775-751-Great Vocals
775. HELLO WALLS (1961)
Vocalist: Faron Young / (Wilburn Bros chorus & backing vocals)
Writer/Composer: Willie Nelson (1960)
Please check out this story. Early in Willie Nelson’s career, he was so desperate and broke to have a songwriting hit, Faron Young lent Willie $500 so that Nelson could keep the songwriting rights. It’s a story for the ages! It was a massive Country Hit (on the charts for 23 weeks), even a success on the Pop charts, as that “Nashville Sound” really made inroads during Rock’s early years. It may be one of the best songs ever about loneliness and love lost. Example, “Hello window (hello) (hello) / Well I see that you’re still here / Aren’t you lonely / Since our darlin’ disappeared / Well, look here, is that a teardrop / In the corner of your pane? / Now don’t try to tell me that it’s rain.” He delivers the song with a slighly nasal, smooth tenor, in his Honky-Tonk style…A Pioneering Landmark Song!
Link # 1 Original recording 1961. Link # 2 Live at the Grand Ole Opry 1961.
774. STRANGER IN PARADISE “Kismet” (1953)
Vocalist: Tony Bennett
Writer/Composer: Alexander Borodin (1890) / Robert Wright / George Forrest (1953)
Kismet, the Broadway Musical, and the subsequent Movie, spawned a challenging romantic song that became part of the American Songbook, and this version by American Pop singer, Tony Bennett, seems to be its best example. His 4th entry on our list is lifted right out of countless interpretations of the tune, and he owns it! With a recording career longer than any other Pop / Jazz singer, from the 1940s through the 2010s, he really shows his vocal agility here, taking his baritone voice to…Paradise. His vocal soars and swoons, not as a crooner, but as an artist, transcending the regular crowd in the Pop community. Result? Everyone wanted to record this song, and did!…Haunting and Beloved!
Link # 1 When the play opened up, newspapers in N. Y. were on strike, Tony recorded this to promote the play in 1953. Link # 2 Live performance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1957.
773. CANDY MAN (1961)
Vocalist: Roy Orbison (with Anita Kerr Singers) (feat. Charlie McCoy harmonica)
Writer/Composer: Beverly Ross / Fred Neil (1961)
Roy couldn’t have possible known how iconic his musical career would rise from 1960 through 1965 with multiple hits, like this one, the “B” side of his international hit, Crying, in 1961. Considered a budding Rockabilly artist in the late ‘50s, he soon won over multitudes of loyal fans with Rock / Pop / Country / Blues and R&B musical offerings. This song, his 4th on our list, appeals to legions of loyal fans with a New Orleans style Blues / Rock sound, thanks to the great harmonica interludes by Charlie McCoy and superb background vocals by the Anita Kerr singers. Rock was slightly fading as a trend in the early 60s, with the emergence of girl groups and the Motown sound. Roy helped keep it alive with his surreal 3+ octave delivery and his wise use of falsetto…Simply Awesome!
Link # 1 Original recording 1961. Link # 2 Live Black & White performance 1981.
772. NO MORE DRAMA (2001)
Vocalist: Mary J. Blige
Writer / Composer: Jimmy Jam / Terry Lewis / Barry DeVorzon / Perry Botkin (2000)
One of the most decorated entertainers since 1990 has been / singer / songwriter / actor / rapper and entrepreneur, Mary J Blige. As one of the most popular, hard-working women in show business, she has achieved many accolades, is still going strong, with multitudes of hit records, TV productions, movies and concerts. Her appeal has crossed from R&B / Soul / Pop / Hip Hop and Rap, and she holds the distinction of bringing Rap into the mainstream, by offering many of its biggest star’s parts in the remix version of her many albums. Her awards are astonishing, but it is her voice that originally captured the public’s attention. Her vocals are full of “melisma,” a soulful sound of several notes in a single syllable, and her 2.5+ soprano voice has a unique, husky rasp…Absolutely Dazzling and Mercurial!
Link - Official music video 2001.
771. BONNIE PORTMORE (1991)
Vocalist: Loreena McKennitt
Writer/Composer: Irish traditional Folk song / updated by Loreena McKennitt (1991)
Again, from her stellar album, The Visit, she takes this Folk / New Age song to the heavens, covering a historical ornamental tree that existed for centuries, and all the folklore that’s connected to it. It covers the giant oak forests, and the shelter, protection, and remembrance that led to their legendary musical history. With a bagpipe intro and an authentic bevy of instruments tied to Irish music, we have a cello, bodhran, accordion and sitar, to name a few. Her song, her 4th on our list, is a stunning example of an extraordinary Irish tenor voice that stands as unique, glorious, and exquisite, with jaw-dropping beauty and remarkable vocal control…Breathtakingly Monumental!
Link # 1 Original recording in 1991. Link # 2 Live performance sometime later playing harp.
770. OH, IT’S SO QUIET (1995)
Vocalist: Bjork (Bjork Guomundsdottir)
Writer/Composer: Herb Lang / Ben Reisfeld (1948)
Whe we imagine great singers, we don’t normally picture them from Iceland in the far North. Well, reimagine the reality! Bjork is a singer / songwriter / entertainer / actress whose career now spans over 4 decades, from the early 1980s until now, and is still going strong. She is basically her own production company, captivating fans with her amazing Alternative / Indie / Jazz / Folk / Rock / Pop variety of musical compositions. She pulls this number from a 1948 Betty Hutton movie musical number and makes the most of it with her 3-octave vocal range (Listen to her high pitched, excitable screams in this number), and she exudes joy, happiness, reverie and the ability to suddenly change key and turn on a dime vocally…An Absolute Stunner!
Link # 1 Original recording 1995. Link # 2 Live performance on Jay Leno 1995.
769. VAYA CON DIOS (May God Be with You) (1953)
Vocalist: Les Paul / Mary Ford (Colleen Summers) vocal
Writer/Composer: Larry Russell / Inez James / Buddy Pepper (1953)
Within her 2 octave range, Mary was a winner—and so were we who grew up in the 1950s when she had many top ten hits. She was a Pop singer guitarist first, and a Jazz / Country artist who respected all genres. With husband Les Paul and his legendary guitar innovations, they had hits from 1947 through 1956, leading the field in guitar-inspired, improvisations and the multiple recording of laying down layers of harmony of her wonderful, sweet as honey voice. This recording was 1953’s biggest hit, staying # 1 for 11 weeks that year! Her alto / contralto delivery was soothing, clear-as-crystal, and sincere, appealing to the masses, perhaps more than any other female ainger of that era. Thet impact of American music at that time in undeniable…Superbly Exquisite!
Link # 1 Original recording 1953. Link # 2 Live in color from 1953 TV show.
768. THERE GOES MY LIFE (2002)
Vocalist: Kenny Chesney
Writer/Composer: Wendall Mobley / Kenny Chesney (2002)
Once in a long while a Country singer comes along who surprises everyone. Is it his looks, his musicianship, or his voice?—He has all three and as this number clearly shows, his song-writing ability clearly is moving and passionate. American Country / Folk songwriters seem to be the best in the 21st century music business nowadays, he’s sold millions of albums and plays full stadiums—he is among the very best. This heartfelt number is a message song about so many couples that seem to grow up too fast, hence, many grow apart and can’t seem to work through it. The meaningful lyrics in the chorus, “He smiles, there goes my life / There goes my future, my everything / I love you, daddy good night / There goes my life.” His 3+octave soul-searching voice says it all, with a little vibrato…Marvelous and Touching!
767. THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE (Anymore) (1966)
Vocalist: The Walker Brothers - lead Scott Walker (Scott Engel)
Writer/Composer; Bob Crewe / Bob Gaudio (1965)
Originally written by the Crewe / Gaudio duo, this song originally written for former frontman, Frankie Valli, of the 4 Seasons, was a smash international hit by the American 3-man Pop / Rock group, the Walker Bros. It became their signature song, distinguished by the deep, resonant, baritone voice of Scott Walker, with a music production strikingly similar to Phil Specter’s “Wall of Sound.” Resonating in the Pop world, it eventually became a standard by being used in TV series and motion pictures, and the passing of time has affectionately embraced this masterpiece of singing, harmony and production. He became an Avant Garde musician later in his career and this song really made a great alternative to the “British Invasion.” His superb vocals are really front and center…Melancholy yet Soaring!
Link # 1 Original recording 1966. Link # 2 Partial live pantomime performance 1966.
https://youtu.be/Q11ium_-Lv8?si=gVZoY4r30gWZjhMg
https://youtu.be/tTljMHlyA1o?si=D_8FgqBpEz9ZeLsI
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766. MY FUNNY VALENTINE (1954)
Vocalist: Chet Baker (and his Quartet)
Writer/Composer: Richard Rodgers / Lorenz Hart “Babes in Arms” (1937)
He was something of an enigmatic American Jazz trumpeter,,,who sang in the 1950s and…did he ever! Labeled the “King of Cool,” his cult following rivaled that of James Dean, and with his Jazz innovations of mellow sound and melody, he became an icon as an instrumentalist and singer /songwriter. But alas—He only lived 58 troubled years. His uncanny ability to hold a vibrato-free tenor note had people doing double-takes at hearing this man with an eerie, androgynous, vulnerable sound. Listen carefully to this piece, it pulls you in with magnetic, stunning power. For example, the second verse, “Your looks a laughable / Unphotographical / Yet you-re my favorite work of art.” His fragile, sweet voice delivers this standard, unlike any other rival. And it’s not a song about the holiday, rather it’s about paying homage to his less than perfect love…Amazingly Beguiling!
Link # 1 Original recording 1954. Link # 2 Live performance with trumpet improvising 1954.
765. A CALL TO ARMS / AN EPITAPH TO WAR “Glory” (1989)
Vocalist: The Boys Choir of Harlem / James Horner - music)
Writer/Composer: James Horner (1989)
This unexpected pleasure, a beautiful rendition that’s part of James Horner’s truly exceptional soundtrack of the movie Glory, comes loaded with melody, inspiration and the stunning voices of the Boys’ Choir of Harlem. Perhaps never have Movie Music themes had such an authentic ring to its atmospheric sound. The vocals have a mix of ethereal, military, Gospel, yet religious background, with their astounding vocal blending to add a genuine sound of reality. The boy’s voices soar and transfer us back to that dreadful time in history during the American Civil War…Faultless and Inspirational!
Link # 1 A Call to Arms from the Glory soundtrack. Link # 2 An Epitaph to War from the Glory soundtrack.
764. MY EYES ADORED YOU (1975)
Vocalist: Frankie Valli (of the Four Seasons)
Writer/Composer: Bob Crewe / Kenny Nolan (1974)
Frankie Valli had always sung lead on the Four Seasons, one of the main reasons their careers has spanned from 1960 to 1977, one of the longest careers in Pop / Rock / Doo-Wop history. Oh, the result? Over an estimated 175 million records sold, real recordings, not streams on music websites. They set a record for an Amercian group, with their first 3 singles hitting #1. The group became the first to chart 3 straight #1 songs before the musical “British invasion” in1964. Frankie’s soulful, spirited, high-pitched falsetto, with a 3+ octave vocal range, is now considered one of the most influential in music history, opening the door for dozens of singers and groups to be accepted and embraced by the American and World audiences. Frankie’s solo lead on this song also hit #1 in sales…Romantically Adorable!
Link # 1 Original recording 1974. Link # 2 Live performance 1975.
763. 10,000 MILES (Fare Thee Well) “Fly Away Home” (1999)
Vocalist: Mary Chapin-Carpenter
Writer/Composer: Traditional from 1710 / Mark Isham (1996)
The collaboration of movie composer Mark Isham, Miss Carpenter’s “velvety” contralto voice, plus the embracing of this traditional Folk tune as the Movie’s main theme, must have been someone’s stroke of genius. The song, her 5th on our list, sticks long in the mind after you see the film, and longs in the heart, ypu might say lodges in the heart, as a soaring celestial testament to the beauty and intelligence of nature and its preservation, with the perfect voice for this stunning vocal. How did she know? This sweeping orchestral arrangement that brakes in in the last verse is beyond our expectation—just prepare yourself. Some writers feel that playing this song repeatedly is not enough—it’s Moving, Transcendent and Inspirational!
Link # 1 Includes a montage video from “Fly Away Home.” Link # 2 The recording. Theme—Peace with Nature and the planet—an expression of God’s love. Rom 1:20 - The Bible
762. CAN’T FIND MY WAY BACK HOME (1969)
Vocalist: Blind Faith (Steve Winwood lead & keyboards) / Eric Clapton guitars / Ric Grech bass / Ginger Baker drums
Writer/Composer: Steve Winwood (1969)
1969 proved to be fabulous year when it came to imaginative songs featuring great performers. Some thought Winwood had a weak voice, however, it was perfect for this Folk / Rock number, and he would prove them wrong later on with his epic R&B / Rock / Blues / Pop / Folk songs. His mellow, subdued delivery here fits perfectly with his high tenor falsetto. The song sports his incredible persona and displays a person who is lost somewhere between the existence in a life of drugs, or even more so, life and death. With many legendary players in the mix, this song , his 2nd on our list, sorta sums up our troubled times. This strangely Soulful song lives on from a time when singer / songwriters ruled the music world and respected each other…An Absolute Classic…Melancholy and Haunting!
Link # 1 Original acoustic version. Link # 2 Live version, Winwood, Clapton & friends, some years later.
761. IF I LOVED YOU “Carousel” (1956)
Vocalist: Shirley Jones
Writer/Composer: Richard Rodgers / Oscar Hammerstein II (1945)
The 1950s through the 1970s was a great career for this Broadway, Movie, TV entertainer, and her 2nd entry vocal here prove that she was not just another Pop singer, she was a fine soprano artist, and an award-winning actress as well. Opposite Gordon McRae in the Movie version, she matched his style in this number, and R & H had to be absolutely pleased. Her vocalizing was full of sweetness, conviction and vibrato, her persona shined, and she amazes us when interpreting this Broadway song, adding to her repertoire in the American Songbook. Later in her career she chose TV and played the matriarch of the Partridge Family from 1970-74…Listen…Splendid and Endearing!
760. CONSTANT CRAVING (1992)
Vocalist: k.d. Lang
Writer/Composer: k. d. Lang / Ben Mink (1991)
Regarding this Pop tune classic, her 3rd obour list, one music critic really nailed it when he expressed his admiration for Canadian singer k.d. lang, “There’s no denying the lift of its propulsive rhythms and joyful harmonies.” Her haunting, distinctive, multi-dimensional, 3+ octave voice soars into the heavens here with her multi-layered tracks, spawning pure harmonies and giving us this award-winning Pop / Rock performance. Very few vocalists can match her power, pace and production—she even has an accordion in the mix! She expresses the yearning, longing and desire between the cycle of life and death from her stellar album, Ingenue. Many consider considered Lang as one of the greatest 1990s voices in the world, covering Pop / Rock / Jazz and Country…Eloquent and Spellbounding!
Link # 1 Original music video 1992. Link # 2 Live performance 1992.
759. TURN THE PAGE (1976)
Vocalist: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (Alto Reed saxophone)
White / Composer: Bob Seger (1971)
This became an album cut that was not a hit until released later from a live performance. The song endured as one of the best anthems for life on the road as a Rock musician, splendidly written and delivered from one of the most prolific Rock / Soul / Blues musicians of the 20th century. Alto Reed’s sax is a marvel to each verse of the chorus, “Yeah, here I am / on the road again / There I am / up on the stqge / Here I go / payin’ the star again / There I go, turn the page.” The fine musicians amplify what we already know, this song is a masterpiece of loss time and drudery for famous singers and their loneliness on the road. Bob Seger’s vocals are gritty, soulful and penetrating, as he expresses his true feelings of pathos and repetition. Seger’s bluesy, Slow-Rock song is Bone-chilling, a Tour-De-Force!
Link - Original radio version (Live)
758. LUCKY MAN (1994)
Vocalist: Dave Koz (sax) / vocals Charles Pettigrew / Jeff Lorber keyboards / Nathan East bass / Robben Ford guitar / & Paul Jackson.)
Writer/Composer: Richard Ashcroft (1993)
This superb recording representing smooth Jazz became a wonderful Pop / R&B song as well. Koz’s saxophone solos filled the airwaves with unique, eloquent, smooth and refreshing sax lead-ins and Pettigrew’s (sounding amazingly like Michael Jackson) wonderful, pure, clear tenor vocals resulted in an absolute gem of a song. The vocals glide into a smooth crooning sound seldom heard in the 90s, and the beautiful vocals gently sail into the atmosphere like sweet-smelling incense. The bridge of the song, “Sometimes it’s all so clear / There’s a reason you are here with me / Life has its ups and downs / But I’ll get through / If I can stay with you forever,” is almost more than a romantic heart can bare. If it’s not a classic now…it should be…Splendidly Poignant!
Link - Original recording 1994. Koz plays 3 kinds of saxophones.
757. LES OISEAUX DANS la CHAR MILLE (The Doll Song) “Tales of Hoffman” (1969)
Vocalist: Joan Sutherland / L’Orchertre de la Suisse (Richard Bonynge cond.) (pronounced Boyning)
Writer/Composer: Jacques Offenbach (1880)
Joan played Olympia in this demanding role of impersonating a mechanical doll in this beloved and challenging Opera. This American Opera star rose to diva status with this incredible performance, and for a very long time, she proved she owned this role with her acting, physical movements, and the astonishing use of the 3-plus octave voice. He 3rd entry on our list is an amusing landmark—she always possessed some of the strongest pipes in music, and as she proves here, as one of the most gifted to ever bring Classical Opera to the masses…Truly Monumental!
756. SILHOUETTES (1957)
Vocalist: The Rays (lead Harold Miller)
Writer/Composer: Bob Crewe / Frank Slay Jr. (1957)
This song really made a splash at the end of the exceptional year of 1957 and into 1958. The Rays were an R&B / Doo-Wop / Pop group that were also exceptional, with the big sound of Harold Miller as their lead, with a resonant, booming baritone voice that really stood out from the crowd of Doo-Wop singers that were so prevalent at the time. Who can forget the surprise lyrics, “Lost control and rang your bell, I was sore / Let me in or else I’ll beat. down your door / When two strangers who have been, two silhouettes on the shade / Said to my shock, / ‘You’re on the wrong block.’” This gold record made such impact that other leading vocalists follwed suit, recording their own versions. This arrangement prevails as one of the greatest of the Doo-Wop recordings…Pure Excellence!
Link # 1 Original recording 1957. Link # 2 On the Ed Sullivan Show 1957
755. DANNY’S SONG (1973)
Vocalist: Anne Murray
Writer/Composer: Kenny Loggins (1970)
Anne’s Country classic, her 2nd song listed, could easily be classed as a Country / Folk / Soft Rock / or Pop record. The beautiful song captured everyone’s heart, as a tribute to composer Kenny Loggins’ brother, and as a tribute to Anne’s newborn child. Some consider her an alto, others a contralto, at any rate, she makes the song her own, regardless of her singing style or who wrote it. We’re captivated from the very beginning, “People smile and tell me I’m the lucky one / And we’ve just begun / I think I’m gonna have a son / He will be like him and me, / as free as a dove / Conceived in love / The sun is gonna shine above,” It’s moving. sweet as honey, smooth as silk, and heartfelt, a hard song not to like, with a tone similar to Karen Carpenter…Enchanting and Sublime!
Link # 1 Official music video 1973. Link # 2 Live from the Midnight Special 1973.
754. ME OLVIDE DE VIVIR (I Forgot to Live) (1978)
Vocalist: Julio Iglesias
Writer/Composer: Julio Iglesias / Jacques Revaux / Pierre Billon (1977)
This sensational Pop song by Spanish singer / songwriter is the stuff that dreams are made of, from one of the most adored and celebrated musical artists in world history. His record sales, in the tens of millions, his concerts, seen live by millions, and his beautiful, wavering vibrato make him one of the most sought-after singers ever. He croons with the best of them and his distinctive voice is beyond compare. He elevates singing, shows respect for his fellow artists, actually accommodating many of them, joining in duets to satisfy both curiosity and appreciation for his long illustrious career. This song is his 2nd on our list, and it expresses the folly of supposedly living life to the fullest. He brings an artistic flair to his unique stunning baritone…Extraordinary!
753. I WISH (1976)
Vocalist: Stevie Wonder
Writer/Composer: Stevie Wonder (1976)
From his extraordinary, award-winning album, Songs from the Key of Life, American R&B / Soul / Rock / Funk / Jazz / Pop superstar, Stevie Wonder, proves without a doubt, that his blindness wasn’t a handicap. It didn’t ever slow him down, it only contributed to his visionary status as an iconic musical genius! The1970s were perhaps the best decade for singer / songwriter / producers for their creativity and artistic acumen for great songs. With his 4th entry listed here, he reaches way back with this tune and sings about his childhood, wishing to relive it. His vocals are an R&B gem, and his delivery practically unmatched. He plays keyboard and drum in this sing, but it’s his vocal performance displaying pitch, power and pace that really make this song shine…A Spectacular Epiphany!
Link # 1 Original recording1976. Link # 2 Live with lyrics 1976.
752. BORN TOO LATE (1958)
Vocalist: The Pony-Tails ( lead Toni Cistoni) / saxophone Frank Jencen )
Writer/Composer: Charles Strouse / Fred Tobias (1958)
When this Pop number hit the charts in 1958, everyone thought they sounded remarkably like the Chordettes. The trio blended together wonderfully on the bridge of the tune. “I see you walk with another.” The incredible sax solos by Frank Jencen were a wonder since he was from a Polka band from Cleveland, Ohio—and the piano and organ were from the same band! Thier musical career, cut short when one of the girls had to have vocal-chord surgery—never had another hit. “Born too late / To have a chance / To win your love / Oh, why, oh why / Was it my fate / To be born too late?” Their youthful sound was melodious, yet mature, and the song has endured as a favorite among the girl groups in that era in Pop / Rock / and Doo-Wop...Nostalgic with Beautiful Harmony!
751. LOVE SNEAKIN’ UP ON YOU (1994)
Vocalist: Bonnie Raitt & Chorus
Writer/Composer: Jimmy Scott / Tom Snow (1994)
From her amazing award-winning album, Longing in Their Hearts, this song breaks through the back door to become another hit in her early 1990s ride to unique superstardom. Specializing in her craftmanship on the electric slide guitar, she absolutely rocks, setting the standard for female Rock musicians. With a mixture of Rock / Blues / R&B, and Pop, she reaches deep down in her heart of hearts and delivers the goods, and with stellar musicians. Her 3rd entry listed demonstrates her songs from the early 1970s on, and well into the 2020s, she’s still going strong with her quintessential vocals and sound, offering a much more mature sound than in the early 1970s and 80s. She adapts her work and performance to span multiple generations of fans and music makers…Unforgettably Spunky and Sensational!
Link - Official music video 1984.
