Tuesday, August 5. 2008

Top Five Songs I Wish I Had Written

My friend Nat over at Mini-Obs has a recurring theme for her Friday posts called, coincidentally enough, Top 5 On Friday. Each week a new theme is chosen and a list compiled. This last week her theme was Top 5 Songs You Wish You Wrote which of course got me thinking about what I would include on such a list.

My wife put hers together in about 5 minutes, mine has taken me quite a bit longer. Lists like this are really difficult for me, I think of all of the things I am excluding when I do them. Recently though, I've decided to just go with what comes to mind quickly and see if a theme develops. It did so in this case.

So here are the 5 songs I have chosen. I don't know that these are my 5 favorite songs, or the 5 greatest songs, but these are the ones that I wish I had written (at least at the time of this writing)

Into The Mystic - Van Morrison

An amazing tune both lyrically and musically, I love the escalating tempo and varied vocal delivery from Van. The link to the video is a version from The Allman Brothers Band but their version does a great job of capturing the feeling of the original - Warren handles the vocals perfectly. Quite possibly the greatest song ever written.

Isolation - John Lennon

One of my favorite Lennon tunes from the brilliant Plastic Ono Band record. It's raw but also stunningly beautiful, and like the whole album is just oozing in brutal honest feeling.

These Days - Jackson Browne

I've given Jackson Browne the full BYOBO treatment in the past so it's no surprise that I consider him one of the finest songwriters around. This particular track has always just hit the right note for me. The original was sparse but his solo acoustic treatments are really the perfect vehicle for this tune. It's such a personal statement

Red Eyed & Blue - Jeff Tweedy (as performed by Wilco)

Wilco has also received a BYOBO of their own and this song was among my chosen selections. Being There is probably my favorite album of theirs as a collected work and this track is a big reason for that. A stripped down arrangement and some cool whistling make this a winner. Really though it's the vocal delivery that makes me a fan of this - Tweedy has his heart on his sleeve here.

When The Tigers Broke Free - Roger Waters (as performed by Pink Floyd)

This song appeared in the film version of The Wall but was not on the album release. The Wall is largely autobiographical and this particular track is reportedly inspired by the death of his own father. Again, brutally honest lyrics and amazing vocal delivery made this an obvious choice. The quick cut at the end gives me chills.

You may see a theme here with the songs above. Honesty, truth, feeling, passion. I think music is at its best when it is real and honest and these songs are among the best at presenting this. I really admire artists with the courage to create and share so completely, I guess that is why these particular songs click with me so well.

That's my list - what would be on yours?

Posted by

Scott Blitstein

at 21:28 | 6 Comments

Defined tags for this entry: jackson browne, lennon, music, roger waters, van morrison, wilco

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Great topic! Summed up in one song I believe:

The Man Who Wrote Danny Boy - Joe Jackson.

"You can't hold onto shadows, no more than to years
So be glad for the pleasures we're young enough to enjoy"

Number 2 would be Winter Wine - Caravan

"Better off not dreaming of the things to come,
Dreams are always ending far too soon"

3: The Birthday Present II - Loudon Wainwright

"To remind you to forget the past and the future
All that regret and worry's just bad for you...
....Remember dear
It's now we're here
So happy birthday

{I'm detecting a theme here

}

4: Lost - Van Der Graaf Generator

A moving threnody to lost love and lost chances. If I ever lost my love, I know this is what I would feel.

5: Wond'ring Aloud - Jethro Tull

"and it's only the giving that makes you what you are"

#1 Naryaxword (Homepage) on 2008-08-06 05:27 (Reply)

Excellent choices - the ones I'm familiar with. Will check out the others.

I've been thinking about this a lot and I think that coming up with different themes might let me make this a repeat post opportunity.

Thanks as always for your comments

SB

#1.1 Scott (Homepage) on 2008-08-07 18:27 (Reply)

I always appreciate your reasons and the thoughts behind your answers. This post is no exception. I just blurted out the first five I could think of, but you took the time to think it out!

Your picks are outstanding.

#2 nat (Homepage) on 2008-08-06 09:52 (Reply)

Or perhaps over-think it out

Thanks,
SB

#2.1 Scott (Homepage) on 2008-08-07 18:28 (Reply)

I always feel like a clueless dork when I read your music lists. I recognize TWO people on it, but neither of their songs. But I did listen to ABBA all day. hahahahaha. Everything's about Mama Mia with me right now. Oh, to be that young again. Or just skip it and be Meryl Streep.

#3 kellypea (Homepage) on 2008-08-06 18:13 (Reply)

I don't really expect everyone to know all the songs, that's why I try to provide links and stuff when I can. It's an opportunity for me to share the stuff that I love with other people, hopefully you'll find something new that you like.

Gina went to see Mama Mia a couple weeks back - I got to stay home..

SB

#3.1 Scott (Homepage) on 2008-08-07 18:37 (Reply)

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Music Is...

Information is not knowledge,
Knowledge is not wisdom,
Wisdom is not truth,
Truth is not beauty,
Beauty is not love,
Love is not music
and Music is THE BEST

Frank Zappa
1940-1993