TRANSLATE THIS PAGE into GERMAN | SPANISH | FRENCH | ITALIAN | PORTUGUESE
 HOME |  REGISTER | FORGOTTEN PASSWORD | SEARCH or BROWSE | RECOMMEND | EDIT | LINKS | MOST RECENT
musical taste home
search results
search results for “love”
download an m3u playlist for all available clips for the search love

List songs by Song title | Performer | Year

You searched for ‘love’, which matched 917 songs.
click - person recommending, year, performer, songtitle - to see more recommendations.
"a carol for lorelei"  performed by the cryan’ shames  1967
Recommended by association [profile]

scratch in the sky is the name of the cryan' shames
album that came out in 1967 from these chicago soft/sunshine pop masters whom also added an amazing dash of psyche to all there recordings...
"a carol for lorelei" starts the album off with bells and association(ish) harmonies!! brilliant
ignore what allmusic.com said about this album they are fools the song writing is up to par with the beach boys and others.
if you dig the Association and The Millennium and other fine sunshine pop groups with that mellow groove get it now. the japanese import is worth the extra for the original back cover art work that the sundazed version didn't recreate faithfully. i love 'em

from scratch in the sky (columbia 2786)
available on CD - yes (sundazed or even better the japanese import)


"sing little bird sing"  performed by the left banke  1968
Recommended by association [profile]

the only thing that could make "too" from the left bake any better would to have "walk away renee" and "pretty ballerina" on this album!
this is the best album better then the debut one even though most people don't think so and another thing the left bankes recording of desiree is a billion times better then the montage version!!
anyone who sayes different can not be trusted :)
one of my fav soft/sunshine albums dear god i love 'em :)

from too (smash 67113)
available on CD - yes (omly japanese import which is perfect with all o)



  konsu: I like this one too. The whole second album is near perfect. Nice to see it by itself on CD too, the way it was intended!
  artlongjr: Good to hear that someone else likes the Left Banke's second album as much as the first...they both are great! I first heard the second LP as part of the Rhino comp "There's Gonna Be a Storm". I just love the whole album, especially "Goodbye Holly" and "Nice to See You".
"The Glow" pt. 2  performed by Microphones  2001
Recommended by Open Book [profile]

I call it "THE - concept album." It's almost as if Phil Elvrum nearly single-handedly did what all others before him had tried to accomplish in attempting a thematically based musical piece of artwork. The title track from his stunning masterpiece digs deep into the thoughts of the main character as he battles life, struggles with suicide, and breaks down entirely. Besides the heart-wrenching lyrics, musically, the song is equally brilliant- utilizing both channels of the stereo to spin the listener around, sweeping organs, and a drop-dead gorgeous vocal performance all beginning with a kick ass fuzz-drone rock out featuring blazing drum fills. This songs brings me to tears every time I hear it.

from "The Glow" pt. 2 (K Records)
available on CD - "The Glow" pt.2 (K Records)


#41 (Live at Luther College version)  performed by Dave Matthews Band  1996
Recommended by sunev45 [profile]

great acoustic guitar, haunting lyrics... One of the best from this band

from Crash, available on CD


"Baby I�ve Changed"-patience EP  performed by Adam Richman  2004
Recommended by bobbyfree [profile]

Adam Richmand new PATIENCE EP is incredible. Mr. Richmand not only wrote all the parts on the record but he produced it. This POWER-POP/ROCK record covers all aspects of love and loss. He starts the record out with a heart felt honest song, "Baby I�ve Changed." You can hear the earnest in his voice. I would recommend this record to anyone who wants honest songs with rock beats and power-pop vocals.

from Patience EP (OR music)


"call it love"  performed by images in vogue  1985
Recommended by kohl [profile]

awesome (and not exactly mainstream) canadian new wave band. quite an intro. trivia: kevin crompton of skinny puppy fame used to be in this band.
this particular song (music, vocals and lyrics) just makes you nod and say 'that's new wave'


available on CD - in the house


"Calloway"  performed by The High Llamas  2003
Recommended by pleasepleaseme [profile]

Was already a fan of the LP "Gideon Gaye" with its lovely mix of Beach Boys meets Steely Dan production. Sean O'Hagen is a Genius. He's really outdone himself with this record! SUBLIME!

from Beet, Maize & Corn, available on CD (Drag City)


"ghosts"  performed by japan  1981
Recommended by kohl [profile]

i'm listening to this right now, so i thought i'd add it. i love how atmospheric it is.

from Tin Drum


"glorious"  performed by goya dress  1996
Recommended by kohl [profile]

i love this song. the music is just right, the singer's voice is melodic and not too shrill. good lyrics, nice mood.


available on CD - rooms


"Green Eyes"  performed by Coldplay  2002
Recommended by pleasepleaseme [profile]

Chris Martin is an angel. This track is very special. A very private song about a very public matter. Namely Gweyneth Paltrow's Breakup with Brad Pit and her engagement to Chris Martin. His vow of love to her. Heartfelt & touching. This Album is very inspired!

from A Rush Of Blood To The Head, available on CD (Capital)


"I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From"  performed by The Kings of Convenience  2001
Recommended by Alletron [profile]

The Kings of Convenience have often been described as Norway's answer to Nick Drake. They blend lyrics of nature and love with sensational flowing acoustic guitars. Erlend Oye and Erik Glambek Boe have the most hauntingly beautiful voices you may ever hear, and expertly incorporate harmonies that drift perfectly through the notes of their guitars. This is my absolute number one favorite song of all times. Listen closely on the bridge for this incredible arpeggio that just catapults the song into ethereal territory.

from "Quiet Is the New Loud" (Astralwerks)


"it hurts (there must be a taste of murder in it)"  performed by the lotus eaters  1984
Recommended by kohl [profile]

vocals this high should annoying, but they work for this song. i love the intro, and the lyrics are quite nice...in that yearning, melancholic way--actually, the guitar playing and the way lyrics are sung fit this mood quite well.

this band only made two records, this one from the 80s and a more recent one which i have not heard.


available on CD - no sense of sin


"Love of My Life"  performed by Queen
Recommended by sixstringman [profile]

Live version is best....when Freddie Mercury died, he left his entire fortune to her even though she had broken up with him because of his homosexuality.
When I hear the song, I always wish he could have grown older; lost him too early. Greatest pure "rock" singer in history! I saw them live!




"saturdays in silesia"  performed by rational youth  1982
Recommended by kohl [profile]

this is an example of why canadian bands are quite good, yet underrated. at least i have never seen rational youth get too much airplay.

i love this song--pure new wave goodness with a twist. it's very well played. simple lyrics and a nice tune.


available on CD - cold war night life


"she's everywhere"  performed by strangelove
Recommended by kohl [profile]

slightly haunting, not just the intro but the lyrics as well. the singer's voice is just right for this track and the music is fitting.




"So Shy"  performed by Sam Prekop  1999
Recommended by pleasepleaseme [profile]

Solo effort by Sam Prekop of The Sea And Cake. Love this album and the two LP's that follow,"Oui" & "One Bedroom". Sam manages to fuse Rock with Jazz and some nice electronics thrown in. Hints of Satie & Eno even!
Solid, as is everything this band does. Chicago really is the crossroads of America!

from "Sam Prekop", available on CD (Thrill Jockey)


"those brilliant teens"  performed by english evenings  1985
Recommended by kohl [profile]

great intro. deep deep vocals that almost make the overly simple lyrics forgivable. typical love story gone wrong, but how can you not love 'those brilliant teens'?
the backing vocals annoy me a bit ... but it's one great song. i don't know anything about this band though.




"vos sos mi amor"  performed by pedro aznar  2010
Recommended by kohl [profile]

amazing, amazing cover of david gray's "the one i love".


available on CD - a solas con el mundo


(don’t worry) If there is hell below we’re all going to go  performed by Curtis Mayfield  1970
Recommended by ninjos [profile]

Bid band with violins, wind instruments (? i mean saxofons or trumpets), Curtis on guitar and everything with good arrangements.

I just try NOT to spoil this one of a kind artist with my bad english. Songs in this album pour essence from racial discrimination, political and drug problems. I think this was one of those songs that made black men to organize and to gain self-respect to reclaim their human rights.

I like the thing that you really can feel that Curtis has something on his mind, something important to tell about, not just telling how to make love and have good time. This places this song above others.

People are fucked and politicians say: "don't worry" - and still there is hope. Let's hope so.

from Curtis (Curtom records CRS 8005)
available on CD - Curtis Reissue


(Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria  performed by Townes Van Zandt  1970
Recommended by andrew76 [profile]

This is (for me) one of the greatest songs of love ever written. The song describes the appearance of a goddess among women and is pure (if at times naive) poetry. The arrangement is simple lead and rhythm guitars and bass with an organ giving a more filled out feeling from the second verse and violin in the fourth. The tone is melancholy but happy, as if the singer is basking in the light of this most beautiful woman. It must have been written for someone, someone lucky to be thought so beautiful. But there is sadness in that the singer may be singing of his unrequited love. Some of the alliteration is fantastic too.

from Townes Van Zandt, available on CD (Pppy Records)



  booblikon: there is a great story in the documentary film "Be Here To Love Me", as told by Guy Clark: this song apparently came to Van Zandt in a particularly peak morning of inspiration, when Clark describes finding Townes uncharacteristically fit and alert. after making his bed to military specification, he played Clark a new song (this one), which he intended to perform at an appearance that same evening. i may have rendered parts of this story incorrectly, so i definitely recommend the movie if you are a fan; even if not, as it is sad but quite revelatory.
*any*  performed by jack johnson
Recommended by mellocello [profile]

ok, go out and get whatever jack johnson you can get your hands on now! I first fell in love w/ his first album back before anyone knew him. I will admit though, that my little bro and I came up with some pretty hilarious alternate lyrics for his first big song on the radio. It took me a good while to get used to his second album, now I probably listen to that more, and then again with his third album, again, it took me a while. but he is truly great.
he started out filming pro surfing videos, and you can see where he is coming from. really chill, folksy music. good stuff





  rum: does that mean i'm allowed to recommend any (or every) song by richard harris?
1900 Yesterday  performed by Liz Damon’s Orient Express  1970
Recommended by artlongjr [profile]

This song is an intriguing one for me, I can never get enough of it! It's one of the easy listening classics from the early 70's and is one of the most perfect examples of the "Now Sound" genre, recorded by a Hawaiian bar band led by lead singer Liz Damon. Interestingly, it is a cover of a song written by Chicago soul songwriter Johnny Cameron and it was originally recorded by Betty Everett on the Uni label. I was lucky enough to find a copy of Betty's original version, but unfortunately her version has never been put on CD.

This song has a delightfully slow tempo and dreamy, romantic lyrics that somehow seem timeless. To me, the song always seemed to be in an older style than its early 70's release date would suggest. The bridge features great horn playing and a wonderful descending bass run.

The original 45 on White Whale Records had a song called "You're Falling in Love" on the flip side, and that song too is a classic, in my opinion.

from Liz Damon's Orient Express, available on CD (White Whale)



  prufrock68: Yep, this song is definitely of its time. It smacks of 'easy-listening' radio, from the staid brass break, the gentle, on-the-beat marimba strokes, and the whispery thin lead vocals of Liz and her equally restrained backup fellows behind her. Maybe the song just feels slower to you in this version. I don't think the Betty Everett version is any faster--it's just more rhythmic with its slightly funky percussion and string arrangements. Don't get me wrong, I like both versions, this one as much for its that kind of cool 'dated' feel as anything else.
21st Century Schizoid Man  performed by King Crimson  1969
Recommended by SolarLuna96 [profile]

Nice and heavy, love the solo, the distorted vocals, everything.

from In the Court of the Crimson King



  Mike: I always liked Moonchild, also from the first album, and felt it influenced the early seventies Genesis sound.
500 Miles (Theme From Winning)  performed by Dave Grusin  1969
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Delicate instrumental by Dave Grusin, that grows with each listen and has all the charachteristics of late 60s arrangements i love so much. The instrumentation is diverse, rich, yet subtle with piano, organ, horns, flutes and wonderfully arrangened, smooth strings and some harp embellishments thrown in. The mood is mellow, romantic with a dose of melancholia. Another great instrumental from the soundtrack, "California Montage", has recently appeared on "The Get Easy! Sunshine Pop Collection", while this one unfortunately is only available on vinyl.

from Winning (Decca DL 79-169)



505  performed by Arctic Monkeys  2007
Recommended by Squall [profile]

Very mellow, beautifully played song. The lyrics suggest a lost love, and a longing for the past that anyone can connect to.

from Favourite Worst Nightmare, available on CD (Domino)


5:09  performed by Bobby And I  196?
Recommended by Pal [profile]

When it seems like The Free Design finally have got the attention they so well deserve, I would like to recommend something that is very close in my opinion... Bobby and I! 5:09 fits in perfectly between Love so fine (Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends) and 2002-A Hit Song (The Free Design). The arrangment is incredible, there's a unique singer-singer magnetism on the top and the drums and bass makes me wanna dance the days away. Jim Gordon play drums (how many records has he done?) and the bass player, Rod Ellicott, is brilliant. Of course they added the song with string, horns & flutes... It's sunshine all over! I don't know anything about them, I only have this fine record, so if you know anything feel free to send me an email.

from Bobby and I (IMPERIAL LP-12420)


A Banda  performed by Chico Buarque de Hollanda  1963
Recommended by tinks [profile]

The original version of this Brazilian classic, it was covered by just about everybody. Has that children's chorus doing backing vocals that the Brazilians seem to love so much.

from Chico Buarque de Hollanda
available on CD - Minha Historia (Polygram Brazil)




  delicado: I was listening to Astrud Gilberto's translated version of this today (on the 'beach samba' LP), and I found it quite hard to handle. I will have to check out the original some time.
  heinmukk: the astrud gilberto version is rather strange. i mean, it's the march version or what? i don't like it. better take a listen to the version by france gall. i know it as "zwei apfelsinen im haar" which means "two oranges in the hair". (?) it's a classic in germany. france gall sings in german with a subtle french accent. can it get more sexy? i don't think so...
  sodapop650: If its the song Im thinking of, I think that Quarteto Em Cy do a nice cover as well.
a coral room  performed by Kate Bush
Recommended by moondog [profile]

The album is a huge disapointment (12 years for making an album that sounds like rejected b-sidesmaterial to hounds of love) but this lovely, moving piano ballad about her mothers death shows why there really is no one else like Kate Bush.

from aerial, available on CD


A crow left of the murder  performed by Incubus
Recommended by notamamasboy [profile]

i love it very speedy mellow music. Incubus is always relaxing to listen to




A Fairy Tale of New York (live version)  performed by Christy Moore  199?
Recommended by mattypenny [profile]

Thought I might see if I can type in some Christmas favorites...

This is the Pogues song, sung by Christy Moore, the great Irish balladeer, folk singer and all round good bloke.

There's a studio version on his 'Smoke and Strong Whiskey LP'. The LPs great, but the version of 'A Fairy Tale' is not half as good as the live version from (I think) Live at the Point.

Christy's shows at the time were just him and an acoustic guitar. It was still a cracking show. He's now accompanied by another acoustic guitar (hey - lets rock!! :) ).

Anyhow he seems to get a big sound out of just guitar and voice.

Coming to the point...

This version is just Christy and his guitar. It preceded by a long story about how he 'stumbled into a fairy ring and bejasus I couldnt get out'. He's eventually helped out by a stranger who takes him by the hand and takes him to a pub. They sing each other songs and tell each poems. Then the stranger starts to sing 'It was Christmas Eve, babe...' .... and you know the rest. It finshes with Christy kissing the stanger on the lips and declaring Shane MacGowan 'I love you baby too'

Other Christmas songs:
Cajun Christmas
Il est Ne le Devine Enfant - Siouxsie and the Banshees
All I really want for Christmas - Ini Kamoze (maybe?)
Christmas Lullaby - Shane MacGowan
White Christmas - The Drifters

from Live at the Point


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 love from outer space  performed by tahiti 80  2000
Recommended by penelope_66 [profile]

just dreamy! the title fully corresponds to the mood of this track. i'm just a sucker for the combination of acoustic guitar and electronic instruments, and tahiti 80 masters that beautifully with this song. um, the perfect make-out song? what else can i say?


available on CD - tahiti 80 - e.p.




  n-jeff: Is this the AR Kane song? 'She loves me, she loves me she loves me, hmm, a love from outer space, its true'. My girlfriends favourite track from the I LP.
  penelope_66: Yes! Though I didn't know it was a cover...I'll have to find the original and hear it!
a match into water  performed by pierce the veil
Recommended by biersackbride [profile]

I love this song because I enjoy the beats, and the smoothness of vics voice




A Picture Of Love  performed by Nico Fidenco  1977
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Nico Fidenco scored all of the infamous "Emanuelle Nera" movies and these are a demonstration of pure, unadulterated sleaze, but very solidly arranged and composed with wordless female vocals, rich strings, flutes, horns, trumpets, percussion etc. All scores were released seperately in Japan, but for a very nice introduction the Dagored compilation "Black Emanuelle's Groove" is sufficient.

from Emanuelle - Perche violenza alle donne? (Wave WWCP 7225)
available on CD - Black Emanuelle's Groove (Dagored)



Across The Universe  performed by Cilla Black  1969
Recommended by Mister C [profile]

A lovely version of this Beatles song which appeared on a 1969 album by Cilla. When it appeared on a compilation CD recently Q maga in the UK raved about it.

from Sweet Inspiration (Parlophone)


Aerodynamic  performed by Daft Punk  2001
Recommended by LOWTONES22 [profile]

You have to love the 40 second 80's metal band guitar solo... In short it is Zen, then to kick that same riff back at your ears as a Midi composed symphonic tribute shows the ecletic taste that is Daft-licious...


available on CD - Discovery (Virgin)



Aikea-Guinea  performed by Cocteau Twins  1985
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A perfect song. I love every note. The mood is desolate, yet warm and reassuring as well. The bassline and guitar playing recall some of the great early-period New Order tracks. The track fades in beautifully with bass, drums, and guitar. The drums and bass are steady, while the effects-laden guitar shimmers over the top. Liz Fraser's vocal is at first understated, until the chorus begins. Her voice soars as a simple piano sound joins the mix. The chords are simple, almost inevitable, but the instrumentation and execution are quite stunning.

Happily, you can hear this song and see the original video at the Cocteau Twins official site: http://www.cocteautwins.com/html/media/video.html.

from the single Aikea-Guinea (4AD BAD501)
available on CD - Aikea-Guinea (4AD)



  audioadventures: Another one of my favourites of all time. Gives me goosebumps.
  leonthedog: Yes, I remember playing this EP over and over back when it was only on vinyl... Although "Kookaburra" is, in my opinion, even more heavenly! Like angels comforting you...
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough  performed by Diana Ross  1970
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Proving once and for all that she could carry herself as a solo artist and sing a dramatic love song, Ms. Ross slowed down the tempo and sank her emotions into this wonderful tale of unending love and devotion. The original full-length version clocks in at 6:16 but was brutally chopped down to around 3:30 for radio airplay and some of the song's most intimate words are removed. Sadly, the shorter version was featured on her box set a few years back. (what were they thinking???!!!) Get your hands on the 6 minute version and enjoy a true classic american song by a great american artist!

from Diana Ross, available on CD



  Mister C: I agree with you, the full length version of this is wonderful, as is her full length version of Reach Out I'll Be There recorded in 1971.
Alan Watts Blues  performed by Van Morrison
Recommended by PLQ [profile]

Love the piano sound - great lyrics

from poetic champions compose


all is full of love live  performed by bjork  2008
Recommended by flange1515 [profile]

the live version is a cracker she really pumps it out




All Out Of Love  performed by Air Supply  1980
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Lost In Love


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.
Alone again or  performed by Love & Arthur Lee  196?
Recommended by AndreasNystrom [profile]

Very different sounding song for me. It sounds like a mix of late 60ies pop with arabic/turkish influences. A bit sad sounding, but still there is hope :)
I love it cause its got great harmonies, and a mix of guitars, violins, and spanish guitars.





  callgirlscene: Most of Loves material for me is not that great. I don't choose to listen to it - except for this song. It has this 'Summer of Love' dreamy hippie wistful feel. And, yes, wonderful harmonies. In it's way, it captures the mood of that time.
  john_l: Great song from a great LP, which naturally I hated when I first bought it and didn't re-discover until 1980, after hearing the (very good) UFO cover of "Alone Again Or" from their "Lights Out" LP!
  leonthedog: My first experience with this song was a cover version by The Damned ... it's actually very true to the original in my opinion - bold acoustic guitars, trumpets and all. Give it a listen!
Alone Again Or  performed by Love  1967
Recommended by sinister [profile]

the words "i could be in love with almost every one/ and i will be alone again tonight with you" are sung in a very intimate high-register, backed by glorious acoustic guitar plucking and horn bursts. two minutes in, the song erupts into an extended horn solo! probably the most perfectly orchestrated pop song.

from Forever Changes, available on CD



  plasticsun: I agree - unfortunately so did Miller beer, which used the horn part in a commericial aimed at the "Cinco de mayo" crowd. Still an incredible song.
Altogether  performed by Styrofoam  2002
Recommended by Genza [profile]

I really love Slowdive. I guess it's fair to say they're the most under-rated band of all time (yeah, I know you all have your own opinions but you're wrong and I'm right - okay? ).

So imagine my surprise when electronica masters Morr Music decided to compile a Slowdive tribute record last year, featuring luminraies such as Icelandic beauties Mum.

The album is a sheer joy - and highlights the quality of Halstead's original song-writing (before the layers of reverb and delay were added).
The stand-out track is Altogether, taken from Slowdive's second Creation release 'Souvlaki'. An astonishingly pretty but achingly mournful track is turned, by Morr's Styrofoam, into a trippy work of blissed-out happiness. Cool.

from Blue Skied 'an Clear (Morr Music)



Always Late (With Your Kisses)  performed by Lefty Frizzell  1951
Recommended by tapler [profile]

Opens with a gratuitously twangy pedal steel guitar and Frizzell's creamy melimsa vocals. A really lovely example of early 50s honky tonk music.


available on CD - Look What Thoughts Will Do (Columbia)



Am i the Same Girl   performed by Barbara Acklin  1966
Recommended by geezer [profile]

A staple Northern Soul fave ,though not a dancer its cool breezy rhythym has been loved and revered by everybody from Dusty Springfield to Joss Stone ,.A relentless verse chorus onslaught boosted by fantastic brass and clen drums with a melody to sit down for .One of this over exposed genre.s unsung artists who is well worth a second look .

from Best of , available on CD


Amanda  performed by Waylon Jennings
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

I love how human this song is. He admits his faults and thats a beautiful thing.




American English  performed by Idlewild  2002
Recommended by Carrie [profile]

Now I understand,
Why words mean so much to you,
They'll never be about you..


Roddy (singer/writer) says that �American English� is about �how ever single love song ever written is written about the person who wrote it, nobody else�.

from The Remote Part, available on CD


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!
Amoureuse  performed by Kiki Dee  1973
Recommended by john_l [profile]

This is a fabulous, lush, orchestrated ballad sung from the point of view of a woman who is totally in love ... the only unusual thing is that it is very serious and sombre, rather in opposition to the lyrical intent. Vastly superior to her forgettable mid-'70s pop hits like "I've Got The Music In Me". Oh, and a different set of lyrics by somebody named Dahlstrom enabled the wretched Helen Reddy to have another hit named "Emotion" -- same melody, but an absolute piece of rubbish. This just proves that a song's worth comes from the arrangement more than anything else ...

There are a number of CDs available which contain this song.


available on CD - Greatest Hits


An Angel Is Love  performed by The Bob Crewe Generation Orchestra  1968
Recommended by masayo [profile]

The song I have been eager to get since I saw a movie "Barbarella" about 6 years ago. Finally I got the soundtrack CD. I do love the theme tune, Barbarella, too, but this somehow makes me feel "America", the place I have been longing for.
What mekes me feel so? Bob Crewe's sexy and gorgeous vocal? Cool horn and brass arrangements? widely spreading atomosphere? Everything is attracting reminding me of the scene where Pygar is flying after getting his new wings!

from Barbarella Original Soundtrack, available on CD



  n-jeff: Its hard to pick just one track off an LP thats this good. It took me ten years to track down my copy, and I had to pay full collectors price for it, but it was worth every penny. By the way, I don't think thats Bob singing, is it? He sings on one of his other LP's and its not too, er, memorable.
  masayo: According to the liner notes, "Bob Crew was persuaded by producer Dino de Laurentiis to sing on the wonderful end cue, 'An Angel is Love'." But I haven't listened to his other songs, so I can't say it's definitely his voice, though...
  n-jeff: Liner notes, blimey. Top song even so.
  heinmukk: truly great song. but i have to say, that i like the theme tune more. but it's maybe because i only listen to it while watching the intro with jane fonda undressing. best intro scene of a movie ever! and jane is supersexy, isn't she?! candy!!
  skooba: Does anyone know where could download mp3s of the Babarella soundtrack? Any other recomendations welcome.
  delicado: It's in print on Harkit Records. Here's one of many places you can buy it: http://www.moviegrooves.com/shop/barbarella.htm.
  olli: probably my favourite soundtrack ever. has to agree with heinmukk though, the title tune is better. the version in the actual movie is a bit different from the soundtrack version, probably worth ripping from the dvd if you can get your hands on it. I also love the track "fight in flight", it probably has one of the coolest combos of funk guitars and string arrangements there is.... there�s a rerelease of the album with some bonus tracks by the young lovers out, (some pretty standard easy listening cover versions of existing tracks, nice if you're a completist though.) dont remember wich label it�s on though.
And Our Love  performed by The Buckinghams  1968
Recommended by konsu [profile]

Pure cinematic pop genius.This song was the flip for their single "Don't You Care?" which was a big hit for them lasting 14 weeks in the top 10.And even though I love that song, the B side has always captivated me more.The orchestration is just breath taking. It sounds more like a soundtrack theme than an album track.Like a lost Bond theme or something, really stunning!!

The LP uses the same style for another great one called"You Are Gone"as well. Vinyl copies are almost everywhere in the US for like 5$, Well worth it!

from Time & Charges (Columbia CL 2669 CS 9469)


Andy's Chest  performed by the Velvet Underground  1969
Recommended by tinks [profile]

Great song with really strange lyrics on par with Love's "The Red Telephone": "Her belly button was her mouth/and she tasted what she'd speak/but the funny thing is what happened to her nose/it grew until it reached all of her toes/now when people say her feet smell they mean her nose." Another version was recorded by Lou Reed on his "Transformer" LP a few years later.

from VU, available on CD



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



angels of ashes  performed by Scott Walker
Recommended by tommy [profile]

lamenting passionate and heartwrenching. a ballad of love lost and found. big production , much depth and emotion. Scott lends a special something to this and most every song he sings. I never want to leave.




Any Girl Can Make Me Smile  performed by ANT  2002
Recommended by kkkerplunkkk [profile]

A beautiful, soft, sad, fragile piece about a couple breaking up and bursting into tears as they do. Incredible for its intimate feel and sparse instrumentation (voice, organ, harmonica, egg shaker) chilling lyrics 'you close your eyes but there's no paradise, you count the cost of all we've lost and all we've wasted'. It hits the nail bang on the head! Love it to bits.

from A Long Way To Blow A Kiss, available on CD


Are you ready for love  performed by Elton John
Recommended by moondog [profile]

Sir Elton goes phillysoul - disco and guess what ? it´s superb. Along with delfonics/stylistics mastermind Thom Bell Elton John cut an mini album in the mid seventies that is unlike anything else in his song catalogue and where "are you ready for love" is the standout track.
And if you have any chance seek out the wonderful video where you see Elton along with, what i guess is the musicians on the song, handclapping themselves along to a delirious state of mind.




Are you the one that I've been waiting for?  performed by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds  1997
Recommended by phil [profile]

Like most of the boatman's call album, this one is very sparse - it's essentially the piano and Nick's voice. The lyrics are Nicks best ever effort though I reckon - it's him trying to decide if someone really is the love of his life: "well we would know, won't we?/ stars would explode in the sky/ But they don't, do they?/ Stars have their moment, and then they die."
 
It really does repay listening to about a hundred times - very moving.

from The Boatman's Call, available on CD


Aren't You Glad  performed by The Beach Boys  1967
Recommended by tinks [profile]

This song has a very tender vocal, which I believe is by either Carl or Dennis, a super-cool reverb-laden piano and sweet handclaps that cue up organ and trumpets. As fully-realized a piece as anything on "Pet Sounds".

from Wild Honey (Capitol)
available on CD - Wild Honey/Smiley Smile (Capitol)




  Swinging London: I LOVE this song. From my favourite (under-rated) Beach Boys album, 'Wild Honey' (1967) There's also a live version available on a Beach Boys 'Live' album, which I believe was recorded in London in 1968...they fluff the lyrics, which, actually, adds to the charm. Anyway, thank you for reminding me of this little gem.
As it is, when it was  performed by New Order  1986
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A classic 80s pop song, with New Order trademarks such as a super heavy bassline, strong drums and some frenetic guitar work. The lyrics aren't too bad for Bernard Sumner either - it's a touching (if not entirely coherent) story about lost love. A great song which fills me with nostagia.

from Brotherhood, available on CD




  frmars: No melody, poor voice, binary drums, rough and gritty instrumentation, It is a very bad song.
As We Fall  performed by Groundbreaking  2016
Recommended by TheLoganJackson [profile]

The beginning of "As We Fall" starts with piano and later some synths and drums. I love the lyrics and how well Groundbreaking creates the atmosphere for the song.

from Anarchy


Ask Yourself Why  performed by Michel LeGrand  1969
Recommended by konsu [profile]

A really nice cinema-pop gem from the team that brought us The Windmills of your Mind. Sung by Sally Stevens, one of Hollywoods great voices. Such a charming little song. It's one of those things you instantly play again after the first time you hear it. It's more or less a song about freedom, with lyrics that still sound fresh today:"...Bullets fly like popcorn on the screen, recommended wholesome nice & clean, making love's the thing that can't be seen... Why?"

Found it on this sort of cash-in LP for LeGrand's UA soundtrack work from 1970. Originally from the soundtrack for "La Piscine", which is harder than hell to find on it's own. The LP is awsome for fans of LeGrand for it has 3 tunes from "The Thomas Crown Affair" , "La Piscine" , "The Young Girls Of Rochefort" & the jazz theme from "Play Dirty".

from The Windmills of your Mind (United Artists UAS 6715)


At Once You Fall In Love  performed by Birgit Lystager  1970
Recommended by gregcaz [profile]

Birgit Lystager is incredible, a Danish cross between Astrud Gilberto and Karen Carpenter with really artily written and composed pop songs. It's hard to choose just one tune from this magnificent and scarce album, but I'm often unable to get that "Eyes and hair and legs, oh what a sight/She's a flash of light in darkest night...." chorus out of my head for days at a time. To the above two chanteuses I might also add a dash of Joni Mitchell because of the conversational lyrics and melodic savoir-faire (maybe I should also mention Francoise Hardy right about here as well!). The arrangement is lush and expansive with more than a hint of Bacharach (whose "Another Night" is covered spectacularly on the same album). All this is already more than enough, but lovely Birgit also opted to go the extra mile and pose stark naked on the gatefold LP cover, tastefully exhibiting her considerable assets. (Heh heh, he said "assets.") In any event, this song, and the album it comes from, would be completely brilliant no matter what she looked like. Extremely hard to find, but WELL worth the search. I recommend Soulseek.....

from Ready To Meet You (Artist)



  criz: Yes, we are talking about a real rare album, worth searching for. Filled with unexpected chords and abosutely anti-typical for that era of Danish popular-music, or should I state it: Compromise-lessness. Compared to Bacharach's music, I myself find the pieces on this album more sophisticated - not saying that Bacharach finds the "easy way out!" "I'm Waiting For A Bus", the opening tune of the album is truly my favourite. May I also recommand the Birgit-album "Love's Labyrinth", also worth a search. Here you will find Elton John's break-through "Your Song" in a version of international class, among other fine pieces. Arrangements made in the same style as Ready To Meet You. And yes, also with a nice-looking picture on the cover. Go look for it - but not in my house!
  tempted: You guys share my thoughts on this 100%. A friend of mine from Stockholm made me a copy of Ready To Meet You just at the doorstep of summer '01. That summer I barely spent a day without enjoying that record. I'd been a passionate fan of 60's soft pop and psych (and Bacharach) but had never heard anything like Birgit Lystager. The adventurousness of the compositions and the colour of Birgit's voice are what sets this record totally apart from other stuff from that era. It's great that you guys have found this, too!
  tempted: ...but please guys, if you have until know somehow managed not to get a glimpse of the cover of Ready To Meet You then don't. It will shatter every pretty thought that you may have about the chanteuse. It's totally rude. But this is just my opinion...!
  criz: Latest news...In Denmark a 7-CD-set has just arrived, with 76 Birgit Lystager-tunes, including the two English albums - and very fair priced. Have a look at www.lystamusic.com - and be guided to the places to buy it on the internet (link-page). Just a recommendation from one who knows!
August Day Song  performed by Bebel Gilberto  2000
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Bebel Gilberto had quite a musical career before her debut album was released in 2000 and, of course, stems from a famous family (her father is Joao Gilberto, Miucha is the mother with stepmother Astrud Gilberto and uncle Chico Buarque de Holanda). This is a very lovely, soothing, gentle track, a duet with Nina Miranda (from "Smoke City"), sung in english and portuguese.

from Tanto Tempo, available on CD



Autostop Rosso Sangue - M23  performed by Ennio Morricone  1977
Recommended by bobbyspacetroup [profile]

The score for Pasquale Festa Campanile�s mean but effective film "Autostop Rosso Sangue (Hitch Hike)" seems to be a precursor to the score for Oliver Stone�s mean and ineffective "U-Turn." On second thought, not just the score but the entire film. I wonder if Stone had seen this movie before making "U-Turn." At any rate, I�m here to talk about the music, and both films feature absolutely incredible scores by Morricone.

The arrangement here is pretty spare � I�m pretty sure that this track is mostly improvised -- and plays like a toned down spaghetti western theme. Morricone can evoke more feeling from a small group of musicians than most film composers could from an entire orchestra. The twangy banjo sounds great over the plodding bass line, and I love the subtle organ sounds. Ultimately, the real star here is Edda Dell'orso whose wordless vocals meander over it all.

from Autostop Rosso Sangue
available on CD - Un Genio, Due Compari, Un Pollo (Hexacord)



Aveda  performed by Hot Hot Heat  2002
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

The tune of this song, and the way it plays out just get me everytime. I love a song with a good beat and an interesting melody.

from Make up the Breakdown (Import)



B-I-N-G-O  performed by Ned Towns  1966
Recommended by tinks [profile]

Comparing the love of a girl to winning a game of bingo...who'd a-thunk it? A really nice uptempo soul tune. I don't have any info on this guy, and as far as I can tell, this is the only thing he ever recorded. The flipside to the seminal ballad "How Can You Baby-Sit a Man?".

from the single B-I-N-G-O (Atlantic)


baby i love you so  performed by Colourbox
Recommended by alkine [profile]

there is absolutely nothing wrong with the bass in this track, forget about Channel One and the whole history of dub, or the hi hat that gives meaning to the sweet vocal by Loretta, i'll quite happily sink into pop bliss with this tune, and forget Disco or Detroit ever existed. a peach of a lime. never has the obvious sounded so fresh.

from Colourbox (4AD)


Baby I Love Your Way  performed by Big Mountain  1994
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Reality Bites


Babylon  performed by David Gray  1999
Recommended by LOWTONES22 [profile]

Easy lovin', reminds you of than warm fuzzy sunshine love feelings you get when with that special companion, just nice groovin' love tunes, "let go of your heart, let go of your head"





Bad Brother  performed by The Infidels  2000
Recommended by straitjacket [profile]

Love the intro. The beat is really driving you along and then stops and lets you get it together again. Juilette Lewis (yes the actress) does a nice job of adding vocals to this song

from The Crow Salvation Soundtrack


bad times  performed by the mingles  1970
Recommended by davidk322 [profile]

unreleased master on RCA Canada. would have been this beatle type bands equal to "she loves you"




bak et halleluja  performed by kaizers orchestra  2001
Recommended by olli [profile]

frantic song. i love the banjo and oildrum percussion.

from ompa til du d�r, available on CD




  Yvette Doll: I just love oil drums, I don't know, maybe they're cheaper, I like metal being hit, the melody I send on holiday, I just want to hear metal being struck, and guess the rest.
Balada para un loco   performed by Roberto Goyeneche
Recommended by muribed [profile]

A beautiful piece of Piazzolla, sentimental lyrics and nice vocals. The whole song is a work of art.




Band of Gold  performed by Freda Payne  1970
Recommended by scorzonera [profile]

A tiny nugget of sparse beauty. Punk as fuck.
Nothing is wasted here, bass, drums, guitar, backing vocals adding minimal textures to carry Freda's direct, heart rending vocal, which itself is virtually vibrato-free. An astonishing recording when put in context of the overblown rubbish which dominated the charts at that time (most times, come to think of it).


available on CD - Unhooked Generation: The Complete Invictus Recordings - 2001


Baroon Hill  performed by Pacific  1989
Recommended by konsu [profile]

Ok. This one came outa the closet for a little spin. Love this... One of the few records in the Creation catalog that no one talks about, let alone knows of. I think it slipped under the radar for a few reasons. For one, it sounds like almost nothing else on the label at the time. To me it sounds like a cross between Shellyan Orphan & New Order... Maybe with a little Housemartins at times. Super smooth symphonic electro with boy-girl vocals, and maudlin lyrics with super-anglo underpinnings (with a japanese spoken word bit as well!). To me it seems like the whole thing should have come out on Factory Records in like 84', then it would have been noticed a bit more. Even the cover makes it look like a Durutti Column release.

If you are a fan of the aforementioned seek out a copy before they are all gone.

from Inference (Creation CRELP 087 1989)



  moondog: Great track off an album that, like you said, sounded like nothing else on the creation label. I wonder what happened to them ? I think the closest comparision would be Pale Fountains "Pacific Street" but i guessed you have heard that.
  konsu: I did attempt some research on these people a long time ago but didn't get too far. Someone I asked once said something about a Housemartins connection, which made sense to me at first (thus the mention), but I've since given up on the idea. Sure would like to find another release by them though.
Best of You  performed by Foo Fighters  2005
Recommended by CaitlinSpelledWrong [profile]

This has to be one of my top favorite Foo Fighters songs. I think that the band put a lot of emotion and energy into the song all together. It's a very powerful song that anyone can enjoy.

"Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You'd die to heal
The hope that start
The broken hearts
Your trust, you must
Confess"


available on CD - In Your Honor (RCA)


big jet plane  performed by angus and julia stone
Recommended by danielaa46 [profile]

a perfect song that makes you love it since the moment you heard it!




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)


Big White Cloud  performed by John Cale  1970
Recommended by tinks [profile]

A superb song from Cale's first solo LP after leaving the Velvet Underground. Very melodic, lushly orchestrated and sophisticated, an absolutely impeccably-crafted pop song. I really love the echo effect on the whole thing, coupled with Cale's ultra-fluid viola playing. A great album from start to finish, actually.

from Vintage Violence, available on CD



  G400 Custom: Also check out 'Gideon's Bible' from this album. Soothingly poppy, but with a fantastic, soaring chorus - not usually one of Cale's strengths.
Billy Jean  performed by Michael Jackson
Recommended by alanajo [profile]

Don't see the trials, look past them to the glove, and those moves. Dance away.





  littlebunnyfoo-foo: this song is a classic and cant be replaced
birds do it (german’ sex education movies’ songs of  performed by compilation
Recommended by modette [profile]

maravillosa recopilaci�n alemana que con frase ir�nica por t�tulo nos presenta una veintena de canciones de diversa musicalidad.
en �l encontramos desde el funky mas setenta a cargo de Heinz Kiessling (petra), el sonido hammond y groove del siempre increible Jack Arel (following you), la diversi�n er�tica m�s lounge de Uschi Moser (love, jet t'aime, l'amour y sunny honey) o el beat ritmico de Gerhard Heinz (look at me), junto con otros temas que recuerdan al pop, la psicodelia, etc...
en conjunto, un disco para pedir ya, con el fantastico libreto repleto de fotos de las peliculas mencionandas que tampoco tiene desperdicio.

from birds do it, available on CD


Black Horse and The Cherry Tree  performed by KT Tunstall  2006
Recommended by Betto_Colombia [profile]

I love how this scottish girl spice up her pop songs with a little blues. This song gives me a lot of energy. Makes me dance in the streets!!


available on CD - Eye To The Telescope



  Issie: Yeah i like this song a lot too!
Blowfly’s Rap  performed by Blowfly  1980
Recommended by JoNZ [profile]

From the godfather of filthfy rap comes this FUNKY,slamming tune. It tells the story of trucker with a CB radio(timewarp) who is, in his mind anyway, the baddest bastard around. On his journey he picks up a transvestite hooker, masterbates, has a fight with the Grand Dragon of the klu klux klan, claims to be related to Mohammed Ali, and drinks a bottle of wine. The killer rhyme is "We got to the room, pulled off her clothes, and the funk from her p***y started f**king with my nose." If you don't mind that sort of talk, you'll love this cut.

from X-Rated Blofly's Party (Weird World lp-2034)



  delicado: I don't have this record, but must confess that I find Blowfly strangely compelling. The mix of toilet humour, offensiveness, and authentic funk sounds is very potent indeed.
Blowin� Gold  performed by John Klemmer  1969
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

This is on my playlist for summer barbeque season. It's an unrelenting saxophone hurricane, with a beautiful warm sound, and great melodic soloing the whole way through. I love the tense break in the beginning that evolves into a total explosion, later punctuated with ecstatic moaning. A great groove.




Blown a Wish  performed by My Bloody Valentine  1991
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Considering how much I like this track, I'm surpised I didn't recommend it earlier. To me this is the standout from the band's seminal 1991 album 'Loveless'. To MBV fans, this track might seem an obvious one to recommend, but I think it sums up their appeal very well, with its beautiful ambient noises and simple but catchy melody. MBV's trademark use of weird echoey effects on the vocals and guitars is in full effect, and it's quite beautiful.

from Loveless, available on CD



  Genza: Agreed. My Bloody Valentine are a funny band. A lot of their (undoubtedly too short) back catalogue is either over-rated, unlistenable or over-rated. And this is from a confirmed 'fan'. Still, most of the bands I adore wouldn't have turned on the digital delay pedals without Kevin Shields, so I have something to be eternally grateful for. And Blown a Wish remains my closest call with pop perfection. Slightly warped and ill-at-ease, it is an almost unspeakably beautiful track. It still makes me ache in the pit of my stomach when I hear it.
  sinister: the sonic approximation of a kiss. i don't know. that's what this song gives me. the thrill of a first kiss. every time i hear it.
Blue Hill Day  performed by Chris Dedrick
Recommended by moondog [profile]

If only life could be like this. Taken from The free designs head honcho Chris Dedricks soloalbum "Be free" this is the best cut on an album that is 50 percent quite awful (free design meets prog rock, not so good) 50 percent quite lovely (free design meets simon & garfunkel, much better) Well, particulary this track that gets closest to that simon and garfunkel comparision.

from Be Free
available on CD - Wishes (Beatball)


Blues Jumped A Rabbit  performed by Bonnie Dobson  196?
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Not usually a great folk lover but this has such a beauty to it. In terms of texture its flawless, swinging between the fluctuating notes of Dobson and two guitars. A very pure sound darkened in a positive way by Dobson's lyrical treatments.

Certainly one to put on if you wake up in the middle of the night.

from Dear Companion (Prestige 14007)



Body 21  performed by Morningwood  2006
Recommended by BloodyRachelB [profile]

benn into this band for a while, I'm not gonna lie mostly because the name is so damn funny. but I really love this song!

from morningwood


Bon-Jour  performed by Ed Lincoln  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

When I heard this album by the Brazilian organist Ed Lincoln, I really wasn't expecting a tune like this. It's a beautiful, tender vocal, sounding like something from a Francis Lai soundtrack, with lovely male-female alternating vocals and an exquisite Morricone style trumpet blending well with the guitar/organ/percussion instrumentation. An absolutely stunning track - playful but slightly sad at the same time, with some spooky laughter/sighing from the female singer towards the end.

from Ed Lincoln, available on CD




  n-jeff: Thats the thing with Lincoln, its not just the cheese, he played alongside the best Jazz musicians in Brazil. He could cut a pretty funk when the occasion demanded, and his "Seu piano eletrico" album ranges from african tinged stompers to mid sixties style vocal cuts. IMHO opinion underrated as a producer as well, he seems to have been active on the cutting edge of Brazilain music from the late fifties right through to the late seventies. I intended to use this track as the payoff for a compilation I did for a cd trading ring, but I don't think I had the space. He was in hospital just before Christmas (2003), not sure how he's doing now.
  delicado: I have to say, I'm pretty blown away by his work. I know you've been harping on about him for years, so I wish I had listened earlier!
  sodapop650: Ed Lincolns best work is the recordings he did with Orlann Divo becasue he is a little more low-key and the arrangements are just plain better. I love O Ganso cause its so damn crazy and his recordings under the name Claudio Marcelo are pretty good too. A rcord seller in Brazil actually got me his autograph as a present because I bought so many of Ed Lincolns LPs. But I gotta tell you, someone like Sergio Carvalho or Eumir Deodato are much more powerful on the Hammond and Ely Arcoverde, Juarez Sant'ana Ze Maria I think are all more mature organists. I put Ed Lincoln with Walter Wanderley a little heavy on the cheese.
Boogaloo Baby  performed by Johnny Zamot and his Latinos  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

My experience of Boogaloo, a style to which I'm quite new, has been varied. In short, I love some of it and don't quite get the rest. The key to me seems to be the right instrumental and percussive blend, and vocals that don't dominate too much.

Although it sounds quite generic, this track manages to satisfy me on the criteria above. From a very lucky thrift store find (this album is up there with James Brown's 'Black Caesar' among my top bargains ever), this opens with a nice solid groove, featuring saxophone, brass and layered, relentless percussion. The vocals seem pretty much off-the-cuff - the main 'Boogaloo baby - baby baby do the boogaloo' is joined by a mixture of muttered Spanish and screaming. The attraction of this song is really the texture - it can't really claim any musical or lyrical sophistication. But the instrumentation and groove are really first rate.

from The Latin Soul of... (Decca DL-74838)



Borderline  performed by Jane  2003
Recommended by SimonB [profile]

Close Up And Reak is a lovely album but this is my favourite track. It's a bittersweet tale of a person's (possibly Jane's), gradual loss in humankind. The song opens with a wailing violin which then introduces a soft, acoustic blanket of intsrumentation topped with Jane's wistful vocals.

from Close Up And Real, available on CD


Breathe In Now  performed by George  2002
Recommended by sunsilk [profile]

A band that blend elements of classical, jazz, funk, rock, folk, and electronic music.

Why i like it; a beatiful song about moving forward in life, and Katie Noonan's vocals are wonderful to listen to....

...Say i love, i live and breathe in now....

from Polyserena, available on CD


Bring on the Love   performed by Gloria Jones  1978
Recommended by geezer [profile]

From a time when soul was shaking hands with disco,on this beautiful midtempo ballad the two genres are happy to live in a harmony.This is a track that is allowed to build upon a soft disco beat layer by layer ,a deceptive melody allows optimism to drip drip then flood your senses,leaving you feeling good about life and for once a song that is as long as you want it to be.A song that somehow takes you high without leaving its musical ground .

from Windstorm, available on CD


Britney  performed by Bebo Norman  2009
Recommended by hopefully86 [profile]

This is a christian singer telling a story about Britney Spears, but it's about everyone who gets lost in the lights of fame and fortune. It's kinda an apology song, slow and sweet but it flows nicely. This song will make you feel a bit sorry for the girl we love to hate.




brooklyn phone call  performed by all girl summer fun band
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

sweet, indie, girlie, i love it.




Brother, Can You Spare a Dime  performed by Connie Francis  1968
Recommended by needycat [profile]

I first discovered this track on Connie's box set "Souvenirs." An impassioned soft start builds to a frenzy of despair. A snazzy, kick-ass band backs Connie (Don Costa arrangement, I think???). Liza would have loved to sink her teeth into this one!

from Connie & Clyde (MGM)
available on CD - The Swinging Connie Francis (Audiophile Records)




  sleipner: listen to the thea gilmore version, sheer class
Bulletproof Soul  performed by Sade  1992
Recommended by MoeShinola [profile]

Hey - don't knock Sade. This is from the Love Deluxe album, which is a great record by any measure. All the songs are original and heartfelt, not formulaic, and with an awareness of third-world misery that's striking coming from a pop princess like her. But she is from Nigeria and knows what she's singing about. Bulletproof Soul is my favorite on the album, a song very dry and quiet and sparse. The backing vocal works in a very sad, soulful harmony line in the chorus that really makes the song.

from Love Deluxe (Sony)


Butterflies  performed by Secrecy  2007
Recommended by Roro [profile]

My best friend recommended these guys to me recently. She knows how I love the old Curtis Mayfield and Earth Wind and Fire stuff. These guys have that type of favor.

You can hear them on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/secrecyone

from Love Seasons, available on CD


Calabria 2007  performed by Enur  2007
Recommended by xroughstuffx [profile]

I love the beat and the vocals.

from Fetenkult Strandparty


Call Me  performed by Shinedown
Recommended by Nori [profile]

Don't go to Shinedown for a pure fluffy pep song, but this is a really good song. Among my favourites of Shinedown, along with 'What A Shame', 'I Own You', and 'No More Love'.


available on CD - The Sound of Madness


Call Me Irresponsible  performed by Bobby Darin  1964
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Bobby Darin - truly one of the smoothest singers the US has ever produced, and there's nothing that showcases this pop-cabaret style like his tenure at Capitol. A singer of great versatility, he swings effortlesly on this album, having great technique and even greater rhythmic feel.

Call Me Irresponsible, something of a standard really, is my favourite. Darin's vocals make you fall in love with his irresponsible, unreliable, unpredictable charm. Accompanied by finger clickin' good Richard Wess big-band sounds. Wow. Whatta man.

from From Hello Dolly To Goodbye Charlie (Capitol T2194)
available on CD - Oh! Look At Me Now / From Hello Dolly To Goodbye Charlie (Capitol)



Can You Feel The Love Tonight  performed by Elton John  1994
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from The Lion King


Can’t Help Loving That Man  performed by Trudy Richards  1957
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

I originally came across this recording on the soundtrack to the film 'the Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' and I have been thanking my lucky stars since! Taken from the rare and out of print LP 'Crazy In Love' (which you should purchase on sight if you ever come across it!) Ms. Richards throws a good swing into this exquisite torch song and brings down the house with the help of Billy May and his orchestra! I am forever indebted to the person or persons who compiled the 'Priscilla' soundtrack and led me to this great song and the original LP from which it was taken!

from Crazy In Love! (Capital T 838 (British pressing))
available on CD - the Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - Soundtrack (Mother/Island)


Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa   performed by Vampire Weekend
Recommended by icerberg [profile]

OMG i love everything, like this song is so much fun to play on the bass and stuff, and the vocals are cool idk.




Carry Me  performed by John Lodge  1976
Recommended by john_l [profile]

John Lodge's "Natural Avenue" was overall the best of the Moody Blues' solo ventures of the mid-1970s, being almost up there with the "Blue Jays" effort on which he collaborated with the band's guitarist Justin Hayward (whose own solo LP "Songwriter" was the biggest disappointment of the lot). This track has a wonderfully exotic feel to it, what with lyrics like "Show me your island of a thousand names" as well as orchestration including strings, oboe and bassoon, and some kind of bubbling thingy which may be a synthesizer. On a darker note, some of the other lyrics seem to indicate the alleviation of an addiction to certain substances, e.g. "Paint all the clouds the colour of 'No'" and "Gone is the white horse that carried us home", but hell, every band was addicted to stuff back then and I'm happy that 99% of them seem to have survived intact. Anyway, it's a lovely exotic song that if you haven't heard it, it's about time you did!

from Natural Avenue, available on CD


Cassiopeia  performed by Coheed and Cambria
Recommended by izumi [profile]

Well it bugs me beyond words that I can never find out which album this song came from but I love it nonetheless. It's the first C&C song I heard and one I loved the first time I heard it.

It's probably one of the most atmospheric songs I've heard that conjures up images of an autumn landscape, of someone wandering in a wood, feeling lost and staring at the sky. I don't know why the music makes me think of these things but it just does. The song is quite slow and calm to begin with, then picks up and crescendoes at the chorus/bridge and the guitar playing goes through some changes. It's a really unusual song and definitely recommended!




Cast Your Fate To The Wind  performed by the Vince Guaraldi Trio  1962
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Two years before he became the musician responsible for the great music featured in the classic 'Peanuts'animated TV specials, Vince Guaraldi and his trio hit the charts with this great little instrumental that is the epitome of San Fransisco-style jazz. Vince Guaraldi was a master at Jazz piano and the artists who performed with him created truly great performances that any lover of jazz will be glad to have in their collection.

PS: Released as the B-Side of a single to radio stations, disc jockeys preferred it over the A-Side.

from Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus, available on CD


Catscan  performed by Carolyn Mark and the Room-mates  2002
Recommended by mitchiavelli [profile]

'Catscan' is an absolutely hilarious number from chanteuse Carolyn Mark (and the Room-mates).

This song is about mutual recrimination, fidelity and growing old with the one you love (and hate), and could easily be a duet between Archie and Edith Bunker.

Wonderful stuff!

It is on Mint Records and can be ordered from: http://www.mintrecs.com/

from Terrible Hostess, available on CD


Caught in a moment  performed by Sugababes  2004
Recommended by godnose [profile]

As well as being a lovely slow, dreamy romantic song it is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful tunes I've ever heard.




Champagne And Caviar  performed by Elegant Taste  1975
Recommended by DJJimmyBee [profile]

Lush, with strings, mid 70's sweet soul group ballad...Lyrically about the proverbial lunch box/hard hat guy on the job singin' 'bout the love he's gonna bring home to his gyrrrrl

from only on 45



Change  performed by Blind Melon  1992
Recommended by Tetsuo [profile]

One of the better known Blind Melon songs of of their self-titled debut, yet still fairly unknown. This song is a personal favorite of mine and preceeds No Rain on the album tracklist. Lead singer Shannon Hoon's voice plays off the acoustic guitar beautifully and his simple message is clear, change is okay. My favorite lines in the song plead with us clear and simply that,

"When you feel your life ain't worth living you've got to stand up and take a look around you then a look way up to the sky.
And when your deepest thoughts are broken,
keep on dreaming boy, cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die. "

Some may not like this song, but others will fall in love with it. I've grown up listening to this song and i have continued to love it.

Fun Fact:

Lead singer Shannon Hoon donned a question mark on his head and performed this song live on The late show with David Letterman shortly after Kurt Cobain's suicide, in his own way dedicating the song to him.

from Blind Melon, available on CD


Change Your Mind  performed by Sister Hazel
Recommended by aprophilix [profile]

"Change Your Mind" is heavy in vocals, with just a little bit of country style thrown in. This has nothing to do with why I like the song, however. Listen to the LYRICS! This song is on my personal "soundtrack to life", and I love to listen to it when I'd like a little inspiration. Give it a listen, and actually *listen* to what the song has to say.


available on CD - Fortress


chase the devil  performed by max romeo and the upsetters  1976
Recommended by olli [profile]

"I'm gonna put on an iron shirt/
An' chase Satan out of Earth.
I'm gonna put on an iron shirt/
And chase the Devil out of Earth.
I'm gonna send him to outer space/
To find another race.
I'm gonna send him to outer space/
To find another race.

Satan is the evilest man/
But him can choke sit on a man.
So when I check him my life's in hand/
And if him flip I gone with him hand.

I'm gonna put on an iron shirt/
An' chase Satan out of Earth.
I'm gonna put on an iron shirt/
And chase the Devil out of Earth.
I'm gonna send him to outer space/
To find another race.
I'm gonna send him to outer space/
To find another race.

Him have to drop him fork and run/
Him can't stand up to Jah Jah's son.
Him have to left here with him gun/
Take off with him bomb."

gotta love a bit of max romeo. great trippy reggae song. wonderful production by lee "scratch" perry, too.


available on CD - jammin-supreme reggae vibes



  james: Yes it rocks. but have you heard Wet Dream? quite purile and filthy lyrics but great x-rated Ska
  olli: Yeah, i love his early rude boy stuff.
  fruity: theres a really good jungle dubbed version of max romeo's chase the devil done by Spacebar Collective from Malaysia.u guys should check it out. http://www.myspace.com/spacebarmalaysia
  bahaar: hey olli, hope you don't mind if copy here a more precise version. And LOL for this line in your version: So when I check him my life's in hand --- Lucifer son of the morning, I'm gonna chase you out of earth! I'm gonna send him to outa space, to find another race I'm gonna send him to outa space, to find another race Satan is an evilous man, But him can't chocks it on I-man So when I check him my lassing hand And if him slip, I gaan with him hand I'm gonna put on a iron shirt, and chase Satan out of earth I'm gonna put on a iron shirt, and chase the devil out of earth I'm gonna send him to outa space, to find another race I'm gonna send him to outa space, to find another race Him haffi drop him fork and run Him can't stand up to Jah Jah son Him haffi lef' ya with him gun Dig off with him bomb I'm gonna put on a iron shirt, and chase Satan out of earth I'm gonna put on a iron shirt, and chase the devil out of earth I'm gonna send him to outa space, to find another race I'm gonna send him to outa space, to find another race Satan is a evilous man, But him can't chocks it on I-man So when I check him my lassing hand And if him slip, I gaan with him hand I'm gonna put on a iron shirt, and chase Satan out of earth I'm gonna put on a iron shirt, and chase the devil out of earth I'm gonna send him to outa space, to find another race I'm gonna send him to outa space, to find another race Move ya with your gun Mi sey fe lef' ya with your bomb... --- http://homepage.ntlworld.com/davebulow/wow/lyrics_max_romeo_-_chase_the_devil.htm http://www.vortexmind.net/index.php/2006-11-29-max-romeo-i-chase-the-devil/ http://faqs.ign.com/articles/717/717937p1.html
  n-jeff: true, a great song - isn't there a mad hardcore version, too?
  n-jeff: Yes there is. The Prodigy, before they (he) became a pop metal band. lol.
Chattahoochee  performed by Alan Jackson  1992
Recommended by gopeeinafridge [profile]

Bahaha! I had to put this song up. This is the most ridiculous, cheesy, terrible country song possible, but I love it. The music video features Alan waterskiing wearing his cowboy hat and cowboy boots, and tubing while playing his guitar. Then they all have a ho-down. He is an ultimate cowboy.

Good song for barbequeing.

from A Lot About Livin' (And A Little 'Bout Love) (Arista 18711-2)


Chelsea Girl  performed by Simple Minds  1979
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

Simple Mind's second single, "Chelsea Girl", was an apt follow-up to its predecessor "Life in a Day", an epic chant, a shimmering melody, and a sing-along chorus that paid spell-bound homage to Velvet Underground chanteuse Nico, in her role within Warhol�s movie of the same name.

Producer John Leckie gives "Chelsea Girl" a lovely delicate quality, especially across the long, tinkling keyboard intro, an aura that barely dissipates even when drummer Brian McGee and bassist Derek Forbes's kick in with their thumping rhythm. The band were proving to be masters at these juxtaposed styles, creating rock solid bases and overlaying them with much more fragile and elegant melodies and atmospheres. Here, those latter are close to effervescent and, as the band shift down into the long bass-driven, overlapping tag teamed vocal outro (a playful lift from Roxy Music�s �Mother Of Pearl�, but no matter), absolutely crystalline.

On album and onstage, �Chelsea Girl� remained fans' favorite, on 45 though, it inexplicably crashed and burned, and didn't even reach the UK chart.
(AMG)

from Life In A Day, available on CD


Chinon/Eleanor�s Arrival  performed by John Barry  1968
Recommended by ronin [profile]

This song comes from the stellar soundtrack to 1968 film "The Lion in Winter," my first outing w/J. Barry. Wow. The whole album edged out all rock music at parties. This song has a lovely rocking boat-on-water undercurrent to it (Queen Eleanor is being rowed upriver in a barge), with soaring turns-taking female /male voices singing in Latin. It has a little, quiet horn bridge to it, but then the waves of sound come back and die out. Gorgeous. Defintely a winter-feel album (the story takes place at Christmas, too).

from The Lion in Winter, available on CD


Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)  performed by Darlene Love  1963
Recommended by schlick [profile]

Darlene really gives it her all on this song which has become an all-time holiday classic.

from A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records, available on CD


Cinnamon and Clove  performed by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A beautiful take on this tune, which sounds as if it were made for the group. The sound is typical of Sergio Mendes’s work - a strong driving bossa nova beat, a beautifully clean piano arrangement, and tasteful vocals.

from Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66 (A&M SP4122)



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)



clip clap  performed by kahimi karie  200x
Recommended by olli [profile]

cute little song about a girl stalking someone she's fallen in love with, listening to the "clip clops" of his shoes. the melody in the song is very similar to "cosmonaute" by stereo total, only more upbeat (it was written by brezel g�ring from stereo t., so i guess that's excusable). kahimi's ultra-bright voice fits this song perfectly.

(there's WAY too few sweet and uplifting songs about stalking, by the way.)


available on CD - k.k.k.k.k



Clouds  performed by The Go-Betweens  1988
Recommended by john_l [profile]

The song with the heavenly lilt! It gets into a groove and chugs along merrily, with those lilting guitars in the background and some lovely light fretwork in the bridges and at the end. Excellent!

from 16 Lovers Lane, available on CD


CLOWN  performed by THE HOLLIES  1966
Recommended by norfy [profile]

FROM THE 1966 'LP-FOR CERTAIN BECAUSE'-A HYBRID OF RUBBER SOUL AND THE BYRDS-COMPLETE BLURRED POP PERFECTION IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO MAKE A CUP OF TEA-SAD AND BEAUTIFUL AND A MILLION MILES AWAY FROM THE USUAL BEAT OF THE HOLLIES,IT SHIMMERS IN A SLOW MOTION 12 STRING DAYDREAM AND MAKES ME REALISE WHY I LOVE MUSIC AND WHY I AM STILL AWAKE WHEN I AM AT WORK IN 4 HOURS TIME-SEARCH FOR THIS AND WALLOW IN IT'S SPLENDOUR...........

from FOR CERTAIN BECAUSE, available on CD


Cold Water  performed by Tom Waits  1999
Recommended by StAgGeR [profile]

This is a great song to listen to on days when nothing seems to be going right. In my case: when driving my blind sister around in a delapidated taxi, with broken windows, and a gas meter on empty. The best line in my opinion is: "Blind or crippled, Sharp or dull. I'm reading the Bible by a 40 watt bulb. What price freedom. Dirt is my rug.
Well I sleep like a baby with the snakes and the bugs". I love this track! Keith Richards played lead guitar and sings backing vox on this one. Their voices/styles mesh together very well. It's one of the more bluesy tracks on the record, but it's done very well...not like a lame neo-white boy blues revival thing. It's actually believable...after all, IT'S TOM WAITS FOR CHRIST SAKE! I think this is one of the more powerful songs on the record. Well...maybe a toss-up between this one and "Chocolate Jesus"...or "Hold on"...or "Get Behind the Mule" (you can't beat the lyric: "Punctuated birds on the power line. In a Studebaker with the Birdie Joe Joaks. I'm diggin all the way to China with a silver spoon, while the hangman fumbles with the noose..."). Hell...it's just a damn good record.

from Mule Variations (Epitaph Records)
available on CD - yes (yes)


colour me in  performed by of montreal  2004
Recommended by olli [profile]

short, bouncy cover of the broadcast song.
it's interesting because it removes all the dissonant electronics that make up the "broadcast sound", leaving a much purer-sounding piece of 70's style pop-psych.
in a weird way, this now feels like the alternative universe original version, and the original song the cover.
i love the giddy woooh-ing in the chorus.





come away with me  performed by norah jones  2002
Recommended by michellegsfl [profile]

slow, beautiful love song..... her voice is like butter... it almost makes you feel loved

from come away with me, available on CD


Come On Let's Go  performed by Broadcast  2000
Recommended by Mr Steal [profile]

The Midlands-based retro-futurists put this out as a single and it should have been a massive hit but, of course, it wasn't. Still, it's one of the sweetest songs I've heard in recent years, abetted by Trish Keenans's insouciant yet heartwarming vocals � and a lovely tune.

from The Noise Made By People (Warp CD65)




  tinks: i love this entire album! and they put on a great live show, to boot!
Coming Home  performed by The Love Dolls  2007
Recommended by jzbass [profile]

Medium Rock ballad acoustic /electric Guitar oriented
in the spirit of The Beatles . Great string Arangement by the multi grammy winning Jimmie Haskell 'Ode To Billy Jo " " Bridge Over Troubled Water " Chicago "If you leave Me Now "

from The Love Dolls (Doll House)
available on CD - www.myspace.com/thelovedollsban


Coming Home  performed by Guy Sebastian  2010
Recommended by SomethingAwesome [profile]

Guy Sebastian has a really great smooth voice and I love most of his work. This is just a happier song that makes me want to dance. Dance I tells ya!

from Like it Is


Comin� Home Baby  performed by Claus Ogerman  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This track wasn't what I expected. My previous favorite version of this song (although I have many) was probably the one by Mel Torme on his 1962 album 'Right Now'. And since that version was arranged by Ogerman, I had expected this version to be simply an instrumental version like Torme's recording - a cool, finger-clicking, jerky pop number. In fact, there's something much cooler and more sophisticated about this version.

The tune is picked out first by an organ, and then by the brass and woodwinds before returning to the organ, which then jams around the main tune. A really beautiful string section comes in early on, creating some unusual chords that really add to the song and work very well alongside the 'cool' effect of the organ and rhythm. I wish Claus had recorded more songs with this mixture of percussion, jazzy instrumentation and lovely thick string parts. A few tracks on one of his other 60s LPs, 'Latin Rock,' come close, but I'm not sure any of them are as nice as this one.

from Soul Searchin' (RCA LPM 3366)



Concerto For A Rainy Day  performed by Electric Light Orchestra  1977
Recommended by petethefeet [profile]

Turn the lights down, turn the volume up and just LISTEN!! Whatever mood you're in, this will enhance it. The strings are just brilliant. I've listened to this track AT LEAST once a week for 25 years and will never tire of it. The whole concept of ELO captured my imagination from theearly 70s, and although they got a bit commercialised over the years, who didn't? Some say they copied The Beatles, isn't that the sincerest form of flattery? Other bands copied ELO (Cheap trick, Huey Lewis & The News,etc.). I defy any music lover to not like this!

from Out Of The Blue, available on CD



  audioadventures: Out of the Blue - one of my favourite albums of all time. From Summer and Lightening to Big Wheels, Concerto for a Rainy Day is just class. ELO must be the most sampled band at the moment. Maybe they are now cool!
  coercri: I wholeheartedly agree. The Concerto for a Rainy Day is abolutely the best. Even my 14 year old daughter loves it!!! ELO has been an exceptional group over the years. I only regret not seeing them in concert.
confusion  performed by broder daniel  199?
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

you don't need extensive lyrics to present your ideas. henrik berggren of broder daniel knows that. the king of pandas.

from bd
available on CD - broder daniel (emi)



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


Corazon  performed by Titan  1999
Recommended by n-jeff [profile]

Its a delightful track, modern big beat sensibility with a great tune, a groover of the highest quality, sounds great in a car, in a club or at home. Full of hooks, vocal, guitar and rhythmic. One of the things I love about the band as well are the crappy pictures of themselves they use on their covers. Theres a promo 12 with a remix on it that is all Bongo's and Organ that didn't make it to release thats pretty good too.

from Elevator, available on CD



Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)  performed by Sarah Vaughn  1964
Recommended by Fig Alert [profile]

The most beautiful, sensual song I have ever heard in my life. It feels like a warm, tucked-in, comfortable sigh from a lover nestling in on your shoulder, holding you ever tighter while whispering words of love in your ear. Try to top that.

The Divine One pours herself into this number completely. Her serene confidence breathes a kind of hyper-life into the lyrics. But the way she caresses the melody and strokes it so adeptly with her brilliant vocals sends me right over the top every time.

If I ever fall in love again, the woman of my affections will, in my wildest, most fantastic dreams, melt with me on this.

Please excuse the sap...

from Viva Vaughn (Mercury SR 60941)
available on CD - The Girl From Ipanema: The Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook (Verve)




  FlyingDutchman1971: Blossom Dearie also performs a nice version of this great song on her 1964 LP 'May I Come In'
cosmic dancer  performed by t rex
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

lovely.




Cos�e� l�amore  performed by Franco De Gemini  1971
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Beautiful vocal song from a little known italian soundtrack. The italians just couldn't do no wrong in the late 60s/early 70s, this just floats gently along with a flutes, harpsicord, sweeping strings and chorus. Nice, light vocals on top of it, can't identify the female vocalist though.

from Si Pu� Fare Molto Con Sette Donne, available on CD




  dominb: The English version of this I find unlistenable because of the truly horrific lyrics!
  eftimihn: Yeah that's right, only listened to the english version once and found it doesn't come close to the italian one.
Couleur Caf�  performed by Serge Gainsbourg  1962
Recommended by phil [profile]

I've tried quite a lot to get into African music and have only got into bits and bobs so far. However, what I have very successfully got into is a white frenchman, with an all french choir, based in Paris, singing songs in an african style. Any amount of race-focussed amateur psychoanalysis can be done on the above I know, but I also know that this song is absolutely fantastic. As far as I can tell, Serge's african work seems to be inspired by a genuine love of african music and singing, but it also has a very pop edge - maybe it is this crossover aspect that makes it so accessible. Anyway, in this one the lyrics are pretty seedy ("ce soir la nuit sera blanche"), but the singing and drumming are just so beautiful - it's a brilliant song.

from Gainsbourg Percussions
available on CD - Couleur Caf� (Mercury)



Crazy Little Thing Called Love  performed by Queen  1980
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Game


Creators of Rain  performed by Smokey and his Sister  1967
Recommended by bubblebeat [profile]

Who is Smokey and is that really his sister singing too? A euphonious delight. Oh I'd love to hear the album or even the b-side. Unmissable.





  gregcat: Another cover version was recorded by Ian and Sylvia
  b. toklas: Sadly none of the songs of the album is as good as "Creators of rain". But this is indeed a most wonderful and magical folk-pop tune.
Creature Fear  performed by Bon Iver  2008
Recommended by kukukondwa [profile]

Lovely melody, heart-achingly poignant lyrics with a rush-of-blood chorus.

from For Emma, Forever Ago


Creole Love Call  performed by The Comedian Harmonists  1933
Recommended by delicado [profile]

An amazing and atmospheric track by this famous German vocal group. There are no words, and the music is produced largely accapella - from what I can hear, there's just piano accompaniment, with some incredible vocal effects that range from beautiful to plain bizarre. The trills and glissando effects are other-worldly, but what really steals the limelight is the tradeoff between a bizarre kitten-like voice and a deep foghorn at 2:12 (featured in the clip)!

None of this will make sense until you hear it, so let me just add that the whole thing has a really pleasant, lazy mood that strongly reminds me of that amazing scene in 'Wild at Heart' when Laura Dern is sat on the car at the gas station and Glen Gray and the Casa Loma band's 'Smoke Rings' is playing.


available on CD - The Comedian Harmonists (Hannibal)




  Turangalila: This track is marvelous, thanks for the heads up.
Crucified  performed by Army Of Lovers  1991
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

The audio equivalent of Russ Meyer if he'd had a go at a religious breastfest in the eighties. Which he may well have done.

I remember in my taping-off-the-radio youth I had this song on cassette when it reached the very lower reaches of the British top 40. How I loved it then and, seeing the LP the other weekend for a mere pound, thought I must make this my own. If anything, it sounds better to my late 20's ears. The overblown production sounds less just like a bit of a laugh and more a genuine expression of sexual and religious fervour. However tongue-in-cheek it may be.

And the cover! The only words appropriate are "dogs dinner" for these three fashionistas.

from Massive Luxury Overdose (Ton Son Ton ARMYLP-2)




  OneCharmingBastard: The glorious moment of drag queen disco this side of Dead Or Alive. Play it today just to ignite the ire of a fundie near you.
Cruel Sister  performed by Pentangle  1970
Recommended by rum [profile]

A bewitching song about a young woman who, to win the hand of a handsome knight, does her rival sister in. The dead girl then comes back to haunt the �black-haired bride� as a harp fashioned from her breast bone and three locks of her hair. �Cruel� may seem too kindly a description of a girl who when her sister pleads, �Oh Sister, Sister, let me live, and all that�s mine I�ll surely give� says, �It�s your own true love I have and more, but thou shalt never come ashore� before abandoning her body to the rough North Sea. Cruel? Should the sister therefore be scalded for her little� transgression? She�s an evil and monstrous sister, surely? But then this is centuries past, a time when sibling murder and human harps were commonplace. I am not likely to understand in this more civilised 21st century. Which may be why the kids don�t really dig British folk music anymore, or the mighty Pentangle. And it�s a crying shame because this is a stunning track, hauntingly sung by Jacqui McShee. I hesitate to use the term �masterpiece� in case that great oracle of musicaltaste.com, fmars, overhears and tells me that I�m wrong.

from Cruel Sister



  konsu: Alright.In your own special way you've convinced me rum. I've been told for years to pick up some Pentangle by certain freinds (the ones who hear me playing Steeleye Span). Surely I must be missing out on something... I will consult the great one.
  rum: Heh-heh, thank you. I�m certain you�ll appreciate these, you�ve got eclectic taste, you�re not gonna be out for my blood (unlike all those that have begged and borrowed, stolen from their dying grandmothers, to buy Manowar CDs). And they�re no way as folk folk as the Span, they spin out an equally eclectic mix of folk, jazz, blues, rock and Elizabethan dances. It�s time people stopped harping on how great it was that the Velvets, the Stooges, punk etc made you wanna go out and form a band. So simple they sounded. Pentangle are so incredibly talented, so learned, so jazz, but still so unassuming and cool, they make you want pack up the band, trash the guitar, and burn down your house. Or is that Jet? I don�t know now. Well anyway the �Sweet Child� album is the one.
Crying On A Suitcase  performed by Casey James  2012
Recommended by saifcr [profile]

Song: Crying On A Suitcase
Genre: Country
Year: 2012
Album: Casey James

Crying On A Suitcase is the second Track of the Casey James Self Title Debut Album.
It's a very Beautiful Song... i loved it.
Listen it... i'm sure Country Music Lovers will sure love it...

from Casey James



  saifcr: Sorry, It was Release in 2011 not in 2012*
crystal lullaby  performed by Carpenters  1972
Recommended by klatu [profile]

When my sister and I were small, this album was the one we listened to most commonly for naps, after a lunch of something like chili, fritos and "green" kool aid. It's the most solid album the Carpenters ever did by some distance, and Richard actually wrote two of the best songs, "goodbye to love" and this one. It blends well into the follow-up, "road ode". Other standouts include the title track by Leon Russell, "it's going to take some time" by Carole King, and "i won't last a day without you", another golden Carpenters interpretation of Roger Nichols/Paul Williams. I would love to hear this song performed by Astronaut Wife. See "konsu" for that link...

from A Song For You, available on CD


Curso Intensivo De Boas Maneiras  performed by Tom Zé  1968
Recommended by tinks [profile]

You've got to love a guy who has a song on his first album that translates as "Catechism, Toothpaste and You". From that same LP, here's a great off-kilter tropicalia with a heavy baroque-pop influence and really odd instrumentation, featuring fuzz guitar, organ and trumpet in a very nice way.

from Tom Zé, available on CD



Dance Me to the End of Love  performed by Madeleine Peyroux
Recommended by music2go [profile]

I always knew the original version of this song by Leonard Cohen and over the last few years kept hearing this version. She sounds like Billie Holiday in this and makes it her own song. Don't know much about her but she also sings in French and does a great version of En Vie En Rose, another favorite song of mine.

from Careless Love


Danger! She’s a Stranger  performed by The Five Stairsteps  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I fell in love with this song this evening. At this point it's hard to find many words to describe it; I'm just dazzled by how wonderful it is. It's a mournful and spooky-sounding soul song, opening with some percussion, and then some harmonized background vocals, drums, brass and piano. I guess the kicker for me are the shimmering strings in the arrangement, which come in with the main vocal. The vocals are fraught with emotion, and there is a very interesting use of vocal sounds as the song fades out.

Being a Five Stairsteps novice, I'd like to know if they recorded many other tracks like this. I gather that the record was produced by Curtis Mayfield, but I've never heard anything by him with quite such a delectable arrangement. Any advice would be appreciated!


available on CD - The First Family of Soul (Buddah)




  Arthur: The Five Stairsteps have a history going back to the mid sixties -they recorded for Curtis Mayfields 'Windy C' label and later for George Harrison's 'Dark Horse' label Group main man Kenni Burke is still active in the music business, having co penned the much copied and sampled "Rising To The Top" and has recently (last year) visited the UK where he performed a number of PA's and recorded at least one song. I have to confess I never heard "Danger! She's a Stranger" but will make it my mission to do so!
  tinks: oh my god, this is one of my all-time favorite songs! i can't believe i never thought to put it up. i love the backing vocals..."danger! stranger!"
  delicado: You have excellent taste! For the record, I was able to find one other Five Stairsteps track that has a similar moody feel to it. It's called 'Something's Missing', and is almost like a prototype version of 'Danger...'
  bobbyspacetroup: Sampled by Outkast incidentally (check out "Two Dope Boyz In A Cadillac").
  delicado: Yeah, I read about this and checked out the Outkast song. I have to say I wasn't that impressed. I think maybe the big beat over the piano and gentle shimmering strings killed it for me a bit!
  artlongjr: Fascinating to read the comments here...I didn't know Outkast had sampled this. I remember first hearing this song when I got their first album way back in 1981, and it is my favorite tune on there. It's a classic of Chicago soul. The strings, horns and Clarence Burke Jr.'s lead vocals and the group harmonies add up to a delightfully foreboding, almost sinister mood on this number. This came out in 1966, I also have "Something's Missing", which came out on Buddah in 1967. I keep telling everybody I know that the Stairsteps are easily the equals of the Jackson Five! They also did a terrific funk-psychedelic number in 1969 on Curtom called "Madame Mary"...I can't figure out the lyrics but it may be about marijuana!
  karen: If you like "Danger She's a Stranger", you will love "You've Waited Too Long". I remember the Five Stairsteps, and they were a lot more talented than the Jackson Five (and better looking). But unfortunately they were not on a major label like Motown, but they got a lot of respect and admiration in the Black community and plenty of airplay in DC, NY, Philly, etc. "Oooh Child" was a major hit...I wonder what they are doing now and how they look.
daniella  performed by Shack  1999
Recommended by simon [profile]

a song perched on the end of Shack's half realised album'H.M.S Fable'album-a haunting folk ballad that is close to death and as beautiful as a sunny winter's morning...the melody spooks you and as the head brithers are no starngers to the perils of hard drugs it makes the song even more poignant.the Head brothers continue to remain the U.K's most underrated songwriters-sort of like the older,wiser and more sussed father's of the Coral and all those new scally psych bands that will never be anywhere as good as this...investigate!!!

from H.M.S Fable, available on CD


Dark On You Now  performed by The Ashes  1967
Recommended by artlongjr [profile]

This song is a classic of the psychedelic era, by a group that later became known as the Peanut Butter Conspiracy. I first discovered it years ago on a 1967 compilation album called "West Coast Love-In" which featured about four of the Ashes' songs. It was "Dark on You Now" that really wigged me out-it is an awesome, slow-paced, moody number that features the spine-tingling vocals of Sandi Robison and the prominent 12-string guitar of John Merrill. The song is incredibly atmospheric and reminds me of a combination of the Byrds and Jefferson Airplane when both of those groups were in their prime. It is also at four minutes plus quite long for the era. I listed this as being recorded in 1967 but it may have been waxed in 1966...at any rate it is surely one of the great songs of the early psychedelic era.

I have the first Peanut Butter Conspiracy album which contains a re-recorded version of this song, harder rocking and not nearly as good. The original Ashes version was recorded as a 45 for the Vault label (which also issued "West Coast Love-In").


from Spreading from the Ashes (Big Beat)
available on CD - Spreading From the Ashes (Big Beat)



  n-jeff: I'm sure I have this on one of the pebbles "Highs of the mid sixties" series ("volume 3 Hollywood a go-go" IIRC) although I believe they credit it as "Follow the sun", I'm sure. Great summer song.
  artlongjr: That is a cover version by a band called the Love Exchange..."Swallow the Sun" is a key lyric in this song, but I really don't know what it means!
Darn That Dream  performed by Petula Clark  1959
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Many people think that Petula Clark first came to the US when the song 'Downtown' topped the charts in 1965. However, she actually came to Los Angeles in 1959 and recorded an album of Jazz songs. Among the many treasures produced during these sessions is 'Darn That Dream'. She sings this great song with all the innocense and charm of a hopeless romantic whose desired love is just out of reach. Her resignation to unrequited affection for her unavailable romeo is interrupted briefly by a soaring interlude from the orchestra. The sweeping melody almost suggests that she is dreaming of being held in "his" arms as they dance across the floor of a dimly lit ballroom. In the end she must come back down to earth and awake to the reality that she will never have the man of her dreams, however she refuses to give up the hope that one day she will get her happy ending. I know I'm rooting for her!!

from This Is Petula Clark! (Sunset/Liberty SUM 5101)
available on CD - Jumble Sale-Rarities & Obscurities / In Hollywood In Other Words (Sequel-198 / Castle Music NEMCD389 (UK))


Day Without Love  performed by The Love Affair  1968
Recommended by Swinging London [profile]

This is one of the best British pop singles of 1968.

Love Affair had already had a Number One hit with 'Everlasting Love' & a top five hit with 'Rainbow Valley' and went on to have a few more hits, including this one, before changing their lead singer from Steve Ellis in 1970 and slipping into oblivion.

Their sound was quite influenced by 'The Phil Spector Wall Of Sound', but with a 'Swinging London' slant.

Great melody. Great lyric. Tremendous pop orchestral arrangement. Wonderful lead vocals from Steve Ellis, who sounded like a sort of British Len Barry.

I think this song is probably one of the best pop singles I've ever heard.

It never happened in the USA and after it fell from the charts was rather forgotten in the UK, overshadowed by the groups more famous 'Everlasting Love', but, in fact, this was their strongest single.

Very much of its time, but what a tremendous time it was, musically and otherwise.

from Everlasting Love Affair (CBS)



Daydream  performed by Wallace Collection  1968
Recommended by Ron1967-1970 [profile]

it's the Belgian "summer of love" anthem... a great flower-power song that was a big hit all over Europe in 1968. For those who don't know it, do a search on the web for a soundclip...





Declaration of Love  performed by Celine Dion  1996
Recommended by ajhorse21 [profile]

Fantastic vocals, as usual for Celine Dion. Powerful, with almost a gospel feel.


available on CD - Falling Into You


der hund von baskerville  performed by cindy & bert  1970
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

i heard this song for the first time in spain at the purple weekend. the dj (mike stax) is as rather famous guy in the mod/garage/60's-scene. so i didn't have the guts to mail him about it for a year or so. but eventually i did and he gave me the details and told me that it was his girlfriend ho spun it. the song is a weird version of black sabbath's paranoid. i love this stuff. can be found on some german comps various artists as well as c&b comps. i saw the original cornet single on ebay a couple of months ago for a mere $180.





  eftimihn: This is a hugely bizarre cover version: Cindy & Bert were a somewhat annoying couple in the 60s & 70s doing very light pop tunes (called "Schlager" in Germany). It was recently released on a great compilation series by Bear Family Records called "Pop In Germany", with lots more of german oddities like Dusty Springfields "Son Of A Preacherman" in a hilarious version with ridiculous lyrics sung with bavarian accent...
Desire As  performed by Prefab Sprout  1985
Recommended by Genza [profile]

Steve McQueen is an almost faultless pop album. The first five or so tracks are quite awesome. Desire As comes in later down the album play list and it's got a lovely laid back groove. It builds slowly and Paddy McAloon's vocals are sweet. It's a nice track, make no mistake.

from Steve McQueen (Kitchenware Records)



  Mike: I love Prefab Sprout and Paddy is a great songwriter. Having said this, I do think I would love the band and their output even more were Paddy's vocals LESS SWEET! I mean, just about everything in their entire output seems to be bathed in honey, syrup, or treacle from his sugar-lined voicebox.
  kkkerplunkkk: Yes but isn't that the point of Prefab Sprout? That it was the sweetest pop you could taste. The best love song writer I've ever heard.
Did You Give The World Some Love Today, Baby  performed by Doris  1970
Recommended by Pal [profile]

One of the best tracks ever recorded in Sweden, the whole album is actually fantastic!

from Did You Give The... (Odeon 062-34193)
available on CD - Did You Give The World Some Love Today, Baby (Emi Sweden)



Die, All Right!  performed by The Hives  1999
Recommended by tempted [profile]

This song makes me wanna EXPLODE whenever I put it on. Think The Sonics' version of "Have Love Will Travel" with the punky rawness of The Stooges. Except that this song is even more brutally groovy! And the group dress real nicely.

from Veni, Vidi, Vicious (Burning Heart)
available on CD - See above!



Dig up her bones  performed by The Misfits
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

Dark and grim,great riffs and vocal ability. A twisted Love song.




Dinnertime  performed by Spiderbait  1999
Recommended by n-jeff [profile]

Its 4 tracks into the CD, and after one of the fluffy pop numbers, so it quite takes you by surprise when a guitar kicks in of such rawness that it feels like small blisters are erupting over your eardrums.
In come the bass and drums, and the girly vocals (Janet presumably) with a nice sarcastic tone. The sarcasm seems to be a feature of the band.
Threres also a triffic 1980 style disco remix on the extra CD, for extra amusement. To be honest I love the whole LP, it has nice fat drums, lovely rolling bass, and they aren't afraid to use the technology, it was hard to pick one song out, but this one had the edge for Janets voice and that ruff guitar. God I love Fuzz.

Oddly the person who played the CD to me first dismissed them as just another Oz-Rock band. Nah, way off the mark.

from Grand Slam, available on CD




  n-jeff: My 4 year old daughter worked out enough of the CD player controls to play the disco remix back to back about twenty times over this weekend. Still sounds great.
Dirty Harry  performed by Gorillaz
Recommended by sungoddess [profile]

It took me a long, long while to �get� Gorillaz. Oh come on, who didn�t like �Clint Eastwood�? I dunno, having sunshine in a bag is a nice lyric to repeat when people are pissing you and your shit off� yet, �Clint Eastwood� didn�t make me a fan.

No, in fact, no Gorillaz track did more to bring me into the fold than �Dirty Harry�, with its amazing keyboards, bassline and children�s chorale�

It�s just been a while since I�ve come across pop music that was so far off the beaten track, that it redefines what is �mainstream�. This is always fun for music lovers, but once again goes to prove that noone with taste thinks the cookie cutter approach to popular music is the right way.

Well I�m a Gorillaz fan now, maybe three or four years late, but I�m a fan for sure. �Demon Days� has quickly jumped up to �Heavy Rotation� status in my last.fm and musicmobs profiles in a heart beat.

It�s weird, because someone brought a pre-release copy of �Demon Days� for me way back in April, but I listened to it a few times and then ignored it, forgot it for the most part (if you ignore the iconic billboards and posters everywhere across London). I�m famous for that though, I tend to err on the side of not believing the hype, a la Public Enemy.

It was only about three or four weeks ago, after my flatmate�s accidental stop on the �Dirty Harry� video one night, while I was in another room working.

Said keyboards, bass line and chorale, made me stop what I was doing, get up and go into the living room, calling incredulously as I went, �What are you listening to?�

That my friends, is all Big Mami wrote on the matter�

from Demon Days


Disco 2000  performed by Pulp
Recommended by daniela_por [profile]

Happy dance-pop song about a high school love.




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!
Do Like I Do  performed by Kim Weston  196?
Recommended by BlueEyedYe-Ye [profile]

Quite possibly the most beautiful soul ballad of the late 60s.... despite being a slow song it is incredibly uplifting.... it speaks of holding out for someone you truly love when temptation surrounds you, which fits perfectly with my mindset. "Just remember that lovers have sorrow.... just remember we'll make up tomorrow". Immensely touching, beautiful and timeless.


available on CD - Greatest Hits And Rare Classics (CD) (Spectrum/Universal)


Do You Know The Way To San Jose?  performed by Bossa Rio  1969
Recommended by konsu [profile]

WOW! We all know how much the brazillians love Burt, well, this is a fine example of how well he was interpreted by the south.



They keep the original arrangement but spice it up a bit with snappy side-stick beat and pumped-up organ stabs ala' Wanderley.The singers are (I believe) Gracinha Leporace & Pery Ribeiro,and they harmonize beautifully as Manfredo Fest rythmically taps his organ paired with piano in a sumptuous unison.They carry the song along in gradually ascending stages of bliss,until they drop away only to build "Do-you -know-the-ways"in an rounded refrain to finsh it off...Absolutely gorgeous! Produced by Sergio Mendes in his imitable style!!!Also check out their version of "Up, Up, And Away", from the same LP.

from Bossa Rio, available on CD



Do You Love Me?  performed by The Contours
Recommended by ajhorse21 [profile]

Disco, dance, superficial, but SO fun! Who hasn't heard this song a million times? It's still great!




Don’t Answer Me  performed by Cilla Black  1965
Recommended by Flippet [profile]

This is one of the supreme examples of the ballad genre that Cilla Black excelled in during the 1960s. An exquisite song of love gone wrong, the track demonstrates the full depth, quality and range of Cilla's extraordinary voice - from the delicate soft tones to the full powered belt. A huge hit for Cilla in 1965, reaching #5 in the UK Top 40.


available on CD - The Best Of Cilla Black


Don’t Believe a Word  performed by Thin Lizzy
Recommended by sixstringman [profile]

Much like 10cc's "I'm Not in Love", this song is about someone denying that he is in love, but the song betrays him!




Don’t Fade Away  performed by Dead Can Dance  1996
Recommended by Archipelago [profile]

This is one of those songs that you put on when you want to sit back, relax, and float away to somewhere warm and safe.

A friend of mine once told me that she had an out-of-body experience to this song as she was meditating.

This is a song that I put on a mixed tape to give to a lover once as a way of showing that I would be there with her through it all, accompanying her journey as you explore the realms of love and life.


available on CD - Toward the Within (4AD)


Don’t Talk to Me About Love  performed by Altered Images  1983
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

By late 1983, when Altered Images' third and final album, Bite, was released, Altered Images were already dead in the water. The group had never made any particular headway in the US, where their blend of Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Monkees (not to mention Claire Grogan's bizarre, baby-talk hiccup of a singing voice) was just a little too weird for mainstream tastes, and in their native UK, their colorful look and bubblegummy 1982 singles "I Could Be Happy" and "See Those Eyes" had forever typecast them as a kiddie-pop band. Grogan was already branching off in her second career as an actress (she played the title role in Bill Forsyth's 1982 cult classic Gregory's Girl), and Bite seemed like a mere contractual obligation. For the most part, it sounds like it, too, but the brilliant single "Don't Talk To Me About Love," which led off side two, was a welcome surprise, and possibly the best song they ever did. Mike Chapman's production recalls his work with Blondie, while the disco-tinged electronic beat, chicken-scratch electric guitar part and rubbery, melodic bass part all sound closer to New Order's "Blue Monday" than Bananarama's "Cruel Summer." Grogan herself is in an entirely different mood than usual, with her newly-lowered singing voice (and slightly improved enunciation) displaying a rueful, almost petulant edge that suits the cranky lyrics. Only at the very end does she shoot into her usual helium-pitched unintelligibility, with an air of "See, I can still do this, I just choose not to anymore." Coupled with the most indelible chorus of the band's entire career, it all adds up to a minor masterpiece. Sadly, however, nobody wanted to know.
(AMG)

from Bite (Portrait 25413)
available on CD - Bite...Plus (Edsel)


Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright  performed by Bob Dylan  1963
Recommended by cstrehse [profile]

This track is folk music, with acoustic guitar and harmonica accompanying Dylan's vocals. I love it because of the sound, as well as the message of the video. Dylan is politely telling his ex how he feels about the terrible way he treated her.

from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan


Don't Go Breaking my Heart  performed by Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A beautifully gentle and textured version of this song, led by some great group harmony vocals. These are backed by a gentle bossa nova beat, electric harpsichord, and strings which sweep in and out. Gentle and addictive listening.

from Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends (A&M)
available on CD - Complete (Polydor Japan)




  rum: Oh there�s certainly no denying it, this track has an irresistibly seductive melody but there�s no chance I�d be seduced. Oh rum, you�re just being silly, she�d say, �don�t make a mountain out of a grain of sand�� silly?! I caught you in bed with the Mayor of Pensacola, Florida� this is no grain of sand my dear! But rum, it was just one time, a silly mistake, �one drop of rain doesn�t make the sun run away�, does it? Are you mad? What kind of reasoning is that? 17, 18� eighty-seven drops of rain wouldn�t either. So what are you trying to tell me? Am I to hold out for a rainstorm of two-timing before getting in a huff? The summer of love ended last September. This is 1968, the year of revolution, of fighting in the streets, of� but then she�d put her finger on your lips, �DON�T� go breaking my heart�� and look up at you with the innocence of a wee lamb. Oh, you so want to forgive her. Maybe I�ll give her just one more chance, it is such a beautiful melody� �I�ll love you till the sky falls down, even then� you�ll remain in my heart� Ahh, no, no, I�m not falling for that. I�m not an idiot, that�s impossible. Now I know you�re having me on. I�m not getting caught in your web of lies you, you, you� Your melody maybe sweet but your argument stinks. Go on get out, strumpet! ��come to my arms, forever�� No, no, clear off. ��teach my heart how to smile?...� OUT!
Don't look down  performed by Divine Comedy  1996
Recommended by phil [profile]

An outrageously ambitious number by a 24-year old - an opening awash with horns, before a ridiculous set of lyrics in which Neil goes up in a big wheel with his girl, only to meet God at the top of the revolution, whereupon he tries to argue with him. Neil is on sparkling form, crying with disgust

and the couple in the car above
well I suppose they think that we're in love


Before continuing (his eye must ache with all this winking)...

Then without warning, as we approach the top
The wheel that turns us all comes to a sudden stop


This song also has the greatest cliffhanger ending in rock. Go and listen - you'd be crazy not to. THe rest of this album is brilliant too.

from Promenade (Setanta SETCD013)



Don�t talk (put your head on my shoulder)  performed by The Beach Boys  1966
Recommended by Mike [profile]

A song whose verse is achingly beautiful for its harmony, melody and arrangement - so much that it stopped me in my tracks when I heard it playing in a record shop recently. Interestingly it took me many years of familiarity to really appreciate this track, which is in stark contrast to "God Only Knows", which I have loved since the first time I heard it.

from Pet Sounds, available on CD


Don�t Want To Know  performed by John Martyn  1973
Recommended by gregcaz [profile]

Starts out quietly, acoustic guitar playing the theme, joined quickly by discreet electric piano and stand-up bass, then Martyn's low, growly-yet-soulful voice starts repeating the chorus ("I don't wanna know about evil/Only want to know about love") like a mantra. Halfway through, the rhythm section kicks in, and you find yourself singing along to said mantra. Highly effective and very memorable.

from Solid Air, available on CD



Dracula i love you  performed by Tuca
Recommended by moondog [profile]

If anyone ever wondered why Francoise Hardy never did an album as good as La Question this woman might well be the answer. For it was Tuca that was responsible for, well as i have figured out at least, the songs, production and string arrangements on that particular album. Tuca only made three albums herself, all of which is flawed, but at her best shows her influence on the la question album. With a voice somewhere between nara leao and joyce her songs really did come onto her own on her last album Dracula i love you. The title track is a haunting ballad that almost sounds if Kate Bush had been born in Brazil. Well, nearly i must add because i had so high expectations after the la question album so i was a bit disappointed when i heard her albums. But you could only imagine what great music Tuca could have done. This track at least shows her enormous potential and a sense of atmosphere that i haven´t heard from any other brazilian artist. Tuca tragically died in 1978 after trying losing weight to fast. Does anyone know more about her?

from Dracula i love you


Dreamboat  performed by Mirah  2001
Recommended by mattishere [profile]

lovely indie song by Mirah





Dreams Never End  performed by New Order  1981
Recommended by Genza [profile]

New Order fans always love Technique. So do I. Some prefer Brotherhand, Lowlife - or the substandard Republic. But for me, there's only one Movement.

Slated by critics for sounding like a doomy post Joy Division clone - the album actually benefits from sharp rhythm guitar and sustained synth chords.

Key moment is the awesome Dreams Never End. The song thrashes around like a caged beast. And it's only brought down by bass player Peter Hook's dreary singing - but hey, I can live with that.

from Movement (Factory Fact 50)



  delicado: This track is utterly spine-tingling. I like the Technique album, but it really doesn't have the intensity of the best early tracks. It's worth noting that this track sounds instrumentally exactly like mid-80s Cure.
  zazz: erm.....dreams never end is a masterpiece for the very reason that hookies vocals are in stark contrast ....probably my favourite new order/joy division track...probably an accidental classic.
Drops of Jupiter  performed by Train  20??
Recommended by kayteecat [profile]

I love how upbeat but still soft this song is! The lyrics are incredible!

from Drops of Jupiter


Drowned World / Substitute for Love  performed by Madonna  1998
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Ray of Light


Drowse  performed by Queen  1976
Recommended by Ozmala [profile]

Not sure what to say about this one. It makes me feel sick. In a good way. It's very beautiful, especially when you listen to the lyrics, and � well, it just makes me feel like I've had too much candy, or like I'm bloated on wistfullness. His (Roger Taylor's) voice is very emotional. The slide guitar is lovely, too.

from A Day at the Races (Hollywood Records)


Du e f�r fin f�r mig  performed by dungen  2004
Recommended by olli [profile]

Outstanding Swedish psychpop, sounds like the aural lovechild of an orgy between sigur ros, hansson & karlsson and radiohead's karma police. gorgeous stringwork. ends in a psychedelic freakout.
the whole album is pretty good (imo the best swedish record of 2004), don't hesitate to buy the swedish import if you come across it..






  tempted: This is indeed great! Dungen deserve 100% of the attention he has received stateside recently. Ta Det Lugnt reminds me of another one of the great psych-pop albums of all time which is S.F. Sorrow by The Pretty Things. Although Dungen perhaps comes from a sunnier place and definitely from the Swedish woods. I don't think Radiohead and Dungen have much in common, though. There are so many colours to psychedelia...
  olli: don't get me wrong, i'm not saying dungen sounds like radiohead...just that this particular song shares some musical texture with karma police
Duchess  performed by Scott Walker
Recommended by camus [profile]

I don't think there is any middle ground with old Scott. Love him/hate him

I originally started to listen to him because of recommendations from Julian Cope, not personally, from his book, Head on/Repossessed, a great rock'n'roll read.

To me This is Scott at his best, balancing well his mesmerising voice, with his world weary poetic lyrics, not too over produced, a beatiful ballad.

sample Lyric " You shed your names with the seasons, still they all return with their last remains, and they lay them before you... like reasons...."


available on CD - Kaza the Ultimate Scott


E. T. (Futuristic Lover)  performed by Katy Perry ft. Kanye West  2011
Recommended by ESC_Dream [profile]

Probably her best song. ;)

from Teenage Dream, available on CD


Easter Parade  performed by The Faith Brothers
Recommended by tonyharte [profile]

During the early days of 1982, I was as a 'wet behind the ears' 19 year old suddenly sent to a faraway war in the (previously unheard of) Falkland Islands. This deeply haunting, passionate and heart-rendering track by the much missed Faith Brothers, encapsulates much of the mood, confusion, passion, patriotic pride and dark bitter reality of that horrific time. Now no longer naive at 42, my mind still screams and my heart still aches ... as I listen .. and remember.

Along with 'And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' (Eric Bogle, The Pogues et al), I believe 'Easter Parade' to be the finest song ever written about the utter desperation of war ... and life after the tea and medals have been dished out.

Would love to know if any Faith Brothers music is available on CD. (Tapes worn out and faded in the sun - a bit like me!). Can anyone help?

from Eventide



  Mr Greedy: I have some Faith Brothers tracks on MP3 format (Easter Parade, Fulham Court, A Stranger On Homeground, Eventide). How can I get them to you? Mr G.
  tonyharte: Many thanks - your not so Greedy at all! However, since my original post, the very kind Faith Bros frontman Billy Franks has sorted me out with a CD. He's a top lad - check out his solo stuff too. Regards and keep on keeping on! TonyH
  watford7: How can I get my hands on a DVD copy of Eventide? Does anyone have In The Country of the Blind on CD? Recommendation: Welcome To Comboland (collection of great songs from Raleigh/Greensboro/Athens area of US, some genius songs. Watford7
  TDQ: LOVED the Faith Brothers, saw them in Dublin many years ago with the Alarm and was bowled over. AM DESPERATE to get MP3s or CD`s of any of their work, happy to pay too. So if anyone can help, please please mail me on [email protected] Oh and Fulham Court was wasted as a Bside, my fave FB track, would love to hear it again... sniff sniff... Have vinyls but no way of playing them! Glenn
  tonyharte: TDQ - I went to billyfranks.com and then emailed him directly. He was happy to send CDs. I responded with a donation, but really, he does it out of kindness. Dead right about Fulham Court!
  eddie: I am dying to get hold of the album, eventide I think its called, the one with the burning broken statue on the front. My dad used to play this album all the time when I was his little tom boy! Wanted to get it for Fathers Day. Know he would be really surprised!! Does anyone have it on CD/MP3? Have checked out ebay and amazon to no avail :(
  eddie: Hoorah!!!! I went to billyfranks.com and downloaded it!! Brilliant!!!! :)
  tonyharte: Well done young Eddie! Your dad is clearly a man of good taste. You've make me feel mighty old now though. T'Internet is a wonderful thing ... sometimes.
  eddie: Indeed! We danced to it for hours when i was a little girl back in the 80's, and the look on his face was priceless when i started playing it! Brilliant again!!!! :)
Eat Yourself  performed by Goldfrapp  2008
Recommended by robert[o] [profile]

My favorite track from the latest Goldfrapp LP.
The song takes AM-Radio sunshine pop and exposes the concept to English psychedelic folk at its most radioactive.
The resulting mutation is both sexy and ominous.
The groove is languid, but insistent.
The samples and the synths sound dusty/dirty.
The strings/guitars/harps brood luxuriously.
And then there is Allison's lovely/creepy voice/melody: all woozy sex appeal and little girl menace.
It sounds like that image from the film "Blue Velvet" - lovely summer lawn under which throbs thousands of huge bugs.
Wonderfully slurred....

from Seventh Tree


Edge of Reality  performed by Elvis Presley  1968
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

A quasi-psychedelic throwaway from one of Elvis' later, cheesier movies. This song in particular gets a bad rap because it's presented in an ultra-campy dream sequence with groovy go-go dancers writhing and a man pouncing about in a dog costume. But I'm addicted to the song itself, which has a gorgeous arrangement with harpsichords, punchy trumpets and pillow-soft backup vocals by The Love Generation (who also sang on The Partridge Family's hits). And Elvis' vocal performance is more gutsy than you would imagine at this stage in his career. Worth seeking out!

from Live A Little, Love A Little (RCA)
available on CD - Command Performances - The Essential 60's Masters 2 (RCA)



  n-jeff: Funnily enough for a long time this was the only song I could remember from the film, which we have on vid. It was only after we got the "Oceans 11" OST that I realised "A little less conversation" was from a later party scene. So at this stage of his career, Elvis was actually making some pretty groovy music. And I love the cheesy dream sequence, too.
Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell  performed by The Flaming Lips  2002
Recommended by pleasepleaseme [profile]

Funky Rock. Nice Title! Sweet Lyrics. And i love the Beach Boys break. Move over George Martin!
Is this the best concept album since "Dark Side Of The Moon / Wish You Were Here". Or Maybe even "�Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/�Magical Mystery Tour"? Very Trippy Rock! Nice electronics. How do you sound like Neal Young, Bread, America, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, David Bowie, Beach Boys and the Beatles all at once? You can hear the full album through the thier site: www.flaminglips.com
Super Generous & Super Talented. One of the most beautifully produced albums ever!
POP HEAVEN! "Light Side of the Moon" for the new millennia.

from Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, available on CD



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)



elevator love letter  performed by stars
Recommended by morning belle [profile]




Eloise  performed by The Damned
Recommended by elfslut [profile]

Here is a song that was done better when it was covered. This is a non-lp track, that the damned did in the mid 80's. Not only is it catchy, but you can't help but love the haunting voice of Dave Vanian.

from Light at the End of the Tunnel



  inbloom44: The Damned at their best.
Ely Arcoverde Quarteto  performed by Ely Arcoverde  1965
Recommended by sodapop650 [profile]

Ely Arcoverde is a Brazilian organist. His sound is similar to Ze Maria but not as chime-like and almost even a church-organ sound at times. I love this LP because it has a real low meditative sound. It is a quality I find in much of the music from Bahia as opposed to that from the south. The quarteto inludes organ, drums, bass and - a quality that I love alongside the organ - an accoustic guitar. It is mostly instrumental with some vocals similar to the way Jorge Ben would just make repetetive humming and moaning noises in his early LPs. The whole record has a very dark and mysterious feel - sad and lonely the perfect LP for the dark just the light from the stereo tubes flickering. It is available on ebay a lot, it is Ely's most popular LP and it should run you about $50 - 75.

from Ely Arcoverde Quarteto (RGE RXLP-5.279)


En vieillissant peut-être ...  performed by Arnaud Fleurent Didier
Recommended by moondog [profile]

I adore this man. A-D-O-R-E. But i seem to be quite alone in doing this outside france. And i can´t figure out why. For my money he (pardon my language)pisses all over katerine, benjamin biolay, divine comedy and louis phillipe etc. In fact the closest description of his music would be if The Divine Comedy came from france. Perhaps Arnaud is the kind of artist that you either go totally nuts about or you don´t get it all. A bit like Prefab Sprout. So, to pick any track is virtually impossible since i love nearly everything he has done but i go for "En vieillisant peut-etre" from his towering masterpiece "Portrait du jeune homme en artiste".

from Portrait du jeune, available on CD



  delicado: hi there... well, you converted me to this guy pretty much immediately after playing it to me as well. I was then amazed to find no one really talking about him. where did you hear about him first of all? Did he do a follow up LP yet?
  moondog: Hi, glad you liked it, well i first heard of him on the site www.poppolar, a sympathetic canadian indiemailorder site which distrubutes his records. I think i crammed in the best of what he has done for you, both the Notre Dame album "Chansons Francaises" which preceeded the portrait de jeune cd and some other tracks. He has done one cd with singer ema Derton called "Comment de l`amour" under Notre Dame as well but it�s not up to the standard of the other ones i mentioned since her voice is quite weak. At www.frenchtouche.com you can see about all his projects and other french artists.
  texjernigan: I'm with you guys on the love. I started talking with Arnaud Fleurent Didier because his record label, french touche, seems to be run by him. I find it really hard to get this music by ANY means (rapidshare, slsk, etc). The label has been hit or miss (I've lost $20) Where have the two of you gotten a hold of it?
  texjernigan: I take it back nevermind, french touche records has awesome service.
  moondog: good to see another afd fan. Well, texjernigan i got my first afd records from poppolar.com but after that french touche has worked well. I still scratch my head on why arnaud seems to be so completely unknow outside france. But perhaps that explains the lack of slsk, radpidshare on his behalf. From what i have heard there is a new longplayer in the works called "la reproduction". i have mailed arnaud but gotten no answer, do you know more tex jernigan perhaps ?
  moondog: And his new record is on its way now, sounds unsurprisingly amazing ; arnaudfleurentdidier.com/lareproduction/
  moondog: and now the new album finally is here, Listen here and swoon ; publikart.net/album-de-la-semaine-la-reproduction-d%E2%80%99arnaud-fleurent-didier-en-libre-ecoute
Endless Love  performed by Piero Piccioni  1970
Recommended by leonthedog [profile]

Might just well be the most dreamy, seductive, sexy song imaginable. Too bad it's only a bit over two
minutes long. From one of the million Italian thriller soundtracks that are, thank God, now available.


available on CD - Colpo Rovente (OST) (Easy Tempo)



England 2 Columbia 0  performed by Kirsty MacColl  2000
Recommended by komodo [profile]

A superb tale of wronged love and wounded pride performed with a mighty swagger, drenched in latin rhythms and horns, but with that bittersweet humour and English setting that have been hallmark's of Kirsty's whole career.

There are so many songs from Kirsty that I love in so many musical styles, but the "Tropical Brainstorm" album is really the best thing she ever did. She has absorbed the influences from her travels in Latin America, but the album is no pastiche, it is pure MacColl. Whilst occasionally missing its mark, it has so many fine, joyful and wryly funny moments, and, to me, all the signs of an artist entering a new, fiercely creative and joyful stage of her career.

Sadly we will never know where Kirsty's musical journey would have taken her.

from Tropical Brainstorm, available on CD


eternity  performed by paul haig  1983
Recommended by lhoda kblerz [profile]

optimistic synth pop from the early eighties that is the perfect track to play directly after hearing "white car in germany" by the associates.Paul Haig made a few near perfect pop songs that got nowhere ,millions of people can be so wrong

from the warp of pure fun


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


Ever Fallen in Love?  performed by The Buzzcocks  1979
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

This song is awesome. It's like an anti-love song. Everybody, I think, has fallen in love with someone they shouldn't have fallen in love with at some point in their life.

from Singles Going Steady (4 Men With)



Everyday I Write the Book  performed by Elvis Costello  1983
Recommended by geezer [profile]

In which Costello lands the role of Smokey Robinson,a bittersweet lament to the unluckiest man in love in the style of The Miracles at their best,the usual lyrical brilliance assisted by the wonderfully eclectic Attractions,a pop masterpiece in the form of homage to one of his own idols

from Punch The Clock
available on CD - Punch the Clock


Everything That Touches You  performed by The Association  1968
Recommended by john_l [profile]

This is the sound of ecstasy, the most joyful song to ever hit the charts! Quite unlike the mope-rock of recent decades (although I like the Smiths too). It just rings out, I think because it has a very heavy emphasis on the "dominant" musical tone.

The Association, of course, had several huge hits in the 1966-68 period, like "Cherish", "Windy", and "Never My Love", and the also-wonderful "Along Comes Mary" (their debut), but in my opinion "Everything That Touches You" is definitely their best.

from Greatest Hits, available on CD



  konsu: Yes indeed! Birthday is such a great album. I think this one was a minor hit for them, but the rest of this record is just as worthy of exhaltations. Check out the tune "Like Always" as well. Pure genius!!
  tinks: i heart birthday. but then again, i heart the association. even stop your motor.
  ronin: Their interweaving vocal harmonies still blow me away, especially on songs such as this one, my personal fave. "Insight Out" was 1st album we ever purchased independent of parents. "Requiem for the Masses" is another powerful harmonic tour de force. Who sings (not yells) like this anymore? Every member of the group (even Brian!) sang.
  Goes Up To 11: My then-girlfriend (now wife) and I had breakfast with the Association at about 2 am in the Atlanta Hyatt-Regency's coffee shop after a concert at Georgia Tech in 1969 or 1970. Nice guys! Although the Association took a lot of critical heat in the years since, I remember them as extremely professional musicians, able to precisely recreate their complex studio vocal harmonies live in concert. Part of the reason may have been that they were the first band I remember employing a mixing board out in the audience during a concert, something that became standard practice in the industry within a few years afterwards.
Fadeaway  performed by Laika and the Cosmonauts  1990
Recommended by delicado [profile]

No one talks about this band much. Not in my experience, anyway. It's all instrumental, so I guess they're not for people who are lost without vocals and lyrics. But have a listen - to me they really seem utterly superb. I would love to see them live.

I only have a couple of albums, but they're great. This one was released in 1996 (shit - that was 9 years ago!), but recorded in 1990. Really beautiful twangy surf-pop that fits in perfectly with the whole David Lynch mood that I find so appealing. The album is an intoxicating mix of energetic surf tracks and slower, more atmospheric ones like this. Their recent 'Local Warming' album is great too. Can anyone recommend me any more of their tracks?

from Zero Gravity, available on CD



  olli: Yeah, they're certainly one of the better neo-surf acts out there. See Laika! Se Laika run! Go laika, go!
Faith Hope and Charity  performed by Tony Kingston  1973
Recommended by john_l [profile]

An absolutely lovely smooth soul/pop ballad, and I'm someone who usually hates such things (if it's from the last couple of decades anyway). Did I mention it was smooth? His vocal especially. No idea where to find it, but a series called "Vintage Canadian Music" has released his other single "I Am The Preacher" (which I once saw Deep Purple do under the name "Hallelujah" on the tube) on one of their CDs, so I am hopeful ... hint, hint!




Falling Apart  performed by Zebrahead  2003
Recommended by amlan [profile]

Love the music and guitaring
I like coz its my type of music
I lyk screaming(sensible)along with the song




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)



Famous Last Words  performed by Tears For Fears  1989
Recommended by Colinator [profile]

I recomend this song for a 'lower mood', aswell as the album this song appears on, called: 'the Seeds of Love'.


available on CD - the Seeds of Love


fell down the stairs  performed by tilly and the wall  2004
Recommended by lexie [profile]

geeetars, synthesizers and tap dancers + pop-ish happy sound=amazing. what more is there to say? this song was lovely live, as well.

from Wild Like children


fell in love at 22  performed by starflyer 59
Recommended by olli [profile]

I'm not usually too big on this kind of indie pop, but this is just gorgeus. Melancholy lyrics, slow picked guitar, piano, church hall ambience...This could have been just about a zillion bands, yet it manages to have a voice of its own.
Just a great song for me right now.

Sounds eerily similar to Magnet, though.






  Ricard: Christian Rock... aaaggghh!
  olli: Yeah, i know, they're christian.. So was Johnny Cash. it's not like they're spreading propaganda or anything,and this happens to be a minor classic. The fact that I don't share the personal beliefs of the artists involved has never stopped me from listening to interesting music.. I'm not too narrowminded to shy away from music by buddhists, nazis, italians from the 80's, satanists, mooncat-worshippers or even christians, and neither should you be.
  rum: I agree olli. Good music is good music whoever's playing it. Narrow-mindedness will only lead to bitterness in old age, bemoaning all the great things you missed out on. I must confess though, ages ago I did once judge little known 80s Bristolian band, the Waxing Gibbons on their MoonCat worshipping beliefs. A mate of mine was really into them, but I was having none of it, wouldn't listen to their, "mumbo jumbo music". Then one time he played some stuff without me knowing who it was, and I was like, "woah, what is THIS?!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Absolutely awful.
  Ricard: Hmmm. You sound like some sort of preacher to me Olli... a Christian Preacher!!! Using the innocent world of Musical Taste to spread your sinister "Italians from the 80's" message to society's more susceptible elements. Despicable
  olli: Magnificent creatures, mooncats. Indeed. Take a look for yourself: http://www.mooncatstudio.com.tw/fu.jpg
Fell in Love at 22  performed by Starflyer 59  1998
Recommended by avalyn [profile]

a wee lush love song that makes me turn into a puddle without fail. very dreamy and ethereal, and it has a gorgeous melody too... so if you're into that brand of guitar pop, you'll dig this.

from The Fashion Focus, available on CD



  konsu: Already recommended, only with olli's "mooncat style" lower case spelling... While you are there, observe if you will the ensuing religious commentary thread. One of the more entertaining on the site so far.
  avalyn: heh. merci for letting me know. i'll keep me nose to the ground then, and just watch from afar. (religious thread -- would it have to do with them being on Tooth on Nail or summat?)
Fim de Semana em Guaruja  performed by Os Tres Brasilieiros  1969
Recommended by tinks [profile]

A lovely, gentle samba with wordless three-part mixed harmonies, gently swinging organ and subtle percussion.

from Brazil: LXIX (Capitol ST-301)




  delicado: I still don't have this album (and it just sold for a whopping $79 on ebay!) but from the picture on the back cover, I'd say this is definitely the same group as Os 3 Morais.
  tinks: 79 bucks! i paid a quarter! i listened to the clip on your morais recommendation, and it definitely sounds like the same people. mystery solved!
find a new way  performed by young love  2006
Recommended by Moriah [profile]

it's fun, has a dancy vibe and dan keyes has great vocals.




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)


Flowers And Beads  performed by Iron Butterfly  1968
Recommended by john_l [profile]

Not everybody remembers this, but the "other" side of the famous "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" album featured five rather terrific songs. And this one has "cool passion" written all over it, because the lyrics are straight-ahead I'm-in-love-and-I'm-almost-tongue-tied-about-it but within a medium-paced 6/8 framework rather than a frantic groove. Meanwhile the organ and the choir-like backing vocals give it a lot of warmth. So it sounds like what I'm saying is that it manages to be both cool and warm at the same time. That may not make sense, but it's a great song off a classic LP.

Incidentally, rock writer Dave Marsh in one of his reviews said "It's now garbage" about this LP. Bullfeathers! It's still a classic. It makes me wonder what Marsh thinks is not garbage these days -- misogynous rubbish about ho's and bitches perhaps?

from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, available on CD


Fly High  performed by Cotton Casino  2004
Recommended by n-jeff [profile]

A solo single from a member of Japanese space rock collective Acid Mothers Temple. For them she plays Synthesiser (a nice old Roland) Cigarettes and Beer. On this she also sings.
Its a strange sounding thing, theres no bass or even much lower mid range. Echo'd synthesiser, a very old sounding drum box, and vocals all occupying the same accoustic space to very psychedelic effect. But yet, very poppy, the vocals stay with you for ages.
Lovely stuff.

from its a single
available on CD - we love cotton (silly boy)


Fools in Love  performed by Inara George
Recommended by mellocello [profile]

A beautifully lilting modern waltz. Bittersweet fingerpicked guitar in the background and a wonderful haunting voice, I'm assuming Inara George herself. I'd love to learn more about the artist. A beautiful song of the bitter side of love, "fools in love they think they're heroes, because they get to feel no pain, i say fools are lovers' heroes, i should know, i should know because this fool's in love again." I just love songs like this. I first heard it watching Grey's Anatomy. So I looked on Amazon at the playlist for the soundtrack and found it. Definitely a great song in my book.
She has a website: www.inarageorge.com and unfortunately she just finished a tour.

from Grey's Anatomy Soundtrack


For Love  performed by Lush  1992
Recommended by parlop [profile]

"this is so real, it's what i feel. i look in your eyes and lose myself" this song is a great dream-poppy ditty about someone falling in love with falling in love... which is kind of cheesy in a sense... but Lush just does it so amazingly. I really like how this band really embraces their girly-ness and doesn't try to act like their trying to keep up with the boys as many female-led bands from their era were doing. the background vocals are amazingly beautiful as are the guitar solos. There's a nice, lush, romantic feeling received from listening to this song. the imagery from the aforementioned lyric is very nice as well.

from Spooky (4ad)


For my lover  performed by Tracy Chapman  1987
Recommended by alexr [profile]

The song is one of those songs you hear and hear and you can still hear after all these years without getting tired of it.

Why I like it so much? Hmm the question I should ask is, who doesn't like it so much???
When you are tired, you go home, light a candle, close your eyes, and listen to Chapman's song. It will take you to another dimension, Chapman's dimension. -a.

from Tracy Chapman, available on CD



  danko: is this a joke?
  tinks: I think Chapman's dimension is located somewhere off Exit 73 of the Jersey Turnpike.
For The Love Of God (orchestral version)  performed by Steve Vai  2007
Recommended by guitarMan666 [profile]

The song is a remake of one of Vai's most famous pieces. The first part of the song is solo oboe (or maybe soprano sax) with harp accompaniment followed by a louder section where the guitar (played by Steve himself) takes over.

from Sound Theories (Epic 88697 107142)
available on CD - Sound Theories Disc One (Epic)


For Years And Years (Cathy)  performed by Tai Phong  1975
Recommended by john_l [profile]

This must be the epitome of French progressive rock, a (mostly) languid song made by piano and organ on top of the usual rock instrumentation. There is a short fast/noisy bit just before the middle that jars a bit, but basically you want to just lie back and relax while listening to this track, it's so mellow and lovely. Also recommended: "St. John's Avenue" and "The Gulf Of Knowledge" from their second LP "Windows".

from Tai Phong (WEA)


Forgetting You  performed by James Carr  1966
Recommended by tinks [profile]

The epitome of deep Memphis soul. The hurt evident in Carr's voice is absolutely unimaginable. Carr's story is a strange one. He is best known for recording the original version of the Penn-Moman composition "At the Dark End of the Street", a song which comes as close as possible to being considered a soul "standard", and of course, his version is the one by which all others are measured. His vocal range and intensity is comparable only to Otis Redding and Percy Sledge, and in my opinion, completely surpasses both of them. He suffered from a mental illness that on one hand allowed him to channel pain like few others have ever been able to. On the other, it led to serious instability and crippling stage fright which buried his career before it ever really started. He was also functionally illiterate, but you'd never know it based on the raw emotion he put forth in his recordings. On this song, he pleads with a lover to stay with him so that he won't have to try and forget her. Absolutely heartwrenching stuff. "I've done you wrong/now you are gone/but what can I do?/Don't make me live/the rest of my life/forgetting you."

from You Got My Mind Messed Up (Vivid Sound)
available on CD - The Essential James Carr (Razor & Tie)



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.




Free Love  performed by Depeche Mode  2001
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Exciter


Friday I’m In Love  performed by The Cure  1992
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Friday I'm In Love


fridays i’m in love  performed by the cure
Recommended by basil rathbone [profile]




Friend[Lover]  performed by Evenings
Recommended by DeathandHarmony [profile]




Frozen Love  performed by Buckingham-Nicks
Recommended by jct [profile]




Frozen Orange Juice  performed by Peter Sarstedt  1969
Recommended by john_l [profile]

Best known for "Where Do You Go To My Lovely", which is a sad French or Italian-sounding song, the followup "Frozen Orange Juice" is a delightfully happy Spanish-sounding song, i.e. the exact opposite (lyrics of both songs reference the European nations listed above). It lopes along in 6/8 time with orchestral flourishes galore, particularly on strings, although horns, woodwinds and harp are also evident. Brilliant!


available on CD - Update


Fulham Court  performed by The Faith Brothers  198?
Recommended by TDQ [profile]

Uplifting yet raw, and very passionate, like evrything they ever did. It amazed me they never broke through, they were a cut above the rest of that genre. Would love any MP3s or if someone could point me to where I`d find a CD would be very grateful. Ah go on! Thanks! [email protected]

from Bside


funnel of love  performed by wanda jackson  1962
Recommended by olli [profile]

essential listening. psychedelic rockabilly doesn't get much better than this. check out the chanting in the background! the bells! the sitar-guitar sound! the drum pattern! wanda jackson's vocals! love it to death. can't believe i hadn't recommended it yet...


available on CD - rockin' with wanda




  jeanette: Woooh. I love Wanda and this is fairly atypical of her, but even better for it. It's in the film "But I'm A Cheerleader" too, one of the finest movies I've seen in the last few years. RuPaul is the greatest. After Wanda Jackson.
Gay  performed by Stephen Lynch  2000
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

I love this song! It is as much of a love song that a straight man can write to his gay friend. Stephen's close friend from childhood is gay so I'm sure he collaborated on this one... This tells the tale of consuming too much alcohol and losing all inhibitions "If I were gay, I would give you my heart. If I were gay, you'd be my work of art. And if I were gay, we would swim in romance, but I'm not gay so get your hand out of my pants".

from A Little Bit Special, available on CD


Georges V  performed by Les Georges Leningrad  2003
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

A band who specialise in "petrochemical sounds", burning up every musical regulation on their sole album (thus far). Their sound ranges from very off-kilter semi-melodic noise, of which this song is a good example, and, well, a din. I love it all. Although I know not much about them, this is the best new-release album I have bought this year. Enough to make even the most jaded "music offers no surprises anymore" type rush back to the turntable.

from Deux Hot Dogs Moutarde Chou, available on CD



Get a Room  performed by Jim O’Rourke  2001
Recommended by hewtwit [profile]

One of the finest songs to come from o'rourke's bacharachisation. Lovely changes, brilliant lyrics and an epic ending which is as depressing as it is funny.

from insignificance


Get It Up For Love  performed by David Cassidy  1975
Recommended by Flippet [profile]

Cassidy recorded this track as part of a suite of songs for his new record label in 1975. Attempting to redefine his image from teen idol to serious artist, this song was David's first new single. It is a perfect example of the west coast R&B sound popular at the time. A brilliant recording, the song was banned from radio airplay by the BBC as the title was too shocking. More likely was the fact that no-one understood who this "new" David Cassidy was. The banning of the song was solved by flipping the b-side to the a-side with the result that Cassidy's version of "I Write The Songs" became a huge hit for him internationally and later inspired the less sensitive and more commercial rendition of the song produced by Barry Manilow. David Cassidy at his best!

from The Higher They Climb The Harder They Fall, available on CD


get ready  performed by ella fitzgerald
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

this song rocks! i really love it. ella kicks ass on this smokey robinson cover. find it on the mod jazz or right on! comps. along with some other great stuff...




Get With You  performed by DMX Krew  1999
Recommended by StinkyMarco [profile]

This is a song by a one-man band, the DMX Krew. He's from England, and he uses only recording equipment and instruments that predate 1985. As you might guess, this guy has an affinity for a trademark 80s synth sound...but this song somewhat deviates from his normal style.
This song is fast, catchy as all get out, and features some of the most striking robot vocals I've ever heard in a song. There's a catchy guitar riff throughout, with a jet distortion sound that makes you feel like you're on an airplane, with a driving electronic beat under it that will make you want to move your head about. This song is just utterly fantastic. I work in a record store and have reccommended it to many people, and I've yet to meet a person who already knew this song...or that didn't instantly LOVE this song. I've gotten hoards of people hooked on this band.

from We Are DMX, available on CD



  frmars: Sigh... How dishonest one can be... Tempted � allured � by the short text above, I spent some time looking for this ignored genius that "hoards of people" got hooked on. I found myself with an extremely shallow new-wave, something half way between a tasteless copy of human league and a gross imitation of Howard Jones, with sometimes a talentless allusion to New order... Alas, the whole album is just a piece of... very very bad music.
  StinkyMarco: Sorry you didn't like it...I enjoyed it because its a cheesy synth setting that has somewhat desperate lyrics (simple and yet better than anything Human League could come up with)...But "dishonest" is hardly the case. It's a matter of taste, my discerning friend. If I were dishonest I would tell you to listen to this even though I personally think its crap (not the case--this is a reccomendatio, after all)...And yes, "hoards of people" is not an exagerration.
  delicado: Don't worry about it Marco - if you check out mr. frmars's other comments you'll see that he's basically Marvin the paranoid android.
  StinkyMarco: Wow, couldn't agree more.
  frmars: which might be a compliment from biffa bacon and son...
  sinferno: frmars, you dont know what you are talking about... dmx krew took generic dance music and perfected it. everything ed dmx does is classic. this shit is catchy and yeah its dancy, but its composed so well. new order? human league? give me a break.
Getting Away With It  performed by Electronic  1989
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

The amount of 80s talent was really incredible on Electronic's debut single: Bernard Sumner (New Order) doing vocals and synths, Johnny Marr (Ex-The Smiths) on guitar (pulling off a wonderful solo in the middle of the song), Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) providing background vocals and Anne Dudley (Art Of Noise, arranger on ABC's legendary "Lexicon Of Love") orchestrated a wonderfully lush string arrangement. The outcome is a fluffy, elegant, slightly melancholic and almost timeless piece of british pop music (except for that dated, rather bland sounding electric piano).

from Getting Away With It (Single), available on CD




  delicado: odd - I was thinking about this song just yesterday. The B-side, 'lucky bag', was also quite good as I recall.
  Mike: Electronic could be very good indeed when they started out and I'm a big fan of a number of their songs from this period. Tennant and Marr went on to work together on the last PSB album, but I'd like to hear more collaborative work from Tennant and Sumner.
Giovanna  performed by Henry Mancini  1970
Recommended by bobbyspacetroup [profile]

When I first started actively listening to Mancini, I guess it was in '94 or '95, I was put off by his work from the late '60s/early '70s. I guess my impression was that he wrote these brilliant pop scores until the mid-'60s and then just starting doing mediocre orchestral Beatles medleys and stuff like that. Well, lately I've been realizing how misinformed my first impression was. In fact, it seems i've been enjoying Mancini's work from this era even more than much of his older stuff. "Giovanna" is a great, jaunty little instrumental from Vittorio De Sica's 1970 film "Sunflower." The very Italian-sounding arrangement is carried by the organ and accordion. I think the "Sunflower" soundtrack is too often compared to Morricone. While I can maybe hear the influence, the sound is distinctly Mancini. Another good track from the album is "Love In The Sand" which features, uh, some very nice harpsichord work.


available on CD - Sunflower OST (JVC (Japan))



Girl Don’t Come  performed by Sandie Shaw  1964
Recommended by golden [profile]

From the minor key trombone intro to the teenage angst of the lyrics, this is a classic song of the 60's that totally encapulates the innocent era of the UK beat boom. Sandie Shaw was probably the best selling UK female singer from 64 to 69, slightly outselling her contemporaries Dusty, Cilla and Lulu and although she possessed a weaker voice than the others, what she lacked in volume she made up in style and interpretation. Sweet and slightly soulful with a quasi tuneless ache to her voice which epitomised a teenager stood up by some beatnik no hoper, she was only 17 and showed the ways of a woman several years older. In the UK it was the follow up to the massive UK No 1 ''Always Something There To Remind Me'' and was a massive Top 3 hit that should have gone all the way to the top.
I love this record - it sums up an era, it is the beginning of a suit of girl singers who changed then style of singing, from 50's twee to 60's ''dolly bird'' and it remains a classic pop single from a girl who held the record for the most No 1 hits for a ssolo female for 19 years

from n/a (Pye)



  shakeahand: Quite agree. One of my first LPs as a teen was a greatest hits - and for me she summed up the 60s female vocal. For big, brassy and emotion-laden power pop, see also Long Walk Home.
  Swinging London: It was initially released as the 'B' side of the much weaker: 'I'd Be Far Better Off Without You'. Someone, probably a DJ, flipped it over. I love the arrangement on this. It's full of atmosphere. It seems to completely capture the time. Another of her songs that has a similar effect is 'You've Not Changed', which wasn't as big a hit and seems to have been forgotten and is often excluded from Greatest Hits Comps.
Girlz Love Me  performed by Heavy D
Recommended by Kimolimilama [profile]




Go To Hell  performed by Nina Simone  1967
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

I went to a funeral today, which is never going to be the most pleasant way of spending time. However, it was a humanist service and, as such, an appropriate and touching way to remember the individual concerned. Music was played, including Why? by The Communards: a great thing. Not neccessarily a brilliant song, but a very unusual choice.

Of course, events like this spark everyone off thinking and talking about their own fitting ends. I nominate this; a bit of Nina would be great at a funeral. I love the black farce of this track, and what a great piece of final gallows humour to play a song about hell as the curtains close around your coffin in the crematorium.

from Silk & Soul (RCA SP-3837)
available on CD - Nina Simone And Piano! / Silk & Soul (Camden Deluxe)



Golden Lights  performed by Twinkle  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This is a simple but rather bitter pop song, although on the surface it sounds quite sweet. If I recall correctly, it was written about the singer that Twinkle was seeing at the time. The gentle arrangement features acoustic guitar and some brass. It's not hard to hear why Morrissey liked this song enough to cover it with The Smiths.

Twinkle has a lovely clear voice, and much as I respect Moz, this version towers above the one done by The Smiths, which suffers from a strange mix of production styles. That said, I have a strange mix of emotions on hearing the song, since I heard the Smiths version at 14, but only got into this one in the last few years.

from the single Golden Lights
available on CD - Twinkle (RPM)



Good Fruit  performed by Hefner  2000
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I've come to really like this band, but when I first heard them, I wasn't so keen. Like many great bands, Hefner feature a highly distinctive singer, who can take some time to grow on you. This simple 3 and a half minute pop song has an engaging arrangement, in which the piano, drums and guitar are superbly complemented in the chorus by synth, brass, and some great backing vocals. The chorus is quite glorious, with a chord sequence that somehow reminds me of the group Mercury Rev's very best songs. The words go very well with the emotional music as well: 'Lost feelings of love come flooding back/Every time you cry/ you give me little heart attacks/Love seems strongest when it's new/but that's something I can't prove/I can't prove that I love you...'

The only other reference point that occurs to me is Pulp - as the song builds, lead singer Darren Hayman's delivery becomes ever more exhuberant, like that of Jarvis Cocker in the best Pulp songs. Looking at the CD, I notice that the excellent backing vocals are by Amelia Fletcher, who if I remember correctly did some Wedding Present backing vocals, and was the singer in the Sarah records band 'Heavenly'. Anyway, this is a really infectious track, highly recommended.

from We Love the City, available on CD




  kkkerplunkkk: Good taste my friend! That is one of my favourite Hefner songs. Should have been a huge hit, it only made number 50 in the UK charts for 1 week. It did go straight in at 1 in the indie charts though!
Good Night Sweet Night  performed by Jason Falkner  1999
Recommended by tinks [profile]

A beautiful Brian Wilson-type ballad. "Though I try to understand you/I don't know who you are/because I haven't heard a thing about the boy." Falkner sings lovely multi-tracked harmonies with himself on this, and it's just another reason that I love his solo work a lot more than I ever liked Jellyfish.

from Can You Still Feel?, available on CD



good old fashioned lover boy  performed by queen
Recommended by javaviolet [profile]




Good!  performed by Pizzicato Five  1995
Recommended by tinks [profile]

This is my favorite song on what is currently my favorite P5 album. Three-and-a-half minutes of unadulterated Shibuya joy. I'd love to know what Konishi-san's secret to putting songs like this together is, but then I guess it'd spoil the magic. And check the brilliant lyrics! "Have a nice day, the same to you/What time baby? 9 o'clock/Gonna have a good time?/I miss you/How do you think about it?/I don't know!"

from The Sound of Music by Pizzicato Five, available on CD




  king8egg: this is a great version. it can also be found on the japanese release "great white wonder". the original version of this song is by the plastics.
  king8egg: oops. that should say that it can also be found on the japanese release "romantique 96". it isn't on "great white wonder".
Goodbye My Friend  performed by Susie Krauter  2006
Recommended by trunorthmusic [profile]

This is a warm and uplifting goodbye song used as a retirement song and also used in memorials. People use it for retirement slide shows and retirement parties. I love it because it honors the person who is leaving or has left - in a really special way. The song is found at : http://www.trunorthmusic.com/Retirement_Song/index.html




Goodbye My Friend  performed by Susie Krauter  2006
Recommended by trunorthmusic [profile]

This is a warm and uplifting goodbye song used as a retirement song and also used in memorials. People use it for retirement slide shows and retirement parties. I love it because it honors the person who is leaving or has left - in a really special way. The song is found at : http://www.trunorthmusic.com/Retirement_Song/index.html




Goodbye My Lover  performed by James Blunt
Recommended by Shes lost control [profile]




Goodbye to Love  performed by The Carpenters  1972
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Terrifyingly fantastic track.

Piano noodling, oboes, crisp 1972 drums.

What lies in the future is a mystery to us all. There may come a time when I will see that I've been wrong. But for now this is my song. And it's "Goodbye to love".

Waves of vocals raining down.

A guitar solo that refuses to die.

from A Song for You (A&M)
available on CD - Carpenters Gold (A&M)




  FlyingDutchman1971: Excellent track. A lot of fans were upset by the guitar solo at the end of the song, feeling that the Carpenters had sold out to the hard rock sound that bands like Led Zepplin were creating at the time.
Gordon's Gardenparty  performed by The Cardigans  1995
Recommended by tinks [profile]

A lovely, sugary piece of easy-pop, with a nice flute, some subtle strings, fingersnaps and terrific lyrics. "We were swinging oh so nice/bubbly pink champagne on ice"...plus a few "la la la doobie doobie doo"s for good measure.

from Life, available on CD



Gorecki  performed by Lamb
Recommended by Economusic [profile]

Love her voice, and the whole feel and flow of the track.. very spacey!!

from Lamb


Guilty of Love  performed by Mylo  2004
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Bedroom electro-dance music by some Scottish guy. Genius it certainly isn't, but there is a certain kind of intrinsic lyricism about some of his ideas that appeals. His album samples Judie Tzuke's "Stay with me still dawn" and Kim Carnes's "Bette Davis Eyes" as well as, famously, Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine's "Doctor Beat".

from Destroy Rock and Roll, available on CD


Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy  performed by Wax  1995
Recommended by malpt [profile]

I love Ren and Stimpy. This is an killer version of the song from my favorite episode. (Stimpy's Invention) My sister and I danced along when that episode aired.
Can you smell the nostalgia?

Though, the whole album (Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits) rocks.


available on CD - Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits (Mca)


Haunted  performed by Shane MacGowan and Sinead O’Connor  199?
Recommended by mattypenny [profile]

A rock-y love song. Shane in good voice - maybe the last time he has been in such good voice, I dunno. The voices go together brilliantly.

Its a nice contrast with 'Fairytale of New York'. Sample lyric 'you were so cool you could have put out Vietnam'

It was originally recorded with original Pogues bass player Cait O'Riordan (forgive the spelling - I'm crap at Irish names) which I heard at the time but not since - it was on the soundtrack to Sid and Nancy

from Not on an album



  tonyharte: How right you are Matt - tis a mighty fine nugget from 10 years ago. Should've been top 5 - instead of the lower reaches of the chart (if anybody cares these days). The voice of an angel meets devilish genius in a smokey tap room near Wardour St. Sunlight and pathos in equal measures.
  mattypenny: Many Thanks for the comment Tony. I dunno how many people would feel the same way, but I really love some of the songs that Sinead O'Connor has been involved with, although I'm not as keen on all of her own stuff. The collaborations I've paticularly enjoyed: Marxman - Ship Ahoy Damien dempsey - Negative Vibes Something by Jah Wobble I forget the name of Terry Hall and Sinead - All Kinds of Everything I'll type some of these up as recommendations when I get the chance
Have you got ticket to the Dome?  performed by Ip  1993
Recommended by Genza [profile]

Japanese recluse Ip rarely leaves the confines of his room-cum-studio - and it's usually to attend a naff 1980s-stylee disco. The shy, clumsy student takes on the persona of a mentalist when news of a party spreads.

To celebrate his love of all things crazee, Ip recorded a series of bizarre poptastic tracks in the early 1990s. The songs suffer from dreadful production values and annoying lyrics, much of which is spoken in broken Engrish. But hey, that only adds to the fun.

Ip's debut album 'Floor 15: Room 17' is his best. Two stand out tracks include: 'Knocking on door while Mr Room Mate is away now', and 'Why are all new friends arrive for special event not on?'.

But his best song is 'Have you got ticket to the Dome?', a slice of Human League-esque rom-pop, bolted on to a 130 bpm, glam rock rhythm.

I used to know his acquaintance, this bloke that used to wear a plastic suit and fake glasses. He would hang around with a can of cheap lager. But I haven't seen him in months. I think he lost his mobile phone, or something. He'd probably say: 'Oh yeah, Gonza, Genzo. I remember. The good old days. Hanging out in the Lounge.'

Whatever. But Ip. Far out.

from Floor 15: Room 17, available on CD



  delicado: I don't remember Ip's music. Wasn't there a related thing called 'DJ Bakesey'? I remember that being really good.
  Genza: Don't remember Ip? What on earth...? If I remember rightly, you used to hang around with him and those two mates of his that used to jump up and down on bed and squeal in a high-pitched way. Very, very odd. As for 'DJ Bakesey', he wag good - and some of his mates in the JCR Squad were pretty hot. Their sound - looking back - was pretty ground-breaking. 'MC Lem' was amazing and I loved his booming anthem 'Fish Pie': 'All I want for tea is Fish Pie All I want for tea is Fish Pie If I get it, I won't swear like a bad boy If I get it, I won't play Duncan no more...' Who was Duncan? And what did it all mean? Am I scared? Can I sleep here?
He hit me (it felt like a kiss)  performed by The Crystals  1962
Recommended by texjernigan [profile]

This track has got such a weird message, and though it's not in the track, the lyrics at the end of the song really pull the song around. This is copied from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He_Hit_Me_(And_It_Felt_Like_a_Kiss)

Goffin and King wrote the song after discovering that singer Little Eva was being regularly beaten by her boyfriend. When they inquired why she tolerated such treatment, Eva replied with complete sincerity that her boyfriend's actions were motivated by his love for her.

The song was written and intended as a sort of protest song from the point of view of an abused woman. Phil Spector's arrangement was ominous and ambiguous. Dave Thompson writes, "It was a brutal song, as any attempt to justify such violence must be, and Spector �s arrangement only amplified its savagery, framing Barbara Alston�s lone vocal amid a sea of caustic strings and funereal drums, while the backing vocals almost trilled their own belief that the boy had done nothing wrong. In more ironic hands (and a more understanding age), 'He Hit Me' might have passed at least as satire. But Spector showed no sign of appreciating that, nor did he feel any need to. No less than the song�s writers, he was not preaching, he was merely documenting." [1]

Upon its initial release, "He Hit Me" received some airplay, but then there was a widespread protest of the song, with many concluding that the song was an endorsement of spousal abuse. The song soon became played only rarely on the radio, as now.





He Used To Be A Lovely Boy  performed by Keane
Recommended by daniela_por [profile]

Perfect combination between a piano and Tom Chaplin's voice. Very simple song, but still wonderful.




He War  performed by Cat Power
Recommended by he_war [profile]

It has piano and bass and drums
It sounds amazing
I love it because it is slow and easy listening

from You Are Free


Headache  performed by Space Twins  1998
Recommended by texjernigan [profile]

If you are (were) a fan of Weezer, you probably heard of the Space Twins, Brian's side project. If you like this sound, also check out Goddess of Love. These two tracks were both done in the nineties, and they both have that vintage sound which I guess I've always loved; I must have been 14 or 15 when I was listening to this and I liked it even then as much as or more than weezer. This site really is making me realize my musical progression and how its all very related and interlinked.

from TV, Music, and Candy



Headstart for Happiness  performed by The Style Council  1983
Recommended by geezer [profile]

The sound of Paul Wller finding his musical feet after the Jam split,a breezy acoustic mid tempo ballad that relies on organic components ,guitar ,hammond organ and hand claps to propel this celebration of love and unity through the roof .
Originally appeared on the B-side of an early single and sounding like a demo,it was later re recorded for the debut album "Cafe Bleu" but was really nailed on this version

from Introducing The Style Council
available on CD - Introducing/Cafe Bleu


heart of gold  performed by Neil Young
Recommended by fmacca555 [profile]

love his voice, love harmonicas!




Heartbeats  performed by The Knife  2003
Recommended by mattias [profile]

Wonderful work from the Swedish band The Knife. This song was also recorded by the singer/songwriter Jos� Gonzales but this is the original and it's great. If you like bands like Ween you'll probably love this.


available on CD - Deep cuts (Rabid)



  olli: Some swedish guy named svante recently made a bootleg remix combining the original and the jos� gonzales version...i'ts pretty cool, so check it out if you can find it.
Heaven Knows I’m miserable now  performed by The Smiths  1985
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I love this much-derided song. People quote it as proof that the Smiths made morose music for morose people, but if you actually listen, it’s an amazingly uplifting song. Johnny Marr’s guitar is heavenly sounding; it all reminds me that no one else really made pop like the Smiths. What I've just said really completely fails to do the song justice. Ah well...

from Hatful of Hollow, available on CD




  schlemmsy: I quite agree. And this is not due to my love of uplifting house.
  john_l: Yup, this is the one that made me sit up and take notice ...
  raumfahrer1rolf: I love this song too. How is a person "miserable" when singing or hearing this song? It shows quite a bit of Morrissey here - he's "miserable" but it all sounds sublime, with a wistful tongue-in-cheekness to it. It's really pretty actually. If this is "misery" then please give me more of it, I'll get along quite nicely!
  daniela_por: This song will never be forgotten. It's simply great :)
Heaven Must Be Like This  performed by Ohio Players  1974
Recommended by pleasepleaseme [profile]

Seven minutes of soul bliss. Loverboys the Players are. Amazing vocals. Great piano work.

Sweet guitar riffing. Nice Flutelines. The title doesn't lie.

from "Skin Tight", available on CD


Heaven on earth  performed by The Platters  1956
Recommended by fantasticsupremedeluxe [profile]

A song like a perfect evening under starry sky, with rich and keen vocals, full of grace and harmony. A pure love confession! "Heaven on earth
that's what you've made for me since the day we met..."


available on CD - I love you 1000 times (Musicor)


Hell Yeah  performed by Ani DiFranco
Recommended by CaitlinSpelledWrong [profile]

This has to be one of my top bagillion faviorate songs, and I know a Bagillion is a lot but I love a lot of songs. The song is a little kiddy because it's about a crush, but we've all experienced crushes and the song has a beautiful harmony at the end.
"Because I like you, I know that you don't know it, I like you so much I talk to everyone but you, and I wonder what you'd think of this little number, yeah I wonder what you'd say if you knew."




Henry The 8th  performed by Herman’s Hermits
Recommended by SuzyCreamcheese [profile]

The song is kinda annnoying, but you just gotta love that beat and the classic line, "Second Verse, same as the First!" :)




Here We Are Falling in Love Again  performed by Meta Roos & Nippe Sylwens Band
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

Somewhere between tacky and slick. The instrumentation on this track is extremely dense, and played at a frenetic pace. There are moments packed so thick with sound, and played at such speed, that it's hard to distinguish all the elements going on. The loungy and somewhat artificial projection of soul in her voice sort of gets to me after a while, but on the whole I think this track storms.




Here, there and everywhere  performed by Claudine Longet  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A lovely light bouncy version of this song, from a superb album. One of my favorite Beatles interpretations.

from Claudine (A & M)
available on CD - Very Best Of (Varese)



Hermes tri  performed by Jorge Ben  1974
Recommended by Vinyldream [profile]

It's a marvelous song coming from a perfect album : " A t�bua de esmeralda" . Represents the highest level this artist achieved. It's an example of crossover mixing Samba - Soul - Psichodelia. A must for good music lovers.
A song for sophisticated ears.

from A Tabua de esmeralda (Universal Music)




  pleasepleaseme: I agree! "A Tabua de Esmeralda" & "Africa Brasil" are Jorge Ben at the peak of his powers! "O Bid�" from 1967 is a very nice groover as well.
Hey Jude  performed by The Beatles  1967
Recommended by bunwhisper [profile]

I doubt I can say anything that hasn't been said already... but out of all the many, many Beatles songs I love, this is my favorite.

from Hey Jude (Beatles Again) (Apple Records)


Hey Ya!  performed by Outkast  2003
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

Does anybody not love this song?

from Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (La Face)




  babu-she: Quite simply one of the best tracks from last year. As Andre 3000 says 'it's cooler than cool... it's icecold'. Out-Princes Prince evn when he was at the height of his powers.
  jeanette: The thing is, in the UK at least, this song is so overplayed: simply because it is the only song with any merit in a chart of hopelessness. So I'll probably like it again in about 6 months, when I stop hearing it three times every day. So the question has gone beyond whether you like the song, but who's your favourite girl-fan in the video? Mine is the first one you see, the very pretty one who holds her head in her hands and screams.
  spinner303: Its 2005 and radio stations have finally stopped playing it every hour on the hour, now its every 3 or 4 hours :) But listening to it again now, it really is a great song.
  tonyharte: Save for a tremendous hook, I don't get it meself! Still, I'm clearly in a minority of 1.
Holy are you  performed by the electric prunes  1968
Recommended by Maximum_Bygraves [profile]

The Devil has the best tunes they say. God's got a fair few mind. Witness this. Creamy orchestrations and big supple breakbeats meshed together artfully with vocals that are never too mannered. Production is in the familiar axlerod vein. Lovely.

from Release of an oath


Home  performed by Lene Lovich  1978
Recommended by mattias [profile]

This is the first song I heard by Lene Lovich and I imidietly fell in love. Probably one of the coolest new wave-tracks from that time. Very fast and groovy beat. Lene's voice is icy and deep and really on top. A great song from a great album

from Stateless (Stiff)
available on CD - The Stiff years vol. 1


Home  performed by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Recommended by madnessrocks [profile]

Unique love song, uplifting and fun. Love it.




Home Of The Brave  performed by Bonnie & The Treasures  1963
Recommended by john_l [profile]

The best of the lesser-known "wall of sound" productions from ace producer Phil Spector in the early 1960s. Many people think it's Veronica singing, and indeed it does sound most like the Ronettes, although it's not quite as awe-inspiring as their strongest track "Baby I Love You". I do love the rising strings in the background on the way into the chorus. Lyrically, it's in the "He's A Rebel" vein.


available on CD - Phil Spector's Flips And Rarities



  kwan_dk: Indeed a great song and a terriffic production. The only problem is that it's supposedly not produced by Spector, but by a young aspiring songwriter/producer named Jerry Riopelle who was assigned to Philles Records at the time. Riopelle himself has acknowledged this and other evidence seems to indicate he's right. As for Veronica singin lead, it has been established that the girl in question was a singer called Charlotte O'Hara, as far as I recall...
Hounds of Love  performed by Kate Bush
Recommended by Shes lost control [profile]




How Can I Be Sure  performed by Dusty Springfield  1970
Recommended by Mister C [profile]

This should have been massive for Dusty in 1970, a lovely arrangement including accordian, it only reached the mid 30's in the UK. Amazingly David Cassidy had a big hit with it only 3 years later, it was nowhere near as good as Dusty's.

from The Silver Collection (Philips 834 128-2)



  robert[o]: A good friend of mine has this theory that the greatest pop songs are ultimately about states of joy. I don't know I if agree, but this song is supports the arguement really well. St. Dusty @ her most god-like. Great choice.
  rio: aptly put indeed; "spooky", another case in point with dusty..
  Flippet: Have to disagree with the comment on David Cassidy's "How Can I Be Sure". While Dusty gave the song her own sensitive interpretation, David's version is totally memorable and is a true pop classic of the 70s. The production quality of the track and David's amazing vocals deservedly took the song to #1.
  konsu: Hmmm... It's almost as if The Young Rascals didn't exsit.
  Swinging London: I always thought the Young Rascals' version was terribly produced, though I can't remember why. I was always hearing them on the oldies channels in New York City when I lived there...apart from 'Groovin'' they're practically unknown in England.
Howl  performed by Florence and the Machine
Recommended by Nori [profile]

It can be hard to make out her lyrics in some places, but this song is glorious. I love the fragments of the poem from 'The Wolfman'. I also love 'Hardest of Hearts', 'Bird Song', and 'Heavy In Your Arms', among others.


available on CD - Lungs


Hug My Soul  performed by Saint Etienne  1994
Recommended by LawrenceM [profile]

A lovely, soulful, poppy dance song. I've never understood why a band like Saint Etienne aren't serious chart contenders. They make intelligent pop music, have great tunes, have a beautiful lead singer with an amazing voice. And yet "the kids" prefer manufactured acts like Kylie Minogue. (sigh). The Saints have released so many brilliant pop songs, but this is my favourite.

from Tiger Bay, available on CD


Hurry to Me  performed by Roy Budd  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A superb recording of a really perfect song. Ennio Morricone's theme to the obscure movie 'metti, una cera a cena' (one night at dinner) is here performed in a classic crisp, clear version by Roy Budd. I'm not sure if I love this recording so much because it was the first version I heard, but I think it may even be better than the Morricone recording. Anyway, if you don't know this song, you will probably recognise it when you hear it. It features an infuriatingly catchy repetitive female wordless-vocal over a gentle bossa beat, with rich strings and piano. Every now and then everything goes quiet and all you hear are the vocals and a faint tremelo guitar. It is really amazingly beautiful. There is also a great italian version of this song by Milva, which sounds amazingly like the group Stereolab.

from Soldier Blue (Pye NSPL 18348)
available on CD - Sound Spectrum (Sequel)




  leonthedog: The Budd version is also available on "Rebirth of the Budd," for those (like myself) wanting an introduction to his work. The Sandpipers' version on "Canto Morricone Vol." is equally nice.
  DickieB: I just wanted to recommend ‘The Sound Spectrum’ which this is on. I’ve had a copy of years but have only just realised that it’s essential listening - if you like this sort of thing, probably drive you mad otherwise.
  delicado: Yes, it\'s a cracking compilation. It\'s so well done that if you listen to the tracks out of context (e.g. on the original LPs), they don\'t sound as thrilling as they do on this mix!
I believe  performed by jackson sisters  1973
Recommended by psguy1969 [profile]

Oldrer but with an upbeat fun pace. A personel friend of mine is Gennine Jackson...an great singer and performer!!! Love her!!




I Believe ( When I Fall in Love with You It Will be Forever)  performed by Stevie Wonder
Recommended by DearPrudence [profile]




I Believe In a Thing Called Love  performed by The Darkness  2003
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

This song is fun, and over the top and has a great beat. A perfect first single for the Darkness, and very very catchy.

from Permission to Land (Atlantic)



  olli: edson have a pretty odd acoustic cover of this.
  spinner303: cool song, fun, the video makes the song: http://www.thedarknessrock.com/media/video/
I Belong To You - Mon CÅ�ur S’ouvre Ã� Ta Voix  performed by Muse
Recommended by wonderlandfalling [profile]

It's an interesting and refreshing track from their latest album; very upbeat and powerful with its array of instrumentation, (piano, oboe, especially)
The lyrics are those of one professing their undying love for another. The band manages to keep up their tradition with providing something new to the table by adding a verse from a popular French opera as well as an oboe solo instead of the usual generic guitar.
It's a great listen :)

from The Resistance


I Can See Only You  performed by Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends  1968
Recommended by laughingmood [profile]

The perfect example of the kind of soft pop song I love. Heavy with melencholy. The strings and clarinet on this track break my heart. The fadeout is one of the greatest in history.

from Roger Nichols@ The Small Circle Of Friends (A&M)
available on CD - The Complete Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends



  olli: hmm, just made me curious. i generally hate fadeouts..they always seem to obscure some kind of interesting or trippy stuff that was starting happen in the studio:) gotta check it out though, thanks.
  eftimihn: This one was arranged by Bob Thompson not Nick DeCaro. Actually i just wanted to recommend this, because today i received my newly reissued copy by Rev-Ola. An even more complete 20 track edition, fantastic remastering, extensive essay and at a reasonable price tag. Awesome.
  laughingmood: Thanks for the info on Bob Thompson's arrangment on this track. All I've ever had is the Japanese reissue and I've never been able to fully read all the info! I'll have to change that. I really need to get that new reissue. I've heard the liners and photos are all really nice.
  delicado: I also have the japanese issue. Are there extra tracks on the Rev-Ola one?
  eftimihn: The Rev-Ola one has one additional track compared to the japanese 19-track version and it's "St. Bernie The Sno-Dog". It was Roger Nichols' first ever recording in 1964 and is, quite frankly, absolutely forgettable (waltzing child-like song, with yodeling and funny voices, makes you feel rather uncomfortable after the preceding soft rock bliss). Nichols refers to this as "a pile of crap" in the essay/liner notes, a track he never really wanted to do. Just read the essay and must say it's wonderfully done. I have to stress that the sound quality on the new Rev-Ola issue is absolutely amazing, surpassing the japanese one on every level: Virtually no background noise, clearer highs, bass is rendered deeper and better, the harmonies got even silkier, overall better dynamics and resolution. It just won't get any better than this. So, kudos to Rev-Ola...
  laughingmood: Wow! That is very cool. Generally I think Rev-Ola's remasters tend to be a bit on the trebley side but of course I'll pick this up. Mainly for the liners by Steve Stanley. This album has been in my top five since I heard it, yet...I know very little of the detailed background because of the japanese liners. Steven Stanley also did the Bergen White reissue liners and is the head of LA-based pop act, The Now People.
  konsu: Hmmm... Once again no mention of Smokey Roberds. He was in the closely related A&M group The Parade. He claims partial writing credits for this in an interview : http://www.doctorroberds.com/parade.html ... If you like this album you owe yourself a listen of that "other" great one-off long player. They do a great version of "Kinda Wasted Without You" thats more raw with less overdubs. Really a magical time at A&M!
I Can’t Make You Love Me/Nick Of Time  performed by Bon Iver
Recommended by DeathandHarmony [profile]




I could never live without your love  performed by Craig Scott  1970
Recommended by Ron1967-1970 [profile]

This Australian popsong was recorded at the same time by two performers: solo singer Craig Scott and Toomorrow (which included Olivia Newton-John). I like both versions, but the Scott version has that extra bit that makes it better than the group sound. Delightful slice of orchestrated feel-good pop. It must be said that the Australians as well as the French, were the uncrowned kings of cover versions of songs, but from time to time they produced originals ... not too many, but some like this one. Great uplifting, positive song...




I Don’t Know How To Love Him  performed by Cilla Black  1973
Recommended by Flippet [profile]

From her 1973 EMI Album "Day By Day" - this version of the song from the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" is regarded by the song's lyricist Tim Rice as THE definitive version. Cilla's interpretation of this wonderful song is absolutely magnificent. She brings her enormous capacity to convincingly interpret haunting ballads to its full potential with this song. Receiving extensive radio airplay when the album was released, had the song been released as a single I'm sure it would have produced her third #1 hit in the UK.

from Day By Day (EMI)
available on CD - Cilla In The 70s (EMI)


I Don’t Love You  performed by My Chemical Romance
Recommended by Hector.O [profile]





  mklinsao: Good song. My Chem was my favorite band before they released that Danger Days crap.
  tangerinelatrine: A very good song, actually. The emotion is genuine and palpable.
I don't intend to spend Christmas without you  performed by Claudine Longet  1968
Recommended by jezandliz1 [profile]

Really cheering to find so many other Longet recommendations on the site. This festive gift seems only to be available on the Japanese "Best of" but repays handsomely the effort in seeking it out. Highly melodic and atmospheric it begs you to curl up in front of a real fire with a loved one in a cottage miles from anywhere...

Claudine recorded a number of Margo Guryan songs which are all impossibly fey, seductive and bewitching and I couldn't get through a week without them. (BTW I would also recommend all of the tracks (not one duffer) on Margo Guryan's album Take a Picture)


available on CD - A & M Digitally Remastered Best (A & M Japan)


i don't want another man  performed by the feminine complex  1969
Recommended by e [profile]

this a nice song, slightly out of character to the rest of the album ,"Livin' Love"(which is more traditionally sixties pop) this has a big energetic beat and a rousing chorus. perhaps not the most sophisticated composition in the world, but it makes me happy anyway...


available on CD - livin' love (teenbeat)



I Don�t Know How To Love Him  performed by Shirley Bassey  1971
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Thanks to robert[o] for bringing this song to my mind. This is my favorite of all of Shirley Bassey's recordings. Her powerful voice is perfectly suited for this deeply emotional track from the hit musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Backed by lush orchestrations, Shirley hits the notes perfectly and her fabulous vibrato captures the feelings of the song.

from And I Love You So (United Artists UAS 5643)


I Don�t Need A Doctor  performed by Sheila B. Devotion  1977
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Ah, Sheila, resplendent in her purple sequined hotpants, is having such a good time on the cover of this record with her tight-trousered pals. And so she might - for her group have made a blinding record.

She's in love, you see, and it's making her feel ill (not sleeping, sweating etc.) but this is "good" and all the disco nation roars in approval.

Perfect chirpy pop music for everyone.

from Singin' In The Rain (Carrere EMC 3236)



I drove all night  performed by Roy Orbison
Recommended by Edgar [profile]

If I hear this song a thousand times more, maybe, and just maybe, I may start to find it tiresome. But from now on I still love it.




I fell in love with a dead boy  performed by antony and the johnsons
Recommended by notyet [profile]




I Found Love  performed by The Free Design
Recommended by gutterandstars [profile]





  djfreshmoney: How about filling in the rest of the info, including the reasons you're recommending the song! Tell me why you think this group and the song are good! Without that, your recommendation isn't really worth anything.
  eftimihn: Hmmm, there have been lots of new users lately that sign in and recommend some dozen songs without any information except title and song. Seems pretty pointless to me, i mean evryone could recommend 100 songs in an a couple of minutes that way. Apart from that, amazing song for sure...
  delicado: I think the key is to assume no knowledge on the part of the reader when describing the track. A lot of us are so into our favorite music that perhaps for a moment we imagine everyone else is as well. But the fact is that with no explanation, a recommendation probably means nothing to most people. I love this song as well, although a fellow DJ once laughed at me for playing it in a bar!
  konsu: My two cents may contribute to an already long thread but, I have to add as a writer on this site it takes guts to reccomend a Free Design song that doesn't sound like Stereolab. And I should mention the same for any DJ that plays them out. Let em' laugh Delicado!
I Got You  performed by Split Enz  1980
Recommended by BillyG [profile]

I first played this back in 1980 when I worked at my college radio station, its one of those records that jumped out of the speakers and stunned me.

Even though I have become a huge Finn Brothers (solo, together and Crowded House) this is one track I always keep coming back to. Its a little dated sounding with all those synths, but has such killer hooks and lyrics about being parinoid about your lover...just brilliant Kiwi Pop!

from History Never Repeats (A&M)
available on CD - History Never Repeats - The Best of Split Enz (A&M)


I Know You  performed by Angela & The Fans  1966
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Think bouncy, 60's brit-girl classic. Makes me tingle all over with happiness. This was on the flip on a Man From UNCLE novelty, Love Ya Illya, and is actually by that queen of opulence Alma Cogan in disguise.

from the single I Know You (Pye 7N.17108)
available on CD - Here Come The Girls 6 (Sequel)



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 love being here with you  performed by Diana Krall
Recommended by jazzman [profile]

hot, swinging jazz at its best. Diana Krall with an incredible talented ensemble, John Clayton - Acoustic bass, Jeff Hamilton - Drums and Anthony Wilson on guitar. On this recording Krall shows her full potential, amazing technical skills on the piano combined with an exceptional vocal interpretation.
She also made a studio recording of this song which is good, but nothing compared to this version. However, if you are interested in buying this song I strongly recommend buying the DVD, then you get 2hrs+ of top quality entertainment.

from Live In Paris (Verve)


I Love Every Little Thing About You  performed by Syreeta  1972
Recommended by ambassador [profile]

The day I bought this LP I got home late so I only had time to throw on the first track of the first side before my girlfriend asked me to turn it off. As soon as I heard it I knew immediately that I wanted to hear it again. I woke up with the song bouncing in my head. I was gonna be late to work, but I recorded the song so I could listen to it on the commute. I must have listened to it all the way to work and all the way home, so about 30 times before I tired of it. Why is it so great, you ask? I would say it was the Stevie factor as he wrote, produced and played nearly all of the instruments on this, his writing partner's debut album, but Syreeta really wails on her vocal parts infusing the song with an undeniable optimism. This was the year when Stevie really started to get adventerous with his music and you can tell that he took some additional liberties on this album then he did on his own from the same period, Music of My Mind. His version of this song from his album is great, but doesn't have the same synthesizer groove that bubbles along with the funky drums like syreeta's does. Marvelous song. I gave it to a friend and within days his friends' minds were all blown as well.

from Syreeta (MoWest 7001)
available on CD - Japanese Import?


I Love My Sex  performed by Benassi Bros.
Recommended by sjkln [profile]




I Love U So (TROWA remix)  performed by Cassius
Recommended by didgeridoo [profile]

Dubstep with pop flair




I Love You  performed by Oliver Tank
Recommended by DeathandHarmony [profile]




i love you  performed by woodkid
Recommended by egyptianhippolyte [profile]




I Love You Porgy (Live)  performed by Nina Simone  1964
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Nina Simone originally recorded this song in 1959, but it is during the live recording of it during a 1964 performance that she brings forth all of the emotion and true desperation of this song. You can sense her pain and resignation to the fact that she is soon to be separated from her true love.

from Nina Simone In Concert (Polygram 846513)
available on CD - The Gershwin Songbook (Verve 314 513 928)


I Love You, Ono  performed by Stereo Total  1999
Recommended by Jackamaku [profile]

from My Melody



i luv the valley OH!  performed by xiu xiu
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

dark, strong, i love it.




I Promise to Wait My Love  performed by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas  1968
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

'60s Motown rarely strayed from that classic sound, but this one attempts an earthier, Muscle Shoals/Stax-like sound -- with brilliant results. Martha's voice could even be mistaken for Aretha here. An underrated, mighty danceable single with killer rhythmic guitars, tambourines and a bubbling bassline.

from Ridin' High (Gordy)
available on CD - Ridin' High/Sugar and Spice (Motown)


I Say A Little Prayer  performed by Aretha Franklin  1968
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Ms. Franklin tears into yet another great song and delivers a performance that is second to none! Poor Dionne Warwick's version doesn't stand a chance against the queen of soul!! Aretha sits at the piano and turns out a beautiful and emotional hymn to love. Hallelujah, sister soul!

from Now (Atlantic 8186)
available on CD - Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul, the Atlantic Sessions (Box Set) (Atlantic R2 71063)



  Flippet: My favourite recording of Aretha's. An awesome song and an awesome recording!!
I See The Rain  performed by Marmalade  1967
Recommended by john_l [profile]

So I'm watching the finale of Survivor: Marquesas (a year ago, in May '02) and on comes this ad for The Gap with, to my utter astonishment, the guitar intro to this 1967 classic. And better yet, they got the correct version! Meaning, the one with the gritty-sounding guitars (there have been a number of inferior versions released that were re-recorded, or at least remixed badly, or something). "I See The Rain" should be quite familiar to British readers but perhaps not to Americans. Anyway, I've always loved this song, and it's the aforementioned guitar sound that makes it stand out, although those harmonies in the chorus and a just-right unhurried tempo help make it one of my faves ...

from There's A Lot Of It About
available on CD - The Definitive Collection (Castle Communications)


I Think I Love You  performed by Partridge Family  1971
Recommended by unathanthium [profile]

Perfect American family drive around America in psychedelic bus singing their wholesome songs.Look at their teeth shine.Shirley Jones,star of musicals such as Carousel,steers her flock to stardom.The harpsichord makes this song with Lurch from the Addams Family guesting.If only.Covered by Voice of the Beehive,if you want credibility.If you hear this song on the radio(you won't)you won't be able to resist singing along(you really won't).




I Think I Love You  performed by The Partridge Family  1970
Recommended by geezer [profile]

To think there was a time when pops vision could be this grand and ambitious .This song originated from an American tv show "The Partridge Family" and was played out by pedigree session men and David Cassidy. its elements contain sunshine pop vocals ,harpsichord and a psuedo classical middle eight and an irrestible chorus,the song almost sounds like two songs alternating with each other and managing to resolve their differences at every chorus ,As good as pop ever got.

from Best of The Partridge Family and David Cassidy
available on CD - Best of


I Think I’m In Love (live at The Royal Albert Hall)  performed by Spiritualized  1997
Recommended by MisterBenn [profile]

Quite simply one of the greatest live albums ever, and this is the pick of the bunch. A slow, beautiful melody explodes into a slide guitar driven landscape. Thrilling.

from Live at The Royal Albert Hall


I Use Her  performed by Tony Kosinec  1971
Recommended by snafkin [profile]

A really beautiful acoustic song that I just can't get out of my head. The rhythm track consists of handclaps/taps or comething similar, it has a lovely, light guitar line and some beautiful piano. The gasp at the beginning is great too!

from Bad Girl Songs (Sony Japan)




  artlongjr: I have an LP of Tony's from 1969 called "Processes". Seeing your post jogged my memory on it...he sort of sounds like another of my favorite artists, Emmitt Rhodes.
I Want To Be Around  performed by Blossom Dearie  1963
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Blossom manages to play the piano while filing her fingernails into sharp claws on this track. She assures her departing Romeo that he is going to get his come-uppance in the love department and justice will provide her with a "front row seat" to enjoy watching him squirm!
This wonderful album was originally recorded for the Hires Root Beer Company (!) while she was singing on their commercials, and was available for 50 cents and two bottle caps. Now, a copy can cost you around $150-$200. Luckily, the fine people at Disk Union in Japan have gotten a hold of a mint copy of the original LP and released it to Cd.

from The Most Rootin' Tootin' Songs of 1963, available on CD


I want to kiss the Bangles  performed by The Saw Doctors  199?
Recommended by mattypenny [profile]

Great Lost Punk Single #1

...well actually part of an E.P. called, I think, Wake Up Sleeping. I totally take on board what some other guy says about not just typing in the lyrics to songs, but these are too funny. It's a noisy, good humoured racket, 'though not very pc.

I wouldn't kiss Liam O'Maonlai,Guns & Roses or Muddy Waters.
I wouldn't kiss Brian WilsonOr his lovely yankee daughters.
And Shane McGowan is not my type Because his teeth are green and mangled
But Jesus Christ Almighty, I'd love to kiss the Bangles.

from Wake Up Sleeping EP, available on CD


I Want Wind To Blow  performed by The Microphones  2001
Recommended by sinister [profile]

i love this song. it repeats itself without ever really repeating itself, and the melody is wonderful. it evokes images of being on a boat that is slowly leaving the harbour, gathering pace while your face is soothed by a warm breeze.

from The Glow 2, available on CD


I Was Once a Loyal Lover  performed by Death Cab for Cutie
Recommended by lhirsch92 [profile]




I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine  performed by Beth Orton  1996
Recommended by BlueGirl [profile]

This is a beautiful cover of the song by the Ronettes, sung ever so sweetly by Beth Orton. She is accompanied by an acoustic guitar. It's very simple and beautiful. The song mourns a lost love, a feeling with which I think we can all identify. "I wish I never saw the sunshine...because then maybe...I wouldn't mind the rain"

from Trailer Park (Heavenly/Dedicated 61702440072; HVNLP17CD)




  tinks: oh, i love this song! i love the whole album, in fact.
I’m Not In Love  performed by 10cc  1975
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from The Original Soundtrack


Ice Pick Mike  performed by Lalo Schifrin  1968
Recommended by heinmukk [profile]

first of all: great soundtrack!
this track begins slowly with some percussions. and then the almighty horn section starts. i love them loud and dramatic. the way they are here. the rest of the track is also nice but looping 0:58 to 1:36 the whole day would do it for me...

from OST Bullit


If I Should Lose You  performed by Aretha Franklin  1964
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

This magnificent track is from the oft-ignored years Aretha spent at Columbia Records. Most of her material for the label consisted of religious songs and jazz standards and she truly shines here. She sings with a sense of urgency and a slight cry in her voice as she pleads with her love not to abandon her. As much as I love her Atlantic catalogue, this song and the album it comes from are at the top of my Aretha Franklin list.

from Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington, available on CD


If We Can Land a Man on the Moon Surely I Can Win Your Heart  performed by Beulah  1999
Recommended by tman555 [profile]

Just a catchy song. It's from the Bay Area indie scene.
It starts off as sort of a love song, but turns into a conversation with the listener.

from When Your Heartstrings Break (Sugar Free Records)
available on CD - Yes (Yes)


if you could see me now  performed by bill evans  1965
Recommended by jazzfanwv [profile]

if you love trio jazz ie bass, drums, and piano you will love this version of a great standard. along with chuck israels on bass and larry bunker on drums. i never get tired of this song also check out the 2nd cut elsa a very dreamy song

from trio '65', available on CD


If You Go Away  performed by Dusty Springfield  1967
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Dusty's intimate reading of this song is pin point perfect (no surprise!). Starting out in low quiet tones, the song crescendos as she promises anything to make her love stay with her for just a few minutes more. Heartbreakingly beautiful!!

from The Look Of Love (Philips PHS 600 256)
available on CD - The Dusty Springfield Anthology (Box Set) (Mercury 314 553 501)


If You Really Love Me  performed by Lovescandal
Recommended by lovescandal [profile]

very mainstream

from psychic vol1


Im in love   performed by Alex guadino
Recommended by aebbea [profile]

upbeat
euphoric
dance beats
Eurodance vibe




Im in Love with a German Filmstar   performed by The Passions  1980
Recommended by geezer [profile]

The finer elements of post -punk ,guitar effects ,hypnotic melody and the depth of a REAL song still provoking cover versions 30 years later.
Inhabiting that small territory betwen post punk and new romantic not unlike "Drowning in Berlin" by the Mobiles .its quality is in the song refusal to date

from 30,000 feet over China
available on CD - 30000 over China


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


In The Garden  performed by Triste Janero
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

This whole album is really spectacular. My other favorites are "Today It's You" and "Rene De Marie". All capture this beautiful blend of psychy-pop, bossa rhythm, and folky soul. Great blends of patterns, instrumentation, and vocals, I really love this stuff.

from Meet Triste Janero


In the Name of Love  performed by Kenny Rankin  1975
Recommended by human-cannonball [profile]

My track of choice in the excellent Silver Morning 1975 LP of this distinguished singer/songwriter. To the best of my knowledge, this is not a cover version, but a shining original. It comes in swinging 3/4 time, it's the most jazzy of the LP's tracks, it has a kinda dramatic soundtrack feel, it's simply great!

from Silver Morning (Little David)



  konsu: Great album. I love the versions of "Penny Lane" & "Berimbau" as well! James Taylor, eat your heart out!
Indian Strings  performed by The London Suede  1999
Recommended by giant [profile]

This song has the depth of vocals like the poetry by Rilke, meeting the somber and exhilirating movement of sound in a languid symphony. Its blood and romance, hurt and sweet love. Its the bird calling its mate. This is what I aspire to compose.

from Head Music




  LawrenceM: yeah, this is a great song. i think "Head Music" is actually a pretty underrated album with some really fantastic songs. Although having to be called "The London Suede" in the US is just stupid. They'll always be Suede to me
Indian Summer  performed by Maplewood  2007
Recommended by mattishere [profile]

love the lyrics




Insight  performed by Joy Division  1979
Recommended by Genza [profile]

Prior to Ian Curtis' death and the infamous but less interesting second album Closer, Joy Division released a whole bunch of fantastic songs. Atmosphere, She's Lost Control and Transmission (recently superbly covered by US minimalists Low) are all rightly loved - but the fragile wonder of Insight is almost always forgotten.

The song starts with sound of a lift going down - and the overall feel is lonely, desolate and claustrophobic. Insight stirs the soul and breaks your heart my friend. Mighty powerful stuff.

from Unknown Pleasures (Factory)




  delicado: It's an incredibly intense and affecting track, one of my favorites, alongside 'disorder' and 'decades'. And 'no love lost', obviously.
Interlude (Time)  performed by Diamanda Galas  2008
Recommended by robert[o] [profile]

A truly heartbreaking/hair-raising reading of the Timi Yuro classic.
Just Diamanda's spacey/ghostly piano and that apocalyptic voice, recorded live.
The lady sounds like a lovelorn Banshee, wandering some abandoned, seaside amusement pier...in the rain...in the middle of January...at 2 a.m.
Astonishing....

from Guilty, Guilty, Guilty


Into My Arms  performed by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Recommended by marisofparis [profile]

A beautiful love song complete with angels and god's love... for people who normally don't go for that kind of shit.

from The Boatman's Call


Iris  performed by Goo Goo Dolls  1990
Recommended by irisbuen [profile]

I love the song because the orchestra background is simply marvelous. The lyrics fit so well and knowing that this was a product of John Rzeznik's awakening from his writer's block, I'm a proud bearer of the name same as the title of this song.

A must-hear for those who are cynically in-love.

from Dizzy Up the Girl


Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby  performed by Renee Olstead  2004
Recommended by music2go [profile]

I've always loved this song. I know Louis Jordon's and Joe Jackson's versions and when I heard this one by Renee Olstead, I was floored. I had to have it. This woman's album was recorded when she was 15 and I can hardly believe it. She has made anything she's done her own and she's really someone to watch out for. I just heard that she is an actress on a sit-com as well as a marvelous singer.

from Renee Olstead, available on CD


Isadora  performed by Illusion  1977
Recommended by john_l [profile]

This track kicks off the first album by the Jane Relf - Jim McCarty - John Hawken group which arose from the ashes of Renaissance when the latter was taken over by the Camp / Dunford / Thatcher cabal after a couple of LPs (that's not a knock at Renaissance by the way!). "Isadora" is interesting because although it's almost seven minutes long and doesn't have a great deal of lyrical content, it does have a wonderfully frosty mood to it (all those minor chords will do that) and I love some of the piano riffs that fall in behind the lines of singing. And its frostiness makes a remarkable contrast to the sultry "Face Of Yesterday" (q.v.) from the same album!

from Out Of The Mist, available on CD


it could have been better  performed by joan armatrading  1975
Recommended by flange1515 [profile]

Elton loved this




It’s A Desperate Situation  performed by Marvin Gaye  1969
Recommended by snafkin [profile]

A beautiful song. Marvin's voice is raw, pleeding emotion, the strings, the drums, the everything!
This song should be known to all. I challenge anyone who loves music not to feel moved listening to this!

from Motown Lost And Found(?)


it’s a thin line (between love and hate)  performed by annie lennox
Recommended by complacentbasement [profile]

i'm not sure if this is a cover, (most of the songs off her album 'medusa" are) but it is the most amazingly beautiful song... it's smooth, sultry, and you can definately get your business going on to it...





  konsu: It is a cover. Originally by The Persuaders, an R&B group that are still kickin' today! They charted this one I believe in 71'. Also covered by The Prentenders in the 80's... You should seek out the original, because the context of the words changes to a male perspective, which, to me, makes it one of the coolest songs ever.
  FlyingDutchman1971: The original is great, but I'm partial to The Pretenders cover version. Chrissie Hynde sang this song the best(imho)
It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door  performed by Underoath  2004
Recommended by Biscuit [profile]

Driving, melodic, hardcore emo Christian sound, with screaming vocals on top and behind melodic vocals. There are a few vocal breaks, pauses, and major crescendos. It is just an amazing emotional song, and it also has amazing lyrics.

from They're Only Chasing Safety (Tooth and Nail)


It’s For You  performed by Cilla Black  1964
Recommended by Doctor Mod [profile]

I'm no Cilla fan. While I've enjoyed many of her recordings, she was no match as an artist for such contemporaries as Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick, Lulu, or even Pet Clark, Sandie Shaw, and Jackie DeShannon, all who did very similar material. Still, Cilla had one advantage the others didn't, Lennon-McCartney tunes written with her in mind. I think the Beatles, who knew her well, understood her vocal limitations and provided songs that would show her to best advantage.
"It's For You" is certainly one of the finest recordings she ever made. Its jazzy arrangement, the edgy key changes, and the tempo shifts are as sophisticated as they were unique in 1960s Britpop. The music contributes to a sense of intrigue to the clever, ironic lyrics that pretend to dismiss love only to give it. Cilla rises to the occasion, giving what might well be her best performance ever--stunning!




It’s Love  performed by Trudy Richards  1957
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Taken from her rare full length LP (many 45's and 78's are floating around out there) this wonderful track is perfect for Trudy's full, slightly husky voice. She is accompanied by the Billy May orchestra and he knows how to frame her voice with just the right arrangement! This fabulous composition by the great team of Comden and Green swings with all of the joy and enthusiasm you feel when you find your soulmate. Sadly, this album is out of print and somewhat rare. If you can get your hands on it, God has smiled on you and you should rush to the checkout counter without delay!

from Crazy in Love! (Capital T 838 (British pressing))


It’s Good To Be In Love  performed by Frou Frou
Recommended by thedoryfish [profile]




It's 74 in San Francisco  performed by The Hellers  1968
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

The Hellers were a group of L.A. ad agency people making a pop record, and it shows in this slick opener to their only album. I love the mellow pacing, the otherworldly early synths, and the so-corny-they're-good group vocals. Overall, it comes off like a weird, wonderful hybrid of '60s AM radio promos and mildly psychedelic pop.

from ... Singers...Talkers...Players...Swingers... & Doers (Command)




  bobbyspacetroup: That is a cool song. Very cool. The song I've really grown to love from this album is "The Mist Of Time." It makes me wish The Hellers had done more stuff outside of advertising music.
it's good to be in love  performed by frou frou
Recommended by anakinskywalker [profile]

from details


Its all over now, baby blue  performed by Van Morrison
Recommended by Gwendolyn [profile]

How could you not love this song? Listening to it I feel like I'm gliding along on a sunny day through the desert in a vintage convertible.

from The Story of Them Featuring Van Morrison


It�s A Lovely Game Louise  performed by The Cyrkle  1969
Recommended by konsu [profile]

I'm always suprised by this group. The freshness of this song is hardly questionable, mainly because the soundtrack is a hidden gem recently unearthed. And for Cyrkle fans like me, it's a dream come true. The song is a spare bossa-tinged affair, done as sort of a stripped down folky interlude. But the track stands on it's own amongst their better known tracks like "The Visit", of which it bears a resemblance. It sounds like Tom Dawes took the reigns on this project, arranging and producing the whole thing to make one of the more memorable and interesting soundtracks I have.

Fans of Elliot Smith should check this one.

from The Minx (Flying Dutchman Amsterdam AMS 12007)
available on CD - The MInx


It�s As Easy As 1-2-3  performed by Jil Gibson  196?
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Who?

As a 60's girl group collector who's been at it for a number of years, I'm always delighted when some compiler somewhere turns up an absolute gem. As this is from the sleevenotes-shy semi-legal Marginal records, I had to find out on my own that this is infact Jill (with bonus "l") Gibson, Jan-of-Jan-and-Dean's girlfriend and rock photographer. Jan and Dean also recorded this song.

Very quiet vocals in contrast to a lot of 60's girl groups - almost a little Margo Guryan in there if it weren't for the stomping in the background. No info at all on the production. If anyone can fill me in, I'd love to hear it.

from Back To The Girl Zone, available on CD



It�s Hard To Say Goodbye  performed by Claudine Longet  1968
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

I absolutely love Claudine Longet, especially her 60's A&M records due to the consistency in arrangement and production (all A&M albums were arranged by Nick DeCaro and produced by Tommy LiPuma). This is a great Roger Nichols/Paul Williams tune and the arrangement and production, with lovely strings, is just wonderfully done.

from Love Is Blue (A&M SP 4142)



I�ll keep it with mine  performed by Nico
Recommended by Gwendolyn [profile]

I believe this song was written in the late 60's by Bob Dylan, however it was performed by Nico, whose original band was The Velvet Underground before she went solo. This track has a lovely up-beat combination of piano and violin to acompany Nico's deep, melodic voice. I love it because of it's artistic without being depressing or too complex.

from Chelsea Girl


I�m Gonna Make You Love Me  performed by Nick DeCaro  196?
Recommended by konsu [profile]

Whenever I hear this track I think the same thing, that it seems to be the beginning of something
bigger. ....And it seems in a way that it was...

What a great version of an already undisputed soul classic! He really adds something to it thats loose and breezy. Like he did with his arrangement work, he adds something indefineable, but definately something we would hear for decades to come in american radio pop. More precisely, in the 70's.

It's one of the many blossoms in the blue-eyed soul bouquet!

from Happy Heart (A&M SP-4176)
available on CD - Afternoon Tea Music - Orange Iced Tea (UM3 (Japan))




  klatu: Anyone interested in the work of A&M sound sculptor/master arranger Nick DeCaro would be well directed towards the masterful album "Italian Graffiti", MCA 74.
  steveo443: Happy Heart album by Nick Decaro has some great tracks..Outstanding is the title track(Happy Heart) there is a Bacharach influence here....Another Great tune on the album is Quiet Sunday?(think thats the title) Nick Decaro was a certifiable genius! Love his arrangements.
I�m not saying  performed by Nico  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This magical track is from a 1965 single produced by Rolling Stones impresario Andrew Loog Oldham. It's a folky pop song with a manically strummed acoustic guitar and constant beat. There's some more full orchestration (brass and strings), but it's slightly hidden in the mix. The charm of this song for me lies in both Nico's bittersweet delivery ("I'm not saying that I love you/I'm not saying that I care/If you love me..I'm not saying that I care/I'm not saying I'll be there when you want me") and the catchy chord sequence in the verse. Some of the bridge sections are slightly corny and obvious musically, but Nico's majestic vocal lifts the song and makes me want to hear it again.

from the single I�m not saying (Immediate IM 003)
available on CD - The Classic Years (Polygram)




  Gwendolyn: I love this song, Nico is one of my favorites. Her voice has such a uniqueness. It's very deep and peaceful.
  brightdayler: Oh, wow. This comment is four years old! But I just joined this place and this is one of my favorite songs right now, in 2006. I harbor a little resentment for Delicado, who claims the bridge is corny. I know it's not so insightful to say this since two of Nico's songs were used in another Wes Anderson movie, but the bridge section reminds me a lot of Rushmore, when Max and Blume do a simultaneous jump on bikes at the end, after their reconciliation. I guess that's why I like it. I wish Nico would have done more stuff like this.
  belphegor: i grew up on the gordon lightfoot version--but cripes, leave it to nico to so deliciously catastrophize a perfectly good tune. hers is amazingly well executed in the sentiments conveyed, ...and some catchy, too! love it, love it, love it.
I�m The Man Who Loves You  performed by Wilco  2002
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

The brief respite from all of the wild experimentation on the rest of the album, this track is Wilco gettting back to their country roots, while still exploring country's boundaries. Fun and joyful, filled with some rocking electric guitar not found on the rest of the album, this song is an much needed uptempo break on an album full of beautiful introspective ballads and acoustic sing-alongs.

from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Sundazed)


I�ve Novacane Been In Love  performed by Beck vs. Doris Day  2004
Recommended by tapler [profile]

One of the more unusual mashups you'll hear. Combines the music of "Novacane" by Beck with Doris Day's vocals from the song "I've Never Been In Love Before," which is from Guys and Dolls. Pretty groovy. It works!





J’Attendrai  performed by Michael Berard  2001
Recommended by russk666 [profile]

An acoustic (classical) guitar rendition played over the closing credits of the Showtime Film: "Varian's War" The vertuoso Jazz musician from Quebec has graced us with the finest performance of this much loved and performed chanson extant. It is perfection.

from DVD :"Varian's War" (Showtime Entertainment)
available on CD - not (none)


Jack Names the Planets  performed by Ash  1995
Recommended by hedgehog [profile]

Sweet lyrics about a teenage crush, with spiky bursts of guitars. Quite lovely.


available on CD - Trailer (Reprise)


Jellypop Perky Jean  performed by Julian Cope  1991
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A lovely little pop song, Jellypop perky Jean uses a standard Julian Cope trick - having a nice little repetitive musical phrase running in the background throughout the whole song. He then builds things up with a simple organ sound. The effect is very gentle and ambient and wonderful. At one point late in the song, Julian stunningly stops singing and starts talking. Here the real genius cuts through, and I start wondering why more people don't rant on about this guy as much as I do.

from Droolian
available on CD - Floored Genius (Sony)



Jet Generation  performed by Guitar Wolf
Recommended by olli [profile]

For Hideaki Sekiguchi, aka Bass Wolf, who sadly died of a heart attack on the 31st of March. He was only 38.
Guitar Wolf is one of those bands you either love or hate, i myself love them and their insane, primal rock n' roll antics. Sure hope they carry on, even though they are now missing a member.
This may well be the loudest song ever recorded. It's insanely great and makes me want to learn how to destroy a guitar.





  rum: So is Jet Generation the album to get? I spent an age trying to hunt down that 'Planet of the Wolves', and then after a while I just cut my losses and I tried to move on, I tried to forget about Guitar Wolf... But, damn it, here they are again. And wow, they still sound fantastic. But then 'Japanese', 'insane' and 'destroy' are my music watch words...
  tinks: they put on a great live show...i remember that all i was able to understand was something that sounded like "hoochie in the back, hoochie attack!"
joey ramoney  performed by helen love
Recommended by dazter [profile]




Julie Ocean  performed by Undertones   1981
Recommended by geezer [profile]

The innocent punky charm of Teenage Kicks was a distant memory by the time this yearning gentle beatbox ballad was recorded ,a sad summer song to lost love and playground nostalgia with a beguiling maturity not often assciated with The Undertones .

from The Positive Touch
available on CD - The Positve Touch


Just Ah  performed by The Blades of Grass  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Deeply awesome! It's a slightly psychedelic pop song from the late 60s. Delectable instrumentation and vocals. Strings and a bit of sitar on top of a regular guitar band. Lots of moaning in the vocal. Really lovely stuff. A compilation CD is available on Revola. It hasn't arrived yet but if it's all up to this standard I'm excited!


available on CD - The Blades of Grass Are Not For Smoking (Revola)




  eftimihn: I'd like to second that, absolutely terrific song and i must say nothing on "Are not for smoking" can match this gem for me.
Just Friends  performed by Gavin DeGraw  2003
Recommended by Waterboy [profile]

Great songs are all you need to be good and add in a soaring vocal and you have Gavin DeGraw. A beatiful love song for the 21st century.

from Chariot, available on CD


Just In Time  performed by Blossom Dearie  1959
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Blossom bounces her way thru this happy song about perfect love that has arrived just at the moment the end of the rope had been reached. She sings with a sense of joy and relief and you can't help but feel that things are going to be better going forward. Blossom's years of cabaret performing have given her a perfect piano playing style that accompanies her voice to a perfect fit. Kudos to Verve for dusting off this great recording, shining it up and putting out in a deluxe CD package!!

from Blossom Dearie Sings Comden and Green, available on CD


Just Lust  performed by Buzzcocks  1978
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

"Just Lust" was the B-side to the Buzzcocks' highest-charting single, the Pete Shelley punk-pop classic "Ever Fallen in Love?," eventually reaching number 12 on the U.K. singles chart in September of 1978. The mysterious co-author " Dial" is, in fact, a pseudonym for the band's early manager, Richard Boon, who also shared songwriting credits on "What Ever Happened?," the B-side to the Buzzcocks' infamously banned first single "Orgasm Addict." However, the effect of his involvement in not apparent here, as the music is classic Buzzcocks � masters of the punk-fueled power pop nugget. The rhythm is springy, the track's nervous tension as wired as the melody is infectious. Punchy verses with quick-hit vocals are alternated with short dreamy sections of woozy flanged guitar and chopped up-tempo shifts, the band expertly maneuvering in tight spaces. Shelley follows the twists and turns with clipped phrases followed by drawn-out melodies in sync with the compact arrangement: "Your dream to possess/It hurts/It's so unjust/Just lust, just lust/If nothing mattered less/Then I wouldn't make a fuss/Just lust, just lust/I was slow to catch on and that just makes it worse/If passion is a fashion then emotion is just a curse." Though the track was also included on the Buzzcocks' second album, Love Bites, the group had yet to make an impact in the United States. Thankfully, this little gem was not left to languish in obscurity as it was included in the influential collected singles package Singles Going Steady, compiled as the band's introduction to American audiences and released in the states in 1979.
(AMG)

from Love Bites, available on CD


Kala  performed by Yann Tiersen
Recommended by extemporanea [profile]

Elizabeth Fraser (from Cocteau Twins) sings on this song. The live version has an energic end. I just love the combination Tiersen-Fraser.

from On Tour


karma sitar  performed by 101 strings  1969
Recommended by olli [profile]

The standout track on the otherwise pretty dull lp "the exotic sounds of love". The title says it all really, it`s a mighty fine psychsploitation/middle east -style track. Love the swirling strings.

from the exotic sounds of love (astor)
available on CD - astro sounds from beyond the year 2000 (scamp)


keep it warm  performed by flo and eddie  1976
Recommended by plunk [profile]

I always loved the turtles so followed on to flo and eddie. this is the only song that has stuck with me by them tho. beach boys- esque paean to the lost ideals and protagonists of the 60's (sob). pretty

from moving targets/ best of
available on CD - flo and eddie best of


kids in love  performed by mayday parade
Recommended by ashley14 [profile]




Kill My Boyfriend  performed by Natalia Kills
Recommended by MiaMockingjay [profile]

This song starts off sounding like High School Musical but don't be alarmed, as it goes on it develops a deliciously psychotic feel. This song is quite different to other songs by Natalia Kills, but it is just as good if not better. I love this song because when I first heard it I didn't know what it was called and when I heard the lyrics "I'm rolling the dice, got the wind in my hair" I thought it was another ridiculously cheesy love song but then it went "I'm gonna kill my boyfriend" which intrigued me and I am so glad I kept listening because it just gets better and better.

from Perfectionist, available on CD


King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1  performed by Neutral Milk Hotel  1998
Recommended by sinister [profile]

backed by very catchy acoustic guitar strumming and an accordion that 'harmonises' the vocals on every note, jeff mangum sings about childhood innocence. i love this song.

from In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, available on CD


King of the Carrot Flowers Prt. 1,2 & 3.  performed by Neutral Milk Hotel  1997
Recommended by two-headed boy [profile]

A perfect segue into a perfect album, King of the Carrot Flowers is a masterpiece. This is the way songs should be written, performed, and produced. Jeff Mangum strums the catchiest 3 chords on his acoustic guitar while his piercing vocals spill lyrics of psychedelic sophistication. I can still remember the first time I heard him sing the lyric - 'and your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking, and dad would dream of all the different ways to die, each one a little more than he would dare to try' - in a rising climax. The energy and power is then sustained into a C drone from an organ, followed by an amped acoustic guitar being plucked clumsily. And like a street preacher we again hear Jeff, he belts 'I love you Jesus Christ' while the rest of the band hit fuzzed-out power chords F and C until a storm swells with cymbals, horn, bass, guitar, Jeff's voice and another rising movement to yet another climax. Propelled by an electric frequency that chops like a helicopter blade inches over-head we are lead into Part 3, often referred to as 'Up and Over'. This last part explodes into fuzz rock in all it's garage-roots glory with lyrics like - 'I will shout until they know what I mean, I mean the marriage of a dead dog sing, in a synthetic flying machine'. As the fuzz is sustained heavily the song ends with 1 last climax; the one-note piano brings us to a close.

King of the Carrot Flowers Part 1 introduces the theme of 'loss of innocence'. The narrator, addressing his lover nostalgically, compares the emotional deterioration of the older parents with the emotional and sexual discovery of their youth - 'your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder, and dad would throw the garbage all across the floor, as we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for.' This motive returns later in the album, as does his 'Jesus Christ' theme. Jeff Mangum alerts the listener in his lyric sheet that he believes what he sings, and that this 'Christ' theme is but the spiritual light he finds within everything. The album further treats themes like the Holocaust, death of loved ones, visions of ghosts, and all the horrors of man with this light. It is a beautiful and terrifying experience unlike any rock record to date. Personally, my favorite song of all time.

from In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Elephant 6)


Kinky Love  performed by Nancy Sinatra  1976
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A highly enjoyable song on many levels. Firstly, the words are ridiculous. 'Don't you know I understand you're a man, and you've got to have your kinky love' is pretty funny, but that's nothing compared to 'baby take me inside, and let the honey slide'. Musically, it's really rather charming as well, opening with just Nancy's voice and a cool watery guitar sound, building beautifully with some great strings. Even though I find myself laughing at the lyrics, she sounds very vulnerable and serious; her voice seems to break at certain points. All in all, this is really every bit as enjoyable as her superb 60s material.

from the single Kinky Love
available on CD - Sheet Music




  tempted: The British art pop group The Pale Saints recorded a terrific version of Kinky Love around 1990. Beautiful homage to this exceptional song!
  delicado: yeah, I'm a huge fan of the pale saints, and I actually heard their version first. I think a few of their songs are truly incredible; I'll have to recommend some here soon.
  bobbyspacetroup: Wow. This is a cool track. I played it for my girlfriend, and the lyrics really cracked her up. Anyone know who produced or arranged this track? I'd definitely be interested in other material along these lines, Nancy Sinatra or otherwise.
  joakimbo: !!! im desperate to get hold of the pale saints version of kinky love but cant find it anywhere!! can anyone help? i may have to call my boyfriend of 10 years ago to ask for a copy of his, tho i think his now wife may not approve!
  delicado: A belated response for bobbyspacetroup: the track was from a single, produced by Snuff Garrett and arranged by Al Capps. Yes, let's find some more stuff with this sound!
  Johnny Wonny: To Joakimbo .... hey Stupid ... why don't you do what I did about 14 years ago when I first heard Kinky Love by the Palesaints ... go to your Record Store and ORDER the 4 song EP ... duhhhh ... pretend there's no Kaaza and support this fabulous band that has disbanded .... Spend some MONEY for a change.
  Johnny Wonny: Delicado ... Kinky Love was originally written by Dave Ellington, for Nancy Sinatra. Once again "Bimbo" .. borrow some cash and order this EP ... you'll be glad you did. KL was the first song I heard by the palesaints, and now have everything they published. They disbanded in the late Nineties.
  Johnny Wonny: To all ... the palesaints was one of the most creative 90's British Alternative bands to ever exist, along with My Bloody Valentine, The Cocteau Twins etc etc ....
  Johnny Wonny: Just one more thing, Delicado .. you say these lyrics are "stupid" .. sung by Nancy S yes .. the palesaints version, with the gorgeous and subtle guitarwork of Graeme Nesmith, along with Mariel Barham's sultry and
  Johnny Wonny: dark voice make up the whole recipe to make this song work ... a woman and a man are in love ... they have a perhaps twisted but beautiful sexual relationship as well ... it's a love song .. NS's version is eww.
  delicado: to my namesake mr. wonny: I'm a huge fan of pale saints; bought the 12" on the day it came out. Also rather like the Nancy version; let's live and let live, eh!
  Johnny Wonny: Well .. hello ... here's some dumb Johnny/Palesaints trivia .. the first cd I ordered lasted about 2 weeks ... I was drunk, and a few cds were on the floor by my bed .. I thought one was the ashtray and ruined it. Ordered another the nest day. First heard it on CJSW (University FM).
  Johnny Wonny: By the way Kimbo, if you ever come back here, I found a site where you can order Flesh Balloon, along with anything else they did ... http://www.gemm.com/q.cgi?rb=ANDYBURNETT&wild=Pale+Saints
  Johnny Wonny: Course you can try Ebay .... I may have spoken in haste ... perhaps these cds are no longer in print ... I bought them all up till about 1994 or 5 ... since then the band has died ...
Knocks me off my feet  performed by Stevie Wonder  1976
Recommended by DecemberGuy [profile]

Simple lyrics, simple melody.

Yet it makes me wanna fall in love starting now.
Stevie's such a badasssss.

from Songs in the Key of Life (Motown)


Koi No Dorei  performed by Okumura Chiyo  1969
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

I've been looking for a Japanese song with an late 60's/early 70's loungy, yet soulful and deep sound for a while. This song by Okumura Chiyo (Japanese name order, last name first) is the closest track I've been able to find yet. The title means love slave, the beginning lyrics translate something like, "from the day I met you, I've been your love slave, I want to wrap myself around your knee like a puppy..." This song is somewhere between traditional Japanese enka and soul similar to say Nancy Holloway for example. The Japanese instrumentation blends nicely with the bleeding bass and horns. If anyone knows of any other Japanese songs in a similar vein, I'd love to hear some more recommendations.





  jojijoji88: Couple of tracks I can think of is Wada Akiko's "Doshaburino ameno naka" and Chiaki Naomi's "Ameni nureta bojou" Both have irresitable bluesie feel - Wada's tune is more brassy, Chiakis's more with organ and strings. They're both grrreat songs - Wada is powerfull and Chaiki is quite soulful. Please let me know if you find them - they are jewels!
Kortisin  performed by Plaid  1997
Recommended by Mr Tom [profile]

A lovely triptych. Plaid keep their trademark odd noises (creaking doors and weird duck quacks in this track) more in check than usual, and the result's a little more conventional than a lot of their work, but it's also very pretty. It's tightly structured, with a happy little introduction followed by three sections marked by their different, though related, warm basslines. Each has a gentle melody of its own, and between each there's an interesting break. Warm, sophisticated, and full of beauty.

from Not For Threes (Warp)



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 Grippe  performed by Jacques Higelin avec Brigitte Fontaine  1967
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

Simply beautiful music. Fontaine and Higelin take turns singing verses, accompanied by a jazz band that delivers spare, but beautifully affecting melodic touches. The chemistry of the two voices is great, and everytime I hear this song, I can't wait to hear the next reply in the flow of their odd, sad conversation about influenza, love, and death. "Ma grippe vous va tr�s bien... La mort vous ira tr�s bien." (My flu suits you very well... death will suit you very well.)

from 20 Chansons Avant le D�luge


Last Summer  performed by Lostprophets  2004
Recommended by izumi [profile]

I love music that can make you visualize in your mind what the song is trying to convey. This is one of those songs that always makes me feel nostalgic and wistful whenever I hear it - nostalgic not because it's a song from my childhood but because it talks about happy times gone by. When I hear it, I can picture in my mind a group of friends driving in a car through their hometown with an orange sunset in the sky. This is a song about happy memories which is something that everybody can relate to.

The instrumentals are nice too. I like how the guitar flares up at the chorus, and the steady beat of the drum, and how the singer's voice seems to echo throughout the song even after he's sung a word. This song might not seem very special, but it's amazing to listen to!

from Start Something (Visible Noise TORMENT32)


Late May’s Gaze  performed by Love You Moon
Recommended by arcadeatemyqrtr [profile]

evolving blues, warms the soul.




Latitudes  performed by Ollano  1996
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

This track is delicately built upon a sample from the first opening bars of "The End Of A Love Affair" by Julie London, a song i absolutely love (and was recommended by delicado somewhere else on this site). Further on Ollano add a gentle bossa nova rhythm to the track and light, breezy vocals (in french) by Helena Noguerra. Evokes a feeling of a mild, sunny day at a lovely seaside.

from Ollano, available on CD




  jeanette: Oooo, I've recently come to really admire this. I have it on a not-that-great Bungalow compilation, Atomium 3003; it's kind of hidden somewhere in the middle and I didn't pay much attention to it when I first bought the CD a few years ago. But thanks to the wonders of mp3 shuffle technology it came up on a playlist last week - I thought, "what is this?" - and played it several more times on the trot. Marvellous stuff.
Laughter Ever After  performed by Andy Lewis featuring Bettye Lavette  2004
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Normally I'd steer well clear of anything on the Acid Jazz label - the early 90's bad music debts have a long way to go to be paid off - but the presence of one of my soul idols just tipped me into buying this natty little blue vinyl 45.

Everything that made me love Etta James' Fire (see recommendation elsewhere on site) is amplified through this brilliant, brilliant song. Bettye's vocals are super-harsh, matching the song's acid sentiment and grasping rock-funk.

It's a tribute to how well this single is done that I thought it was a new vocal performace from Bettye instead of a reworked version of an old song. Bravo!

from the single Laughter Ever After (Acid Jazz AJX159S)


Lay It On Me  performed by Heatwave  1976
Recommended by ambassador [profile]

Heatwave's first two albums can almost be seen as prototypes for Michael Jackson's breakthrough album "Off the Wall." With Rod Temperton, future Quincy Jones and MJ collaborator, driving this album the sound is both funky and catchy, sophisticated and accessible. "Lay It On Me" is an overlooked album track that bubbles and gurgles under the surface of the groove until the chorus arrives with strings soaring for the ectasy of Johnnie Wilder's sweet vocals, "lay it on me, lay your sweet love on me!" Beautifully arranged and excellently executed and just one of many classics of their debut album.

from Too Hot to Handle, available on CD


Lay Me Down (Wake Me Up)  performed by Four Seasons  1970
Recommended by fost\'r [profile]

I have never seen this on a Greatest Hits album or heard it on the radio. It never made the US top 100 (although at this time the Seasons were apparently more popular in the UK).

It's surprisingly long for a Four Seasons song (6:11), and takes its time moving from the slower, "Lay Me Down" sections (with the more typical harmonies) to the more rock-oriented "Wake Me Up" sections. The closing refrains feature the types of harmonies you'd expect from early-80s Chicago. Frankie Valli handles the lead vocals, but stays away from the high-pitched stuff.

If you liked GENUINE IMITATION LIFE GAZETTE, this should be right up your alley. For those most familiar with the early-60s stuff ("Sherry") and their disco hits ("Who Loves You," "December 1963"), the 1969-1970 recordings might make a lot of sense as a bridge between the Four Seasons as a group of singers fronted by Valli in 1962 to a vehicle for some great compositions by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio in the mid-1970s.

from single (Philips 40688)


Lazy  performed by X Press 2 featuring David Byrne  2002
Recommended by secularus [profile]

No doubt will be on every forthcoming Ibiza summer 2002 compilation but I do have a small spot for this top house record. First heard it on Danny Rampling's show on Radio 1 and it really grabbed me. It is a simple repetitive tune (which constitutes most 4/4 house records) but its the vocals that do it for me. That awkward sounding vocalist is none other than David Byrne, pop music's official cool eccentric. Due out officially in the UK on March 25, 2002, it can be heard out in clubs and on aforementioned radio stations. X Press 2 is the collaborative effort between Ashley Beedle and Rocky & Diesel, London based electronica/dance producers who have had success in their solo efforts. Love it or hate it it's nice to hear David Byrne do something different.






  G400 Custom: I have to say I was appalled by this awful record when it became a big hit here in the UK. I'm a huge Talking Heads fan, and hearing David Byrne doing his thing over an utterly imagination-free piece of chart cheese was enough to break my heart. I'd advise anyone to go back and listen to 'Remain In Light', ironically an album that showed danceable grooves don't have to be mindlessly 4/4.
Le Locomotion  performed by Sylvie Vartan
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

Sylvie Vartan is supposedly one of the cheezier "ye ye" singers, yet I am so in love with this French cover of an American pop classic. It's so charming, the seriousness with which Sylvie Vartan approaches the song. "Must ... Locomotion ... NOW!"


available on CD - Est-Ce Que Tu Le Sais (BMG)




  olli: i love the scopitone video to this track. nice and silly. it's probably the reason she's considered to be cheesy. it _was_ downloadable on http://scopitones.com a while ago, but they seem to have removed it. oh well, it will probably resurface somewhere.
Leave (get out)  performed by JoJo  2004
Recommended by Issie [profile]

Cool song and video, i love it.




Let It Out  performed by The Hombres
Recommended by CaitlinSpelledWrong [profile]

It's a very simple song, but I think it's the simplicity that I love. It's odd but it's very catchy.
"Hangin' from a pine tree by my knees
Sun is shinin' through the shade
Nobody knows what its all about
It's too much, man, let it all hang out"


available on CD - Elizabethtown soundtrack


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 me love you  performed by Mario  2005
Recommended by Issie [profile]

I love the background to this song. I like it because I think it's a thoughtful song




Let There Be Love  performed by Oasis
Recommended by daniela_por [profile]

Beautiful Ballad. The combination of Noel and Liam's voices is amazing. By the way, this songs has truly great lyrics (as usual in Oasis' songs anyway).




Let your halo  performed by Woke Up Falling
Recommended by voz37 [profile]

What a rockin great band. From Portland as all great inspired things are, they sing about love and pain and driving. Definitely check them out.




Let’s Get Married  performed by Mariya Takeuchi  1984
Recommended by drchilledair [profile]

I am a connoisseur (er, fan) of Japanese pop music, not just young further-out acts/groups like Cornelius (lost w/o his tape loops) and Love Psychedelico (think Beatles Meets Velvet Underground). But also that strain of Japanese pop which draws heavily on the stylistic traditions of the usual Brill Building suspects. i.e. Solo Nihogo artists like Mariko Takeuchi, especially those tracks with arrangements by the great Tomaji Sogawa. Also Chage and Aska, Eichi Ohtaki, (sometimes called Japan's Phil Spector), Gospellers, Rag Fair and, of course, Pizzicato Five. I am especially drawn to the efforts of Tatsuro Yamashita as a solo artist, and of his tracks with his wife, Mariya Takeuchi, released under her name. On their own and as a team they have been recording since the 1980s and in (affectionately known by his fans as) Tats' case since the late seventies (his first album was co-produced and arranged in the U.S. by the 4 Seasons' Charles Callelo). There are a number of other artists like this in Japan with uncommonly lengthy---by U.S. standards---careers. And believe it or not, a hit record in Japan sells in numbers that are generally far larger than the U.S. despite a population that is roughly half as large.

One of my favorite Takeuchi - Yamashita collaborations (she writes and sings, he arranges) is "Let's Get Married," which would not be perceived as being retro or sixties or somesuch by (IMHO) the more flexible and openminded Japanese music audience. Even though, admittedly it does draw upon such musical conceits. Instead, Let's Get Married would merely be regarded as a great record, case closed.

This 1984 cut track is timelessly, and extra-territorily infectuous. But with the exception of Kyu Sakamoto in 1963 with his fluke number one single, Sukiyaki, to the best of my knowledge no Japanese artist of any musical inclination has been able to crack the U.S. charts in any significant way. General garden variety xenophobia coupled with a hard time wrapping the tongue around those hard-to-pronounce names with two many vowels and and syllables. It is doubtful that LGM, even though it is sung by Takeuchi in perfectly accented English, was ever released in the U.S.

Starting with a full blown fanfare of the Wedding March played on organ, after twenty seconds, Let's Get Married abruptly switches gears and mood and becomes an ever-ascending excercise in neo-Spectorian pop, replete with castinets, chimes, a swirling ooh-wah background chorale (courtesy of an overdubbed Yamashita), multiple drumkits, a full complement of string players and plenty of good old fashioned Gold Star Studio-style echo. A paen to the joys of marriage, my favorite moment happens at 1:42 way down in the mix right after Takeuchi sings the line "You and me with a small house and a dog," where, if you listen carefully you can hear the sound of a dog yapping for joy. Homage to the "Pet" at the end of Brian Wilson's "Caroline, No" perhaps?

Both Yamashita and Takeuchi had number one albums in Japan last year. Unlike most of their 70s and 80s U.S. rock/pop counterparts, they have not been cast aside by the bulk of Japanese record buyers, but continue to peak at the top of the charts with every new issue. A listen to this perfectly crafted, classic, three minute (well. . . 3;45 actually) track should help illustrate why this is so.

Bill Reed (new to this list)

from Impressions, available on CD


Let’s Go to the Dark Side of the Moon  performed by Original Love
Recommended by johannp [profile]

One of the best songs from the cd 'Sunny Side of Original Love' and one of my favorite songs by Original Love. The instrumentation is typical of this cd: Organ, a driving bass line, drums, a funky guitar riff, brass and a very interesting flute. (Why don't western bands use flutes more? Japanese bands surely seem to realize how they can enhance the mood of a song.)

I love the chords and harmonies in this song. Together with the instrumentation and the suggestive title they make this song very strongly emotional. I can almost feel myself leaving the dull everyday life, escaping to the dark side of the moon as I listen to this song. Oh, and Takao Tajima's vocals are as good as ever.

If you like this song, you may also like 'Sunshine Romance' from the same CD, although this one is the better of the two in my opinion.


available on CD - Sunnny Side of Original Love


Let’s not shit ourselves ( To Love and Be Loved)  performed by Bright Eyes
Recommended by DearPrudence [profile]




Let's Not Shit Ourselves (to Love and Be Loved)  performed by Bright Eyes
Recommended by eve [profile]




Liberation  performed by Pet Shop Boys  1993
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Lush electronica from the masters of the art. In the early 1990s, the Pet Shop Boys produced some of the finest electronic pop ever heard. This lyrical, optimistic song is a superb example. "Your love is liberation".

from Very, available on CD


Liebestod  performed by Leontyne Price
Recommended by cryofthecelt [profile]

This song, as heard at the death scene of "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet", is a piece from Richard Wagner's famous "Tristan und Isolde."
I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I can tell you this:
A few years ago, after studying Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" and watching Baz Luhrmann's version of the film, young student Kip Kinkel became obsessed with what is often called "the greatest love story ever told." Kip believed that "Romeo and Juliet" was exceptionally relevant to his own life. He had recently been a victim of unrequieted love and he felt his parents' constnat pull over him. One day, Kip had a psychotic break. He carried a gun to school and shot several of his classmates, killing them or leaving them seriously injured. He ran. As his parents arrived back at home, Kip blasted "Liebestod" on his stereo, took up his gun, and shot and killed both of them. The music was still playing loud and clear when the police arrived at his home to arrest him.
Scarily enough, that is how moving this music really is.

from Prima Donna Collection Highlights (BMG Classica/RCA Victor Red Seal)
available on CD - William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet Volume 2 (Capitol)



  weaveroffates: Actually, Kip Kinkel came home the night before the school shootings, shot his parents (who were very upset because he was expelled from school for having a gun in his locker) and then the next day went to school and killed/injured his peers. The soundtrack to the 1996 version was playing on repeat when the police found the bodies of his parents...but when he killed his parents.
Lifesize  performed by A Fine Frenzy
Recommended by Chillax07 [profile]

Female vocals, song about how love changes people. It was in the season finale of How I Met Your Mother.




Like to get to know you  performed by Spanky and our Gang  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This lovely late 60s pop track is wistful and atmospheric. The instrumentation is exquisite (vocal group with a delicately strummed/picked acoustic guitar, strings), and there is a cool false ending. The result is a very rich sound, evocative of lost summers. A sound which I'm very fond of...

from Like to get to know you (Mercury 61161)
available on CD - Spanky’s Greatest Hit(s)




  tempted: I just found the original album of the same name this song is on. It's beautiful with just the right kind of softly psychedelic artwork and some crazy, groovy spoken word passages on some tracks. "Like to Get to Know You" stands out as the definitive song and remains one of the most mesmerizing soft pop tunes in the world.
  gregcaz: It's also worth noting that the single version, found on the 1969 "Spanky's Greatest Hit(s)" album, is the definitive one, free as it is from the pickup-line chatter that obscures the intro on the original album, as well as featuring the gorgeous coda which is included separately on the "LTGTKY" LP.
  artlongjr: This is my favorite Spanky and Our Gang tune, a gorgeous and wistful number. I also have the original LP, which features a different version from the 45 as gregcaz mentioned. There is a video of the band performing this on Youtube that I think originally aired on the Smothers Brothers. I saw Spanky and the Gang a number of times on TV as a kid.
Linus and Lucy  performed by Vince Guaraldi  1964
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

This song is the most recognised theme from any of the numerous Peanuts television specials. While I am a huge fan of Charles Schulz and his beloved comic strip characters, this song and the album it is pulled from could easily stand on it's own. Mr. Guaraldi is a master at jazz-oriented piano and his trio plays together like a well-oiled machine. The absence of any vocals makes his music the perfect background for dinner parties and gatherings where conversation is to be encouraged.

from A Boy Named Charlie Brown, available on CD


Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas  performed by Okkervil River
Recommended by Reina [profile]

So nostalgic and beautiful. It completely captures the feeling of returning to home when it's not quite home anymore. Try it you'll love it I promise.

"On a cold afternoon you can float room to room like a ghost."




Little Bit  performed by Lykke Li
Recommended by tied.to.a.melody [profile]

This song has a very interesting sound using steal drums among other things to create a steady and bright beat. The artist's voice is beautiful and light, combinig perfectly with the song's meaning and the instrumental parts.




Little Time Bomb  performed by Kind of Like Spitting
Recommended by hannahyourheart [profile]

Very Elliott Smith infused.. almost reminiscent of old protest music at times.. love this group..





  delicado: Hi. is this a cover of the Billy Bragg song, or an original?
Live How You Love  performed by Kasey Rausch & Friends  2006
Recommended by MoeShinola [profile]

This is a laid-back bluegrass-y type tune that's just a lot of fun. The performer is young but there's wisdom in her words...

from Live How You Love (Rauschhouse)


Long Live the King  performed by Gary McFarland  1967
Recommended by delicado [profile]

It's hard to pick a particular Gary McFarland song to recommend: although I love almost all of them, there aren't that many that particularly stand out. Most have some of the same trademarks: whistling or wordless vocals, brass, guitar, and a gentle bossa nova beat. They're slightly wistful, and make me feel like it's summer whenever I hear them. McFarland also worked with some outstanding musicians, including Gabor Szabo and Kenny Burrell on guitar, Grady Tate on drums, and Willie Bobo on percussion.

Long live the king is actually slightly different - it's a simple, upbeat number with a rock beat, bacharach-style trumpet, and picked guitar; a boogaloo-style saxophone also makes an occasional appearance, as does a hammond organ. The German 'Latin Lounge' CD showcases his work on the Verve label, and it's all excellent.

from Scorpio and other signs (Verve V-8738)
available on CD - Latin Lounge (Motor)



  tinks: i'm glad to hear that mcfarland has finally been put on cd in some sort. i absolutely love him, just because he's so ridiculous. if you like this, you should check out the album he produced for cal tjader entitled "tjader sounds out burt bacharach".
  b. toklas: There actually is at least one album that�s standing out a bit. It�s called "Butterscotch Rum" (1971) and has a guy called Peter Smith accompanying Gary McFarland. He sings and wrote the lyrics and even illustrated the cover! I suppose he�s an Englishman, because his voice has a kind of Robert Wyatt-ish timbre. It�s a very good album with a slightly melancholic mood, and with that special laid-back and somewhat loose instrumentation that is characteristic for a lot of McFarlands later work. Very cool and heartwarming at the same time. Would like to have met him and have little chat sitting in rocking chairs. (Oh I forgot: some of the songs on "Butterscotch Rum" are Seventies Rock�n�Roll. They are not too bad, but usually I skip them.)
Look After You  performed by The Fray
Recommended by TheTromboneNinja [profile]

I love this song because it is so romantic, sweet, and perfect. There is Isaac Slade on vocals, along with back vocalist Joe King (<3). There's a piano, cello, and drumset. It's a beautiful song, happy and passionate, perfect to sing along to, Isaac has a great voice, and lyrics are beautiful.

from How to Save a Life (Epic)


look at me now  performed by chris brown
Recommended by kman4254 [profile]

they speak really fast and i love it




Looking For Love  performed by Everything But The Girl  1993
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Home Movies


Lookin� At A Baby  performed by The Collage  196?
Recommended by konsu [profile]

Another awsome but forgotten vocal group from 60's California that deserves a proper re-issue!The Collage were a vocal quartet(2 boys & 2 girls)with a very cool sound.Not enough to set them apart from the pack,but very groovy out of their context.The sound is as good as re-discovered groups like Free Design, or Millenium.In fact,Curt Boettcher wrote one of the songs on the LP,as well as Roger Nichols!
This song has a kind of"love awareness" message that seems just as relevant in today's troubled world: "...Look at a baby,what do you see?What do you see,lookin' at a baby?/I can see the world the way that I would like the world to be!..."This song,as the opener on the LP,has a lot of power, with that great 8th note stomp and a big,boomy,bass line with harpsichord.The arrangements are by the great Perry Botkin Jr.,and he gives the whole record a nice swirling,magical quality.And the rest of the album is just as impressive, and should be worth the high price for any lover of the genre.

from The Collage (Smash SRS 7101/MGS 27101)



  kwan_dk: Great song! I was lucky enough to find their album for 1 (!) dollar at a garage sale and loved that great opening track...
  rum: I heard a version of this track on that excellent rhino handmade 'Hallucinations' compilation. It was by the Collectors. I'm not sure whether it was the original or not, but it's really good. I remember looking at a picture of the band and thinking that if these 'collectors' started peering over into my baby's pram, I'd be wheeling him away to the nearest bobby. Ah such was the carefree innocence of the 60s that shabby young men could spend balmy afternoons in the park staring at young children.
  maya: I love this album! I may post some recs once I've listened to it a few times more...and since the year has a question mark, it's from 1967! they've got such a soft, sweet sound, that it's hard to resist.
  artlongjr: This song and band are great, no doubt. They were Canadian and later evolved into Chilliwack (who I haven't heard). I have their first LP which contains this song, and is excellent, it's a classic of West Coast psychedelia. I had a chance to hear their second album from a friend of mine who works in a record store, it's terrific! I think I heard that the name "Collectors" was given to them by a manager or record executive...but please, overlook the dorkiness of the name! This song is getting around, I now have it on two comps.
Looks Just Like The Sun  performed by Broken Social Scene
Recommended by mattishere [profile]

great song. love the ending best.




Lost  performed by Michael Buble
Recommended by rowalycia18 [profile]

I love the lyrics. It makes my heart melt. Love the beat




lost summer love  performed by lorraine silver  196x
Recommended by olli [profile]

60's piece of female vocals wall-of-sound power pop.
it's got handclaps, it's got tambourine, it's catchy as hell. it's just the wrong side of kitch.
I love it.


available on CD - casino classics



Love Action  performed by Human League
Recommended by bobbykulprit [profile]




love addict  performed by family force 5
Recommended by ashley14 [profile]




Love and Pride   performed by KING  1985
Recommended by geezer [profile]

A huge hit in the U.K in 1985 and the debut single from a band with global potential still retaing elements of the quick fire genres that happened in those times edgy punk sentiments ,white boy funk and even the two tone /mod revival appeal ,all things to all people ,all the ingredients to make the perfect contemporary pop song,.Its rousing anthemic chorus should have been the springboard to stadium size success which somehow slipped away within a year or two,perhaps its catch all ambitions recalled the adage that you cant please all the people all the time .This one piece of brilliance still remains as a monument to all the should have beens and great white hopes.

from Best of
available on CD - Best of Love and Pride


Love Athena  performed by Olivia Tremor Control
Recommended by mayers [profile]






  two-headed boy: The great tape splitters of Athens still know how to rock!
Love For Sale  performed by Annie Ross  1964
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

This is such a great recording! Ms. Ross starts out as if she is going to whimper her way thru this sad little tale of a prostitute's life, then wham-bam (pardon the expression) she takes on the persona of Natalie Wood in 'Gypsy' and swings the song as if she is playfully strutting across the stage and smacking you gingerly with her long silky glove. She soon has you believing that she is going to drag you by the scruff of the neck back to her abode to give you a Russ Meyer-ish smackdown! Johnny Spence's orchestra provides her with just the right weaponry to bring you to your submissive knees all at no additional charge.

from Annie Ross Sings a Handful of Songs (Globe/Ember (Japanese pressing} SMJ 7175)
available on CD - Annie Ross Sings a Handful of Songs / Club Verboten (Box Set) (DCC-626 / DZS(4)-135)


Love Goes On!  performed by Go Betweens
Recommended by adenning [profile]




Love in Rewind  performed by Dino Merlin  2011
Recommended by ESC_Dream [profile]

Folk ballad by Bosnian singer and composer, Dino Merlin. Bosnian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, 6th in the final




Love Interruption   performed by Jack White
Recommended by icerberg [profile]

mostly the lyrics/vocals but the music is also pretty chill idk




Love Is a Necessary Evil  performed by Blossom Dearie  1964
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

I cannot say enough good things about Blossom Dearie! She is truly one of those performers that everyone should have in their collection. This song is perfect for her singing style and she runs with it. You can almost envision her throwing her arms up in resignation to the fact that love is a pain but none of us can live without it.
This track is pulled from Blossom's only album for Capital Records. She is backed by an orchestra rather than the usual small jazz combo which better suits her intimate style, but she shines nonetheless.

from May I Come In, available on CD



  OrganLeroy: I love this Blossom Dearie album. While small combos normally backed her up, Jack Marshall really made the orchestra work, very sensitive, and subdued to not cramp her style...... I have been looking for charts/sheet music for this tune for my combo to use, NO LUCK so far..... If anyone has a lead on it, I'd REALLY appreciate. THANKS
Love Is All Around  performed by R.E.M  1991
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Radio Song


Love is The Only Good Thing  performed by Preston Epps  60,s
Recommended by [email protected] [profile]

"B" side to a previously tipped "Afro Mania" "A" side.
Doin a bomb on the "Northern Soul Scene" UK & Germany. "BUSTIN BONGOES , JUNGLE BEAT , ALL THAT STUFF THAT MOVES YAH FEET"




Love Letter  performed by Nick Cave  2001
Recommended by Cyninglich [profile]

What needs to be said, Nick Cave writes the best love songs and this is no exception.

from No More Shall We Part (Mute CDstumm164)


Love Like Semtex  performed by Rialto  1997
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Masterful. Beautiful arrangement, building up very effectively as the song progresses. Lyrically eloquent, with a brooding anger which betrays the influence of Elvis Costello, and is none the worse for it. Why on earth didn't this band have more commercial impact? The album is very stylistically varied and interesting. (Perhaps I just answered my own question).

from Rialto, available on CD


Love Love Love  performed by Tony Love  2003
Recommended by tlmusic [profile]

It's what the world needs to heal

from It's All About Love (T.L.M.P.)
available on CD - Its All About Love (T.L.M.P.)


Love Machine  performed by Harper & Rowe  1969
Recommended by Ron1967-1970 [profile]

Harper & Rowe... two unknowns who made one album in 1969... and what a surprise it was. Makes you wonder if these tunes had been given airplay, how many hits could they have had.
Some songs are pure pop, while others are more pop-psyche, but they all have a strong melody line in common and of course... an big orchestra. All songs on the album are good, but for some reason Love Machine stands out. It's very uptempo... and I play it loud (apologies to my neighbours) ;)




Love Me Still  performed by Louise Setara  2006
Recommended by chipster [profile]

Originally done by Chaka Khan, this song is one of the breakthrough tracks from new artist Louise Setara and her new CD, "Still Waters," Available in stores on September 12, 2006.

from Still Waters (Manhattan/Blue Note)


Love Ridden  performed by Fiona Apple
Recommended by jeni [profile]

This song is so haunting and beautiful.

from When the Pawn


Love Scene  performed by Joe
Recommended by meatball [profile]

This song is particularly seductive. Joe can't be beat when you're looking for songs to set the mood.

from All That I Am
available on CD - yes



Love so fine  performed by Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

It's hard not to smile when you hear this lovely, rousing late 60s number. Roger Nichols is the composer (along with Paul Williams) of many late 60s and 70s hits for, amongst others, The Carpenters. He wrote this song with 'Pet Sounds' lyricist Tony Asher, and they created a beautiful combination of sunny soft pop sounds (handclaps, brass, group harmonies) and pleasing, happy words. Musically, it is superior and extra-catchy, with nice Bacharach-esque touches and great instrumentation. The lead vocal also deserves a mention for sounding almost supernaturally brilliant (far better than it sounds in the sound sample). The singer is Melinda Macleod; her voice is lovely anyway, but here it sounds as if 3 perfect takes have been somehow overlaid on top of each other to produce an incredibly rich, soothing effect. It's over quickly - in just over two minutes. At which point I normally listen to it again a few times.

from Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends (A&M)
available on CD - Complete (Polydor Japan)




  PappaWheelie: I couldn't agree more. This is the epitome of what Pizzicato Five were trying to recreate in the early 90's.
  klatu: I didn't realize someone had picked this one already! I spelled it "&" instead of "and". Excellent choice!
Love so fine  performed by Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends  1968
Recommended by klatu [profile]

The pinnacle of soft pop! And I can't imagine it not being followed up by "kinda wasted without you"! Twin peaks! Vinyl buffs are at a disadvantage there, you have to get up quickly for the side change to experience the epiphany, and deal with the "pops-and-crackles" chiaschuro instead of "sterile" atomic clock mastering. Also included, my favorite version of the Lovin' Spoonful's "Cocoanut Grove", even better than the one by David Lee Roth! Well, I probably lost a few of you on that one. Roger Nichols went on to later fame and fortune as Paul Williams' songwriting partner on several smash singles, mostly by the wrongly-maligned Carpenters. After that, engineering on all of the Steely Dan albums. Not too many superstar engineers, but on those albums, it was notable. Fagen'n'Becker dubbed him Roger "the Immortal" Nichols on some liner notes. Now he has a byline in some stereo mag, or so I am told.

from Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends, available on CD



  gregcaz: Roger Nichols/pop genius and Roger Nichols/Steely Dan engineer are actually two different people. When Steely Dan toured Japan, people kept asking him to sign their "Small Circle" CDs! So funny!
  klatu: How embarrassing to be the spreader of internet misinformation! I've heard that from several places. It seemed so plausible, with the Ted Templeman Harper's Bizarre/Van Halen connection. Or is that two Ted Templemans? Thanks for the correction. So it's probably the Steely Dan guy who writes the article? I'll have to check that out.
Love Song  performed by Lani Hall  1974
Recommended by ambassador [profile]

This is one of those songs that really sounds nothing like any of the artists' other songs. This is off Lani's first solo album "Sundown Lady" and was produced by her husband and label executive Herb Alpert. The song is the first song on the album and sets the tone with a nice easy bass line accented by the tinkling of an electric piano. The real money is the combination of Lani's impassioned vocals with whoever (maybe Herb?) singing a simple male vocal complement during the chorus. The song is effortlessly funky, understated and oh-so-deep. I haven't played this song for someone who hasn't loved it.

from Sundown Lady (A&M 4359)



  delicado: By coincidence I picked up a compilation CD of Lani's work (a 25 year A and M anniversary disc that came out in 1987!) just yesterday, and this track and 'we could be flying' were the ones that really stood out. I'm a big Brasil 66 fan but had never picked up her albums. Strange that you happened to recommend this track today!
  scrubbles: You're right -- this is a lovely, understated yet passionate song. That male singer might possibly be Burt Bacharach, since the tune was included on a Bacharach collection.
love song for the dead che  performed by the united states of america  1968
Recommended by olli [profile]

spacy female vocal-based sadpop, perfect for cold weather and sunday afternoons. these guys pioneered this kind of music, if you're familiar with white noise,
os mutantes or even broadcast this album is your jackpot.
it's one of the more calm and mellow tracks on the albums, and one of my favourites.
absolutely gorgeus chorus, totally wide, deep string based arrangement.

..And dig the gentle, almost non-audible rhythm track.

from the united states of america



Love Theme  performed by Vangelis  1982
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

A classic, congenial, groundbreaking electronica score to Ridley Scott's movie "Blade Runner". While the most significant cues like "Love Theme" and "Memories of Green" were included on numerous compilations before, it took 12 years for the soundtrack to get released officially. Since Vangelis "recompiled" the music for the soundtrack, adding new music, reworked cues and left out parts of it, it's the best sounding but far from complete version of the soundtrack. Due to this fact there have been a huge amount of unofficial bootleg releases over the years, mostly private releases put out in small quantities. Even after over 20 years since the soundtrack has been recorded it still sounds fresh and highly evocative as ever before. The feeling throughout the soundtrack is a neo-retro, future-noir mood with grand soundscapes created with a mass array of various analogue synths. Especially the wonderful use of the Yamaha CS-80, with it's somewhat organic, sweeping, harmonica-style polyphonic sound gives the music such a remarkable feel. On "Love Theme" though Vangelis prominently features pretty much the only "real" instrument on the whole soundtrack, a saxophone played by Dick Morrisey.

from Blade Runner, available on CD




  nighteye: This is one of the best instrumental synth soundtrack track ever made, Vangelis is a genius! The pads / strings and the saxophone are so incredibly relaxed it feels like you are floating in space. My other favourite song from the Blade Runner soundtrack is 'Blade Runner Blues', it's also amazing!
  nighteye: Forgot to mention there is a variation of this song on the Blade Runner Bootleg by Esper called 'Thinking of Rachel', which is a muffled warm analog synth piece.
Love theme  performed by Henry Mancini
Recommended by 37piecesflair [profile]

From the 1968 film of Romeo and Juliet. One of the most beautiful movie themes I've ever heard.

It's all there. The composition, the sweeping orchestra, the violins. Everything. So wonderful.


available on CD - Henry Mancini's Greatest Hits



  delicado: I think the score was actually by Nino Rota, although Mancini's version was a hit. I do quite like the tune, but its overuse in soap operas has killed it for me a little!
Love To Drink  performed by Slim Moon  1997
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Good spoken word just DOES it for me.

This song explains why Slim loves to drink. "I love the great ascension of an evening spent drinking. Every other drug you go up and down like an arc, but with booze you just get drunker and drunker..." When people say he's a drunk, he says "why should I worry about something that makes me feel better?", which is one of the most touching lines I've ever heard.

The instrumental behind him is "People Are Strange". I'd like to think Slim picked it because it was in The Lost Boys.

from Won't You Dance With This Man?, available on CD



Love Vigilantes  performed by New Order  1985
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I heard this track again recently and it had an almost chemical effect on me. Why? It's hard to say. I can't claim to be especially moved by the lyrics, but the song captures a certain mood which makes me want to shake around. The track has a nice balance of instrumentation - New Order trademarks like strong, crisp drums and prominent bass, and a melody played on the melodica.

The other highlight of the song for me is the manically strummed guitar break near the end - a great moment. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but this track still has a lot of power for me.

from Low Life, available on CD



Love Will Take Its Time  performed by Mary Margaret O'Hara  2002
Recommended by mitchiavelli [profile]

'Love Will Take Its Time' is from the soundtrack to the film 'Apartment Hunting'.

O'Hara devotees like myself have been waiting for 15 years for a follow-up to 'Miss America' and we got a fine one in 'Apartment Hunting'.

'Love Will Take Its Time' is a jump blues/jazz number with few of the vocal tics/tricks that make O'Hara a singers singer.

Those who love creative vocals must check it out!

It is not being distributed widely so you may have to go here: http://www.apartmenthunting.com/ if you want it.

from Apartment Hunting (soundtrack) (Apartment Hunting Productions)
available on CD - Apartment Hunting (Apartment Hunting Productions)


Love Will Tear Us Apart  performed by Nouvelle Vague  2004
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Nouvelle Vague is the project of Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux, who basically took classic late 70s/early 80s new wave songs and transformed them into light, easy going, predominantly bossa tinged tracks, including heavily accented, whispery Longet-esque vocals. They claim these young vocalists never even heard the original songs. It works brilliantly for sure on "Love will tear us apart" where they manage to interpret the song as a melancholic, chilled stroll down a beach with sparse percussion, acoustic bass and guitar, vibraphone and some samples of waves rushing on the seaside. I'd like to think even Ian Curtis might smile down on this cover version...

from Nouvelle Vague, available on CD



Love Will Tear Us Apart  performed by Joy Division
Recommended by Shes lost control [profile]




Love Will Tear Us Apart  performed by Nouvelle Vague
Recommended by Shes lost control [profile]




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)



Love’s A Lonely Place To Be  performed by Virginia Astley  1982
Recommended by john_l [profile]

A gossamer light track with cello, glockenspiel and some other non-standard rock (?) instrumentation, by a classically-trained musician. The only song that it is heavier than is the Caravelles' 1963 hit "You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry", which is probably the song it sounds most like as well, if I had to pick one. Quite gorgeous! But there was a re-recorded version that found its way onto the 1986 "Hope In A Darkened Heart" LP; it's NOT nearly as good as the original.

from Promise Nothing (Why-Fi)


Love’s A Lonely Place To Be  performed by Virginia Astley  1982
Recommended by thefamilycat [profile]

This is my favorite song and is very close to a Christmas carol,especially "Walking in the air"
It appeared on the Indie charts in early 1983 peaking at No.5,sharing the chart with no end of punks.
Virginia Astley had little to do with Rock,never mind Punk

from Promise Nothing (Crepsescule)



  shakeahand: Yes quite beautiful, and then so easy to forget how dark and uncomfortable the lyrics are - being in a loveless relationship with, it seems, no way out. See also Some Small Hope, a duet with David Sylvian, another etherial mix of beauty and sadness.
  thefamilycat: Only a few of Virginia Astley's songs related to her own life.Her pet subjects were "having someone" or "almost having someone",tales of childhood or ideas from World War 1 poetry. "Tree Top Club" is actually set in thre village where her family lived at the time":Stanmore North London.The "ruined church" referred to can be seen in the churchyard where it was left after burning down. Her 90s songs continued the poetic and religious imagery she was so fond of and scenes from Alice in Wonderland are quite obvious
Love’s Secert Domain  performed by Coil  1993
Recommended by robert[o] [profile]

A moment of silence, (and/or eardrum-shredding noise), please folks, for the memory of the late, great Mr. John Balance of Coil who passed earlier this month. This track is one of my favorite �songs� by this organization, the title track from their sardonic exploration of club culture in the early 1990�s. Coil were never an �industrial� band � though they could create tracks of brutal, grinding sound. They were always too musical, too playful, too smart. On this tune � and there is a really catchy tune here � Balance does his best Christopher Lee impression, growling/singing of love as sickness, mixing quotes from William Blake and Roy Orbison, over a backing track that sounds like H. P. Lovercaft does Esquivel. Brilliant stuff from a brilliant man, who will be missed.

from Love's Secert Domain


Love’s Sweet Exile  performed by Manic Street Preachers
Recommended by DearPrudence [profile]




Love’s Theme  performed by the Love Unlimited Orchestra  1973
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Barry White flawlessly blended the sounds of soul and classical music and practically invented disco. This instrumental rescues the string section from the stuffy opera house and creates a difinitive sound for the 1970's. You can hear his influence in much of the decade's music that came after this song's release.

from Rhapsody In White (20th Century Fox Records T-433)
available on CD - Barry White: Ultimate Collection (Polygram POL 542291)



  konsu: Hey! There's a great vocal version of this tune on one of the "Love Unlimited" vocal records Barry produced with a trio of ladies. It's on the album "In Heat" (20th Century T-443 1974). It just got reissued on CD. It's kinda fun hearing lyrics to a song that's so well remembered as an instrumental!
love's gone bad  performed by chris clark/the underdogs  196?
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

a soul nugget from white mama chris clark. however this song did not hit as hard as expected so the boys in the underdogs recorded it too and released it (on the same label!) a few weeks later. i don't understand why it didn't make the charts because it's a great song.






  scrubbles: Oh, man, I agree. This song ROCKS. Holland-Dozier-Holland must have had major issues with Motown when they wrote this, it's overflowing with grit and pissed-offiness. I would give a slight edge to Chris Clark's version, the lyrics somehow seem more credible coming from a Dusty Springfield soundalike than a Paul Revere and the Raiders soundalike.
Love's theme (Saint Etienne Mix)  performed by Pizzicato Five  1998
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A great track that comes in two parts. The first is a sweet repetitive pop tune with electronic piano, synthesized strings, pleasant guitar chords, and wordless 'ba ba' vocals. Just before the three minute mark, it begins to mutate gradually, until it turns into a glorious early New Order-style sound, with a piercing, punky guitar sound and a loud bassline. The vocal elements from early in the track then come back in. A great fusion of different styles.

from Happy End Of You (Remix), available on CD


Love, love, love  performed by Gerhard Heinz  196?
Recommended by delicado [profile]

What a winning track! Opening with Morricone-style 'boing' sounds, this is a sexy, funky pop song with interchanging female/male vocals and pounding drums.

The sub-genre of pop songs in this style, featuring flirting and laughing alongside groovy 60s backings, is under-appreciated. I can think of a few more examples: Piero Umiliani's 'Flirt a Rio', Marcos Valle's 'Ele e ela', and my previous recommendation, Ed Lincoln's 'Bon-jour'. Mina's 'Parole Parole' almost fits as well, although the interplay there is a bit more dramataic than flirtatious.

Confusingly, there's another track called "Love, L'Amour, Amore" by Gerhard Heinz, which appears on the "Melodies in Love" compilation of his work. But I gather from hearing a clip that this is a different track altogether.

from Birds Do It: Music From German Sex Education Movies of the 60's, available on CD



Lovelier than you  performed by Bobby ray
Recommended by KidCudiMod [profile]

Acoustic recording from bobby ray, a highly talented muscian. accomplished on both piano and guitar. this song uses his guitar and singing skills. However he is equally adept at rapping and producing




Lovely Allen  performed by Holy Fuck  2004
Recommended by whitelight [profile]

Electronic music made and performed without the use of laptop computers. great string sample from sigur ros. Holy Fuck is an amazing group

from holy fuck


Lovely Head  performed by Goldfrapp
Recommended by tuktman [profile]

This reminds me of Portishead but it's not as downright depressing. There's a really cool whistle/mellotron hook in it.




Lovely, But Dangerous  performed by Bruno Nicolai  196?
Recommended by tinks [profile]

A song that lives up to it's name. On the surface, a very easy-going trumpet, harpsichord and xylophone flutter about over a very tense rythm that hints as something sinister. An excellent use of contrasting elements to set a particular filmic mood.

from Agente Speciale LK, available on CD



Lover I Don’t Have to Love  performed by Bright Eyes
Recommended by 37piecesflair [profile]

Words can't express how much I love this song. I go through stages with it..sometimes it makes me cry, sometimes it makes me happy, sometimes it makes me wistful. Just an all-around favorite.




Lover I Don't Have to Love  performed by Bright Eyes
Recommended by eve [profile]





  gingerninja: This is my favourite Bright Eyes song. The orchestral arrangement works so powerfully with his voice. Th subject matter (one night stands) is intersting, singer/songwriters arn't supposed to be so sex obssesed are they?
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)



Lover’s paradise  performed by The Manhattans
Recommended by Mpumelelo [profile]

I like this song because it reminds me about my girlfriend




Lover’s Rock  performed by The Clash
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

This song just sounds cool and it's about making love not just having sex.




lover’s spit  performed by broken social scene
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

its so lonely and perfect.




Lover, you should have come over  performed by Jeff Buckley
Recommended by kaciegirl [profile]

Wonderful. Simply wonderful




Lover, You Should’ve Come Over  performed by Jeff Buckley
Recommended by Shes lost control [profile]




Lover, You Should’ve Come Over  performed by Jeff Buckley
Recommended by lhirsch92 [profile]




lovers from the moon  performed by the magnetic fields  2000
Recommended by flange1515 [profile]

trippy




Lovesong  performed by The Cure  1989
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Disintegration


Lovesong (The Cure)  performed by Tori Amos  1996
Recommended by acidburn [profile]




Lying is the most fun  performed by Panic at the Disco  2005
Recommended by sparkling.inferno [profile]

it's not the most beautifully written song -or the most appropriate, for that matter- but i love it for the way it was performed, the way Brendon's sometimes high-pitched vocals harmonize so well with the instruments, and its memorability. this song stuck with me for a very long time, however i am also very attached to it on account of more personal reasons.
the intellectual aspects are also what struck me as being meaningful- how often do you hear the word 'harlequin' or 'testosterone' in a song? i enjoy listening to tunes with at least some signs of intellect, rather than hearing a string of curses or slang in an entire three minutes. although there are some profanities in Lying, it's not as bad as many other songs out there, that's for sure.

however, there is a sad aspect to the song as well. apparently, it was inspired by guitarist Ryan Ross' recent breakup with his girlfriend on account of her cheating. he stated:
"At the time it felt like the world had ended. I hated everything. It affected that whole album. I guess it's good that I wrote it down. I might have stabbed somebody."

overall, i think it's a great composition, with an enjoyable melody and a catchy chorus, despite its melancholy roots.

from A Fever You Can't Sweat Out


made first  performed by tahiti 80  2000
Recommended by daidai [profile]

this song is similar to hideki kaji's works. a sense of melancholy engulfs the listener, recalling kaji's works. 'made first' is best listened to after/before'we were so much in love'.

from puzzle (minty fresh)



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.




Magic Garden  performed by Dusty Springfield  1968
Recommended by audvoid [profile]

I discovered this on The Dusty Springfield Anthology 3CD set (1997) and fell in love with it instantly. Until this release Magic Garden had never been available in the U.S. and was originally released on an obscure British-only EP. The song's an absolute classic that veers between Phil Spector-esque surging pop and dreamy summer of love escapism. Truly a rediscovered lost masterpiece.

from If You Go Away EP (Phillips BE 12605)
available on CD - The Dusty Springfield Anthology (3CD) (Chronicles)


Major to Minor  performed by The Settlers  1967
Recommended by artlongjr [profile]

The U.K. (or possibly Australian?)group the Settlers do a great job on this Tony Hatch song, sounding somewhat like American contemporaries the Sunshine Company and the Mamas and the Papas. I just love the vocal harmony groups of the mid to late 60's and this is an excellent example of that musical genre. The arrangement is very dramatic and the male-female vocal blend is very well done. This is much more pop than rock, and is definitely one of my favorite Tony Hatch tunes.

from Paisley Pop, available on CD


Make It Easy On Yourself  performed by Connie Francis  1968
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Always loved this song by Burt Bacharach and this version sounds just heavenly. From the credits, it's easy to spot why: Claus Ogerman. He's in top form here, transforming the song into a gentle bossa nova with all the Ogerman magic of that time, very similar in sound and texture to his work on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "The Composer Of Desafinado Plays": Gentle basic rhythm section, subdued piano, airy flutes and trumpets and of course those impeccably arranged strings swirling in and out during the song.

from Connie Francis Sings Bacharach And David (MGM 4585)



Make The Madness Stop  performed by Free Design  1967
Recommended by charlesives [profile]

Masterpiece! This record, a legend amongst those who know it, with its fine writing, arranging and singing clearly deserves its place in the Pantheon of great pop. It may have failed commercially in its time but the beauty of their pop puts it amongst the best of our times and explains why 37 years after its creation it remains exquisitely artful to our ears. I could write 100,000 words scratching at what I love about this group and their first 4 records, and this song alone.But, the Free Design deserve, rather than my dull hyperbole, a good listen. Rousing and sublime, almost TOO GOOD to have been a big hit. If you read a bit about them you realize that these singing siblings made some naive career choices that favored music over money. Our gain.
Some bonehead on this site claimed The Free Design sound like Stereolab. That writer got it butt backwards. Sadly, Stereolab doesn't have the skill to really reach the musical and spiritual depth of the Free Design. Stereolab's OK, don't get me wrong, but they are often a pale imitation of a much richer source. Letitia from Stereolab cites The Free Design as one of her all-time favorite bands, so at least they have sublime taste and honesty when it comes to revealing their sources.

Guaranteed to lift you up way high.
Buy or download NOW!!!

Fave part: "Wish that I were corny....:

from Kites Are Fun, available on CD



  konsu: No, you have it backwards, because your emotions get in the way. Understandable though, with this group, and particularly this song (which is one of my all-time faves). It "blows your mind but not completely..." is what I like to say. Stereolab have always worn their influences on their sleeves, from the Beach Boys to Can. And it seems like I should explain by saying that they are a gateway group for so many young people to discover older pop, but shallow as some are, they only like the FD songs that sound like more contemporary artists. Not that it's a super bad thing, just a little dissapointing, considering the depth and beauty of this groups entire body of work... Dig? Love, Bonehead.
Make You Fall in Love With Me  performed by Brett Dennen
Recommended by Sixxish [profile]

A lot of keyboard, brass, guitar, and soulful lyrics.

A nice song about a guy who is determined to make a girl fall in love with him.

Inspiring for all those who have been, or are going through the same situation.

from Loverboy


Make You Feel My Love  performed by Adele
Recommended by nicolebaker [profile]




Make You Feel My Love  performed by Adele  2008
Recommended by melliebean22 [profile]

she puts her heart and soul into everything she sings. this song is so heartfelt and tender.

from 19


Make Your Own Kind Of Music  performed by Cass Elliot (a.k.a. Mama Cass)  1969
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

A true anthem to self-love. Cass' beautiful voice proudly affirms that you have to be yourself and not worry about what anyone else thinks. She deserved more appreciation than she got during her short life and this song strikes me as quite autobiographical.

from Make Your Own Kind Of Music (Dunhill 50071)
available on CD - Dream A Little Dream: the Cass Elliot Collection (MCAD 11523)



  delicado: yeah, I love this track. She sings in a very sincere and rousing way.
  JangleBabe: If my childhood memories serve, this was the theme song of Cass's short-lived variety show back in the '70s.
Man In A Raincoat  performed by Claudine Longet  1968
Recommended by konsu [profile]

I had to mention my favorite Claudine tune. A nice cinematic piece about an enigmatic lover with "Laughing eyes & dark brown hair..." who sweeps her off her feet, then splits with her dough when he goes to buy a ring. The track is touched by the deep-blue sax of Ernie Watts, which gives the track a "Noir-ish" vibe. Look of Love is one of the best records she did in her short career. Arranged by the genius Nick DeCaro, the godfather of A.O.R. !

from Look Of Love, available on CD


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


Manon  performed by Serge Gainsbourg  1969
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A lovely, dark, haunting song with an intricate string arrangement; this really got me hooked on Gainsbourg as soon as I heard it. Musically, the song dazzles me - the arrangement flows beautifully and sounds very original (to me, anyway; if I'm wrong, please help steer me in the direction of more recordings like this!). Serge is a great vocalist here as well. At times he whispers, but some lines he really spits out - 'a quel point je HAIS......ce que tu es...' The guy was a genius.

from Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg, available on CD




  Mike: I must agree with you (it seems pretty appropriate to do so as you introduced the song to me yourself a few years ago) - this is a very beautiful song, very beautifully and expressively sung, and the arrangement is frankly stunning. This is definitely one of those Gainsbourg tracks which really hits the heights in every department. Surely worth a listen, even to those who can't stand the bulk of Serge's output.
  tempted: Scott Walker has some similarly haunting orchestral arrangements but as a singer he's a sheep whereas Serge's a wolf. A great sheep, though.
mao boy!  performed by indochine
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

i heard this song for the first time on mtv while i was in paris. this song is amazing, with a very slight 80's vibe to it. i have no idea what they are saying, but i love it anyway.




Maps  performed by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs  2003
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

Vulnerable, moving and heartbreaking. Karen O reigns in her vocals, and the band cuts out the noise leaving behind an incredible post-punk love song that will blow your mind. The best and most understated track on an amazing debut album.

from Fever to Tell (Interscope)



Mark Rae’s Medicine (Kraak & Smaak Remix)  performed by Kraak & Smaak  2007
Recommended by iPodChick [profile]

The multi-talented Dutch artists Kraak & Smaak shine in their unprecedented, soul-shaking compilation, �The Remix Sessions� due out May 29th. Named by IDJ as "one of the most incendiary live outfits," Kraak & Smaak take that crackling energy and infuse classic jams with their signature style. Music lovers everywhere will rejoice as hard-to-find tracks, many of which were only released on vinyl, join each other in this boogie-licious showcase.

From banging dance floor "Mimezine � Can't get Enough (Kraak & Smaak Remix)," to funky, midtempo "Jamiroquai � Electric Mistress (Kraak & Smaak Remix)" to eerie, internationally-infused "Skeewiff � Man of Constant Sorrow (Kraak & Smaak Remix)," Kraak & Smaak reveals their astounding vision for the possibilities of electronica. This beat-driven assembly is an invaluable resource for re-tracing the various pathways of this modern musical expression.

from The Remix Sessions (Quango Records)



  aquila49: Recommendation is by a recording industry shill. You can find the exact some wording at ubl.com and Indie911.com�straight from a press release. Ugghh.
Marry Me  performed by Train  2009
Recommended by kaketaca [profile]

I love the heartfelt lyrics, pretty guitar,

from Save Me San Francisco


Maybe After He�s Gone  performed by The Zombies  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

'Odessey and Oracle' is an album that lives up to the hype. Of all the brilliant songs it contains, this is probably my favorite.

The basic lyrical idea - the rather pathetic hope that maybe if the guy just waits a while, his lover's new squeeze will leave and she'll take him back - is quite compelling, and the heartfelt vocals are very appealing. It's a short track, miserable as hell, but a winner!

from Odessey and Oracle, available on CD



Me About You  performed by The Mojo Men  1967
Recommended by john_l [profile]

A dramatic arrangement of a often-covered song by a couple of guys whose names I see elsewhere on this site in several places. Lenny Waronker was the producer.

The band, from San Fran, was best known for its hit cover of Stephen Stills "Sit Down I Think I Love You", which is described as "a whirring music box" in the CD liner notes and indeed it blew away the dull original. "Me About You" meanwhile was covered by the Lovin' Spoonful among others.


available on CD - Sit Down It's The Mojo Men (Sundazed)


Meaning of Love  performed by Karin Krog  1974
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

What a strange and beautiful song! Cool-toned organ melodies played against a thick, warm, bass vein running through the entire song, complex drum backing, and the oddly distant, yet personally reflective lyrics of Karin Krog, combine to create a dream-like sound.






  Pal: Excellent song! Written by Steve Kuhn an american jazz musician/composer/arranger who I think lived in scandinavia in the late sixties. Besides Karin Krogh he has also worked with Monica Zetterlund. The best version of this song he has recorded himself though. Featuring Gary Mcfarland, Airto, Ron Carter & Billy Cobham!!
Mecca  performed by Gene Pitney  1963
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

Middle-Eastern '60s teenpop! Wild backup singers and a groovy guitar/flute solo add a distinctive, exotic touch to this lovers-from-different-cultures song. Still, it's Gene Pitney's incredible, dramatic singing that pushes this over into the "so weird it's wonderful" arena.


available on CD - 25 All-Time Greatest Hits (Varese Vintage)



Mechanical Emotion (Featuring Morris Day)  performed by Vanity  1984
Recommended by Nickfresh [profile]

If you are looking for Classic but Overlooked 80's Electro Soul, look to one of Prince's girls to fill your need. Vanity, who at this time was a 'vamp' going it alone after Prince, got together with Bill Wolfer and Morris Day with a serious sound of synthesizers, clean electric guitar, and risque lyrics, making it one of the two releases from her first solo album, "Wild Animal." The grooves in the song and the french breakdown has me going wild everytime. I have loved the song since I was a little boy (when I was told that I couldn't listen to songs like that), and I don't think I will tire from it anytime soon.

from Wild Animal (Motown)



Meet Me At The Love-In  performed by Love Generation  1967
Recommended by masayo [profile]

Everytime I listen to their songs, I feel something pressing on my chest. Ahh, I can't express my feeling very well... The boys and girls mixed choirs on fantastic melodies always make me happy. I love " Meet Me At The Love In" so much, especially whisper on their choirs, horn on the bridge, etc. They were actually a follower of The Mamas & The Papas but their tunes are more cheerful and energetic!

from The Love Generation (Imperial 12351)



Melody  performed by Serge Gainsbourg  1971
Recommended by lilly747 [profile]

Stunning melancholy and wonderously modern opener to Gainsboroug's concept album about jailbait love, road accidents & brightly coloured rolls-royces - a masterpiece...

from L'Histoire de Melody Nelson (Mercury)


Metti, Una Sera A Cena  performed by Ennio Morricone  1969
Recommended by texjernigan [profile]

This is another of the great post-spaghetti western tracks, another of which I'd love to see the movie that it was written for, "Love Circle" as its known in English.

from Metti, Una Sera A Cena, available on CD



Mi Querido Amor (My Cherie Amour)  performed by Cristian Castro  1994
Recommended by RCA76 [profile]

I love this Spanish version of the Stevie Wonder classic because it the new instrumentation. It is still very Stevie Wonder with a new, latin flair. The vocals are absolutely amazing, this guy can really sing.

from El Camino Del Alma, available on CD


Midnight Swim  performed by Al Caiola  1966
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I love the sweeping introduction of this track so much that I would almost recommend it based on that alone. A brass flourish leads into a really cool, jerky beat. It continues with nice multitracked guitars that produce a harpsichord-like effect. Very cool.

from Tuff Guitar (United Artists UAL 3389)



midtown  performed by the sea and cake
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

it reminds me of the ocean & foggy days. lovely.




Miracles  performed by Soulounge  2003
Recommended by lenny [profile]

Regularly I fall in love with songs that have a harmonic, perfectly tuned voice chorus like "miracles". The Fender Rhodes keyboard and a moderate bass-line completes the relaxed mood.
I immediatly feel this bittersweet mixture of good times memories and melancholy.

from Home



Miss Murder  performed by AFI  2006
Recommended by celshader97 [profile]

Miss Murder is off of AFI's Decemberunderground album and manages to stick out from the rest of the tracks. Its typical alternative rock, and I love the chorus the best. In between the chorus, most of the lyrics are spoken rather than sung, but it makes for a neat change of pace.

from Decemberunderground


Miss World  performed by Hole  1994
Recommended by oceanacid [profile]

An incredible emaotional hard rocking song that is totally relatable.

from Live Through This, available on CD


Mister Love  performed by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band  1978
Recommended by PappaWheelie [profile]

Cosmopolitan Disco with a warm orchestration igniting the perfect melody, Cory Daye's vocal performance can't go wrong. Dr. Buzzard's music is unlike any other music with the battered "Disco" tag. As with most of their discography, this is highly recommended! Also try "The Gigolo and I" and "Transistor Madness-Future DJ" from their wrongly criticized "Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Meets King Pennett" album.

from Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Meets King Penett (RCA)
available on CD - Very Best of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band (RCA)




  ryder0059: I JUST WANTED TO SAY MISS CORY DAYE VOICE IS ONE OF A KIND,IT IS ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING,SASSY WITTY,STYLISH.I WISH SOMEBODY WOULD GET HER BACK INTO THE STUDIO AS SOMEONE WOULD MAKE LOTS OF MONEY.I DONT GET IT AS HER CORY AND ME RECORD IS OUT OF PRINT BUT SELLS FOR THIRTY DOLLARS ON EBAY AND OTHER OUT OF THE COUNTRY SELLERS LIKE ROCK HOUSE MUSIC. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IF THEY PLAYED SOME OF HER MUSIC ON THE RADIO NOW IT WOULD SELL LIKE GOLD COME ONE SOMEONE PLEASE GET HER BACK INTO THE STUDIO THANKS FOR YOUR TIME JOHN KARVASALES
  Lemluv: Thank you for posting this. I have been enchanted by the works of August Darnell, Stony Brower and Co. in all it's manifestations. Seductive yet sophisticated, concealing a rapier and wit all the time dressed to impress (from Tropical Gangsters to Zoot Suits, y mas). They were pegged as a "disco" group, but were much more. What gets me the most is how visual their music could be. Nostalgic, contemporary, and ahead of it's time simultaneously.
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters  performed by Elton John
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

This song gives me goose bumps and makes want to hug everyone I love.





  xfanatic50: I love this song so much... however I loved it more after I saw Almost Famous and it was used so effectively over William and Penny Lane's semi-love scene. Now this song always reminds me of Penny Lane. :)
  inbloom44: I agree whole heartedly
Money  performed by Pink Floyd
Recommended by nicolebaker [profile]

A classic, everybody's gotta love this.. Yeah?




Moonchild  performed by Rick James  1985
Recommended by Nickfresh [profile]

Rick James rocks. but he also can croon. His 1985 LP, "Glow," was highly underrated, and because of this fact, many folks passed up this gem of an album. "Moonchild," with its lush bassline - dreamy keyboards - and somewhat inspired lyrics, is one of the many tracks should've made RJ a bigger star than he was. Motown really dropped the ball on not releasing this ballad as a single or promoting the album, PERIOD. Mary J. Blige brought this song back to life (without butchering it) with 1997's "Love is All We Need."

from Glow (Gordy (Motown) 6135 GL)



More Today Than Yesterday  performed by Spiral Starecase  1969
Recommended by fost\'r [profile]

Released in 1969; peaked in the US in 1970. I always thought it was by Stevie Wonder, but as it turns out, it's by a white California group. You've probably heard it: "I love you more today than yesterday / but not as much as tomorrow..."

A great combination of upbeat lyrics and music with a slight tinge of melancholy, as if the singer is recognizing that tomorrow isn't quite here yet and there's always the chance that his plans will be derailed...

Great horns on this and several of their other singles (e.g., "No One For Me To Turn To"), but I read somewhere that the band's lack of a concert horn section led to their demise... apparently Pat Upton (writer of this track and lead singer) has also blamed poor management or record-comany politics. Too bad.

Also check out a cool Ska version by Goldfinger on the WATERBOY (late 90s) soundtrack.





  konsu: Bout' time someone handed this one in. I guess I take it for granted like most americans who still like AM radio... right up there with "Lovin' You" for songs that you can't sing along to without looking like a fool.
  thewilyfilipino: It is indeed one of those unabashedly ecstatic, so-in-love songs that plaster a foolish grin onto your face.
  Arthur: Much covered song - versions by Barbara McNair, Sam Fletcher , Barbara Acklin and Richard 'Groove' Holmes spring to mind. Pat Upton's solo stuff is very similar and if you like this one look out for anything by Robert John too.
  Swinging London: Oh yes, a great song. Reminds me of when I had my first transistor radio. All I've got is a very scratchy 45...time to remedy that. This sort of reminds me of Blood, Sweat & Tears.
Moss garden  performed by David Bowie  1977
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Somehow this one had passed me by before. A really lovely ambient soundscape that I could listen to on repeat.

from Heroes (RCA)
available on CD - RCA


Motel Blues  performed by Loudon Wainwright III  1971
Recommended by magicsteven [profile]

anyone who loves emotional songwriting with inspired lyrics will be blown away by this song, one of the best i've ever heard.

from Album II (Atlantic SD8291)
available on CD - The Atlantic Recordings (www.rhinohandmade.com)


mot�rhead  performed by corduroy  1992
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

this one is obvious. i fell in love with the song instantly.

from out of here (acid jazz)


Move Over Darling  performed by Doris Day  1964
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

I always love it when older performers "try out" younger, more popular musical forms. In this case we have Doris Day's attempt at Brill Building Pop, the title track for one of her movies. Has she ever sounded sexier?


available on CD - Golden Girl: The Columbia Recordings 1944-1966 (Sony/Columbia)


Mrs. Bluebird  performed by Eternity’s Children  1967
Recommended by tempted [profile]

A fabulous acid-pop masterpiece featuring one of the most intriguing intros in pop history. Everything I love about psychedelic pop made in the US in the late 6t's comes together in Mrs. Bluebird: the softly mythical, escapist feeling that the harmony and orchestration bring into this music. I frequently use it as a getaway. I think indulging in this music is not sad but it shows you've got the means to make you happy. This song is a Curt Boettcher (The Millennium, Sagittarius) production that cannot have been made while under the influence of drugs!!

from Eternity's Children (Tower)
available on CD - Best of Eternity's Children




  493440: I appreciate the nice comments about "Mrs Bluebird." My name is Bruce Blackman and I wrote Mrs Bluebird. I was the founder of Eternity's Children in 1966. We did not survive because of incredibly bad management. Our two managers had the middle names of "Karl" and "Marion." After I left the group, they tried to cheat me (unsuccessfuly) out of any credit. A few years after Eternity's Children I formed my group Starbuck and we scored a top 3 with my song "Moonlight Feels Right." Three of the members of Eternity's Children were with me in Starbuck.
  john_l: I agree, this is a wonderful song! The organ keeps the beat (after the dreamy intro), the harmonies are great and there's that heavy psychedelic guitar solo in the bridge, although I believe that was edited out of a 45 or radio edit version.
  royjudywhi: In response to Bruce Blackman's comments under response 493440, he is absolutely correct about his penning of Mrs Bluebird. It was a great song off a great album. He is a talented songwriter but a lousey historian. The group was formed by Roy Whittaker when he was at Delta State College in Cleveland Mississippi. Bruce was an important part of the group but failed to survive the rigors of bad management. Bruce and Johnny Walker were the only members of Starbuck who were part of the original Eternity's Children group.
  tbrown: I too am a long time Eternity's Children fan. Grew up in Biloxi, played in a local band in high school. Used to go hear the Children at the Biloxi Hotel and at the Vapors in about 1967. Along with Little David and the Giants, they were the hottest groups around at the time....great memories. I see messages here by Bruce, and it looks like Roy maybe, and also saw one from Charlie Ross. Would love to hear from any of you guys just to find out what you are all up to these days.
  jwalker: Thought you Eternity's Children fans might like an update on another member. Johnny Walker played lead guitar and I believe was the lead vocalist on "Mrs Bluebird". He was also a member of Starbuck with Bruce Blackman later. Johnny's my brother and anybody that wants to contact him may do so through me. He lives 2 miles from here and has no internet access but I'm sure he'd like to hear from anybody out there that remembers Eternity's Children so please feel free to post and date your messages and we'll see that he gets them. Oh, by the way, Charlie Ross, another original member of the Children, is and has been for many years a founding member and the bass player/lead vocalist for the Krackerjacks, a kick-ass band in Greenville, Mississippi, the hometown of Johnny, Charlie and Bruce Blackman. My husband was also their keyboard player for several years.
  luna: For jwalker: Where in the world are you two these days? How's Johnny doin? I'm the other k-board player. Tell Johnny DDD said hello, also hello to your husband.
  trucol: For jwalker: Thanks for the compliment about the KrackerJacks. I have been the drummer since about 1983. Tell Johnny that T.C. said hello. He's one of most incredible guitar players I have ever heard. I first met him in P'cola. He was with another kick-ass band, Lazy Day.
  tempted: Hey guys, have you realized that there's a new 'Children "Lost Sessions" record out on Gear Fab Recs. Congrats!
  tempted: To John_I: the guitar solo remains there on the single version, too. It still gives me shivers.
  musicmars: Hey Bruce, it's an honor to post on a board that you read. I've loved Starbuck since I was 12 or 13. Moonlight Feels Right really is one of the best pop songs of the 70's. All three albums were great. I still have to find the Korona album. Anyway, Mrs. Bluebird, what a song. One of the best pop songs of the 60's. I first heard the remake a few years back from the UK? studio band Sunshine Day. It was a great remake but then my psychedelic record collecting led me to Eternity's Children and their version is even better. I only recently realized that it is the same Bruce Blackman that was in both bands. I'd love to hear some new music from you Bruce.
  luna: For tbrown: I don't you, but I was in Substantial Evidence in the late 60's on the coast.Do you know where Mark Simon,Pat Gill,Ray Zoler,Ted Tearse,Artie Desporte or any of these guys may be? Any info appreciated.
  jscarbo4: Does anybody have pictures of the entire Eternity's Children group? It was always irritating that only four of them were used on the album cover. I'd also like some update info on Roy Whitaker if anyone knows..........Also, does anyone know if Bruce Blackman ever recorded "For Crying Out Loud"? I heard him do it live at Dock-of-the-Bay, and was knocked out by it. Would love to have the recording if it's available.
  jscarbo4: Hey Luna, I wasn't aware of a 6th member of Substantial Evidence...tell me more so that I can add to my site: http://www.artist-murals.com/images/Pictures/Joel_Scarborough/Ray_zoller.htm
  tbrown: to Luna: Drop me an email at [email protected] and I will tell you who I am. WE probably know each other if you were with Substantial Evidence.
  ThomasInPlano: To Charlie Ross: During late '66 and '67 sessions at The Vapors me and some of my Biloxi USAF buddies used to chat with you between sessions talking music and it's direction. I was from Houston so we talked a lot about the Thirteenth Floor Elevators. At the time I didn't know much about acid so we talked like it was a pretty cool thing. I hope that didn't create any problems for you. I later got a tape of one of your reel-to-reel amateur recordings made at The Vapors. Later I was sent to Las Vegas ('67)and then Vietnam('68) so I lost track of how you guys were doing until I came back and was stationed north of Memphis. In '69 Eternity's Children did a TV performance in Memphis and I went to catch that performance on Saturday, only to find that it was taped earlier. I so much wanted to re-establish contact with you and catch up on what had been happening to you while I was away. Well, that was all for not but I hope maybe this will tell you how much your music that we knew back in late '66 and early '67 as Eternity's Children meant to us. Not everyone makes it to the very top, but it doesn't mean that they didn't have a wonderful effect on peoples memories. Your wonderful covers of so many types of music and your great originals will always remain in many peoples hearts. Someday I hope to get to chat with you by phone or email as we did at The Vapors Lounge. Mostly I remember you and Johnny Walker (who was such an inspiration on guitar) and Roy Whittaker. I hope that all of you are doing well as we have all had so many years go by and time starts to take it's toll on the body. Best regards, Thomas
  JKing2: I too am a big fan. I followed the band from Biloxi to Baton Rouge. Why no mention of Linda Lawley? Does anyone know what happened to her and/or her career?
  Roy5: I'm glad so many people remember Mrs Bluebird. I haven't even heard the song since 1968, when it charted, but I haven't forgotten it. I remember staying up one night waiting for our local station to play it. Finally it did--I think about 2:00 in the morning. But it was worth the wait. And I saw them perform on It's Happening, the summer replacement rock show from '68 hosted by Mark Lindsay and Paul Revere. Everything about the song is top of the line. Especially the organ, guitar and the vocal harmonies.
  JohnB: I've been a fan of Eternity's Children since the late 60's when they played the Vapors. Still have an original LP of theirs. God where have the years gone- that was music, and why they didn't go right to the top, well somebody made a big mistake not publicizing them properly. And where is Linda Lawley? Beautiful voice and a beautiful girl.
  dpinsd: In the summer of '68 I had just graduated and was leaving the country during the Vietnam War. I remember Mrs Bluebird by Eternities Children as being the last song I heard in San Diego before I left for New England then on to Portugal. I remember hearing this great song when I was in Rhode Island. I never forgot it. Apparently it is no longer available. I checked on Napster and it is not there either. I really want this song in my music library. It was good to read other comments from others that were also touched by this song that unfortunately did not go high on the charts. Dan in San Diego
  txsdrmr: To all, I grew up in greenville, MS in the 60's and went to Greenville High School with Charlie Ross, Bruce Blackmon and Johnny Walker. Before they hit the big time in the late 60's and 70's they were in some very tight group groups and played gigs in the MS delta almost every weekend. Charlie's original group was the Phantoms while Johnny and Bruce were in the Lancers. Another Greenville native to make the big time was James "Bud" Cockrell, founder of the San Francisco group, Pablo Cruise. If you count Joe Frank Carolla of Hamilton, Joe Fank & Reynolds who was from Leland, MS just 7 miles away, the Delta produced some really great talent. Those of us lucky enough to be there enjoyed some fine music. I've been fans of all these guys ever since and have collected all their 12" vinyls I could find. I'm in Houston, Texas now but still listen to Eternity's Chidren, Starbudk and H,JF, & R to take me back to those great days. -pope-
  raymar: My friends and I used to see Eternity's Children at a club called Jamie's in New Orleans every Wednesday night in 1967-68. We idolized this band and, of course, we were in love with Linda Lawley. It's so great to see that others remeber this group as weel.
  mac: My name is Mike McClain and I played organ with Eternity's Children right after Bruce Blackman left the group. We recorded lots of good music but never really got the push from Tower Records that we needed. I was thrilled when all our stuff that was in the can was released in that album from Europe. It was fun to hear all the old songs again. Wish I knew how to get in touch with Linda. Anyone know?Hey Charlie, Johnny,and Roy,as well as Bo Wagner the great vibe/marimba man that also played on Moonlight Feels Right...(he could also tap dance like crazy..no kidding)What fun those days were..
  luna: I was in substantial evidence briefly in the summer of 1969, after Ted T. quit and went with Flower Power(think that was the name of the group).I sang lead, before the hurricane destroyed everything.Wonderful summer. I now play and sing in the Krackerjacks.
  luna: A few more facts: I've been in touch with Ray Zoller, he's in Colorado. Also, Charlie Ross is our bassist in the KJ's. There was aband in '68' at the Fiesta, called The Omen; the group consisted of;Bruce Blackman on keyboards,Bud Cockrell on bass, Roy Whitaker on drums, Bo Wagner on vibes and percussion,a guy named(believe it or not)David Jones sang lead(should of been me Bruce dammit!),and I think Julie Landry may have been the female vocalist.Lots of known people in lots of groups in those days!I was also in the Lancers' latter days(middle 60's)Ray Z. is doin well.Anyway, just some tid-bits.
  cks6: Does anyone know where I can buy a copy of the Krackerjack's album entilted "Rockin' in the Delta"? Please contact me at [email protected] if you have any information. Thanks!!
  coochiekisser: The band was great. Sista Linda Lawleys rendetion of Hush may be one of the best versions since Billy Joe Royal
  h2obug: jwalker: Were you at anytime ever referred to a 'Fuzzy Walker'? or do you know who may have been? I have a Gibson Custom guitar with a name plate embossed "Fuzzy Walker". Trying to find out who actually owed this guitar before me. email me at [email protected]. Thanks P.S. I was a teenager when 'Moonlight Feels Right' hit the air. I seen the group in concert at Six Flags in St. Louis, MO and had photo's with the band members. I loved that song.
  Outlaw: Some Substantial Evidence info from the mouth of Artie Desporte... of the first (5) original band members, Ted Tearse was the first to leave the band. David Dodd took his place as the singer. David was discovered by Substantial Evidence while he was preforming at a club called the Fiesta. The band members approached David and offered him a spot in their band and he accepted. According to Artie, David was with the Band for about 5 or 6 months and for whatever reasons he left the band, and Ted Tearse rejoined. Substantial Evidence eventually added a 10 piece horn section and became known as Substantial Evidence Showband. They had quite a following but none as strange as 4 girls that called themselves " The Fearsome Foursome. " These girls kept journals on all the members of Substantial Evidence. Somehow they knew everywhere they went, what time they arrived and left. Anyway, about the time the Vietnam War broke out, the band members started to come and go. Eventually the band split up and everyone went their seperate ways. The City of Biloxi offered to pay all expenses to have the Band reunite and play at the Gulf Coast Coliseum for a charity event. The offer was extended by Gerald Blessey who also was our Mayor at the time and who played in a band called The Rocking (Rock'n?) Rebels. By this time everyone had their own lives, family and children. The reunion never took place.
  luna: For Outlaw: What's new putty kat? That's for Artie, if you're not him. The reason I used David as my first name was because they already had a guy named Doug! Great memories, great group!
  luna: Hey Artie; Do you remember when we took a train from Stamford Connecticut to Boston? We played in Rhode Island at a club called "The Edge".Anyway, I met a guy in the Army that heard us there.He lives in NJ.The reason I got out of SE was because my draft # was 3!!!(and big daddy Brad, aka Herchel, didn't like my rebellious ways)! The KJ's will be down that way probably this summer, and I'll give you a call.Did Pat and Carol get married??? She has a bunch of pictures I'd love to see.OutLaw, if you're not Artie, please pass this along to him. Thankx
  jumphigher: hi this is to luna pat gill from substatial evidence still lives on the coast and is not married to carol newman and he still owns a cigar shop in the mall.
  luna: for ck6;We did a double cd for our reunion last yr. and "Rockin In The Delta" was included on it along with some other songs from over the yrs. If you go to thekrackerjacks.com, you can contact us for info. Also our last cd "Timeless" is available.
  luna: For jumphigher: What is the name of your dad's store in the mall, and which mall is it in. I'll call him. Tell him I am David from '69. He'll know me. Thanks
  Outlaw1: Luna, Been a while since visiting this site. Forgot my PW and changed email Address. Had to change my username a bit. I am Artie's sista'-n- law. Now that he has a computer, I am sending him this site. Maybe he will stop by and you can talk over old times.
  luna: For Outlaw1: FINALLY, Im on the right trail to some S.E. players. Thank you for revealing yourself. If you see or know where Mark and Pat can be reached, please let me know. I've been in touch with Ray....Thankx--Luna(David)
  mike mcgann: Bruce...I played Mrs. Bluebird over and over at WLOX in Biloxi when I broke into radio in 1968. Saw the group at The Vapors one night that summer...Often wondered what happened to you, then Starbuck hit...I'm about to play 'Moonlight" on the air in a few minutes at WJAS (on 3-7PM) in Pittsburgh, PA. Thanks for the tunes and best of luck Mike
  Denny: Tower Records sure had an amazing roster in its six year existence and Eternity's Children was one of its hottest prospects! As I am writing this, I am listening to side 2 of the LP. "Mrs. Bluebird" has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid growing up in the 70's. With its unique mixture of mellow and upbeat, along with a stun gun guitar solo for the bridge, it should have gone much higher than its #69 peak on Billboard; at least it made the Top 40 on KQV Radio's survey from my hometown of Pittsburgh. I never heard it on radio itself, but if I ever get my own radio show, I guarantee that Eternity's Children will be among my playlist (none of that "same 50 oldies" stuff here). I'd sure love to see some of EC's televison appearances also, particularly "American Bandstand" and "Happening". Perhaps a DVD could be in the works in the future. And like many, I'd also like to know what has become of the lovely Linda Lawley.
  bwagner: bwagner: My name is Bo Wagner member of Eternity's Children and Starbuck. First of all I would love to thank all of our fans for all of their support and wonderful comments over the years. I know all of the band members appreciate it very much. I have been out of contact with everyone (all the band members for a long time)except for Bruce Blackman. We always seem to semi keep in touch. I send best wishes to all of the band members: Johnny, Linda, Charlie, Roy, Bud, Julie, Davie, and one that is never mentioned Bobby Dominquez (the best man at my wedding), all the other Starbuck members and especially Mike Kidd McClain. Mike I have been trying to find you for years. Would love to hear from you as well as all the other members if any of you would like to reconnect. I have read many versions over the years of who was in the band and how things happen and I feel there has been some mistakes. I would like to give my version. This will have to be lengthy, so please excuse the long story in advance. I don't know how else to do it.I was a LA studio musician and former drummer with the Fifth Dimension and currently a member of Lewis and Clark Expedetion with Michael Martin Murphy when I was hired to play drums, vibes, marimba and percussion for the 2nd Eternity's Children album "Timeless" who I was a big fan of. Having been with the Fifth Dimension I truly appreciated their fine vocals and great music. I played drums on every song on the "Timeless" album and added vibes and marimba on many of the songs. The instruments I played fit well with the Children's songs and I truly loved playing with them and we really took to each other.I had always wanted to feature vibes and marimba within a rock format and it worked well with the Children. Roy had left the band and the group asked me to join them. So I left Lewis and Clark and joined the Children. We added another Mississippi musician Bobby Dominquez to play drums so I could play vibes etc. Bruce and Johnny had left the band earlier and I sort of took the place of a guitar player since they had not replaced Johnny. (How can you ever replace Johnny Walker!!!)I sold everything (my car, home, everything ) and moved to Baton Rouge, LA and we all lived in one apartment. We constantly played gigs all over Louisana, Mississippi in every little town there was and I got very familar with the south very quickly and fell in love with the whole southern lifestlye and music scene. It has been written on sites like this over and over again and on our album, CD sleeves that I wasn't a member of the Children, only a studio player. I don't get that. I move to the south, lived with the band, practiced everyday and performed at every gig, tour, TV show as a full fledge member for quite awhile (almost a year), how can I not be considered a member. No I was not part of the original group but I certainly was a member from the beginning of the 2nd album. I was very happy playing with them and proud to be a member and would like to be considered one. I know if you ask Johnny, Bruce, Mike McClain, Bobby, Charlie or Linda they will tell you I was a full fledge member. I'm not sure who is writing the info on the group but my picture is on the front of the "Timeless" album. That should speak for itself. During this time I had met Bruce and Johnny and became good friends. Because of the bad management that had cause Bruce and Johnny to quit, Bobby Dominquez and I quit too. At first everyone was going to quit but back out and Johnny, Bruce and I decided to form our own version of the group and Roy rejoined us on drums at this time too. Bobby joined another group and worked across the street at the Vapors and we added Bud Cockrell and Julie and started working as the Omen at the Fiesta in Biloxi. We were a carbon copy of the original group. I brought in a friend of mine from LA who was a great Canadian singer, Davie Jones, and we had one hell of a good group. We worked very hard to develope new original songs and I feel we came up with really great material. We moved to Pensacola, FL to work with the producer Papa Don and one by one the other members left the original group and joined us. Finally everyone was there and we had double everything and was trying to work out who was going to do what. We were about to sign a new record deal and the bad managers showed up with fake contracts and prevented us from gettint a new deal and we had to dispand. So a year or less went by and Bud Cockrell called me and wanted to get back together and we did and tried to put a group together in Texas. We soon added Bruce to the group but it didn't quite work out so Bruce and I went back to Biloxi and reformed another group with Johnny Walker, Bob Gauthier and Tommy Allred. It lasted for awhile but again didn't gel for what we were really looking for. Again we separated and another year or so past and again Bruce, Johnny and I got back together (now in Atlanta, GA) and formed "Mississippi" and recorded an album in Nashville with Gary Paxton the producer of the Children's "Timeless" album. A great group but to many lead male vocalist. Couldn't really find our own sound. So Johnny went back to Florida and Bruce and I joined up with Elgin Wells,a guitar player and lead singer, a bass player and once again Bobby Dominquez on drums and the first "Starbuck" was formed. It never did click at all. So we broke up again and I went to Disneyworld. Couldn't handle that gig so came back to Atlanta which is where we had formed "Mississippi" and "Starbuck", and rejoined up with Elgin, keyboard player Sloan Hayes, drummer Brian and added bass player Jimmy Cobb. Very soon I was playing drums and we really wanted to do it right this time so I rented a farm and we all lived there and wrote and recorded songs in the daytime and played at clubs in the evening as "Extravaganza". We added David Snavley on drums and after a year added Bruce back to the band. Bruce had been writing songs all the time we were getting strong as a group and it was a good merger. So in a short time we became "Starbuck" once again. Elgin left and we hire Ron Norris for vocals and guitar and Tommy Strain as lead guitar. Finally we were back in the studio and recorded "Moonlight Feels Right" with Bruce as the lead singer. In all these years he had never sang, maybe a little backup. He sang on our demos and the recorded company like his voice and overnight he was our front man. We released "Moonlight Feels Right" and Bruce and I hit the road and went to radio station after radio station separately for a month. Moonlight got play but didn't take off. We broke up again I move back to CA. and the following spring I get a call from Bruce that "Moonlight" had taken off and we had a hit. So I quit the band I was in, in one second, drove straight thru to Atlanta and joined the rest of the guys who had gotten back toghter and we recorded our album straight thru. We were on a roll and didn't stop. "Moonlight" became a hugh hit with Bruce singing and I finally got to feature my marimba as a solo instrument (the reason I joined them in the first place years and years ago) and it worked. I must thank Roy Whittaker for helping to promote "Moonlight Feels Right". He was head of a major radio station in Florida and promoted and played the hell out our song. He helped us a lot. Thanks Roy. After our second album, Johnny Walker rejoined us and we were on tour all the time and lots of TV shows. We ran into Bud Cockrell all the time when he was with Pablo Cruise and did TV shows with him too. Small world. We started our third album and had a few differences and I left the group. They finished the album without me and the following year the group broke up completely. Bruce and I got back together in '84 and recorded two songs "Another Beat of My Heart" and "The Full Cleveland" just the two of us and released them and they were doing well but we decided not to continue. So that is my story. The whole story involves the same players over and over again so that is why I told all of it. I have never responded to one of these sites in all these years but felt compelled to do so now. So I made all of my comments at one time to get it over with. The real moral of this story is never give up. We were persistent and it finally payed off. Again I thank the fans for supporting us all these many years and it is really nice that people are still enjoying and buying our music even though a lot of it is badly mixed and under ground. Bruce and I talked last year and he said there was interest in "Starbuck" getting back together and doing "Where are they Now" or one of those TV shows. I would love to do it. So who knows, maybe we will do it one more time. I live in LA and am now a doctor and have a natural healthcare clinic and make nutritional products. I can be reached at [email protected]. Hey Johnny, Mike and any of you that would like to catch up let me hear from you. Thanks everyone for listening to me.
  luna: It is with a heavy heavy heart that I must inform all "The Children" fans that Johnny Walker and Linda Lawley,both, have passed away; both after long illness' that I can't elaborate on. I don't know the details,but I do know to all us who knew and loved them, it is shock and there will be 2 voids in my world.Johnny passed away in Florida a few months back, and Linda in CA.thanksgiving wk'end. Two great people and singers and players.GOD rest them, they will never be forgotten.
  Centerfield: The drummer for Eternity's Children used the name Frank Stevens when he was a DJ for us at WTIX New Orleans in the early 70's. I think his real first name was Roy. What was his last name? Thanks. Bob Walker
  funkypoormusician: Hi folks! My name is Ken Hilley and I am a former resident of the MS Gulf Coast. I ran across this site and this post just by chance while thinking about Juli Landry (the search lead me here). At any rate, I was enjoying the read and thinking of good old days until I read about Johnny Walker and Linda Lawley passing... Just couldn't believe it! What a loss of great talent! I remember Johnny playing that Gretsch guitar and making it sound so wonderful... that coupled with his powerful voice my, my, my! Linda of course was a beautiful lady with the look and the talent to impress anyone. I saw Linda once back in the early 70's at a club above the Fiesta in Biloxi one night. We sat and talked and partied (imagine that) for hours. As I remember we said goodbye early the next morning as the sun came up over the parking lot. I also saw Johnny about that time on several different occasions. He was living in Pensacola, FL and was playing music there. His wife Sue was a friend of mine. I introduced them many years back when Johnny and I lived in the Biloxi Hotel. Anybody remember that place? ha... Charlie Ross where are you! Anyway, those days were great cause there was so much great music, the times were a changing! Just in case you should read this I'd like to say hello to Bruce Blackman, Charlie Ross, Roy Whittaker (sister Sue too), Bo Wagner (wow what a dancer) and all the old friends from those times. A special prayer for Johnny and Linda and their loved ones! I now live in Nashville, TN and am still playing and writing music here. You can catch up with me on my website www.funkypoormusician.com and/or see my video's on youtube at www.youtube.com/funkypoormusician Peace
  lbwdog: Eric Watkins here: Great blog folks!! I see some old friends here. In 1969, I left the MS coast to join one of the last incarnations of "The Omen" with Johnny Walker in Pensacola. Bud Cockrell had left and Johnny came to Biloxi looking for a replacement. At that time, the band consisted of Johnny, Billy Haynes on Hammond, & Ralph Nolan on drums. Looking back, I relished the experience working with Johnny and learned a lot (as I was only 17/18 yrs. old). That band was almost a Procol Harum tribute band, as we did most of the first album, several selections from "Shine On Brightly", and some from "A Salty Dog". I'll never forget Walker singing these great compositions, especially "A Salty Dog", not to mention his great playing. This lasted about a year, and as young people will do, I decided to move on to something else. In late fall of 1970, I was called to join a band in Jackson, MS, which was comprised of Bo Wagner, Bruce Blackman, Tommy Aldridge (Later of Black Oak Arkansas, Ozzy Osborne, Whitesnake, etc.) Darell Gunter, Sara Fulcher, and Danny Lancaster who is the most soulful white singer I know (as well as my soul brother). The band was named Om Shanti (I think by Bo) and debuted at B.J.'s to a packed house. After a couple of months there were some musical differences and the band downsized to a four piece (Danny, Tommy, Darrell, and myself) called "Milk & Honey". We played around the south for about a year and went our own ways, some to reunite at times. Anyway, I recently heard of Johnny's passing and somewhere in the back of my mind, I always wished to do a real "Procol Harum" tribute with him. Well....some things are not to be. Let me leave you with a Johnny W. anecdote. I moved back to P'cola in '74 when he played with "Lazy Day". Went to visit at Johnny & Sue's apartment. If you knew Johnny, you'd know he hated cats!! I walk in to his house, and there are four or five Persians lounging around. I said "Walker, I thought you hated cats!" He says " I did, till I found out you could sell the damned things!!" RIP, J.W. and hi to Bo, Bruce, Ken Hilley, et al.....Many thanks E. W.
  lbwdog: Oh, BTW, to answer a four year old question...... [Quote]/03 Apr 04 �jscarbo4: ..........Also, does anyone know if Bruce Blackman ever recorded "For Crying Out Loud"? I heard him do it live at Dock-of-the-Bay, and was knocked out by it. Would love to have the recording if it's available.[quote] I was the bassist for Jerry Fisher & The Music Company at Dock of the Bay in Bay St Louis from '81-'98, Jerry was with B,S,&T in the mid seventies. We recorded an album called "In and Outa the Blues" in '92 and several tracks were written by Greg Barnhill who wrote "For Cryin' Out Loud", but don't know that B.B. performed it at The Dock of The Bay.....for the record....EW
  Telewacker: I met Johnny Walker in Atlanta in 1979. He joined a band I was leaving called Misty Morning. I played bass in the group, & the drummer, guitarist, & I left to form our own group with a keyboard player we knew. I will never forget the night he sat in,
  Telewacker: I was blown away! What a great guitarist! And that voice! OMG! I later rejoined Misty Morning, & had the pleasure of sharing many a stage with Johnny. Later, after leaving the group again & switching to guitar, I used a lot of what I heard Johnny do
  Telewacker: To form my style. I\'ll never be as good as he was, he was just a natural, but whenever someone compliments my playing, I tell them about this guy I knew named Johnny Walker & the inspiration he was to me. If they said they\'d never heard of him, I\'d
  Telewacker: think to myself, \"Your loss\". Before I go, I\'ll leave you with an example of his amazing voice. We got a request for \"Danny Boy\" at a club on St Patricks Day, & Johnny said he could sing it, so we said go for it. He did the tune solo, just his guitar
  Telewacker: and voice. From beginning to end, the joint was silent. No one made a sound, mesmerised by his performance. At the end, applause erupted for what sermed like forever.
  Telewacker: I was actually moved to tears, only time that has ever happened to me on stage. If I live to be 100, I doubt I\'ll ever hear anything like it again. I was heart broken by his passing. R.I.P. Johnny.
Mrs. Bluebird  performed by Eternity’s Children
Recommended by jscarbo4 [profile]

Along with same of their other recordings, this one personifies the era. Some like to define those years with acid rock, but the softer sounds are the ones we remember. I was a radio jock in Biloxi and drummer Roy Whitaker even record jocked for me at WLOX between gigs. I would love to contact some of these guys again.





  jumphigher: i pat gill's only daughter kristie who r u my dad wants to know
  jumphigher: /Users/janetgill/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Modified/2006/Roll 12/daddy slide:me.jpg this is me and my dad when i was like 2
My Lagan Love  performed by Roisin O’Reilly  2003
Recommended by flange1515 [profile]

A bit of sugar but a nice version of the classic




My Life As A Carcrash  performed by tompaulin  2000
Recommended by Leonard [profile]

exceptional song about love and life in smalltown northern england. A fabulousopening line 'I know she has a boyfriend and I guess we both take turns,he gets hot meals his washing done,I get carpet burns' All the things you loved about the Smiths, a quiet piano led intro bashed into submission by noisy guitars and drums and then back to the quiet bit. Wonderful, buy it.

from the single My Life As A Carcrash (Action)
available on CD - My Life As A Carcrash (Action)


My love  performed by Justin Timberlake  2006
Recommended by Issie [profile]

This song has a good flowing tune which makes it sound new and modern. An excellent song overall.

from Future Sex/love sounds



  Fat_Elvis: It has retro rave meets rnb feel which is quite cool
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 Love�s A Monster  performed by Clea Bradford  196?
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

A cool portion of that underated genre, easy soul. Bradford's vocals (a less roaring Shirley Bassey is the nearest comparison I can think of) complement the light arrangement perfectly. Fits in with that whole John Schroeder Orchestra vibe. Sometimes you just want a lovely vocalist singing a nice song.

from the single My Love�s A Monster (Cadet 5602)



my man dont love me  performed by billie holliday  1957
Recommended by flange1515 [profile]

close to the end for her




My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves  performed by Kishore Kumar & Amitabh Bachchan  1977
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

How best to describe such a tableau as this? Another Indian gem imprinted into my brain from my recent holiday.

Parts of this song are so much like the Grease 2 soundtrack in spirit it's untrue. Mix that with the kind of Hindi film beats that have become close to my heart over the last couple of months and you're talking about the kind of song which will keep me awake thinking of its greatness.

The female backing vocals are the cherry on the crumble. You can just picture the wide eyed lovely saying "An-thony GONSALVES!!"

from Amar Akbar Anthony, available on CD




  Issie: Just listened to the song- i think its great!
  olli: heheh, have you seen the scene where this song is used in the film? it`s amazing! best slow motion running ever.
  tinks: ridiculously brilliant.
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


My Style  performed by The Black Eyed Peas  2005
Recommended by goldenvegetation [profile]

I normally don't like this sort of music, but My Style, actually the whole Monkey Business album is one of my favorites. It's in the select few of complete albums on my iPod, and I love listening to it when I'm working out or just having a party. I listen to it when I play chess! To my knowledge, the track in question is mainly audio loops or digitally- created noises.

Overall, it's a fun song to sing along with.

from Monkey Business


My Suitor  performed by Berntholer  1984
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Rediscovered this as I was uploading an audio clip for Belle Epoque (this is next alphabetically in my 45's).

I can't work out whether this is joyous or heartbreaking. It eats into the very soul of you when you hear it. My, that sounds dramatic - different from my usual carping. Tinkles on the piano break up the dense atmosphere herein and get you into the claustrophobic world of singer Drita.

Stands alone in 1984. Nothing else sounded anything like it.

from the single My Suitor (Blanco Y Negro NEG 5)



Naked kids  performed by Grouplove
Recommended by cori6798 [profile]

It's about the perfect summer day




Name  performed by Goo Goo Dolls  2001
Recommended by izumi [profile]

This is probably my favourite Goo Goo Dolls song, and one of my fave songs ever. I loved it up the instant I heard it. The song has quite a simple musical structure to it - just a steady bass line, drum and a recurring guitar melody, but I love the melody and how it sounds really sad. I don't know what the lyrics are about, but most of the meaning you'll get and it's somewhat relaxing to listen to. If you're reading this, please please please check out this song because it's really sweet and deserves to be heard! =)

from Ego Opinion Art and Commerce (Hollywood 0127112HWR)


Nao Bate O Coro�ao  performed by Astrud Gilberto  1967
Recommended by tinks [profile]

A lovely version of this Deodato-penned number, and it's one that truly swings. Plus, it's got those ba-da-dum vocals that I love more than life itself!

from Beach Samba, available on CD



  delicado: I love this one too! Definitely one of Astrud's groovier tracks. This track also be found on one of the excellent 'Mojo club' compilations from Germany.
Need your love so bad  performed by Fleetwood Mac  1969
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Superb slow blues. Nice arrangement blending a rather distant-sounding orchestra with the very precise, restrained (yet very expressive) vocal and guitar. Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green were really quite something.


available on CD - Greatest Hits (CBS/ Sony)



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...





Never Say good bye  performed by The Impossibles
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

Mellowed out punk rock. A song about lost love.




neverending math equation  performed by modest mouse
Recommended by eggplantia5 [profile]

one of my favorites from modest mouse. while they certainly have a distinctive sound, i think they manage to make each of their songs rather unique. this is one of the songs that encapsulate just about everything i love about modest mouse. it's just a quirky sound, with terrific lyrics.





  heinmukk: some additional information would be nice. e.g. what kind of music is this? i mean..punk or indie or...? by the way this is the only feature i miss about this lovely site: every song should have a category in which its musicstyle is saved. you know, like in those mp3-tags. then you would have a nice search button for all bossa nova songs for example! :)
New Order  performed by Love Vigilantes
Recommended by lhirsch92 [profile]




New Partner  performed by Palace Music
Recommended by umbrellasfollowrain [profile]

Memory's a funny thing. Especially romantic memory.
The first time I heard this song was two days after the first time I fell in love. Everywhere I went, I sang its earnest chorus "And you are always on my mind" in my head, thinking about the one I was in love with. In the shower staring at a bottle of hair conditioner, I sang, "You are always on my mind". On the subway, trying to ignore a potential fistfight about to break out, I sang, "You are always on my mind". In the supermarket produce section, holding the perfect shape of a lemon in my hand, I sang, "You are always on my mind". I was giddy and happy and the song understood. "Hey!" the song said, "Hey!" Will Oldman sang, "I got a new partner now!"
But jacket weather set in and things grew colder and we broke up and I was miserable and I stored the CD away on a top shelf with other memorabilia of that love who's happy power was really freakin' painful for me to think about now.
Things weren't always so bleak and I got me a new love and some years later, when I listened to the song again, I noticed something about the lyrics I hadn't before. See, in reality, the song isn't joyous at all. Will Oldman is singing about a past love, a love who is always on his mind when all the time he is seeing another girl, a different girl from the one always on his mind. He can't be with that girl. He has a new partner now. What I thought was a song about new joy was a song about nostalgic loss.
I didn't see how it was possible that I had suppressed that true meaning for as long as I had, considering how often I sang the song and how much it meant to me at the time. I knew the lyrics like the back of my hand and when I listen to music I dredge up all I can get from the lyrics like I'm a devout scribe interpreting the bible.
One of the beauties of pop songs is that they take on the flavour of your life at the time you listened to them and carry that flavour on to whenever you listen to the song again, while meanwhile you're morphing and changing and discarding what songs you don't want to remember that you loved and making mixed Cd's for long cartrips of the songs you do you do want to remember. This song is weird in that IT seemed to be the one that was morphing the next time I heard it and not me, like it was a person that had changed over time that I was encountering again.
Besides which, what a fucking lovely song it is.

from Viva Last Blues



  olli: now THAT's what i call a recommendation. I�m gonna have to find and soak this up now...
  olli: beautiful song. i've been a sporadic fan of will oldham related stuff for some years now, but hadn�t heard this until now. thanks! hmm. on a side note, this is the 666th american release that has been recommended here. i might be a bit childish, but i was hoping that number would go to some really, really bad contemporary pop music. Hey, you can't always get what you want:)
  fjell_strom: This song was the soundtrack to my incorrigible devotion to a lovely young girl when I myself was a bit younger. I used to listen to this tune repeatedly in my tiny little newly discovered room in the immensely overwhelming new land in which I found myself during the adventure which was to last the next four years, wandering Europe by my heartstrings. This was the song. I used to drink gin martinis to it. And eat the olive. And shudder because winter had come to my little home, and she was always, at least as often as the song played, on my mind.
Nikki  performed by Burt Bacharach
Recommended by Harch [profile]

A bouncy, delightful instrumental. Those who are in their late 40s/early 50s will recognize the song as the theme from the old ABC Movie of the Week TV series. Bacaharach did it twice, first on a mono 45, then re-recorded on a stereo album. Both versions are now available on CD... the mono on the great 3 CD Box Set "The Look Of Love", and the stereo re-make on the new "What The World Needs Now" CD.


available on CD - The Look of Love (Rhino)



  Synthetrix: I love Nikki! I wish the actual version that was used for the ABC Movie of the Week was available. That one is a bit more lush with more strings.
no love  performed by eminem feat. lil wayne
Recommended by ashley14 [profile]




No More Lies  performed by The Moody Blues  1988
Recommended by elfslut [profile]

A beautiful love song by Justin Hayward, who has the sweetest most romantic voice in Pop Music.

from Sur La Mer, available on CD


No One’s Gonna Love You  performed by Band of Horses
Recommended by nicolebaker [profile]




Nobody Loves Us  performed by Morrissey  1995
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

This summer marks the 20th year of the release of 'Strangeways Here We Come' and the disintegration of the Smiths. *sigh* I was compelled to grab a stack of Morrissey CD singles as the soundtrack to my work day today and ended up playing this track several times over while stuck in the cube farm.

from Dagenham Dave - UK CD Single, available on CD


Nothing Takes the Place of You  performed by Toussaint McCall  196?
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

A beautiful song by a rare artist. I would never have heard this gorgeous song if it weren't for filmmaker John Waters. It is about a man who is completely devoted to his faithless love. He will sit and wait for eternity in the hope that the woman he loves will return. The vocal was recorded inside a small closet and the acoustics provide a haunting sound in Mr. McCall's voice. He is accompanied by piano, a soulful organ, and percussion. This song alone is worth the purchase price of the Hairspray soundtrack!! Pick it up today!


available on CD - Hairspray - Original Motion Picture Sountrack (MCA-6228)


now you love me  performed by dandy warhols
Recommended by anebota [profile]




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.
obviously  performed by Mcfly  2004
Recommended by Issie [profile]

I love this song, its so catchy and its such a great song to listen to at any time!!!





  jeanette: At the risk of repeating myself, I do think McFly make some very high quality pop music, certainly when you compare it to the rest of the charts. To my mind, they're far better than Busted, to whom they are often compared. Issie, I like your enthusiasm for all things pop and long may you retain it. And thank you for your kind e-mail to which I have attempted to reply but it keeps getting shunted back to me...
  dannysgirl: i love this song sooooo much!!!!
Off and Running  performed by Lesley Gore  1965
Recommended by tinks [profile]

Here's a really cool one. This is Lesley Gore doing a cover of the Mindbenders' stomping mod classic "Off and Running", which originally appeared on the "To Sir, With Love" soundtrack. This version completely outpaces the original, in my opinion.

from the single Off and Running (Mercury)
available on CD - Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows: The Best of Lesley Gore (Rhino)



Off Night Backstreet  performed by Joni Mitchell  1977
Recommended by mojoto [profile]

If someone would have asked me say ten years ago what artist's oeuvre I would take with me to a desert island, I would with dead certainty have answered: everything by Joni Mitchell, please. I'm not so sure anymore, although it could well be that I, when push comes to shove, would still make that choice. So it may not come as a surprise now that for a long time my all time best album was one of Joni's, Don Juan's Reckless daughter, where her cooperation with Jaco Pastorius really took off, for instance on this song where she's questioning her love for a man who's new sweety has already moved in while still keeping poor Joni (assuming the song is sort of autobiographical) on the side as his Off Night Backstreet. Jaco's warm bass carries the whole song and is almost like a second voice to Joni's singing, it blends marvelously with her cold metal guitar, some nice echoey and spacy flageolets too, great additional vocals - "Backstreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!"- by JD Souther and Glenn Frey, drums by John Guerrin, subtle and tight. PS Be warned that the soundfile is quite big (500 Kb).

from Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (Asylum 701-2)



Oh Bondage, Up Yours!  performed by X-Ray Spex  1978
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

Because no one can screech and wail like Poly Styrene. And oh man, I love that sax.

from Germ Free Adolescents



  kohl: oh yes. awesome song.
Oh Well, I'll never learn  performed by Morrissey  1987
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Clocking in at around 2 minutes, this B-side is very simple, but beautiful. It was something of a 'holy grail' to me as a young Smiths fan, hidden as it was on the rare 'Suedehead' single (cassette and CD singles only!). I managed to procure a tape of it via my brother, and was instantly entranced. Morrissey has recorded many songs which are catchier and more intense than this, yet it has a unique power. The lyrics are entertaining - 'I found the fountain of youth and I fell in', and the accompaniment is delicate and sparse, with some great guitar playing from Vini Reilly. It ends with something rather lovely - it's nothing really, but it's one of those little details which when I was young, I used to pick on in songs - as Morrissey repeats 'I'll never learn', a spooky, echoey sound comes in and envelopes the entire song. Such little things used to please me...

from Suedehead (single) (HMV)
available on CD - My Early Burglary Years



  FlyingDutchman1971: I couldn't agree more! Having purchased the US 12 inch of 'suedehead' which didn't include this track, it was such a nice surprise in 1994 when I purchased the 13-cd british singles box set and found this track. Moz sings this song with such a great since of joyous naughtiness that you just want to tweak his delinquent little nose.
Ol’ 55  performed by Tom Waits
Recommended by fkoski [profile]

Music and lyrics go together so well...Perfectly captures that "holy," awakened, alive feeling of its being early, early morning and you're just driving away from a beautiful few days with a friend or lover.......





  FlyingDutchman1971: Sarah McLachlan recorded a great cover of this song. It is available on the soundtrack album to the film 'Boys on the Side'
On a clear day you can see forever  performed by The Peddlers  1968
Recommended by mojoto [profile]

I recently (March 2002) went through my Peddlers albums and made a selection of my faves, which was exactly enough to fill an 80 minute CD. I could probably recommend any song that's on it, so why "On a clear day?" Because it never failed to cheer me up, I guess, and after 30 years it still hasn't managed to induce the slightest sign of boredom in me, because I just love Roy Phillips's singing, his characteristic smokey, velvety voice, and his fabulously stuttering hammond solo, and because of the lush stringy orchestration and Trevor Morais's typical drumbreaks. The song itself is a blast in itself too, of course, I know of a version from the same period by Cleo Laine that I also really like.

from Three in a Cell (CBS S63411)



On Love, In Sadness  performed by Jason Mraz  2002
Recommended by Squince [profile]

from Waiting For My Rocket To Come (Elektra)


Once Upon a Summertime  performed by Blossom Dearie  1958
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

A very ethereal song that is perfect for the lilting girlish voice of Blossom Dearie. She is also an accomplished pianist and plays on every song she sings. She is backed by a standard jazz trio on this track and they play in a wonderfully subdued manor that allows her voice and the words to be the focal point of this song. Originally written by a french songwriter, Blossom Dearie heard the song while living and performing in France in the mid-1950's. Upon her return to the United States, she asked her friend, songwriter Johnny Mercer, to write english lyrics to the wonderful melody. The words he wrote tell a beautiful story of love lost, but fondly remembered thru a familiar smell or sound. A standout track from the marvelous LP of the same name. Give it a listen the next time you go to your local music store.

from Once Upon a Summertime, available on CD


One Man in My Heart  performed by The Human League  1995
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

Although far removed from the adventurous group that had long ago dabbled in minimilist, almost avant-garde electronics, all these years later the Human League continued to take its pop seriously. "One Man in My Heart" could have been a total throwaway, a gloopy little love song without a single redeeming quality, beloved by grannies and tweenies, gag-inducing for those outside those age parameters. But the band obviously gave the number time and attention, and thus ensured that it can't be so easily dismissed. Inserting a much sampled electro effect into the intro, creating an intriguingly intricate rhythm, counterpointing swelling, lush synths with a palpitating '70s-styled organ, layering on vocals and harmonies, and conjuring up a romantic milieu flushed with delicate atmospheres, the group produced a love song unlike virtually all typical pop fodder. The work, effortless as it sounds on disc, paid off, and this 1995 single swept into the U.K. Top 15.
(AMG)

from Octopus, available on CD


One More Time  performed by The Clash  198?
Recommended by mattypenny [profile]

I love the Clash. I love the way they were four disparate individuals each bringing their own stuff to the mix. Topper's excellent drumming, Simonon's cool, Mick Jones musicality and street smarts, and Joe Strummer's....umm...Strummer-ness.

I love the fact they didn't play Top of the Pops. I love the fact that Strummer admitted that this was mainly 'cos he was crap at miming rather than out of any significant political stance or anything.

I love how gooood they were live. And I love the fact that I was lucky enough to see them.

I love the fact that Strummer picked 'Crawfish' as his favourite Elvis song. I also love the fact that sometimes, to my mind, they got things badly wrong, sounded a bit gauche or wrongheaded or worse. I'm thinking of Red Brigade t-shirts, using Belfast as a photo opportunity, and maybe singing about ghettos and Brixton, for the 'romance' of it when they weren't necessarily the closest to either. I dunno. That side makes me feel uneasy at times, but that's fine - makes me think.

This song is great. Reggae influenced rock, Strummer belting out 'one more time in the ghetto...'.

Its been so sad losing Joe, Johnny (Cash) and John (Peel) over the last couple of years. Good men, you feel.

from Sandanista, available on CD


Only For You  performed by The Match  1969
Recommended by laughingmood [profile]

I love the "New Light" album by the Match. Such a perfect example of soft pop. I think these guys, along with The Small Circle Of Friends and The Free Design, are the perfect example of what harmonic soft pop sounds like. This track, with that great trumpet line, is just one of 14 classics on this album. I had heard some label in Korea was supposed to be re-issuing it but that was a long time ago.

from A New Light (RCA)


Open Your Eyes  performed by The Lords Of The New Church  1982
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

Opening with a brat beating bass and melody that is scarily reminiscent of some late 70s euro disco pathos, it�s only when Brian James� raunchy guitar kicks in that you know you�re well away from the lights of that dance floor and in the grips of a very different master. A hedonistic web of Bators� beloved conspiracy theorizing, the logical successor to the Wanderers� paranoia-packed repertoire, �Open Your Eyes� previewed a closet of horrors that embraced organized religion, the impending World Tour of Pope John Paul II, Bolshevik plots and Ronald Reagan�s apparent rush towards nuclear Armageddon. With session man Matt Black�s synthesizers giving the whole thing a classic rock feel that merged edgily with the band�s own punkish sensibilities, it was, as always, Bators� viperous lyrics that brought the whole thing into the twilight zone of pre-Internet intrigue. The 80s politicking of Margaret Thatcher�s Britain and Reagan�s cold war America pretty much ensured that both sides were far happier not having to open their eyes. A gleeful Bators was there, though, to make sure they did.
(AMG)

from The Lords of the New Church, available on CD


Orange Skies  performed by Love  1967
Recommended by bobbyspacetroup [profile]

It's taking me a while to get a handle on Love. Some songs I really like, but some I just can't get engaged in. This song, composed not by Arthur Lee but by bandmate Bryan Maclean, is perhaps my favorite Love song so far. [Turns out my other favorite Love original, "Alone Again Or," is also a Maclean composition. Go figure.] This track's tone is different from what I've heard in the band's other stuff. Softer and poppier, more along the lines of my favorite tracks by Eternity's Children, Free Design, or somebody like that. I love the way the flute just sort of floats over the whole song.

from Da Capo, available on CD



Oui je dis adieu  performed by Fran�oise Hardy  1971
Recommended by whoops [profile]

Fran�oise Hardy at the beginning of the seventies had gained the right to be seen as something different than simply a part of the y� y� movement of the sixties. In 1971 with the help of a brazilian guitarist named Tuca she was about to make what is considered by many (and by me) as her best album. "La question" has a perfect instrumentation (strings, guitar and bass) and stunning arrangements. I dare you not to fall in love with the first 30 seconds of "Oui je dis adieu", in a way it reminds me of Scott Walker's "Plastic palace people" it has the same circular construction.

from La question, available on CD


Out of this World  performed by Tony Hatch  1962
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A superb twangy, bongo-ridden theme from Tony Hatch. It's hard to believe this is the same man who wrote the themes for soap operas like 'Crossroads' and 'Neighbours', but it is... Overall this sounds kind of how I once expected/hoped John Barry's early 60s work might sound - harpsichord, twangy guitar etc. It opens with some eerie effects, bongoes and spare harpsichord sound before breaking into a fully fledged shadows/spy theme style masterpiece, stopping abruptly after just over two minutes. Since I heard this on a compilation, I have no idea as to its origin, which is a shame, as I would love to track down any similar work Tony Hatch may have done. I did some research, and it seems that the session guitarist on this track was none other than Big Jim Sullivan, who cut a couple of sitar LPs on Mercury in the 60s.
n.b. this is not the same tune as the much recorded and superb Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer 'out of this world'.

from the single Out of this World
available on CD - Easy Project II: House of Loungecore (Sequel)




  n-jeff: For some reason my parents acquired 2 mint copies of this on 7. Needless to say they didn't keep 'em long, heh, heh. Its a nice enough track, don't I remember some flute in there. but Tony was also the composer of some great early 60's pop, he did a number of LP's with Petula Clark, including the hits 'Downtown' and 'Don't sleep in the Subway' written with Jackie Trent (I think- Oh names, names, names). So to only remember him for Neighbours is cruel (and don't forget one variant of the Crossroads theme was recorded by paul Macartney and Wings, bet that isn't on the greates hits LP).
  delicado: totally; I think Tony's a genius; don't get me wrong! 'I know a place' and 'I couldn't live without your love' are two other great pop songs he was responsible for...
Out on the rebound for love  performed by Gangway
Recommended by moondog [profile]

Danish pop anyone ? Not that i am an expert in the genre but danish group Gangway made some fine records in the eighties in the aztec camera, prefab sprout vein. Especially this fine track with acoustic guitars that attack you like swarming bees and just the right amount of romantic longing that is the trademark of the genre.




Pacific 202  performed by Acid Brass (The Williams Fairey Brass Band)  1997
Recommended by n-jeff [profile]

Theres something beautifully melancholic about the best British (Early) house music, and of course, theres nothing quite as melancholy as a Brass Band. I haven't heard the whole LP, but this track off teh 12 inch single brings a tear to my eye everytime I hear it.

Whoever it was that thought of doing this cover was a genius, I'm sure they thought it would be solid cheese, but instead its one of those moments of inspirational magic. I'd love to hear their version of "Strings of Life".

from Acid Brass 12 (Blast First)
available on CD - Acid Brass


Palace Station  performed by Melody Club  2002
Recommended by AndreasNystrom [profile]

David Bowie goes Glamrock. Great song of a new swedish group, who mixes brilliant riffs, with a catchy lyric. I love the small Roland Juno60 riffs they play on the synth :)
Very upbeat and i get happy by listening too it.





Papa won't leave you, Henry  performed by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds  1992
Recommended by phil [profile]

Seriously, this one is brilliant. Nick's love song to both his new-born child and the chaotic city he was living in at the time (Sao Paulo) is an utter feast for those who love language: Nick rolls off such lines as

I thought about my friend Michel
How they rolled him in linoleum
And then shot him in the head
A bloody halo like a think bubble
Was circling his head
And I bellowed at the firmament
It looks like the rains are here to stay...


I mean - can you imagine The Strokes or Kula Shaker coming up with something like that?

Meanwhile, the music - well, Nick apparently had to say to his band - 'can't you just stay on E minor?', but such is the genius of the bad seeds that they layer it expertly and it sounds absolutely fantastic.

This was the first bad seeds song I ever got into - I remember putting it on, doing something else and having to stop as I realised I was listening to something quite out of the ordinary. If you are interested, the whole album is really really good - in my top 5 ever. I know Nick hates it, but he is quite wrong to do so.

from Henry's Dream (Mute)
available on CD - Live Seeds (Mute)




  delicado: I agree, this is a wonderful track. I'm amused to find that I had misheard the lyric. I remember being corrected several years ago (by you) on 'firmament' (I thought it was vermin). My latest mistake was to hear 'pink' where it is actually 'think'. 'Think' makes more sense I guess, but 'pink' is more disgusting.
  Cyninglich: I have to admit it took me quite a while to straighten out some of the lyrics myself... especially the magnificent last lines: "And with her kisses bubblin' on my lips/I swiped the rain and nearly missed..."
Paper Thin Hotel  performed by Leonard Cohen  1977
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This sounds very different from most of what I've recommended. In fact, there are days when I wouldn't want to listen to this song at all. It is pretty incredible, however. I like it both for its remarkable mood and instrumentation (this is a Phil Spector production), and for its lyrical content (a melancholic but resigned tale, remembering a love affair). Leonard sings 'A heavy burden lifted from my soul/I learned that love was out of my control', with a reverb effect on his voice, accompanied by a sweet string arrangement and a faint, echoey backing choir. His delivery is casual, yet committed - a style that definitely influenced Nick Cave.

from Death of a Ladies' Man, available on CD


Paranoid Android  performed by Radiohead  1997
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

This song is one of my all time favourites. It contains my favourite guitar solo ever.I love it because it has all these different sections to it which each evoke a different feeling, so it's sort of a whirlwind to listen to. And it's so unique-sounding, there really is nothing quite like it. Thom Yorke's voice really stands out and is just so lilting and angry. It's heaven to listen to, especially towards the end when he starts to overlap himself. Just a beautiful, intensely paranoid and bewitching song.

from Paranoid Android (EMI)


Party Up  performed by DMX  1999
Recommended by Betto_Colombia [profile]

If you're into hardcore rap from the clubs you are gonna love it. Very commercial. Nice mixes and dirty lyrics.

The chorus is petty catchy: Y'all gon' make me lose my mind up in HERE, up in here...


available on CD - And Then There Was X


peace  performed by plastics  1981
Recommended by olli [profile]

lovely feelgood song from the borderline brilliant japanese new wave band plastics. a break from their often minimalistic intrumentation. oddball lyrics, nice guitar, harmonica and extremely enthusiastic singing.
i love the way the male vocalist seems to be holding his nose while singing in the beginning of the song.


waiting for the taxi
standing in the snow white
newspapers falling on the ground
it's cold and cold and cold

new york is frozen steak
teddy bear and kitty cat
fireplace and candles
all you need is weapon

this is peace
this is funny fairy tale

green green green peace
high high high heel
inside is outside
world is nonsense

dream of the tide wave
my peace is your peace
peace by the people
peace for the peace

this is peace
this is funny fairy tale

all i see is green green
grave yard of lily white
sleeping beauty laying there
with dots and symbols

marmalade evening
fur coats and venus
venus and mighty dragon said
all you need is weapon

this is peace
this is funny fairy tale

from welcome back plastics (island)



Peace Frog  performed by The Doors
Recommended by Lubi [profile]

From the album Morrison Hotel, Peace Frog is a bouncy toe tapping tune encapsulating funky wah wah with jazzy tones and a hint of country.

What I love about this tune is it's ability to make me get up and dance, head bounce toes tap.

Facinating lyrics, quite contradictory in contrast with the merry, whimsicalness of the music.

"There�s blood in the streets� it�s up to my ankles"

However when your dancing around It has little precedence, the organs and drums take you away and the lyrics are gone.....

from Morrison Hotel, available on CD


Peach, Plum, Pear  performed by Joanna Newsom
Recommended by brandyalexander [profile]

You will either love this one or hate it. Joanna's voice is something I've never heard before, but I immediately fell in love. She also uses a very large instument which I believe to be a harp. She has some other beautiful songs, but none as facsinating as peach, plum, pear.




Photograph  performed by Weezer
Recommended by Meggimuffin [profile]

I just love Weezer plain and simple. :)




Piazza, New York Catcher  performed by Belle & Sebastian  2003
Recommended by executiveslacks [profile]

This is such a pretty song. With just an acoustic guitar and voice, it could've easily sounded like any other folk song, yet I find something incredibly endearing about it.
Lyrically, it's a love story interrupted with baseball imagery (very strange for a Scotsman to display an understanding of the sport).

from Dear Catastrophe Waitress, available on CD


Pink Girl  performed by Shauna Burns  2005
Recommended by musicman [profile]

If you like Tori Amos, you'll love this new pianist named Shauna Burns. To hear Pink Girl, go to www.myspace.com/shaunaburns

from Every Thought (Red Rock Music 634479118579)
available on CD - yes (yes)


pissing in a river  performed by the patti smith group  1976
Recommended by monique [profile]

a passionate, rough-voiced rock legend begging for a lover to return. crying guitar, wailing background singers...what more can i say?

from "all over me" soundtrack (TVT records)




  modadelic: patti was totally out there back when this track was happening. those first two albums were brilliant, esspecially the radio ethiopia track on same name album. sadly for her early supporters it was not listening heaven after she had a fluke hit and commercialism raised its tired and ugly head and patti was somehow lead to believe she only wrote songs that were as good as other 70's songwriters when in reality she used to write songs that were way above any other writers.the songs on the first two albums have incredible atmosphere and that was all lost after because the night hit mainstream ears. the first two albums and any bootlegs from 75/76 are worth anyones time and money.
Playground Love  performed by Air  2000
Recommended by delicado [profile]

To me, this one of the most perfect songs released in recent years. It's hard to pin down what makes this track so affecting - the instrumentation is mostly synth; there is also an understated, slightly Bowie-style vocal. Overall I think it is the music itself - the fragile chord sequence and instrumentation evoke a strange sense of lost summer memories.

from Virgin Suicides, available on CD




  secularus: This track is sublime. Atmosphere to the nth degree. Sophia Coppola is very lucky to have a gem like this as the pervasive track to her film, The Virgin Suicides. Mesmerizing.
  tinks: that ain't the only reason sofia coppola is very lucky, but that's another story. i agree, i love the entire score to the film.
playground love  performed by air
Recommended by morning belle [profile]




Please Let Me Wonder  performed by the Beach Boys  1965
Recommended by tinks [profile]

To me, songs like this best express the genius of Brian Wilson. Listen to the tender lyrics and vocal on this...this is the happiest he has ever sounded. (Given the time that this was recorded, it's almost depressing...this was probably also the last time in his life that he was truly happy. What the more poetic call bittersweet?) Yet, this is so mellow and unassuming. It's blissful, joyous - and above all else, madly in love, as evidenced by the spoken "I love you." at the end. The writing credits lists Wilson-Love, but all I can hear is Brian here. Mike Love was never this genuine.

As for the arrangement, it hints at what was to come with "Pet Sounds". Fender bass! Tambourines! Harpsichords! It's a beautiful thing, and Sonny Bono built his career off of it. Sleep well, sweet Congressman.

from The Beach Boys Today! (Capitol T-2269)
available on CD - The Beach Boys Today!/Summer Days! (And Summer Nights!!) (Capitol)


Po’ Boy  performed by Bob Dylan  2001
Recommended by Gumbo [profile]

Just when I had almost lost all hope of ever hearing a new Dylan song which, as a combination of an engaging vocal performance and fascinating lyrics, just fill you with a strange sense of happiness - he comes up with this one. While not being like a typical Dylan classic, this one has a very, very warm feel to it + vocals which I thought he couldn't produce in 2001 anymore. After the rather cold and almost posturingly melancholy "Time Out of Mind" album, "Love & Theft" was pleasantly wise and human.

from Love & Theft, available on CD


Pogoń  performed by Michał Lorenc  1997
Recommended by insomnia [profile]

This is a song form the "Bandyta"(1997) soundrack composed by Polish film music genious- Michał Lorenc. "Bandyta" is directed by Maciej Dejczer and the main hero is performed by Til Schweiger (German famous actor).
The album contain the sounds of Rumunian,Polish and other cultures music.There are mysthical,nostalgy, sensitive choirs and dynamic,edge,professional strings.I can talk ans talk about that but only listening to it can show you the beauty of it.If you listen to it once you'll fall in love to it forever!!!!

P.S.I'm sorry for my English.Best wishes! :-)

from Bandyta, available on CD


pop princess  performed by the click 5
Recommended by purplepeopleeater [profile]

upbeat, poppy, and fun. i love that it's upbeat and fun. the synthesizer is really unique and adds a nice touch.




Powder to the People  performed by Dance Gavin Dance
Recommended by woahsandywtf [profile]

I absolutely love this band and this is one of my favorite tracks. Jonny Craig is amazing btw, check him out.




Poxa (P�xa)  performed by Evandro Marinho  2001
Recommended by RCA76 [profile]

I love this song, it reminds me why I love Brazilian music. Its very sexy, sultry and classically bossa nova. There about 50 versions, but this one I enjoy a lot. Any other recommendations?

from O Som Do Barzinho vol. 6, available on CD


Prisoner of Love  performed by Foreigner  1992
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Great chord sequence...melodic shrieking vocal...magic instrumentation - one of my favourite soft(ish) rock songs. An under-appreciated gem from the Foreigner oevre which I'm certain will attract many musical tasters.




Prototype  performed by OutKast  2003
Recommended by Festy [profile]

I knew nothing about OutKast, and know little more now. What I do know is that this song was from a concept album in which both members of Outkast ("Andre 3000" and "Big Boi") produced a side each. Also from what I understand, this track may not be typical of their usual stuff. I also found out that this was played to death on the radio when it was released, so this may not be a new song to many. Not being a commercial radio listener, I missed it when it was released!

I'm not sure what attracted me to the song first off. Perhaps it was how sparse and basic it seems, perhaps the humour in it ("stank you smelly much" - real lyrics in this love song), or perhaps the "behind the scenes" audio, like Andre's dicussion with the engineer. Why would he leave that in, I wonder. Is it a theme that runs through his side of the album? Anyway, a soulful and beautiful, if not strange song which I heard on a compilaton called "Strange Soul" put out by Albion Records.

from Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (LaFace Records 82876 50133 2)
available on CD - Strange Soul (Albion Records)



Put Your Hands On The Screen  performed by Martin Briley  1985
Recommended by gypsy36 [profile]

Martin Briley is the same guy who did that catchy 80's song "The Salt in My Tears," which is the only one of his songs that got much airplay. It's a shame because Briley is such a talented artist.

"Put Your Hands On The Screen" begins with a solo bass drum beat that immediately gets your attention, followed by Briley's moody guitar riffs (the style reminds me of The Eagles "Those Shoes"). As a whole, the song is melodic with a slow, strong beat. It's also timeless. You can't tell whether it was a song from the 80's or a song from 2004.

It's all about TV evangelists and I love the lyrics:

...The choir is singing
And everybody's feeling good
The phones are ringing
From Bethlehem to Hollywood
So move in closer
Let your faces feel the glow
There's a holy presence
Right here in the studio...

The album is now considered rare, but you can google and find a copy.

from Dangerous Moments


Pyar Karne Wale  performed by Asha Bhosle  1980
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

A week ago I was in India, the holiday of a lifetime. As well as all the tourist stuff, like temples and museums, I always make sure that I get a slice of pop culture when I'm in a foreign country. So the night tended to conclude in the hotel with a bit of Indian TV.

Watched a fair bit of MTV India which, if anything, is even heavier on ads and blatent self-promotion that its British and American equivalents. I was cheered to see that most of the music they played was in Hindi and there was a limit on the American and European bands that got airplay (seemingly, strangely, limited to The Rasmus and Britney Spears).

But MTV is only watchable for a limited amount of time. Jet lag and excitement dictates that one spends more time awake than asleep and so I got to see a few late 70's Bollywood classics, among them 'Shaan' (translation: 'Pride'). This Asha Bhosle gem is from this movie. The film itself struk me as a fairly banal James Bond rip off although, not speaking Hindi, I grant that I'll have missed the more subtle aspects of plot construction.

This song stopped me in my tracks. I knew that Bollywood was an area that I enjoyed but was in a grand state of ignorance of, and I was looking forward to rectifying this. Pyar Karne Wale takes the prize for best Donna Summer rip off EVER. Stealing its barely-adjusted backing from 'I Feel Love', Bhosle wails and moans over the top, transforming Moroder's disco classic into something that simultanously establishes common ground between Indian and European disco while evoking its more subtle differences.

Myself and boyfriend came back with what seems like every Bollywood soundtrack produced between 1972 and 1980 including, of course, Shaan. I look forward to educating myself in this genre and finding more similar gems.

from Naseeb / Shaan, available on CD




  pleasepleaseme: Hi, I'm From N.Y.C. In the early 80's we had a show on cable, called "Cinema,Cinema, which showed numbers from the classic cinema. I lucked out on a few OST'S. Can highly recommend "Qurbani" & "Kasme Vaade" & "Sargam" & "Sawan Ko Aane Do" & "Loafer". Would love to know if you found any of those, or if you could recommend some of your finds.
  jeanette: Did indeed pick up Qurbani, which I have now listened to and would agree that its fab. That's the only one I have of those you mention. Got 30-odd CDs and most of them are double or triple headers, and I'm slowly ploughing my way through the pile. Favourite thus far is 'Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai' which is another R.D. Burman stunner.
  olli: RD burman is, ahem, "da bomb". probably my favourite bollywood producer/composer. not that i'm an expert on indian 70's pop culture or anything.
Quattro Vestiti  performed by Milva  1962
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

Answers the question, "What would happen if Ennio Morricone did a dramatic, Flamenco-style pop song?" Milva gives a lusty, compelling performance. Fantastic arrangement - love those castanets!


available on CD - Canto Morricone, Vol. 1: The '60s (Bear Family)



  delicado: milva also does a compelling 'metti una sera a cena' on volume 3 of the canto morricone series; highly recommended...
Radio #1  performed by Air  2001
Recommended by tinks [profile]

I think that it is rather telling that the first words you hear on Air's new album are "we are the synchronizers". I have owned this CD for less than 24 hours and am currently on my seventh listen...to some people, that's natural, but not to me. I have to admit, this is quite the anomaly for me in general. It's much, uh, "proggier" than their first record, a fact well-evidenced by the cover art. In fact, it's quite a bit proggier than anything else in my record collection, but I can't seem to get enough of it. I'm having a very difficult time picking a particular song to recommend, so I'm arbitrarily choosing this one. I was a bit worried that I would be disappointed by this, considering how much I love "Premier Symptomes", "Moon Safari" and the "Virgin Suicides" score, but that was not the case. Get this album, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

from 10,000 Hz Legend, available on CD




  delicado: I've had a remarkably similar experience with this album; dig the sing along at the end of 'radio #1' as well!
Rainin thru my Sunshine  performed by The Real Thing  1978
Recommended by geezer [profile]

All the lavishness of Bil Withers "Lovely Day" but with the sentiments turned upside down,the sun is still there but clouded wiith tears .This beautiful soul/funk ballad is for some strange reason,almost unheard but rates along side their biggest hit "You to me Are Everything".This is what you find if you keep digging and delving.

from Best of
available on CD - Best of or Late Night Tales_jamiriquai


Rainy Monday  performed by Shiny Toy Guns
Recommended by lcampy [profile]

Love his voice, beautiful lyrics.




Real Love  performed by John Lennon  1977
Recommended by mattishere [profile]

beautiful ballad by John Lennon of the Beatles. definitely recommend this.





Real Love (Lennon)  performed by Regina Spektor
Recommended by Drunk Lawyer [profile]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl8WJ5w8XUE&feature=PlayList&p=2F7F7575CE767E0A&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=69




Real Pain  performed by Kraak & Smaak  2007
Recommended by iPodChick [profile]

The multi-talented Dutch artists Kraak & Smaak shine in their unprecedented, soul-shaking compilation, �The Remix Sessions� due out May 29th. Named by IDJ as "one of the most incendiary live outfits," Kraak & Smaak take that crackling energy and infuse classic jams with their signature style. Music lovers everywhere will rejoice as hard-to-find tracks, many of which were only released on vinyl, join each other in this boogie-licious showcase.

From banging dance floor "Mimezine � Can't get Enough (Kraak & Smaak Remix)," to funky, midtempo "Jamiroquai � Electric Mistress (Kraak & Smaak Remix)" to eerie, internationally-infused "Skeewiff � Man of Constant Sorrow (Kraak & Smaak Remix)," Kraak & Smaak reveals their astounding vision for the possibilities of electronica. This beat-driven assembly is an invaluable resource for re-tracing the various pathways of this modern musical expression.

from The Remix Sessions (Quango Records)



  aquila49: If this recommendation sounds like an ad, it's because it is one! I found the exact same wording on another site�indie911.com. iPodChick works for the recording industry. Is that acceptable to Musical Taste members? It isn't to me. By the way, I like Kraak and Smaak�but I am not coming here anymore if shills like "iPodChick" are going to be posting "recommendations."
  delicado: Hi aquila49 - thanks for your comment. yeah, I figured this was probably an 'inside' recommendation although I didn't do the follow-up googling! I don't mind say people recommending their own band so long as it's one song and they're pretty straight up about it, but obviously this isn't the same thing. I guess I should set out some guidelines somewhere. If anyone else has any feelings about this feel free to chime in!
  n-jeff: I agree with aquila49 - off with their heads! I hardly buy music papers because too much is regurgitated verbatim from press releases. I must admit when I read the initial recommendation my mind glazed over halfway through the first phrase, so I couldn't actually read it. Send them back to MYSPACE!
  aquila49: I guess "ipodchick" doesn't have anything to say about this�or anything else. Good riddance.
  liveinpeace: I think the music speaks for itself, however it may have come to our awareness. I do not criticize ipodchick or anyone else for not posting more here. You have made people feel so "welcomed" to join in the discussion. Just keep on living in peace, love, and music.
Rebel Waltz  performed by The Clash
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

I love how simple,flawless,and heart-felt it is.

from Sandinista!


Red  performed by Okkervil River
Recommended by Reina [profile]

Sad, beautiful, tender song. If you like it, check out more Okkervil River.

"Red is my favorite color...red like your mother's eyes after a while of crying about how you don't love her..."




Red Rain  performed by The White Stripes  2005
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

God damn, I love Jack White. This song blows my mind... it absolutely blows my mind. I can't believe that any rock and roll band is doing something so incredibly original and startling and at the same time so basic and so primitive. The White Stripes make me believe that rock and roll, real bluesy wild rock, still lives and breathes.

from Get Behind Me Satan



  Gwendolyn: ahh! the lyrics are so good
Redemption Song  performed by Johnny Cash and Joe Strummer  2003
Recommended by n-jeff [profile]

Three dead men. An acoustic guitar and two dead mens voices sing a dead mans song.
I play this to make grown men weep at the end of the evening.
It was included in the cd box set that American recordings put out after Johnny Cash died. Fortunatly for me someone has cherry picked that set and bootlegged the results onto more playable and affordable vinyl. Although I suspect there are many more songs I'd love in that set, this one I knew would work so well.

from The devils right hand


Reinstated  performed by Shack  1999
Recommended by moondog [profile]

Fame and fortune seems to elude Michael Head but perhaps we should be grateful for it since it leaves him making superb music still in a career that spans over 20 years. On "reinstated" from 99s splendid "Hms Fable" you get the best sides of his songwriting talents. Both the bacharach/lai pop of Pale Fountains pacific Street era coupled with his later merseybeat/love styling´s of shack.

from Hms Fable


Repined bastard nation  performed by Satyricon  2002
Recommended by olli [profile]

Satanist surf rock! (or a reasonable facsimile of that would sound like, anyway.)
From the land of polar bears and fjords
comes this insanely massive-sounding piece of black metal with a heavy dose of Dick Dale influences. It's quite poppy for a black metal tune, if you can see past the growling. I have to admit I've never actually listened too closely to the lyrics, i'm sure they're very misantrophic and gloomy and all, but this song feels very uplifting to me somehow. same thing as with Primal Scream's Detroit and Ennio Morricone's Magic and Extacy, i guess.
the synth effects round it out nicely, the guitars are fast and furious, and you got to love that drumming.


(One of these days I'm gonna have to make a mixtape with the world's most glaringly insane shifts of tone from one song to the next. This will fit nicely in between Dean Martin and Jean Jaques Perrey...)

from Volcano



Rette Mich  performed by Tokio Hotel
Recommended by eevas86 [profile]

I fell in love with this song. Can't explain it.




Richard Nixon  performed by Rod & The MSR Singers  197?
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

One of the more famous song-poems, this is sung by the man with a thousand names, Rodd Keith. Being English, I had never really heard of the song-poem concept until an article in (I think) Cool & Strange Music magazine. Then this compilation CD came out and, wow, pinch my cheeks and call me a convert.



Anything that encourages the bizarre side of human nature gets my approval and song-poems certainly do that. Especially the right wing freaks, who seem to be over-represented in the genre. This is one of those very over-zealous numbers, stating (pre-Watergate) that Nixon is "a man of priceless worth".



What I love about Rodd Keith is that, no matter how banal or weird the lyrics kicked out by some Arkansas dweller are, he gives a sterling performance. This is no different. The spirit in which the song is written is strictly adhered to by Keith, adding of course to its overall charm.

from The American Song-Poem Anthology: Do You Know The Difference..., available on CD



Right as Rain  performed by The Minders  2001
Recommended by two-headed boy [profile]

So far the best thing I've heard all year! The Minders return, this time they invite us into their neighborhood by way of Golden Street. We still feel the quaint influence of Britain's great pop secrets, the Kinks, but we also hear another side of this band that has been long overdue, themselves. The Minders have discovered their voice only glimpsed at in earlier recordings. And 'Right As Rain' is as good as it gets. There is no avoiding the contagions found in the head-bopping performance, you will be infected with a fever you may never wish to recover from. Put plainly, you will love this song, guaranteed! The drumsticks click, the bass rolls in, the electric guitars whir, the beat throbs and then, in a moment of pure expectation, we hear Martyn's vocals like honey dripping from heaven. It is Martyn's voice that carries us through this song and we are disappointed when he pauses to breath. The longest pause comes during the backwards guitar solo, complete with screaming feedback and enriched by keyboards and bass. The refrain is just as exciting when Martyn returns to refill our ears with his perfect British accent. By golly, I wish you could hear it now.

from Golden Street (SpinArt)




  tinks: I should hope his British accent is perfect...being that he's British and all! It always amazes me when I hear praise come in for the Minders from places far & near...those cats live in my neighborhood!
  tinks: Oh, and to clarify...I love the Minders, too! What I meant was that I still think of them as a local band!
Ring Worm  performed by Van Morrison  1968
Recommended by agnamaracs [profile]

Okay, I'm going to summarize the story as best as I can.

Van Morrison's first recording contract as a solo artist was with a small label called Bang, owned by a man named Bert Berns. Among Bang's hits were "I Want Candy" by the Strangeloves, "Hang On Sloopy" by the McCoys, "Cherry Cherry" by Neil Diamond, and of course "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison.

Bang released Morrison's first album, "Blowin' Your Mind," in 1967. The thing is, Morrison had nothing to do with it. He wanted out of his contract. Berns died in December of that year, but Bang (now run by Berns's wife Ilene) still wanted ten songs from Van. He gave 'em 31.

The Bang Contractuals, as these sessions have come to be known, can be split into three categories: throwaways ("Twist and Shake," "Stomp and Scream"), cynical commentary ("The Big Royalty Check," "Blow in Your Nose" [a play on "Blowin' Your Mind]), and the just plain bizarre.

"Ring Worm" is a member of the third group. First of all, Morrison doesn't sing the lyrics, he speaks them. Second, the lyrics are:

I can see by the look on your face... that you've got ring worm.
I'm very sorry, but... I have to tell you that... you've got... ring worm...
It's a very common disease...
Actually, you're very lucky to have... ring worm, because you may have... had something else.


Finally, after the lyrics comes the most bizarre "singing" I've ever heard. I can't even describe it. You'll have to hear it for yourself. I will say this: if you're familiar with Van's more commercial works, you will be dumbfounded.

Of course, we all know the rest of the story: later in 1968, Morrison signed to Warner Bros., recorded "Astral Weeks," and became a legend. I have friends, however, that believe the Bang Contractuals to be his best album.

The material shouldn't be too hard to find: since its first release (apparently, by a small Portuguese label in 1992), the Bang Contractuals have been released over and over, always as a two-disc set with the more "legitimate" Bang material ("Brown Eyed Girl," etc.) Look for titles such as "The Complete Bang Sessions," "Payin' Dues," and (ugh) "Brown Eyed Beginnings."

from The Lost Tapes (Movie Play Gold)
available on CD - ah, thousands of 'em (take yer pick)




  eftimihn: I already knew this weird story, but being a fan of Van for 15 years or so it wasn't until these 2 tracks (together with "You Say France And I Whistle") were featured on Otis Fodder's 365 Days Project that i eventually heard them. Hilarious stuff. It's pretty much a precedence that shows what happens when record companies force artists to be creative and deliver what they want...
rock’n’roll  performed by mot�rhead  1987
Recommended by angelica [profile]

pared-down gritty rock'n'roll, this song hammers away from start to finish in classic mot�rhead style. the lyrics are what really distinguish this track for me, however... lemmy rasps "i've got rock'n'roll / to save me from the cold / and if that's all there is / it ain't so bad", making this song a paean to his love of rock and roll above all else. no woman, no bed will tie him down... only rock'n'roll will comfort him in his old age. and at 58, he's still rockin' hard. even though he's a dirty old man and i'm slightly afraid of him... well, it still fills me with hope.

from Rock'N'Roll, available on CD


Rollerskate  performed by Call and Response  2002
Recommended by Ricard [profile]

From all the summery pop music on this site, think you'll love this song from the Californians Call and Response about the simple joys of rollerskating.
You can download it for free (and legally) from http://www.epitonic.com/files/reg/songs/mp3/Call_And_Response-Rollerskate.mp3 so why not give it a listen.




Romance  performed by Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man  2002
Recommended by robert[o] [profile]

A great track from the excellent "solo" LP by the Portishead vocalist (actually it’s a collaboration with Paul Webb - one time member of sublime 1980's pop group Talk Talk - calling himself Rustin Man for some reason.) The arrangement suggests a low-key take on one of Bacharach/David's statelier ballads, (like say "Aprils Fools" or "Trains and Boats and Planes"), which develops a wonderfully sad groove on the chorus. There are lovely strings, a great, woozy horn solo, and some inspired use of subtle, dissonant electronic textures and spooky female background vocals (both very Ennio Morricone.) Meanwhile, Gibbons does her most stylized take on Billie Holiday at her most stylized - which really shouldn't work, but somehow ends up being just right. Strong song from a very strong album.

from Out of Season, available on CD



  bobbyspacetroup: Agreed. This track and "Drake" are my favorites from the album -- especially "Drake." Good recommendation.
roses in the snow  performed by Nico  1969
Recommended by belphegor [profile]

wow, i mean: wow... i've been an avid nico lover for years, having acquired a deep appreciation of her via some claimed proto-goth associations. obscure subcultural praise and all that velvet underground hoop-la aside, her amazing "desertshore" was proof enough that nico was and is a uniquely powerful force in life and art. but this "roses in the snow" diddy just floored me on a first listen. the revolving, minimalist tune of her harmonium must be the loneliest, most disillusioned harmony ever played since "gloomy sunday," and the cryptically profound words the closest thing rock'n'roll ever got to the "book of job." what does this piece really mean to say? not sure really: but somehow, i think it might be something like re-reading a long-departed lover's suicide note on a warm, languid autumn day...

from the marble index, available on CD


Roxette  performed by It Must Have Been Love  1992
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Tourism


Royals (US Version)   performed by Lorde  2013
Recommended by Cozzie123 [profile]

its soothing and relaxing and I just really love it ...





  delicado: Did you ever hear \'Big Red Balloon\' by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood? Totally different song from the early 70s but the harmony in the chorus of this song really reminds me of it.
Ruby Don�t Take Your Love to Town  performed by Kenny Rogers & The First Edition  1969
Recommended by nicegeoff [profile]

Kenny Rogers provides quite the haunting lead vocal on this track. The jaunty drums and choir vocals only enhance the creepiness.

from Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town



Rumors  performed by Eternity’s Children  1967
Recommended by masayo [profile]

So surprised that the composer, Mr. Bruce Blackman wrote a comment on Mrs. Bluebird's recommendation of this site! And this song "Rumor" ,their first single, was also written by him and Keith Olsen. Beautifully pop melody, intertwined harmony and good sense of guitar arrangement...It's like a comfortable summer breeze. Though I do love "The Other Side of Me", "I Wanna Be With You" and "Mrs. Bluebird" as well, this is the best track in me.

from Single only (A&M 866)
available on CD - The Melody Goes On #Soft Rock Vol.2 (M&M MMCD-1013)



  Ron1967-1970: this song was on one of the two LP's
  deltadoodah: yea, bruce was there in the very beginning, but he was not there when we recorded the second lp or the last single we recorded in tyler, texas with robin hood bryant. he wrote NO songs on the "timeless" album and you HAVE NOT heard the TRUE story about "eternity's children." I thank you for your time...but I am not impressed by what Mr. Blackmon is writing. If you would like the REAL story, please let me, Roy Whitaker, Linda Lawley or Mike McClain hear from you. Thanks a lot and keep on rockin'. Charlie Ross
  masayo: wow.... are you Mr. Charlie Ross??? I'd really like to hear the REAL story!! Actually I can't get just a little information about Eternity's Children while it's my favorite group...
  trainman5561: charlie, hope you remember me.Iworked with you as your road man in 66.I've often wondered where you and johnny walker went to. I'm still in B'ham Al. If you remember me send a phone no.I can reach you at.Would like to ask some questions about old times and friends.Those were good times in my life. Your old friend Jimmy [email protected]
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)



Russian Dolls  performed by Michel Griffin  2006
Recommended by michelgriffin [profile]

"Russian Dolls" is a finely crafted song about the abuses of power. It uses guitar and muted organ to establish an ambience of quiet menace. I love the lyrics, which are clever and true. You can see the video on <a href='http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/lwwvideospage.html'>Neil Young's 'Living With War' site</a>

from Russian Dolls (MGP 634479394805)
available on CD - Russian Dolls (MGP 2608)


Rydeen  performed by Senor Coconut  2006
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Much as I love the original Yellow Magic Orchestra track, today I can only listen to this latin version with superb bongo syncopation. Totally up my strasse.

from Yellow Fever, available on CD


Sabia, Diga La  performed by Jaime & Nair  1974
Recommended by pleasepleaseme [profile]

Bizarre Cut. What's This "Country Funk"? Strange little record. Beautiful Production. Both have very nice voices. And love the 12 string Guitar. Flows Nicely.

from Jaime & Nair, available on CD


Sad and Crazy  performed by Photo-Poetic  2007
Recommended by drjonez [profile]

Chill and cozy. Kind of epic. I love it

from unknwon (?)


Sad, Sad Sunshine  performed by Al Kooper  1970
Recommended by konsu [profile]

Al Cooper is a great overlooked songwriter.His album,Easy Does It,is a double length tour de force.He wrote more than half the tunes for this double LP,and played a myriad of instruments as well!This one is my favorite right now, mainly because it mixes well with my miserable winter. Instumentally, it has a sort of"Indo-blues"quality, with sitar(played by Mr. Cooper himself) and tablas against a lilting string ensemble.It's a song of lost love and it's dreaded illumination:"...As the sun it slowly rises, there is judgement in it's glare/And it seems too much to ask, to light a face that isn't there..." A real treat of a tune, and a must for any fans of american songwriter stuff with a touch of sad humor.Also check out his sprawling version of the Big Joe Williams tune "Baby Please Don't Go" and another original,"She Gets Me Where I Live".

from Easy Does It, available on CD


saint huck  performed by nick cave and the bad seeds  1981
Recommended by phil [profile]

Really, this song is just brilliant. I'm listening to it now, and I don't want to think about it much - just to say that it is hypnotic, fantastic, trebly, preposterous, tuneless rock, detailing how huckleberry finn went to the big city and fell of the rails - 'you know the story! You wake up one morning and find YOU'RE A THUG!'

Really, I love this sort of thing.

from From her to eternity (Mute)



  feeling eternal: indeed it is a good song. the only copy i have is on the god is in the house dvd. i havent been able to find from her to eternity anywhere. and nowhere seems to have saint huck available for download, so im asking, does anyone know where i can get me a copy? rock on.
  phil: I don't know where you are from feeling eternal, but FHTE is definitely available from amazon.co.uk and from mutebank.co.uk. Good luck!
Saints and Sailors  performed by Dashboard Confessional
Recommended by .holly. [profile]

I love pretty much anything by Dashboard, but this has to be my favorite.




salamanda palaganda  performed by tyrannosaurus rex  1968
Recommended by penelope_66 [profile]

i cannot think of another group that so effectively uses loopy, poetic nonsense to create the feeling of being completely and totally in love! if you ask me, t rex is the best "love" music there is. and not in the typical cheesy way. he's also a rock 'n roll god! this song gets my head spinning every time. bolan's superhuman vibrato voice paired with rythmic bongos, acoustic guitar, pixiephone and all sorts of crazy percussion. this whole album is great, but this song has me at the moment.

from prophets, seers & sages the angels of the ages, available on CD



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


Samba de mon coeur qui bat  performed by Coralie Cl�ment  2001
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Lovely, mellow bossa nova track. Coralie Clement is the sister of Benjamin Biolay, who wrote almost all the songs on the album and produced, arranged and played a variety of instruments on it. There's a timeless quality about this song, certainly due to the fact the arrangement is simply impeccable and delicate and Coralies whispery, rather flat but warm, sensual voice sounds like a cross between Astrud Gilberto, Claudine Longet and Jane Birkin. The whole record is a quite a gem.

from Salle des pas perdus, available on CD



San Francisco  performed by Butterfly Joe  1999
Recommended by m.ace [profile]

The opening line may be, "I left my heart in San Francisco," but from there it deviates into its own song, a lovely and unsettling ballad of love gone awry. A haunting melody and swelling, Spector-like production (strings, accordion, chimes, etc) make this one to listen to repeatedly.

from Butterfly Joe, available on CD


Sand And Rain  performed by Nancy Holloway
Recommended by heinmukk [profile]

my favourite tune on the newest issue of dusty fingers. the dusty fingers series is a compilation of rare and obscure tunes mostly from the 60s and 70s. the styles cover funk, jazz, krautrock and tunes like this one. it's a bombastic pop song with strings and a huge brasssection, which i come to admire more and more in the last time.
the intro is sooo cool. bitter spoken words by nancy about love and pain.
well, take a listen yourself.
last words: check out the dusty fingers series, there are a lot of true gems on them...like this one!


available on CD - dusty fingers vol 10



Sandy's Love  performed by Harold Alexander
Recommended by bobbyspacetroup [profile]


available on CD - Right On! Vol 2 (Warner (France))



save my soul  performed by wimple winch  1966
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

a song that sounds like a state of mind. a 14 hour technicolour dream until the chorus. i love the guitar solo too. freakbeat mania!

from the single save my soul (fontana tf 718)
available on CD - nuggets ii (rhino)



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)


Sea of love  performed by Cat Power
Recommended by mangopinecone [profile]

sweet and slow

from Juno


Seance on a Wet Afternoon  performed by John Barry  1964
Recommended by nighteye [profile]

I love John Barry's work, he always seam to be able to score anything with excellent results. This song is no exception, taken from the movie 'Seance on a Wet Afternoon' from 1964. Haven't seen the movie my self so I can't really say what the premise of it is, but IMDB says it's a crime-drama about a self-styled psychic in London. Groovy eh?

This song is however great, Barry relies heavily on haunting flutes and trombones to create a some what eeire feeling, and it really works. Just listening to this song makes me think of a rainy gloomy dark afternoon in London. Now if I only could get a hold of a copy of the movie...


available on CD - Ultra Lounge: Vol 16 - Mondo Hollywood



Seasick yet still Docked(live)  performed by Morrissey
Recommended by giant [profile]

I could have chosen any Morrissey/Smiths song as a good recomendation, Morrissey is simply our greatest living lyricist. He also happens to have a rare throat that sings with so much emotion one is left speechless. When I hear the sound of his voice I find my own soul. There is no better example of this ethereal angel than in the live version of "Seasick yet still Docked." Mozzer is a rare creature and when you hear this song you will understand that perhaps what your hearing, may not be altogether "human".

from Beethoven was deaf
available on CD - Beethoven was Deaf


Secret Love  performed by Doris Day
Recommended by 37piecesflair [profile]

Mandy Moore does a cover of this on the "Mona Lisa Smile" soundtrack.




Secret Love  performed by Kathy Kirby  1963
Recommended by Latimer [profile]

This is a British artist who does not deserve to be forgotten. She has a free, ranging voice and total charisma. Her trouble was that she got ripped off for life by a lecherous old-guy manager (Ambrose), who was mainly concerned with her considerable charms and the earnings he could siphon off to himself. She is now impoverished, but remains a great past-pop figure, and a great singer. Also a so-called icon of the homo world, where melodramatic performances are always appreciated. She was contemporary with the Beatles, but of a musical world they left behind.




See You Soon  performed by Coldplay
Recommended by tartpops [profile]

Definitely one of my favorites by Coldplay. Very calming and emotionally powerful- about love, in general.




Self-conscious over you  performed by The Outcasts  197?
Recommended by mattypenny [profile]

Great Lost Punk Single #2

This is a really good poppy, punky love song. Like a butch-er version of the Undertones, or a more cheerful Pistols. Much like the Undertones in fact - also from Northern Ireland, but with not as many great songs. But this one is fantatic.

from Self-Conscious over you


sell my old clothes, i'm off to heaven  performed by saves the day
Recommended by monique [profile]

it's catchy without being too cute. poppy emo punk. lyrics concern trying to figure out why a lover left you for another--great lyrics.

from another year on the streets (compilation) (vagrant records)


Send A Little Love Token  performed by The Duke Spirit
Recommended by shadpreston [profile]

from Neptune


Sensational Gravity Boy  performed by Guided By Voices  199?
Recommended by Stian______ [profile]

One of my favourite bands .
They play music that is mostly simply produced , sometimes of lazyness i suspect , but most often cause it suits the songs and makes them stand out from the crowd. This is a 2 minute rocker that i totally fell in love with some weeks ago. Its incredibly catchy,rocky and got a lovely distorted vocal on it .

Its found for free on their official homesite too, go check it out :)

http://www.guidedbyvoices.com/ go to Music section , then mp3 , enjoy..

from non album track


Set fire to the third bar  performed by snow patrol and martha wainwright
Recommended by Issie [profile]

I love the way that this song builds up I tihnk its really amazing I love it!! You have to listen to it




Set Out Running  performed by Neko Case and Her Boyfriends  2000
Recommended by mitchiavelli [profile]

'Set Out Running' is from Neko Case's second album 'Furnace Room Lullaby'. The album was recorded for Mint Records in Canada and is licensed to Bloodshot Records in the US.

Case has matured as a writer and 'Set Out Running' is proof. It is a haunting song of love, loss and fear, and never fails to move me I listen to it.

Keep an eye-out for a new release from Case. It is called 'Blacklisted' and is set to be released in the summer of 2002.

Neko Case and Her Boyfriends are currently on tour opening for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

from Furnace Room Lullaby, available on CD


Sevengill (Notorynchus cepedianus)  performed by Giant Squid  2009
Recommended by SamHall [profile]

The song really portrays the heartbreak of the character, and the murky, unforgiving sea which he has committed to. You can almost see and hear the ocean, and feel the main character as he reflects upon what he's become and what he's lost. The instrumentation is spot on. Like any good post-metal group, every instrument has its say, and everything's beautifully balanced.

There's movement in the song where the main character and his former lover exchange words, presumably over a distance, where the torment and pain of the situation is palpable. The song, and the album's concept in general, really hits my soft spot for stories of pain and failure, and the proverbial fall from grace. It also invokes great imagery.

from The Ichthyologist, available on CD


Shake And Crawl  performed by House Of Love  1990
Recommended by john_l [profile]

My favourite House Of Love song, it's a mid-paced typically guitar-drenched track with an insistent percussive backing and that low ostinato guitar riff with the little flourish in it. It has lots of minor chords which give it a rather gloomy feel (like many of my favourite songs). Actually their later song "Feel", which was one of the '90s best, could be "Shake And Crawl" slowed almost to a literal crawl ...

from The House Of Love (2), available on CD



  Genza: I liked the House of Love - and 'Christine' is a genre-defining classic. But like many of the other sub-Valentines clones (Chapterhouse, Boo Radleys, etc.), I thought some of their tunes suffered from being slow and uneventful. Like you, I love minor chords - but I think other bands did that multi-layered guitar sound better. But hey, it's just my opinion and all that.
  lobo: The House of Love were brilliant and way ahead of their time, not to mention sadly overlooked in the pages of pop music history. They were hardly "Sub-Valentine Clones" - the band's sound dates back to their origins in 1986. The members of My Bloody Valentine were struggling to define their sound at that point (they were still working through their goth phase!). Guy Chadwick was a masterful songwriter and Terry Bickers was the preeminent guitarist of his time. Nobody knew their way around a stack of effects pedals better than him. Best songs: Safe, Christine, Destroy the Heart, Loneliness Is A Gun... This band's music is nothing short of superb.
Shake this disease  performed by Depeche Mode
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

One of the greatest songs about love.




Shape of my Heart  performed by Noah and the Whale  2008
Recommended by KSJ_r_critics [profile]

love duvy folk pop with a very "now" sound. Probly a iPOD comercial contender




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


She Told Me, She Told Me  performed by Marcos Valle  1967
Recommended by konsu [profile]

If there has been any really great re-discoveries in brazilian music as of late, Marcos Valle is one of them. The Samba 68' record is one of the few he gave to the USA, and we should be grateful!

This has to be THE most endearing duet I have ever heard. MV's wife of the time, Anamaria,joins him in a walk on the Impanema beach... hands clasped in the evening moonlight,stopping only to say to themselves "To look at delicious you, and know that it's all for me..." and continue their thoughts of possible love..." And you'd feel as I do, if you knew what I knew..."A childlike two-finger piano line emphasizes the naiveity of a young couple so eloquently and poignantly... against a backdrop of waves crashing softly from a string quartet....A song you'll never forget.

from Samba 68', available on CD


She touched me  performed by Love Generation  1967
Recommended by Ron1967-1970 [profile]

A song that moved and still moves me deeply... like a breath of fresh air... a feel-good song with a lot of tenderness... I would say a typical exponent of the Summer of Love ... a great
underrated song...which moves me to tears (mind you I am a straight male, but music can
play your emotions to the fullest... this is such a song).

from The Love Generation


She will be loved  performed by Maroon5
Recommended by .holly. [profile]




She’s Like The Wind  performed by Patrick Swayze
Recommended by eevas86 [profile]

I love his voice! Just loving it.. <3




Shearwater  performed by Pete Kennedy  1993
Recommended by Harch [profile]

A lovely, melodic, pensive guitar and piano piece.

from Shearwater: The Art of the Unplugged Guitar, available on CD


shine a light  performed by spiritualized  1992
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

jason pierce is the beethoven of our time. brilliant. i love everything they did until the recent stuff.

from lazer guided melodies (dedicated)


Shine On  performed by House of Love  1987
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Shine On


shortboard city  performed by The T yde  2003
Recommended by norfy [profile]

i love this band-sure they have ripped of the almighty 'felt' but what the hell-this track chugs and grooves along like loaded era-'velvets',the aforementioned 'felt', 'television' and a thousand perfect pop songs-the rest of the album is a killer and i urge you to purchase this immediately-features the godlike ric menck on drums and i beleive thay share members with'beechwood sparks'-a reason for being-a reason to keep believing.

from Twice, available on CD


Side By Side  performed by Labrador  2004
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

This is how indie pop music should sound, at least for me: bittersweet, light'n' fluffy, airy, harmonic and late 60s oriented. Or as the band describes it: The music makes you think of the time when Herb Alpert and Burt Bacharach was young, Brigitte Bardot looked good, and Serge Gainsbourg was alive! Their whole second album, Instamatic Lovelife, is very consistent in quality and thus highly recommended.

from Instamatic Lovelife, available on CD



Sing To Me  performed by Boo Hewerdine  2006
Recommended by redkez [profile]

A glorious and beautiful epic of a song, that swoops and soars from verse to chorus, sung in Boo's trademark bittersweet voice. If the world was a fair place, this song should have been a massive hit single and brought Boo the mass recognition that he deserves but that has always just elluded him.

from Harmonograph, available on CD


Sister Ray  performed by The Velvet Underground  1968
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Since I've been recommending on this site for a while, I came up with a new idea in January. A lot of my all time favourites are on here now, so what I thought I would do now is to recommend a track every week that has had most resonance for me over the past seven days.

A bit of background: I've been having an unhappy time at work lately. I sometimes work shifts and don't get in until 11pm. As I have been so stressed with my daily grind, I've been finding it very difficult to wind down at the end of the day.

This song, this week, is suddenly making sense to me. It's calmed the jumble in my head every night by understanding that the world isn't an ordered place. I've been coaxed out of my rigid state by these 17 minutes. It's not my favourite Velvet Underground song - that would be The Murder Mystery - but after years of always thinking Sister Ray was a self-indulgent filler, I think I finally grasp what its purpose is. Or, at least, I now know there are only certain, bloody awful, weeks in which I can find the beautiful oyster inside this track.

I will return to normal service next week with my usual gay disco or girl group love.

from White Light / White Heat, available on CD



  stupidwall: i always thought sister ray was one of their most overrated songs. it mostly just sounds like nonsense. i guess i'll just wait till im unhappy or just in the right mood.
  n-jeff: Sounds like a fairly straight description of some sailors having a heroin and sex orgy with a bunch of transvestites to me.
If such a thing can be said to be straight....

Sixth Station  performed by Joe Hisaishi
Recommended by unacceptable [profile]

soundtrack for "Spirited Away", a beautiful Japanese animated film for all ages.
I love this song as a piano piece as well as in full orchestra form.
Joe Hisaishi is my hero.




Skunky Love Song  performed by Bracket
Recommended by Zissy [profile]

from 924 Forestville St.


Slave To Love  performed by Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music  1985
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Boys and Girls


Sleepwalk  performed by The Supremes  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

What can I say! I always imagined there would be a vocal version of this classic Santo and Johnny instrumental, but I had never located one until I found this recording. This track remained unreleased until the mid-1980s, was recorded in March 1965.

I can't deny that much of the appeal of this song for me lies in the novelty factor of hearing lyrics sung to this classic tune. If you're interested, the lyrics go something like this:

Sleep walk, instead of dreaming I
Sleep walk, cause I lost you and
Now what I am I to do;
Can't believe that we're through
(I don't care how much you tell me)

Sleep talk, cause I miss you I
Sleep talk, while the memory of you lingers like a song;
Darling I was so wrong
(but I'll be right some day)

Night
Fills me my lonelyness;
I see your face
Spinning through my brain

I know
I miss you so
I still love you
And it drives me insane

Sleep walk, every night I just
Sleep walk; and when
You walk inside the door,
I will sleepwalk no more

If you're having trouble imagining how these words would fit to the tune, I think the Supremes did too; this may explain why the track remained unreleased. Don't get me wrong - the overall sound is very cool, and the verses work quite well. But I think the tune is so well-known that they didn't feel they could change a note, and so some of the vocals are a bit laboured.

Still, a great track, which seems to hold up to repeated listens!

from 25th Anniversary (Motown 5381ML3)
available on CD - 25th Anniversary Volume 2 (Motown)



Slide Show  performed by Travis  1999
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

A beautiful, stripped-down acoustic ballad, the final song on Travis' finest album. This song has one of the most amazing chorus' I've ever heard, a comment on the messages of music in life: "There is no design for life/There's no devil's haircut in my mind/There is not a wonderwall to climb or step around" Smart, and lovely.

from The Man Who (Sony)


Smoke Rings  performed by Les Paul and Mary Ford  1952
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I've been in love with this tune since I heard the superb instrumental version of it on 1990's 'Wild at Heart' soundtrack. I'm a big fan of Les Paul and Mary Ford's records - the combination of immaculate multitracked guitars and spooky, clear vocals is a real winner for me. I only found out about this recording quite recently. It really is stunning. It's slow, plodding along while Les's intricate but very cool guitar lines twinkle around over the top. This song makes me feel very nostalgic, although I'm not sure exactly what for. The lyrics really add something to the atmosphere - 'tell me where do they go/those smoke rings that blow each night'. Anyway, please ignore my inadequate description and listen to this exquisite, perfect recording.

from Bye Bye Blues (Capitol)
available on CD - Bye Bye Blues/Les & Mary (COLLECTABLES)



so in love  performed by Lori Carsillo
Recommended by Alexiathefox [profile]

Bossa Nova like jazz.




Sola (Then)  performed by Rocio Durcal  1977
Recommended by RCA76 [profile]

This is my most favorite song in the world. I love it because it is a classic, latin, late 1970's, sultry, soft, dinner party or alone-with-someone-special type of track. The instrumentation is not totally typical of latin music (fast rhythm, very ornate), it is soft and easy. The vocals are absolutely velvety and very sensual. Although it is a "sad" song, it is one of those songs that makes you want think about that special certain someone.

from Una Vez Mas (Ariola LA-045)
available on CD - Rocio Durcal � Su Historia y �xitos Musicales Vol. 1 (BMG/Ariola (2004))


solo su voz  performed by Juana Molina
Recommended by dani54 [profile]

I love this song, the lyrics are really beautifull and the sounds are very unique. very nice song




Soma  performed by Smashing Pumpkins  1993
Recommended by Gwendolyn [profile]

I just love this song. The first time I heard was while I was in high school... My english class was studying A Brave New World and my teacher played this song. It's so peaceful at the beginning and takes a lovely turn at the end when the peace is shattered.

from Siamese Dream


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


Some of your lovin'  performed by Dusty Springfield  1965
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This song is a little more....soulful.. than lots of the stuff I listen to. I find it utterly charming though. Dusty was a goddess, and singing this lovely, simple Goffin/King song she completely slays me. It's a slow arrangement in which Dusty is accompanied by piano, light, gospel-style backing vocals and unobtrusive strings. There's nothing complex or especially clever here; just beautifully executed and perfectly distilled pop.

from the single Some of your lovin'
available on CD - Silver Collection (Philips)




  Mike: Nice pun on "slays" and "executed" there.
  Swinging London: Dusty said that this was the only song she sang that she actually took home after recording it and played it over & over.
Some Sing, Some Dance  performed by Michel Pagliaro  1971
Recommended by prufrock68 [profile]

One of a handful of Quebec artist Michel Pagliaro's (unsuccessful) stabs at the American charts, "Some Sing, Some Dance" is a breezy, acoustic-led pop trifle, lighter than air, with rudimentary lyrics apparently provided by William Finkelberg. A sample:

Ooh you
How would I know just to hold you
How could I show that I want to
'Cause I do wanna hold you
Yes I do

And the following verses expand ever so slightly on that very simplistic base, except by the 3rd terse verse, Michel has sped along from desiring the girl to doubting she could be true, to realizing she, in fact, WAS untrue. Nothing profound here lyrically (and one wonders how comfortable Pagliaro was in 1971 with the English language to keep things this simple), but no matter: The whole package is wrapped in an upbeat, spare but energetic arrangement featuring Pagliaro's acoustic guitar chording, and nice little touches sprinkled throughout, like castanets, shaken tambourine, echoey hand claps, an elegant string arrangement (by Ben McPeak)providing a wonderful counterpoint, and a flamenco-like guitar figure finishing out the brief chorus:

Some sing, some dance
Some like-a romance
I love lovin'

So, even though Michel's been chastened by his lover, he's still coming back for more and longing to still hold this woman...and he loves lovin'...obviously, the magic's in the music here, instead of the lyrics, and it's a little gem of a song. Listen and see if you aren't charmed as well.

from Pagliaro (OOP) (Much)
available on CD - Hit Parade (D.E.P.)


Somebody to Love  performed by Queen  1976
Recommended by cryofthecelt [profile]

"Somebody to Love" is quite possibly my favorite song by Queen, one of my favorite bands in the world. For some reason, this song brings memories of lead singer Freddie Mercury, his energy, his style and his beautiful voice, even though I was only 4 years old when he died of AIDS in 1991.
This song is definitely one of Queen's best, if not one of the greatest songs ever written and performed. The most impressive part is near the end, when all is quiet, and all of the sudden Queen begins singing "Find...me...somebody to lo-ove..." very softly, and crescendoes with clapping and stomping and all kinds of uplifting musical tactics. It's just a magnificent song. My favorite part is when Freddie bursts out,
"I just gotta get out of this prison cell,
Someday I'm gonna be free, Lord!
Find me somebody to love!"

from A Day At the Races (Hollywood Records 161035)
available on CD - Greatest Hits (Hollywood Records)


Somebody To Love  performed by Jefferson Airplane  196?
Recommended by mattypenny [profile]

The 2nd in a series of 3 linked postings, the others being White Rabbit, and
the Boogie Pimps version of this song.

Many of the comments on 'White Rabbit' apply to this song, except the words are not quite as 'out there'. The voice is just as extreme though. Very much like Siouxsie Sioux, but with a rocking 60s backing. Really raw, basic drumming.




Somebody To Love  performed by The Boogie Pimps  2005
Recommended by mattypenny [profile]

The third in a series of 3 linked postings, the other being White Rabbit and the original Jefferson Airplane version of this song.

It probably wouldn't be unfair to describe this as a fairly cheese-y dance cover of the Jefferson Airplance song. It puts a fairly similar sounding vocal over a dance track, with some extra squelchy noises.

I would never have thought the world needed a dance version of this song, but its good fun, and it fills the gap when you have one of those need-to-hear-a-disco-fied-version-of-a-60s-goth-classic moments.

Where it gets really wierd, though, is the video. The singer is a fairly genericvideo female without many clothes on. But she's shot as if she's a giant lying across several fields. And then you see a number of babies parachuting out of an airplane, and eventually landing on top of her. You could say its tasteless, crass, sexist or all three (and I probably would), but its kind of nutty enough to suit what there is of the howling vocal.


available on CD - Now 60 or 61 (UK)



  n-jeff: I've not heard this, and I'm not really going to go out of my way to find it, although I appreciate your sentiments. Anyway, before Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick and some of the others were in a band called The Great Society, and they also did a version of this song, produced by Sly Stone. So it feels like something of a circle turning, although in 1966 he hadn't formed the great melting pot of the family.
There are stories attached to that session, but thats by the by, the Great Societys' legacy would be a very fine live album. You should track it down. Proper Psychedelia.

  mattypenny: Jeff, thanks for the comment. Sly Stone being involved in a version of this sounds intriguing, I will try to track it down. Also interesting that you should use the word 'psychedelia'. You're absolutely right to - I think I didn't because I tend to associate it with either very surreal type of music (e.g. early Pink Floyd) or fairly mellow music (e.g Albatross, Good Morning Starshine, or late Pink Floyd), and both Somebody To Love and White Rabbit are neither.....Well, I suppose White Rabbit is surreal, but in a direct kind of way if that makes sense. You could say its closer to punk than hippy. I know very little about this period to be honest - as you can probably tell - but there's more interesting music there than I once thought. P.S. I wouldn't 'go out of your way to find' the Boogie Pimps version. In the context of the video channel they have on in the gym it was great when it came on - the vocal is similar and as I say the video is just so wierd it's worth watching. All in all quite fun but not essential. cheers, Matt
Somebody to love  performed by Jefferson Airplane
Recommended by kaamos [profile]




Someday You Will Be Loved  performed by Death Cab for Cutie
Recommended by lhirsch92 [profile]




Someone Saved My Life Tonight  performed by Elton John  1975
Recommended by cryofthecelt [profile]

This song was written for me. From the first seconds of "Someone Saved My Life Tonight", the striking sound of piano chords causes me to envision a tear-streaked face overcoming a lifetime of struggle.
My attention was first brought to this beautiful song when I saw the preview trailer for the movie "Moonlight Mile" (Jake Gylenhaal, Susan Sarandon, Dustin Hoffman). Don't bother to rent the movie, it's not that great, but if you're like me, you saw the movie simply because you felt the sweet sounds of "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" move you towards a movie theater or a Blockbuster. I didn't even know that Elton performed this song until I heard it on a CD of my mother's! I fell in love with it immediately - one of my favorite songs ever!

from Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (Polygram Records)
available on CD - Greatest Hits 1970-2002 (Universal)


Someone you love  performed by Popguns  1990
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A super-simple, super-charming innocent indie pop song from the hazy summer of 1990. The popguns were a nice jangly guitar band with a female singer and the old drummer from the Wedding Present. Their best songs really are excellent; I'm slightly surprised to find myself still enjoying them after all these years.

from Eugenie (Midnight Music)



something in common  performed by free energy  2009
Recommended by ghosttomost [profile]

absolutely no one can deny this magnetism of this song. it's the kind of song you can pump up to full volume on your ipod and dance down the street to. give it a few listens and once you get used to the toe tappin musical sounds, give a good listen to the lyrics. i love the lyrics, they are very relatable and truthful.

from free energy


Somewhere in Between  performed by Lifehouse  2001
Recommended by izumi [profile]

I think this is likely to be one of those songs you might accidentally come across on the radio or in a movie soundtrack, you don't know who performs it and you don't care because it just takes you in when you listen to it. You can't use words like "amazing" or "breathtaking" to describe it. It's just simple and beautiful and you'll love it if you like slow-paced songs with a acoustic guitar melody that sound really dreamy and wonderful.

from No Name Face (Dreamworks 4503382)


somliga g�r med trasiga skor  performed by cornelis vreeswijk
Recommended by olli [profile]

it's about time i recommended some vreeswijk. after all he's one of my very favourite artsts, and pretty obscure outside scandinavia. it's hard to decide wich song to post, as i guess you'd have to be scandinavian to enjoy the masterful, deceptivly simple lyrics. the best way to describe the man is as kind of a swedish crossbred of serge gainsbourg, tom waits and bob dylan.
this is one of his best-known songs, a qusasi-joyous melancholy number about death and hopelessness.
i once heard someone say something that summed up the power of this guy pretty well: "I don�t understand swedish, however I do understand Cornelis Vreeswijk"


the best place to start if you're interested n an initial taste, is probably the new 2-cd set. if you're like me, youll soon advance to the original lp's and the 5-cd set "master cees memoarer".

lyrics:
Somliga g�r med trasiga skor, s�g vad beror det p�?
Gud fader som i himmelen bor kanske vill ha det s�.
Gud fader som i himmelen bor blundar och sover s�tt. Vem bryr sig om ett par trasiga skor n�r man �r gammal och tr�tt?
Vem bryr sig om hur dagarna g�r? Dom vandrar som dom vill.
Medborgare, om ett hundra �r finns du ej l�ngre till.
D� har n�n annan tagit din stol, det vet du inte av.
Du k�nner varken regn eller sol ner i din m�rka grav.
Vem bryr sig om hur n�tterna far? Jag bryr mig inte ett sp�r. Bara jag f�r ha mitt ansikte kvar dolt i min �lsklings h�r.
Jag �r en tvivelaktig figur, duger ej mycket till. Bakom ett h�rn st�r d�den p� lur, han tar mig n�r han vill.
Somliga g�r med trasiga skor tills dom har slutat g�. Dj�vulen som i helvetet bor f�r sig ett gott skratt d�
a very, very bad and rushed translation of the lyrics,most of the humor and finer points are lost but at least you'll know what's it about:

some walk around in bad shoes, say, why is is it so?
maybe the good lord up in the sky wants it that way.
the good lord up in the sky sleeps calmly now.
who cares about a pair of bad shoes when they are old and tired?
who cares how the days pass? they go the way the want.
fellow citizen, in a hundred years you will no longer exist.
someone else will have taken your chair, but you won't know about that.
you'll feel neither rain nor sun, down in your dark grave.
who cares how the nights pass? i don't care at all.
as long as i get to keep my my face tucked in my love's hair.
i'm a questionable character, not good for much.
behind a corner death lurks, he'll take me whenever he wants.
some walk around in bad shoes/ until hey walk no more
the devil, who lives down in the hell/ will have a good laugh then.






  daniel: Hello, I don�t like your translation of "somliga g�r med trasiga skor", You have changed alot in the lyrics, If you like the song you should work on it and translate it corectly. Daniel
song of the siren  performed by this mortal coil
Recommended by marisofparis [profile]

This plays during a very creepy/hot sex scene, go figure, from David Lynch's "Lost Highway". The song isn't on the soundtrack and I had to hunt it down seperately.

The mixture of the female singer's flowing voice with the slow guitar, following a step behind, is soothing and gorgeous.

It is a love song but one of sitting lost and alone "at the breakers" waiting for either love to return or to "lie with death, my bride"




Song to the Siren  performed by Tim Buckley
Recommended by stoneworks [profile]

My favorite love song, or at least in the top five. I first got hooked on the version by This Mortal Coil sung by Elizabeth Frazer, and I really couldn't choose absolutely between the two. I listed Tim Buckley because he is the originator (though it was actually written by his one-time musical partner Larry Beckett). It's also now got a specially deep meaning for me because my wife and I walked down the aisle to it.





  MoeShinola: You know, Damon And Naomi's live double-disc is called Songs To The Siren. It's quite beautiful.
  prufrock68: Wow, that's very interesting that you chose that Buckley song to accompany your wedding ceremony, since I've always associated it with a love that cannot be possessed, a helpless love...it's a beautiful song, but very mournful to my ears.
Sonnet 29  performed by Rufus Wainwright  2003
Recommended by catch_her [profile]

"When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings."

shakespeare's words, rufus wainwright's voice. beautiful.

from When Love Speaks


Sophisticated Side Ponytail  performed by Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
Recommended by melpomenex [profile]

This is a really wacky song, but I love it. It's by a little-known band. Check out the music video (I found it on Vimeo). It's as crazy as the song!

from Glistening Pleasure


Soul Love  performed by David Bowie  1972
Recommended by geezer [profile]

Only someone with the Eclectic curiosity of Bowie could conjure up a "rock smaba" it sways like the Girl from from Ipanema but bristles with a mod-ish cool and English edginess.

from Ziggy Stardust, available on CD


Space Oddity  performed by David Bowie  1969
Recommended by Mike [profile]

As we all know, it has that typical late 60s "rock group with string section added on" sound. I recommend it here mainly because I *love* the change in mood and minor tonality that comes with line "Ground control to Major Tom, your circuit's dead - There's something wrong" which comes after "Tell my wife I love her very much - she knows". The diminished 7th chord under the words "Major Tom" is, well, sublime.

The song was produced by Gus Dudgeon who went on to produce most of Elton John's classic material, and features Rick Wakeman amongst several subsequently famous session musicians. The Wikipedia articles on the track and the album it came from are interesting, well-written, and seem well-researched (unless anyone wants to disagree).

from Space Oddity (Philips)
available on CD - lots (EMI)


Spin, Spin, Spin  performed by Terry Callier  1964
Recommended by trivia [profile]

"Spin, Spin, Spin" is a graceful and romantic folk song which Callier sings with a smirk - almost as if he's in on a secret joke. His guitar phrasing is pitch perfect and his voice is both rich and subtle. HP Lovecraft covered this tune as a string-heavy psych-lite track on "HP Lovecraft II," but I prefer this original rendition's low-key and unpretentious acoustic charm.

from New Folk Sound of Terry Callier (Prestige)


Star of Bethlehem/True Love  performed by Angels and Airwaves
Recommended by YourEpic [profile]

You really can't call this a song -- because it's a goddamn explosion.
An eight minute story that really has no end, just new beginnings.

You're welcome.

from I-Empire (Geffen Records)


Stay Away  performed by The Honorary Title
Recommended by softindierocker [profile]

I love this song! Despite it's content this song doesn't sound whiny or... hateful! And I love the metaphors. I think it makes songs deeper and more meaningful.




Stella  performed by Andreas Vollenweider
Recommended by snoopy313 [profile]

On a few cafe del mar type albums but don't let that put you off also on the excellent new big chill album. Vollenweider is a highly underated harp player this is a gem which will make your heart sing. It's one of those songs that kind of teases you with what it's going to do and then does it unashamedly and then just when it sounds like it's going to just noodle off to sleep it starts nudging you and letting you know your going to get it again, little minx! Sorry but this is aural sex - download - you and everyone you know will love it maybe not as much as me but they will.




step inside love  performed by cilla black  1967
Recommended by olli [profile]

great song. because it starts off in a relaxed easy listening mood, the big paul mccartney chorus caught me completely offguard on first listen. Hasn�t left my playlist since...the demo version is superb, too.






  Swinging London: Oh yes...a great, great song. Her best by far. I agree, her demo version is also good or am I thinking of the bossa style version she did?
Stepping Stone  performed by Duffy
Recommended by Nori [profile]

The strong vocals make this so much more than a simple 'fed up love' type song.


available on CD - Rockferry


Still  performed by Elvis Costello  2003
Recommended by elfslut [profile]

A very short, very beautiful "love" song written by my favorite singer/songwriter/guitarist: Elvis Costello. Clocking in at less than 2.5 minutes..this song packs a punch...and will leave any woman wishing he were singing it about her

from North


Stop (in the name of love)  performed by Margie Joseph  1971
Recommended by sammykipper [profile]

Margie Joseph's 1971 cover of the Supremes "Stop in the name of love" starts off just as you would imagine it, and the first four or five minutes hold no surprises. It is a little funkier and a teensy bit sleazier and languid than the famous Supremes version, but there is no great departure until the middle of the song, when it changes into a grinding psychedelic humpathon. Margie squeals "stop it! stop it! stop it! STOP IT!" as an Isaac Hayes sound-alike slurps behind her ears and grooves sweet nothings for a full five minutes until she pops one off. Brilliant.

from Margie Joseph Makes A New Impression (Volt)


Story Of a Girl  performed by Nine Days  2000
Recommended by Carrie [profile]

And while she looks so sad in photographs,
I absolutely love her, when she smiles


Amazing lyrics.


from The Madding Crowd, available on CD


Strange and Beautiful (I’ll Put a Spell on You)  performed by Aqualung  2002
Recommended by fr0mthepast [profile]

Slow and haunting music, accompanied by lyrics that really hit the heart. I like it so much because of what I see when I hear it, I can just see the song in picture format in my head. That sort of thing doesn�t happen often. And who doesn�t connect to unrequited love?

from Aqualung



  Mike: Matt Hales is a very good artist indeed. I'm sure that he's British rather than American, though!
  thiagofreitas89: It's a great song, it gave me chills when I first heard it on The OC!
strange weather(live)  performed by tom waits  1988
Recommended by olli [profile]

originally written for marianne faithfull, but i prefer tom waits`s own rendition of this song.
a slow tango-esque piece with a sublime lounge band backing(if you can call a something featuring a banjo player a lounge band)and half-whispered, half sung vocals. i really appreciate the sound of the "big time"-album.
the backing music in the chorus of this song never fails to conjure up images of the tango band from "a nightmare before christmas" in my head, due to the similarity of the sound. did danny elfman fall in love with this song during the composition of the soundtrack, or does he and waits share a common, different source of inspiration? if so, i`d love to hear that song..

waits revisited the musical ideas of this song for "it`s over" (an outstanding song in it`s own right)from the "liberty heights" soundtrack, by the way. it`s always interesting to hear him experiment with and explore his own compositions, but then again i`m a sucker for variatons on musical themes..

from big time


Strangers calling  performed by Aluminum Dream  1968
Recommended by Mirko [profile]

This is an astonishing song! The band from New Jersey was closely related to Timothy Leary's community for which they performed gigs, like on 4th of July 1967.This song wasn't even published, only one acetate is left of the recording session which was in Apostolic studios in N.Y in 1968. Billy Barth which was the member, recalls that this was the only song recoreded.There is an instrumental "Flesh Kingdom" which was issued by TV Toy Billy's brother's band.
The song has a marvelous organ introduction and it has love relation lyrics which fit very well to melody.Apparently this band did not have appropriate management because he deserved a much better fate.





  billybarth: hello to Merko I m the guy who wrote "Strangers Calling" I don't live in New Jersey any more, but in Bucharest, Romania. How did you get to hear the song? There are only two acetates, and Allan Landon, my partner in songwriting in our group Aluminum Dream, has one, and me the other. Is the song on the web, or what. If it is, great. I just want to know what's up. please contact me here: [email protected] your right about bad management....we never got a record deal, though we went on to do other things.. hear my newer stuff at soundclick.com searching Billy London UK.....latest song is "Porno Baby"
Street Spirit (Fade Out)  performed by Radiohead  1994
Recommended by two-headed boy [profile]

If the sun would rise in a minor key, this is what it would sound like. The shadows dissolve around you in warm harmony, even death sunbathes here, in a song ripe with hope and humanity. It is a misnomer to 'Fade Out' when we are held not by darkness, but by light. The paralysis of a dreary existence is manifested in the 'Street Spirit' where 'cracked eggs, dead birds scream as they fight for life' and 'machines will not communicate these thoughts and strain I am under.' If we were to stifle the creative spirit all we would need to do is look down a suburb and notice the lack of aesthetics and individuality of the homes. 'Rows of houses all bearing down on me...all these things will one day take control and fade out again.' This is the prelude to the bigger picture found in Radiohead's songs. Sure they dwell on the robotics of Orwell's '1984', and at times they are tedious and painfully accurate, nevertheless they leave us with an indelible desire to survive. 'Immerse your soul in Love' wags it's tail at the end of the song to insure a new beginning, much like the death of night. When sung, it is a very exciting moment as Thom's voice soars above the convolutions of the incessant guitar picking and synth-strings. Not the most popular Radiohead song, but their brightest moment to be experienced.

from The Bends (Capitol CDP 7243 8 29626 2 5)


Subdivisions  performed by Rush  1982
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Heavy rock with synths - an effective combination as heard here. The famous Candadian heavy rock band of dubious politics here come up with a really gloomily atmospheric number. OK, I won't pretend it's great, but it has a certain something. And I love the chord textures generated on their synths, providing a backbone for the number.

from Signals, available on CD


sunday morning  performed by margo guryan  1968
Recommended by daidai [profile]

i love this psyche sounding classic. the backing track vocals compliment one another perfectly. i love the strings in this song. a little poppy but rocking.

from take a picture



  delicado: I agree that this is quite brilliant. I've had the Spanky and our Gang version of this for a few years, and I have to admit I had assumed that they wrote it. But this version is even better! Amazingly rocking and beautiful. The rest of the album is superb as well, don't you agree? I can listen to it all day...
  tempted: Oh yes, the arrangement and the atmosphere on each and every song by Margo Guryan is so beautiful. The intimate chamber strings, flutes and Margo's voice.. a lot like Claudine Longet's. The version by Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell is a fine one, too.
Sunrise  performed by Norah Jones  2004
Recommended by Squince [profile]

Norah Jones has such a beautiful, wholesome voice. When I listen to a song of hers, it seems to touch every spot inside of my ears. I love listening to her.

from Feels Like Home (Blue Note)


Sunset  performed by Pierre Dutour  197?
Recommended by callgirlscene [profile]

Trumpet, strings & a subtle jangly sound begin this song in a way that suggests a tale of heartbreak, as Burt Bacharach can do it. Then piano and wordless female vocals join, in a chorus that seems to say love or redemption is going to come. And this is done in a Todd Rundgren way, as on his Something/Anything album. Then it repeats, and you're redeemed again. Two winsome influences are combined in this sound library recording for a real slice of heaven.

from Dance & Mood Music #9 (Chappell DMM309)


sunset over malibu  performed by the capricorns
Recommended by licoricewhipped [profile]

this makes me smile! lovely zippy synth fun.




Sunshine Among Us  performed by Eternity’s Children  1968
Recommended by masayo [profile]

Ahh, how much I love Eternity's Children's sounds...
A week ago, I bought their CD where 25 songs in, as my bootleg's mix was terrible and no main vocal on Lifetime Day! Anyway, now I enjoy its perfect tracks, especially Lifetime Day, Your World and this song Sunshine Among Us. I do love Sunshine..'s catchy melody, beautifully thick effected harmonies and groovy backing rythm section including keyboards.
By the way, the liner notes says " However, each year, on the day before Thanksgiving, Bruce Blackman leads members of various Eternity's Children lineups at a benefit in Greenville, Mississippi featuring reunions of the area's best-loved acts" wow...this year also?!?!...I really wanna join the event!!

from Eternity's Children (Tower)



  luna: Bruce Blackman comes to The Krakerjacks Annual re-union. He is an invited guest, it is an event every nite-b4-thanksgiving that we;The Krackerjacks, have a big throw down in own,and Bruce's hometown. Charlie Ross is our Bassist; nothing what-so-ever to do with the children or Starbuck.We're all seasoned musicians, and have been together since 1981.
  luna: PS Now that I'm fully awake,let me state that Bruce is a very good friend of ours,as we've all been around him, or played in groups with him since the 60's. He is a musical genius. He is also a very talented writer. The best keyboard player I've ever known. The Biloxi days seem like a dream now, man, we had some fun! Just wanted to clear that up! We all love ya, Bruce.
  493440: Bruce: I don't know who you are Luna but I appreciate the nice comments. By the way, that crap in the Eternity's Children liner notes about me leading you guys in G'ville is totally bogus. I have no idea where that came from at all, certainly not from me. The whole Biloxi/Children thing is a vague memory to me as well. And by the way, the Krackerjacks kick ass!
  luna: You know me, Bruce; I'll tell you when I see you again. You've always amzed me, and I admired you from a distance. I was the one yall left behind when The Omen started at the Fiesta. See ya soon!
  cks6: Does anyone know where I can buy a copy of the Krackerjack's CD entitled "Rockin in the Delta"? Please email me at [email protected] if you have any information. Thanks!
  Andelyn: Hi everyone. Had to jump in here. I spent many of my 'growing up' years in Greenville, MS. My brother, Allen Graves, was a member of the Lancers mentioned here. I recognize a lot of the names surfacing in the posts here.
  eyazoo: Looking for a Krackerjack CD...any one would do. I love them and would especially like to get one with that "green grass" song. I grew up in Yazoo county and my step-dad actually played with them for a while....so I had a CD, but it has disappeared (I think someone took it). Anyway, It would be great if the Krackerjacks could post something on their myspace page about purchasing CDs.
Surfs Up  performed by The Beach Boys  1966
Recommended by Ganesha [profile]

Possibly the most beautiful and complex pop song ever written. This is the apex of Brians foray into modular music. Loved by Bernstein and McCartney. This song will take you years to sink in. Perfect. I have heard some amazing versions he has done of this equally as powerful.

from Surfs Up


Suzanne  performed by Leonard Cohen  1968
Recommended by eve [profile]

I loved this song the moment I heard it. The melody is really nice, and Leonard Cohen does his standby trick of singing slowly and hauntingly about mysterious women wearing "rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters." Very romantic in a seventies way. if you like Bob Dylan's voice, you'll probably like Leonard Cohen, although the content is different.

from Songs of Leonard Cohen



  n-jeff: I find too much Leonard Cohen can be a little on the bleak side, but this song is a real gem, A shiny, strangely uplifting jewel. I also have a version by Jack Jones, and I'm pleased that Jack Jones covered this song, in many ways its braver for him to have covered such un mainstream material than, say, Johnny Cash. My Girlfriend, however, finds Jack Jones' version very disturbing.
Swallowed in the Sea  performed by Coldplay  2007
Recommended by lockhart_philitup [profile]

Sound is suttle in the beginning- (a mute organ is playing)and rises gradually. Voice is insanely calming.
The song has so much meaning and it just makes you think about what's out there and it'ss my fav song write now. It's kind of a love-song- but it makes me think more?

from X & Y
available on CD - X&Y


Sweet Caroline  performed by Neil Diamond
Recommended by 37piecesflair [profile]

I love Neil. I'll admit it. A GREAT song for anyone to cover. And there have been a lot of covers of it..




Sweet Harmony  performed by The Beloved  1993
Recommended by acidburn [profile]

from Conscience


sweet love   performed by chris brown
Recommended by akaren007 [profile]

its slow yet has alot of rhythm




Sweet Tuesday Morning  performed by Badfinger  1971
Recommended by nuthings [profile]

A very sweet, acoustic song about the beauty of a lover's smile in the morning.

from Straight Up, available on CD


Sweetest Thing  performed by U2  1998
Recommended by falicon [profile]

Makes me think about love and how powerful it can be over you, plus the really annoying background music gets into your head and you just can't get it out until you start to think, "hey, I actually like this song"...even if you don't!

from U2 The best of 1980-1990, available on CD



sweets for my sweet  performed by The Carnival  1969
Recommended by klatu [profile]

Another Brazil '66 knockoff band, maybe not as solid as the Mendes-endorsed Bossa Rio, but they did do a nice version of the Roger Nichols track "love so fine". More importantly, they did this, a cover of one of the Drifter's less memorable hits, done over with a very punchy, immediate arrangement. More aggressive than most of Sergio's stuff. Nice Peanuts, Guaraldi/Schroeder style piano intro! Recorded in L.A. with a few studio guns on board. (added later) Maybe I have velveeta pumping through my heart, but I do enjoy this whole album, even the pretty bad version of turn, turn, turn.

from The Carnival, available on CD


Swing, Swing  performed by The All-American Rejects  2003
Recommended by izumi [profile]

I love the organ used in this song's intro, and Tyson Ritter has really yummy vocals. :D Okay, well, besides that, it's a soppy, lovey-dovey song about loneliness and heartbreak and losing your girlfriend (I guess). The lyrics may seem a bit tacky but it's still a cool melodic song with lots of catchy hooks and a great sing-along!

from The All-American Rejects (Polydor 4504606)


Tainted Love  performed by Soft Cell
Recommended by kellerz [profile]

I'm an 80s fan.




take it easy (love nothing)  performed by bright eyes
Recommended by anakinskywalker [profile]

from digital ash in a digital urn


Talk Show Host  performed by Radiohead  1996
Recommended by penelope_66 [profile]

Super-dark-sexy...This song is an honest portrayal of the paradoxes involved with desire; happy/sad, pleasure/pain, love/hate...etc. I find it terribly gloomy yet wonderfully uplifting at the same time. Just beautiful.


available on CD - Street Spirit (Fade Out) EP


Tattoo Boys  performed by The Pretenders
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

I Love chrissie Hynde. She is what a female rock star should be strong,talented and earnest.




Te Ofrezco Mi Coraz�n (Make It With You)  performed by Roberto Jordan  1971
Recommended by RCA76 [profile]

This is a very cool, sultry and funky Spanish version of Bread's "Make It With You". Of course the vocals are definately not par to the original, but I like it. This guy has like a million other translated 60's and 70 rockabilly tunes; La Chica De Los Ojos Caf� (Brown Eyed Girl), Uno, Dos Y Tres �Detent�! (1, 2, 3, Red Light), Rosa Marchita (Cracklin' Rose), Juntos Felices (Happy Together), Ven A Darme Amor (Come And Get Your Love), Estos Ojos (These Eyes). Check 'em out!

from Rosa Marchita (RCA)
available on CD - Lo Mejor De Lo Mejor De RCA Victor (RCA Victor)


Te Quiero Tal C�mo Eres (Just The Way You Are)  performed by Jose Jose  1977
Recommended by RCA76 [profile]

This is an "excelente" version of Billy Joel's version of "Just The Way You Are". This album was recorded in 1977, beginning his era with BMG/ Ariola records. The executives, happy to have a performer like JOSE JOSE, provided him with the best musicians, numbers and producers of the time. Included in this album are 2 numbers by Mexico's greatest: Juan Gabriel ("Ya lo pasado, pasado" & "Ahora No !"). Among others credited are Napoleon ("Lo que no fue, no sera"), Adan Torres("Almohada"). Of the 10 numbers included, 7 were top ten hits in Mexico, Colombia and the U.S. Leaving disco to other performers that needed to launch their productions to the international market, Jose Jose's album is just pure old-fashioned latin love songs, songs still heared today.

from Lo Pasado, Pasado, available on CD


Tear It All Away  performed by The Church  1981
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

Following shortly on the heels of Of Skins and Heart, "Tear It All Away" still was the picture of a developing band, but one already more comfortable with the studio, able to use subtlety and quiet drama to inform its cool, soothing yet tense take on post-punk filtered through psychedelic touches. The familiar Byrds-derived guitar and Bowie-tinged lyrical regret and sighing crop up as they so often would in the earliest days, but there's a clean, blue tinge to the whole performance, something that feels inexpressively like an eighties recording rather than a sixties throwback. Call it the space in the mix, the gentle keyboards here and there, or the substituting of folk and country roots for something more urban and faster-paced. The lovely mid-song solos show the Marty Willson-Piper/ Peter Koppes team still well within its element, and the whole composition has a rich, lush feeling to it that's most attractive.
(AMG)

from Of Skins and Heart, available on CD


Teardrop  performed by Santo and Johnny  1959
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This is a great twangy pop instrumental, which orginally appeared on the B-side of S & J’s big hit, Sleepwalk. I love Sleepwalk, but in a way I love this even more. It has all the deadly over the top seriousness of a mournful torch song, yet there are no vocals - the emotion is all coming from the steel guitar!

from Santo and Johnny (Canadian American CALP1)
available on CD - The best of Santo and Johnny (Starlight)



Tekno Love Song  performed by CocoRosie  2005
Recommended by brightdayler [profile]

So I know all 'serious' critics think CocoRosie suck, and yeah--some of their songs kind of do. But I want to know whose writing isn't desperately awesome and incomprehensible some of the time, because I know mine often is. This song sounds like it is broadcast from another planet when the Little Prince is the night DJ!

from Noah's Ark (Touch and Go Records)


Telescope Eyes  performed by Eisley  2003
Recommended by malpt [profile]

This is an awesome song all around. I dig the lyrics and I especially love soft voice with the contrasting guitar sound.

Now, this here is a young, local band consisting four siblings and a friend. I highly recommend that you check them out. You will not be disappointed.


available on CD - Laughing City-EP (Warner Brothers)



Tell me why  performed by Nick Heyward
Recommended by moondog [profile]

Aaah, the eighties. Everyone´s got their memories, i do and you do too. One who soundtracked my youth was haircut one hundreds singer/songwriter Nick Heyward who went onto a not as succesful solocareer but who yielded many pearls of popsongs for those who cared to look. Tell me why from 88s "I love you avenue" has to be my favorite nick track since it encapsules all his qualties best. Regret, melancholia and longing for the mrs and a piano midtempo verse that leads up to a killer chorus. Avalaible in a bargain bin near you.

from I love you avenue (rca)


Tell Tale Heart  performed by Gavin Friday & The Man Seezer  1989
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

The former Virgin Prunes member, Gavin Friday, recorded his first solo album in 1989, "Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves". After leaving the Prunes in 1986, he abandoned the music business to paint for a year and a half, returning to the fray after teaming up with pianist Maurice Roycroft (whom Friday renamed the Man Seezer). This debut album, "Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves", found him making unexpected moves into a sort of modern-day cabaret style, albeit with all the Bowie-isms of his vocal delivery intact. And this song, "Tell Tale Heart", is near to country sounds and also could come right from Nick Cave "Your Funeral My Trial".

from Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves, available on CD


Temptation  performed by New Order  1982
Recommended by delicado [profile]

Although far less well known than the 12" version and the 1987 'substance' rerecording, I'm utterly in love with this 7" version. I think perhaps the band hate it, since it doesn't seem ever to have appeared on CD, and was not even on the recent 'Retro' box set. At a little over 5 minutes long, it just seems much more focused and affecting to me than the overlong 12" version and the scrappy 1987 version.

It opens with that hypnotic beat/synth sound that has become famous since the song was used in various film soundtracks (most famously, Trainspotting, and most recently, 24 hour party people. Both used the later, rubbish version though). On this version, there's a twangy guitar sound added over the top of the introduction. The other main difference from other versions is vastly improved vocals (particularly over the 1987 version), and that wonderful early New Order guitar sound, as witnessed on other classic tracks like 'Ceremony' and 'Procession'. Like a handful of other tracks I've recommended, it's hard for me to be completely objective about this one, because I've adored it since my mid-teens. But having just bought an extra copy of the single, I'm happy to report that it sounds as brilliant as ever.

This recording showcases a raw and under-appreciated New Order/Joy Division sound that mixes early synth sounds and beats with punky guitars in a really beautiful and affecting way. I still enjoy their later stuff, but it's tracks like this that really attract me to the band.

from the single Temptation (Factory fac63)




  n-jeff: I've not heard the 7 since I was at college in 82, but there is also a version about 15-20 minutes long on one of the first "Touch" cassettes, where they have cut it with an interview. The whole thing seems to have been a lengthy Jam, edited differently for different releases. So the 7 would give you the most focused version. Compare the 7 and 12 edits of the KLF's "3am Eternal" for the enhancing effect of a great edit.
  Genza: I totally agree with everything delicado says. Early New Order rocks. Everything after and including Blue Monday is more poppy - and I can live with that. But most of their albums are very patchy - with half the tracks good and the other half almost unlistenable. But Temptation is an utter, utter classic. And I just love Dreams Never End, Cries and Whispers and In a Lonely Place. Well, any early New Order - it all that has tinny dance-music quality but still holds that desolate Joy Division sound.
That’s How Strong My Love Is  performed by Otis Redding  1965
Recommended by floralikescandy [profile]

soulful, authentic

from The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads (Volt/Atco)


That’s The End Of That  performed by Trixie’s Big Red Motorbike  1983
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Whenever I am accused of cynicism in my daily life, I just point to my deep and unabiding love for this ditty, which manages to out-twee even The Free Design. Cute-as-a-button girl vocals and light guitar make you want to drink squash and wear a hairslide.

from The Intimate Sound Of Trixie's Big Red Motorbike (Accident DENT 1)



  unathanthium: I climb in my tweemobile and Trixies soothe my nerves as I trundle through the London streets,smiling inanely at rage-fuelled motorists.In Timbuktu is the song that puts that smile there.When you go to Timbuktu,do as the Timbuktuans do,Trixies advise.And rhyming Niger with Tiger,even Ted Hughes never managed that.
  grimnir: an all-time classic! EXCELLENT! A typicallly-lush-John Peel type of track. AAHHHH! Summer and listening to Peel with the windows wide on a warm night. If anyone knows where to get more TBRM then post a reply.
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 Ballad of Mary Magdalen  performed by Cry Cry Cry  1998
Recommended by indigobo [profile]

This clever little gem was written by folk singer/songwriter Richard Shindell and originally appears on his 1994 Shanachie release, Blue Divide, as "The Ballad of Mary Magdalene." A perfect example of Shindell's non-confessional, often ironic, storytelling, it recounts the ill-fated love affair between the title character and JC: "Jesus loves me, this I know/ why on earth, did I ever let him go?/ He was always faithful, he was always kind/ but he walked off with this heart of mine." On this version, Shindell is joined by fellow folkies Dar Williams (lead vocal) and Lucy Kaplansky (harmony). In 1998 A.D., the three artists became incarnate as Cry Cry Cry for one album, which, if you like three-part harmony, is almost a religious experience. A good example, too, of what Shindell can do with a Martin acoustic.

from Cry Cry Cry (Razor and Tie)



the beer  performed by kimya dawson  2003
Recommended by olli [profile]

on a post-moldy peaches roll today.
lo-fi, blackly humorous, unrelenting singer-songwriter antifolk material. the lyrics are a stream-of-consciousness portrait of life in lower-class america, filled with weirdo pop culture references. i fell in love with this song from a badly recorded live version, available on her homepage: http://www.kimyadawson.com/audio/10_Kimya_Dawson_-_The_Beer.mp3
there`s an album version of the track on "my cute friend sweet princess", but i think it lacks a lot of the drive from the live recording (and the sound quality`s not really that much better, anyway. i wonder how this would sound on one of those ludicrously expensive hi fi sets that guys in cornflower-blue shirts tend to buy)

"even though i`ve never ever been in a band,
i`ve got cool as black ice tattooed on my hand.." gotta love that line.

from my cute friend sweet princess (important records)


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 Breeze and I  performed by Santo and Johnny  1962
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This recording is utter genius, and I have no idea why I didn't recommend it before. The track opens with some spooky ambient steel guitar sound effects, before some bongoes and vibes set the scene for the tune, which is picked out superbly twangily on the guitar. The great thing about the track is the spooky little effects and chromatic tunes that pop in and out in the background. Some of these are on the steel guitar, but the others could be vocal or vibraphone; it's hard to tell. It's all over in just over 2 minutes, but this really is a delightfully exotic recording.

from Encore (Canadian American JUMP 1023)
available on CD - Encore - the best of the rest (Jump-O-Rama)



  Tangento: Yes! This is an excellent song, and I would also like to recommend the version by Pianists Ferrante & Teicher, available on one of their 6,000 albums. ;) It has such a great musical flow and retro-feel. There are a few other versions I recently downloaded, but virus problems prevent me from getting the artists names for you. I shall return with them.
  Tangento: I have returned with the definitive list of artists who have recorded this magical song: http://www.spaceagepop.com/breeze.htm Enjoy!
The Circus  performed by Take That  2008
Recommended by geezer [profile]

The cornertstone of their spectacular return was the songwriting and this piano led ballad is a fine example .A delicate melody that could easily become a "little old wine drinker me" standard at the hand of future lounge vegas artistes .The hook line and stinger is "everybody loves a circus show but im the only clown youll ever know",OUCH!!.A rare example of pop being allowed to grow up and turn into something more substantial.

from The Circus, available on CD


The Classical  performed by The Fall  1981
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Message for yer! Message for yer!

My theory is that everyone seriously into music has time for The Fall. They're just too superlative - in places - not to give them massive amounts of respect.

I have no problem with being a selective Fall fan, and probably err too much to "the Brix Years" for serious Mark E Smith hardcases. I love the early to middle period and The Classical, for me, is the absolute pinnacle of their acheivements. A parity of stupidity and - er, classicality - it marries the phrasing genius of Smith with one of the very best group line-ups in their 27 year career.

So what if MES is a toothless old git now? So what if they haven't released an album of worth in many a year? So what if their back catalogue is being shamelessly exploited by various low-rent record labels? They are one of the biggest unacknowledged influences on British music today and it's time they got the props they are worthy of.

from Hex Enduction Hour, available on CD



The Creation  performed by I got the fever
Recommended by carbootsale [profile]

this is not the mod band, but a soul outfit, pretty much around the same time (1960s). Very nice melody. I'm not good at technical stuff so i will merit this mainly on beefed up adjectives. seriously though, it's just a simple song about love (with equally simple lyrics) but its got the energy good for dancing.





  Arthur: This track was big on the Northern Soul scene. There are two different mixes of the song.
The Damned Don't Cry  performed by Visage  1982
Recommended by robert[o] [profile]

First of all I had to ask myself whether the real reason I really like this song is because the title is cribbed from a movie I love. (An ace bit of film noir from 1950, starring Joan Crawford, that I can't recommend strongly enough.) And yeah, it is rather "Fade to Grey"- Part II, (though I think the melody/mood/dynamics are stronger here.) And yeah, lyrically it�s all a bit John Foxx-light - images of European ennui and dissipation minus the inspiration. And yeah, I'm the first to admit Visage is to great post-punk-electro what Baccara is to prime 1970's disco, but I love "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" and I love "The Damned Don't Cry" - damn it!

from The Anvil
available on CD - The Damned Don't Cry


The day the earth stood still  performed by David Essex  1969
Recommended by Ron1967-1970 [profile]

THE perfect popsong ? Not sure, but it comes close to it. The tune has that typical late 60s "sound". Bombastically orchestrated in the "Barry Ryan style"... it's a melodrama with lots of
catchy hooks... IF you can find it, you will love it ... I usually rate a song not higher than
8/10, but this one... well, what can I say... 11/10 !!!




The Dis-Advantages of You  performed by The Brass Ring  1967
Recommended by artlongjr [profile]

This song has become known as one of the quintessential "Now Sound" numbers, and I go a LONG way back with it as far as memories go! As a kid in the sixties I used to love the Benson and Hedges cigarette commercials-although I was very much anti-smoking even then! But the cool theme music and humorous content of these commercials was a hit with us kids. Well, flash forward to the mid-1980's...I was doing my usual record collector thing in a local thrift store and came across an album called "The Dis-Advantages of You" by the Brass Ring, a group that I had several 45s by already. It looked interesting, so I picked it up...and was blown away by the first track, which was that wonderful Benson and Hedges theme that I remembered from childhood. I
couldn't believe my luck in stumbling across it, and
it immediately became one of my all time favorite tracks. The cool, wordless female vocals, whimsical melody, and smooth saxophone playing never fail to transport me back to the 1960's of my youth! I did some research on the song at the time and was surprised to find that it had been a chart hit in the spring of 1967. I was listening to the radio a lot back then and didn't recall hearing it. But rediscovering this recording really was a highlight of my musical development.

from The Dis-Advantages of You (Dunhill 50017)


The Disturbing Presence of Chachi  performed by Western Civ  2008
Recommended by wendyloohoo [profile]

This is a song on their new album Shower the People You Love with Gold. I think you can at least listen to it for free on www.westerncivrock.com.

Anyway, it it is really rocking with a lot of crescendos and decrescendos.

from Shower the People You Love with Gold, available on CD


The end of a love affair  performed by Julie London  1963
Recommended by delicado [profile]

'do they know, do they care, that it's only/that I'm lonely and low as can be.../And the smile on my face...isn't really a smile at all...'
This is a brilliant, devastating recording. Julie's gentle, heartfelt vocal, the lush background... I'm speechless!

from Love on the Rocks (Liberty)
available on CD - The Liberty Years (EMI)




  G400 Custom: Julie London's version of 'Fly Me To The Moon' is the best I've ever heard.
  followyourbliss: I love Julie London - I agree with G400. Her Fly Me To The Moon is on Ultralounge's Bossanovaville and it's even better than Sinatra's
  rio: great choice; the whole album is one of my favorites by julie.. how about "guess who i saw today"?
  masten: I am looking for a CD of Julie London titled "Love on the Rocks". Does anyone know if this exists?
  vanguard77: It will be released on Feb 6 by EMI-UK, coupled with "Julie." :) http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000DNVJSQ/qid%3D1134833868/202-9396444-0797459
The End of Life  performed by Gabor Szabo  1967
Recommended by konsu [profile]

I have to write about this song just to defend it. Because,among Szabo fans, this is considered crap...

But for a guy not known for his pop,this is a slammer! Most of this can be attributed to the singers on the session, who incidentally, are from The Love Generation. The Bahler brothers wrote this under the guise of "The California Dreamers", who also did a record the same year for Impulse with Tom Scott... And, whereas the Scott record has become a plunderphonic classic, Szabo's record goes unnoticed for it's lack of "breaks".....

This song is a great groovy stomper much in the tradition of all sunshine pop from the time period. Only with the added bonus of being performed by some of the best west coast session players of the time including Tom Scott himself, alongside Jimmy Gordon, Mike Melvoin, and Carol Kaye. And as with all Szabo's stuff,dark and sexy,with that eastern twist that he added to everything he did.... Bill Plummer added some buzzy sitar to this track too, which makes it a must for indo-pop fans!!

Did I mention the cover art?

from Wind Sky & Diamonds (Impulse! A-9151)



The Face I Love  performed by Chris Montez  1968
Recommended by heinmukk [profile]

nice one! i discovered chris montez lately and i like what he has done.
this song is a cover of astrud gilbertos song from the album "beach samba" (which i didn't recognize until reading it at allmusic.com) and begins with a nice organ-melody as an intro. i especially like the sound of that organ, it's a very sweet and not to heavy one. so that it fits perfect into the mood of this song and giving it a little more sweetness.
as always chris montez sings like a woman and if one doesn't know this it wouldn't be necessarily clear to one. (correct english....?)
while searching for chris montez stuff i came across "the more i see you" performed by montez which was covered last year by a onehitwonderband here in germany and you couldn't escape to hear it at least twice a day no matter where you were leaving and going. the cover was very strict arranged along montez' version. i wonder how i would think of the montez original if this onehitwonder band wouldn't have done this cruelty?!
anyway, last years summer was great anyway...(sex every day...)
and now, you go and listen to that montez guy!!

from watch what happens
available on CD - Digitally Remastered Best


The Fog  performed by Kate Bush  1989
Recommended by Steenie [profile]

Hands down, this ballad by Kate Bush has THE BEST violin solo of any non-classical song. The song itself, though a bit of a downer, is really very beautiful.

"The Fog"

You see, I'm all grown up now.
He said,
Just put your feet down child,
'Cause you're all grown up now.

Just like a photograph,
I pick you up.
Just like a station on the radio,
I pick you up.
Just like a face in the crowd,
I pick you up.
Just like a feeling that you're sending out,
I pick it up.

But I can't let you go.
If I let you go,
You slip into the fog...

This love was big enough for the both of us.
This love of yours was big enough to be frightened of.
It's deep and dark, like the water was,
The day I learned to swim.

He said,
Just put your feet down, child.
Just put your feet down child,
The water is only waist high.
I'll let go of you gently,
Then you can swim to me.

Is this love big enough to watch over me?
Big enough to let go of me
Without hurting me,
Like the day I learned to swim?

'Cause you're all grown up now.

Just put your feet down, child,
The water is only waist high.
I'll let go of you gently,
Then you can swim to me.

from The Sensual World



  mrtanner: I agree. This song is stunning.
The Girl From Ipanema  performed by Antonio Carlos Jobim  1963
Recommended by heinmukk [profile]

hm, i wonder why this hasn't been added yet. if this isn't classic, then what is?
there are about a zillion different interpretations of this song by about a million different artists. there are compilations only with this song but by different artists. and i got two of them.
maybe it's mainstream and it's played too often but i love it nonetheless.
my favourite version is on the album "the composer of desafinado plays". of course arranged by claus ogerman. he did also the arrangement for "the wave" which is i think the best album by antonio carlos jobim. an album packed full with classics.
he made the strings sound so cool and you really get the feeling of what for a lifestyle bossa nova seems to have been those days. (as i think and hope it has been...)

from the composer of desafinado plays



  delicado: Totally digging those Ogerman strings. Ogerman is a genius arranger; I particularly like the work he did with Astrud Gilberto ('funny world' and 'non-stop to brazil' are two great ones) and Joao Gilberto.
  brasilnut: I always hear Claude Debussy's 'Claire de lune' in the phrase 'ah, but he watches so sadly'
The Girls' Song  performed by The Fifth Dimension  1967
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

The Fifth Dimension were too sugary for my personal tastes, but they did record a few, heavenly arranged gems like this one. The indestructable theme of trying to phone a lover after he/she left is a wonderful bonus.

from Magic Garden, available on CD




  konsu: Alright! I was gonna recommend this one too. This song illustrates perfectly the CA sound that Webb & Bacharach were crafting. Some people mistake this for a B.B. tune, and it's no wonder... "Magic Garden" is a great album to seek out by this group, if you've been afraid before.I also like "Requiem : 820 Latham" & "Paper Cup".
  artlongjr: I LOVE the "Magic Garden" album...I have it on vinyl, but I was fortunate enough to to get it on CD when it was released-it's now out of print. The album is a Jimmy Webb/Fifth Dimension classic. The only thing holding it back from perfection is a Las Vegas-y cover of the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" that sounds out of place with the other material, all of which was written by Webb. But that's OK, a lot of great albums have one duff track! I like the Fifth Dimension's early material, "Magic Garden" is their second album, but I also like their first and third LP's. Unfortunately, in later years they became too "show-biz" sounding, which causes some people to overlook all of their material.
The Happy Phantom  performed by Tori Amos
Recommended by xicanti [profile]

I always want to dance to this song, and it's great to sing along to. It reminds me of "Wednesday" in a lot of ways; I just love how the tone changes from upbeat and cheerful to somewhat dark, then back again.

from Little Earthquakes


The Hardest Part of Hurting Is The Hope  performed by Scott Gibson  2003
Recommended by wattsup [profile]

This is the last tune on the disc "Make REady" by Scott. It is a gorgeous slow love song with a killer refrain and title; "The Hardest Part of Hurting Is The Hope". It features Scott's voice as well lap steel and acoustic guitar. They fit together so well--it is like they are a single performer. It is a great finish to this wonderful disc. It makes me want to start the song all over again [I think I will--grin!].

from Make Ready (Hayden's Ferry B0000A4G4H)


The Hymn For The Cigarettes  performed by Hefner  1999
Recommended by LawrenceM [profile]

a great pop song, with fantastic, caustic lyrics. "how can she love when she doesn't even love the cinema that I love"

from The Fidelity Wars (Too Pure)
available on CD - The Fidelity wars (Too Pure)



  kkkerplunkkk: Yes I agree! It's wicked! Whether you puff firesticks or not you cannot fail to love this cool song. A Hefner classic.
The Lament Of Pretty Baby  performed by Cursive  2000
Recommended by malpt [profile]

This is a powerful and deep song. I love it. It moves me. Every time I listen to it, it moves me.

from Domestica, available on CD


The Land / Rainy Sunday Evening  performed by Ramatam  1973
Recommended by john_l [profile]

Ramatam, who walked the earth in the early '70s, were an annoying '50s-influenced hard rock band who nevertheless managed to kick off their second LP with the mostly acoustic two-parter listed here. The first half is slow, slightly off-kilter and full of sharp harmonies, while the second part is the most wistfully resigned paean to lost love this side of the late John Phillips. The whole thing is string-drenched and utterly lovely.

from In April Came The Dawning Of The Red Suns (Atlantic)


The Last Good Day of the Year  performed by Cousteau  1999
Recommended by secularus [profile]

Lets just say I listened to this tune in repeat on my player December 31,1999. Yes, a cliche I know, but we all have our moments. Cousteau's sound can be aptly described as Scott Walker fronting the Tindersticks. Liam's strong voice seduces the maudlin trumpet and carries it away with him as the song breaks into its chorus and an instrumental crescendo. Sentimental, romantic.


available on CD - Cousteau (Global Warming Ltd)



The Life of a Pirate  performed by Cady Groves
Recommended by toners789 [profile]

I love the little bit of "twang" in her voice mixed with her pop style.




The Look of Love  performed by Isaac Hayes
Recommended by GeorgyGirl [profile]

I'll admit to holding Dusty Springfield's as the *definite* version, but for sheer hot buttery, ever-lovin' smoothness, you have to own the Isaac Hayes version as well. This is a SERIOUSLY sexy record.





The Look Of Love  performed by Dusty Springfield  1967
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

A great song that describes the joy in reuniting with the one you love after being separated. Two versions of this song were recorded. This version appeared on Dusty's album of the same name, and the other version was used in the film 'Casino Royale'. This album version is superior simply for the fact that the sound engineer put a slight echo into the vocals and it gives this song a haunting sound that makes the beautiful words even more lovely than before.

from The Look Of Love (Philips PHS 600 256)
available on CD - the Dusty Springfield Anthology (Box Set) (Mercury 314 553 501)


The Look Of Love  performed by Diana Krall  2001
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

For "The Look Of Love" Diana Krall managed to bring the legendary Claus Ogerman out of his retirement as an arranger (in fact, at that point, he didn't arrange for other people for 15 years or so). That was due to the fact that Krall's longtime producer, Tommy LiPuma (who did some marvelous production work for A&M in the late 60s e.g. for Claudine Longet or The Sandpipers) used to work with Ogerman in the past and so Claus got on board. While Krall's jazz followers found the result all too schmaltzy i just love it. The track is a very laid back, gentle, cool sounding version with a subtle bossa rhythm. And the arrangement and production is as immaculate as you might expect with Mrs. Krall giving a fine vocal performance, reminding me a lot of Julie London.

from The Look Of Love, available on CD




  konsu: It reminds me of some of Ogerman's work for Verve/CTI in the late 60's. Really the nicest version of this song in years.
The Love Parade  performed by THE DREAM ACADEMY  1986
Recommended by beautifulmutant [profile]

Almost ethereal in delivery, The Love Parade or The Dream Academy for that matter, never fit into the period it was happening in. Too early for the sixties revival, too different from new wave and MTV pop, the Dream Academy found fame with R.E.M. and college fans... just a little bit.
This is a very emotional piece of soft pop from 1986.

from The Dream Academy


The Love War  performed by The Dismemberment Plan
Recommended by eve [profile]




The music played  performed by Matt Monro  1968
Recommended by mattias [profile]

Woe, these string arrangements is way too much wich make this song lovely song amazing, very close to pathetic and still great. The sentimental lyrics "when I lost you love the music playd..." sung with Monros deep sinatra-like voice is thrilling, and again, the strings, the strings...




The Park  performed by Feist
Recommended by brandyalexander [profile]

I feel like I've found love when I hear this song. I also love love the acoustic sound. Go outside when you're listen to this one...if you have those capabilites that is. You'll enjoy it. Promise.

from Let It Die


The Proper Ornaments  performed by The Free Design  1967
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

So groovy. Outstanding popcraft from an outstanding group. Love the contrasts between such pretty music and Chris Dedrick's trenchant lyrics. The arrangement - heavy on the trumpets and harpsichords - is exquisite. Fetch me my paisley nehru jacket, Gweniviere.

from Kites Are Fun (Project 3)
available on CD - Raindrops (Siesta)




  tempted: Kites really are fun!
  charlesives: Blow your mind (but not completely)!
  konsu: See!!
  Delimit: defintely one of their better songs. it's one of those weird songs that every once and a while i need to listen to about 50 times in a row. great lyrics, Free Designs usual amazing vocals and some slick arrangement.
The River(live)  performed by Bruce Springsteen  2000
Recommended by giant [profile]

Ok, Ok, cut it out, we all know Bruce went ultra commercial and slightly "rock n roll artificial" there in the eighties but what the mainstream listener doesn't know, is that Springsteen has some very powerful songs tucked under his belt. Similar to the Beach Boys, Bruce is widely known on the weight of his biggest commercial succeses, ie. "Born in The USA", however he has written some incredibly moving songs, most of them acoustic on such albums as "Nebraska" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad." Here is Bruce in the vein of our great American folk singers like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash(who has covered a Springsteen Song)in one of the most tender and haunting songs, sung live, Harmonica by bruce as well, and it is called "The River" This concert was also televised, and the tear I noticed in his eyes as he performed this lovely and sad song further shows how much he brings and to what depth he is able to express.

from live in New York City
available on CD - live in New York City



  phil: Hm - a very good friend of mine is really into Bruce Springsteen, and out of the respect I hold him in I have tried listening to the Boss' stuff. And I really began to like this one - I have a live version of this from Barcelona which is really very moving, in which Bruce talks about failing his medical for the Vietnam draft.

It always strikes me as - er - outdoor music, quite different from the hair-splitting, neurotic, urban stuff I usually listen to. Definitely worth a listen if you have previously sniffed at the springsteen but are willing to have another go - as giant says, it's real great american folk singer stuff.

Incidentally, while recording my band's last demo, the rest of the band described a solo I played as 'sounding like bruce springsteen'. A small chill ran down my spine.

The Saddest Song  performed by The Ataris  2003
Recommended by izumi [profile]

I love the meaning and melody of this song. It's not about love or death or anything, but about how the singer feels sorry because he doesn't spend enough time with his daughter. It always makes me feel sad listening to this because I can relate to it on a personal level. There are two versions of this song, a guitar/drum version (which I prefer), but the acoustic version is just as good and the same piano theme occurs in both.

from So Long, Astoria (Columbia 5105302)


The Scientist  performed by Coldplay  2002
Recommended by cryofthecelt [profile]

I've been a huge fan of the UK-based "wuss-rock" band Coldplay since their debut album "Parachutes." One night, as I was watching a much-anticipated episode of my favorite TV show, "Smallville" - an episode called "Rosetta" guest-starring Christopher Reeve - I heart the heart-rendering chords of lead singer Christ Martin's piano and thought aloud "Hey, that's Coldplay!" I hadn't yet heard that song, so I surfed onto a "Smallville" fansite to check the title and found that it was called "The Scientist" from Coldplay's most recent album "A Rush of Blood to the Head."
"The Scientist" is a song that will remind you of being in love - more likely, of being in love with someone who doesn't love you back or with someone whom you pissed off and doesn't want to be around you anymore. It's basically the most perfect song about unrequieted love. It is beautiful and haunting, as many of Coldplay's songs are. Give it a listen. You won't regret it.

from A Rush of Blood to the Head, available on CD


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 smell of incense  performed by West Coast Pop Art Experimental band  1967
Recommended by n-jeff [profile]

I love the WCPAEB, they really seem to encapsulate Psychedelia perfectly. Light, blurred and dreamy. And unlike many of their contemporaries seem completely untouched by Garage authenticity. Not that theres anything wrong with garage punk per se, but it means that theres none of blundering of 'talk about girls' to fray those tinted moods.

Oh, it has loud guitars and harmonies right enough, but the whole thing is pitched just right to lift the dregs of any mood enhancers you may have floating around in your bloodstream and send them spinning into your brain.

from Volume 2, available on CD




  john_l: I hadn't realized it was a WCPAEB original. I've only heard the version by Southwest FOB, which was pleasant enough.
The Song Is Love  performed by Montage  1968
Recommended by Pal [profile]

Sunshine pop.


available on CD - Montage (Sundazed)


the spider and the fly  performed by London After Midnight
Recommended by silent_wretch [profile]

"Eternal bliss, something I can show you. Spread your arms and let my wings enfold you my love, my love"

Ah! perfectly dark romance...


available on CD - Selected Scenes From The End Of The World


The Stalker  performed by Green Velvet
Recommended by timbotones [profile]

this is a twisted sort of house/techno number that will appeal to non-lovers of house. Its heavy enough, tweaked enough, etc. and the vocals are nice and twisted. dark, but still humorous "im losing my mind"


available on CD - the nineties


The Things we do for Love  performed by 10cc  1976
Recommended by Mike [profile]

I'm sure I've already said this about another recommendation, but this is just superb pop. 10cc were a group whose hits were very familiar to me as a child, although I wasn't particularly keen on them then. (We're talking the 1970s, folks!).

The group fused influences from the Beatles (particularly McCartney) and prog rock with their own brand of distinctively British whimsy (precursors of the Korgis here). They were also excellent harmony singers. I'm just discovering some of their album back catalogue for the first time - there is some superb material, to my ears. Their biggest hit was 1975's "I'm not in love", which I think reached no.2 in the UK and US singles charts - I've always dismissed it as being very saccharine-sweet. This group doesn't generally get the respect their output deserves for its quality and influence.

from Deceptive Bends
available on CD - several Mercury/Polygram/Universal compilations



  wimberly300: My passion for love and life has made me take on here to tell everyone how DR JAMIN ABAYOMI brought back my lover who has been gone for 6 years.It was all confusion and distress to me when my lover whom i love and cherish wouldn\'t love me anymore but
The Underdogs  performed by Rialto  1998
Recommended by john_l [profile]

A majestic, dark, and glorious song. It has a horn in the background through most of it, and lovely strings interjecting at appropriate places. Actually it reminds me of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap's '67 classic "Woman Woman" crossed with the Walker Brothers. The weakness is in the lyrics, which weren't Rialto's strong point, but with music this wonderful, I for one can overlook that ...


available on CD - Rialto (China)


The Unguarded Moment  performed by The Church  1981
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

That the Church's initial breakthrough song would yet become a millstone around its neck might not have been clear at the time, but one understands pretty easily why the band was anxious to escape its shadow after subsequent efforts clearly showed the tune as the building block it was. But "The Unguarded Moment" isn't a disaster at all - indeed, for a young band to come up with such a great effort early on and get some airplay and attention for it was as clear a sign as any that something really special could yet result. Marty Willson-Piper's flat out lovely introductory guitar and the sinewy blend of his and Peter Koppes' instrument on the main melody sets the tone, while the stripped down verses and quiet rhythm changes throughout give a great taste of the band's incipient ambitions and tweaking of an established formula. Steve Kilbey's quietly rueful but still clear and strong lead vocal adds a nice air of calm melancholia, while coming up with some fun lyrical images here and there ("Tell those friends with cameras for eyes�").
(AMG)

from Of Skins And Heart, available on CD


The Way You Look Tonight  performed by Air (french band)  2002
Recommended by dedismo [profile]

Good music to fall in love to. Classic Air use of Acoustic guitar, french accented voices singing English, and melodious synthesizers. Fall in love with Air again.

from Everybody Hertz, E.P. (10,000 Hz Remixes) (Astralwerks 11833)
available on CD - Everybody Hertz E.P. (Astralwerks)



The Way Young Lovers Do  performed by Van Morrison  1968
Recommended by Pal [profile]

The absolutely best white soul song I know!


available on CD - Astral Weeks (Warner Bros.)



  umbrellasfollowrain: Oh wow, this is a wonderful song. Practically clausterphobic in its arrangment, it's still spacious and brings you this heightened state, as though something is just about to happen. The lyrics sound as though they should be sentimental, nostalgic fare but they sound almost tormented and full of hyper anger. Like the Tasmanian Devil in love.
The White Boy is Back  performed by Everlast  1998
Recommended by falicon [profile]

This is a great intro to a CD because it's a direct tribute to the Fat Boys...which I loved as a kid, and have a tough time finding material from. Anyway, the song is a short bit, with great female background and a catchy little clapping type beat.

from Whitey Ford Sings the Blues, available on CD



The world is outside  performed by The Ghosts  2007
Recommended by Issie [profile]

I love this song because its got a good beat to it and this makes it really catchy. I think the verses are a bit boring and repetive, but the chorus is amazing!




The World is Outside  performed by The Ghosts  2007
Recommended by Issie [profile]

I love this song ! I heard of them a little while back now but I never really got into them - until i heard this song! It's catchy and its got a good rhythm to it- I have been looking for a great song like this for ages!! I recommend it to you if you like bands like Keane and Coldplay! its a great song so listen to it its on youtube!




theo b  performed by sunny day real estate  1995
Recommended by complacentbasement [profile]

the song starts out with three crisp hi-hat clicks, the bell of a ride, then the drums and a sweet, warm toned bass lock in for a driving, mid-tempo, beautifully melodic cut time. guitars, once in, are clean-toned and somewhat polyphonically arranged, (that is, they play alot of single-note lines that swirl around each other, harmonizing at spots, and creating counterpoint). the vocals are potentially a little hard to swallow at first, jeremy has a tendency to sing a little through the nose, but it's really quite endearing. i personally find that after a bit of exposure to it, not only does it fit the music perfectly, but i really have grown to love it, (i listen to them ALOT).
this is one of those songs that you put on when you need to feel better- a kind of resolute, "well, time to go on, and hope for the best" feel. it can also easily be listened to when in a great mood. best listened to outside, looking at the sky.
when listening to ANY sunny day real estate, you must be patient. it's patient music, and it requires a certain amount of consideration that keeps it from being good "background music."
i fucking love this stuff.

from lp2 (the pink album) (sub pop sp316b)


there’s too much love  performed by belle & sebastian
Recommended by morning belle [profile]




These Desperate Hours  performed by Mel Torme  1955
Recommended by bobbyspacetroup [profile]

Here's another early Burt Bacharach composition, this one from (or just a promotional piece for?) the William Wyler film "The Desperate Hours." I haven't seen the movie, but this song makes me want to. This song is steeped in a heavy film noir atmosphere -- with vibes and wailing sax -- that I love. Needless to say, this has a very different sound from the stuff Bacharach would become famous for a few years down the road.


available on CD - Mel Torme At The Movies (Rhino)



These words  performed by Natasha Beddingfield  2004
Recommended by Issie [profile]

I absolutely hate her brother, but her songs are mostly good. Another song of hers called single, talks about how she never gets a boyfriend, yet this one talks about how shes saying to a boy how she loves him! It puzzles me why!




Things Behind The Sun  performed by Nick Drake  1971
Recommended by Swinging London [profile]

Well, Nick Drake seems to be finally enjoying his place in the sun, fame & success-wise, even if: 'Fame is but a fruit tree, so very unsound'.

I first heard Nick Drake being played in a record shop in London. I thought it was '60's Donovan. Anyway, it wasn't & I bought the record and haven't looked back since.

Part of his non-success was due to his inabilty to come up with a hit single, or a single at all and this was still, to a large degree, a singles era.

I've often thought that this song, of all of his, could have been a single, given a slightly different treatment.

Anyway, it wasn't, but I love it very much and do think it's one of his catchiest, even though that's probably not the right word for anything by Nick Drake.

from Pink Moon (Island)
available on CD - Yes (Island)



things we said today  performed by sandpipers  196x
Recommended by olli [profile]

i'm really starting to get into the sandpipers nowadays because of their amazingly clear, fluid sound. great 60s vocal pop song, this. flute, soft strings and some sweet understated harpsichord (or some electronic instrument) playing in the background. the bassline and percussion gives it a slight italian 60's soundtrack vibe. i love how it seems to constantly change its mood, epecially when it returns to form after the first flute part. there's even a bit in there that sounds like syd barret...





Things you´ll keep  performed by The Apartments
Recommended by moondog [profile]

A life full of farewells, everything´s given to be taken away, thank you for making me beg. With song titles that rivals Morrisseys Australias Peter Milton Walsh remains one of pops best kept secrets. Only putting out four albums in 20 years he could be described as the missing link between the more doom laden melodrama of The Triffids and the popstrumming of Go-Betweens. Maybe he is a bit too self absorbed to reach a wider audience but this lovely track, complete with trumpets, finds him in his best form.

from A life full of farewells
available on CD - a life full of farewells (Hot)


This Ain’t Love  performed by The Temporary Thing  2003
Recommended by dvaldesuso [profile]





  dvaldesuso: www.thetemporarything.com
This Aint Living  performed by G-Love & Special Sauce
Recommended by zberger [profile]

Best song when i saw G- Love live, Helps me move on and reach my goals.




This Girl’s In Love With You  performed by Dusty Springfield  1968
Recommended by Auriane [profile]

Just wonderful. The CD reissue for this album is Philips 846 049-2 if you're interested in hearing the rest of this album. The song is truly Dusty with the husky vocals and the quiet but wanting tone. Bacharach comes through clear and strong with his interludes. The whole thing is as I said, just wonderful...

from Dusty... definitely (Philips (S)RBL 7864)
available on CD - Room Service 2 (Festival Mushroom Records)



  sammykipper: Very swoony indeed.
This Guy’s In Love With You  performed by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
Recommended by Jamie [profile]

Smooth pop, It's an audio massage.

from The Beat of the Brass


This Love  performed by Maroon 5  2003
Recommended by elfslut [profile]

If you happen to be a fan of trippy dance pop, with a little bit of soul, you'll love this song. When I first heard it I was reminded of the band Jamiroquai. They have that same feel to them. The song is infectious and very danceable. Not deep in the lyric department, but sometimes you just don't need to think while you listen.

from Songs About Jane (Octone)



This Love  performed by Maroon5
Recommended by .holly. [profile]




This love this heart  performed by Phil Collins  2002
Recommended by Lambi88 [profile]


available on CD - Testify


This Way Mary  performed by John Barry  1974
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I love John Barry. Actually he doesn't seem like such a great guy personally, but I love a lot of his music. This track was originally composed for the soundtrack of the 1971 film 'Mary, Queen of Scots'. However, the sound is very modern. The track is built around a recurring piano riff (which incidentally was sampled by the group Chapterhouse on their 1991 indie/shoegazing single 'mesmerize'), and the tune is played by a synthesized, echoey harpsichord. It's a delightfully simple but very catchy track which stands up to repeated listening.

from Play it again (Polydor)
available on CD - The very best of (Polydor Europe)



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...
Ticket to Ride  performed by Mystic Moods Orchestra  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

This probably sounds like an odd thing to recommend, but the more I hear this track, the more I love it. It's as if the arranger didn't actually like the song that much - he has changed it a great deal, but for better. Mixed with the trademark Mystic Moods sound effects, it begins lush and gentle. However, after the sound effects fade away, the quality of the arrangement and recording come through, with crisp drums, a nice bass and some great piano. It has a very cool funk-orchestral feel, recalling some of Pete Moore's best work.

from English Muffins, available on CD




  delicado: Erm- when I wrote this I think I hadn\'t yet got into the Carpenters. this is basically the Carpenters\' version of ticket to ride but an orchestral version. Still very cool, but that was the origin of the arrangement!
Tiger trap  performed by Beat happening
Recommended by paris_no_more [profile]

I just love this song.




Till My Last Day  performed by Justin Moore  2011
Recommended by saifcr [profile]

Song: Till My Last Day
Artist: Justin Moore
Genre: Country
Year: 2011

Moore's Different Style Makes This Song.. Beautiful
I want U guys too Listen it... especially Country Lovers.

from Outlaws Like Me


Time Over - Timeout  performed by Psycho - Path  1997
Recommended by Durruti [profile]

One of the best slovenian bands, it's the best in slovenian rock. They sound like a punk version of Sonic Youth, it's unique sound. Their lyrics are in English. They have a female vocalist.
This is the first song from their debut album wich was released 1998 or 1997 (sorry, I forgot).
It's very energetic. It was recorded live at an old Slovenian castle. The other song that stand outs from this album is Air Rager. This album is great.
If you like it you should also check their other albums: Autoerotic, Desinvoltura. If you like inovative fresh rock sound, you must check out this band.

from Terminal, available on CD


To know him is to love him  performed by The Teddy Bears  1958
Recommended by valesca [profile]

This brilliant song was a number 1 hit in the United States in 1958. It was sold over 1 million times between the release date in oktober and Christmas. It was written by Phil Spector, who was the songwriter, guitarist and composer of The Teddy Bears. (The band`s name is based on the number 1 hit "Teddy Bear" by Elvis Presley)The inspiration for the songtext was the inscription of the grave of Phil Spector`s father, who commited suicide.

The arrangement of "To know him is to love him" is very light an pure, so that the sad and loving words come to the fore. The angle-like vocals sung by Annette Kleinbard create a heavenly ambience. To me "To know him is to love him" is one of the most affectionate and beautiful songs I`ve ever heard. Although the song is performed by many bands and singers(for example "The Chordettes") the version of The Teddy Bears is according to my taste the best of them all.


available on CD - Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits (Rhino)


To Live to Tell  performed by Madonna  1986
Recommended by callgirlscene [profile]

Madonna can be many things. This song conveys an epic story of love, truth and regrets. I don't quite know what it's about, but I find myself being swept up in a profound tale she is telling. Maybe that's secondary. The song is just as much about what a great voice she has. A lot of her other music doesn't convey this. She has various musical guises but she has a glorious voice not always obvious in her other songs. Also, the arrangement is neat in how the song comes nearly to a stop in the middle, and then starts up again, reaching an emotional pitch a second time. It has great synthesizer too.


available on CD - Something to Remember (Maverick/Warner Bros.)


To Love Somebody  performed by Slobberbone  2002
Recommended by richdon [profile]




Together  performed by The Kin
Recommended by sarcasticaXY [profile]

It's a mellow love song, that makes me feel quite calm. It's one of my all-time favourites, first heard on TV show 'Moonlight'.




Tongue Tied  performed by Grouplove
Recommended by lhirsch92 [profile]




Too Much Tenderness  performed by Stark Reality  1969
Recommended by trivia [profile]

This song was ravaged by critics in reviews of the Stark Reality 2003 reissue (it was previously-unreleased and included as a bonus track), but I think it's frickin' great. It's apparently from a somewhat different incarnation of the group and is a Monty Stark composition - not one of the Hoagy Carmichael reinterpretations that made up the original version of the album. It has a naive, off-kilter, beautiful, and bizarre sound that I just love.

It's upbeat psych-jazz with extremely awkward cheery lead vocals. Stark's phrasing is kinda off (and his voice is WAY off) - it basically sounds like an easy listening number gone terribly wrong - but in a really good way.


available on CD - Now (Stones Throw)



  monty stark: ha! thanks, m
Touching You  performed by Astrud Gilberto  1972
Recommended by konsu [profile]

Oh, my... I know that she gets played to death, and has her lion's share of recommendations on these pages, but I have to mention this one.

For an artist considered sexy in any context this really takes it high. The track just makes you wanna light the candles, pour the cava, burn the buddah, and get freaky-sticky all over the couch! I mean come on! A total love down... Reminds me of the best stuff from the Moments/Sylvia Robinson camp... Smooth smooth soul. And with one of the most sultry voices in recorded history, it's just insane.

from Now (Perception PLP 29)




  scrubbles: Wow ... Astrud got a little fun-KAY there. I didn't know she recorded anything like this. Gotta check out that album!
track one a.k.a. vaka  performed by Sigur R�s  2002
Recommended by maansloep [profile]

I love the album ( ), but the first track has always been my favorite. I love the way it starts out. It's sort of like the needle dropping onto a record.

from ( ), available on CD


Trampoline  performed by The Greenberry Woods  1994
Recommended by Yammer [profile]

Any label searching for the perfect pop cover to resurrect from the forgotten early-90s (as with "There She Goes") would do well to give several listens to this equally bustling-yet-melodic paean to the bittersweet tang of youthful somethingorothers. Jangling electric guitars, singalong choruses (it doesn't get any easier than "come and see/trampoline"), mumbling, presumably insightful scatting over the reprise, layered harmonies, and a throwback yowling guitar solo. Merely sneering, "I already have one Oasis album," does not excuse you from the obligation to hear and love this song!!!

from Rapple Dapple (Sire)
available on CD - Powertopia! Power Pop Classics of the '90s (Rhino)



  luvs23: Sugar by Stretch Princess IS VERY VERY VERRRRRY similar to There She Goes by the La's. A similar high-pitch vocal with an addictive hit chorus: "Sugar Sugar sticking me to my babe Sugar Sugar sticking me to my babe Sticking up to my babe sticking up to my babe sticking up to my babe" Beautifully sung, I can't stop listening to it.
Trojan Horse  performed by Luv�  1978
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Others go to Amsterdam for the sex and the drugs - on my trip there I was intent on discovering a hit of the purest Europop. And it came in the form of three lovely ladies who had millions of number ones in 1970s Netherlands.

Luv' (the apostrophe is not a typo - perhaps any Dutch grammar scholars reading this would care to tell me of its purpose) combine drums, bagpipes, cliche and corn in one bejewelled package. They have made many great records but this is their majesty, their Great Gatsby.

And the CD cited below is a 2CD anthology of Dutch 70s and 80s girl pop. My idea of heaven and the rest of the population's burning purgatory.

from the single Trojan Horse (Philips 6012 858)
available on CD - We Cheer You Up (Hunter Music)



Try To Understand  performed by Lulu  1965
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Lulu has inflicted on the world many crimes against music, politics and fashion but gets into the pearly gates of musical heaven on the basis of this track. One of her early Decca sides, it's raw and heartfelt, and (despite her tender age at the time) a mature, original view of love.

from the single Try To Understand (Decca F.12214)
available on CD - The Girls' Scene (Deram)



Try try try  performed by The Smashing Pumpkins
Recommended by Mastrangi [profile]

A modern love song! The videclip is gorgeous!




Tuareg  performed by Gal Costa  1969
Recommended by DJ Markinho [profile]

Singer Gal Costa was born in Salvador (Bahia state). Together with other musicians from Bahia: Caetano Veloso, his sister Maria Bethânia, Gilberto Gil and Tom Zé, she moved to São Paulo in 1964. There she bacame one of the most important members of de Tropicalia movement. I consider �Tuareg� as her best song.

�
Pois ele é sentimental
Humano, é nobre é mouro
È muçulmano
Pois ele é guerreiro
Ele é bandoleiro
Ele é justiceiro
Ele é mandingueiro
Ele é um tuareg

�Tuareg� is from an era in which the attitude towards Muslims was a lot more positive then these days. The song is written by Jorge Ben and a fruitful mixture between Brazilian and Arabic music. I love the sound of the ud (the classical Arabic lute) and ghaita (or oboe: a double reed instrument) which Ben put together with an organ, a bass and a groovy rhythm. The song reminds me of Yusef Lateefs version of �Brazil�, Ary Barbosa�s hit. This jazz musician was also exploring and fusing musical cultures, and often used instruments of the Eastern world.




Tugboat  performed by Galaxie 500  1988
Recommended by Stian______ [profile]

Guess u can call this a love-song , it manages to be pretty sad and still come through as pretty light-hearted. It doesnt take many hearings before its a classic in your ears. The instrumentalisation (is that even a word lol) is pretty simple ,and yet so very effective.

from Today, available on CD



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



Turn me on  performed by Norah Jones  2002
Recommended by michellegsfl [profile]

It's jazz, but very bluesy.... her vocals are so smooth and the music is sensual and personal. I love it...

from come away with me


Turning of the Tide  performed by Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3  2006
Recommended by dsalmones [profile]

Songwriter Steve Wynn, the former Dream Syndicate frontman, has been on a tear since 1996 when he offered Melting in the Dark. Since then, his records have featured howling, wailing rock & roll and deep, dark acoustic reflections � all of them bearing his trademark noir-ish lyrics that offer the shadowy side of life, love, and violence. He's employed a variety of musicians, and they've always sounded like hired guns. On ...Tick...Tick...Tick he's got himself a real band. They're all younger than he is, and they have the hunger it takes to really execute Wynn's unique songs. Start with drummer Linda Pitmon, who acts as co-producer (along with Wynn and Craig Schumacher) on these sides. Add to this the fact that the entire band (including Dave DeCastro on bass and guitarist Jason Victor) plots the arrangements.

"Turning of the Tide," is the mirror image, with the refrain stating "Don't be afraid/It's just the turning of the tide." Here again, guitars climb astride one another and begin ringing, jangling in heated dialogue to underscore the words as Pitmon's in-the-pocket drumming urges them forward.
(AMG)

from ...Tick...Tick...Tick, available on CD


Two Star  performed by Everything But The Girl  1994
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

To me, Everything But The Girl are one of the most memorable bands of the 80s and 90s. What always strikes me is how their sound evolved from jangly, jazzy-pop in the beginning to polished, rather slick sophisti-pop in the late 80s/early 90s to sample-heavy, drum & bass/trip-hop influenced, house-embracing electronica at the end of their recording history in the mid/late 90s. Despite the change in sound they always managed to capture a consistency in the feel of the music, always revolving around the same themes over the years, dripping with melancholia, unrequited love, self-pity, romantic disillusionment etc. "Two Star" is a delicate, yet emotionally bleak ballad. Acoustic in sound, with piano, double bass and a wonderful string arrangement by Harry Robinson plus some cor anglais embellishments by Kate St. John.

from Amplified Heart, available on CD



Um Girassol da Cor de Seu Cabelo  performed by Milton Nascimento / Lo Borges  1972
Recommended by mr_klenster [profile]

This entire album is beautiful and fascinating. I seem to be a sucker for rather melancholic, afflicted, and intoxicating sounds, so here I go again. The first half of this song is slow and haunting, I don't understand Portuguese, but the tone sounds like a filmic remembrance of tragically lost love, with yearning lyrics paired to beautiful piano-led orchestration . In the middle of the song there is a break of dark, doomy strings, followed by the second half, which is a quicker tempoed revisit of the first half, taking the form of a psychic climax.

from Clube Da Esquina


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



Un tempo bello  performed by Stelvio Cipriani
Recommended by texjernigan [profile]

From what I've heard Cipriani's melodies are often predictable, but lovely, with progressions not unlike the Gloria Gaynor's I will survive, but his instrumentation, perhaps you'd call it the italian style, give it a kind of bright sound.





Unas the Slayer of the Gods  performed by Nile  2002
Recommended by King Charles [profile]

If you are looking for an epic, detailed, scriptured text, infused with the basal roots of death metal, this song is it. Standing at a whopping 11:43 (minutes and seconds), this is one of the longest songs I've ever heard, apart from Dream Theater. Listen to the lyrics here, we don't have a bunch of nihilistic meatheads preaching about death and lost love, it rather contains text from the Pyramid of Unas (known as the Pyramid Texts). These texts are dated in Unas's reign, who was the last ruler of the 5th dynasty- most agree he was alive from 2375 to 2345 B.C., but as is seen on elyrics.net, some date him back to 5330 B.C. This date, combined with it's deific juggernaut of sound (perpetrated in the beginning with an echoed 'vena' intro compimented by an all mighty gong, and again in the bridge which sounds like the intro to the Dark Army from LOTR: Return of the King, with it's French horns and marcato kettle drum foundation), make for a truly musical masterpiece. This is the first death metal band I encountered whose lyrics had real meaning, origin, and context (much like DJ Cheb i Sabah's portrayal of texts from the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita). Listen to this the whole way through, the instrumentation is incredible, with a massive orchestrated sound about as subtle as a tidal wave. The bass drums constantly set up the rhythm for the entire work (hold the beginning, and about 8:20 through, as well as the conclusion), and the instinctive deep-throat, albeit gut lyrics add for the dark yet impressive overtone of this piece. I believe I can hear sitar, vena, and even 12-string guitar in this piece. Also, it is critical to acknowledge the chorus in the background- this really highlights the sovereign, godly quality of the song's tone. The arrangement is tight, constantly in rhythm, never behind, and well meshed together, indicating well thought-out composing. Great to listen to before a game of hockey, going to the gym, or if you are feeling weak and helpless- this piece will give you power. Enjoy it for what it is- a new, comforting taste in death metal. Listen to this piece, buy the album, and do research on Unas himself- you'll find a quite interesting history behind this ancient Egyptian ruler, which is the embodiment of Nile- their obsession with the ancient kingdom. 5 out of 5 starts for its genre.

from In Their Darkened Shrines



Unchanging Window  performed by Broadcast  2000
Recommended by tempted [profile]

Broadcast are the perfect retro-futuristic band. They make space age pop like no one else today. Haunting Moogs, fuzzy, reverb-laden guitars and tight bass and drums. Trish Keenan's voice sounds like an understatement with its simple, effortless tone. For lovers of Morricone, United States Of America and Stereolab.

from Noise Made By People, available on CD



uncle john  performed by pearls before swine  1967
Recommended by stupidwall [profile]

i love the organ.

basically a great war protest song from the 60's. the only bad thing is tom rapp's lisp.

from one nation underground



  konsu: His lisp is genius!
Unconditional Love  performed by Tupac Shakur
Recommended by iriamenzo [profile]

the message




under the influence   performed by eminem
Recommended by ashley14 [profile]

this song is awesome too :) i absolutely love his atitude of i dont give a fck if u like me :) its basically just a fck u song haha




Understanding in a Car Crash  performed by Thursday  2001
Recommended by cryofthecelt [profile]

"Understanding in a Car Crash" is the song that brought me to love Thursday, a hardcore emo rock band from the New Jersey area. Emo (for "emo"-tional) is a genre that encompasses deep and tenderly obscure lyrics with raw, impassioned screams and hard rock riffs. Thursday is probably the best emo band out there. This is a great song about wasted time and wanted love, so listen to it! You might discover an emo-punker inside of you that you never knew existed!

from Full Collapse, available on CD


Underwater Chase  performed by Al Caiola  1966
Recommended by delicado [profile]

I had forgotten quite how brilliant this track is until it strangely popped into my head yesterday. It was originally available on Al's superb 'Sounds for Spies and Private Eyes' album, as well as volume 2 of the 'Music to Read James Bond By' series on United Artists records. It's very obviously James Bond rip-off music, but it's so perfectly executed, with cool percussive brass and Al's reverb-laden guitar nicely complemented by a swinging organ, that you can't help but love it.

from Sounds for Spies and Private Eyes (United Artists UAS 6435)
available on CD - Ultra Lounge - Cocktail Capers (Capitol)



Underwater Love   performed by Smoke City  1997
Recommended by geezer [profile]

Possibly the most peculiar song to ever hit the top 5,surreal in the extreme but oh ,so beautiful,like a little piece of music from every corner of the globe distilled through a trip hop filter,it has the funk foundations of acid jazz ,the majesty of the samba and the exotic mystery of Asia .Part spoken,oddly sung and complimented by an incessant tropical ambience thats hard to pin down.A real pearl from an oyster as suggested by the songs sublime watery brilliance .Initially used to sell L--I jeans ,a perfect example of why beauty and commerce should never be in the same room .

from Flying Away
available on CD - Flying Awaay


Unglued  performed by The Love Dolls  2007
Recommended by jzbass [profile]

Guitar oriented rocker in the spirit of the band Free others have compared the vocal to Paul Rodgers

from The Love Dolls (Doll House)
available on CD - www.myspace.com/thelovedollsband


Uninvited  performed by Alanis Morissette  1998
Recommended by CaitlinSpelledWrong [profile]

I love this song! The lyrics are awesome. I can totally relate with the lyrics(in most of her songs I find that I can). If your an Alanis fan you should hear this song.

"Like anyone would be
I am flattered by your fascination with me
Like any hot blooded woman
I have simply wanted an object to crave
But you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight"


available on CD - City of Angels Soundtrack


universo em desencanto  performed by tim maia  1974
Recommended by clmarcel [profile]

i think "delicato" will love this music, this is a mix of bossa nova and soul, from brazil.

from raional 1


Untitled # 1  performed by Spain  1995
Recommended by Stian______ [profile]

Probably the slowest music I have I guess, from an album called The Blue Moods of Spain . Its dream-pop for evenings full of hope, or comforting music for days when all falls apart.The vocalist is not the worlds best , but because hes so natural it just adds to the mood I find. Its hard to pinpoint exactly what I like the most about it ,its just one of those songs u fall in love with and never grow away from.

from The Blue Moods of Spain, available on CD



Up In The North  performed by The Fiery Furnaces  2003
Recommended by alba [profile]

this is one of the best rock songs released recently...i love the piano...its got a folky, rootsy thing going on

from Gallowsbird's Bark


Ur So Kute  performed by The Love Dolls  2007
Recommended by jzbass [profile]

Pop rock guitar oriented very hooky

from The Love Dolls (Doll House)
available on CD - www.myspace.com/thelovedollsband


Veleiro  performed by Elis Regina  1966
Recommended by Mr Steal [profile]

What a range of emotion and mood she packs into this song. The fact that I don't speak any Portuguese just doesn't matter. The arrangement, too, is stunning, and combines with Elis's voice to create several heart-stopping moments in under 3 minutes � and there's one sublime crescendo where she sings a low, ascending scale that defines why I love music.

from Elis (Philips P765.001P)



Velouria  performed by The Pixies  1990
Recommended by wendyloohoo [profile]

This song is a great sing-a-long song while still really rocking!! Kim Deal's contrasting vocals really pop! I love this song!

from Bossa Nova, available on CD


Venus  performed by Frankie Avalon  1959
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Exremely well arranged song, i absolutely love these almost surreal sounding female vocals throughout the song and the harpsicord embellishments, combined with a slightly calypsoed beat, sounds unusual for me for that time. There's something special about it, maybe it's because i could imagine the song in a David Lynch movie, giving it a whole new context, like Bobby Vintons "Blue Velvet" wasn't the same after watching the movie...

from 25 All-Time Greatest Hits, available on CD



Vision of Love  performed by Bertrand Burgalat  200?
Recommended by nathanx [profile]

French DJ's cover of Mariah Carey's song with 60's flare. It is to cry! Burgalat is so classy.
Download from his site:
http://okbertrand.free.fr/burg/audio.htm





Viva Bobby Joe  performed by The Equals  1968
Recommended by tinks [profile]

Who'd have guessed that Eddy "Electric Avenue" Grant had been in such an awesome psychedelic pop band? I'm not entirely sure what this song is about (Sex? Racecars? Paper towels?), but I do so love it.

from the single Viva Bobby Joe (Fontana)
available on CD - Viva Equals (MCI)



Volcano  performed by Damien Rice  2003
Recommended by xfanatic50 [profile]

This track is so beautiful. I love songs that combine male and female voices, and this song is just so moody, and slow and perfect.

from O




  michschmello: this is my favorite song on his album. based on some of the music you should check out the portishead dummy album. recommended tracks: roads, numb
Wake me I am dreaming  performed by Love Affair  1970
Recommended by Ron1967-1970 [profile]

To most people The Love Affair will always be connected with their hits "everlasting love" , "rainbow valley" or "a day without love" ... undoubtably great songs which had lots of airplay and all made it into the charts. BUT ... there was trouble inside the group. The members wanted to play a more progressive sound and get rid of their pop-image. So a deal was made with the producer... he picked material for the a-side, the group could record a progressive tune on the b-side. One of those great a-sides was recorded in 1970 and released in 1971. "Wake me I am dreaming" has all the elements of their hit sound, but was hardly played. Why ? No idea, because it has the commercial potential it needed. Maybe it's due to the fact that the overall music scene was changing rapidly (country rock, glamrock, etc)... they surely deserved a hit with this orchestrated melodramatic ballad




wake me i am dreaming  performed by the llove affair  1971
Recommended by hanggonopoernomo38 [profile]




Walk Away  performed by Kelly Clarkson  2006
Recommended by Izzy [profile]

I love this song because it is so catchy and is really funky, I reckon everyone would like it!

from Breakaway


Walk Away Renee  performed by Orpheus  1968
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A really lovely version of this song, which was more famously recorded by The Left Banke. The introduction nicely recalls the melody of The Association's 'Never my love'.

The instrumentation has a folk flavour, with a nice strummed acoustic guitar. The production is superb, with great, slightly distant sounding vocal harmonies and occasional sparkly percussion sounds. Overall, it's a sound not millions of miles away from groups like Spanky and Our Gang, but it has a melancholic edge to it that makes it more listenable to my ears. Something has happened to me over the last couple of years, and some of the more lightheartedly happy music I used to like appeals to me much less.

from Ascending (MGM MGM 4569)
available on CD - The Very Best Of Orpheus (Varese)




  executiveslacks: I had just finished recommending Belle & Sebastian's "Piazza, New York Catcher" when I came across this recommendation. They namecheck "Walk Away Renee" in "Piazza..." I haven't heard this song, but now I want to hear it!
  WayCool: Orpheus' version of "Walk Away Renee" is a classic example of how this group effortlessly applied their distinctive sound to material by other bands. I enjoyed the original version by The Left Banke but always thought the wimpy vocals could have used some testosterone. The Orpheus version is without fault and I'm totally puzzled why it failed to eclipse the original.
  jeanette: I hear the legendary Pink Lady have also recorded a version - what a treat! Anyone heard?
  delicado: Having heard several versions of this song (most recently, The Blades of Grass), I'd just like to reiterate that this for me is THE rendition of the song - I'm with WayCool on this one!
  artlongjr: I have a 45 of this by the Four Tops...I like their version, it sounds very mature the way Levi Stubbs sings it, compared to the youthful innocence of the original! I have the Orpheus version and it's great, but I will always like the Left Banke original best...I wonder if anybody ever covered "Pretty Ballerina"?
Walkabout  performed by Noah Lennox feat. Atlas Sound
Recommended by ianmalcolm2 [profile]



Doesn't everybody love a good collaboration? It turns out Noah Lennox's beachboy-inspired vocals fit in nicely with the sound-collage electronica of Bradford Cox's offbeat side-project, Atlas Sound. The tight vocal harmonies, and childlike sampled groove compliment each other perfectly.

Nothing too deep in terms of vocal content. It's one of those songs where the chorus is repeated about 800 times, but you can never remember the words.

Instead, this song is all about atmosphere. I'm a sucker for that bleached-out, 70's technicolor vibe lately, and this song captures it more effectively than most. The lo-fi skuzziness, however, only enhances its pop-perfection.

Enjoy before summer ends! This is the perfect doobed-up jam for driving to the beach on a day where you can see the heat. Happy listening.




Waltzing Matilda  performed by Tom Waits
Recommended by eve [profile]

Tom Waits is so cool. All of his songs do a really good job of making you feel like you remember a time and place you've never seen... his world is one of boxcars, whiskey, and five o'clock shadow. This song is much less bizarre than some of his others; it's more mournful. But it's just... nice to hear. He is a sad old man.





  Jackamaku: Great tune, although the name of this song is actually "Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)"
Wanderlove  performed by Claudine Longet  1967
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

I always like Claudine Longet's whispery, French accented voice, singing cutesy little love songs with all the dreamy passion of a girl decorating her school notebook with detailed drawings of unicorns and flowers. But she sounds even better when performing a darker, vaguely forboding song like "Wanderlove". The gentle string arrangement and subtle sitar flourishes are the icing on the cake. Wherever you're going, Claudine, take me with you.

from Claudine, available on CD


Want a Danish  performed by Van Morrison  1968
Recommended by agnamaracs [profile]

Another song from the Bang Contractual Sessions (see my previous writeup for "Ring Worm"). In this one, Van actually has a conversation with himself:

"You want a danish?"
"No, I just ate. I've just aten."
"D'you want..."
"Like, I want some bread up front."
"Oh, bread up front? You want a sandwich?"


The remainder of the lyrics is basically the phrases "have a danish," "you want a sandwich? have a sandwich," and "have a seat" repeated ad nauseam. (The song is only a minute long.)

Along with introducing the word "aten" and the phrase "bread up front" into our lexicon, this might rank as Van Morrison's strangest recording... and given the rest of the Bang Contractuals, that's saying something. You've gotta love his delivery, though.

from The Lost Tapes (Movie Play Gold)
available on CD - a whole bunch (you'll find one eventually)




  sashwap: i maintain that he actually says "eaten" but with an irish accent.
Wantin’ Ain’t Gettin’  performed by The Association  1967
Recommended by scrubbles [profile]

In putting together a mix CD tentatively called "Far Out Sixties", this song immediately came to mind. Anybody who knows the Association from "Windy" or "Along Comes Mary" is in for a rude awakening when hearing this tune. It's quite a funky little jam with laid back, almost scatting vocals and droning sitars. So groovy you could picture the guys wearing love beads and nehru jackets while performing it!

from Insight Out (Warner Bros.)



  konsu: Alright! I've compiled this one before too. I think the sitar/drum break at the top has been sampled more than a few times. The tune almost sounds like a tribute to Ravi Shankar & The Lovin' Spoonful simultaneously...Right On!
  deaser26: This was a song written by my father, Michael Deasy Sr - who played guitar on most of the Association's stuff. He did a couple of psychedelic albums, Friar Tuck and his Psychedelic Guitar and Tanyet - both cutting edge classics. This song was an interesting exploration for the Association guys.
Way to Blue  performed by Nick Drake  1969
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Lovely, sombre song whose excellent string arrangement (no other backing is used) contributes greatly to its success.

from Five Leaves Left
available on CD - Way to Blue


We All Fall In Love Sometimes  performed by Jeff Buckley  199?
Recommended by cdarville [profile]

This song is circulating on Limewire and is incomplete in any version that is downloaded, but is still incredibly representative of what was lost when Jeff Buckley died.

Mr. Buckley had a knack for a great cover song and wasn't afraid of the schmaltzy stuff, either. Jeff's version was performed solo with guitar as a live-on-air track in the mid-90s and includes a long jam-y intro with commentary. It's one of his most perfect performances, in my opinion. What a shame that it has not been released officially.

from bootleg



  hollygo13: I actually have the complete recording, I have to agree with you I think it's fantastic and it's swiftly becoming my favorite bootleg of his (of so many that carry his legacy). I believe it was recorded in 1992, but I'm not certain.
  cdarville: Hey hollygo13, I'd really like to arrange, if at all possible, to get a copy of your complete bootleg. Please email me at [email protected] if you'd like to help me out.
We Dance  performed by Pavement  1995
Recommended by phil [profile]

I get the impression that even a lot of Pavement fans don't know this one very well, presumably because it's on a pretty duff album (wowee zowee). However, it's one of my absolute favourite pavement songs. Musically it is very quiet - it's essentially just an acoustic guitar, though the funny noises the band make are quite entertaining. However, I really love the structure: there's nothing that can be called a verse or a chorus there - he just rambles on until he is finished. It has the full extent of Pavement's lyrics - completely ridiculous, funny, and sometimes very moving. Plus, as ever, malkmus' weirdy voice is a joy to listen to. So, if you like the pavement style - slow, quirky, funny, and often amazingly beautiful musically, and you don't know this one, you should really look into it. There's a brilliant solo version of it you can get off Napster (legally - Pavement distribute this stuff) - search for "we dance acoustic" - means you don't have to cough up for the album too.

from Wowee Zowee, available on CD




  karlmort: this one has been among my fave pavement albums since it came out. this album has some stand out tracks like grounded , fight this generation and we dance. there is also a rare version of this song on a 7". it was released prior to wowee zowee.
  your_namesake: absolutely love this track. can't agree with you on wowee zowee though, i think that's a brilliant album...
We Got Love  performed by Ryan Shaw
Recommended by jeeves4 [profile]




We Must Be Doing Something Right  performed by Gordian Knot  1968
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

This track is pure, unadulterated soft rock/sunshine pop heaven. This could easily be mistaken for a lost Association gem with beautifully arranged vocal harmonies by Hi-Los'Clark Burroughs, who, in fact, also produced "Never My Love" and "Windy" (and the rest of the "Insight Out" album for The Association). Combined with a slightly baroque sounding harpsicord, organ, xylophone embellishments and highly idealistic lyrics it makes a lovely piece of sunhsine pop.

from Tones (Verve V6-5062)



we were so much in love  performed by hideki kaji  1998
Recommended by daidai [profile]

very laid back song from kaji-kun with a retro feel. excellent usage of theramin.

from tea (trattoria PSCR-5556)



We´re here  performed by Guillemots  2006
Recommended by moondog [profile]

I can´t remember the last time i was so excited by an english band. Guillemots seem to have everything that´s been lacking in a british pop band for the last couple of years. we´re here is a stringladen,anthemic pop song and when i´m listening to it everyone from a-ha, prefab sprout,scott walker is evoked but in the end it sounds only like the guillemots. Seriously lovely

from through the windowpane



  moondog: Oh, and look at the lovely video here ;www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n6uV9wqpuU&mode=related&search=
wear your love like heaven  performed by donovan  1967
Recommended by notyet [profile]

from gift from a flower to a garden


wear your love like heaven  performed by donovan
Recommended by morning belle [profile]




Web Cam Kutie  performed by The Love Dolls  2007
Recommended by jzbass [profile]

guitar rock / pop mid to up tempo cool lyric observation in non judgmental fashion regarding girls who end up in the online modeling biz

from The Love Dolls (Doll House)
available on CD - www.myspace.com/thelovedollsband


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)


werewolf  performed by the frantics  1959
Recommended by olli [profile]

legendary primal surf track with werewolf noises. Talk about a guitar sound with authoroty! I really like the tribal drums and the kitchy spoken(or should that be spooky?)word intro. one of the coolest halloween compilation tracks around. The Cramps love it.




Wet Sand  performed by Red hot chili peppers
Recommended by eevas86 [profile]

This song is just amazing. I love it! I love the sound of the song, I love the voice of Kiedis, I love it.




What About Love  performed by Austin Mahone
Recommended by sarahggates [profile]

So catchy




What About Love  performed by Austin Mahone
Recommended by sarahggates [profile]

So catchy




What Becomes of the Broken-hearted?  performed by Colin Blunstone  1990
Recommended by Mike [profile]

I love the chord sequence of this sentimental number originally popularised by Jimmy Ruffin, and the two versions by Colin Blunstone that I've heard are my favourites.

from Greatest Hits (Castle)


What Color Is Love  performed by Terry Callier  1972
Recommended by konsu [profile]

I know the buzz is burned on his return but I still need to give this song props. The first time I heard this album was indesribable. It sort of places you in a zone where so many sounds you love coexist in poingant harmony. This one, the title track, is a mix of torchy iceman elegance, and rootsy baroque impressionisim. And the mix of talents is undeniable. Charles Stepney and his incredible group of session men, and one, singular, unique songwriting talent. Done at a time when they could do no wrong...

It goes in and out of print, so snap it up if you can.

from What Color Is Love (Cadet MSM 37190)


What Have You Done?  performed by Motion Soundtrack  2003
Recommended by SOYA [profile]

This song is amazing! The guitar is haunting, Marc Wild is the Sh#t! I especially love the lyrics. "futhermore falling and never quite landing, your seeing with eyes closed, your dreams". What have you done is a master piece. Chad Horton ( the lead signer)AMAZING! Beautifully talented band, DON'T MISS OUT, CHECK THEM OUT!

from THE BRIDGE, available on CD


What Sarah Said  performed by Death Cab for Cutie  2005
Recommended by nospmohtetak [profile]

This song is a very sad revelation of what it means to truly love someone. Gibbard is telling a story of what it's like to be awaiting bad news in a hospital. The piano reflects the sad realization that at some point, the person you love will die, and if you're really going to be there for them, you have to watch them. The best lyric is "but I'm thinking of what Sarah said: 'love is watching someone die.'" It's a very well written, thought-provoking song.

from Plans (Atlantic Records)


What Would Tom Petty Do  performed by The Love Dolls  2007
Recommended by jzbass [profile]

guitar oriented song The lyric is about following your dream. Some great slide work

from The Love Dolls (Doll House)
available on CD - www.myspace.com/thelovedollsband


Whatta Man  performed by Salt �N� Pepa featuring En Vogue  1993
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

This has to be my favourite song ever about being happy and in love. No piece of music gets it across just how damn happy you can be with the right person, when everything just falls into place.

Salt 'N' Pepa have one of the most consistently great back catalogues of any pop group. They just, seemingly effortlessly, wheeled out killer tune on top of killer tune in an era when pop-rap (pop-hop?) was at its apex.

My man has all the attributes the seven ladies describe here, alongside a willingness to put up with my Claudja Barry and Dolly Dots records. But don't take him for a sucker, cos that's not what he's about...

from Very Necessary, available on CD



When I Am Gone  performed by Sparrow House
Recommended by softindierocker [profile]

I know this is incredibly cliched, but words cannot describe how beautiful this song is. So sad and sweet. Especially the lyrics. It's love the way the guy doesn't lay any blame, even though he's heartbroken.

This song didn't really stick out to me at first, but I read the lyrics and listened to it a bit more. Now, I totally love it!

If you've listened to this song but don't particularly like it, you should definitely give it another shot!




When I fall in love  performed by Keith Jarrett  2000
Recommended by Mike [profile]

Recorded live in London with Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette, this has to be one of the very best versions of this superb song, full of nuance and expression, yet not dripping with sentimentality.

from Inside Out, available on CD


When Mac Was Swimming  performed by The Innocence Mission  2003
Recommended by JackStowage [profile]

Karen Peris shakes the blues of her previous recording and explores the hopeful possibilities of life and death.

Nobody knows, darling.
Nobody knows how they are loved.

With Don's usual shimmering guitar given a touch of lounge-y bossa nova.


available on CD - befriended (Badman Records)



When The Laughter Is Over  performed by Swing Out Sister  2004
Recommended by eftimihn [profile]

Their latest offering "Where Our Love Grows" seems like a brighter, lighter twin of the beautiful 2001 release "Somewhere Deep In The Night", trading in sparkling stars with sunny seashores. "When The Laughter Is Over" conjures up a late 60s melancholic "lost summer" kind of mood. That's obvious since they delicately build the song around a sample taken from Roger Nichols & The Small Circle of Friends' marvelous "I Can See Only You" from 1968.

from Where Our Love Grows, available on CD



When U Love Somebody  performed by Fruit Bats
Recommended by lhirsch92 [profile]




When Will the Rain Come  performed by The Troggs  1968
Recommended by tinks [profile]

This is an absolutely incredible song. It's a melancholy, minor-key brooder much in the vein of the Zombies' more experimental work, and it really showcases how underrated the Troggs were compared to many of their British Invasion contemporaries. This appeared as a b-side to their second biggest US hit, "Love is All Around".

from Love is All Around (Fontana)
available on CD - Archaeology 1967-1977 (Polydor)



Whirl  performed by High Rise
Recommended by Damian Vegas [profile]

Totally overdriven, psych-noise power trio rawk. (There, that should satisfy your need for critical cliche.) Seriously, though, this is one of my favorite tracks by High Rise. The band just seems totally in sync here while still going nuts. Especially potent (as always) is Munehiro Narita's guitar soloing. The band puts so much in the song that it really feels longer than it is, and it's still not nearly long enough. Recommended for people who love great guitar solos and just plain fierce rock and roll.


available on CD - Disallow (Squealer Music)


White Car in Germany  performed by The Associates  1981
Recommended by robert[o] [profile]

Post-punk "pop" at its most gorgeous/baroque/bewilderingly extreme - and the perfect introduction to the God-like genius of Alan Rankine and the late/great singer Billy Mackenzie. A four car-pile-up between Roxy Music (circa "For Your Pleasure"), Bowie (circa "Heroes"), Scott Walker's "Scott 3" and Kraftwerk's "The Man Machine", (with King Tubby and Shirley Bassey acting as ambulance attendants), this song is both empty and lush, creepy and hilarious, ice-cold and almost embarrassingly emotional. I have loved/lived/died by this song for almost two decades, and I still can't begin to tell you what its about. It's like something from outer space - like so many of the greatest pop songs are.

from The Fourth Drawer Down (Situation Two)
available on CD - From The Fourth Drawer Down (V2)


white demon love song  performed by the killers
Recommended by ashley14 [profile]




White Rabbit  performed by Jefferson Airplane  196?
Recommended by mattypenny [profile]

I'm going to post 3 linked songs. Eventually. This one, Somebody to Love by the same band and then the recent cover of Somebody To Love by the Boogie Pimps.

Anyway I must have heard this before, but sometime within the past few years it popped up on a free magazine compilation. I probably associated the band with their 80s (?) incarnation - the band that did 'We built this City On Rock and Roll'. Each to their own, but I have to say I really didn't like that song at all - to me it was bland, radio and MTV friendly big haired, anthemic music for people who don't like music. Really sorry if it was your favourite, but as I say, each to their own. White Rabbit is to me is the total opposite.

The best way I can think of to describe the sound would be as being like a cooler, more rocking 60s version of 'Metal Postcard' style Siouxsie and the Banshees. The words are a druggie take on Alice in Wonderland, and it finishes with the singer (Grace Slick?) basically shouting 'Feed my head' over and over. Although I wouldn't condone the sentiment (Just say No, kids!), it's all very impressive. It couldn't be less bland, radio and MTV friendly.

If you like the Banshees, Bauhaus, indie in general or on the otherhand the darker Beatles stuff or the Velvet Underground you might enjoy this.




whole lotta love  performed by ccs  1970
Recommended by shaka_klaus [profile]

i think that jtq borrowed quite a lot from ccs when they recorded their version of this song. i like the flute.





  n-jeff: Could even be 196? Familiar to those of us from theUK of a certain age as the theme to "top of the pops". Great hair and Sideburns on your man Alexis Corner, too. In fact don't they use it on TOTP 2 now?
  shaka_klaus: i don't know. i'm from sweden. i guess i'm not of a certain age either :).
  tinks: it's from 1970. and it was produced by mickie most, even!
Wicked Little Town  performed by Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Recommended by gingerninja [profile]

Great Musical. Great songs. This song reminds me of how i grew up in a small nasty town. All the songs in the show are amazing, watch the film.....

from Hedwig and the Angry Inch - Cast Recording


Wild Is The Wind  performed by Nina Simone  1966
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

Ms. Simone sings almost with a sense of agony knowing that the object of her affection is untamed and unavailable even as she begs for his love. This track is heartbreakingly beautiful and is great listening in the late hours with the lights dimmed.

from Wild Is The Wind (Polygram 846893)
available on CD - Nina Simone: Quiet Now-Night Songs (Verve 314 543 251)



  cdarville: This song is also available on the original release, Wild Is the Wind, available now as a double-release combined with High Priestess of Soul on CD. It's been available for over ten years on Polydor and is wonderful!
Wild is the wind  performed by David Bowie
Recommended by vleta [profile]




Willow Tree  performed by Thomas J Speight
Recommended by daniela_por [profile]

This happy love song was produced by Tim Rice-Oxley and Jesse Quinn, two members of Keane. It's really nice. Speight's voice is not powerful, but it's sweet and very well used in this song.

from Willow Tree


Wishful Thinking  performed by China Crisis  1984
Recommended by john_l [profile]

This is an utterly lovely song with synthesized strings and organ (and a real oboe) which actually made the Top Ten on the east side of the pond, the side where more people have "musical taste" it would seem. The bowed strings back much of the song, while the plucked strings and the oboe make some nice fills between vocal lines. And the line "I sat on the roof", out of context, sounds exactly like the identical line in Elton John's "Your Song", although that one continues "and kicked out the moss" while this one continues "and watched the day go by" ...

from Working With Fire And Steel
available on CD - The China Crisis Collection (Virgin)


Wishing Now  performed by Glen Campbell  1974
Recommended by [email protected] [profile]

Absolutely incredibly hooky, soaring, romantic pop song, very much in the same world as some of the best Terry Sylvester solo stuff, those wonderful Mark Lindsay solo records, "Dusty in London," Peter Shelley's "Love Me, Love My Dog" etc.

from Reunion, available on CD


With this love  performed by Peter Gabriel  1989
Recommended by moondog [profile]

Peter Gabriel may be a thing of the eighties but this track from Martin Scorses film Passion of the christ makes me cry nearly evertime i hear it. Just a flute and a hymn like melody that offers a consolation that i have hard to find in any art form than popular music.

from Passion, available on CD


Without a Doubt  performed by My Dad is Dead  1990
Recommended by delicado [profile]

A wonderful guitar based pop song which strongly evokes the early 90s to me. The guitar work is superb - a clean electric sound with the kind of fast strumming I love (and used to try and imitate). It's an optimistic and uplifting track - check it out! The Peel session version sounds the best to me, but that's probably because I heard it first. At one stage Mark Edwards had made this available online.

from Chopping Down the Family Tree, available on CD




  konsu: Mark Edwards is one of the unsung heros of midwestern post-punk. His influence is often kept secret, as if to protect the pearls contained within from pop-poachers and indie-plagerists. His Homestead stuff is worth hunting down, particularly "Let's Skip The Details" & "The Taller You Are,The Shorter You Get". His self-effacing wisdom, and ironic poetics are the stuff of legend, as well as his no-nonsense approach to guitar, which much like mr. D, I had practiced in my solitude many times before. A rare recommendation indeed!
wo yao ni de ai  performed by grace chang ge lan  1958
Recommended by king8egg [profile]

this is a cover of a song which i have been told is a song by hendricks, lambert and ross. the original title is "i want you to be my baby" but the translation of the chinese title is "i want your love". this version of the song is sung in both english and chinese. this song was recently used in the tsai ming-liang film "the hole" as well. the song has an infectious rhythm and great lyrics that can even make me sing along. though some passages in both chinese and english are sung way too fast for me to properly sing along. i usually hate to sing, so any song that can make me want to sing along is quite an accomplishment.

from the age of shanghainese pops 1930-1970, available on CD




  tinks: you're right, jon hendricks wrote this, but i don't believe he ever recorded it with lambert, hendricks and ross. it was originally recorded by louis jordan in 1952, and lillian briggs had a modest-sized hit with it in 1955. nonetheless, it's a terrific song, and this version sounds very, very interesting.
  Aquatown: Great to hear I'm not the only one who loves this song. Now that I know the proper English title I searched my record collection for other versions and found one by Ellie Greenwich - but Grace's version is definately the keeper.
  king8egg: this song has also been recently used in a mcdonald's commercial here in taiwan. now if they'd start re-issuing her stuff again i'd be very happy indeed.
  tea rose: Love the song too but unfortunately there is limited information about it provided online. Do you know where I can obtain both the Chinese and English lyrics for it? And also an English website on Grace Chang? I am turning into a fan of her songs!
  jeeter: Tsai ming-liang uses another Grace Chang (Ge Lan) song in his latest film, "Goodbye, Dragon Inn," now out on DVD. I believe the song is called "Chong Feng." It's beautiful, in a quaint, old-fashioned way. Not an up-tempo pop number like wo yao ni de ai--more of a ballroom-y ballad. Anybody know whether this song is available on CD?
  KiMono-Stereo: The book mentioned above is unfortunatly not available outside china. But I just got two 10" and one CD of Grace Chang. Unfortunately all is written in chinese that I can not read, so I don`t know, what song you are talking about. But there is one funny song, where she sneezes and then sings: "Gesundheit" in German. Very funny stuff :-). Actually I'm a great fan of japanese singer Eri Chiemi, that is a bit similiar stuff...
Wonderful  performed by The Beach Boys  1966
Recommended by Yammer [profile]

By 1965, Brian Wilson's professional and personal lives were in such a state of constant panic that it was almost inevitable that he would turn to readily available forms of rock star relief. While his self-medication (and underlying mental illness) would ultimately render him into a poster boy for an imaginary DARE campaign, the early, merely marijuanic phase of his regimen yielded a brief but vivid string of almost absurdly gorgeous pop masterpieces. While a couple of these are permanently stamped into the forebrains of all radio listeners over a certain age ("God Only Knows," "Good Vibrations"), some remain almost unknown. Which brings us to "Wonderful," found on the Beach Boys box set, and remade a few years ago as part of the Don Was hagiography. It is a curious, brief (2 minutes) tune, austere in production (harpsichord and vocal) but staggeringly rich in harmonic interest. The melody evokes pure serenity and has no noticeable roots in any previous American pop style. Van Dyke Park's lyric is typically insane; what little one can make of it seems to dovetail with Wilson's growing religiousity, yet feels entirely physical, even pagan -- a sort of boy-loves-wood sprite nature idyll making the first movement of a really great ballet with set design by Maurice Sendak. Or something.


available on CD - Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys (Capitol)


World Spins Madly On  performed by The Weepies
Recommended by softindierocker [profile]

I love this song! So sweetly depressing. However, it is surprisingly upbeat for a depressing song! You've just gotta love those paradoxes!! :)




Worst Case Scenario  performed by The Hoosiers  2007
Recommended by Issie [profile]

This song is just so catchy and I love it! Their album is also really good.

from The trick to life


Wunder Gibt Es Immer Wieder  performed by Katja Ebstein  1970
Recommended by BlueEyedYe-Ye [profile]

Who would have thought something with a groovy, funky loungey feeling like this could come straight out of the Eurovision Song Contest? Not only that but the girl is cute as a button, has a fantastic blue eyed soul voice and was a bit of a cunning linguist too, this song exists in the original German, French, Italian, Spanish, English and even Japanese! This really is killer lounge funk and ought to be comped, but i'm pretty sure it isn't... Worth checking out though.


available on CD - Wunder Gibt Es Immer Wieder (Ariola Extra)


Yellow  performed by Coldplay  2000
Recommended by izumi [profile]

I don't think this song needs an introduction because love or hate Coldplay, most people should know this song by now. It's their most famous anthem, and is a truly beautiful song. The melody and harmonies sound amazing, and Chris Martin's vocals are really outstanding. The lyrics are really cool, and the guitar/bass sound great as well. And as I type, I'm 3 hours away from seeing them live at Crystal Palace! ^_^ Five out of five.

from Parachutes (Parlophone 5277832)


Yes I�m Ready  performed by Barbara Mason  1965
Recommended by rum [profile]

I was utterly smitten with this track when I heard it in the film Jesus� Son. It�s a gorgeously sentimental Philly soul-pop number with Ms Mason cooing sheepishly to her lover that she, �doesn�t even know how to kiss [his] lips� in a moment like this�, before a choir from an ancient realm of heaven peer over the scene and ask if she�s ready to learn, and she says yes she is, she�s ready, she�s ready to, �FALL IN LOVE WITH� [him]��, and how the strings swoop and soar! For good or bad, songs will never sound like this again.


available on CD - Yes I'm Ready (Bear Family)


Yesterday and Today  performed by YES  1968
Recommended by geezer [profile]

Sweet and simpler than this groups future output ,a piano,acoustic guitar ballad ,with angelic vocals and unusual chord progressions which make it sound less repetitive than it actually is .This was Yes,s first album and gave little sign of their future prog direction this track has more in common with The Beatles than than the wigged out fantasy jams that filled future albums .Short ,sweet and lovely

from YES!, available on CD


Yo Mama  performed by Frank Zappa  1979
Recommended by Bwanadik [profile]

This song features my favourite guitar solo of all time. I love the way it builds, the guitar just soars - sheer genius. Check out the mad rhythm section. I play this song most days of my life. I adore it. And no I don't live with my Mama lol.

from Sheik Yerbouti, available on CD


Yo Que No Vivo Sin Ti (You Don�t Have to Say You Love Me)  performed by Luis Miguel  1987
Recommended by RCA76 [profile]

Yet another amazing Spanish version of an amazing song. Luis Miguel is a very suave latin crooner and this song especially demonstrates that. I love the late 80's instrumentation, it reminds me of late night in New Year City.

from Soy Como Quiero Ser, available on CD


Yoshimi battles the pink robots  performed by The Flamming Lips
Recommended by inbloom44 [profile]

Bizarre lyrics, but it's so sweet, so enduring and just plain catchy that you have to love it.




You can make me Dance ,Sing,or Anything  performed by The Faces  1974
Recommended by geezer [profile]

Late period Faces hint at the looser funkier sound which was calling Rod across the pond ,all the faces elements are on this slab of disco pop rock,i mean swagger ,melody ,tightness,looseness,atitude and humour and a chorus which subliminates love/lust into eight carefully chosen words .Possibly their last piece of greatness before Rod Stewart made his Atlantic crossing and headed for safer shores and leopard skin trousers .

from Snakes and Ladders (Mercury)
available on CD - Best of the Faces /Good Boys when there asleep


You Can�t Win  performed by Ann Sexton  1974
Recommended by jeanette [profile]

Absolute beauty. A soulful chastisement about not winning, not breaking even, and not getting out of the game. Vocals as pure as morphine from the poppy, and just as hedonistically addictive.

This stunning Southern soul platter features virtuoso brass and drums, as well as what is possibly the only acceptable squealing electric guitar riff in recorded music.

I love this song so damn much.

from the single You Can�t Win (Seventy-Seven Records SP 2136)
available on CD - You're Gonna Miss Me (Charly)



You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me  performed by Dusty Springfield  1966
Recommended by FlyingDutchman1971 [profile]

One of Dusty's best tracks ever. There isn't much that she isn't willing to endure just to hold on to the one she loves. Dusty's perfect voice is wonderfully supported by great orchestration and powerful backing chorus that bring out the emotions and make this one of the most outstanding performances of the twentieth century!

from You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (Philips PHS 600 210)
available on CD - the Dusty Springfield Anthology (Box Set) (Mercury 314 553 501)


You Love Us  performed by Manic Street Preachers
Recommended by DearPrudence [profile]




You Told Me  performed by The Monkees  1967
Recommended by nuthings [profile]

Underrated Monkees pop song with a country feel to it about getting tired of a lover's lies: "times have made me shy of all the things you're saying, times have made me shy of girls and all the games they are playing".

from Headquarters, available on CD



  adam12: Love this tune as well. As you may know this is the first song first side of Headquarters which was the first Monkees album that featured them playing arranging and producing the music. Mike Nesmith penned tune with a great banjo work from Peter Tork. This cut probably opened the ears of a few cynics when it came out. Definitely not light weight pop, more of a Byrds, country rock feel. Very underated song and album.
You Will Remember Me (Detalhes)  performed by Roberto Carlos  1981
Recommended by RCA76 [profile]

This is another one of those latin songs that was translated to English for the benefit of those that never heard of Roberto Carlos or his original version of this very popular song (Detalhes). It is a beautiful yet tragic love song. I prefer the original, although this version's orchestration and vocals are very similar to the original.

from Roberto Carlos '81, available on CD


You’ve Come This Way Before  performed by Nancy Priddy  1968
Recommended by gregcaz [profile]

Shakespearean actress and mother of Christina Applegate, the lovely Ms. Priddy only made this one album, but what an album it is. This, the title track, shows her to be somewhat more than an ingenue. Over a stark arrangement centered around a spare bassline and DJ-enticing drum break, she sings lyrics far beyond the usual pop-romantic platitudes. Why hasn't this fantastic record been reissued yet?

from You've Come This Way Before (Dot DLP 25893)



You’ve got the love  performed by Florence and the Machine  2009
Recommended by DJBeatrice [profile]

I have never been to a better concert. Florence's vocal are insane : )

from Lung
available on CD - yes


You’ve got the love  performed by Florence + the Machines
Recommended by ksullivan1990 [profile]




You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling  performed by The Human League  1979
Recommended by Genza [profile]

This is a cover of the Spector, Mann and Weil classic. I'd always loved The Human League - and Dare is probably the seminal new romantic album. But it wasn't until a friend of mine bought Reproduction in the late 1980s that I discovered the early, darker side of The Human League.

Reproduction is often slated for being too doomy and too pretentious. But there's some real gems on there - and Empire State Human and Blind Youth bounce along nicely.

The real killer is track 7 - which effectively blends electronic lament Morale with the League's cover of You've Lost That Loving Feeling. It's a beautiful, slow version - a totally electronic lullaby and it's totally essential.

from Reproduction (Virgin CDV 2133 CDV 2133)


Young Bride  performed by Midlake
Recommended by carl [profile]

I love this song





  Mike: I love a song by Midlake called "Around", but I can't find what it was originally released on or how to get it.
  carl: Great song, sounds a lot like Thom Yorke. The song was available on the Soulseek network, but it seems like it is not to be found elsewhere. Discogs has no information about it either. Hm...
  Mike: Yes, it is very Radiohead-sounding. Hopefully I can turn it up sometime. Cheers!
Young, Alive, In Love  performed by Flipper�s Guitar
Recommended by snafkin [profile]

Japanese group from the early 90's where Cornelius first made his name. This track and especially the album Dr. Head's World Tower are fantastic, bizzare, exciting pop.





Your ex-lover is dead  performed by Stars  2005
Recommended by herby22 [profile]

This song just has a great sound and the real feeling that seems to be between the two singers is great. I love the lyrics and it is just really powerful.

from Set Yourself on Fire (Arts and Crafts)


Your Guardian Angel  performed by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Recommended by bluewatafrog342 [profile]

Acoustic/Punk Rock, I absolutely love this song because of the way it is starts so smooth and slow and then gradually erupts into an amazing finish. It also has great lyrics and a story to it.

from Don't You Fake It


Your Lies  performed by Shelby Lynne  1999
Recommended by schlick [profile]

A wonderfully orchestrated tune in which Shelby sings about being screwed by a former lover.


available on CD - I Am Shelby Lynne (Mercury (UK) / Island (US))


Your Love Is Free (Just Like The Wind)  performed by Cilla Black  1967
Recommended by Mister C [profile]

A track unearthed from the archives in 1997 by Cilla's son, its fabulous and should have been a single.




Your Love is my Drug  performed by Ke$ha  2009
Recommended by xroughstuffx [profile]

It's just such a carefree song, I love it.

from Animal


your woman  performed by white town
Recommended by luvyaxoxo523 [profile]

i love the words behind the music, they related to a recent moment in my love and i couldn't stop listening to the song for days




   Try another search:

musical taste home

© zarmi 2000-2024
CONTACT | ABOUT