Middle Aged Dummies - Artist - Round 3 - #1's have been posted! (6 Viewers)

[Zegras11]

6's PLAYLIST

		#6 -
Blue October	-OZ-	Balance Beam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CfoWc2PxxU
Fanny	Pip's Invitation	Nowhere to Run Nowhere To Run Fanny · First Time In A Long Time: The Reprise Recordings · Song · 2002 open.spotify.com
The Tea Party	Scoresman	Walk With Me Walk With Me - Remastered The Tea Party · The Edges Of Twilight (Deluxe) · Song · 2015 open.spotify.com
Sweet	John Maddens ****ing Lunchbox	Hellraiser - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. m.youtube.com Hell Raiser Sweet · Strung Up (New Extended Version) · Song · 1975 open.spotify.com
Oingo Boingo	KarmaPolice	Islands Islands Oingo Boingo · Nothing To Fear · Song · 1982 open.spotify.com
Belle and Sebastian	kupcho1	The Same Star The Same Star Belle and Sebastian · How To Solve Our Human Problems Parts 1-3 · Song · 2018 open.spotify.com
Mitski	Ilov80s	Strawberry Blond Strawberry Blond Mitski · Retired from Sad, New Career in Business · Song · 2013 open.spotify.com
The Slambovian Circus of Dreams	Yambag	Pluto's Plight Pluto's Plight The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams · A Very Unusual Head · Song · 2022 open.spotify.com
The Moody Blues	Charlie Steiner	Your Wildest Dreams Your Wildest Dreams The Moody Blues · The Other Side Of Life · Song · 1986 open.spotify.com
Stone Temple Pilots	Yo Mama	Interstate Love Song Interstate Love Song - 2019 Remaster Stone Temple Pilots · Purple (2019 Remaster) · Song · 1994 open.spotify.com
Brian Setzer	Mrs. Rannous	Breath Of Life Breath Of Life Brian Setzer · The Knife Feels Like Justice · Song · 1986 open.spotify.com
Curtis Mayfield	Don Quixote	We’re a Winner, by The Impressions - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtu.be We're A Winner The Impressions · We're A Winner · Song · 1968 open.spotify.com
Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music	BinkytheDoormat	Virginia Plain - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com
Strand of Oaks	Eephus	Goshen '97 Goshen '97 Strand of Oaks · HEAL (Deluxe Edition) · Song · 2015 open.spotify.com
Dave Matthews	Tau837	Christmas Song - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com
Mazzy Star	landrys hat	Be My Angel Be My Angel Mazzy Star · She Hangs Brightly · Song · 1990 open.spotify.com
Kenny Chesney	MAC	American Kids - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com
The Beach Boys	zamboni	"Feel Flows" Feel Flows - Remastered 2009 The Beach Boys · Surf's Up · Song · 1971 open.spotify.com
Susanna Hoffs	Zegras11	If She Knew What She Wants If She Knew What She Wants The Bangles, Susanna Hoffs · Different Light (Expanded Edition) · Song · 1986 open.spotify.com
Judas Priest	Raging Weasel	Victim of Changes Victim Of Changes Judas Priest · Sad Wings Of Destiny · Song · 2000 open.spotify.com
The Cure	Juxtatarot	Cold Cold - 2005 Remaster The Cure · Pornography · Song · 1982 open.spotify.com
Iron and Wine	Tuffnutt	Sodom, South Georgia - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com
Jerry Jeff Walker	simey	Gettin' By Gettin' By Jerry Jeff Walker · Viva Terlingua · Song · 1973 open.spotify.com
The Doors	jwb	The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) The Doors · L.A. Woman · Song · 1971 open.spotify.com
Chvrches	JML’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Secret Identity	Here With Me (Marshmello featuring Chvrches) - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. m.youtube.com Here With Me Marshmello, CHVRCHES · Here With Me · Song · 2019 open.spotify.com
Earth, Wind, & Fire	Uruk-Hai	Got To Get You Into My Life - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com
Destroyer	The Dreaded Marco	Tinsel Town Swimming in Blood Tinseltown Swimming in Blood Destroyer · ken · Song · 2017 open.spotify.com
Andrew Bird	Mister CIA	The Privateers The Privateers Andrew Bird · Noble Beast · Song · 2008 open.spotify.com
Steve Albini	Oliver Humanzee	Shellac - Billiard Player Song Billiard Player Song Shellac · The End of Radio · Song · 2019 open.spotify.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtu.be
Ronnie James Dio	Mt. Man	Holy Diver Holy Diver Dio · Holy Diver · Song · 1983 open.spotify.com
April Wine	Falguy	Roller Roller April Wine · First Glance · Song · 1978 open.spotify.com - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months

Can we assume you'd like to hear what you may have missed, and not what's yet to come?

Great question, and I left it open because I wasn't sure what I meant. Let's say 3-5 I've missed from 28-6, and then I'll try to listen to the full playlists from 5-1.

Oops. I've already sent you a message. If you need more rockabilly in your life, I'm going to try to figure out how to make a playlist on Spotfy. I'm just clueless here.

1. You have Spotify premium?
2. You doing this on PC or your phone?

1. No

2. PC

Does the no part mean someone else has to do this for me?

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Sweet​

#6 - Hell Raiser​

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

Producer - Phil Wainman
Writer - Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
Chart Positions - UK #2, Australia #49, Germany #1, US Did Not Chart
Album - The Sweet (US Compilation)
Year - 1973
Lead Vocal - Brian Connolly
Steve Priest Vocal - Lead Chip Ins “I said now mama, you don't understand”, “And that's neat and she took me completely” and “Now mama, you don't understand. Every time I touch her hand”

Notes - Brian’s voice is in great form here. The dip in voice quality is evident if you listen to the songs before his throat incident and live versions after it. His range was smashed to pieces. A perfect illustration is our #25 track Set Me Free (way too low in hindsight). Hell Raiser is right in the heart of the glam movement when excess, dressing extravagantly and pure outrageousness were at its peak.

Next Up - Another #2 song in the UK. We still have 3 to go and only 5 songs left

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Chvrches​

#6 - Here With Me - Marshmello featuring Chvrches​

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

Producer - Steve Mac, Marshmello
Writer - Steve Mac, Iain Cook, Martin Doherty, Lauren Mayberry, Marshmello
Album - Standalone Single
Year - 2019
Notes - Thanks to the reach of producer Marshmello, this is the only official Chvrches song to chart in the US Billboard Hot 100. It also reached #9 in the UK. It also has multiple videos including a highly emotive one featuring firefighters which I have included here. It sharply divides Chvrches fans who feel it reflects the producers work more than then band but **** em. Its a highly catchy and good pop song.

After this song, the band and in particular Lauren criticized Marshmello working with Chris Brown. Lauren has long spoken out about macho ********

“CHVRCHES vocalist Lauren Mayberry has opened up about the death and rape threats she has received after speaking out against controversial artist Chris Brown.
Over the weekend, CHVRCHES and Chris Brown were embroiled in a surprising controversy after the former criticised previous collaborator Marshmello for working with Chris Brown on the song ‘Light It Up’.

“We are really upset, confused and disappointed by Marshmello’s choice to work with Tyga and Chris Brown,” CHVRCHES wrote in a statement posted to Twitter.
“We like and respect Mello as a person but working with people who are predators and abusers enables, excuses and ultimately tacitly endorses that behavior. That is not something we can or will stand behind.”
Soon, Chris Brown wrote a scathing comment on Instagram, calling CHVRCHES the “type of people I wish walked in front of a speeding bus full of mental patients,”
“Keep groveling over you [sic] own insecurities and hatred,” he added.

While Lauren Mayberry later shared images of the vile messages she received following this incident, TMZ have produced footage of the band’s concert in Forth Worth, Texas on Saturday, where Mayberry can be seen defending the band’s decision to speak out.
“We weren’t picking on Chris Brown for the sake of picking on Chris Brown,” Mayberry explained.
“It was a morally dubious decision that happened, but … we would be really hypocritical if we worked with somebody and didn’t say anything about what they did immediately after that fact, when we give money from our headlining shows to Girls Rock camps, and when I’m a patron of Rape Crisis Scotland. You can’t do that.”
“But we weren’t just deciding to pick on Chris Brown for the sake of it. I was like, ‘I don’t know, maybe domestic abuse might be wrong,'” she added. “Now I’m gonna have to invest in some ****ing bulletproof tutus, because apparently that does not go down well with the Breezy fans.”
“We were like, ‘maybe don’t promote serial convicted violence to kids, to young people,’ and then they were like ‘you know what we’re gonna do? We’re gonna rape you and shoot you.’ You kind of proved the point.”

Next Up - We go right back to the beginning with a song that highlighted an exciting new band

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

This round was fruitful. As usual, the Tea Party were great. Also Hoffs, Chesney, and Chvrches. Loved the Destroyer song.

The Moodies song is my favourite of theirs. It has a very nice video.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

The Spotify algorithm once again fed me April Wine’s Roller after I finished playlist #8. I guess it knew something.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

#6' - "Got To Get You Into My Life"

Always one of my favorite Beatles' records, it's also one of my top EWF performances. The verses in both versions zoom and seem to pick up speed as they go along. The big difference is on the chorus, where Paul goes into his hard rock voice while keeping the tempo and EWF going in a more low-key, slinky direction with a great vocal arrangement.

To me, this is Exhibit A on how you do a great cover - harken to the original while also making it your own. You'd better have the chops to pull it off, though. EWF did.

At #5, a pretty obscure tune that I doubt anyone here except maybe Pip has heard. It's one of the most stunning vocal performances I've ever heard.

 

[-OZ-]

Blue October

-OZ-

Balance Beam

From their 2000 album, consent to treatment (this won’t be the last from the album), just a simple song about initial attraction to a girl he recently met.

I haven't been quite the same
So sure the story of my life would never change
Then in a bright-eyed way
I rinsed out the soap in my eyes, and wrote a song that I'm about to sing
'Cause it's about a girl
That I hardly even know
So this is not another love song
Just a list of things that I should know
And everyone should know that
One, you gotta take it kinda slowly
Two, you gotta hurry up and make your move
Three, you gotta tell her that she's pretty
Four, you gotta be the perfect gentleman
yeah
You got to show her that
She's the balance beam
And I keep falling all around her fairy tale

 

[kupcho1]

Belle and Sebastian

kupcho1

The Same Star The Same Star Belle and Sebastian · How To Solve Our Human Problems Parts 1-3 · Song · 2018 open.spotify.com

#6 The Same Star features, for a change, Sarah Martin takes the reins as lead singer.
Per stereogum:

It’s sprightly, sparkling pop music with a lead vocal from Sarah Martin, who also wrote the track. It’s got a big, triumphant, horn-laced chorus and an actual blazing guitar solo, neither of which is the sort of thing that, in 1998, I would’ve ever expected to hear on a Belle And Sebastian song.

Mirror, mirror on the wall
I saw another girl's reflection
Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall
But maybe that's just my projection

 

[kupcho1]

Strand of Oaks

Eephus

Goshen '97 Goshen '97 Strand of Oaks · HEAL (Deluxe Edition) · Song · 2015 open.spotify.com

I'm looking forward to hearing 5 better songs than this one from Strand of Oaks.
They may exist, but color me skeptical.

 

[Mt. Man]

The #7s were another super strong round. I almost went for extra here, but stopped before I ended up listing 2/3rds of the songs. Even Shuffle Adventures had 3 marvelous pairs to pick from. But here’s what I decided on:

Selected (and shuffled) #7s:
Six Teens - Sweet
Skin Is, My - Andrew Bird
A Letter To Elise - The Cure
Don’t Worry Baby - Beach Boys
Oh My My - Blue October
Look On Down From the Bridge - Mazzy Star
Halo - The Slambovian Circus of Dreams
Get Along - Kenny Chesney
You Could Have Been A Lady - April Wine
Why Don’t You Stop Me - Mitski
Butter Boy - Fanny
Heard Somebody Cry - Oingo Boingo

Shuffle Adventures:
There was quite the rocking start, with Judas Priest’s “Better by You, Better than Me” followed by “Sex Type Thing” from Stone Temple Pilots

 

[Charlie Steiner]

6. Your Wildest Dreams (The Other Side of Life, 1986)

The Moodies' 1986 album, The Other Side of Life, marked the debut of new producer Tony Visconti, a former session musician turned producer who worked with T. Rex, David Bowie and even Paul McCartney and Wings among others before this album. Justin Hayward claimed the name of the album was inspired by the juxtaposition between Visconti's peaceful and serene studio in Soho and the hustling chaos of the clubs and other wildlife of central London that surrounded it. Part of Visconti's apparent vision for the band was integrating electronics into their sound more fully than even on their most recent albums. A notable side effect of Visconti's production is the first appearance of original material by Mike Pinder's replacement, Patrick Moraz, as well as the nearly total disappearance of Ray Thomas.

Your Wildest Dreams is the first track on the album and its first single released. About the song, Justin Heyward recalled: "For me, wanting to know about the first girl you ever fell in love with, really fell in love with and broke her heart, you always want to know, I wonder what happened. I wonder where they are. Hop in to that time machine." while also saying: "I thought 'Wildest Dreams' would be a throwaway thing that people wouldn't really take much notice of lyrically. But I found out that it was a common experience and desire by a lot of people. So that was very revealing."

To me, where Veteran Cosmic Rocker was a more honest attempt to connect with their long-time fans, Your Wildest Dreams, and its accompanying mini-biopic video pushed my nostalgia meter to its red line and not in a good way. While the word 'derivative' came to my mind, the rest of the world responded by sending it to #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, #2 on their Mainstream Rock chart and #9 on their Hot 100 chart, so who am I to be a naysayer?

 

[Mt. Man]

—
Ronnie James Dio #6
Artist: Dio
Song: Holy Diver (off Holy Diver, 1980)

(music video) Dio - Holy Diver (Official Music Video
(live version) Dio - Holy Diver Live In Holland 1983

Between the velvet lies
There's a truth that's hard as steel, yeah
The vision never dies
Life's a never ending wheel, say

What do I need to say about this song? Probably nothing. So then, next on the c….

Okay, okay. For those who might have heard this song under thirty times, “Holy Diver” is certainly Dio’s best known song, and I mean that for the artist as well as the band. If you stumble across a radio station saying they’re going to play a Dio song, it’s probably 75% chance of this, 20% a song yet to come, and 5% anything else. That popularly speaks to the strength of this song. A soft opening until the guitars kick in, leading full steam into powerful riffs with Dio’s iconic voice rising far above it. This could rightly be your #1 from him, though for me, there’s 2-3 songs I like better on its best day. #6 isn’t knocking it TOO much for its popularity.

(At least) two other things of note. First, do check out that video. It features Ronnie with his best Conan the Barbarian impression, along with a cardboard cutout of a demonic figure and someone turning into a pile of rats, as one does. Second, there's a bit of a story to this song. From Dio himself, it’s about essentially a Christ-like figure who’s willing to sacrifice himself to save his people. When he ends up, you know, not dying, he intends to leave to do the same for people on other planets. However, the people selfishly ask him to stay and protect them.


Next on the countdown, another title track. You’ll have to decide if this one’s more vision or nightmare.

 

[simey]

Gettin' By

Hey Buckaroos,

Jerry Jeff wrote this song for his 1973 album Viva Terlingua! His bandmates say the chorus sums up Jerry Jeff.

Just gettin' by on gettin' bys my stock in trade
Living it day to day
Pickin' up the pieces wherever they fall
Just letting it roll, letting the high times carry the low
I'm just living my life easy come, easy go

Jerry Jeff in 2014 performing "Gettin' By" inside Jam In The Van. He was still having fun in his 70s.

 

[MAC_32]

Thanks for all the notes on the sax. I haven't been able to listen to these playlists since the #28s or so, so I'm sadly not able to comment on anything sax-full or sax-free. I know MAC @ed me for a Chesney song that I definitely will check out, and yesterday I listened to a simey special of JJW that I loved, too.

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months. I was really enjoying so many of these artists, both known and especially unknown, before I had to ghost the thread.

Somewhere With You
Noise
Out Last Night
You & Tequila
Get Along
American Kids

His songs are short enough for 6

 

[KarmaPolice]

Thanks for all the notes on the sax. I haven't been able to listen to these playlists since the #28s or so, so I'm sadly not able to comment on anything sax-full or sax-free. I know MAC @ed me for a Chesney song that I definitely will check out, and yesterday I listened to a simey special of JJW that I loved, too.

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months. I was really enjoying so many of these artists, both known and especially unknown, before I had to ghost the thread.

Somewhere With You
Noise
Out Last Night
You & Tequila
Get Along
American Kids

His songs are short enough for 6

I think the follow up follow up question is by "give me" does she mean list them, or make a playlist for?

 

[MAC_32]

Thanks for all the notes on the sax. I haven't been able to listen to these playlists since the #28s or so, so I'm sadly not able to comment on anything sax-full or sax-free. I know MAC @ed me for a Chesney song that I definitely will check out, and yesterday I listened to a simey special of JJW that I loved, too.

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months. I was really enjoying so many of these artists, both known and especially unknown, before I had to ghost the thread.

Somewhere With You
Noise
Out Last Night
You & Tequila
Get Along
American Kids

His songs are short enough for 6

I think the follow up follow up question is by "give me" does she mean list them, or make a playlist for?

Will someone with Spotify help a brother out? I'm an Amazon subscriber.

 

[Ilov80s]

Thanks for all the notes on the sax. I haven't been able to listen to these playlists since the #28s or so, so I'm sadly not able to comment on anything sax-full or sax-free. I know MAC @ed me for a Chesney song that I definitely will check out, and yesterday I listened to a simey special of JJW that I loved, too.

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months. I was really enjoying so many of these artists, both known and especially unknown, before I had to ghost the thread.

quick 5 from Mitski playlist

 

[Ilov80s]

I will also listen to people's 3-5 spotify lists and honestly at the end if people post their whole playlist, there are some artists I would for sure dig deep into. I just struggle to keep up with the pace and the whiplash of the various artist playlists just doesn't work with how I like to listen to music.

 

[Yambag]

6's PLAYLIST

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams

Yambag

Pluto's Plight Pluto's Plight The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams · A Very Unusual Head · Song · 2022 open.spotify.com

Their latest album, A Very Unusual Head, is described as ”hilariously genius, philosophically cosmic, folk-metal mastery - the title track is a tip of the hat to the ‘irregular head’ of Syd Barrett and the theme of the album was inspired by the ‘outsiders’ of science and art. The album was included in Rock’n’Reel Magazine’s "Best Albums of 2022" and described as 'their finest work to date.' Pluto’s Plight fits into the cosmic theme as Joziah lament’s the planet’s demotion, but as always, there is a deeper meaning.

 

[-OZ-]

Thanks for all the notes on the sax. I haven't been able to listen to these playlists since the #28s or so, so I'm sadly not able to comment on anything sax-full or sax-free. I know MAC @ed me for a Chesney song that I definitely will check out, and yesterday I listened to a simey special of JJW that I loved, too.

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months. I was really enjoying so many of these artists, both known and especially unknown, before I had to ghost the thread.

Somewhere With You
Noise
Out Last Night
You & Tequila
Get Along
American Kids

His songs are short enough for 6

Now I think you won’t include my favorite Kenny song (unless somehow I missed it earlier).

 

[-OZ-]

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months. I was really enjoying so many of these artists, both known and especially unknown, before I had to ghost the thread.

Not necessarily the top 5 but a sampling

Leave it in the dressing room

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Amnesia

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Razorblade

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Sway

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Hate me

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

 

[Pip's Invitation]

6. Nowhere to Run
Album: Most of the world: non-album A-side (1970); Canada: Canadian version of Fanny (1970)
Writers: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland
Lead vocals: Jean Millington

Motown was an integral part of Fanny's sound from its founding as The Svelts in the mid-60s. June Millington, the band's unquestioned leader in those days, is a massive fan of the Motown sound and had the band include Motown covers in its set. This became a source of tension after the band got signed. Believing they needed a keyboardist to round out their sound, they were limited in their options. They had to get a woman, because they were signed based on being an all-female band. But she had to be able to play aggressive rock and roll, and, due to producer Richard Perry's mandate the band follow the "Fab Four" model, she had to be able to sing and write songs. The potential matches in LA were few and far between, leading the Millington sisters to spend months recruiting Nickey Barclay. Barclay kept blowing them off, but finally relented. This "you need me more than I need you" attitude (which also characterizes Neil Young's relationship with CSN) meant that she had more power than a new member of a band would otherwise have. And she fought June for leadership of the band, and one of the fronts of their battle was Motown vs. Stax. Barclay hated Motown with a passion.

"I loved all the Atlantic/Atco stuff, and especially the Stax/Volt stuff, and was very, very lucky because I got to see all these people live," Barclay said in an interview posted on the band's website. "Ironically, the one type of soul that revolted me was Motown (with the exception of Stevie). I found it unspeakably vanilla, especially the Supremes, and when I first met Wild Honey [Fanny's name when they got signed], it was seven strikes against them in my book because they were Supremes fans. Uggh. They liked the Beatles – I had no problem with that – but they seemed to know most of the vanilla Motown girl-group songs, and that did *not* go down well with me. And so it went, pretty much ever after. June and I were butting heads constantly from the off because she was into softer music. I felt then – and still feel – that that was a tragedy, because she could play the most delicious dirty rock lead and was a decent rock rhythm player too, but getting her to do these styles was like pulling teeth. We were the bane of each others’ existence! In a mixed or male band, that would have been easily solved by walking, but there we were signed to a major label and, as much of an I’m-all-right-Jack as I was, I wouldn’t have walked out on Alice [de Buhr] and Jean [Millington] again because I knew they wouldn’t be able to replace me…don’t forget that young rock keyboard players with t!ts were just about nonexistent back then."

But off the bat, they found a good compromise. Why not perform a Motown song in Stax style? Their version of Martha and the Vandellas' Nowhere to Run is a revelation, and my jaw dropped when I heard it for the first time while doing research for this countdown. It comes in hot right out of the gate, as guitar and organ pound furiously while the band breathlessly intones the title phrase. Jean Millington's lead vocal is extremely passionate and expressive, reminiscent of Janis Joplin -- this is not the last time I will draw that comparison. The song gets grittier and more frenzied as it goes along, and the breakdown that turns into a call-and-response starting around 2:00 is worthy of Otis Redding. And as with many Fanny songs, the coda is a massive exclamation point to an exhilarating odyssey.

Nowhere to Run was the A-side of Fanny's second non-album single released in 1970 in advance of the debut album (it did not chart, which is a damn shame), and appears on the Canadian version of the debut album, which used the wrong master tapes and may reflect an early running order. It did not appear on album in the rest of the world until the release of the box set in 2002.

There are no documented live performances of Nowhere to Run, but I wouldn't be surprised if it appeared in early Fanny sets or those of their predecessor bands The Svelts and Wild Honey.

Original: https://open.spotify.com/track/1WPqawIF9HCKfSOt7mN6X0?si=58db2b38426f490e

At #5, the cover that turned me on to Fanny in the first place.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

6. Nowhere to Run
Album: Most of the world: non-album A-side (1970); Canada: Canadian version of Fanny (1970)
Writers: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland
Lead vocals: Jean Millington

Motown was an integral part of Fanny's sound from its founding as The Svelts in the mid-60s. June Millington, the band's unquestioned leader in those days, is a massive fan of the Motown sound and had the band include Motown covers in its set. This became a source of tension after the band got signed. Believing they needed a keyboardist to round out their sound, they were limited in their options. They had to get a woman, because they were signed based on being an all-female band. But she had to be able to play aggressive rock and roll, and, due to producer Richard Perry's mandate the band follow the "Fab Four" model, she had to be able to sing and write songs. The potential matches in LA were few and far between, leading the Millington sisters to spend months recruiting Nickey Barclay. Barclay kept blowing them off, but finally relented. This "you need me more than I need you" attitude (which also characterizes Neil Young's relationship with CSN) meant that she had more power than a new member of a band would otherwise have. And she fought June for leadership of the band, and one of the fronts of their battle was Motown vs. Stax. Barclay hated Motown with a passion.

"I loved all the Atlantic/Atco stuff, and especially the Stax/Volt stuff, and was very, very lucky because I got to see all these people live," Barclay said in an interview posted on the band's website. "Ironically, the one type of soul that revolted me was Motown (with the exception of Stevie). I found it unspeakably vanilla, especially the Supremes, and when I first met Wild Honey [Fanny's name when they got signed], it was seven strikes against them in my book because they were Supremes fans. Uggh. They liked the Beatles – I had no problem with that – but they seemed to know most of the vanilla Motown girl-group songs, and that did *not* go down well with me. And so it went, pretty much ever after. June and I were butting heads constantly from the off because she was into softer music. I felt then – and still feel – that that was a tragedy, because she could play the most delicious dirty rock lead and was a decent rock rhythm player too, but getting her to do these styles was like pulling teeth. We were the bane of each others’ existence! In a mixed or male band, that would have been easily solved by walking, but there we were signed to a major label and, as much of an I’m-all-right-Jack as I was, I wouldn’t have walked out on Alice [de Buhr] and Jean [Millington] again because I knew they wouldn’t be able to replace me…don’t forget that young rock keyboard players with t!ts were just about nonexistent back then."

But off the bat, they found a good compromise. Why not perform a Motown song in Stax style? Their version of Martha and the Vandellas' Nowhere to Run is a revelation, and my jaw dropped when I heard it for the first time while doing research for this countdown. It comes in hot right out of the gate, as guitar and organ pound furiously while the band breathlessly intones the title phrase. Jean Millington's lead vocal is extremely passionate and expressive, reminiscent of Janis Joplin -- this is not the last time I will draw that comparison. The song gets grittier and more frenzied as it goes along, and the breakdown that turns into a call-and-response starting around 2:00 is worthy of Otis Redding. And as with many Fanny songs, the coda is a massive exclamation point to an exhilarating odyssey.

Nowhere to Run was the A-side of Fanny's second non-album single released in 1970 in advance of the debut album (it did not chart, which is a damn shame), and appears on the Canadian version of the debut album, which used the wrong master tapes and may reflect an early running order. It did not appear on album in the rest of the world until the release of the box set in 2002.

There are no documented live performances of Nowhere to Run, but I wouldn't be surprised if it appeared in early Fanny sets or those of their predecessor bands The Svelts and Wild Honey.

Original: https://open.spotify.com/track/1WPqawIF9HCKfSOt7mN6X0?si=58db2b38426f490e

At #5, the cover that turned me on to Fanny in the first place.

Nicky's off-base here.

But this is a killer cover.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

6. Nowhere to Run
Album: Most of the world: non-album A-side (1970); Canada: Canadian version of Fanny (1970)
Writers: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland
Lead vocals: Jean Millington

Motown was an integral part of Fanny's sound from its founding as The Svelts in the mid-60s. June Millington, the band's unquestioned leader in those days, is a massive fan of the Motown sound and had the band include Motown covers in its set. This became a source of tension after the band got signed. Believing they needed a keyboardist to round out their sound, they were limited in their options. They had to get a woman, because they were signed based on being an all-female band. But she had to be able to play aggressive rock and roll, and, due to producer Richard Perry's mandate the band follow the "Fab Four" model, she had to be able to sing and write songs. The potential matches in LA were few and far between, leading the Millington sisters to spend months recruiting Nickey Barclay. Barclay kept blowing them off, but finally relented. This "you need me more than I need you" attitude (which also characterizes Neil Young's relationship with CSN) meant that she had more power than a new member of a band would otherwise have. And she fought June for leadership of the band, and one of the fronts of their battle was Motown vs. Stax. Barclay hated Motown with a passion.

"I loved all the Atlantic/Atco stuff, and especially the Stax/Volt stuff, and was very, very lucky because I got to see all these people live," Barclay said in an interview posted on the band's website. "Ironically, the one type of soul that revolted me was Motown (with the exception of Stevie). I found it unspeakably vanilla, especially the Supremes, and when I first met Wild Honey [Fanny's name when they got signed], it was seven strikes against them in my book because they were Supremes fans. Uggh. They liked the Beatles – I had no problem with that – but they seemed to know most of the vanilla Motown girl-group songs, and that did *not* go down well with me. And so it went, pretty much ever after. June and I were butting heads constantly from the off because she was into softer music. I felt then – and still feel – that that was a tragedy, because she could play the most delicious dirty rock lead and was a decent rock rhythm player too, but getting her to do these styles was like pulling teeth. We were the bane of each others’ existence! In a mixed or male band, that would have been easily solved by walking, but there we were signed to a major label and, as much of an I’m-all-right-Jack as I was, I wouldn’t have walked out on Alice [de Buhr] and Jean [Millington] again because I knew they wouldn’t be able to replace me…don’t forget that young rock keyboard players with t!ts were just about nonexistent back then."

But off the bat, they found a good compromise. Why not perform a Motown song in Stax style? Their version of Martha and the Vandellas' Nowhere to Run is a revelation, and my jaw dropped when I heard it for the first time while doing research for this countdown. It comes in hot right out of the gate, as guitar and organ pound furiously while the band breathlessly intones the title phrase. Jean Millington's lead vocal is extremely passionate and expressive, reminiscent of Janis Joplin -- this is not the last time I will draw that comparison. The song gets grittier and more frenzied as it goes along, and the breakdown that turns into a call-and-response starting around 2:00 is worthy of Otis Redding. And as with many Fanny songs, the coda is a massive exclamation point to an exhilarating odyssey.

Nowhere to Run was the A-side of Fanny's second non-album single released in 1970 in advance of the debut album (it did not chart, which is a damn shame), and appears on the Canadian version of the debut album, which used the wrong master tapes and may reflect an early running order. It did not appear on album in the rest of the world until the release of the box set in 2002.

There are no documented live performances of Nowhere to Run, but I wouldn't be surprised if it appeared in early Fanny sets or those of their predecessor bands The Svelts and Wild Honey.

Original: https://open.spotify.com/track/1WPqawIF9HCKfSOt7mN6X0?si=58db2b38426f490e

At #5, the cover that turned me on to Fanny in the first place.

Nicky's off-base here.

But this is a killer cover.

We know which way she would vote if she participated in the proposed Motown vs. Stax bracket.

But I like that the members of the band had passionate debates about songs/artists/labels, just like male music nerds do. It's another sign that they were not window dressing -- they were extremely knowledgeable and talented in their own rights.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

#6' - "Got To Get You Into My Life"

Always one of my favorite Beatles' records, it's also one of my top EWF performances. The verses in both versions zoom and seem to pick up speed as they go along. The big difference is on the chorus, where Paul goes into his hard rock voice while keeping the tempo and EWF going in a more low-key, slinky direction with a great vocal arrangement.

To me, this is Exhibit A on how you do a great cover - harken to the original while also making it your own. You'd better have the chops to pull it off, though. EWF did.

At #5, a pretty obscure tune that I doubt anyone here except maybe Pip has heard. It's one of the most stunning vocal performances I've ever heard.

I had this on my list in the covers countdown, as did a few other people. So yeah, this is one of the best Beatles covers ever. And that means a lot because there are tons of them.

 

[Don Quixote]

Curtis Mayfield

Don Quixote

We’re a Winner, by The Impressions - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. youtu.be We're A Winner The Impressions · We're A Winner · Song · 1968 open.spotify.com

I don't mind leavin' here
To show the world we have no fear
'Cause we're a winner
And everybody knows it too
We just keep on pushin'
Like your leaders tell you to

Another anthem of the movement. One of Mayfield’s best blendings of pop sounds with a political messaging. Several radio stations banned it because they did not like the line about pushing “like your leaders tell you to.” But that did not stop it from becoming a hit. It was recorded in front of a live audience which helps give it a rollicking good vibe (with someone shouting “sock it me, baby” at the opening). YouTube link above includes of video of a performance of it by The Impressions (Mayfield on the left, Sam Gooden in the middle, and Fred Cash on the right) (the audio is from the recording and just set it to video of a performance).

The song’s success helped pave the way for some other artists to release similar black pride songs, as Todd Mayfield writes:

“We’re a Winner” spoke to Black Power in a way pop music had never done. My father had been absorbing the world around him even during his years of silence on the movement, intuiting the shift from the gospel foundation represented by King and the SCLC to the secular, inner-city vibe of Carmichael and the Black Panthers. “We’re a Winner” is the result of that absorption.

With his fourth movement anthem, my father made an important lyrical shift away from the dual-voiced poetry of Dunbar. “We’re a Winner” was his boldest attempt yet at speaking to a black audience in a single voice. As he said, it was “a message to all, and yet basically to the black masses of people. It is an inspiring song. I believe everybody once in a while should sing in terms of trying to keep the movements going, even though sometimes things are tough. Things move slowly sometimes, but with the movement we truly are a winner.”…

My father’s success, especially with “We’re a Winner,” helped open a niche within pop music where blacks could succeed on a significant financial level while remaining true to their people, using their rhythms, their slang, and their ideas. Soon after, James Brown released “Say It Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud,” Sly Stone released “Don’t Call Me ******, Whitey,” and it seemed everyone wanted in on the game.

 

[KarmaPolice]

#6 Islands

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

www.youtube.com

Gee, I wonder what famous movie score I was hinting at with this one. Some others have fallen and risen as I listened to the playlist a bit, but this one was an instant love and hasn't left my top 10 since the initial run through. That opening hook grabbed my attention for sure, but broken record an all what pushed it to the top for me was the guitars and Elfman's darkness. Here it's slightly different as the association with the Halloween score gives it a darker and more ominous tone overall compared to some others before and after this one that have more of happy pop feel mixing with his darker lyrics.

Islands in the sea
Are so much like me
They don't ever change
No emotion, no emotion

Yo, Danny - you need a hug?


I'm excited to get to the top 5s this week! I will be back on these playlists for that leading into the artist playlists. For the start of my top 5: @Pip's Invitation is correct again, but with a slight KP twist.

 

[Yo Mama]

STP #6 - Interstate Love Song
Album - Purple (1994)

Not much to be said with this one. This turned out to be their biggest radio hit. It probably suffered a little in my rankings due to this over-exposure.

This is a song about the lies Scott told his then fiancé and eventual wife about his drug addiction, and how she saw through all those lies when he said he was doing fine.

This was originally going to be more of a bossa nova type song, but the band settled on the country/rock style that made it such a huge hit.

 

[falguy]

The Spotify algorithm once again fed me April Wine’s Roller after I finished playlist #8. I guess it knew something.

Crazy that it continues to give you april wine.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

The Spotify algorithm once again fed me April Wine’s Roller after I finished playlist #8. I guess it knew something.

Crazy that it continues to give you april wine.

Now, I did listen to a few April Wine albums in full after the countdown started, so that may be influencing it.

 

[-OZ-]

The Spotify algorithm once again fed me April Wine’s Roller after I finished playlist #8. I guess it knew something.

Crazy that it continues to give you april wine.

I’ll take the September bourbon thanks.

 

[simey]

STP #6 - Interstate Love Song
Album - Purple (1994)

I've always dug the intro to this.

 

[krista4]

Thanks for all the notes on the sax. I haven't been able to listen to these playlists since the #28s or so, so I'm sadly not able to comment on anything sax-full or sax-free. I know MAC @ed me for a Chesney song that I definitely will check out, and yesterday I listened to a simey special of JJW that I loved, too.

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months. I was really enjoying so many of these artists, both known and especially unknown, before I had to ghost the thread.

Somewhere With You
Noise
Out Last Night
You & Tequila
Get Along
American Kids

His songs are short enough for 6

I think the follow up follow up question is by "give me" does she mean list them, or make a playlist for?

Either way. I wouldn't expect anyone to make a playlist for me, but it's nice when people have.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Thanks for all the notes on the sax. I haven't been able to listen to these playlists since the #28s or so, so I'm sadly not able to comment on anything sax-full or sax-free. I know MAC @ed me for a Chesney song that I definitely will check out, and yesterday I listened to a simey special of JJW that I loved, too.

Maybe I'll be super-selfish and ask those are willing to give me 3-5 songs from their artists that they'd like me to hear, so I can at least get a taste of what's happened here in the past couple of months. I was really enjoying so many of these artists, both known and especially unknown, before I had to ghost the thread.

Somewhere With You
Noise
Out Last Night
You & Tequila
Get Along
American Kids

His songs are short enough for 6

I think the follow up follow up question is by "give me" does she mean list them, or make a playlist for?

Either way. I wouldn't expect anyone to make a playlist for me, but it's nice when people have.

Sweet Playlist for @krista4
5 of note from 28-6
#25 - Set Me Free

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

#18 - AC/DC

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

#17 - Funk it Up (David’s Song)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

#9 - Fever of Love

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

#8 - Action

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

Chvrches Playlist for Krista4
5 of note from 28-6
#25 - Cry Little Sister

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

#15 - Killing Moon

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

#12 - Leave a Trace

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

#10 - Keep You on My Side

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

m.youtube.com

#8 - How Not to Drown

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

m.youtube.com

 

[Uruk-Hai]

#6' - "Got To Get You Into My Life"

Always one of my favorite Beatles' records, it's also one of my top EWF performances. The verses in both versions zoom and seem to pick up speed as they go along. The big difference is on the chorus, where Paul goes into his hard rock voice while keeping the tempo and EWF going in a more low-key, slinky direction with a great vocal arrangement.

To me, this is Exhibit A on how you do a great cover - harken to the original while also making it your own. You'd better have the chops to pull it off, though. EWF did.

At #5, a pretty obscure tune that I doubt anyone here except maybe Pip has heard. It's one of the most stunning vocal performances I've ever heard.

I had this on my list in the covers countdown, as did a few other people. So yeah, this is one of the best Beatles covers ever. And that means a lot because there are tons of them.

I'd have to think about my Mount Rushmore of Beatles covers.

This would be on it, as would Stevie Wonder's "We Can Work It Out". Keeping it to Boomer covers, I guess many would have the Petty/Prince/Lynn/Winwood/etc..version of "While My Guitar..."

 

[Pip's Invitation]

#6' - "Got To Get You Into My Life"

Always one of my favorite Beatles' records, it's also one of my top EWF performances. The verses in both versions zoom and seem to pick up speed as they go along. The big difference is on the chorus, where Paul goes into his hard rock voice while keeping the tempo and EWF going in a more low-key, slinky direction with a great vocal arrangement.

To me, this is Exhibit A on how you do a great cover - harken to the original while also making it your own. You'd better have the chops to pull it off, though. EWF did.

At #5, a pretty obscure tune that I doubt anyone here except maybe Pip has heard. It's one of the most stunning vocal performances I've ever heard.

I had this on my list in the covers countdown, as did a few other people. So yeah, this is one of the best Beatles covers ever. And that means a lot because there are tons of them.

I'd have to think about my Mount Rushmore of Beatles covers.

This would be on it, as would Stevie Wonder's "We Can Work It Out". Keeping it to Boomer covers, I guess many would have the Petty/Prince/Lynn/Winwood/etc..version of "While My Guitar..."

The Petty/Prince jawn made my list for the covers countdown as well.

 

[Tau837]

Dave Matthews

Tau837

Christmas Song - YouTube Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. www.youtube.com

"The Christmas Song" is a tender, acoustic song that tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ in a personal and introspective way. It is not to be confused with the classic "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire," often referred to as "The Christmas Song." DMB's version stands out for its simplicity, heartfelt lyrics, and the emotional depth that Dave brings to his storytelling.

The song recounts the nativity story but focuses on the humanity and universal themes of love, sacrifice, and hope. The song begins by describing the humble beginnings of Jesus and reflects on the idea of unconditional love: "She was his girl; he was her boyfriend / Soon to be his wife, making him her husband." The lyrics proceed to tell the story of Mary and Joseph's journey, the birth of Jesus in a manger, and the arrival of the wise men. The storytelling is straightforward but infused with a sense of wonder and reverence. The chorus emphasizes the message of love and peace: "Love, love, love / Love is all around." This repetition highlights the central theme of the song: that love, particularly during the Christmas season, is a powerful and unifying force.

In discussing the song, Matthews has emphasized the idea of love being central to the Christmas story and how this theme resonates with people regardless of their religious beliefs. He has said that "The Christmas Song" is about the universal message of love, forgiveness, and peace, which are values that can be shared by everyone, especially around Christmas. When introducing the song, Dave often gives a disclaimer that the song is "not a religious song, just a story."

Musically, the song is a stripped-down, acoustic piece. Dave typically performs it solo or with minimal accompaniment, often just an acoustic guitar. This simplicity allows the lyrics and the message of the song to take center stage. The gentle strumming pattern and Matthews' distinct vocal delivery add to the song's intimate and contemplative atmosphere.

While not as widely known as some of DMB's other songs, "The Christmas Song" holds a special place in the hearts of fans, especially during the holiday season. Its gentle reminder of love, kindness, and the spirit of giving resonates with listeners, making it a cherished part of the band's repertoire. The song's simplicity and heartfelt lyrics make it a poignant addition to any holiday playlist and a reminder of the deeper meanings behind the festive season. It is always on my Christmas season playlist.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

One Beatles cover that I'm always liked is Fiona Apple doing Across The Universe. The video is pretty cool too.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

On this Labor Day I dedicate my favorite 6's &7's to all the women who gave birth on Labor Day.

Curtis Mayfield - Keep On Keeping On
Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby
The Tea Party - Walk With Me
The Moody Blues - Your Wildest Dreams
STP - Interstate Love Song
The Cure - Cold
The Doors - The WASP
EWF - Got To Get You Into My Life
Destroyer - Tinseltown Swimming In Blood
Dio - Holy Diver
April Wine - Roller

 

[KarmaPolice]

The plan was to listen to the #6s today, but instead I got stuck listening to Your Wildest Dreams about 15x in a row. Maybe I will get to the rest tonight, but I saw what song was next and I might get stuck again.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

6. Your Wildest Dreams (The Other Side of Life, 1986)

The Moodies' 1986 album, The Other Side of Life, marked the debut of new producer Tony Visconti, a former session musician turned producer who worked with T. Rex, David Bowie and even Paul McCartney and Wings among others before this album. Justin Hayward claimed the name of the album was inspired by the juxtaposition between Visconti's peaceful and serene studio in Soho and the hustling chaos of the clubs and other wildlife of central London that surrounded it. Part of Visconti's apparent vision for the band was integrating electronics into their sound more fully than even on their most recent albums. A notable side effect of Visconti's production is the first appearance of original material by Mike Pinder's replacement, Patrick Moraz, as well as the nearly total disappearance of Ray Thomas.

Your Wildest Dreams is the first track on the album and its first single released. About the song, Justin Heyward recalled: "For me, wanting to know about the first girl you ever fell in love with, really fell in love with and broke her heart, you always want to know, I wonder what happened. I wonder where they are. Hop in to that time machine." while also saying: "I thought 'Wildest Dreams' would be a throwaway thing that people wouldn't really take much notice of lyrically. But I found out that it was a common experience and desire by a lot of people. So that was very revealing."

To me, where Veteran Cosmic Rocker was a more honest attempt to connect with their long-time fans, Your Wildest Dreams, and its accompanying mini-biopic video pushed my nostalgia meter to its red line and not in a good way. While the word 'derivative' came to my mind, the rest of the world responded by sending it to #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, #2 on their Mainstream Rock chart and #9 on their Hot 100 chart, so who am I to be a naysayer?

This album was released when I was a senior in high school. My dad was a huge Moodies fan. He played their records a lot when I was younger.

When they toured for this album he asked me to go with him—-the only concert I ever went to with my dad.

He died suddenly when he was 57. I played this song and another by this band at his funeral. Both songs still bring me to tears.

Love them….

 

[KarmaPolice]

6. Your Wildest Dreams (The Other Side of Life, 1986)

The Moodies' 1986 album, The Other Side of Life, marked the debut of new producer Tony Visconti, a former session musician turned producer who worked with T. Rex, David Bowie and even Paul McCartney and Wings among others before this album. Justin Hayward claimed the name of the album was inspired by the juxtaposition between Visconti's peaceful and serene studio in Soho and the hustling chaos of the clubs and other wildlife of central London that surrounded it. Part of Visconti's apparent vision for the band was integrating electronics into their sound more fully than even on their most recent albums. A notable side effect of Visconti's production is the first appearance of original material by Mike Pinder's replacement, Patrick Moraz, as well as the nearly total disappearance of Ray Thomas.

Your Wildest Dreams is the first track on the album and its first single released. About the song, Justin Heyward recalled: "For me, wanting to know about the first girl you ever fell in love with, really fell in love with and broke her heart, you always want to know, I wonder what happened. I wonder where they are. Hop in to that time machine." while also saying: "I thought 'Wildest Dreams' would be a throwaway thing that people wouldn't really take much notice of lyrically. But I found out that it was a common experience and desire by a lot of people. So that was very revealing."

To me, where Veteran Cosmic Rocker was a more honest attempt to connect with their long-time fans, Your Wildest Dreams, and its accompanying mini-biopic video pushed my nostalgia meter to its red line and not in a good way. While the word 'derivative' came to my mind, the rest of the world responded by sending it to #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, #2 on their Mainstream Rock chart and #9 on their Hot 100 chart, so who am I to be a naysayer?

This album was released when I was a senior in high school. My dad was a huge Moodies fan. He played their records a lot when I was younger.

When they toured for this album he asked me to go with him—-the only concert I ever went to with my dad.

He died suddenly when he was 57. I played this song and another by this band at his funeral. Both songs still bring me to tears.

Love them….

Wow, this hits oddly close to home for me. My father lives with us and the way his health is deteriorating doesn't have too much longer. Over the summer I was thinking about music that I associated with my parents and like you there are two bands that I associate with him and intend to play for him as well, The Moody Blues is one. I can't remember if one was this song specifically, but I don't doubt it either. I would have been 11 when the album came out and it feels like something he would have had, or at least cranked up when it came up on the radio.

The other band is CCR, and that is the stronger association and specific memories. This summer I made a shell 31 playlist as I was going through artists and was thinking about stuff. He loved them anyway from HS, but since I was born in Louisiana, he would always play tunes like Born on the Bayou as a bit of a joke.

 

[Mt. Man]

I don’t labor on Labor Day, so it’s time to get my kicks with the #6s. I’ll leave to that, as for once I don’t feel bad about being lazy.

Selected (and shuffled) #6s:
Your Wildest Dreams - The Moody Blues
Pluto’s Plight - The Slambovian Circus of Death. I might have heard this before? It edges on familiar
Interstate Love Song - STP
Virginia Plain - Roxy Music (/Bryan Ferry)
Sodom, South Georgia - Iron & Wine
Tinseltown Swimming In Blood - Destroyer
The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) - The Doors
The Same Star - Belle and Sebastian
Got to Get You Into My Life - Earth, Wind & Fire
Walk With Me - The Tea Party.
Here With Me - Chvrches & Marshmello

Shuffle Adventures:
Fairly early on, I hit the lovely “Strawberry Blond” from Mitski, which flowed in extraordinary well into The Bangles’ (including Susanna Hoffs) “If She Knew What She Wants”.

 

[Eephus]

#6' - "Got To Get You Into My Life"

Always one of my favorite Beatles' records, it's also one of my top EWF performances. The verses in both versions zoom and seem to pick up speed as they go along. The big difference is on the chorus, where Paul goes into his hard rock voice while keeping the tempo and EWF going in a more low-key, slinky direction with a great vocal arrangement.

To me, this is Exhibit A on how you do a great cover - harken to the original while also making it your own. You'd better have the chops to pull it off, though. EWF did.

At #5, a pretty obscure tune that I doubt anyone here except maybe Pip has heard. It's one of the most stunning vocal performances I've ever heard.

I know it's kind of damning with faint praise but this is definitely the highlight of the Sgt. Pepper's movie

 

[Eephus]

Jerry Jeff in 2014 performing "Gettin' By" inside Jam In The Van. He was still having fun in his 70s.

The bass player in the van/band is Brad Fordham who's played with Dave Alvin for a long time.

 

[Eephus]

Strand of Oaks #6 - "Goshen '97" (2015)

This would land on top if you did a poll of Strand of Oaks fans so I've probably underranked it at #6. It was Tim's popular breakthrough, such as it is, and has always held a place of honor in his setlists.

It's a wild and wooly rocker about Tim's days as a teenager (he was 15 in 1997) in his hometown (Goshen, IN). He covers a lot of memories in two short verses interspersed with a big sing-a-long chorus and some dual guitar leads from Tim and guest star J Mascis.

I was rotting in the basement
Buying Casios with my friend
Then I found my dad’s old tape machine
That’s where the magic began

Singing Pumpkins in the mirror
Porn and menthols under my bed
Before I was fat drunk and mean
Everything still lied ahead

Goshen '97

Strand of Oaks · HEAL (Deluxe Edition) · Song · 2015

open.spotify.com

 

[Yo Mama]

Strand of Oaks #6 - "Goshen '97" (2015)

This would land on top if you did a poll of Strand of Oaks fans so I've probably underranked it at #6. It was Tim's popular breakthrough, such as it is, and has always held a place of honor in his setlists.

It's a wild and wooly rocker about Tim's days as a teenager (he was 15 in 1997) in his hometown (Goshen, IN). He covers a lot of memories in two short verses interspersed with a big sing-a-long chorus and some dual guitar leads from Tim and guest star J Mascis.

I was rotting in the basement
Buying Casios with my friend
Then I found my dad’s old tape machine
That’s where the magic began

Singing Pumpkins in the mirror
Porn and menthols under my bed
Before I was fat drunk and mean
Everything still lied ahead

Goshen '97

Strand of Oaks · HEAL (Deluxe Edition) · Song · 2015

open.spotify.com

This was really good

 

[Eephus]

Strand of Oaks #6 - "Goshen '97" (2015)

This would land on top if you did a poll of Strand of Oaks fans so I've probably underranked it at #6. It was Tim's popular breakthrough, such as it is, and has always held a place of honor in his setlists.

It's a wild and wooly rocker about Tim's days as a teenager (he was 15 in 1997) in his hometown (Goshen, IN). He covers a lot of memories in two short verses interspersed with a big sing-a-long chorus and some dual guitar leads from Tim and guest star J Mascis.

I was rotting in the basement
Buying Casios with my friend
Then I found my dad’s old tape machine
That’s where the magic began

Singing Pumpkins in the mirror
Porn and menthols under my bed
Before I was fat drunk and mean
Everything still lied ahead

Goshen '97

Strand of Oaks · HEAL (Deluxe Edition) · Song · 2015

open.spotify.com

This was really good

There aren't five better Strand songs

I tend to overrate my new favorite toy over the old favorites I've listened to a hundred times.

 

[Eephus]

Separate five song lists seem kind of redundant right before we get to #5 in the countdown