The Songfactors' Choice: Groundbreakers

[karma]

Sorry to let you down. It has been many years since I was an A+ student and I'd rather go clam digging now, but I get it done.

[Lea]

The Dark Side of the Moon was released on 17 March

1973 in the U.S. and 24 March 1973 in the UK.

It is a concept album that portrays the human

condition from birth to death.

I chose to use Dark Side as a groundbreaking album

for Pink Floyd mainly because I feel it was their

most popular groundbreaking album.

To the general public it is probably

better known then Meddle or Animals or some of

their even earlier albums DS builds upon. DS was

more polished and radio friendly then some of their

earlier work.

If anyone would like to add the technical stuff feel free

[Foolonthehill]

It is a concept album that portrays the human

condition from birth to death.

wow. I didn't know that.

[The Seeker]

Tommy may not have been the first, but it was without a doubt the most influential rock opera. To this day, it is still gaining The Who fans, while its rock opera precursors are slowly gathering dust in collectors' forgotten basements. At a time when most of The Who's contemporaries were still riding the psychedelic wave and adding one more distorted jangly riff and one more tambourine to their songs, in terms of music, they delivered one of the most sober and purest albums of the time. Arguably Pete Townshend got too caught up in his own brilliance to really get the story across, but while it may take a few listens to understand just what he is on about, there's a lot more to it than you might think. Townshend himself described it as "a metaphorical story of different states of consciousness." And it is precisely this story which makes Tommy so ground-breaking - an entire album used as a story-telling device, narrating a young man's journey filled with spiritual, moral and fantastical elements, had never before garnered such a vast amount of attention, or even meant this much to a band. And even if you want to argue that the Pretty Things and Small Faces were a couple of months faster - they themselves only rode on the coattails of The Who’s mini-opera, ‘A Quick One, While He’s Away’.

So my review is kinda long once again, but I tried my hardest to make it interesting and readable even if you don't know or like the album

[Lucky]

[karma]

The album "Elvis Presley" popped on the scene in 1956. It was released by Rca Victor in 1956. At that time, it was called Rockabilly. Elvis had been around on Sun Records but RCA really promoted him when they took over his contract and when the "Elvis Presley" album was released, people really sat up and took notice. I think that more than the album, it was Elvis himself who was the groundbreaking factor. I remember that along with his voice and the songs, we liked to watch his wild gyrations which were considered obscene at the time. It isn't any big deal now but it sure was back then.

Eveything about the album and the artist was different than anything done before. Altho' there were others who recorded in the style called Rockabilly, this album was. in my opinion, groundbreaking because of the artist.

The technical stuff is from wiki which I sure all of you know where that is!!

Well, here it is. Darn I hate homework and tests.

[edna]

In case you didn´t notice -cause it´s short and a bit crappy - I posted my homework here some days ago ...

[Lucky]

I know edna. You get a gold star for being first. Go to the head of the class.

[edna]

[bluesboy]

If it's not too late to change my vote, I'm going to drop ZoSo as one of my nominations and replace it with ...

The "Chirping" Crickets ~ Buddy Holly & the Crickets (1957)

Track Listing (Composers)

1 Oh, Boy! (Petty, Tilghman, West)

2 Not Fade Away (Holly, Petty)

3 You've Got Love (Orbison, Petty, Wilson)

4 Maybe Baby (Holly, Petty)

5 It's Too Late (Willis)

6 Tell Me How (Allison, Hardin, Petty)

7 That'll Be the Day (Allison, Holly, Petty)

8 I'm Looking for Someone to Love (Holly, Petty)

9 An Empty Cup (And a Broken Date) (Orbison, Petty)

10 Send Me Some Lovin' (Marascalco, Price)

11 Last Night (Mauldin, Petty)

12 Rock Me My Baby (Heather, Long)

"The debut album by the Crickets and the only one featuring Buddy Holly released during his lifetime, The "Chirping" Crickets contains the group's number one single "That'll Be the Day" and its Top Ten hit "Oh, Boy!." Other Crickets classics include "Not Fade Away," "Maybe Baby," and "I'm Looking for Someone to Love." The rest of the 12 tracks are not up to the standard set by those five, but those five are among the best rock & roll songs of the 1950s or ever, making this one of the most significant album debuts in rock & roll history, ranking with Elvis Presley and Meet the Beatles.", (All Music Guide)

After the death of Buddy he would leave a trail of followers from Bob Dylan, to Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, and The Beatles. Also, one of The Rolling Stones early hits was a cover of "Not Fade Away". (Wikipedia)

This album is groundbreaking in part because Buddy Holly wrote his own songs. It was rare back in 1957 to write your own songs. Buddy Holly and the Crickets also went into the studio and tinkered around until they got the sound they wanted and that was unique. He was the first "Rock" singer to double track his voice & guitar. On this album he features the band singing background vocals.

Holly looked like the kid next door instead of a rock and roll star and provided inspiration and motivation to many up and coming bands and to many young people in the fifties like the Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Hollies.

Also, the Don McLean song American Pie has kept the legacy of Buddy Holly at the forefront with "the day the music died".

[MindCrime]

Very nicely done, Thank you Bluesboy!

______________________________________________

Are You Experienced? is one of the most ear-catching debut albums in the history of rock music, and one of the ultimate albums of the psychedelic era. On Are You Experienced?, Jimi Hendrix blended a variety of elements of 1960’s rock into music that sounded both ahead of it’s time and embedded in the best backgrounds of rock, blues, pop, band soul. It was his unbelievably talented guitar work, of course, that inspired a whole new generation of guitarists to alter their feedback and distortion to imitate Jimi’s style. Most of the album’s tracks are amongst Jimi Hendrix's very best; it may be debated that he would continue to develop at a fast pace throughout the rest of his short career, but Jimi would never exceed Are You Experienced? in terms of consistent excellence.

[Lucky]

We are almost ready to post these results in the blog ....

To those who haven't handed in their homework (you know who you are ) .... Do you really want my opinions about your nominations?

[TheLizard]

In 1957, Mr. Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry released a little half hour record called After School Sessions, and changed music forever. As the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website aptly declares: "While no individual can be said to have invented rock and roll, Chuck Berry comes the closest of any single figure to being the one who put all the essential pieces together." These ten little rock n' roll songs provided the template for everything that came after. Even a few guitarists in England, namely John Lennon and Keith Richards, managed to hear this new music, and used the blueprint set down to launch rock and roll into the forefront, where it never really left. So to anybody who ever picked up a guitar, or just likes listening to one, you owe a big thank you to Chuck Berry.

I was a little worried that Lucky was about to hit me over the knuckles with a ruler...

[Farin]

thanks Tim

how bad of us to make you work on your birthday

so, now we're almost finished...

[Lucky]

I was a little worried that Lucky was about to hit me over the knuckles with a ruler...

I haven't spent 33 years of my life as a mom for nothin'! Thank you Tim, what you wrote is exactly right, IMO.

[Lucky]

~ Pet Sounds ~

In researching what I was going to write here, I've discovered several things. First, that this album is almost totally Brian Wilson, from conception to execution, with Tony Asher collaborating on the writing. That the idea for it stemmed from Wilson's introduction to and use of LSD, and that it is most certainly his response to The Beatles, both Revoler, and Rubber Soul (depending on the source). I've learned that although at the time of it's release it wasn't commercially successful, it has become the most acclaimed album of all time, by critics and journalists, and is #2 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Elton John, and Bob Dylan have all gone on record calling it major influence, and one of the best albums of all time. George Martin has said that Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band would never have exsisted without Pet Sounds. All this acclaim is almost entirely due to Brian Wilson, his conception, his songs, his production. Wilson's production and his use of the studio as an instrument (ala Phil Spector) was the final piece of the puzzle. I can't discover any one thing that caused this to be such an influential and groundbreaking album, other than the fact that it is a testament to the genius that is Brian Wilson.

[DBrown]

I am disappointed Pet Sounds didn't make it number 1 let alot on the list!!!

Also The Doors by The Doors should have been considered..

(I'm not a pessimist)

[Farin]

maybe we'll do a "Groundbreakers Part 2" or so sometime

[Farin]

in case you haven't noticed it yet, you can now see the whole list as a blog entry on the mainsite

The Songfactors' Choice: Groundbreakers

thanks everyone for your participation

[The Seeker]

Let's brace ourselves for the "OMG U cant be serious?!" comments.

[Tenacious_Peaches]

Ooooh, that looks so professional. Y'all are like, all knowledgeable and stuff.

[miamisammy29]

It really does look (as Peachy said) professional. I love it. But tell me...who are these Beatles and Crickets characters. Why are they all named after bugs?