847. I Want To Take You Higher by Sly and the Family Stone (1969)

"I Want to Take You Higher" is about the feeling music brings to people. At the time, music was life to people. It was not like today where music is essentially background noise. The Woodstock version of the song is particularly notable with the interplay between Sly and the crowd.

Studio version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfydfBXlByk

Woodstock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ig-6f0g55c

Tina Turner cover:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lHtYsMGuVU&feature=related

Jeff Beck:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKGBmyyHzE

848. Spirits in the Material World by the Police (1982)

The Police album Ghost in the Machine is one of the most underrated albums. Using a ska beat, Sting proclaims "we are spirits in the material world." The song ventures between this simple declaration and an analysis of the failures of political institutions.

"Where does the answer lie?

Living from day to day

If it's something we can't buy

There must be another way"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDs9zbiumDc

Somewhere With You by Kenny Chesney

Bruno Mars "Grenade" is #1 again on the pop charts. This week's #1 on the country charts is "Somewhere With You" by Kenny Chesney.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JliFxkDcUlE

849. Use Your Love by the Outfield (1986)

"Use Your Love" was the signature hit for The Outfield in 1986. It reached #6 on the Billboard charts. The band had a couple other minor hits, but never again experienced the success of "Use Your Love." Believe it or not, they are still around! On a side note, the band is British...and their name derives from baseball which is the American pastime.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N1iwQxiHrs

850. Iron Man by Black Sabbath (1970)

Although appearing in the Robert Downey Jr. films, "Iron Man" has no connection with the Marvel Comics superhero. Instead, the story is about a man that time travels to the apocalypse. On his return trip, he is bombarded by a magnetic field that changes his composition from flesh to steel. He also becomes mute. As a result, he can't warn humanity about their impending doom and he becomes an object of ridicule. Ironically, Iron Man destroys the world seeking vengeance against those who mocked him.

Live (1970):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MII3ns2KTBc

Studio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LjbMVXj0F8

851. Carefree Highway by Gordon Lightfoot (1974)

Gordon Lightfoot saw a roadsign leading to Carefree, Arizona and thought it would work as a song title. He wrote it down and let it sit for eight months. "Carefree Highway" is about his girlfriend when he was 22.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbWM2whkVq4

852. Baby Please Don't Go by the Amboy Dukes (1967)

"Baby Please Don't Go" is a blues standard dating to 1935. Big Joe Williams recorded the original which has been covered over 1,000 times. The most famous version comes from Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes who recorded it in 1967. Van Morrison's band, Them, also covered it in 1964.  Others to record a version include Aerosmith, AC/DC, Bob Dylan, and Muddy Waters.

Big Joe Williams:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g22l1hnAnlA

Them (Van Morrison):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wah7MqEHFg

The Amboy Dukes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi8h9_KgFpc

853. Tulsa Time by Don Williams (1978)

I don't know what "Tulsa Time" is...but I remember this from my childhood. The song spent 11 weeks at #1 and was later covered by Eric Clapton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6MbPWzIFUk

Eric Clapton:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omwpY42J1Fk&feature=related

Hold it Against Me by Britney Spears

Amazing how Britney Spears manages to stick around. "Hold it Against Me" has debuted at #1 this week. The track is not without controversy. Some have argued that the song rips off The Bellamy Brothers "If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body" from 1979.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0sMajI7tlM

The Bellamy Brothers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVCRgI2Ld7U

854. The Stranger by Billy Joel (1977)

"The Stranger" is Billy Joel's examination of the human pysche. In particular, the stranger represents desire and other primal instincts which is held under control by force of will. The song opens and closes with the whistling which probably represents the primative reminding the superego of its existence. To me, the whistling sounds rather lonely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI2BnzF1860

855. Keep the Faith by Bon Jovi (1992)

By 1992, eighties hard rock and hair metal were going through death throes. That year, Bon Jovi released Keep the Faith which declared the band was not going anywhere. Bon Jovi was one of the few eighties bands to survive the early nineties apocalypse. By the early twenty-first century, they were the last of their genre to continue to experience success.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZQyVUTcpM4&ob=av3nm

856. Inside Out by Eve 6 (1998)

Eve 6 helped usher in the "post Grunge era" with their debut single "Inside Out." Record companies and some in the public tired of the negativity and angst portrayed in early-to-mid-90s rock. The end result was the next generation of rock bands which included Eve 6. These bands were definitely influenced by grunge, but also moved away from it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Xb_7YDroQ&ob=av2el

857. We Work the Black Seam by Sting (1985)

Mining is one of the worst jobs on Earth. In 1985, Sting wrote "We Work the Black Seam" which sympathized with the plight of coal miners and criticized putting profits over people. The critique recounts the forgotten miner as people enjoy their cheap energy and pollute at will.

"One day in the nuclear age, they may understand our rage. They build machines that they can't control and bury the waste in a great big hole."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFjXKUmb8kU

858. One of These Days by Pink Floyd (1971)

"One of These Days" features double-tracked bass and is completely instrumental with the exception of the distorted line "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces". The song was meant as a commentary on the contemporary world. It appears on a 1973 Bruce Lee documentary as well in a Sopranos episode. David Gilmour considers "One of These Days" the most collaborative work Floyd ever produced.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgvAwBDbuIo

Grenade by Bruno Mars

#1 this week...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR6iYWJxHqs&ob=av2el

Returned to the #1 spot two weeks later after being bumped by Britney...

859. Human Wheels by John Mellencamp (1993)

In 1993, John Mellencamp released some of his strongest work. Influenced in part by the death of a band member, "Human Wheels" was a decidedly human record. Interestingly, Mellencamp's inspiration came from young R&B artists at the time. Here is the title track:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWWMmxyKOR0&ob=av2el

860. Die Hard the Hunter by Def Leppard (1983)

Back when people bought albums, everyone purchased Def Leppard's Pyromania. The work turned out to be one of the seminal albums of the early-to-mid eighties and made Leppard superstars. One of the most underrated songs on the album is "Die Hard the Hunter" which gets lost in the flood of hits. The song also represents a transition in sound for the band from their earlier stuff to what would become their signature sound.

Live (1988):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w37npfGIAPU

Studio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY1P7bf3BOw

861. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor (1982)

Originally, Sylvester Stallone wanted Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" for Rocky III. However, he could not get permission to use the hit, so he went with "Eye of the Tiger." It proved fortuitous as "Eye of the Tiger" became a soundtrack song for the summer of 1982. It hit #1 on the charts and remained there for 6 weeks. The song has since become iconic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4

862. Allentown by Billy Joel (1982)

In "Allentown," Billy Joel tackles the decline of Industrial America. The old rust belt helped build America, the middle class, and won World War II. In return for their efforts, these areas have been left behind. The process began in the seventies and hit America hard by the early eighties. After a short rebound in some areas, it began anew. This song is as pertinent today as it was in 1982...perhaps even more so...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHnJp0oyOxs

Felt Good On My Lips by Tim McGraw

Firework by Katy Perry is #1 this week. For 2010, her "Teenage Dream" was the #1 song.

On the country charts, Tim McGraw is #1 this week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX_wt7cPCU4

863. Back in the Saddle by Aerosmith (1977)

"Back in the Saddle" might be Aerosmith's heaviest single. Originally, the song was about cowboys and sex. After the band disintegrated and reunited, the song took on a different meaning. Perhaps it will recapture that feeling in the future if Steven Tyler stops judging karoke contests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDKxUt9UkmU

864. Lost in the Shadows by Lou Gramm (1987)

The Lost Boys soundtrack contained several popular songs and covers. Foreigner's Lou Gramm chipped in "Lost in the Shadows" for the film. He also filmed a promotional video. Although the theme song was "Cry Little Sister" by Gerald McMahon, Gramm's song captured the frantic nature of the film's battle against vampires. The film remains a cult classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSG_uYkExHY

865. The Unforgettable Fire by U2 (1985)

An art exhibit by survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki inspired "The Unforgettable Fire." In 1945, the United States dropped two atom bombs on Japan ending World War II. The blasts destroyed both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and left deep emotional scars on the survivor. Some parlayed their experience into art and U2 transformed that material into a spacy period piece. Although released in April, this song always reminds me of winter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHa4y0uGKZw

866. The Metro by Berlin (1983)

"The Metro" is an archetypal New Wave song. It includes elements of punk, pop, and makes heavy use of synthesizer. Terri Nunn admits the song defined both the band and the period. Berlin released it as their third single off of Pleasure Victim. "The Metro" peaked at #58 on the charts, but the video received heavy MTV play.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UXtort76gY

867. Dancing in the Street by Martha and the Vandellas (1964)

If Motown has a signature song, this is it. "Dancing in the Street" captures a moment and mood of both Motown records and early sixties optimism. For a brief moment, the song was given a political tone as some decided to turn it into a civil rights anthem in the aftermath of several inner city riots. In 1985, David Bowie and Mick Jagger cut a version of the sixties hit for the Live Aid charity concert. The pair performed the song together in 1986 for the Prince's Trust Concert.

Martha and the Vandellas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdvITn5cAVc

David Bowie and Mick Jagger:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G4jnaznUoQ