GENTLE INTRODUCTION:
Greetings ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. As I have written no fewer than five publications on popular music, I feel suitably qualified to offload some further musings on music. As someone who rarely swims with the tide of popular opinion, I see it as my role to highlight artists and tracks that haven’t yet received the recognition that they almost certainly deserve. This is something that this non-musician can painfully relate to! Anyhow, without further ado, let me entertain you with some bits and pieces, and do feel free to constructively criticise or make recommendations of your own.
Yours insincerely
Gary Watton;
author of the following quirky popular music reference books:
The Song For Today by ‘Jimmie Oliver’
An Essential Guide To Music In The 1970s by ‘Johnny Zero’
A Concise Guide To Eighties’ Music by ‘Karl Vorderman’
A Pop Revolution by ‘the invisible man’
You Are A Tube! compiled by ‘Steven Fried PLC’
CLASSIC INSTRUMENTALS:
The 1950s:
Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White – Perez Prado*
Moulin Rouge – Mantovani*
Poor People Of Paris – Winifred Atwell*
Red River Rock – Johnny and the Hurricanes
Peter Gunn – Duane Eddy
Roulette – Russ Conway* [or Side Saddle – Russ Conway*]
The 1960s:
Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith
“ Only a heart of stone could disdain this offering.”
Kon Tiki – the Shadows* [ or Dance On – the Shadows*]
“We should all be grateful for the authors of …’Kon-Tiki’
Nut Rocker – B Bumble and the Stingers*
On The Rebound – Floyd Cramer*
Stranger On The Shore – Acker Bilk
“…one ought not to overlook the fine strings that accompany him.”
Green Onions – Booker T and the MGs
“...organ, drums, and rhythm guitar... in such perfect harmony.”
Telstar – the Tornados
“…stunning instrumental…formidable museum artefact of the 1960s.”
Diamonds – Jet Harris and Tony Meehan*
“Almost...a duel between the drums and Harris’s bass guitar…”
Spanish Flea – Herb Alpert
“…this musical item is just so pleasing to the ears.”
Captain Soul – the Byrds
“…the guitar interplay and harmonica...produce an outstanding tune.”
Let’s Go Away For A While – the Beach Boys
Beck’s Bolero – the Jeff Beck Group
“...three-minute wonder boasted five...top performers in the trade…”
Flying – the Beatles
Pow R Toc H – Pink Floyd
Classical Gas – Mason Williams
“...listener...treated to...fine picking by...Williams on his acoustic…”
Jill’s America – Ennio Morricone
“Alas this piece was never issued as a single…”
Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake – the Small Faces
Albatross – Fleetwood Mac*
“…Peter Green…responsible for the...treat that was ‘Albatross’…”
Black Mountain Side – Led Zeppelin [or Moby Dick – Led Zeppelin]
“…Jimmy Page…made a massive contribution to… ‘Moby Dick’...”
Dollar In The Teeth – the Upsetters
“…the house band of...Jamaican producer, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry…”
Liquidator – Harry J. All Stars
The 1970s:
Elizabethan Reggae – Boris Gardner
Samba Pa Ti – Santana
Whole Lotta Love – CCS
Hot Butter – Popcorn
Amazing Grace – the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards*
Eye Level – the Simon Park Orchestra*
Obscured By Clouds – Pink Floyd [or Mudmen – Pink Floyd]
Also Sprach Zarathustra – Deodato
Dance With The Devil – Cozy Powell
The Entertainer – Marvin Hamlisch
Chase Side Shoot Up – Brian Bennett
Pick Up The Pieces – the Average White Band
The Shuffle – Van McCoy [or The Hustle – Van McCoy]
Oxygene, Part IV – Jean-Michel Jarre
“…Oxygene (Part IV) is overflowing with stunning synthesizer sounds.”
AP Special – Augustus Pablo
Arrival – Abba
Portsmouth – Mike Oldfield
Fanfare For The Common Man – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Listen – the Clash
Space – Magic Fly
Song For Guy – Elton John [or Funeral For A Friend – Elton John]
“mouthwatering…owes its existence to the tragic...Guy Burchett.”
Cavatina – the Shadows
Swan Lake – Madness [or One Step Beyond - Madness]
The Selecter – the Selecter
Rockestra Theme – Rockestra
The 1980s:
Space Invaders – the Pretenders
Adella – UB40 [or Signing Off – UB40 or Neon Haze – UB40]
Another Journey By Train – the Cure [or Descent – the Cure]
Mantovani – the Swinging Cats
The Teams That Meet In Caffs – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Time Is Tight – the Clash
Europa – Blondie
Holiday Fortnight – the Specials
Chi Mai – Ennio Morricone
Droned – Phil Collins
Go For It – Stiff Little Fingers
The Opium Eaters – Madness
Bonzo’s Montreux – Led Zeppelin
“…in which John Bonham showed off his drumming skills.”
Chariots Of Fire – Vangelis
Easter Island – Rico [or That Man Is Forward - Rico]
“…the hugely danceable rhythm of ‘That Man Is Forward’.”
Exodus – Bad Manners [or King Ska Fa – Bad Manners]
Somebody Up There Likes You – Simple Minds
Circus – The Jam
Close To The Edit – the Art Of Noise
4th of July – U2
Love On A Real Train – Tangerine Dream
Elegia – New Order
“…deserves to be ranked as one of the...best instrumentals of all...”
Oscillate Wildly – the Smiths
The Wild Cats Of Kilkenny – the Pogues
Axel F – Harold Faltermeyer
Riot City – Jerry Dammers
The Mighty Ship – the Housemartins
Va Va Voom – Gil Evans
Crockett’s Theme – Jan Hammer
Jimmey Hickey's Waltz - the Waterboys
The Sun In The Stream – Enya [or The Longships – Enya]
Zaar – Peter Gabriel [or Of These, Hope – Peter Gabriel]
“…jaw-dropping...music that is intense, with an eastern sound…”
The 1990s:
Endgame – REM [or New Orleans Instrumental No.1 – REM]
Inner Flight – Primal Scream
Shepherd Moons – Enya [or The Memory Of Trees – Enya]
Surfin USM – Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine
Bentley’s Gonna Sort You Out – Bentley Rhythm Ace
“I first encountered this top tune on the...radio station called Chill.”
Children - Robert Miles
Everloving – Moby [or Now I Let It Go – Moby or Porcelain – Moby]
The 21st century:
Eple - Royksopp
Ghostwriter – RJD2
Give It Away – the Zero 7
I Can Almost See You - Hammock
In All The Wrong Places – Ulrich Schnauss
Monika’s Summer – Future Loop Foundation
Pacific Memories – Fenomenon
Slip Into Something More Comfortable – Kinobe
Sunset Glow – 808Funk
Yachts – Coco Steel Lovebomb
Any Other Name – Thomas Newman
*denotes UK Number One hit singles.
THE 21st CENTURY’S FINEST:
I confess to being a student of twentieth century popular music, but nevertheless, permit me to list what I consider to be among the best offerings of the 21st century. Step forward and take a bow:
Gabriella Cilmi – Sweet About Me
Cinematic Orchestra – Build A Home
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
Depeche Mode – Halo (The Goldfrapp mix)
DJ Shadow – Seven Days
Duffy – Warwick Avenue [or Duffy - Mercy]
Fun Lovin’ Crminals – Loco
Goldfrapp – Utopia
The Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
Keane – Everybody’s Changing
Koop – Summer Sun
Manic Street Preachers – Your Love Alone (Is Not Enough)
Maroon 5 – This Love
Morcheeba – Antidote
Morrissey – The First Of The Gang To Die
Mylo – Need You Tonite
One Self – Unfamiliar Places
Nerina Pallot – Damascus
Poloroid – So Damn Beautiful (Chris Coco mix)
The Scissor Sisters – Laura
The Stereophonics – Have A Nice Day
Sebastian Tellier – La Ritournelle
KT Tunstall - Suddenly I See
Amy Winehouse – Valerie
BEST ALBUMS FROM 1965 TO 1995?
The following LPs were singled out for special mention and extra coverage in the listed publications and the quotes are from the corresponding book:
'A Pop Revolution' by the invisible man
Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan [1965]
Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys [1966]
Are You Experienced? by the Jimi Hendrix Experience [1967]
The Beatles by the Beatles [1968]
Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin [1969]
'An Essential Guide To Music In The 1970s' by Johnny Zero
Led Zeppelin III by Led Zeppelin [1970]
Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones [1971]
Harvest by Neil Young [1972]
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John [1973]
Natty Dread by Bob Marley and the Wailers [1974]
Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd [1975]
Hotel California by the Eagles [1976]
Rumours by Fleetwood Mac [1977]
The Kick Inside by Kate Bush [1978]
Eat To The Beat by Blondie [1979]
'A Concise Guide To Eighties’ Music' by Karl Vorderman
Remain In Light by Talking Heads [1980]
“ …represents the creative peak of the extremely...quirky quartet.”
Celebrate The Bullet by the Selecter [1981]
“ …one occasion when a lack of album sales was a great injustice.”
New Gold Dream 81-82-83-84 by Simple Minds [1982]
“ This is one of those records which is indescribably outstanding.”
Labour Of Love by UB40 [1983]
“ …went back to their roots and recorded an album...of covers…”
Purple Rain by Prince [1984]
“ …held in high regard...the glowing example of ‘eighties pop music.”
Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush [1985]
“ Hounds Of Love’ is quirky, just like its author, but...hugely listenable.”
Graceland by Paul Simon [1986]
“…his most impressive...since ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’…”
The Joshua Tree by U2 [1987]
“ ...magnificent LP...best appreciated in the dark, with the lights...off…”
Watermark by Enya [1988]
“ …of sufficient...appeal to attract record buyers of all ages.”
The Stone Roses by the Stone Roses [1989]
“ This album is a giant. ‘Britpop’ started back here.”
'You Are A Tube!' compiled by Steven Fried PLC
Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan [1966]
“ …rates alongside...‘white album’ as the best double...of the 1960s.”
Axis Bold As Love by the Jimi Hendrix Experience [1967]
“ …lives slightly in the shadow of its illustrious predecessor...”
The Doors by the Doors [1967]
“ .among the very best début albums from any act in...popular music.”
A Saucerful Of Secrets by Pink Floyd [1968]
“ …the best...songs that the foursome contributed in the ‘sixties.”
Astral Weeks by Van Morrison [1968]
“ .did not keep cash registers...occupied but...critics...raved about.”
Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake by the Small Faces [1968]
“...one...occasion when psychedelia didn’t take itself... seriously…”
The Notorious Byrd Brothers by the Byrds [1968]
“...perhaps the finest attempt to join Nashville with Haight-Ashbury.”
Abbey Road by the Beatles [1969]
“ …from their trenches to deliver their customary excellence.”
Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin [1969]
“ …Led Zeppelin effectively pioneered a new genre, heavy metal.”
Let It Bleed by the Rolling Stones [1969]
“ …songs which...revealed their cynicism with a hint of psychosis…”
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel [1970]
“ …remained one of the greatest goodbye LPs in recorded history.”
Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin [1971]
“ If you can identify the shortcomings in this...LP, point them out...”
Tapestry by Carole King [1971]
“ …easy listening...that found favour with...different generations…”
The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd [1973]
“...an LP for whom the expression ‘seminal album’ was born for.”
Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield [1973]
“ …Branson laughed all the way to the bank. He’s still laughing today.”
A Night At The Opera by Queen [1975]
“ …contains...tracks that are still essential listening...decades later.”
Oxygene by Jean-Michel Jarre [1976]
“ …zeitgeist for the new superpower of instruments, the synthesizer.”
Lionheart by Kate Bush [1978]
“...probably a better album than perfectionist Kate cares to admit.”
Parallel Lines by Blondie [1978]
“ …their peak, as they unleash their...cocktail of punk, pop and rock.”
One Step Beyond by Madness [1979]
“ Britain might have been reeling...but this LP put smiles on faces.”
Face Value by Phil Collins [1981]
“ …great music and is drenched in emotion...a brilliant combination.”
Wha’ppen? by the Beat [1981]
“ …lyrics that revealed the band’s disillusionment with...capitalism.”
Combat Rock by the Clash [1982]
“...was clear proof that the fab four were not a one trick pony. “
The Dreaming by Kate Bush [1982]
“One day someone will film a documentary about this album.”
The Hunter by Blondie [1982]
“...soon hunted off the music scene. It deserves to be rehabilitated.”
The Nightfly by Donald Fagen [1982]
“…eight tunes that contain pop music of the very highest quality.”
In The Studio by the Special AKA [1984]
“ …Dammers’ concerns about racism were still much to the fore.”
Keep Moving by Madness [1984]
“...still many years later an undefinable charm to such an LP as this.”
Bad by Michael Jackson [1987]
“...songs ooze energy but...tinged with...sensitivity… ’Bad’ is good!”
Fisherman’s Blues by the Waterboys [1988]
“…upbeat music…evoke images of Donegal or the Western Isles…”
Other Voices by Paul Young [1990]
“…revealed his talent for interpreting soul and rhythm ‘n’ blues…”
Pills ‘n’ Thrills And Bellyaches by the Happy Mondays [1990]
“…guitar music that we could throw..bodies around the dancefloor to.”
Nevermind by Nirvana [1991]
“…took...America by storm. The rest of the universe...appreciative.”
Screamadelica by Primal Scream [1991]
“…a junction where dance music, rock, and indie ‘come together’.”
The White Room by the KLF [1991]
“..had the good sense not to...emulate a project…unsurpassable.”
30 Something by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine [1991]
“…a bitter-sweet commentary on society as it was...deteriorating.”
Automatic For The People by REM [1992]
“...team now vied with U2 for the status as the world’s top band.”
Definitely Maybe by Oasis [1994]
“..one...occasion when the..bragging was ‘definitely’ justified.”
Second Coming by the Stone Roses [1994]
“…one of the...achievements...from the pioneers of Britpop.”
The Memory Of Trees by Enya [1995]
“…light years ahead of...anything else floating around planet pop…”
'AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO MUSIC IN THE 1970s' by Johnny Zero features assessment of classic albums from Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Elton John, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Pink Floyd, the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, and Blondie. There is also special coverage of 120 special songs from this memorable decade. In addition, there are highlights of each year’s sporting events and major news stories and deaths. This book also records all the US and UK Number One hit singles and hit albums for each week of the 1970s.
FAVOURITE LIVE RECORDINGS
A lot of foolish people make nonsense statements about what albums or songs are ‘the best ever’. This is a futile exercise. It is infinitely more preferable to speak in terms of one’s favourite tunes and not confuse such an assertion with the unwise claim that they constitute the ‘best ever’. Here follows ten live tracks which could be short-listed for a ‘best ever’ poll but for the time being will at least take pride of place among my litany of favourite live recordings:
Crossroads by Cream [1968] - from the album Wheels On Fire
Get Back by the Beatles [1969] – live on the Apple Office rooftop
Bye Bye Love by Simon and Garfunkel [1970] – from their final LP
American Trilogy by Elvis Presley [1972] – released as a single
Bennie And The Jets by Elton John [1973] - from his super double LP
The Heathen by Bob Marley and the Wailers [1977] – at Finsbury Park
Behind Blue Eyes by the Who [1981] – at Hammersmith Odeon, 1979
Nite Klub by the Specials [1981] – closing track from Dance Craze LP
Tyler by UB40 [1982] - from the album UB40 Live
The Only Living Boy In New Cross by Carter USM [1995] – live album
Source:
http://ohsambinladen.wordpress.com/2013/08/11/the-underdog/