Steel2Velvet

While Dave Clark WAS the drummer and featured name of the group, Mike Smith played keyboards and sang lead.

I saw a a couple video clips of Kevin Spacey's upcoming movie about the life of Bobby Darin. I am a huge Bobby Darin fan (his voice, not his eccentric personality) and I found it odd that Kevin Spacey is doing his own vocals for this movie. Granted, Mr. Spacey has a better than average voice, but a Bobby Darin he ain't. The producers of the movie "Ray" felt it needed the man's own voice to be authentic; and from the clips I have seen, Jamie Fox does an excellent lip syncing job. Does Bobby Darin's sound deserve less than his own initmitable stylings? I feel the producers of the biography of Darin have errored in trying to accomodate Kevin Spacey's ego. Those new to Darin's sound may think, "What's the big deal?" Listening to the real Bobby Darin IS a big deal!

Floyd Stokes of Rare Earth

The last thing on The Beatles Abbey Road album: .. and in the end; the love you take is equal to the love you make.

Desperado "Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home And freedom, oh freedom, well that's just some people talkin' Your prison is walking through this world all alone" Lyin' Eyes - the longer version

Add these please to who has already been mentioned and I will buy a ticket: Roy Orbison Ray Charles Janis Joplin duet with Joe Cocker Bruce Springsteen Simon and Garfunkel BB King

The prevailing sentiment seems to be loathing for Katrina and the Wave; but that aside, anytime I hear the beginning of "Walking On Sunshine" I have the desire to dance. I love the energy of that song. It feels ... it feels ... GOOD!

Interesting note: that song was written by Shel Silverstein who wrote for Playboy. For those who want an easy transition from counter-culture to country, the self titled album by the band Flying Burrito Brothers is great. First country songs to ever get my attention were "I'm Only In It For The Love" by John Conley and "Third Rate Romance" don't recall the group.

Tim McGraw I always disdained country music until I got a job as a DJ at a small country music station in Middletown, Ohio in 1986. That opened my eyes. Some great musical talent in that genre with a history longer and richer than pop or rock (actually it all goes together.) KT Oslin's "80's Ladies" is as profound as any Paul Simon creation. Melodically, the album of Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris titled "Trio" stands up against any listenable music of any genre. The one hit charted off that album is titled "Telling Me Lies." Find and listen to this song and you will never again say there is no country music that you like.

I always thought it was titled "Space Oddity." "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot is a very evocatively sad song. Especially if the listener places themself into the scenes described... such a sense of hopeless helplessness.

I read that they recorded that version on the last effort after an all night recording session where the smoking and singing had shredded John's vocal chords. My two favorite covers are Ray Charles' "What'd I Say" covered by Rare Earth and Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" covered by Jimi Hendrix.

Two that inspired movies to be written around them: Alice's Restaurant - Arlo Guthrie Ode To Billy Joe - Bobbi Gentry

Joe Cocker - Mad Dogs and Englishmen with Leon Russel on piano (their side conversation on mic prior to one song is classic), Jim Keltner on drums and Rita Coolidge is one of his backup singers. Great feel of the live atmosphere and the music reproduction is the best I have heard on a live album. "Woodstock" is another great live album.

While the 50's spawned the roots of rock from an amalgem of swing, folk, country, blues and big band, the decade of the 60's saw the purest revolution in rock advancements and music's future in general. Songwriting by the performing group or individual as opposed to relying on outsourcing to tin pan alley writers became paramount in the 60's. This opened wider the gates of musical expression than ever before. The parallel of receptivity of mass cultural changes (Woodstock happened in the 60's) with musical changes was never more profound than in the 60's (with a close second place going to the 20's.) The 60's bands did not need the 50's as much as the 70's groups needed the 60's. These are some of the reasons I chose the 60's over the 70's, though the 70's saw some really dynamite music (I did have to penalize the 70's decade 40 points for disco and Boy George.)

As far as highest percentage of strength per track .... Studio: Beatles White Album Live: Joe Cocker - Mad Dogs and Englishmen

From her Black Ivory Soul album, "Afrika" by Angelique Kidjo is a great song. Actually, every song on that album is exceptional. A duet with Dave Matthews on that album has him translating two of her lines to English. (the English lines:) You don't have to be old to be wise The bird doesn't wait until it dies to fly You don't have to be old to be wise Can't you hear the baby crying? There was a Spanish song on the Top 40 about 15 - 20 years ago titled "Ares Tu" that was very well done. I do not recall the artist.

Hard to pin down ONE favorite love song. A lot of folks will site "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers as the only song to chart number 1 by the same artist in 2 different eras. Frank Sinatra (who knew some love songs) named "Something" by George Harrison as "the best love song ever." I always felt there was profound poetry and not just a little truth in the words to "The Rose", best recorded by Bette Midlar. Some say love, it is a river That drowns the tender reed Some say love, it is a razor That leaves your soul to bleed Some say love, it is a hunger An endless aching need I say love, it is a flower And you, it's only seed. It's the heart afraid of breaking That never learns to dance It's the dream afraid of waking That never takes the chance It's the one who won't be taken Who cannot seem to give And the soul afraid of dying That never learns to live. When the night has been too lonely And the road has been too long And you think that love is only For the lucky and the strong; Just remember in the winter Far beneath the bitter snows Lies the seed That with the sun's love In the spring Becomes the rose.

If we are discussing tightness and blending in harmony, as opposed to great single voices, I would go with The Hollies, The Commodores, Sam and Dave, The Bee Gees and though not typically considered in rock discussions, The Everly Brothers defined and set the standard for great diverse harmonies to which subsequent rock groups might attain.

The Best of Roy Orbison Easy Rider soundtrack Sgt Peppers - Beatles The Stranger - Billy Joel Madman Across The Water - Elton John Allman Bros. Live at the Filmore Axis Bold As Love - Jimi Hendrix Experience Reflections Of My Life - The Marmalade Righteous Bros. Greatest Hits Every Picture Tells A Story - The Faces Roots - Everly Bros. Tom Rush - Tom Rush

Laura Niro Carole King

Bernie Taupin Paul Simon Ralph Stanley Billy Joel Smokey Robinson

Ya gotta like their music and her presence, but if you do, the first Sade In Concert video is ... um ... very entertaining.

I always crank the bass up whenever Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In by the 5th Dimension, comes on the radio.

For pure rock entertainment: "What'd I Say" written by Ray Charles covered (in sweat) for 8 minutes by Rare Earth on their album "One World."

I Can't See Nobody - BeeGees Mr. Lonely - Bobby Vinton Are You Lonesome Tonight - Elvis Presley I´m So Lonesome I Could Cry - BJ Thomas and the number one lonely song ..... Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis