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List songs by Song title | Performer | Year

You searched for ‘hip’, which matched 152 songs.
click - person recommending, year, performer, songtitle - to see more recommendations.
Whip Poor Will   performed by Magnolia Electric Co  2005
Recommended by flange1515 [profile]

nice and laid back




1000  performed by N.E.R.D  2017
Recommended by Pinkfoxracing [profile]

Just listen the F***ing beat switch ahhhh

from No one Ever Really Dies, available on CD


A Decade Under the Influence   performed by Taking Back Sunday
Recommended by YourEpic [profile]

A song about a failed friendship.

from Where You Wan't to Be (Victory Records)


A Festa  performed by Silvio Cesar  1977
Recommended by gregcaz [profile]

A smooth jazz-funk groove with Rhodes and synths playing melodically against each other. It sounds like Azymuth. In fact, it is Azymuth. Conversation, glasses clinking, a girl laughs in the distance. And Silvio's voice comes in, nice and mellow, describing what it's like to have a bunch of friends over for a get-together. Although he's one of Brazil's hippest crooners, a man who specializes in somewhat cliched yet mysteriously cool and affecting love songs, he lays back here and lets the country's greatest jazz-fusion outfit do its thing. How many romantic crooners ever do that?

from Som e Palavras (RCA)


A moment to share  performed by Charles Fox  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Stunning. Atmospheric, laid back and hip mood instrumental by 'Barbarella' collaborator Charles Fox, featuring strings, picked electric guitar and some surprising chord changes.

from Goodbye Columbus - soundtrack (Warner Brothers)




  audiocarp: well, you know what we do with "collaborators"...
  masayo: Yeah, I agree with you. I do love this tune's chord changes. They are unexpected but dramatic. For me, So Kind To Me is my most favorite track in this soundtrack, especially the last overlapped chorus is terrific. Anyway, Love American Style, Girl, Love Boat...the more I know about Charles Fox's works, the more I think he is a genius.
  Swinging London: This is really, really nice. So typical of late '60's American soundtrack music. There was another film out at the same time called 'April Fools' and it had a very similar sound. Lovely horns!
Aint going to Goa  performed by Alabama 3
Recommended by camus [profile]

The ultimate anti "isn't the 3rd world great hippy song" old hippies good new hippies bad.




All The Way  performed by Billie Holiday  1959
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

This is Billie Holiday at her absolute best, or worst, depending on your point of view. I personally consider it her best. She sings this song with a feeling of absolute devotion and love. With only months to live, Billie Holiday made her final recording for MGM records in March 1959. Years of abuse thru drugs and bad relationships had left both her voice and body only shadows of their former selves. However, what she no longer retained vocally, she more than made up for emotionally. Her battered voice and life experience allowed for the feelings to shine thru in a way that she couldn't have possessed in her younger years and for this reason, I fall into the group that prefers her latter recordings over the earlier ones. I am the happy owner of a 10-cd boxset of her complete recordings for the Verve and MGM labels which includes outtakes and incomplete tracks recorded between 1945 and 1959. It's one of the few things I will grab if I have to evacuate my apartment in an emergency...

from Billie Holiday (MGM E 3764)
available on CD - Billie's Best / the Complete Billie Holiday on Verve 1945-1959 (Verve-Polygram 513943 / 314 513 859-2)



  scrubbles: This is one of my favorite Billie Holiday songs as well. Her voice is absolutely haunting here.
Amor Al Arte  performed by Orishas
Recommended by sungoddess [profile]

This is one of my favourite tracks on El Kilo, Orishas superb third offering. I love the horns!

from El Kilo, available on CD



  Festy: Ooh... I hate it when people tease without supplying an audio clip. Any chance? ;)
  delicado: You can now hear it here: http://www.last.fm/music/Orishas/_/Amor+Al+Arte
  Festy: Many thanks, Delicado. As you may have seen, I took a closer look at last.fm yesterday and joined the Musical Taste group.
  muribed: Liked it!
Angelica  performed by Scott Walker  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A quintessential Scott track, recorded when he was at peak of his abilities. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground over Scott Walker - people seem to either love him or hate him. I don't really understand how anyone could not be charmed by Scott - sure, he's a crooner and the music backing him is often lush and is rarely 'hip'. But the voice! The words! I've never been really big on either vocalists or lyrics, but these really, really get to me. Angelica's verse is dark and melancholic, and the words speak of regret over a neglected lover. The chorus explodes with emotion, and at this point you should be able to figure out one way or the other whether you love Scott or not. n.b. I always thought this song was composed by Scott, but I was mistaken. As well as being a great songwriter, he had superb taste in other material.

from Scott, available on CD



Anyway that you want me  performed by Spiritualized  1990
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A great version of this Troggs song, which formed one side of Spiritualized's first single. It's a pretty straight cover version, but with a richer production and that probably soon to become hip again early 90s dance/indie crossover sound (wah wah guitars, funky drums). Actually, it has aged pretty well, and I still can't listen to it without singing out loud when I hear it 'I've been watchin' you; and a lovin' you in vain...'

from the single Anyway that you want me (Dedicated)




  tinks: does that mean that it's almost time for a soup dragons revival?? hahahaha...
  shaka_klaus: i heard another version of this one recently in a commercial on tv. don't remember which at the moment. spiritualized gives me goosespots. i saw them in 98 at a festival and they opened up with 'cop shoot cop', what can i say? amazing. this version is also a fav of mine.
  delicado: I've been listening to the original Troggs version a lot recently. The Spiritualized version is a great cover - the same in many ways but also very different and intense. I think they're a good band; not everything they do is spot-on, but when a song by them is good, it's normally pretty mind-blowing.
  shaka_klaus: i forgot to write that the version of the song in the commercial is sung by a female singer.
  artlongjr: The female singer may have been Evie Sands, she sang the original, which was written by Chip Taylor. Chip is famous actor John Voight's brother. My favorite version of this tune is by the band American Breed from about 1967. Haven't heard the Troggs version yet.
Barnacles  performed by Ugly Casanova
Recommended by Reina [profile]

Lead singer of Modest Mouse...haunting, intense...

"we clung on like barnacles on a boat...even though the ship sinks, you know you can't let go"




Battened Ships  performed by Odyssey  1972
Recommended by Pal [profile]

My Favorite for the moment, charmy folky soul! Don�t mix this Oyssey with a later one who were more into the disco.

from Odyssey (Mowest)


Beauty and the Beast  performed by David Bowie  1977
Recommended by robert[o] [profile]

A nasty/under appreciated gem from David Bowie's Berlin period, "Beauty and The Beast" is sheer perfection/pure malice in musical form. Ominous squibs of sound coalesce around an almost crocodilian groove and Robert Fripp's hissing, poisonous guitar line. Then Bowie makes one his most memorable vocal entrances with a sound somewhere between a croon and a scream. Things just get nastier from there - David playing the hipster, killer android on the lead vocal, while the backgrounds get all down and dirty on chorus. Then, as if he's suddenly come his senses after committing some atrocious act, Bowie howls over the break: "I want you to believe me!/I wanted to be good!/I wanted no distractions!/Like every good boy should!" - before sliding back into the sociopathic sleekness of the last verse. The genius of the tune is that it suggests all manner of violence/bad shit without actually describing any act of mayhem. Therefore the imagination runs riot. A brilliant/evil track.

from "Heroes", available on CD


Big Saturday  performed by The Jazz Butcher  1985
Recommended by Yammer [profile]

Pat Fish of Northhampton, England, is not a rock star for reasons which might include his naturally reticent and embarassed nature, excessive amounts of Oxford education, and the vagueries of the marketplace, but would not include his songwriting talent, which is massive, if perhaps a wee bit limited in scope (no weird chords, all songs about heartbreak, drunkenness, or cannibalistic fantasies about the Prime Minister). "Big Saturday" is a rousing near-rock number in Pat's heartbreak mode. His singing is liquid, soulful (but not shouty), tender, and helpless in the face of love...a love that MUST remain unrequited for the good of other friendships and sundry considerations of duty and fidelity. At least, I think that is what is going on in this simple, yet devastating tune. For more info, see http://www.jazzbutcher.com/htdb/albums/sex.html

from Sex and Travel (Glass)


Boys of Summer  performed by Don Henley  1982
Recommended by StAgGeR [profile]

OK, OK, OK........I know that many of you hipster types out there are probably wincing at this recommendation, but...deal with it. I'm sure that most people are all too aware of this track, and probably avoid it at all cost, but in my humble opinion, this is one of the best pop radio songs ever recorded. I think I heard it first when I was about 12 or 13 while on summer break from school. I was immediately drawn to the eerie, repetitious, heavy delayed intro guitar line. Granted, it has some cheezy lyrics, and a fairly melodramatic tone overall, but this song will forever hold a special place in my heart....awe.


available on CD - yes




  callgirlscene: Yeah, this is an absolutely great song, a classic to my mind, yearning for that perfect love, that perfect moment, and the chance to prove ones self. And this comes from an Eagle, who weren't bad but have been way overplayed these last years on radio.
  konsu: I agree, Don nailed it with this one.It's eerie simplicity is what was great about the Eagles better tunes. It is too bad about overplay, at least in the USA. FM radio is like a Coke machine in a vegatable garden...
  Archipelago71: This is one of those few 80's songs that is still valid today. Instead of being about the excesses of the period, it's a very haunting song about missing something. Or is it about not looking back and having no regrets? You could probably argue for both sides of it. It's a true classic.
Bumblebee  performed by Roman Andren  2008
Recommended by Festy [profile]

You'd be forgiven for thinking this one of Sergio Mendes' hipper tracks from his Brasil '66 or '77 period. It has that old sound to it and is really warm. It starts off breezy and builds with energy whilst Roman Andren, a young Swedish musician, composer and DJ, plays some beautiful electric piano over the top. Although it starts off with vocals over a sparse bass and electric piano combo, the vocals don't come in again until a while into the track. By the end of the track, the energy is at its most, yet still breezy, with brass, vocals and hand-claps providing a sense of a party. It's the perfect song for a summer's day or, close your eyes on a dreary winter's day and be transported.

from Juanita & Beyond : Live Studio Sessions, available on CD



By The Time I Get To Arizona [Whipped Cream Mix]  performed by The Evolution Control Committee  1994
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

This is the record that pretty much kicked off the whole 'bastard pop' genre - where a clever bootlegger would fuse the vocal track of one song with the backing of another. Here we have Public Enemy and Herb Alpert (Bittersweet Samba, from Whipped Cream...).

The reason this record (unlike most of the other mash-ups) works so well is that it sounds like a genuine collaboration - the parps of the Tijuana Brass and Chuck D's rap spits meld perfectly. It's a smart-arse idea that becomes a work of art.

from the single By The Time I Get To Arizona [Whipped Cream Mix] (Pickled Egg Egg 8)


Captain of Your Ship  performed by Reparata & the Delrons  1968
Recommended by tinks [profile]

Mind-blowing late-60s girl-group sound with very odd lyrics...words really can't describe it. Suffice to say, it's a strange song. This group started out as a very typical girl group of the early 60s mold, but kept plugging away long after those groups had gone out of style. This cut from '68 is very psych-y and "groovy", as was the fashion at the time. They eventually transformed into Barry Manilow's backup singers, but please don't hold that against them.

from Best From Bell (Bell UK BLLP-111)
available on CD - Magical Musical History Tour (Mo-Banana)




  jeanette: I agree - absolutely fantastic. Even its use in the Muller yoghurt commercial couldn't harm its basic genius. The fact that it's sampled by Betty Boo in Doin' The Do is another plus point!
  shakeahand: I first heard this song on the Muller ad! - which led me to hunt out the original. Great pop!
Captain Of Your Ship  performed by Ripperata And The Delrons  1968
Recommended by gol [profile]

This song was a hit in 68 and I havent heard it sins late 60�ties. On a taxi from Brussels to Maastricht I was pusseled to recognize this old song and started a search on internet, found it,
many good old memories.




Cerraron sus ojos  performed by Kissing Spell  1970
Recommended by chanchoenroca [profile]

This song it's just amazing, psychedelic music from the south of the world (Chile) before the dictatorship of Pinochet. After 73 the band dissapear.
Also, the lyrics are from a poem of Gustavo Adolfo Becquer, some people say, the last romantic one.
I totally recommend this song, it's just amazing please listen to it!

from Los Pájaros


chit it laeng  performed by sinn sisamouth and ros serey sothea  196x
Recommended by olli [profile]

I won't pretend to know anything about this, i just found it while searching the web for more cambodian rocks-esque music. Old cambodian folk-pop piece with a comforting beat.
It sounds very familiar somehow, so it might be a cover of a well known song i can't dig up from my subconsience right now. listen and tell me if something pops into your mind.





clarinets/love scene  performed by gonsalez  2000
Recommended by olli [profile]

i've always had a weakness for clarinets. especcialy in jazzy hip hop-influenced chillout music. love the lady-sample.fits comfortably next to the following track, "love scene", too.
a nice bit of incidental music for your life.

from gonzales uber alles (kitty-yo)



Claudine (Instrumental Theme)  performed by Gladys Knight/Curtis Mayfield  1974
Recommended by dacottom [profile]

What a wonderful gem of a song. It gives a "Shaft" type of feel with an fresh air feel to it. A great underated masterpiece written by the late great Curtis Mayfield for this movie. Apparently this is a forgotten track on this album and overshadowed by the sublime on and on. Break this song out during a party and you become the definition of hip. Enjoy!

from Claudine Soundtrack
available on CD - Claudine (Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Capitol)


Coffee Cold  performed by Galt MacDermot  1966
Recommended by brendan [profile]

I first heard this song sampled on 'The Truth' by Handsome Boy Modelling school, essentially the bones of the instrumental coffee cold, with new lyrics from Roisin Murphy (much better than Fergus MacRoy's on a alternate version of the original).

The song itself is piano based, and has amazing drumming. I am a musical goon and cannot explain it much more than that, but the song has a really nice dusty feel to it. The fact that this was sampled in a modern hiphop record and the drums remained unenhaced says a lot.

This is a great song and well worth tracking down for any fans of funk, jazz or hip hop.

from Shapes Of Rhythm (Kilmarnock Records)
available on CD - Shapes Of Rhythm/Woman Is Sweeter (Kilmarnock Records)



  konsu: I believe it's Bernard Purdie playing the drums. Possibly THE most sampled drummer in hip-hop...
Conservative Christian, Right-Wing Republican...  performed by Todd Snider  2004
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Full Title: Conservative Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males

--

Self-described left-leaning liberal hippie pothead troubadour Todd Snider muses about the people he considers the root of the world's problems. He's not a mean-spirited man, the liner notes for this song even mention that he loves everyone, even the conservatives he's singing about in this song.

from East Nashville Skyline, available on CD


Creole  performed by Charlie Hunter Quartet featuring Mos Def  2001
Recommended by secularus [profile]

"Easy fantastic, lonely together.." - I have listened to this song at least 100 times since receiving it on Audiogalaxy. Simple yet beautiful. I never knew Mos Def had such a pleasant and sexy voice! I am in heaven when he sings "I just go walking in the rain ... when I feel you passing by..." The back drop is provided by the talented contemporary 8 string jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter (once a member of Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprosy).

from Songs from the Analog Playground (Blue Note)



Crystal Illusions (Memorias de Marta Sare)  performed by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66  1969
Recommended by m.ace [profile]

If there is such a genre as psychedelic impressionist easy pop, this song should be its flagship. Dreamy, lulling, yet subtly disturbing, this seven-minute plus tune is like entering a watercolor painting.

from Crystal Illusions (A&M)



  konsu: Written by Edu Lobo. Apparently for a play he wrote a few songs for. A year later he did it on his own A&M album "Sergio Mendes Presents Lobo", which is an incredible album produced by Sergio. Also check out his LP "Missa Breve" from 1973.
cut here  performed by the cure
Recommended by katastrophic [profile]

its 80's happy, and yet, profoundly motivating. The lyrics are about meeting up with an old freind, perhaps even someone with whom you've had a relationship, and some how drifted but not finalized. And you blow the oppertunity to make the person something more in your life, because of the way you use time. It happens. and its a good reminder to go and get what you want. also use time in a way that won't be regretted.




Deceptacon  performed by Le Tigre  1999
Recommended by dedismo [profile]

Melds punk, new wave and hip hop into a seemingly cute package. Although I'm not all into riot girl, or angry girl music, this is an exception. Bikini Kill's frontwoman Kathleen Hanna has very well written lyrics. The whole album is something to check out. So... check it out.

from Le Tigre (Mr. Lady)




  daidai: aren't deceptacon the 'evil' transformers? i have to agree with you, this song is wonderful.
  umbrellasfollowrain: If I hear this song on the dancefloor, I go nuts. Absolutely nuts. The only other song that can make me reach that height of sweaty bliss is Blur's "Girls and Boys".
Devils Haircut  performed by Beck  1996
Recommended by geezer [profile]

A musical excursion through psychedelia,hip hop,country and jazz,in a compact slice of sample rich mayhem,uses Them "I Can Only Give You Everything" as its pivotal riff along side typically obscure Beck lyrics and Stooges drumming,these shambolic ingredients cook a juicy mean groove.

from Odelay, available on CD


Distant Shores  performed by Chad and Jeremy  1966
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A beautiful piece of soft pop. Ok, it's corny - the chord sequence is kind of soppy and the lyrics are kind of obvious, but the arrangement and singing are so lovely that I can listen to this song again and again. Opening with a catchy picked acoustic guitar riff, the arrangement soon thickens with with a full orchestra. The singing is deadly serious and amusingly precious throughout the song, and the orchestral arrangement, heavy on oboes and flutes as well as strings, is anything but hip. Still, the song’s simplicity and innocence are really quite charming. I never really got into any of Chad and Jeremy's other songs nearly so much as this one, so any recommendations for similar songs would be welcome. Do me a favor and listen to this and tell me if I’m crazy to love it so much.

from Distant Shores, available on CD




  tempted: Oh yes, it is pure gold. I can recommend anything by The Left Banke, Scott Walker, Margo Guryan, New Colony Six, Sagittarius, The Millennium... Gary Usher from the last two mentioned was the producer on many of C & J's songs.
Do it again  performed by Ronnie Aldrich  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This is pure fun, a track with that 'easy cheesy' sound which many people love to hate. But wait, this is brilliant! Although rather clunky and an extremely 'square' take on 'hip', this is quite magnificent, honestly. Backed by a relentless beat, Ronnie plays the tune on 2 pianos, while for the bridge section the superb harmonies in the Beach Boys original are played out beautifully by the London Festival Orchestra. Although it's something of a guilty pleasure, I have to recommend this track very highly. Listening to it now on headphones, I notice that it even has that stereo effect having each piano come out of a different channel, an effect used to great effect on his version of 'soulful strut'.

from This Way (London/Phase 4 SP 44116)




  tinks: and here i was convinced that i was the only person in the world that liked this album! the cover of "mas que nada" on here is great!
Doomsday  performed by Murray Gold
Recommended by Nori [profile]

This theme is not techno, which is something I always associated with the Doctor, and so amazing. It is a heartbreaking theme for the last Billie Tyler appearance. Although Rose and the Tenth Doctor had a romantic relationship, this theme could have been applied to other intense relationships that had been ended, such as the death of a child. You definitely do not have to have seen the episode to know that the parting was not voluntary. Another great Doctor Who track, beyond the theme, is 'Bad Wolf Theme'.


available on CD - Doctor Who Original Television Soundtrack


Eleanor Rigby  performed by Tony Bennett  1968
Recommended by tinks [profile]

What can be said about this? Long before Tony was on MTV Unplugged, he tried this misguided attempt to 'get hip with the kids'. Funny thing is, I love it. He doesn't sing this so much as emote it. It's reminiscent of some of Shatner's finer moments. I should also note that the album is worth seeking out for the uber-psychedelic cover art alone.

from Tony Bennett Sings the Great Hits of Today (Columbia)



Even If You Dont  performed by Ween  2000
Recommended by Gwendolyn [profile]

This is such a fun song.. the lyrics outline this crazy relationship "I was happy this mornin/ you finally got yourself dressed/ eating raw bacon/ it's okay I was still impressed" It's got a happy beat w/ piano in the background. Love it.

from White Pepper


Everyone, Under the Sun  performed by Ashley Park  2000
Recommended by saturnhead [profile]

More from Canada's Ashley Park Spin Magazine, Uncut, Billboard, and Magnet all rave "Beatles, Bacharach, Kinks"...This song is a jazzy take on that uber hip college sound.

from Town and Country, available on CD


Eyes of Dreams  performed by Lewis Parker  1998
Recommended by tinks [profile]

Lewis Parker may not be well-known, either in the US or in his native England, but he has done more to elevate the quality of British hip-hop than anybody else. His philosophical lyrics combine with an impeccable sense of rhythm to give him a place as one of the freshest voices on either side of the Atlantic.

from Masquerades & Silhouettes. The Ancients Series One., available on CD


Falling Free  performed by Bert Kaempfert  1971
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This is one of those odd discoveries: a track on a CD I've owned for about 8 years, but which I had somehow overlooked. I buy a lot of CDs, and I guess is one of the later tracks on a long compilation cd. Still, that's not much of an excuse, is it!

This is a slow, groovy instrumental (well, with wordless vocals) with funky drums, some fine fuzz guitar work, nice spiky brass and some very pleasing chord changes. It is strongly reminiscent of similar work of the time by people like Johnny Harris. I have a few tracks by completely different artists with a very similar feel/orchestration and closely related chord sequences. It's simultaneously very hip sounding yet quite square with the choir and strings. I love it, obviously.

from Now! (Polydor)
available on CD - Easy Loungin' (Polydor Germany)



Fascination  performed by Saint Etienne  2004
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

With Saint Etienne being one of my favourite groups of the last decades (and possibly the best british pop group today) it's really hard to pick a track, it wouldn't be hard to recommend dozens of amazing tracks they did the last 15 years. That said, "Fascination" is the only new song they produced since Finisterre (2002) and it was included on their first compilation released in the US. It doesn't really matter if they embrace a more late 60s style a la Good Humor or a more electronic or dance approach to their music, due to Sarah Cracknells distinctive voice and Stanleys and Wiggs' ear for strong melodies it always sounds essentially Saint Etienne. This one is a heartfelt, bittersweet song, with an almost Hip Hop-ish basic beat, lush synths, floating harp-like electronica and a great piano melody.

from Travel Edition 1990-2005, available on CD



Feed Jake  performed by Pirates of the Mississippi  1990
Recommended by schlick [profile]

Excellent country song about a guy who reminisces about his relationship with a late buddy of his. Pat Severs does some terrific pedal steel work here.

from
available on CD - Pirates of the Mississippi (Capitol)


Female of the Species  performed by Meg Myles  1961
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

I can just imagine people sitting in a seedy New York movie theatre on 42nd Street back in 1961 watching a b-movie called "Satan in High Heels". The film is in its last reel and suddenly the main female character comes out on the nightclub stage wearing a leather outfit complete with 6-inch dominitrix boots and a riding crop! The music swells and she starts to sing:
---
i'm the kind of woman, not hard to understand,
i'm the one who cracks the whip and holds the upper hand
I'll beat you, mistreat you, til you quiver and quail,
the female of the species is more deadly than the male.
---
This little film isn't likely to have ever had a soundtrack album which in a way is sad because in addition to this camply little gem there are a couple of other cute vocals by Meg Myles and the other actresses in the film and some great jazz instrumentals sprinkled throughout as well. The fine folks at Something Weird Video have kindly put this little film out on DVD. You can also catch the scene containing this song on their compilation of movie trailers (where I first discovered this film) released to inform people of their DVD catalog.

from from the film "Satan in High Heels" (Something Weird Video www.somethingweird.com)


Fighting In A Sack  performed by The Shins  2003
Recommended by bam [profile]

"we've taken on a climb and it's long enough to put the best of us on our backs," a hip tune

from Chutes Too Narrow, available on CD


Fine Art Of Friendship  performed by King�s X  1990
Recommended by MoeShinola [profile]

King's X is my favorite hard rock band by far. This song is on Faith Hope & Love, a very psychedelic record with a sound different from their others. They must have had the fairy dust going on at the recording sessions for this album because the sound is just beyond bluesy and groovy. The guitar just sounds...slinky! that's the word. Slink and snaky and dark. Their harmonies are a wonder to behold as usual, and the lyrics are mystical and weird.

from Faith Hope & Love (Megaforce UPC)


Foxy Lady  performed by Jimi Hendrix  1965
Recommended by funky [profile]

The greatest most influential band or person ever.
Are you experienced is sort of the musical equivalent of the BIG BANG that scientists beleived oraiginated the Universe. Every generation love hendrix i don't think it will never turn the tables you dig.




Frozen (Stereo MCs Remix)  performed by Madonna  1998
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

A beautiful original, mixed with a great hip-hop bassbeat. This was Madonna's first album after her admittedly excellent performance in the film, 'Evita'. In preparing for the film, she had actually taken professional voice instruction where she learned to project her voice and put less strain on her vocal chords. The transformation was amazing and she has sounded so much better since. She was also on a spiritual journey as she began her role as a mother and the lyrics bespeak this journey in her use of very emotional words and the warm sound in her voice. This is not, 'like a virgin', this is a woman reborn!

from Frozen CD Single (Maverick / Warner Bros 43993-2)


Get UR Freak On  performed by Shawn Lee,s Ping Pong Orchestra  2008
Recommended by geezer [profile]

Working on the premise that if you are going to cover a song then do something with it .then Shawn Lee wears the crown .Missy Elliots ground breaking hip hop giant has been turned into a dark surf twangy guitar driven celebration of Tarntino-esque proportions .the relentless plink plonk riff of the original is replaced by a mammoth guitar line which builds to a Mexiacana brass bound climax.There is a whole album of contemporary covers in this vein all of which need to be heard .

from Shawn Lee Hits the Hits
available on CD - Hits the Hits


Getting Away With It  performed by Electronic  1989
Recommended by ref. [profile]

Straight up pop song with a disco sheen. I haven't liked many songs in Electronic's catalogue, despite featuring Bernarnd Sumner from New Order and Johnny Marr from the Smiths, but this song is up there with my favorites from each group.

This song features Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys. What star power!

The lyrics are typical Sumner - casual dream-speak about his relationship with the world.

The refrain is gold, as are the melodies.

Check out the song here:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=42979805

from Getting Away With It (Factory FACD 257)


Groovin With Mr. Bloe  performed by Mr. Bloe  1970
Recommended by tempted [profile]

With the likes of Buzzsaw by The Turtles and Dance With The Devil by Cozy Powell, Groovin' With Mr. Bloe is one of my favourite late 60's-early 70's groovy "novelty" pop instrumentals.
Beginning with a tight drum beat that carries on throughout the song and followed by one of the fattest basslines ever, this is a real dancefloor gem for hip crowds. Best of all is the harmonica lead by Mr. Bloe himself, a session musician by the name of Harry Pitch. Groovin'...became a surprise top ten hit but the best credit to the song is that it allegedly still enjoys club play by Richard Searling, the legendary northern soul deejay.

from Groovin' With Mr. Bloe (DJM)



  n-jeff: I take the opportunity to play it out whenever I can, it's a belter of a record, and still relatively easy to find in UK charity shops. Good choice!
Guitar in Orbit, PT. 37  performed by Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-Fonics  1998
Recommended by Solo [profile]

cool high speed clean guitar instrumental with a 1950s tonalizer sound. I feel like I'm watching Sputnik in orbit while hearing a jet break the sound barrier when I listen to this. Deke and the Ecco-Fonics are noted for a phenomenal period-style production on albums, retro but never wistfully nostalgic songwriting, and exceptional virtuosity at live performances. The rest of this CD is loaded with great vocals and hip tunes.

from Number One Hit Record! (HighTone (HMG) HMG 3005)


Guitarras Em Fogo  performed by Waltel Branco  196?
Recommended by sodapop650 [profile]

Waltel Branco is the guitarist on a lot of classic early and mid-sixties Bossa LPs with outfits with Wilson Das Neves, Eumir Deodato and I think Ed Lincoln. There is also the classic and highly prized "Mancini Tamem e Samba" LP under his leadership that is available once again on the whatmusic label. Branco is like a Brazilian Les Paul but a little less quirky and a lot more hip. You can't help being more hip with that latin beat backing you up. Lots of deep lumbering compelling beats allow Branco to highlight his fretwork, thus the title - as far as I can translate becasue the cover is a picture of a flame - "Guitars on Fire." Similar to Heraldo Dos Monte "Batida Diferente".

from Guitarra Em Fogo (Musidisc HiFi 2.056)


Hawaiian War Chant  performed by Torrent & Alexander  197?
Recommended by tinks [profile]

The 50s exotica standard performed "au moderne" on just two ARP synths and two Hammond organs, recorded live. And while it pales in comparison to the seminal Leroy Holmes version, it's the perfect background music to your next hip Laurence Welk luau.

from Akaka Falls: Explore Hawaii With Organs and Synthesizers ("R" Own)


Heaven 90210  performed by Urge Overkill  1993
Recommended by MoeShinola [profile]

The alt/rock cover band I front in my dreams plays this song at the end of every gig. Why? It's the perfect last-gig song; It's slow, it's soulful, and it pretends to the sophistication every college-age hipster does. The whole album Saturation has that feel to it, this song is just the perfect denouement.

from Saturation (Geffen)


Hellhound on my trail  performed by Robert Johnson
Recommended by dwmjuk [profile]

The most eeire, scary and downright supernatural blues track ever recorded. Robert Johnson's vocal style sends shivers down anyone's back on the first, and repeat, hearings of this masterpiece.

Take time and notice the evidence of Hoodoo pratice in lyrics (hot foot powder) and a brief history of a failed relationship once believed to have been Robert Johnsons...




hello walls  performed by Faron Young  196?
Recommended by n-jeff [profile]

Probably the most chipper song of heartbreak I've ever heard. Young takes Willie Nelsons melancholy words, adds a bouncy beat, cheesy call and response chorus and that delightful early sixties country and western sound.

"Hello Walls"

"Hellooo, Helloo"
.
Along with his very fruity delivery it just makes this song sheer genius. Yet another song I first heard on the late John Peels show. And an unexpected example of why he was such a great DJ.




Hip-Hopopotomus vs. Rhymenocerous  performed by Flight of the Conchords
Recommended by nicolebaker [profile]




hot mess  performed by cobra starship
Recommended by omgmeve [profile]

from hot mess, available on CD


How We Do  performed by The Game
Recommended by loganrhowell [profile]

pop hip-hop rap pop beat




i am a camera  performed by Buggles  1982
Recommended by geezer [profile]

This is what the future sounded like in 1982,misguided technical prophecy and electronic keyboards,but underneath such dated cliche lies a beautiful watery melody ,the sort of tune you could dive into and wallow for ever.

This was Trevor Horn,s apprenticeship,a place he learnt to meld melody with beat and beauty before moving on to conquer the world,the album isnt that good but this tune will stay in your head long after you slip into sleep .

from Adventures in Modern Recording, available on CD


I am music  performed by Common
Recommended by MauMau [profile]

A jazzy upbeat song. Just a little hip-hop to add to the mix.

from Electric Circus


I know you love me not  performed by Julie Driscoll  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A great track with that supreme thick kind of arrangement that reminds me of Scott Walker's late 60s solo work.

Julie's vocal delivery is interesting. She's hipper sounding than Jackie Trent; more like a slightly looser Dusty Springfield. But she also has a weird kind of Annie Lennox way of sounding over the top.

The song is pretty simple, but the production and arrangement are so vibrant and colourful that it works very well.

from Jools/Brian (MFP 1265)



I've Seen To Dream  performed by Harmony Grass  1968
Recommended by tempted [profile]

This is a mesmerizing pop-psych number from maybe the greatest British vocal group of the sixties. The composition is adventurous and reminiscent of SF-based sunshine pop but with that distinctive, eloquent British touch.
Harmony Grass was the group Tony Rivers fronted after his success with The Castaways.
He's been an important influence on Mike Alway's legendary �l label.


available on CD - Tony Rivers Series vol. 2 (RPM/Cherry Red)



  musicmars: Yea tempted, we agree once more. I love that song. Another of the best 60's pop-psych songs. I can't think of one that's better. How is the rest of the cd? I only have the song on an el compilation.
  delicado: Winning track!
  eftimihn: Just wanted to recommend this to see it's already here. Fantastic track for sure, the whole album is uneven but "I think of you" is another winner on there...
  Major Minor: Excellent track... I would also put up "What a groovy day" at least as good as this one. If anyone wanted to further check into Tony Rivers of this era the "Harmony Grass" compilation is recommended...
Im 80 Stockwerk  performed by Hildegard Knef  1970
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A stunning piece of pop, one of a few great and really hip sounding tracks Hildegard Knef recorded around this time. This sounds like a Bacharach song made even cooler, stripped down to its essentials. Knef�s smoky, detached vocals add to the effect to make this a real winner.

from Knef (Decca)
available on CD - Get Easy vol 4 (Motor music)




  scrubbles: I've been digging this one a lot lately and even put it on my latest mix disc. Way funky - imagine what an enterprising drag queen could do with this!
  AndreasNystrom: Yes, very good song. Love it as well as her other song "dieser herren..."
  heimwehblues: A new version of this song was produced in 2001, CD "17 Millimeter", it's a marvellous modern song...
Immigrants and Hypocrites  performed by Star-Fucking Hipsters
Recommended by dynamicsheep [profile]




in the end  performed by linkin park
Recommended by mfem [profile]

rock, with hip hop elemnts
guitar, scratch

strong melody, good lyrics,
with an amazing power

from hybrid theory


Itzcuintli-Totzli Days  performed by the Mountain Goats  1994
Recommended by agnamaracs [profile]

"Itzcuintli-Totzli Days" is one of the many Mountain Goats songs that displays John Darnielle's fixation on ancient Aztec culture: "Itzcuintli" (or "Itzquintli," the dog) is the tenth day of the Aztec calendar, and "Totzli" (or "Tochtli," the rabbit) is the eighth. Apparently, Tochtli symbolized drunkenness, something looked down upon by the Aztecs. So when Darnielle sings "I know he's coming, let him come / Let the big, big rabbit come out," he's singing a good old-fashioned drinking song, albeit with Aztec imagery. It can never be said that Darnielle writes straightforwardly.

(It also makes me think of the film "Harvey," and the relationship between the alcoholic Elwood P. Dowd and an invisible rabbit; the line "Let him cast his shadow on the bright face of our little house" brings to mind the promotional artwork.)

Like many Mountain Goats songs, every element comes together: the words, the melody, the vocals (lead and harmony), and the guitar playing. (I emphasize the guitar playing because a friend of mine says that Darnielle's not a particularly good guitar player. He's wrong.) it's only 1:24, so there's not much to it, but it's (short and) sharp. And at the end, there's applause. where it's coming from, I don't know, but it just as well might be coming from us.

from Beautiful Rat Sunset, available on CD


I�m Hip  performed by Blossom Dearie  1979
Recommended by missewon [profile]

This has been recorded by several others, including versions by both Dave Frishberg and Bob Dorough, the composers, but Blossom's version is the best! It swings!

fave part:
I dig! I'm in step.
When it was hip to be hep, I was hep.
I don't blow but I'm a fan.
Look at me swing. Ring a ding ding.
I even call my girlfriend "man," I'm so hip.

from Needlepoint Magic, Vol. 5 (Daffodil)
available on CD - The Diva Series - Blossom Dearie (Verve)



  mattias: yes, she's hip. There is a great version of this song on Blossoms album simply called 1975 (Daffodil, vol. II),, unfortunally not reissued on CD.
Jane B  performed by Jane Birkin  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This song is living proof that whatever you try to do, if you execute it well, the rest can take care of itself. Serge didn't even bother writing a song (this is just an arrangement of Chopin's prelude in E minor). But the song is excellent, and stands up to (at least several hundred) repeated listens. There's a slow, jerky beat, and a heavy bassline. Birkin's delicate vocal works well with this backing, and the whole thing has a very hip feel.


available on CD - Master Serie Vol. 1 (Polygram France)


Join a Frat  performed by The Boy Illinois  2010
Recommended by beniner [profile]

Gives a different Rock twist to Hip Hop. Done by a upcoming new performer out of Chicago

from Inhale Pt 3 After School Program (Independent)


Jos aiot niin sano  performed by Liekki  2000
Recommended by tempted [profile]

A beautiful, progressive pop song from the best album I've ever heard. This is something completely different. A lush arrangement with flutes and ravishing J. Marr -like guitars. The melody and chords in the chorus give me goosebumps. The talent and musicianship are simply stunning. This is almost as good a pick as any song from this, Liekki's first album. They come from Finland.

from Magio (Hawaii Sounds)
available on CD - See above!



just a feeling  performed by maroon 5  2010
Recommended by mpruet [profile]

calming. pop/rock. about relationships.

from hands all over


Keep Fallin’  performed by Hot Chip
Recommended by hughsibbele [profile]

Fantastic. "Give up all you suckers, we're the tightest motherfuckers, and you never seen this type of shit before now. You're peelin' potatoes while we're sonic alligators, making records, sellin' albums, smoking crack now."




Kevlar Soul  performed by KENT  2000
Recommended by Carrie [profile]

Summertime, I'm the silence as the wind blows.

from Hagnesta Hill (English edition), available on CD


Knocking  performed by Motion Soundtrack  2003
Recommended by nightlarke [profile]

Uppish tempo, clap-your-hands Brit pop/alt rock song that makes you want to drive and drive and push the speed limit. Lead singer (Chad Horton) has an in-tune yet rasping tone remeniscent of John Lennon. Instrumentation includes tamborine and congas, and a delay pedal. Excellent musicianship. Killer basslines. Dance, dance, dance.

from The Bridge, available on CD


L.O.V.E (Websters definition)  performed by Bob Dorough  1970
Recommended by mattias [profile]

A great, very represantive Easy Listening/Bossa Nova song. The lyrics is acctually Websters dictionary's description of love. I know this song has been recorded on some other Dorough album but this is the definitive version. It has a great female choire and a nice bossa groove. Really a must! The record containes a bunch of other grat songs like I'm hip, The stranger and oblai de oblai da.

from To communicate, available on CD


La Foresta Incantata  performed by Piero Umiliani  1970
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Although I'm very interested in the batch of cool Italian soundtracks from the 60s and 70s which have recently been reissued, I often feel pretty overwhelmed by the volume of stuff out there. So I was pleased to find a used copy of Piero Umiliani's 'Angeli Bianchi...Angeli Neri'. It really is an intoxicatingly brilliant record, and this track is one of the highlights. The musical setting moves around a lot over four minutes - the opening sounds almost like fairy tale music; this then fades out, and some spooky and very cool sounding wordless vocals come in, accompanied by a slick, hip easy listening-style sequence with strings, bass and drums. As this builds, the wordless vocals continue, backed by increasingly beautiful and unexpected chord changes. I'm not doing a great job of describing this record, but happily in this case you can hear the whole song (streamed, real audio) at the excellent 'atrecordings.com' site. Anyway, it's a wonderful track, up there with my absolute favorite soundtrack pieces.

from Angeli Bianchi...Angeli Neri, available on CD




  bobbyspacetroup: Magical track. It's can also be found on Easy Tempo, Vol. 9. Too bad atrecordings has shut down.
  leonthedog: Magical indeed! Morricone, Piccioni, Umiliani, and Trovaioli are like Sirens... I am sure there are others - God grant me the time and good fortune to find them!
Let Me In  performed by Osmonds  1973
Recommended by Flippet [profile]

Often dismissed as a teen band - the Osmonds in their hey day were prolific and produced some of the best and most soulful of the early to mid 70s pop scene. Their record sales and popularity at the time are a testimony to this fact. This song is a fine example of their ability to maximise the potential of a song. A haunting love ballad, the song was a huge hit in its day and reveals their excellent voices and musicianship at its very best. The Osmonds set the template for the boy band phenomenon of the late 90s - but their pop legacy should be seriously reassessed by critics of this music genre.


available on CD - The Very Best Of The Osmonds (Polydor)


Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)  performed by The Don Kirshner Concept  1969
Recommended by tinks [profile]

A surprisingly hip easy-listening orchestral version from the decidedly unhip Kirshner. Very funky drumming and a cool girl chorus make this my favorite version of this song.

from Don Kirshner Cuts Hair (RCA Victor)


Light Enough to Travel  performed by the Be Good Tanyas  2001
Recommended by mitchiavelli [profile]

'Light Enough to Travel' is from 'Blue Horse', the debut album from the Be Good Tanyas.

The Tanyas are are Frazey Ford, Samantha Parton, and Trish Klein, and hail from Vancouver, BC, Canada.

They sing up tempo folk / bluegrass, and have been received with wild acclaim in both Canada and the UK.

'Light Enough to Travel' is representative of the Blue Horses. I guarantee it will get your toes tapping and hips swaying.

Here is their website: http://www.begoodtanyas.com/

from Blue Horses, available on CD



  umbrellasfollowrain: There's something about the attitude of this song that I love. The song is originally written by this guy who only plays and composes on accordian. I heard him play once on CBC Radio and he brought his two kids because he couldn't afford a babysitter and the kids kept talking all the way through his songs. This is perfect mixed tape fodder. For that driving mix you're giving to your best gal friend.
Lolita Go Home  performed by Jane Birkin  1975
Recommended by tempted [profile]

A simple and groovy, mid-tempo easy pop tune with a nice wah-wah guitar riff and Jane B.'s trademark teen fox vocal. Everything apart from the words "Lolita go home" is sung in French. Jane B. didn't really know French and it sounds quite funny. Gainsbourg and Birkin must've had a hell of a relationship! Another classic in my dj set which again shows Gainsbourg's tremendous ability to write sunny bubblegum pop as well as arrange it deliciously.




Lonely is as lonely does  performed by The Fleetwoods  1964
Recommended by delicado [profile]

The Fleetwoods were an excellent vocal group from the late 50s and early 60s who are best known for 'Come Softly to Me' and 'Mr. Blue'. Both of these are 'classic' oldies tracks, evocative of the late 50s.

'Lonely is as lonely does' came late in their career, and actually sounds much more modern than its 1964 recording date would suggest. This is really a prototype of the 'soft pop' style that would become popular later in the 1960s. The composer, Chip Taylor, went on to write 'Wild Thing' and 'Angel of the Morning'.

The track opens with a nice picked guitar introduction. As in many of my favorite Fleetwoods tracks, Gary takes the lead vocal, with Gretchen and Barbara singing backing vocals. Gary has a very sincere voice. At the beginning the song sounds very routine, but there are some clever chord changes and some cool lyrics. My favorite line is 'As your tears fall, remember this: you're just a kiss away from happiness'.

from the single Lonely is as lonely does (Dolton)
available on CD - Come Softly to me - The Very Best of The Fleetwoods (EMI)



Lost Once Again  performed by Useless I.D.
Recommended by aretoodeto [profile]

This is a song from the punk band Useless I.D. One of the reasons I like the song so much is because it talks about something that almost everyone has to deal with after a relationship. The song also flows really well, and I think the only problem that I have with the song is that it ends so quickly.


available on CD - Let It Burn


love with the three of us  performed by stereo total  2001
Recommended by olli [profile]

english language version of "l' amour a 3", available as a bonus track on the american release of "musique automatique".

cute electronic pop song about threesomes, courtesy of french-german electro-rockabilly-breakbeat-chanson-disco-pop sensation stereo total.
features some great moaning samples.
the ooohohouou- sound in the chorus remind me of a norwegian children's programme i used to watch when i was a kid. i just love the vocals in this version. they might not be technically perfect, but the french-german accent is really cute, and adds a lot to the feel of the song.

"it's absolutely out, i know it's hippie shit/
but i say it loud, with the three of us, i love it"

(by the way, stereo total are very nice people. they deserve your love)


available on CD - musique automatique (kill rock stars)



Lover I Don�t Have to Love  performed by Bright Eyes  2002
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

This song is the perfect song for anybody who is angry with love, or coming off a bad relationship. Connor Oberst is a great lyricist and this song captures that feeling of just wanting somebody, anybody so bad, and not caring who it is.

from Lifted, or the Story is In the Soil, Keep Your Ears to the Groun (Saddle Creek)



Lullaby  performed by Krzysztof Komeda & Mia Farrow  1968
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

And I am not just including this because it is from Rosemary's Baby, my very favourite film of all time. Well, maybe I am a little - the opening credits where Polanski guides us over the rooftops of the Bramford while Mia murmurs her "la la la"s sets up perfectly the movie heaven that is to come.

Actors usually make a hash of singing (and, of course, vice versa - Bjork is great in Dancer In The Dark but that's all I can come up with), although I've heard that Cybil Shepherd makes a decent stab. But Mia can't fail to impress with her innocent singing voice, keeping in the character of Rosemary even though she doesn't speak a word in this song. Komeda maintains his usual atmospheric wonder, with the sort of piano based joy that gave such a fruitful relationship with Polanski's films.

Lots of others have had a pop at this, usually with some degree of success as the melody is so strong (discounting a dodgy metal version of it by some chancers whose name escapes me). My favourites are Hugo Montenegro's (on Good Vibrations) and Claudine Longet's lyric-added version, Sleep Safe And Warm.

from Rosemary's Baby, available on CD




  Swinging London: I love this too! It seems to pull the whole movie into a class of it's own. I've been trying to find the Claudine Longet version for years!
Madi don’t leave  performed by playradioplay
Recommended by llspazz [profile]

I love this song beacuse it's just so simple and innocent sounding. It makes me feel like maybe I could have this kind of relationship with someone.




Man's Girl  performed by Digital Underground  1998
Recommended by lionson76 [profile]

If you've never made love to hip hop, this is a good track to try out. It's over 8 minutes long and should serve as a tight backdrop for spittin' your weak game on those bitties. And if you get the album, the very next track, called "April Showers", picks up nicely where "Man's Girl" leaves off. Enjoy, Casanova.

from Who Got the Gravy?, available on CD


miserarete  performed by Judy Ongg  1979
Recommended by chipple [profile]

I found this 7" at the flea market in Meiji-koen. This song was Judy Ongg's greatest hit, released in 1979. It is indeed a great song! On June 16, 2004, a version produced by Yasuharu KONISHI will be released: KONISHI Yasuharu feat. Judy Ongg "miserarete (2004 Version)" (Speedstar/Victor VICL-35626).

from miserarete (Sony 06SH 456)
available on CD - Golden Best Judy Ongg Sony Music Years 1973-1983 (Sony)



mundian to bach ke  performed by panjabi mc
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

this is one of the best hip-hop songs ever. i wish i could speak hindi so i could sing along.




My love, my life  performed by Abba  1976
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Such a ludicrously sentimental depiction of one party's feelings after a relationship breakup that I can imagine few would admit to liking it. However, it's a beautifully-crafted and wonderfully performed song with a superbly effective arrangement. I admit to liking it despite its total sentimentality and lack of any kind of coolness.

from Arrival, available on CD


My Own Sinking Ship  performed by Good Old War
Recommended by zmarq13 [profile]

The entire album is incredible but this song is probably my favorite . I love their folksy alternative spin on music it works extremely well with their amazing harmony. Just a great song from a great band. (Band Members: Keith GOODwin, Tim ArnOLD, and Dan SchWARtz)

from Good Old War


N�o Adianta  performed by Leny Andrade  1975
Recommended by delicado [profile]

An absolutely storming upbeat funky Brazilan pop/bossa track. I've never found anything else in the same vein by Leny Andrade, but this one is truly incredible. From the very beginning, this song is quite relentlessly uplifting. It manages to be very hip and funky, yet emotional and warm at the same time. Far more percussive than most Brazilian stuff I've recommended, this is nevertheless one of my absolute favorites.


available on CD - Blue Brazil Vol 3 (EMI UK)



Nature's Hated  performed by Orlando  1997
Recommended by LawrenceM [profile]

One of the few bands involved with the short lived "romo" movement, Orlando were the only ones to release an album, and were far superior to any of the other indie chancers jumping on the badnwagon. This song, along with the other excellent single "Just For A Second", were attempts to meld postcard Records, Motown and PWL into bright, shiny pop. Dickon's keyboards soared, and singer Tim Chipping's vocals sounded like a young David MacAlmont taking flight. Of course, obscurity beckoned - Dickon went on to play guitar for Spearmint and form Fosca, and Chipping's current whereabouts are unknown. A brief, bright moment in pop, snuffed out all too soon.

from Passive Soul, available on CD



N�e dans un ice-cream  performed by Michel Polnareff  1971
Recommended by tempted [profile]

A key song from the French folk rock bohemian's ambitious concept album, Polnareff's. This could have been produced by David Axelrod but wasn't. Beautiful, aching pop song with grandeur and despair. And a rhythm section that's so groovy. Another example of how great the studio orchestras sounded in France back then. What an arrangement. As hip as it gets.

from Polnareff's, available on CD




  Sem Sinatra: Totally agree ... all Polnaref's early 70s albums have killer tunes backed up by orchestrations to die for
  jezandliz1: The orchestra backing on Polnareff's is excellent and was recorded in the UK using UK session musicians who also played on some of the best groovy uk library and soundtrack music of the late 60s. Try the three instrumentals on Polnareff's - so funky they're ridiculous!
Never mind it's only love  performed by David Essex
Recommended by Ron1967-1970 [profile]

Sorry folks, I am not a real David Essex fan, but this guy could sure record a great orchestrated popsong... it has all the right stuff (for me that is). The drive, the energy,
the passion and a thumping orchestration, cracking like a whip on the melody...





nice guys finish last  performed by cobra starship
Recommended by ashley14 [profile]




Niki  performed by The Third Wave  1970
Recommended by Festy [profile]

It took me a while to get a copy of this album as even the out-of-print re-issue on Crippled Dick Hot Wax (that's the name of the label, folks. Promise!) sells for a bit these days. I'm glad I got it as it's a fantastic album - the only LP released by the 5 Filipino/American sister vocal group, although I think they released at least one 45". Discovered by George Duke, he wrote the arrangements and his trio of the time provides backing. The album was recorded in Germany (released by MPS) and is a little bit poppy, a little bit jazzy, a little bit funky. There are a number of songs which could be recommended (a number of them jazz standards, such as 'Maiden Voyage' and 'Cantaloupe Island'), but the one I've chosen is 'Niki'. I hadn't come across this track before getting the album, unlike a few of the other tracks which have turned up on compilations over the years.

'Niki' is a song that builds. It starts off fairly casually and builds up to a swinging chorus, accented by some very hip playing by George Duke, still on an acoustic piano during this stage of his career.

Another commendable and notable track on the album, and which I discovered through a compilation created by 'mine host' of Musical Taste, Senhor Delicado, is "Waves Lament". Absolutely fantastic.

from Here & Now, available on CD



Noah’s Dove  performed by 10,000 Maniacs  1992
Recommended by Yammer [profile]

For admirers of classic pop song construction, production, and performance, Noah's Dove is jaw-dropping in its perfection. The subtle piano hook, deep and dark chord changes, and the warm, dry-eyed, heartbreakingly acute singing grab your ears, while the lyrics (an unhurried, unsparing epitaph to a relationship with a cheating scumbag) clench your heart. The best part may be that it introduces Our Time In Eden, a collection of finely-crafted folk-pop songs that served as a worthy finale for the Maniacs.

from Our Time In Eden


Obstacle #1  performed by Interpol  2002
Recommended by umbrellasfollowrain [profile]

It's manic. Snapped wires. Screaming at the boxcars as they go by. Kid listened to too many Joy Division records in high school and not only did he pick up an attraction to crazy, but he learned how to freak out to that crazy in melody as well. And freak out he does. But he'll tell you why he's freaking out, he'll make you feel it too. And turns out, he has good reason to freak out. Dude's in deep with a bad chick who's, well, she's pretty bad. He waits until the chorus before shrieking for help, "She can't read!" There are those intimate little details that make you realize he's caught in this relationship, he's in love, he loves crazy, he's not getting out any time soon. "It's in the way she pulls it." and the amazing line, "Her stories are boring and stuff /she's always calling my bluff." Sears my frickin' heart.





  executiveslacks: I wanted to hate Interpol, but simply couldn't after hearing this song.
Only One  performed by Goo Goo Dolls
Recommended by xicanti [profile]

Another great song to listen to when I'm angry. I like to whip through all of "A Boy Named Goo" when I'm really pissed off or depressed, as I always find something on there to placate me, but this one in particular gets me every time. It's probably my favourite GGD song, and I like thinking about who it could be about.

from A Boy Named Goo


Otherside  performed by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis  2010
Recommended by ilah [profile]

Macklemore is an underground hip-hop artist out of Seattle. His lyrics are very charged and emotional. The beat remixed featured by fences is a great touch recreated by Ryan Lewis.




Paradisiaque  performed by MC Solaar  199?
Recommended by macka [profile]

French Hip-Hop (don't let that put you off!)well worth a listen! Title track to this excelent album.

from Paradisiaque


Peel This Strip and Fold Here  performed by Candiria  2002
Recommended by Metalvangelist76 [profile]

Candiria is a band too prolific for their own good in my opinion. Mixing traditional and avan-garde jazz, heavy metal, hip-hop/rap, and everything in between.
Not a fan of hip hop and rap, myself, I refrain from anything they do in that style, but the rest of it is pure extreme, progressive, jazz, metal, instrumental genius.

from The Coma Imprint


Pense à moi  performed by France Gall  1964
Recommended by delicado [profile]

One of a few especially jazzy and hip tracks by France Gall, I enjoy this one even more than I enjoy her more sugary pop tracks like 'Christansen'. The arrangement is quite spare - basically just France singing with a groovy small jazz combo. She also gets into some very cool scat vocals. Very, very cool.

from Ne sois pas si b�te (EP) (Philips)
available on CD - Poup�e de Son




  modadelic: most of france gall's 60's output from her yeh yeh bubble pop to the NOW sounds is excellent and highly recommended by moi. her compilation poupee de son is a great place to start for anyone new to the charms of france and her lovely songs. her later 70's records are not so wonderfull but then thats only my opinion, some of us may feel different. happy listening everyone.
  G400 Custom: Great song, this. I find much of her mid-60s output highly enjoyable, however throwaway they were supposed to be. 'Laisse tomber les filles' from around the same time is great too.
Premonitions  performed by Townhall
Recommended by Reina [profile]

This song will probably be very hard to find. They are kind of a local band and not that well known. But they are really cool--unique, passionate, free spirited. Basically hippies. In Premonitions they express concern over the state of the planet but remain upbeat and optimistic.

"Let's be creative with our destinies..."




Run Mascara  performed by The Exciters  1965
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Now THAT'S a title. Honestly, I so wish I was a teen in the sixties. You got to gloom along to the highest-quality pop-soul instead of the early 90's alt.rock that was de riguer in my tender years.

The Exciters are one of the most enduring of the 60's "girl" groups (there's one boy in there). No matter how polished the production was, they remained overwhelmingly vital thanks to the harsh vocal power of Brenda Reid, their main singer. They found mucho favour on the Northern Soul circuit, but I think their stuff is substantially more individual than a lot of the platters on offer in that scene.

"Run Mascara" is about a boy who knows how to hurt and make the tears flow, but gives just enough sweetness to keep Brenda in love. Your classic emotionally-abusive relationship. You would think with a voice like hers Brenda would just wallop him. Or shout at him. That'd shut him up.

Musically it races fast, with the other group members yelling to keep up with the breakneck speed. An outstanding few minutes.

from the single Run Mascara (Columbia DB 7606)
available on CD - Something To Shout About! (Sequel)



Samba Blim  performed by Tamba 4  1968
Recommended by sambablim [profile]

This 1968 LP out on CTI/A&M records was a big leap fpr the group formerly known as Tamba Trio. It spawned big bossa hits like the title track Samba Blim, my absolute favorite for hip acid jazz(nu-jazz/ Rare Groove)dancefloors from London to Tokyo to even Phoenix,AZ. It's fusion of traditional Bossa Nova, Samba, and 60's Jazz melodies are delectibale to the ears. Nice songs that will get you groovin' are "Samba Blim", Reza", "Tristeza de no dois", and "Baiano". A big LP in my DJ box. A pretty heavy cost for a mint copy, but mine is only VG condition full of pops and crackles. I STILL LOVE IT!!!

from Samba Blim


Satisfied?  performed by J-Live  2002
Recommended by djjetraven [profile]

hip-hop reggae song. nice melodian.

from All of the Above, available on CD


Savion Glover  performed by P.O.S.  2008
Recommended by mariefischer [profile]

Minnesota Hip-Hop, it is fine. I say take a listen, whether or not you prefer hip-hop.

from Never Better (Rhymesayers)


Season of young moss  performed by Handsomeboy technique
Recommended by moondog [profile]

Better than the avalanches. Few other tracks have made me so glad this year than this song from Japans Handsomeboy Technique. It is virtually the same formula as the avalanches; collage pop from soft rock, disco,hip hop, girl groups etc but with much better song structures than the ava. The album adelie land is also recommended.

from Adelie Land, available on CD


She came along  performed by Kid Cudi  2009
Recommended by KidCudiMod [profile]

a simply subime mixture of cultures. from iranian DJ, sharam and young cleveland rapper kid cudi

from Dat kid fro cleveland
available on CD - go find it. i got it. may not be available anymore


She Loves You  performed by Ted Chippington  1986
Recommended by geezer [profile]

A dour but sincere take on Liverpools finest,Mr Chippington narates this love song in the third party promising a female friend that if he see,s her love he will indeed tell him that "she loves you".Teasingly short and breezy set to lounge core backing,if the irony is missed it could sound twee or contrived but its sincere delivery endears the listener and involves him or her in an ongoing domestic upset .A unique approach to one of the most optimistic love songs of all time


available on CD - Vinyl or MP3


Ship Rolls In  performed by Faster Pussycat  1987
Recommended by understudy constantine [profile]

What a great band they were! Surely one of the very best of the late 80's glam resurgence, and putting on a great live show reprising the Beasty Boys with a song called Babylon! This song brings to mind a pub crawl in Soho... raucous, tuneful, swaggering and knowingly gorgeous... a kind of smash-and-grab version of Don't Rain On My Parade!

from Faster Pussycat (Elektra)


Shooting Star  performed by Les Baxter  1958
Recommended by nighteye [profile]

As Delicado said in one of his track recommendations: "Les Baxter's work is under-represented on this site". To try and change that here's a recommendation of another of my favourite Baxter songs.

Get in your space-ship and get ready for your first space cocktail. The mood of this song truly represents the 'Space-Age' everybody was anticipating in the late '50s and early '60s. We've got a happy fast paced beat, with bright strings, pianos, vibraphones, flutes and what not. Not that unfamiliar to the KPM library music from the '50s. I can't stop listening to this song, I only wish it was a bit longer.

from Space Escapade (Capitol Records)
available on CD - Ultra-Lounge Volume 8: Cocktail Capers



So much trouble in the world  performed by Bob Marley  1979
Recommended by macka [profile]

Bob Marley at his very best, this song seems all the more relevant considering current actions world-wide. "You see men sailing on their ego trips, Blast off on their spaceships, Million miles from reality, No care for you, no care for me"

from Natural Mystic, available on CD


So Nice (Summer Samba)  performed by Howard Roberts  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I just heard this for the first time and was completely bowled over. Summer Samba, which in its famous Walter Wanderley organ version sounds like a not-particularly-hip roller-rink tune, is here given a funky treatment with organ and guitar. The guitar gets a little noodley, but in a cool way. Most of Howard Roberts's capitol albums have just been re-released as 2-on-1 CDs; I hope they are all as good as this one.

from Jaunty-Jolly! (Capitol ST-2716)
available on CD - Jaunty-Jolly!/Guilty!! (Euphoria/Sundazed)



So Stylistic  performed by Fannypack  2003
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Looking at these three girls on the cover of their album (and the two shadowy, deadly-dull string-pulling guys on the inside) you'd never think that something so chock-full of bubblegum Brooklyn attitood could produce the smart, sexy sound that is this marvellous track.

It's class in a glass. Sidestepping the cuteness factor and packaged cool (both of which, to their credit, they also do very well) of other tracks on the album, So Stylistic bombs along with a real old-skool hip-hop feel. This is balanced nicely by more than a smattering of electropop and gratuitous use of the vocoder, making it seem relentlessly contemporary. This is a band so up-to-date that they don't bother sampling any of that old jazz or funk nonsense, but go straight for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (on Things, another album highlight).

A rare example of a band manufactured down to the last pendant and all the better for it.

from So Stylistic, available on CD



some enchanted evening  performed by jay black and the americans  1965
Recommended by antonio [profile]


westbury music fair, new york - saturday march 20th 2004 21:00

jay black walks onto the stage balls first, sings every song that ever mattered, smashes a guitar over someone's head, and then tells the audience to f*ck off as he walks into the wings.

jay black - 1
westbury township - 0

jay black is the standard by which all other men should be measured. i remember hearing "this magic moment" on the radio for the first time when i was six-years-old and being awestruck by his vocals.

those who have not yet been initiated to the phenomenon that is jay black should immediately run to the nearest record store and pick up a copy of "come a little bit closer - the best of jay and the americans".

he will delight you with great signature tunes like "some enchanted evening", "walking in the rain", "sunday and me", and many more... you'll love him... i love him!!

from come a little bit closer - the best of jay and the americans, available on CD


Sunny  performed by Oscar Peterson  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A great take on the pop classic “sunny” - taken at a fast tempo with a bouncy piano style and a hip beat. A really great track, produced by Claus Ogerman, who really was one of the coolest arrangers; perfect for me anyway - able to perfect both lush and beat oriented 'now sound' type stuff.

from Motions and Emotions (MPS 21207137)
available on CD - Snowflakes (Motor)




  konsu: A really cool record. Also with a nice version of "Ode To Billy Joe" and Jobim's "Wave".
Superfast Jellyfish  performed by Gorillaz feat. De La Soul & Gruff Rhys  2010
Recommended by claudiag [profile]

A fantastic song from Plastic Beach album by Gorillaz. It's funny electro-hip hop performed with grandmaster De La Soul, irresistible.

from Plastic Beach (Parlophone/Emi)


Suzy  performed by Caravan Palace
Recommended by Gimpsters [profile]

I just found Caravan Palace a while ago. They're amazing! They play a mix of gypsy swing and dance techno with some jazz thrown in there and a little bit of hip hop sprinkled over top.
This track is great because it showcases all their influences. Also the guy scatting over the song is awesome!

from Caravan Palace, available on CD


Tears  performed by Chameleons UK  1986
Recommended by justicebritches [profile]

The original track off of Strange Times is haunting with a kind of 16 Candles-esque jangle shoegaze chorus. It's beautiful and haunting in a way that will conjure the victories and pratfalls of long term relationship.

from Strange Times, available on CD


Tell Me When  performed by The Human League  1995
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

Although a thick line has long been drawn connecting disco to the '90s techno scene, few have bothered to connect the dots between the more modern genre and synth pop. The Human League didn't need to fret about such things, though; they intuitively understood those relationships, having explored virtually all the influences over their career � industrial, funk, R&B, synth pop, new wave, and disco itself. And when the wheel turned again, the band was back on top with a sound that hadn't really changed, but just refined. With a few minor alterations, 1995's "Tell Me When" could have come from 1983, slotting nicely between "Fascination" and "Mirror Man." Of course, the drum programming would need to be changed (there were no jungle rhythms back then!), but the funky bassline can stay, along with the bubbly synths. In fact, the real difference is found in the vignette-esque lyrics and the more complex vocals. And these slight changes make all the difference, turning synth dreams into techno club success. A taster for the group's forthcoming Octopus album, "Tell Me When" hit on both sides of the Atlantic, landing just outside the Top 6 and Top 30 in the U.K. and U.S., respectively.
(AMG)

from Octopus, available on CD


That�s Not Love  performed by Dee Dee Warwick  1969
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Dionne's lil' sister, in contrast to her sibling's restrained niceties, proves what a gorgeous, wholesome howl she has in a track voluminous with vehemence and the hope of joy hereafter. Warwick travels effortlessly between poles of frustration and hope over the underdone orchestration (a compliment: if the backing was as heartfelt as Dee Dee we'd be wading into Celine Dion territory).

And, in the age of Eamon and his bleep-a-ramas, it's deeply satisfying to hear a word such as "damn" being expressed as if it were the nastiest expletive possible.

from the single That�s Not Love (Mercury 72927)
available on CD - I Want To Be With You: The Mercury / Blue Rock Sessions (Hip-O)



The birds are leaving  performed by Boo Hewerdine  1999
Recommended by Mike [profile]

This simple song has a kind of wan beauty and a lovely piano and strings backing. The relationship lyric is a good one which seems an ideal foil to Hal David's "Why do birds..." from "(They long to be) Close to you".


available on CD - Thanksgiving (Black Burst)


The Days of Anger  performed by Leroy Holmes  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This is taken from an album of spaghetti western themes that came out on United Artists records in the late 1960s. It has a similar sound to other releases of the era on that label, probably because Leroy Holmes was a staff arranger. I can definitely hear Al Caiola's guitar playing.

To my ears, the arrangement also has a hint of Quincy Jones's work on 'The Italian Job'. It's an upbeat, jerky track with a bassline so percussive that it almost sounds like part of the beat. The melody is carried by guitar, horns, and also some nice wordless vocals (right near the end there's an incredible descending vocal swell that's really something).

Overall, this has a slightly menacing, very hip sound. It might even work on the dancefloor!

from Once Upon a Time in the West (United Artists UAS 6710)



The Lively Ones  performed by Mel Henke  1962
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

The opener to a wonderful album. Picture yourself in whipped cream (and other delights), sipping on a vodka-martini that's just been served to you by a pretty person in a toga. That's how this record feels.

When the first line of a tune is "Man...what a body..." (and it's not R. Kelly or one of his sloppy ilk singing it) you know you're in for an exotica treat.

from La Dolce Henke, available on CD



The Message  performed by Grandmaster Flash
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

A hip hop classic...Pure and Simple.




The Seed (2.0)  performed by The Roots  2003
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

Funky, and soulful, and very smooth. I love the sound of acoustic guitar in a hip-hop song.

from Phrenology



the tradesman’s entrance  performed by faith brothers
Recommended by rono [profile]

This song is a moving tribute to the working man. It inhabits the same headspace (and heartspace) as "Shipbuilding" by Elvis Costello (or was that Robert Wyatt?). It is from a great record called "Eventide" that features some superb songs with great melodies and excellent horn work. It has a very spiritual bent; quests for justice and redemption prevail. Wish I could find it on CD!
Contact me if you know where and/or how to get hold of it.




The Truth  performed by Roisin of Moloko & J-Live  1999
Recommended by macka [profile]

Jazz Hip-Hop fusion with the smooth voice of that bird from Moloko. You'll find it on the Handsome Boy Modeling School album from Prince Paul & Dan the Automator (Quality)

from Handsome Boy Modeling School




  delicado: Check out 'Coffee Cold' by Galt Macdermot if you haven't already. The sample is straight from that - it doesn't sound as if they did anything to it at all -which is fair enough, since it's brilliant as it is...
  macka: Thanks very much, will do!
This Afternoon  performed by Chad Mitchell  1967
Recommended by konsu [profile]

I almost know nothing about the Chad Mitchell trio, except that John Denver was in the group. I'm not even sure that this is the same guy for that matter. I guess it's really not too suprising that an old folkie would team-up with geniuses like Bob Dorough & Stu Scharf for a little boot in the ass, since those guys seemed to be working a lot of crossover pop material. That's really the reason I picked this up, basically to see what could happen.

The record ends up being incredible actually. Imagine a mix of "golden throat" type schmaltz, Tom Rapp-ish hip folk, Nilssonesque melodrama, and the poetic and jazzy humor of Scharf & Dorough and that will sum it up. It can grow on you for sure.

This track is in the sort of word jazz thing in a highly characterized way hard to describe without taking up too much space... just listen. I think this was a piece from an Alan Arkin LP. Suppose I will have to get one of those now.

from Love, A Feeling Of (Warner Brothers WS 1706)




  b. toklas: The album "Chad" on Bell records is the one to get. Great songs (by Jake Holmes, Joni Mitchell and others) and fantastic arrangements. Hal Blaine and a couple of other wrecking crew members and great musicians are on it, too. In places it also reminds me of the group H.P. Lovecraft. So it might even be interesting for lovers of psychedelic music (not for those who hate strings, of course). I wonder if I should call it a masterpiece.
  artlongjr: I second that on the "Chad" album...it's terrific. There's a 7-minute plus cover of Tim Buckley's "Goodbye and Hello" on there that rather stunned me, since it seems like a very challenging song to sing. The H.P.Lovecraft connection comes through Chicago producer Bill Traut, who owned Dunwich Records (the album is a Dunwich production). Traut was involved with H.P. Lovecraft, and of course the Shadows of Knight.
This Moment  performed by Incredible String Band  1970
Recommended by Aquatown [profile]

As any other hippie leaning lad would, I dabbled in the sound of The Incredible String Band in the late 60s. However, I don't remember anything sounding quite this good. "Charming" would be the key word here as the voices intertwine with big a dollop of moaning added for extra atmosphere. "This moment... is different... from any before it".

from I Looked Up (Elektra EKS 7401)
available on CD - The Hannibal Sampler (Rykodisc)



This Year's Love  performed by David Gray
Recommended by Silly Goose [profile]

This song is all about being hopeful for a relationship, even after you have been hurt many times. David Gray's whole album has this acoustic/electronic feel to it, and his voice is so soothing.

from White Ladder, available on CD


Through the Yard of Blonde Girls  performed by Jeff Buckley
Recommended by two-headed boy [profile]

I'm into blonde women, always have been. Perhaps I share a kindship with the late great Jeff Buckley. I can just imagine where he's coming from, standing on stage, electric guitar amped to rock, all that power in his hands, peering out through the crowd into a yard of blonde girls. How wonderfully empowering! Just think of it? A young man in his prime slashing power chords in front of a legion of women, and leaving this song to remind us of what it's like to live this mythical life. I sing along, dreaming of what it would have been like as a rock star, what kind of pleasure could I derive from the world?

Jeff has certainly proven and disproven his own stylings from the seminal album, Grace, to the somewhat obscure and fragile My Sweetheart the Drunk. What could have been still reverberates through my mind when listening to this song in particular. Its compelling simplicity and catchy chorus, "very sexy, very sexy, okay, okay" beckons my blonde girlfriend to break out into song. The slow thrust of crunching guitars, standard rock 4/4 time, heavy drums sitting on every beat - it's almost glam, almost British invasion, almost cock-rock, but Buckley style. And yes, very sexy, very sexy. Trust me guys, girls will love this song!

from My Sweetheart the Drunk, available on CD




  amyliner: Hi, Just to say that Jeff Buckley didn't write Yard of Blonde Girls (not that you'd ever know from the way he performs it. *sigh*) It was written by A.Clark - L.Kramer - I.Lorre. But yes, girls do love this song. Espencially we blonde ones!!!!
  elision: 'yard of blonde girls' seems to be a somewhat pejorative term (the middle-upper class socialites, the 'gold sharks') so while Jeff Buckley may have stood rock god-like and looked upon legions of blonde girls (somehow I doubt that was his main audience) with a sexually approving eye, if the song spoke anything about his truth, he would probably have been looking out for the different one, the pure one who rises above social politicking in her innocence, the Lola.
  ultra-violent romantic: eloquently said elison; i have to agree with you, especially in reference to the "gold sharks glittering." in david browne's dual biography on tim and jeff buckley titled "dream brother," he points out that when jeff recorded this song he made it very apparent that he didn't want any Sony reps to get a hold of it...
times like these (acoustic)  performed by dave grohl of foo fighters
Recommended by atticus [profile]

this rendition of the foo's hit single surpasses the original version in every way. while the radio release generates power and energy while conjuring up a sense of nostalgia that accompany the song's lyrics, the acoustic version allows dave grohl's voice to, in a sense, speak to the listener comfortingly. the lyrics inspire all who listen to look around and seize the day, and to do this by cherish the relationships in one's life.




Turkish Bath  performed by The Don Ellis Orchestra  1968
Recommended by Festy [profile]

When my musical tastes changed nearly 20 years ago, it was a drastic shift. This track, and the album it's from, was definitely significant in this change. It was a completely new sound for me and even now, all this time later, I still love it. Don Ellis was a trumpet player and band leader. He was renowned for composing and arranging tunes in really unusual time signatures (this track, in 7/8, is an example). In fact, it's said that the only song he played in 4/4 was Take Five (a little joke for the musos out there ;)...). It was 1968 that this was recorded, so at the peak of experimentation Western/Eastern music fusion. This track starts off with sitar providing the rhythm which is then picked up by the rhythm section. Ellis comes in with his personally created quarter-tone trumpet. For some, the sound is dissonant and unpleasant. Stick with it - you get used to it. From then on in, it's an energy roller-coaster, as hip as it is cool. After numerous solos, the track subsides and seems to end as the lone sitar returns. But then it picks up the riff again and *BAM* - back into the track with even more energy than before. I'm spent!

from Electric Bath, available on CD



Twice the first time  performed by Saul Williams  2000
Recommended by djjetraven [profile]

Seems like a capella with instrumentation....kind of like Pete Seeger's " Ain' Goin' Down "(to the well no more)with an ax, although, this is hip-hop. It has the feel of something old.


available on CD - xen cuts (ninjatune)


un poison voilent, c�est ca l�amour  performed by serge gainsbourg
Recommended by olli [profile]

this is possibly the oldest hip hop track i�ve heard... nice 60�s instrumentation, though the track feels surprisingly modern. cool repetive structure, really nice delivery of the lines, great rythm. amazing song to put on at parties. i love it.


available on CD - comic strip



Uptown Top Ranking  performed by Ali & Frazier  1993
Recommended by exceptinsects [profile]

The Althea and Donna version of this song is the original, but Ali & Frazier's is the best. I heard it on an album called 100% Reggae that I taped off a CD in Japan and then subsequently left in a tape player that I returned to KMart because it didn't work.
But if you diligently search on Kazaa or something similar, you can probably find it.

See me in me heels and ting
Dem check sey we hip and ting
True them no know and ting
We have them going and ting
Nah pop no style, a strictly roots
Nah pop no style, a strictly roots





  olli: the original is WAY superior to this "absolute music" trite.
Vem Vet  performed by Lisa Ekdahl  199?
Recommended by secularus [profile]

One of those songs that I liked upon first listen. Lisa Ekdahl is a chanteuse from Sweden who had an apparent hit with this track sometime in the 1990s. I don't recall what the words "Vem Vet" mean but according to a few Scandinavian friends, it's something silly. Listening to it now, the opening could be something from the Tijuana Brass. My favorite aspect of this track is her inflection of Vem Vet and the words preceding it. In her native Sweden she comes from a traditional jazz standards background. A few years back she released a record in English titled Lisa Ekdahl sings Salvador Poe (her boyfriend/husband) which I can't rate highly. It is just ok. She probably doesn't have cred like Nina Persson (of Cardigans fame) in the hipster scene but who cares! I see potential in this lady (who has looks to boot) and any Phil Spectors out there who have visions of "pure pop" should get their hands on her now.






  manikin: "Vem Vet" means simply "Who Knows"
Viva La White Girl  performed by Gym Class Heroes  2005
Recommended by eddier5888 [profile]

Laid back song that is a little bit different from most of Gym Class' regular songs. Less Hip Hop and more R&B sound to it. It is a really good song to calm down too and I think it shows some range in the artist's abilities and hopefully a look at what may come later on.

from As Cruel as School Children


War  performed by Onra
Recommended by Churchill [profile]

A brief and understated mix of haunting vocal samples, subtle guitars, hip hop beats...
Taken from Onra's Les Chinoiseries- a collection of tracks that sample music from China and Vietnam. Whole album worth a listen!

from Les Chinoiseries


Wedding Day  performed by Swift Ships  2006
Recommended by doublelife [profile]

Wedding Day is a guitar rock song with a mid-tempo dance beat. The lyrics are tight and concise. It's about a young man's fear of commitment. It's just over two minutes, and it has superb movement. The simple guitar leads in the closing bars are brilliant. I like this song for the steady, thumping drums, the sweetly melodic underlying riff, and the general resignation of its singer.

from Rebel Renaissance, available on CD


Wendy McDonald  performed by Spookey Ruben  1996
Recommended by DecemberGuy [profile]

Predating "Fast Food Nation" by a number of years, Wendy McDonald is a two and a half minute pop song critiquing our need to have things fast and easy..like fast food. I love this song because not only does it make you think, but it also has this hip-hop folk beat to it, that's reminiscent of artists like Beck, Bran Van 3000, or Self. If you're a fan of these artists,..you'd love this.

from Modes of Transportation Vol. 1 (TVT)


wet hot american summer  performed by cobra starship
Recommended by ashley14 [profile]




What a Fool Believes  performed by Doobie Brothers   1978
Recommended by geezer [profile]

The perfect marriage of adult rock and blue eyed soul.A relationship viewed from the point of nostalgia ,to the male it was really something ,to the lady it barely registered.This brought Michael McDonald to prominence as a soulful frontman and if he had only ever recorded this alone that would have been enough to justify his brilliance.

from Minute by Minute
available on CD - Michael mc donald best of


What�s Baby Singin�  performed by Himiko Kikuchi  1980
Recommended by Festy [profile]

Sublime bossa from Japan's Himiko Kikuchi. The sound of a soprano sax causes many to reach for the "off" switch (thanks Kenny G!), but Himiko has made it not only acceptable again, but almost hip (almost!). The song starts off with baby noises, before wordless, female vocals come in and introduce the memorable melody. It then moves into a suitably paced bossa rhythm. I have been listening to this track for a few years now (courtesy of Compost Record's "Gl�cklich IV" compilation), and I just can't tire of it. It's one of my all time favourites.


available on CD - Gl�klich IV (Compost Records)




  LadyS: I totaly agree with you! What�s baby singin�catch my ears since the first time i�ve listened to it on "Gl�cklich IV". This sax "a la Kenny G" could be avoided and a trombone would sound better, but even so this almost little slip is very well maked up by the great solo rhodes and the super cool female vocal singing a la Flora Purim the gorgeous melody, that grap in in your ears instantaneously. A lovely, sweet and beautiful song that won�t never stop to play at my playlist. Classic!
Whip It  performed by Devo  1980
Recommended by audioadventures [profile]

One of the most underrated mood tracks of the era. An uptempo urgent drumbeat hits manic guitar riff - Crack That Whip! And you're away....


available on CD - Classic Cuts Alternative


Whipping post  performed by Allman Brothers Band
Recommended by iriamenzo [profile]




whitchi tai to  performed by Harper’s Bizare  1968
Recommended by gaymod [profile]

since this tune entered my life, about a year ago,it has been my obssession, i've collected together about 10 other versions, including the original by Jim Pepper & a live bootleg recording from 3 years ago by Plush. Based around a red indian chant, it's trance like beauty propels the listener to the nearest faraway place, the white vocal harmony performance has never been beaten by anyone, beach boys included. Check out the Brewer and Shipley version too.

from harper's bizare 4 (warners)
available on CD - harpers bizare 4


You Can Tell Me  performed by Tomi  2007
Recommended by chipster [profile]

R&B/Pop with a good groove. Reminds me of music from Justin Timberlake's first solo CD. Smmmmoooothhh!
Listen at www.myspace.com/tomi

Full CD comes out October 2- you heard it here first!

from Tomi (Rosehip)
available on CD - yes (tes)


Zazueira  performed by Elis Regina  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

An incredible, stomping brazilian pop number, taken from Elis Regina's legendary album 'Elis Regina in London', recorded in England in 1969. Here she takes on the Jorge Ben classic 'zazueira', a seductive, hip, upbeat stomper of a track which just makes you smile every time you hear it. Wonderful stuff.

from Elis Regina in London (Odeon)




  heinmukk: you're right. this one makes you smile. i knew this song before from the mtv unplugged album from jorge ben jor. but this old cut is much more nicer, because...hm, maybe because it's older. :)

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