Rate the songs! Part 3

[Dawn]

It's been really cool comparing our ratings of the different songs! Here is another grouping of tracks:

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits 3.75

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine 2.5
(this was fun back in the day, but not quite as much of a fave now)

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart 4.5

Up on the Roof - Drifters 3.5

Maneater - Hall & Oates 4.5

Superstition - Stevie Wonder 4.75
(I've loved this ever since first seeing Stevie perform it on Sesame Street. Great memories!)

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau 1.0
(Bill Withers' original was good - although the "call me"s could have been shortened down a little - but I never cared for this take).

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas 3.75

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters 4.5

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac 5.0

99 Luftballons - Nena 3.5

Maybellene - Chuck Berry 3.25

You're So Vain - Carly Simon 4.5

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News 2.0
(I generally like Huey's stuff, but not this one as much)

Easy - Commodores 4.0

[H2IZCOOL]

I agree, Dawn, these ARE fun!

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits
All time top 250 4.5

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
My second favorite by MSM (which isn't saying much) 3.2

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart
Another all time top 250 4.6

Up on the Roof - Drifters
Please. please PLEASE, Mr. D.J. Play something by the Drifters OTHER than Up On the Roof! 2.7 (I'd like to hear maybe "Fools Fall In Love" or "Please Stay", that would be nice )

Maneater - Hall & Oates
I don''t use words like "meh" 2.3

Superstition - Stevie Wonder
I recognize this as a technically excellent song, but I'm just not crazy about it. 3.1

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau
If I were like DJ Dave, and I were posting my NUTSO list of top 1 million songs in a countdown mode, I'd get to this one on the first day! 0.0

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas
I REALLY like this song, but it brings me back to when it was on the chart in the summer of '66, and I thought I could have written it. One big guilt trip! Top 500? Maybe. 4.0

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters
Karen had a great voice, but I like some of their slightly later songs better. 3.3

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
It sounds more like CSN&Y than like Fleetwood Mac IMO. Not bad. 3.4

99 Luftballons - Nena
Not a bad song, but I never got excited by it. 2.5

Maybellene - Chuck Berry
It garners a few extra percentage points by being an early rock classic, but it's never been a favorite. 3.1

You're So Vain - Carly Simon
Overplayed in the day, but it's not a bad song, and I really like the "clouds in my coffee" line. 3.6

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News
Never been a Huey fan, my favorite Huey songs wouldn't score very well, and this isn't one of them. 1.8

Easy - Commodores
It's somewhere in my lower half of Commodores songs. (But it is bettere than Brickhouse) 2.9

[edehl]

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits 4.5 (I absolutely LUV Peter Noone.)

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine 1.25

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart 3.0

Up on the Roof - Drifters 3.75

Maneater - Hall & Oates 3.75 (I remember my dad thought there was a taboo message in this song--- haha)

Superstition - Stevie Wonder 5.0
(Stevie ROCKED Sesame Street)

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau 1.25

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas 4.5 (Such a perfect song for the era. I can't hear this without thinking of Denny's "angst" toward Michelle, though.

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters 5.0 (Oh yeah! On top of it, Paul Williams wrote it.

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac 3.75

99 Luftballons - Nena 1.5

Maybellene - Chuck Berry 3.0

You're So Vain - Carly Simon 4.0

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News 3.0
(It's a feel-good 80s tune)

Easy - Commodores 3.75

[Dawn]

Jan 9, 2009 15:44:07 GMT -5 H2IZCOOL said:

I agree, Dawn, these ARE fun!

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits
All time top 250 4.5

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
My second favorite by MSM (which isn't saying much) 3.2

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart
Another all time top 250 4.6

Up on the Roof - Drifters
Please. please PLEASE, Mr. D.J. Play something by the Drifters OTHER than Up On the Roof! 2.7 (I'd like to hear maybe "Fools Fall In Love" or "Please Stay", that would be nice )

Maneater - Hall & Oates
I don''t use words like "meh" 2.3

Superstition - Stevie Wonder
I recognize this as a technically excellent song, but I'm just not crazy about it. 3.1

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau
If I were like DJ Dave, and I were posting my NUTSO list of top 1 million songs in a countdown mode, I'd get to this one on the first day! 0.0

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas
I REALLY like this song, but it brings me back to when it was on the chart in the summer of '66, and I thought I could have written it. One big guilt trip! Top 500? Maybe. 4.0

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters
Karen had a great voice, but I like some of their slightly later songs better. 3.3

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
It sounds more like CSN&Y than like Fleetwood Mac IMO. Not bad. 3.4

99 Luftballons - Nena
Not a bad song, but I never got excited by it. 2.5

Maybellene - Chuck Berry
It garners a few extra percentage points by being an early rock classic, but it's never been a favorite. 3.1

You're So Vain - Carly Simon
Overplayed in the day, but it's not a bad song, and I really like the "clouds in my coffee" line. 3.6

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News
Never been a Huey fan, my favorite Huey songs wouldn't score very well, and this isn't one of them. 1.8

Easy - Commodores
It's somewhere in my lower half of Commodores songs. (But it is bettere than Brickhouse) 2.9

Yes, I agree that radio doesn't go very deep with the Drifters. Over the years I've heard maybe 5 of their hits - and nowadays, not even that many.

Lean on Me - you and me both, Ed! That "we be jammin' " line is especially annoying - yikes! Awful, just awful.

I'd never really thought about The Chain sounding like CSN&Y, but now that you point it out, I can see some resemblance to their style.

[Dawn]

Jan 9, 2009 15:54:02 GMT -5 edehl said:

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits 4.5 (I absolutely LUV Peter Noone.)

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine 1.25

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart 3.0

Up on the Roof - Drifters 3.75

Maneater - Hall & Oates 3.75 (I remember my dad thought there was a taboo message in this song--- haha)

Superstition - Stevie Wonder 5.0
(Stevie ROCKED Sesame Street)

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau 1.25

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas 4.5 (Such a perfect song for the era. I can't hear this without thinking of Denny's "angst" toward Michelle, though.

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters 5.0 (Oh yeah! On top of it, Paul Williams wrote it.

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac 3.75

99 Luftballons - Nena 1.5

Maybellene - Chuck Berry 3.0

You're So Vain - Carly Simon 4.0

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News 3.0
(It's a feel-good 80s tune)

Easy - Commodores 3.75

Mrs. Brown - Peter was quite nice-looking back in the day, I must admit (and from recent pictures I've seen of him, still is!)

I Saw Her Again - I agree, that certainly was a complicated situation within the group. Great songwriting, though.

I really like a lot of the songs Paul Williams has written; he's very talented. I remember seeing him on TV a lot in the late '70s, and always enjoyed his performances.

[Ken]

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits 4.5

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine 2.5

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart 5.0
Still a huge fave!

Up on the Roof - Drifters 4.0

Maneater - Hall & Oates 4.5
I still remember hearing this for the first time from a station out of Bellingham, Washington that I've mentioned here before, KNWR 104

Superstition - Stevie Wonder 5.0
I also saw Stevie perform this on Sesame Street back in the 70's, awesome, nice to see someone posted the clip on youtube.

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau 1.0
One of THE worst remakes every recorded, who was responsible for allowing this to be released?

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas 4.5

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters 4.0

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac 5.0

99 Luftballons - Nena 3.5

Maybellene - Chuck Berry 5.0
Simply, a classic!

You're So Vain - Carly Simon 4.5
I just listened to this last night!

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News 3.5

Easy - Commodores 4.0

[55dodger]

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits 3.0

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine Don't really know this one, given it a miss

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart 5.0 Nothing wrong with this song. Best one on the list. See it here on the Old Grey Whistle Test. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM7LR46zrQU

Up on the Roof - Drifters 3.0 Good Drifters song, overplayed.

Maneater - Hall & Oates 3.0

Superstition - Stevie Wonder 4.0

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau 0.5

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas 4.0

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters 3.0

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac 3.0

99 Luftballons - Nena 2.0

Maybellene - Chuck Berry 4.0

You're So Vain - Carly Simon 3.5

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News 2.0

Easy - Commodores 1.5 (Never really liked it)

[Dawn]

Jan 9, 2009 18:04:19 GMT -5 Ken said:

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits 4.5

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine 2.5

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart 5.0
Still a huge fave!

Up on the Roof - Drifters 4.0

Maneater - Hall & Oates 4.5
I still remember hearing this for the first time from a station out of Bellingham, Washington that I've mentioned here before, KNWR 104

Superstition - Stevie Wonder 5.0
I also saw Stevie perform this on Sesame Street back in the 70's, awesome, nice to see someone posted the clip on youtube.

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau 1.0
One of THE worst remakes every recorded, who was responsible for allowing this to be released?

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas 4.5

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters 4.0

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac 5.0

99 Luftballons - Nena 3.5

Maybellene - Chuck Berry 5.0
Simply, a classic!

You're So Vain - Carly Simon 4.5
I just listened to this last night!

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News 3.5

Easy - Commodores 4.0

I agree Ken, it was great to see that Superstition clip again after all these years.

Yes, that version of Lean On Me is absolutely atrocious. You do have to wonder who on earth thought it would be a good idea to remake it that way - unless their aim was ear torture!

It's always great to hear You're So Vain. I have a memory of when I was 4 years old back in 1973, riding on one of those coin-operated little carousels outside a store, and that song was playing.

[Dawn]

Jan 9, 2009 23:37:50 GMT -5 55dodger said:

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits 3.0

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine Don't really know this one, given it a miss

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart 5.0 Nothing wrong with this song. Best one on the list. See it here on the Old Grey Whistle Test. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM7LR46zrQU

Up on the Roof - Drifters 3.0 Good Drifters song, overplayed.

Maneater - Hall & Oates 3.0

Superstition - Stevie Wonder 4.0

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau 0.5

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas 4.0

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters 3.0

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac 3.0

99 Luftballons - Nena 2.0

Maybellene - Chuck Berry 4.0

You're So Vain - Carly Simon 3.5

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News 2.0

Easy - Commodores 1.5 (Never really liked it)

Conga has not aged that well, IMO. There's nothing really wrong with it, just one of those songs that doesn't hold up to repeated listening.

Thanks for that YouTube link, Woody - that is great footage! I love that piano part - one of these days I'd like to learn to play that well.

Agree about Up on the Roof being overplayed.

[Dawn]

Ok, let's see how this list stacked up:

Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits 3.3

Conga - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine 2.36

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart 4.42

Up on the Roof - Drifters 3.39

Maneater - Hall & Oates 3.61

Superstition - Stevie Wonder 4.37

Lean On Me - Club Nouveau 0.75

I Saw Her Again - Mamas & the Papas 4.15

We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters 3.96

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac 4.03

99 Luftballons - Nena 2.6

Maybellene - Chuck Berry 3.67

You're So Vain - Carly Simon 4.02

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & the News 2.46

Easy - Commodores 3.23

Our top three: Year of the Cat, Superstition, I Saw Her Again

Our bottom three: Lean on Me, Conga, Hip to Be Square

Thanks for playing, guys! Next batch will be up soon!