100 Songs, Part One
“Walk On By” by Dionne Warwick: Burt Bacharach and Hal David are two of the giants of American songwriting. They have a place right up there with the best of the best of American writers. I'd go as far as to say they're the Gershwins of the rock and roll era. “Walk On By” is quintessential Bacharach and David, everything that makes them so lauded can be found in this song. The arrangement, the sound of the record, it's all here.
“My World Fell Down” By Sagittarius: If someone played this for you with no context, you'd think it was a “Good Vibrations” era Beach Boys outtake. There's good reason why you'd think that, Sagittarius wasn't an actual band, it was a studio group put together by producer Gary Usher (who co-wrote a few songs with Brian Wilson, including “In My Room). The group was backed by The Wrecking Crew, and featured Terry Melcher, actual Beach Boy Bruce Johnston, and a lead vocal performed by—wait for it—Glenn Campbell (who was actually in The Beach Boys for about five minutes). The song charted at a respectful #70 when it was released in 1967, but it went on to later acclaim as part of Lenny Kaye's legendary “Nuggets” compilation.
“God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys: One of the most beautiful pieces of music ever created, from the amazing “Pet Sounds” album. It is such a perfect song, one that often moves me to tears. It's a song I want played at my funeral, as weird as they may sound, because I love it so much.
“The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Tony Bennett: This is one of my favorite of Tony Bennett's early recordings. Particularly fond of it's noir guitar opening, and pulsing Latin rhythm. It's a tune that isn't as widely known, to my knowledge, as some of Bennett's other tunes, but one I find hard to resist.
“One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” By Frank Sinatra: My absolute favorite Frank Sinatra recording, the version off his “Only The Lonely” album. A perfect marriage between vocalist and a great Johnny Mercer lyric.
“Lush Life” by John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman: Johnny Hartman is one of the most under appreciated Jazz singers of all time. Despite being lauded in the press by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, he never did mange to crack into the mainstream. However, part of Hartman’s legacy is that he recored one of the finest albums in Jazz history with one of the genre’s giants. Picked personally by John Coltrane, the duo’s “John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman” is a damn fine record. The highlight of the album is their brilliantly perfect take on the mournful “Lush Life.”
“Good Golly, Miss Molly” by Little Richard, “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry, “Bo Diddley” by Bo Diddley, “Rave On” by Buddy Holly: I lumped these four songs with each other for good reason. Collectively, they represent the back bone of Rock and Roll. The Bo Diddley riff, the driving guitar of Chuck Berry, Little Richards booming voice, and the sound of Buddy Holly. They’ve endured for nearly 60 years, and I suspect they’ll endure for 60 more.
“Rumble” by Link Wray: One of the few instrumental songs to ever be banned from the radio—due to the fear it would cause juvenile delinquency—“Rumble” is it. Raw, rough, and gritty, in the 2:25 that “Rumble” lasts you can hear the coming of punk and grunge. It must have scared the hell out of parents in 1958.
“I’m a Fool To Want You” by Billie Holiday: The opening to track to Billie Holiday’s penultimate album, “I’m a Fool To Want You” has Lady Day’s voice at it’s absolute roughest. Listening to the playback after recording the song, Holiday reportedly began to cry. It is one of the most emotionally raw pieces of music ever recored, with almost every breath of voice steeped in years of pain.
“What’d I Say” By Ray Charles: Ray Charles was one of the driving forces of American music in the 1950s and 1960s. Charles can almost be seen as the bridge between Jazz to Rock & Soul. You can hear traces of all three in this recording. If you aren’t into by the time he starts the gospel call and response with his backup singers, then you’re just not going to get it.
“Waterloo Sunset” by The Kinks: I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t love The Kinks. I almost went with the obvious “You Really Got Me.” However, that infection opening riff of “Waterloo Sunset” is too hard to resist. One of Ray Davies finest moments as a songwriter.
“Don’t Forget Me” By Harry Nilsson: The world genius gets used a lot, but in the case of Harry Nilsson, it’s completely accurate. Nilsson was one of the finest singer-songwriters to have ever walked this Earth. His music, full of wit and humor and brilliant turns of phrase, was matched by a voice that—in its prime—was simply unsurpassed. “Don’t Forget Me” is the best song Nilsson ever wrote, it’s also his most heartbreaking, written to his ex wife after their divorce. Rarely do I listen to the song without crying, loosing it by the time he sings “And when we’re older and full of cancer/it doesn’t matter now/come on get happy/‘cause nothing lasts forever/but I will always love you.”
“Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones: I love The Ramones, I think they’re the best rock band America ever had. Like some of the other songs on this list, time has not tarnished the excited energy of “Blitzkrieg Bop.” A song that launched a 1000 ships.
“You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore: I was rather sad when Lesley Gore passed earlier this year, I’ve always thought she was a little underrated as a singer. If anything, beyond her breakout of “It’s My Party,” she’s responsible for one of the first feminist anthems.
“Psycho” by The Sonics: The Sonics are the kings of garage rock. Their raw, bang it out and make the meter go red style of recording was a precursor to punk. I was with a friend at his house the first time I heard this song, and I freaked. I made him play it over so many times he finally sent me home with the CD. The earth shaking screech of Gerry Roslie’s screaming voice is something to behold. Oh, and they made the best version of “Louie, Louie.”
“Dig Me Out” By Sleater-Kinney: I love this band, which was very clear on Facebook as I geeked out hard over their new album that came out this year after a nearly decade hiatus. “Dig Me Out” is a song that I listen to when I feel angry. Not to say I’m always angry when I listen to it, but when I desperately need to feel something to vent, this is the song I play.
“Superfly” by Curtis Mayfield: I can’t recall when I first heard “Superfly.” I know I would have had to been maybe 12, and I know it was on TV somewhere. VH-1 sticks out in my mind for some reason. When I heard it though, I had the reaction of “I don’t know what this is, but this sounds amazing.” It still has that effect on me.
“Theme From Shaft” by Isaac Hayes: To be frank, my dear readers, it’s one the most badass pieces of music ever created. Can you dig it?
“Peter Gunn” By Henry Mancini: When I was a senior in high school, I had a group of music obsessed friends, each day bringing new discoveries by one of us to the group. There was the one who told us about The Velvet Underground, the one who told us about Joe Jackson, and so on. But I had the pleasure of being the one who told everyone about Henry Mancini. Mancini may not have fit in our alt rock loving ways, but thanks to tracks like this and his “Pink Panther Theme,” we all quickly became fans of his brand of hip pop.
“Sweet Jane” By The Velvet Underground: I have no particularly deep reason for picking “Sweet Jane” other than it being perfect, and absolutely loving it.
“Peaches en Regalia” by Frank Zappa: My favorite Zappa instrumental, off his Jazz fusion album “Hot Rats.” It’s a little bit of everything Zappa had to offer in one song.
“Shake Some Action” by The Flaming Groovies: A highly underrated band, I love The Flaming Groovies. “Shake Some Action” is the title track to their best album, and their brand of California rock was just exceptional. They’re worth your time.
There it is, sports fans! The first 25 songs on my list of 100 we’re gonna be looking at. Again, you can find the list as a playlist on below. Boy howdy, wake the kids and phone the neighbors over that.
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