Miscellaneous
This page is devoted to artists who were not one-hit wonders, but only one to a few songs by each of whom appeal to me. However, you may submit individual reviews of any of these artists if you wish. The artists are listed alphabetically. Of songs marked with an asterisk, I have 1980s or 90s stereo versions, not the originals.
THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
Ramblin' Man (4:46) - Thanks to the lyrics, this is a country-rock song. But the ending instrumental is overly long, taking almost the entire second half of the song. We never heard THAT much ending instrumental on the radio, did we? I've even read that another song by the Allmans lasts nearly 23 minutes!
AMERICA
A Horse With No Name (4:11) - The tempo is moderate. Sometimes, especially at the beginning, the drums and the guitar play somewhat softly. The desert heat may be burning the narrator's skin, but in the desert he finds a refuge from the rain and pain he is subjected to at home. For him, riding a nameless horse in the desert is paradise. I wonder, though, if he wants to GIVE the horse a name--whether it be Traveller, Trigger, Silver, or anything else.
Venus (original version 2:23; 1990s stereo version 2:35) - The tempo is slightly faster than the moderate speed in the original version I often hear on the radio. Since Venus is the Roman goddess of love, the narrator is sure that what he requests of her can't be too much for her to grant. All he wants is a girl who will give him, and to whom he can give, a lifetime of love. The original version doesn't fade out, but this one does. Frankie had more hits, but this is the only one I ever hear on the radio.
Come And Get It (original version 2:21; 1990s stereo version 2:13) - This song was written and submitted to the group by Paul McCartney of the Beatles. "If you want it, here it is; come and get it / But you'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast." Sounds like the perfect sales pitch for any company to use in newspaper, radio, and TV ads! The stereo version is slightly faster than the original.
LES BAXTER
Unchained Melody (2:31) - Although this slow song is best known as a Righteous Brothers song, here is an earlier version. Instruments include string instruments, which play the melody; at first the only vocals are "unchain me, unchain me." At 1:16 Les "unchains" (starts singing) the melody. As the song closes, I hear bells ringing.
It's Just A Matter Of Time (2:26) - This slow, 12/8 song features orchestral string instruments and a piano. In the first verse, the narrator realizes that sooner or later his girlfriend will leave him again. In the rest of the song, he tells her to go ahead and do what she wants to do; sooner or later she will realize how true his love for her was. I like those several points in the song where Brook sings in a low bass voice. Later, this song was a #1 hit for country singer Randy Travis.
Baby, You Got What It Takes (with Dinah Washington) (2:44) - The same instruments that played in the previous song also play in this moderately fast song. It takes a lot to make each narrator fall in love with the other, but each does have what it takes. Despite a screw-up in the second singing of the final verse (Brook jumped into the first line when it was Dinah's turn), this song was a Top 10 hit.
Rainy Night In Georgia (original version 3:50; 1990s stereo version 3:50) - My favorite song by Brook is very slow, featuring a guitar, a piano, an organ, and a harmonica. The narrator apparently is a drifter roaming the streets of a city in Georgia. Perhaps his girlfriend left him recently. Anyway, as the rain pours and he seeks an overnight shelter, he seems to hear her voice. Then he hears a train whistle a sad tone in the distance. He heads toward the train and climbs aboard one of its boxcars. He feels like rain is falling everywhere in the world. This song was written by Tony Joe White.
Ain't That A Shame * (2:24) - This version has a similar tempo to the original by Fats Domino. Other men scat-sing in the background.
Speedy Gonzales * (2:34) - The tempo is slow for the first 36 seconds, but moderately fast for the rest of the song. Instruments include horns. The song is set in Mexico, and periodically I hear voices in Spanish accents. Speedy's wife begs him to stop drinking, stop cheating on her, and come home. Their house is infested with roaches, the roof is leaking, the TV is broken, the dog is about to give birth, and a myriad of other problems need his attention.
Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (2:06) - The tempo is between moderate and fast. The horns sound awesome. The narrator's "brand new bag" apparently contains instructions on how to do various dances like the monkey, the mash-potato, and the jerk.
I Got You (I Feel Good) (2:45) - The tempo is even faster here. To me this song is the better of the two because of the way the horn plays after each line in the verses. The narrator feels "nice, like sugar and spice" now that he's won the girl's love.
GLEN CAMPBELL
Rhinestone Cowboy (3:02) - Instruments include a piano and a tambourine. The narrator of this moderate-tempoed song is tired of New York City strife and dreams of being a famous rodeo rider. He dreams of receiving mail from strangers and getting phone calls about opportunities to advance his career.
CANNED HEAT
Goin' Up The Country (2:51) - This moderately fast song features a flute. The narrator seeks a break from city life via a drive to a lake "where the water tastes like wine" and he can "stay drunk all the time." But be careful, pal; you might fall into the lake and drown!
On The Road Again (3:21) - No, this is not the same tune that Willie Nelson sang. But I do like this one also. This song, slightly faster than moderate, opens and closes with a sitar and the slow plucking of a guitar. Other instruments include a harmonica. When the narrator was young, his mother apparently died. He drove alone in rain and snow before, but he couldn't find a place to rest that time. So this time he wants someone to travel with him (but someone other than the gal he's singing to).
Action (2:09) - The tempo is moderately fast. The narrator invites the girl to the Sunset Strip, where she can find excitement by dancing. I also have a version by Paul Revere and the Raiders.
Palisades Park (1:51) - The narrator of this fast song goes to an amusement park after sundown. On one ride, he meets a girl and his heart goes every which way just like the rides. They go on rides together from that moment on. The middle instrumental features the chugging of a roller coaster and the screams of its passengers.
Patches * (3:09) - This slow song tells the heartbreaking tale of a sharecropper's son who earned the nickname Patches from the ragged clothes he always wore. Just before the boy's father dies, he tells 13-year-old Patches, his oldest child, that the burden now falls on Patches to work in the fields to keep the family fed.
Slip Away (original version 2:39; 1990s stereo version 2:39) - The tempo is moderate. At 1:36, Clarence sings "But just can you slip away without him knowin' you're gone." Depending on whom "him" refers to (a father or a husband), this could be either an elopement or an extramarital rendezvous. Either way, the narrator is so in love with the girl, he asks her to sneak out at night so they can get together, kiss, and do whatever else. He knows it's a sin, but that only makes it even more appealing to him.
Hit The Road Jack (1:57) - The tempo is somewhat fast. The female singers sing the lines of the woman who has had enough of Jack's freeloading; Ray plays the role of Jack, who begs the woman not to kick him out of her home.
THE CHI-LITES
Oh Girl (original version 3:28; 1990s stereo version 3:02) - The measures count at a pace somewhat faster than moderate; a snare drum plays on every third beat. Other instruments include a harmonica. "All my friends call me a fool," the narrator says. Well, if they do, then they're not really friends. Still, my favorite lines from this song are "So I try to be hip, think like the crowd / But even the crowd can't help me now." He wonders what he'll do if his girlfriend leaves him. He ends up deciding that he'd better leave first so he can save himself some grief.
Splish Splash (2:11) - This fast song starts and ends with the sound effect of water rippling. The featured instruments are the cymbal drums and the sax. During the instrumental breaks, the regular drums play the first and fourth beats. As the narrator takes a bath, he hears a party in his living room, so he gets out of the tub, gets dressed, and joins the crowd.
Queen Of The Hop (2:11) - This song has a moderately fast, rolling tempo. The narrator tells other guys they may dance with Peggy Sue, Miss Molly, or Mary Lou if they want to, but his girlfriend is the most popular person at the dance hall.
Dream Lover (2:31) - This song has a moderate, rolling tempo and rapid guitar licks. At the times when Bobby sings "I want a girl to call my own," he sings every two words at the last eighth note of one measure and the first quarter beat of the next; the drums and tambourine play the eighth beats within each second beat, and the quarter beat of each fourth beat. During the eighth beats in the second beat, the female singers sing "yeah yeah" or something like that.
Things (2:33) - This song is somewhat fast. The featured instrument is probably a marimba. The women behind Bobby sing beautifully. The narrator reminisces on various activities that he and his girlfriend used to engage in.
Mack The Knife (3:06) - This moderately fast song starts out kind of quiet but ends with a crescendo of the horns that play jazzily almost throughout the song. Mack is called a "knife" because he commits murders by using a knife, which he washes after each killing to destroy evidence.
The End Of The World (2:36) - This song has a moderately slow, 12/8 tempo. The narrator asks questions like why the sun still shines, why her heart continues to beat, and why the birds keep singing. To her the world ended when her boyfriend left her. Later, Herman's Hermits would also have a hit with this song.
I Can't Stay Mad At You (2:07) - The tempo is moderate. Violins play lead during the middle instrumental. The instruments and the backup singers nearly drown out Skeeter, but from close listening I can tell that the narrator is very forgiving of her boyfriend. Even if he runs around on her, lies to her, and makes her cry, she won't dump him.
Skeeter has had more success as a country singer.
TYRONE DAVIS
Turn Back The Hands Of Time (original version 2:56; 1990s stereo version 2:40) - The tempo is moderate. Instruments include an organ, violins, and horns. The narrator is lonely now that his girlfriend has left him; he wishes he could go back in time to the days when she still loved him.
Hush (4:27) - This moderate-paced song opens with 12 seconds of distant animal cries. Instruments include electric guitars and an organ. This was the hit version, but I also have a version by Billy Joe Royal.
THE DELLS
There Is (original version 3:32; 1990s stereo version 3:11) - The tempo is fast. Instruments include a piano and strings. "There is the time, there is the place, there is the girl, there is the face," and the narrator is full of desire for that girl and that face. He will do everything he can to persuade her to love him in return.
LITTLE JIMMIE DICKENS
May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose (2:24) - The tempo slows down during the fourth line of each verse, then the original speed resumes for the fifth line. In the first verse the narrator gets the blessing in the title from a beggar to whom he gives a penny. In the second verse, he gets the blessing from his laundry man after reimbursing the laundry man for the cost of a phone call to the narrator. In the third verse, the narrator apparently tells the title to his taxi driver for driving him quickly to a train station. This was Jimmie's only pop hit, but he was a successful country singer.
Blueberry Hill (2:18) - This song has a slow, swing tempo. A saxophone plays during the chorus. The narrator and his girlfriend are no longer together, but each still thinks of the other. Blueberry Hill was where they had first met.
Ain't That A Shame (2:25) - The tempo is slightly faster than in the previous song, especially in the chorus. I like the verses, in each measure of which there are only vocals in the first two beats, and the instruments sound out the third and fourth beats. In the chorus, the most audible instrument is the sax. The narrator's tears "fell like rain" when his girlfriend left him. This song was covered by Pat Boone.
I'm Walkin' (2:02) - This fast song features a sax, which plays during the middle and fading instrumentals. As the narrator walks and talks, he hopes that his girlfriend will return to him. He asks her what she'll do "when the well runs dry" (i.e., she gets tired of living without him).
DONOVAN
Sunshine Superman (4:31) - The tempo is moderate. The guitar licks are good; the vibrating ones are especially interesting. The narrator, the Sunshine Superman, has resolved to make the girl his lover; once she decides to be his, he will take her hand and do everything he can to excite her.
Mellow Yellow (3:38) - The tempo is moderately slow. A drum solo fills the first 8 seconds; a cymbal drum plays the last eighth beat in each measure while the regular drums play each quarter beat. Horns play lead during the middle instrumental. The narrator is crazy about saffron, 14, etc., and they're crazy about him too. Following almost every occurrence of the title line is the whispered chant "Quite rightly."
Light My Fire (7:05) - The tempo is slightly faster than moderate. The lead instrument is an organ; guitar licks appear in some parts. The vocals are concentrated in the first minute and the last minute; the instrumental plays from 1:07 to 5:42. When I hear this song on the radio, I usually hear a version in which most of the instrumental is edited out. The narrator tells his girlfriend to "light [his] fire" (arouse his desire for her). When he says they will "try to set the night on fire," he means that they will make the most of the night they are spending together.
Hello I Love You (2:13) - The tempo is moderate. Listen to the left speaker and you'll hear drums and a synthesizer; listen to the right speaker and you'll hear the synthesizer and a guitar or two. In the chorus the narrator talks TO the girl; in the verses he sings ABOUT her. As he sees her walk down the street, "She holds her head so high / Like a statue in the sky." He falls in love with her and asks her to tell him her name. My favorite moment in this song is when the synthesizer vibrates from 1:15 to 1:19. At 1:35 the word "hello" is repeated until the song fades out.
THE FLEETWOODS
Come Softly To Me (2:19) - This soft love song has a moderate tempo. Listen closely and you'll hear the faint beats of a tambourine; only that and the male lead singer's scat singing fill the first 15 seconds. After that, enter a guitar and the female backup vocals of "come softly, darling" that attract me to this song. Though this group (not to be confused with Fleetwood Mac) had more hits, this song is the only one my local radio station plays much.
Knock On Wood (original version 3:03; 1990s stereo version 3:03) - This song has a moderate tempo and horns. The narrator already has a girlfriend, but now he faces temptation to mess with another woman, to whom he is singing. He is scared that he is about to lose the good love of his girlfriend who makes sure he gets enough love. Knocking on wood is reputed to bring good luck, so that's just what he feels he should do. I've also heard a version of this song by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas.
CONNIE FRANCIS
Stupid Cupid (2:13) - This moderately fast song features a sax, a piano, hand-clapping, and male backup singers. The narrator is angry at Cupid because being in love has ruined her life. She can't concentrate on her homework or anything else other than her boyfriend. She demands that Cupid set her free from her addiction to love.
City of New Orleans (4:28) - That's the name of a train that regularly travels between Chicago and New Orleans. I see some patriotism here: "Good morning, America, how are you? Say, don't you know me? I'm your native son." The tempo is fast. The instruments play somewhat softly, but in the chorus, Arlo and his backup singers sing loud and clear.
(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock (2:10) - The narrator and his girlfriend plan to dance to their favorite music from 1 AM to noon. The rapid guitar licks during the first instrumental amaze me. A sax and apparently a steel guitar play during the second instrumental. All Bill Haley songs listed here have fast tempos.
Shake, Rattle, And Roll (2:30) - I like how the sax plays during the beginning and middle instrumentals. In the first verse the narrator tells his girlfriend to fix breakfast for him; in the third verse he compares himself to "a one-eyed cat peepin' in a seafood store"; generally he can see that she no longer loves him. Big Joe Turner sang the original version of this song.
See You Later Alligator (2:44) - The song begins with a high-pitched voice uttering the title. In the first verse the narrator sees his girl walking with another man. Later she apologizes for leaving him and tells him her love is exclusively his. He suspects she is only playing a game, so he does just what she had done to him--say the title.
Rip It Up (2:23) - This song has an even faster tempo than the other three. Again the high-pitched voice appears at the beginning, this time saying, "Let's rip it up!" I've also heard the original version by Little Richard and another by the Everly Brothers.
JANIS IAN
Society's Child (3:11) - The tempo is usually moderate, but in some spots it's slower. Instruments include a harpsichord and a tambourine. The narrator is white ("society's child"), and her boyfriend is black (regarded as inferior to whites). She feels sorry for him that people have mistreated him because of his race. Her parents even forbid the couple to see each other, but she assures him that someday, when they're older, they can reunite.
It's All Right (original version 2:47; 1990s stereo version 2:59) - Curtis Mayfield sang lead on this song. This moderate, swing-tempoed song features a guitar and horns. When one of the guys sings "Everybody clap your hands, and give yourselves a chance," hands clap on every other beat of each measure. Someone else's a capella version (late 80s or early 90s) also became a hit. All is well, so forget your troubles and seize the night!
For another song by the Impressions, see Jerry Butler.
Shout (4:39) - The tempo varies throughout this song. First it's very fast. Later, in the part with the lines "You've been good to me, baby / Better than I've been to myself," the tempo is moderate. Then the original fast tempo returns. Then, at "Wait a minute," the tempo really slows and the drums stop playing, but there is organ-playing, shouting, and hand-clapping. Finally, the original tempo returns and stays for the rest of the song; here's where my favorite part is: they sing "a little bit softer now" until the voices and instruments reach minimum softness, then they sing "a little bit louder now" until they return to the normal volume. The Beatles also sang a version of this, released for the first time on Anthology, Volume One.
Twist And Shout (2:29) - This was a big hit for the Beatles as well as for the Isleys. In the Isleys' version, the tempo is moderate and swing; a tambourine sounds out each even-numbered beat. A harmonica plays during the instrumental. The "ah, ah, ah" part is sung only once; at the end the cymbal drums play and the line "Shake it up, baby" repeats and fades.
Tell Mama (original version 2:21; 1990s stereo version 2:33) - This moderate-tempoed song opens with horns blowing loud and clear. The narrator is not the literal mother of the man she's singing to, but rather the woman on whose shoulder he can cry now that a previous love has left him. All he has to do is tell her what he wants (hugging, kissing, etc.), and she'll give it to him.
THE JIVE FIVE
What Time Is It (2:45) - Bells are among the instruments in this slow, 12/8 song. Whenever the lead singer sings the title, the backup singers reply "It's 5:00," "It's 6:00," etc. The narrator is gonna visit his sweetheart at 8:00, so he counts down the hours until then. Once he gets there, he says, "What time is it? It's time for love."
ELTON JOHN
Crocodile Rock (3:50) - The drums are less audible than the other instruments. The narrator reminisces on the times when rock 'n' roll was young. He and his then-girlfriend used to dance to the Crocodile Rock, from which he got more pleasure even than from having his own home and Chevy. When Elton sings his falsetto, he sounds almost like a baby. Nevertheless, I find this a good song to listen to.
TOM JONES
It's Not Unusual (2:01) - This fast song features a tambourine in the left speaker, horns in the right. It's common to love and be loved, even to have fun. But if the narrator sees his girlfriend having fun with other guys, it's common for him to cry and wish he were dead. Tom sings "wo wo wo" vocals as the song fades out.
It Might As Well Rain Until September (2:22) - In the 1960s, Carole, along with then-husband Gerry Goffin, wrote many hits, most of them for other singers. This recording (1962) was intended only as a demo tape for Bobby Vee, who turned the song down. In fact, it has a similar pattern to Bobby's "Take Good Care Of My Baby"--a slow piano intro leading to a moderately fast tempo. Summer may be wonderful for some people, but for the narrator it's a sad time because her boyfriend is on vacation. She doesn't care if the literal weather is sunny; the weather in her heart will stay rainy until fall.
Nine years later, Carole found success as a singer with an entire #1 album, Tapestry, whose songs included It's Too Late.
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (original version 2:52; 1990s stereo version 2:39) - The low-pitched piano and the fast tempo are the highlights of this song. Near the end, the volume goes down slightly as the narrator tells the girl how to shake. Then the original volume returns for the final occurrence of the chorus. Paul Revere and the Raiders remade this song later.
Great Balls Of Fire (1:51) - This song has as fast a tempo as the other one. The narrator gets very excited whenever his girlfriend holds and kisses him; the "balls of fire" go on inside his head. I like the echo of Jerry Lee's voice, which is especially noticeable during the instrumental breaks.
Why Do Fools Fall In Love (2:17) - Teenagers they were indeed; in fact, Frankie was 13 at the time this song was recorded. There is one bass voice, though; it can especially be heard during the first few seconds. The tempo is fast. The narrator wonders why birds sing, why the rain falls, and, of course, why fools fall in love. After all, "love is a losing game."
HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES
If You Don't Know Me By Now (original version 3:26; 1990s stereo version 3:32) - This song has a moderately slow waltz tempo. A piano rolls sweetly during the opening measures. The narrator pleads for his sweetheart to understand him, not to be paranoid when he arrives home late. If she doesn't yet know him, she never will. They should either make up or end the relationship; after all, "what good is a love affair when you can't see eye to eye?"
ROGER MILLER
Do-Wack-A-Do (1:45) - The tempo is moderately fast. The man being sung to always has good luck and is happy; he can easily attract girls and take them for rides in his Cadillac. The narrator envies the other man.
AS LEAD SINGER OF THEM: Gloria (2:35) - The tempo is bright and moderate. Besides guitars and drums, this song features an organ, which is particularly audible in the second verse. In this and his other song listed here, Van sounds similar to Mick Jagger, only a bit higher. His throaty vocals in this song reflect the excitement his character feels. Gloria, who stands 5 feet 4 inches, comes to the narrator's house every midnight. She makes him feel so good that he will shout her name all night, everywhere he goes.
Brown Eyed Girl (3:03) - This song, a bit faster than the other one, includes a tambourine, hand-clapping, and an organ. I like the duet between the bass guitar and the tambourine just before the third verse. The narrator looks back on the games he and the girl used to play in the rain, the sunny days when they used to slide down a waterfall, and the times they used to sing "Sha-la-la-la-la..."
AARON NEVILLE
Tell It Like It Is (2:41) - This slow, 12/8 song opens with an even slower piano roll. The narrator doesn't have time to play games with the girl, so she must tell him honestly what she wants with him. If she wants to be his love forever true, she should say so.
THE NEW SEEKERS
Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma (original version 3:20; 1990s stereo version 3:12) - This moderately fast song features a piano, an organ, and a tambourine. The lead singer is female, so I'll use a female narrator here. She tells her mother that her song, the only thing that makes her life worth living, has been ruined. One verse is sung in French. This group is not to be confused with one-hit group the Seekers.
Blue Suede Shoes (2:14) - The tempo is fast. The narrator tells the other man that he can spit in the narrator's face, defame him everywhere, burn his house, pilfer his car, do anything except step on the narrator's shoes. The narrator values those shoes more than anything else in the world. Artists who covered this song later include Elvis Presley and Johnny Rivers.
My Prayer (2:45) - The piano is the main instrument in this slow, 12/8 song. Last thing at night, before the narrator goes to bed, he prays that he and his girlfriend will always be together, both in his dreams and in waking life.
Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay (2:40) - Just a few days after he recorded this song, Otis died in a plane crash. Since this song was Otis' biggest hit, he gained more popularity posthumously than he ever had in life. The tempo is moderate. I like the sound effects of waves crashing and seagulls chirping. The narrator, seeing no reason to go on living, has roamed across America to sit on the dock and wait for death to come to him.
Rock And Roll Heaven (3:32) - The tempo is moderate. Electric guitars lead for the first 5 seconds; then other instruments, including drums and a piano, follow. This song, released in the mid 1970s, pays tribute to the following singers who had passed before: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jim Morrison of the Doors, Jim Croce, and Bobby Darin. Compared to forever, life is only one night. In heaven, everyone is a star.
TOMMY ROE
Sheila (2:02) - This moderately fast song opens with a 3-second drum solo and has another one starting at 1:03. Sheila is the narrator's girlfriend; even the mention of her name drives him wild.
Sweet Pea (2:17) - This moderate-paced song features some woodwind instrument I can't identify. They key starts at A; shortly before the 1-minute mark it rises to B-flat; then it rises to B shortly after 1:30. The narrator goes to a dance one night and spots a pretty girl known as Sweet Pea. He wants to dance with her, but then so do other guys, so he has to wait a while. When his turn finally comes, he persuades her to be his girlfriend and go with him to a secluded spot.
Devil With A Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly (3:29) - This fast medley features a piano and a tambourine. Besides a blue dress, Miss Molly wears an alligator hat, a pearl necklace, diamond rings, bracelets, and high-heel shoes.
BOB SEGER
Old Time Rock And Roll (3:11) - This moderate-tempoed song features nothing unusual, just a piano, a guitar, drums and a saxophone. I feel the same way the narrator does: "Today's music ain't got the same soul; I like that old time rock and roll." This song is timeless, for "today's music" is no longer just 70s disco, but extends to most of what has followed, from Madonna to Britney Spears.
Drowning In The Sea Of Love (original version 3:26; 1990s stereo version 3:17) - The tempo is moderate. The cymbals roll twice during the opening measures. Other instruments include orchestral strings and an organ. The narrator thought he had found happiness in the woman, but now that she has left him, he always cries. He has struggled twice before to stay afloat in love's sea, but he's drowning this time.
Another of Joe's hits was Power Of Love, of which I have a version by Martha Reeves.
Sugar Town (2:20) - This song has a moderate swing tempo. Instruments include a horn and a harpsichord. The place named in the title is paradise for the narrator. She rests on the green grass and lets her troubles slip away. Whether she had 10 dollars or a million, she'd let the world have it; the sweet city is all she needs. I like how Nancy sings "Shu shu shu..." before the full title.
Summer Wine (with Lee Hazelwood) (3:35) - The tempo is somewhat faster than moderate. Instruments include orchestral strings and chimes. Nancy sings of "strawberries, cherries, and angels kissing spring" while Lee plays the role of a cowboy wearing silver spurs. Nancy's character asks the cowboy to doff his spurs and keep her company. He spends a pleasant night with her, but the next morning he has a hangover and discovers her--and his spurs--gone.
Nancy's biggest hit was These Boots Are Made For Walkin', of which I have a version by Billy Ray Cyrus.
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE
Everyday People (2:20) - The tempo is between slow and moderate. The piano sounds out the first beat of the first and third measures of the song and the first two beats in the second and fourth measures. This is a protest song against discrimination of all kinds.
SPANKY AND OUR GANG
Sunday Will Never Be The Same (2:56) - This song, slightly faster than moderate, features a harpsichord and a tambourine. On Sundays, the narrator and her boyfriend used to walk in the park hand-in-hand until sunset. Now that he's left her, she walks in the park alone. That's why Sunday will be so different to her.
STEPPENWOLF
Born To Be Wild (3:34) - The tempo is moderately fast. The roar of the electric guitar matches the title and the mood. The narrator and his girlfriend both have hormones in overdrive. They so much enjoy their adventures together, they wish they were immortal. Perhaps they enjoy motorbiking. I've heard this song on a commercial for motorcycles before, plus the song opens with the sound of one roaring.
Magic Carpet Ride (4:24) - The tempo is moderate during the vocal portions. The song begins with electric guitars twanging and simulating the sound of a motor running, like the engine of the magic carpet the narrator and his girlfriend are riding. Other instruments include an organ. Just after lead singer John Kay for the second time sings "Close your eyes, girl; look inside, girl; let the sound take you away," a long, fast instrumental begins, the sound that's "taking them away." Vocals resume shortly before fadeout.
RAY STEVENS
Gitarzan (3:17) - This fast song opens with applause followed by the shrieking of a monkey. Cymbals are used heavily; other instruments include horns. This is a musical twist to the old tale of Tarzan and Jane. He has a "jungle band"; he, Jane, and their pet monkey can sing. After a verse about each character, there's a fourth verse about the three of them combining their voices; ironically, Jane tells Tarzan, "Shut up, baby, I'm tryin' to sing!"
Harry The Hairy Ape (original version 2:50; 1990s stereo version 3:09) - This fast song features a piano, horns, an organ, and a tambourine. The stereo version is a live recording, as sometimes I hear clapping, cheering, and laughing. The original version, on the other hand, was a studio recording. Late one night, the title character escapes from the zoo, goes to the park, and hides in some bushes. When a DJ walks by the bushes, the ape jumps out, beats his chest, and makes funny noises. Impressed, the DJ decides to make the ape a rock 'n' roll star.
ROD STEWART
Maggie May (5:45) - This moderate-tempoed song starts with a half-minute guitar solo, which I don't recall ever having heard on the radio. After two seconds of silence, another guitar solo leads into the vocals and drums; that solo reappears from time to time. Maggie persuaded the narrator to fall in love with her just to keep him company. Now she's tricked and hurt him; he feels he should leave her and go back to school.
B-A-B-Y (original version 2:47; 1990s stereo version 2:50) - This song, somewhat faster than moderate, features horns and an organ. The narrator loves to call her man "baby" and for him to call her the same; she so much loves that word she even spells it. Carla is the daughter of Rufus Thomas (below).
RUFUS THOMAS
Walkin' The Dog (original version 2:32; 1990s stereo version 2:23) - The tempo is moderate. A piano and horns are among the instruments. Apparently, to "walk the dog" is to do some sort of dance. The narrator tells those who don't know how that he can teach them, then he whistles like he would for a dog to come to him.
IKE AND TINA TURNER
Proud Mary (4:54) - This song was originally sung by Creedence Clearwater Revival and written by its lead singer, John Fogerty. Ike and Tina's version, itself a big hit, starts slow, or "nice and easy" as Tina says in the beginning. But from 2:19 on, the tempo is fast, with horns playing and Tina belting out throaty vocals ("nice and rough"). The narrator, having worked in the kitchen of a Memphis restaurant and then as a gas station attendant in New Orleans, finds a better life aboard a steamboat called Proud Mary. Nothing like a boat rolling "nice and easy" along the Mississippi River! I like to hear this song once in a while, but I like Creedence's version better.
Lonely Blue Boy (2:13) - This moderately slow, 12/8 song features tick-tock drums and a piano. The narrator names himself Lonely Blue Boy because trouble, woe, and heartaches are all he has ever known. He thinks that he feels so sad all the time because it rained on the night he was born. Love may be the answer to loneliness, but love has never reached him, and he doubts that it ever will. Conway had many other hits as a country singer until his death in 1993.
You Keep Me Hanging On (2:58) - This song was originally sung by Diana Ross and the Supremes. Then it was also a hit for this male group. This version is slow and opens with an organ solo. I like how the lead singer says, "And there ain't nothin' I can do about it [the narrator's heart breaking when he sees the girl]!"
GENE VINCENT
Be Bop A Lula (2:34) - This song has a moderate swing tempo. The girl is the narrator's sweetheart--aboslutely, positively, beyond all doubt. She's the queen of all teenage girls and really knows how to dance. One thing confuses me, though: the narrator says his girl wears "red blue jeans." Perhaps they're a red version of jeans that are more often blue; or maybe they're purple. Anyway, in the last line of each verse, Gene huffs and puffs, and another guy screams.
Blue Velvet (2:48) - The girl who used to love the narrator had eyes bluer than the velvet she wore. Her memory will live on his mind; he "still can see blue velvet through [his] tears." The tempo is slow and swing. The voices of the backup singers sound ethereal.
Roses Are Red, My Love (2:38) - When the narrator and the woman graduated from high school together, he signed in her yearbook the love message starting with the title. Then, after the narrator went far away, the woman found a new man. In the last verse, he tells her that her little girl resembles her and will someday receive the same love message from some boy in her yearbook. The tempo is between slow and moderate. I like how the piano plays in this song.
Blue On Blue (2:23) - Now that the narrator's girlfriend has left him, the street along which they used to walk together is no longer beautiful. The trees no longer have leaves and the air is full of sadness. They still meet in his dreams, but no longer in real life. The tempo is slow. The drums are more audible in the verses than in the chorus, but even then, they don't play very loudly.
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