s guitar, which he admired.

So, without further delay, here are Dire Straits (with a very young, Mark Knopfler) with their very first hit single, “Sultans of Swing”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Sultan’s of Swing” by Dire Straits, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Dire Straits, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for supporting all manner of artists and bands from around the world. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #111: Rocketman (I Think It’s Gonna Be A Long, Long Time) by Elton John (RS)

RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #111: Rocketman (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time) by Elton John.

In the mid 1950s, science fiction writer, Ray Bradbury, released a book called, “The Illustrated Man”. In that book, there was a central character who was covered in tattoos. Each tattoo told a different story. One of the stories in Bradbury’s anthology was called, “The Rocket Man”. In that story, being an astronaut had changed from the early days of space travel, when astronauts were viewed as heroes, to being more of a job along the lines of an airplane pilot. The plot revolved around a career astronaut who was growing tired of making his journeys into space but, continued to do so because of his son, who looked up to him with hero-worshipping eyes. The boy dreams of travelling among the stars, like his Dad until, one day, when the father makes that one last flight and dies in an accident in Space. This causes the boy to live a life haunted by the very stars he once sought to visit.

The Bradbury story of “The Rocketman” inspired a band named Pearls Before Swine to record a song of their own called, “Rocketman”. This song came out not long after David Bowie had released, “Space Oddity” so, it was a heady time for space-inspired music in the UK. The legend of the Elton John version of “Rocketman” is that, around the time “Space Oddity” and the Pearls Before Swine version of “Rocketman” came out, Bernie Taupin one night witnessed a shooting star. This caused him to gaze toward the Heavens in wonder and set his mind to work. Taupin freely admits that he was directly influenced by Bradbury, Bowie and PBS and that the song he came to write was merely his own interpretation on the topic. In fact, since the Taupin/Elton John version was published, many listeners believe that they were not talking about space travel, specifically but, in reality, they were using the loneliness of space travel as a metaphor for the rock n’ roll lifestyle that they were starting to experience in their own lives.

“Rocketman (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time)” by Sir Elton John came from his fifth studio album called, “Honky Chateau” which was, really, only his second album of note. His previous album, “Madman Across the Water” was the album that really brought them both into the national spotlight and started them down the road to stardom. So, it was not surprising that both Taupin and Elton John would be finding that their lives were changing and that this process would find itself written down in song. So, as much as “Rocketman (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time” is a nick of two previously recorded songs, the duo managed to make it uniquely their own, at the same time. It is a song that has gone on to be a fan favourite and one that is consistently rated as a classic among all of the great tunes under the Elton John name.

I am a big fan of this song. He and Taupin wrote such great “story” songs during this period in their careers! “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”, “Tiny Dancer”, “Levon”, “Philadelphia Freedom”, “Island Girl” and so many more, all came from a period of 5-7 years. But, as prolific as Taupin and Elton John were back in the 1970s, the better tribute is the enduring legacy of such hits. Even today, in 2022 as I write this post, “Rocketman (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time)” remains a vital song, as seen in how it is sampled for inclusion in the Elton John/Dua Lipa collaboration called, “Cold, Cold Heart”, which the three ladies I live with all think is a smashing version of the classic song.

In the end, “Rocketman (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long Time)” is a song that hints at the perils of a life that can only be experienced alone; whether it be on the brightest of stages or among the shiniest of stars. It takes a brave heart to endure either. Without further delay, here is Sir Elton John with the classic song, “Rocketman (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long, Long TIme)”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Rocketman (I Think It’s Gonna Be A Long, Long Time” by Elton John, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Elton John, can be found here.

The link to the video for the song, “Rocketman” by Pearls Before Swine, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Pearls Before Swine, can be found here.

The link to the video for the song, “Cold, Cold Heart” by Dua Lipa ft. Elton John, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Dua Lipa can be found here.

The link to the official website for Rolling Stone Magazine, can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #112: L.A. Woman by The Doors (RS)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #112: L.A. Woman by The Doors.

The late 1960s was quite the time to be living in the Los Angeles area. There was that whole, Laurel Canyon community, of Brian Wilson, Joni Mitchell, Michelle Phillips, David Crosby, etc., all helping to create that California “surf sound” and then, the “folk rock” scene that grew from that. In 1969, specifically, the Summer of Love was winding down. The Vietnam War was on-going, as were the anti-war protests against it. The Hippies and their “hug-it-out” sensibilities were giving way to a more drug-fuelled paranoia, led by a charismatic man named Charles Manson, who holed up at a ranch, just outside of L.A., called The Spahn Ranch. From there, he and his followers went on a killing spree in the heart of the Hollywood Hills. The Tate-Labianca Murders seemed to signal the official end of an era of blissed out living for those who called Los Angeles, and surrounding area, home. Among those affected by the change in mood were the members of The Doors. The Doors were an L.A. band. They recorded their albums there. Many of their songs had roots there. The band members all lived there. So, in 1970, The Doors started work on an album that was to be transitory for them in more ways than one. That album was called, “L.A. Woman”. It was to a farewell to the city that they loved. Little did they realize that it would, also, be a farewell to the band, itself. Here is the story of the song, “L.A. Woman”.

The album, “L.A. Woman” turned out to be the final album The Doors completed as a full band. It was, also, the final album they completed while living in Los Angeles. Just after completing their previous album, “Morrison Hotel”, their producer quit working with them, citing a growing instability within the band that was affecting, in his words, the quality of their songs. That “instability” was focussed mainly on singer, Jim Morrison, and his growing addictions to alcohol and drugs. During this time, it became common for Morrison to disappear for days, drinking himself into oblivion within the rooms of the seediest hotels and dive bars in the city. The famous/infamous Morrison Hotel was actually known more for its Health Code violations than it was as a trendy place made famous by a rock n’ roll band. In fact, Morrison was beginning to transition from Rock star into drunken poet; emulating heroes such as Charles Bukowski. Morrison often carried a leather-bound, telephone book-sized notebook in which he would record snippets of ideas and observations. He began feeling the need to live what he was observing and, as such, he drank in the same hotel room that singer Sam Cooke was murdered in at the rundown Hacienda Hotel, just to soak in the aura of his spirit. So, when the remaining members of the band gathered to start work on the “L.A. Woman” album, they did so without a producer and, quite often, they did so not knowing if Morrison would show up and, if he did, what kind of shape he would be in. Luckily for the band…..if such a statement can be said to be lucky…..Morrison was a afternoon/evening drinker and had often slept his intoxication off by morning. So, much of the album was recorded early in the day.

The band may not have discussed leaving Los Angeles but, they could all feel that change was a-foot. Thus, a song like “L.A. Woman” came to be written. This song is an ode to the city they have lived in and loved. The “Woman” in question in the song title, is the city, itself. As we all know, sometimes, when you feel most up aganist it, you end up doing some of your best work. In this case, the members of The Doors all agreed that the song “L.A. Woman” was the quintessential Doors song. It is a rollicking, roiling, bluesy, bawdy ride down the highways of L.A., visiting the places the band felt most alive. Ray Manzarek has stated that the recording sessions for this song were the most fun the band ever had and they all loved this song.

However, one of the things that separate great bands from those that are merely good, is their attention to details. Despite his battles with drugs and alcohol, Jim Morrison was a smart, well-read young man who possessed deep thoughts on a number of topics. When it came to the song, “L.A. Woman”, the band played around with the use of minor and major chords. Minor and major chords help set a mood for a song, among other things and, usually, major chords are more uptempo and minor chords tend to lend a more dreamy air to a song. Well, the song “L.A. Woman” is, in reality, a sad song because the band is saying goodbye to the city they love but, they arranged the song using major chords so that the song has a lot of happy energy as it unfolds. Furthermore, “L.A. Woman” is noted for a change around the halfway mark, when Morrison starts to slowly repeat the phrase, “Mr. Mojo Risin'”. That phrase is actually an anagram for Jim Morrison’s name. The way that this section of the song starts slow and then repeats and repeats; building in speed and intensity as it goes, was meant to simulate sex. In essence, The Doors wanted to make love to their city one last time before leaving. “L.A. Woman” was that tryst.

Three months after the album was completed, Jim Morrison was found dead in a hotel bathtub in Paris, France. The official cause of death was listed as heart failure but, many suspect he actually died from a heroin overdose. The remaining members of The Doors released two further albums without Jim Morrison, using songs that they had recorded but not used previously but, those albums were both poorly received. And just like the way The Summer of Love had died with the Manson killings and everything changed in Los Angeles, Jim Morrison’s death seemingly ended The Doors, too. “L.A. Woman”….a song about a city that had been so much more than a home to the band….was their final big hit. It is fitting that a band as talented and intelligent and poetic as The Doors would end their tenure by driving down the highway by the Hollywood bungalows, seeing which way the wind blows. For some of us, home is defintely where the heart is. For The Doors, that home was L.A. and, in their eyes, she was the most beautiful woman imaginable!

Without further delay, here are The Doors, with their ode to the city they loved, “L.A. Woman”, from the album of the same name. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “L.A. Woman: by The Doors, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Doors, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for being home to so many great artists and bands. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #1: Abbey Road Medley by The Beatles. (KTOM)

KTOM: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #1: Abbey Road Medley by The Beatles.

It feels very much like the last day of school. For thirty years, I had the absolute pleasure of being a classroom teacher and of spending a year of my life surrounded by tiny humans, all members of an extended family, affectionately known as “my kids”. Every year was special and every year was different and yet, every year was the same because our time together always ended on the last day of school. This day feels like those days. Our journey has come to an end and it has done so after fourteen months together. Fourteen months of celebrating the very best music, in multiple genres, from multiple eras. I wouldn’t have wanted to have spent these past fourteen months in the company of any other humans than all of you. But, like all things in life, everything comes to an end eventually. And so, our musical countdown list must come to an end, too. It does so with a suite of songs that have come to be called, “The Abbey Road Medley” by The Beatles. I will talk a bit more about these songs and why they were chosen, in a moment. But first, let’s talk about the nature of “Best of-” titles and why that doesn’t really apply to songs.

If we were all being honest, we’d know that there is no such thing as one perfect song. If this countdown has proven anything, it is that there is a vast wealth of incredible music out there and, more importantly, that music means different things to each of us. You have to look no further than to our Honourable Mention songs…which came from all of you and which held meaning for all of you…..to recognize the diversity of important music out there in the world. From that small list of 24 songs, we had Punk music, Pop ballads, a song from WWII, a Blues song, several classic rock songs, a Folk song and on and on it goes. Who am I to select one song from amid such a smorgasbord and proclaim that as being the “real” best song. All throughout this countdown, my goal was inclusionary, not exclusionary. The most important music in the world is that which makes your heart happy. There is no one anywhere that should ever tell you that what makes your heart happy has less value than something else. Who cares?! Enjoy what makes you smile. Life is too short to do otherwise.

So, if there is no definitive “Best of-” song, how did I go about choosing how to end this project? Well, let me tell ya…..it wasn’t easy. However, as soon as I came to understand the story behind the Abbey Road Medley, I immediately knew it was the right choice for me. I knew it in the same way that I knew my wife, Keri, was the right one for me when we first met. Sometimes, everything just all falls into place and you just know……ya know? So, here is why I changed my #1 choice from “Imagine” by John Lennon to the “Abbey Road Medley” with over 200 songs still to go in this countdown.

Several times over the course of this countdown, I have mentioned the TV documentary about The Beatles that aired on the Disney Channel, called, “Get Back”. Watching that documentary was a transformative experience for me. First of all, coming into it, I knew of The Beatles as much as one could, I suppose. I knew their discography. I knew the basic timeline of their career. I knew the biographies of the main players and so on. But, up until “Get Back” aired, The Beatles were always two-dimensional figures in my mind. But, the documentary changed that for me. One of the great pleasures I had watching it was that it unfolded over the course of four or five weeks of real time. Thus, we were all given the luxury of watching things unfold slowly. We live in an age of instant gratification so, to suddenly be able to watch a creative process at play that was not working magically and that was, in fact, strained and floundering, at times, and that had to keep going, regardless….well, that was incredible to watch. As I watched it all unfold, the members of The Beatles all became humanized. They turned into real people who were, by turns, bored, frustrated, relaxed and sipping tea and so on. There were glimpses of the magic that had always been there, as well as, the joy of the camaraderie that they always shared (especially when they played together on the rooftop). All four members also had lives that existed beyond the studio walls; factors that seemingly accelerated the demise of the band and served as distractions while the recording process was going on.

But, as I watched it all, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own experiences as a classroom teacher. Watching The Beatles in studio was exactly like watching the kids in my class: how they interacted with each other, were distracted by events in their own lives and how they enjoyed the magic that happens, every once and awhile, when it all comes together and good work is done by all and everyone feels great. In a classroom, given the luxury of time over the course of an entire school year, you build routines and expose the students to skill-building opportunities every day; day after day, until growth occurs. The same process took place with The Beatles on screen. They went round and round on some of those songs. For awhile, I thought to myself if I heard fragments of “Get Back” one more time, I was going to scream. But, that is how the creative process works. It is work. It doesn’t come out in finished form, all at once, very often. And it didn’t for The Beatles then, either. The grand experiment that was their band was coming to an end in front of our eyes. It was beautiful to see those happy moments, when they occurred but, the magnitude of the loss that was coming was more emotional than I was prepared for. I saw it most in Ringo’s puppy dog eyes that seemed to mirror his heart which beat for a shared past that was slipping away.

When the “Let It Be” album was finished (that was what The Beatles were working on in the documentary, by the way), the band went their separate ways and that appeared to be it. However, from those recording sessions, there were scraps and fragments of several other songs that were laying around and in need of attention. So, despite all of the acrimony, the band reassembled one last time…..to “play like we used to”, as Paul said. That last time together….when was spread over several weeks, was their last time together as a band and out of those sessions came the “Abbey Road” album. “Abbey Road” is known for George Harrison’s break out songs, “Something” and “Here Comes The Sun”. The album, also featured the songs, “Come Together”, “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” and Ringo’s contribution, “Octopus’ Garden”. But, “Abbey Road” is, also, known for how it closes on Side #2. On that side of the album, there exists a seven-song medley that is simply known as the “Abbey Road Medley” or “The Long One”, as it was nicknamed during the recording process. What is noteworthy about this medley is how seven song fragments were able to be lovingly stitched together to form a musical tapestry, of sorts. The songs in the medley are: “You Never Give Me Your Money”…..which was about manager Allan Klein, “Sun King”, “Mean Mr. Mustard”, Polythene Pam”, “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window”, “Golden Slumbers”, “Carry That Weight”, “The End”….which contains one of the most iconic lyric lines in the entire Beatles canon and then, a gap of twenty seconds, followed by “Her Majesty”, which was a song cut out of the middle of the medley and then saved and re-inserted as a “hidden track” at the very end.

This “Abbey Road Medley” has been described as a “Hymn to Love”. Ringo Starr is on record as stating that he felt it was a masterpiece and the best thing they had ever done. What the Medley really is, is a snapshot of those things that the band held dear. It is about compassion and empathy and sharing but, most of all, it is about Love and Brotherhood. If you exclude the “Hidden track”….”Her Majesty” for a moment….the Medley ends with a snippet of music called, appropriately enough, “The End”. That song fragment contains the line that comes from my heart to all of yours…….”In the end, the Love you take is equal to the Love you make“.

Those were the final words of the final song that The Beatles ever recorded and released. When I heard those words and, the story behind them, I knew I had found the closer to this countdown. If the “Abbey Road Medley” is good enough to speak for The Beatles then, it is good enough to speak for me, too.

In the video for this song, you will see the shorter, abridged version of the Medley. It is from a concert put on my George Martin and Paul McCartney a few years ago. One of the things that makes the “Abbey Road Medley” a bit magical is that, despite their differences, John, Paul and George still concluded their career together in a show of solidarity. As the Medley progresses, there are sections where all three members trade off guitar solos. So, in the video, watch for this. George and John are dead and gone by the time this concert was held so, in their places are the Devil incarnate, himself, Eric Clapton, standing in for his friend, George Harrison….along with, Mark Knopfler, from Dire Straits, standing in for John…Phil Collins sits in for Ringo. The entire Medley is glorious and joy-filled and wonderful to watch. It fills me up. I trust it will for you, too.

And when it ends and the applause dies down……our musical countdown journey ends, too. As all things in life do. This is it. Just like on the final day of school, when that bell rings at the end of that day and the kids all head for the door that one last time, a chapter in all of our lives closes. So, as I type these last few words, know that I am grateful for having spent this time with each of you. It has been very satisfying to share this celebration of music together and being able to watch you grow. Now off into the sunshine you go. It is time.

The link to the video for the song, “Abbey Road Medley” by The Beatles, can be found here.

The link to the official website for The Beatles, can be found here.