Post by H2IZCOOL on Apr 29, 2004 12:14:55 GMT -5
...and on we go. At least one surprise for y'all on today's list I would say.
240. Wham Bam (Shang-A-Lang) – Silver (1976, #16) It’s just a light-pop song with some doo-wop sounding lyrics. But it was out at relatively the same time as songs by The Sylvers and by The Silver Convention two soul/disco groups of a style I could take or leave. So when I heard this new song being debuted by “Silver” I’m thinking, Oh no. Another boring pseudo disco song by The Sylvers or The Silver Convention. But this song was definitely not of that style, and it kinda grew on me over the years, and earns a spot on my list.
239. Swingin’ On A Star – Big Dee Irwin (with Little Eva) (1963, #38). This is an old classic. It comes from the Bing Crosby movie “Going My Way” (1944) I can recall in my very distant hazy memories, probably the late ‘40s-early ‘50s, hearing the Bing Crosby version. This version is quite different. It is done with much humor, with Little Eva supplying quips to Big Dee’s straight read on the lyrics. Surprisingly, Eva got no billing credit at first (it was listed as being just by Big Dee Irwin, or sometimes as by Big Dee Irwin and ‘Friend’). Amazing since Eva had already gained name recognition via The Locomotion a year earlier. This song is so much fun everyone should listen to it at least once. “One moonbeam, two moonbeam.”
238. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again – Elvis Presley (1956, #19). Elvis singing an old country song. It kinda got carried along in the first huge wave of Elvis hits. It’s on one of the Extended Play 45s that RCA put out for Elvis back in the day. An up tempo song, catchy tune, with some good rockabilly guitar, and Elvis doin’ what he does best: “Ah – wellla whenna my blue moon turns to gold again…” Love it!
237. I Don’t Like To Sleep Alone – Paul Anka with Odia Coates (1975, #8). This is a beautiful song…sappy…but beautiful. I really didn’t care for the Paul/Odia duets in general because you never figure out if Odia is a partner or a backup singer, and she switches back and forth, getting innocuous solo lines from time to time. In fact, this song would have been a hundred spots higher except for these lines:
Paul: “Lean on me”
Odia: “and I’ll lean on you”
Those two lines should obviously been sung by the same person or it makes no sense. But it is such a beautiful melody, and reflects the thoughts of so many people.
236. Julie, Do Ya Love Me – Bobby Sherman (1970, #5). How many times have I said that Bobby cannot carry a tune. No way should this song be anywhere near my top 250. Except for the horns which add much to the song, it is very forgettable. But back in the early ‘70s there was this girl named Julie, and I used to sing it to her. This is some 30 years later, and its still on the chart.
235. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye (1968, #1). I know a lot of people prefer the fast-paced Gladys Knight version and I’ve even seen the Marvin version on people’s least favorite list. But for me (and I love most of Gladys’ songs; you’ll run into a couple on this chart, higher up) there is only one version, and that’s Marvin’s. – No, not the CCR version either (John, the word is ‘heard’ not ‘hoid’). I can still remember the first time I hoid –uh- heard it: the bass-line and slow build up to the opening line. I remember thinking ‘Wow! What song is this?’ And then realizing, I know this song, but not like this! It sent goosebumps up my spine. I love it to this day.
234. Shy Girl – The Cascades (1963, #91). The “B” side of ‘The Last Leaf’, their follow-up to Rhythm of the Rain. It was included on my very first No One Else Remembers posts last May. It features a celesta playing around the melody much like Rhythm of the Rain, but I always liked it more. Great harmonies, beautiful tune.
233. Anyway You Want Me – Elvis Presley (1956, #27). Wow! We’ve just started, and here’s Elvis for the second time already (and not the last time either). This was the flipside to Love Me Tender. I think the best way to describe Anyway You Want Me is 1950s style power ballad. – and delivered in the ‘50s Elvis patented style… Anyway you wa-hau-hau-hau-haunt me…. Fine guitar work here also.
232. No One Else (Live, Acoustic) – Weezer (1995, unranked). OK…something’s wrong here. H2 accidentally cut and pasted this in from someone else’s list. – Or maybe the old guy’s gone and lost it all together. Well yeah, I have but that has nothing to do with why this song is here. You see, a couple of years ago, my son was burning some Weezer tracks and wanted to include both the punk and acoustic version of this song. I had never heard it before. Now, I don’t like punk (it just sounds like a buzz saw trying to drown out some music.) But the acoustic version is the same song without the buzz saw. It’s not very PC (‘my girl has a big mouth with which she babbles a lot’) and the group kinda NEEDS the buzz saw to cover up the fact that they don’t sing very well. – But the melody, and the harmonies (if they were done right) is extremely Beatle-esque. As I was listening to this song, I could picture the Beatles doing it in the 60s (maybe changing the lyrics a bit) – the same harmonies – only ON key, and Paul soloing on the line ‘and when you see her, tell her it’s over now..’ I slowly came to love this song, enough to put it in my all time top 250.
231. Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday – Stevie Wonder (1969, #7) Stevie’s second entry here. I love nostalgic songs and reminiscing songs. How did we lose what we had, etc. This song fits that bill perfectly. Add to that, the way that Stevie sings it, basically shouting out some of the lyrics, especially those for the higher notes. Singing in that style helps to draw attention to the anguish that the singer is supposedly feeling. It’s a great song, wonderfully produced, and wonderfully sung.
... and your thoughts, please.
240. Wham Bam (Shang-A-Lang) – Silver (1976, #16) It’s just a light-pop song with some doo-wop sounding lyrics. But it was out at relatively the same time as songs by The Sylvers and by The Silver Convention two soul/disco groups of a style I could take or leave. So when I heard this new song being debuted by “Silver” I’m thinking, Oh no. Another boring pseudo disco song by The Sylvers or The Silver Convention. But this song was definitely not of that style, and it kinda grew on me over the years, and earns a spot on my list.
239. Swingin’ On A Star – Big Dee Irwin (with Little Eva) (1963, #38). This is an old classic. It comes from the Bing Crosby movie “Going My Way” (1944) I can recall in my very distant hazy memories, probably the late ‘40s-early ‘50s, hearing the Bing Crosby version. This version is quite different. It is done with much humor, with Little Eva supplying quips to Big Dee’s straight read on the lyrics. Surprisingly, Eva got no billing credit at first (it was listed as being just by Big Dee Irwin, or sometimes as by Big Dee Irwin and ‘Friend’). Amazing since Eva had already gained name recognition via The Locomotion a year earlier. This song is so much fun everyone should listen to it at least once. “One moonbeam, two moonbeam.”
238. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again – Elvis Presley (1956, #19). Elvis singing an old country song. It kinda got carried along in the first huge wave of Elvis hits. It’s on one of the Extended Play 45s that RCA put out for Elvis back in the day. An up tempo song, catchy tune, with some good rockabilly guitar, and Elvis doin’ what he does best: “Ah – wellla whenna my blue moon turns to gold again…” Love it!
237. I Don’t Like To Sleep Alone – Paul Anka with Odia Coates (1975, #8). This is a beautiful song…sappy…but beautiful. I really didn’t care for the Paul/Odia duets in general because you never figure out if Odia is a partner or a backup singer, and she switches back and forth, getting innocuous solo lines from time to time. In fact, this song would have been a hundred spots higher except for these lines:
Paul: “Lean on me”
Odia: “and I’ll lean on you”
Those two lines should obviously been sung by the same person or it makes no sense. But it is such a beautiful melody, and reflects the thoughts of so many people.
236. Julie, Do Ya Love Me – Bobby Sherman (1970, #5). How many times have I said that Bobby cannot carry a tune. No way should this song be anywhere near my top 250. Except for the horns which add much to the song, it is very forgettable. But back in the early ‘70s there was this girl named Julie, and I used to sing it to her. This is some 30 years later, and its still on the chart.
235. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye (1968, #1). I know a lot of people prefer the fast-paced Gladys Knight version and I’ve even seen the Marvin version on people’s least favorite list. But for me (and I love most of Gladys’ songs; you’ll run into a couple on this chart, higher up) there is only one version, and that’s Marvin’s. – No, not the CCR version either (John, the word is ‘heard’ not ‘hoid’). I can still remember the first time I hoid –uh- heard it: the bass-line and slow build up to the opening line. I remember thinking ‘Wow! What song is this?’ And then realizing, I know this song, but not like this! It sent goosebumps up my spine. I love it to this day.
234. Shy Girl – The Cascades (1963, #91). The “B” side of ‘The Last Leaf’, their follow-up to Rhythm of the Rain. It was included on my very first No One Else Remembers posts last May. It features a celesta playing around the melody much like Rhythm of the Rain, but I always liked it more. Great harmonies, beautiful tune.
233. Anyway You Want Me – Elvis Presley (1956, #27). Wow! We’ve just started, and here’s Elvis for the second time already (and not the last time either). This was the flipside to Love Me Tender. I think the best way to describe Anyway You Want Me is 1950s style power ballad. – and delivered in the ‘50s Elvis patented style… Anyway you wa-hau-hau-hau-haunt me…. Fine guitar work here also.
232. No One Else (Live, Acoustic) – Weezer (1995, unranked). OK…something’s wrong here. H2 accidentally cut and pasted this in from someone else’s list. – Or maybe the old guy’s gone and lost it all together. Well yeah, I have but that has nothing to do with why this song is here. You see, a couple of years ago, my son was burning some Weezer tracks and wanted to include both the punk and acoustic version of this song. I had never heard it before. Now, I don’t like punk (it just sounds like a buzz saw trying to drown out some music.) But the acoustic version is the same song without the buzz saw. It’s not very PC (‘my girl has a big mouth with which she babbles a lot’) and the group kinda NEEDS the buzz saw to cover up the fact that they don’t sing very well. – But the melody, and the harmonies (if they were done right) is extremely Beatle-esque. As I was listening to this song, I could picture the Beatles doing it in the 60s (maybe changing the lyrics a bit) – the same harmonies – only ON key, and Paul soloing on the line ‘and when you see her, tell her it’s over now..’ I slowly came to love this song, enough to put it in my all time top 250.
231. Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday – Stevie Wonder (1969, #7) Stevie’s second entry here. I love nostalgic songs and reminiscing songs. How did we lose what we had, etc. This song fits that bill perfectly. Add to that, the way that Stevie sings it, basically shouting out some of the lyrics, especially those for the higher notes. Singing in that style helps to draw attention to the anguish that the singer is supposedly feeling. It’s a great song, wonderfully produced, and wonderfully sung.
... and your thoughts, please.
Really good song, but very little from him in this period wasn't. 
