1000-976-Great Vocals
1000. RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN’ ON MY HEAD “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969)
Vocalist: B. J. Thomas
Writer/Composer: Hal David / Burt Bacharach (1969)
The video clip from the movie with the bicycle scene is a joy to behold. This happy tune and its youthful delivery almost make it inspirational.
Link # 1 Original music audio with lyrics. Link # 2 Song from the movie with movie clips 1969.
999. I LOVES YOU PORGY “Porgy and Bess” (1959)
Vocalist: Nina Simone (Eunice Kathleen Waymon)
Writer/Composer: George Gershwin (1935)
Link # 1 Original recording 1959. Link # 2 Live on Ed Sullivan Show 1960.
998. DON’T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE (1977)
Vocalist: Crystal Gayle
Writer/Composer: Richard Leigh (1976)
Link # 1 Original recording 1977. LIve performance Tops of the Pops for 1977.
997. SIXTEEN TONS (1956)
Vocalist: Tennessee Ernie Ford
Writer/Composer: Merle Travis (1947
Written as a country & western song, this coal-mining self-identity song suits Ford’s full baritone delivery and it went straight to the top of the charts amid the beginning of the rock revolution.
Link # 1 Original recording 1956. Link # 2 Live performance 1957.
996. HOLD ON TO THE NIGHTS (1988)
Vocalist: Richard Marx
Writer/Composer: Richard Marx
One of the really outstanding vocalists of the 1980s, this rock / pop singer held his own as his power ballad clearly shows, solidifying his enormous popularity.
Live # 1 Original music video 1988. Live about 10 years later?
995. RUM AND COCA COLA (1945)
Vocalist: Andrews Sisters
Writer/Composer: Morey Amsterdam / Lionel Belasco (1943)
One of the biggest hits of the 1940s, their playful harmonies soar, but not without controversy in its time. Some stations refused to play it, could it be promoting overdrinking and spending it on the working ladies in Trinidad?
Link # 1 Original recording 1945. Link # 2 Live performance 1944.
994. CLOCKS (2003)
Vocalist: Coldplay (lead Chris Martin)
Writer/Composer: Guy Berryman / Jonny Buckland / Will Champion / Chris Martin (2002)
Link # 1 Official music video 2003. Link #2 Live Austen City Limits 2005?
993. NEVER NEVER LAND “Peter Pan” (1954)
Vocalist: Mary Martin
Writer/Composer: Carolyn Leigh / Betty Comden / Adolph Green (1953)
992. I DON’T WANT TO WAIT (1996)
Vocalist: Paula Cole
Writer/Composer: Paula Cole (1996)
This meaningful composition is a great look at self-examination as we don’t want to repeat the same mistakes as our fathers and their fathers. She sings it with conviction and eager expectation. A classic in songwriting and melody.
Link # 2 Official music audio with lyrics 1996. Link # 2 Live from Hard Rock Cafe 1998.
991. SEPTEMBER SONG “Knickerbocker Holiday” (1961)
Vocalist: Frank Sinatra
Writer/Composer: Kurt Weill / Maxwell Anderson (1938)
In one of the most beautiful songs ever written, and covered by numerous artists, no one delivers this message of looking back with regret at the unfinished portions of our lives any better than Sinatra.
Link # 1 Original album recording 1961. Link # 2 recording from 1957.
990. WISHING YOU WERE SOMEHOW HERE AGAIN (1986)
Vocalist: Sierra Boggess
Writer/Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber / Richard Stilgoe / Charles Hart (1986)
Her heavenly soprano voice fully captures the beauty and interpretation of Broadway musicals. She can bring tears to the listeners when performing.
Link # 1 Broadway orignal recording 1986. Live Broadway recording 1986.
989. TILL THERE WAS YOU “The Music Man” (1957)
Vocalist: Barbara Cook / featuring Robert Preston
Writer/Composer: Meredith Wilson (1957)
Link # 1 Original Broadway recording 1957. Link # 2 Live performance 1957.
988. WHISKEY LULLABY (2003)
Vocalist: Brad Paisley / Alison Krouse
Writer/Composer: Bill Anderson / Jon Randall
Link # 1 Official music video extebded version 2903. Live performance 2010.
987. I’M in LOVE WITH a WONDERFUL GUY “South Pacific” (1956)
Vocalist: Mitzi Gaynor
Writer/Composer: Richard Rodgers / Oscar Hammerstein II
This is one of R & H’s great songs from the movie, and Mitzi Gaynor does it with a superb, surprising rendition with incredible delivery of this delightful song.
Link - Movie clip straight from the movie, South Pacific 1956.
986. EL PERDON (The Forgiveness) (2016)
Vocalist: Diana Navarro
Writer/Composer: Carlos Vera / Diana Navarro / Inaki Garcia / Paco Salazar (2016)
This surprising entry proves that some of the best vocals come from obscure foreign (Spanish) artists with magnificent voices. She conveys multi-musical styles such as Pop, Latino, Folk and Flamenco and has complete control over her soprano voice of 3+ octaves, and her phrasing, and versatility displays heartbreak as well anyone in this 21st century. Her incredible voice is known for its penchant for being intensely moving. Cry if you want to, this is nothing short of remarkable! She’s slowly becoming a World Music Phenomenon…Elegant and Shattering!
Link - Music video with English lyrics.
985. BUSTED (1963)
Vocalist: Ray Charles
Writer/Composer: Harlan Howard (1963)
Singing for the workers in the field and those of little means, Ray combines blues with soul, he’s losing, and he knows it! “Cotton is down to a quarter a pound, and I’m busted.”
Link # 1 Official audio 1963. Link # 2 Audio live update 1970s.
984. TAKE ME TO THE RIVER (1995)
Vocalist: Annie Lennox
Writer/Composer: Al Green / Mabon “Teenie” Hodges (1973)
Al Green’s masterpiece is re-invented here, and Annie takes the vocals to the MOON and back in this searing delivery where the “River” is the destination.
Link - Original recording from Medusa album 1995.
983. SHINING STAR (1980)
Vocalist: The Manhattans (lead Gerald Austin)
Writer/Composer: Barbara Moor / Gerald Austin (1980)
The impeccable harmony in this R & B group classic is a template on how a song can and should be delivered. Absolute split-second timing! Great!
Link # 1 Original recording 1980. Link # 2 Live performance 1980.
982. I APOLOGIZE (1951)
Vocalist: Billy Eckstein
Writer/Composer: Al Hoffman / Al Goodhart / Ed Nelson
In the 1940s and 50s, Billy’s velvety baritone voice was the touchstone of vocal Jazz delivery. His signature song shows perfect jazz interpretation.
Link # 1 Oroinal recording 1951. Link # 2 Remastered and live 1952.
981. LOVE IS ALIVE (1976)
Vocalist: Gary Wright
Writer/Composer: Gary Wright (1976)
An underrated rock classic! Wright sings with a truly remarkable unique delivery as well writes and produces. He’s not only a Dream Weaver, he’s also an accomplished musician, very much alive in this recording.
Link # 1 Original recording 1976. Link # 2 Live performance the Midnight Special 1976.
980. CHAIN OF FOOLS (1967)
Vocalist: Aretha Franklin
Writer/Composer: Don Covay (1953)
Very few artists can have more than one signature song, but Aretha proves she can have many! Joe South’s guitar intro gets you ready for gospel-tinged rock and roll / R & B amazing thrill ride.
Link # 1 Original recording 1967. Link # 2 Live performance 1968.
979. HELPLESSLY HOPING (1969)
Vocalist: Crosby, Stills & Nash
Writer/Composer: Stephen Stills (1969)
Their acapella harmony, with lone guitar, makes this one of the most imitated Folk group offerings in music. Very few can match the sheer beauty of their blended voices. This American Folk / Rock group with their 4th entry on our list, solidifies CCN as the pinnacle of perfect, uncanny and unique harmony, distinctively recognizable as different from anyone else. David Crosby’s amazing high harmony is evident even in previous groups he was in, such as The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield. This album cut from their debut is…Astonishing!
Link # 1 The B side of their first hit, Marrakesh Express. Link # 2 Live from Woodstock on August 15, 1969.
978. SONG OF INDIA (1953)
Vocalist: Mario Lanza / RCA Victor Orch. (Constatine Collinicos Cond.)
Writer/Composer: Rimsky-Korsakoff / adapted by Johnny Mercer
This song continues to soar with the passage of time. Why? Because of one of the most poignantly beautiful, remarkable Opera / Pop singers of all time. He takes this newer reworking of an older classic standard to new a celestial form of mysterious beauty—what a shame that he only lived 38 years, neglecting his heart health the last years of his life. This astounding recording proves his body of work from 8 musical films and recordings is a testament to his importance as a vocal artist. Pavarotti, Domingo—all loved him…A Crowning Achievement!
977. LOVE STORY (2008)
Vocalist: Taylor Swift
Writer/Composer: Taylor Swift (2008)
Link # 1 Official music video 2008. Link # 2 Live Performance 2008?
976. BIG YELLOW TAXI (1970)
Vocalist: Joni Mitchell
Writer/Composer: Joni Mitchell (1970)
I can’t imagine how Joni can cross all boundaries with her 5th entry on our list, demonstrating her superb blend of Folk, Pop, and Jazz, but she does it here with reckless abandon. She is truly unique, (not like everybody else) in every musical category! Her jubilant, acrobatic, soprano voice is on full display here. Her long, storied career is a magnificent tapestry of creative, poetic songwriting and delivery. “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” A wake-up call for oncoming environmental issues…A Clear, High-Spirited Message.
Link # 1 Original 1970 recording. Link # 2 Early live performance in 1970.
