The title is linked to my original post about the old school songs I was downloading. I've just added more.
Again, they are mostly songs that your normal 28 year-old doesn't listen to. In fact, I pretty much have to listen to oldies radio or discover them on my own.
Anyway, the first song I added is Keep Me Hangin' On by none other than Diana Ross & The Supremes. This is my favorite song by The Supremes. I think what hooks me on it is the "whoawhoawhoa" part before they hit the chorus for the last time and the the background vocals are solid too. The guitar that runs throughout the song seems to have very little rhyme or reason, but that kind of makes it cool. I like Reflections, but this song is the Supremes at their best. Again I downloaded this song from iTunes. I'm kind of disgusted that The Fifth Dimension's Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In isn't available. They are individually, but I'm not going to download them separately when they are known for being together.
The next songs I got from the Time-Life CD's Piccu and I got for Dad a few Christmas' ago. From like 1954-1969. Pretty solid set.
The first song I got is Along Comes Mary by The Association. What makes it good is definitely the horns and the creepy little vintage 60's organ that's in it. When you hear this song it just screams crazy pastel colors in the shapes of flowers. Solid background vocals too and hand claps which set off any song from the flower power era.
My third song is Elenore by The Turtles. I'll be honest, I just happened across this song, but I have heard it a thousand times. I just didn't know what the name was or who sang it. The beginning reminds me of One by 3 Dog Night. I like the bass work and the piano really makes it. And the fact that they call Elenore their "pride and joy, etc." is pretty funny. It has a Monkees feel to it as well. That might be good or bad depending on your feelings about the Monkees.
Number four, is the quintessential Joe Cocker tune, With A Little Help From My Friends. I'll be honest and tell you that the Wonder Years with Fred Savage darn near ruined this song for me. What makes this song is of course Cocker going completely nuts and the background singers. Without his background singers, Cocker is nothing, bottom line. This too has good bass work which is a major thing for me. Not necessarily essential, but it scores extra points with me. This is the studio version to which is clean and they probably had 10 takes of him going nuts to throw together the vocals.
I have four more songs from the old school, but I'll save those for tomorrow as this post is getting a bit long.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
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3 comments:
I think you should look into Gladys Knight and the Pips' I've Got to Use my Imagination or Midnight Train to Georgia. Get some Ray Charles, like What'd I Say, and especially (Night Time is) The Right Time.
Midnight Train to Georgia is good, but for some reason it's just not clicking for me as to include it on the list. The Ray Charles tunes I'll just have to look into. What'd I Say might be able to make it. We'll just see.
You mentioned that the Turtles song reminded you of Three Dog Night, well, have you downloaded any Three Dog Night yet? What about the Dave Clark Five?
As far as the Supremes go, I can dig your choice. Keep Me Hangin' On is just a great song from a great era. The "whoawhoawhoa" you refer to is my favorite part too.
"Someday We'll Be Together" is great too. Especially with the large background vocals when they sing, "SOMEDAY!" then it's softer, "We'll be togeeeeeether."
Check out Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, "Nowhere to Run" and Smokey Robinson's "Tracks of My Tears."
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