1. Perfect Balance- Million Dollar Marxists2. Honeymoon With B-Troop- 10CC
3. Amoreena- Elton John
4. Ramblin'- Marshall Tucker Band
5. The Breakup Song- Greg Kihn Band
6. Green Green Grass of Home- Tom Jones
7. Rainy Day, Dream Away- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
8. Hello Dad, I'm In Jail- Was (Not Was)
9. A Toast To Those Who Are Gone- Phil Ochs
10. (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley- Johnny Cash (with June Carter)
Notes:
1. One of my favorite band names.
2. The big hit from this record was "The Things We Do For Love," which I hated, but I love the rest of the album, including "Feel the Benefit," one of my favorite-ever songs.
3. One of Elton John's lesser hits, but a little gem nonetheless.
4. From the vaults of country rock. The Marshall Tucker Band's big hit was "Can't You See."
5. When Greg Kihn wrote this song, the "uh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh" chorus was there for filler while he wrote more lyrics, but when he demo'ed the song for his bandmates, they liked it just as it was and he left it in.
6. Hey, Bubs had Tom Jones on his Random Ten too! Way cool!
7. From the Electric Ladyland album.
8. My stepdaughter loves this song. Me too.
9. A great Phil Ochs song about those who have fallen helping others, including the Lincoln Brigade and civil rights workers. I guess we can include him on that list too.
10. One of my favorites-- from the "Live At San Quentin" album.
4 comments:
You have two of my absolute all-time favorites on here: Green Green Grass of Home, and Peace in the Valley. I like Johnny and June's version better than Elvis'. Something about the contrast between June's beautiful high voice and Johnny's rumbling "there will be peace..." response.
Great list!
Wow! I had no idea the "Walk the Dinosaur" band did that song. Or that they were anything other than a one-hit wonder.
Bubs-
Thanks! Joan Baez also does a nice version of "Green, Green Grass" on "David's Album. June Carter's voice was haunting, wasn't it?
Red-
I think I was really surprised when Was (Not Was) actually had a hit! I'd first heard them in a couple of cartoons at an animation festival that my late friend Mark dragged me to-- they used "Hello Dad," and "Earth to Doris," also a very funny song. They also had a minor hit with "I Blew Up The United States" ("Now little bits of Texas/Are out in space/I blew up the United States"). They had some old R and B great singing on it-- I can't remember who it was offhand.
Don Was of Was (Not Was) is a very in-demand producer-- Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, roy Orbison, the B-52's, B.B. King, Elton Jon-- the list is long. Check out his wikipedia entry.
You've got some real tear jerkers there. It must be the smell of turning leaves in the air.
(I didn't intend for that to rhyme - that would be way too sappy)
(I didn't mean sappy like tree sap)
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