This was a tough task- compiling a list of the best English songs? Stiff ask!
If the 40s and 50s were the era of Rockabilly, True rock & roll struck the world in the 60s and dragged on till the 70s, when rose R&B, as well as Soul singing. The 80s noticed the formation of hard rock, metal compositions and myriads of break-outs from tradition rock tunes. In the past two decades, dance assisted genres- hip hop, rap, have also popped up. Throughout all this, ’Traditional Country’ singing has kept it’s heads high. To run through these diverse genres, involving great artists and bands, and pluck a handful of numbers leaves space for flaws.
Nevertheless, here goes my chosen few: -
- 1. LIKE A ROLLING STONE- BOB DYLAN
You associate Dylan with great lyrics and an enthralling mixture of folk and rock. Well, this rendition is his superlative tribute to that. “Rolling Stone’?is the best song I wrote, " Dylan said flatly at the end of 1965. It still is.
- 2.IMAGINE- JOHN LENNON
‘Imagine There’s No Heaven, ’ thus begins this treat- Lennon’s greatest musical gift to the world. Every time I hear it, it takes my heart into secret raptures. It’s full of passion and a message that’s so true, yet not binding. Exemplary!
- 3.STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN- LED ZEPPELIN
Robert Plant & Jimmy Page always string in tunes that have both mass-connect and tokens for the perfectionists as well. An inspirational song that you never get bored off…
- 4.A CHANGE IS GONNA COME- SAM COOKE
It’s a pity that Sam Cooke had to die so early. He was a pioneer of Soul music and this outstanding number started it all. A piece that talks about the hopes of a coloured man in a biased society- ‘a change is gonna come… oh, yes it will!’
- 5.HOTEL CALIFORNIA- EAGLES
This is the song that I’ve listened to, the most number of times. It just keeps coming back to you. Glen Frey does wonders with the number.
6.SITTING ON THE DOCK OF THE BAY- OTIS REDDING
Redding was another wonderful prospect for Soul singing who died very young. ‘Sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time’- a very soothing song, a work of genius nonetheless.
7.HEARTBREAK HOTEL- ELVIS PRESLEY
If there’s one song that nobody can sing as well as the original, it’s this one. Elvis Presley, probably the best artist of the last century, did things unimaginable with this uncanny number.
- 8.WHAT’D I SAY- RAY CHARLES
The most versatile singer, with a feel-good, irresistible, sensuous song… ‘The Genius’ as Ray Charles is referred to, literally wrote this song during a stage show when he ran out of his repertoire. The ‘Ummms!’ ‘Ohs!’- nobody is better at improvising than him and this song is at the epitome of his magnificence.
9.JOHNNY B. GOODE- CHUCK BERRY
This is the finest citing of Berry’s poetic waves. The rhythm section had a crazy freight-train momentum. Unarguably the best Rock & Roll song ever.
10. 10.GOOD VIBRATIONS- BEACH BOYS
Brian Wilson, a veteran now, reunited with the Beach Boys’ team at the Grammy’s this year and performed their best rendition and I couldn’t help humming it for a week hence.
11. 11.HEY JUDE- BEATLES
McCartney wrote this song for Lennon’s child who was facing the divorce of his parents. Ironically, Lennon sung the song. As it turned out, this was the longest running US single for the Beatles. A promising ray of hope this song is!
12. 12.BLOWING IN THE WIND- BOB DYLAN
Quite a few versions of this classic folk song have been recorded. Still, everyone knows the song belonged to the burning-eyed young man who rules the folk scene, and whose recording of it — just his brambly voice and fleet-fingered acoustic-guitar playing — was definitive. It remains a progressive anthem suggesting that things must and will change.
13. 13.NO WOMAN, NO CRY- BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS
The live version of this song is just spooky, yet with a bolt of truth in it- ‘ no woman, no cry’… huh! Bob Marley’s the most renowned Reggae artist on earth, yet this partly Rock song remains his classiest rendition.
14. 14.WHAT’S GOING ON- MARVIN GAYE
This number is an exquisite plea for peace on earth. The better part is that it maintains a tempo throughout that is so pleasing despite the touchy lyrics- a specialty of Marvin Gaye.
15. 15.RHINESTONE COWBOY- GLEN CAMPBELL
My favourite country song that speaks the heart of a cowboy like no other. Just wow!
16. 16.GOD ONLY KNOWS- BEACH BOYS
yet another gem from the revered band! If ‘Good Vibrations’ had the best beats, this has a striking whispering tone of which the Wilsons were masters.
17. 17.I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE- MARVIN GAYE
Marvin! Marvin! What a delightful timber he has and when combined with lyrics like this, it’s bound to be a bumper hit… Excellent song!
18. 18.ONE- U2
Bono at his best- the first romantic rendition in my list(though the song changes course in the latter verses)-
‘One love
One life
When it’s one need
In the night
One love
We get to share it
Leaves you baby if you
Don’t care for it’
SCRUMPTIOUS!
19. 19.RESPECT- ARETHA FRANKLIN
This was Otis Redding’s song, but Aretha’s version just took it to another level. It speaks about the demands of a woman in a chauvinist world. Masterpiece!
20. 20.I FOUGHT THE LAW- BOBBY FULLER FOUR
The flow of the song, more of a jingle may be, is just so simple. It’s this simplicity that takes this piece to towering heights. When the refrain ‘I fought the law and the… law won’ strikes, it connects right away.
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