Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2002

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers/bio/

Official Site: http://www.tompetty.com/

Tom Petty became interested in rock music when he met Elvis Presley in 1961. He decided to be a rock star when he saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan a few years later.

Up the Mississippi Tonight (Mudcrutch 1971): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkl40RB-7u0

After Mudcrutch split, Petty went solo, but formed The Heartbreakers shortly afterwards.

Breakdown (1977): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsKsFU766Io

American Girl (1977): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WBWov6nd6E

I Need To Know (1978): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBuIM-ekVjA

Don’t Do Me Like That (1979): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UCdbGvemVg

Refugee (1980): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFnOfpIJL0M

The Waiting (1981): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMyCa35_mOg

A Woman in Love (1981):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Rwqn9YTBs

Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around w/Stevie Nicks (1981): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UD0c58nNCQ

You Got Lucky (1982): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtLpZWNyM0I

Don’t Come Around Here No More (1985): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0JvF9vpqx8

Jammin’ Me (1987): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCFAzPl1QmE

He joined the Supergroup The Travelin’ Wilburys in 1988.

Handle with Care w/Wilburys (1988): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8s9dmuAKvU

End of the Line w/Wilburys (1989): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqhdRs4jyA

Then a solo record…

I Won’t Back Down (1989): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvlTJrNJ5lA

Runnin’ Down a Dream (1989): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1D3a5eDJIs

Free Fallin’ (1989): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lWJXDG2i0A

Back to the Heartbreakers…

Learning to Fly (1991): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5BJXwNeKsQ

Into the Great Wide Open (video w/Johnny Depp 1991): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT8RnVm1k_8

Kings Highway (1992): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdqDeBzqlP0

Mary Jane’s Last Dance (1993): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aowSGxim_O8

You Don’t Know How It Feels (1994): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TlBTPITo1I

It’s Good To Be King (1995): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SF1iLXSQto

Walls (1996): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfS6Nl962Qg

Swingin’ (1999): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4vJM4L2D2U

At the 911 benefit (2001): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeNA4R3Xh9E

At the Concert for George (2002): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_vVCDLq0uY

At the Rock n Roll HOF w/Prince (2002): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y

The Last DJ (2002): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOd3tan59BE

Saving Grace (2006): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPYFWnzjIy0

Mudcrutch returned in 2008 for an album

Scare Easy w/Mudcrutch (2008): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlYeq5f9lqM

I Should Have Known It (2010): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_iBKacXIA4

 

The Clash: I Fought the Law (1979)

Several artists have taken a shot at recording “I Fought the Law.” Bobby Fuller’s original is the best remembered. The Clash modernized the 1959 hit two decades later giving it a grittier punk edge. Waylon Jennings, Social Distortion, Green Day, Bryan Adams, John Mellencamp, and Bruce Springsteen are among the myriad of artists to cover Fuller’s hit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9wwsxiLGbg

Billy Joel: Big Shot (1979)

“Big Shot” is about a woman that has quite a night. She wakes up the next morning and is told she “sure did put on a show!” Joel later claimed the song was about himself as he was big stuffing it.  In 2010, he said the song was written after dinner with Mick and Bianca Jagger and was imagined to be Mick singing to Bianca.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEea624OBzM

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: Can't Hold Us (2013)

#1 this Memorial Day weekend. Summer is on.  Seriously folks???? This is #1?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zNSgSzhBfM

Night Ranger: Don't Tell Me You Love Me (1983)

Night Ranger released this classic in January 1983. It peaked at #40 in the Hot 100 and was ranked #92 in VH1’s greatest hard rock songs of all time. This probably would never break the charts today as the industry has moved away from people that play instruments and can write songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3IFVQhTqq4

INXS and Jimmy Barnes: Good Times (1987)

Jimmy Barnes and INXS co-wrote “Good Times”, which became an Australian anthem. The song spread to America thanks to the Joel Schumacher film, The Lost Boys, starring Jason Patric, Keifer Sutherland, and the two Coreys, Feldman and Haim. The film is a 80s cult classic. I watched it one night in (probably 1988) with friends, one of which ran all the way home afterward.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1YlviwvrxQ

Scandal: The Warrior (1984)

The 80s pop music scene resembled nothing like 2013. Rock songs dominated radio. Rock stars were pop stars and proto hip hop was reserved to a few isolated urban stations. “The Warrior”, and its accompanying video, is the perfect example of the mid-80s music scene and culture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT9t5nkZn8I

Audioslave top 10 songs

They did not have many albums, but they put out some great stuff. Here are my top 10 favorite Audioslave tunes.

Cochise

I Am The Highway

Like a Stone

Show Me How to Live

Be Yourself

Doesn’t Remind Me

What You Are

Out of Exile

Shadow of the Sun

Gasoline

1950 in music

Sam Phillips started Sun Records in Memphis in 1950. In a few years, Sun Records would be an industry leader. Meanwhile, Patti Page became the only artist to ever score a #1 on the country, rock, and R&B charts at the same time. Nat King Cole had the year’s biggest hit with “Mona Lisa.”

Mona Lisa by Nat King Cole: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxEmnxiUz8w

The Tennessee Waltz by Patti Page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ek3eCbfqp0

Music! Music! Music! By Teresa Brewer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCcV2B8mHa0

Goodnight Irene by Gordon Jenkins and the Weavers:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj3s8qq3kU4

Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy by Red Foley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYl31e_0buQ

Peter Cottontail by Gene Autry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOwGBeCcun4

The Thing by Phil Harris: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FdWRsHeV98

The Beatles: Eleanor Rigby (1966)

The Beatles tackle neglect of the elderly in “Eleanor Rigby.” Ms. Rigby lived a lonely life, but did not seem to reach out to people either. Likewise, Father MacKenzie also lived a solitary existence, but did little to attract a congregation. Some others have interpreted the track as an analysis of 1966 Britain.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojpSiNZA5_0

David Bowie: The Next Day (2013)

David Bowie angers the Catholic League with this ditty starring Gary Oldman.  Bowie steps on every religious convention here.

http://www.vevo.com/watch/david-bowie/the-next-day/USRV31300003

Tom Petty: Mary Jane's Last Dance (1993)

Kim Basinger appears as a dead Mary Jane, whose corpse attends a dinner party with Tom Petty. Petty plays a morgue worker that decides to abscond with the body. Eventually, Petty’s character dumps Mary Jane’s body into the ocean and watches it float away. People questioned if Mary Jane was a reference to Marijuana. Guitarist Mike Campbell said the song was originally going to be called “Indiana Girl”, but the song can mean whatever people want it to mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aowSGxim_O8

Sting: All This Time (1991)

Sting reacted to his father’s death by writing music. “All This Time” is an examination of his father’s passing and his own feelings. The song’s character wants to bury his dad at sea rather than deal with religious ceremony. There is a hard questioning of religion in the song to go along with death. The upbeat music counters the sadness and confusion Sting feels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LdUme7QZLY

Mick Jagger: Don't Tear Me Up (1993)

Mick Jagger released his best solo album in 1993. Wandering Spirit included many radio friendly rock songs. “Don’t Tear Me Up” performed the best commercially reaching #1 on the rock charts.  Two other tracks also charted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQEFlJhkhA8

Pink Floyd: Keep Talking (1994)

Stephen Hawking has done everything. He’s a best selling author, brilliant phycist, and rock star. He appeared in Pink Floyd’s 1994 single “Keep Talking.” The song hit #1 on the rock charts. David Gilmour stated the song represented a wish that problems could be solved through discussion rather than violence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leo74b3rqXQ

 

Michael Jackson: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2001

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/michael-jackson/bio 

Official Site: http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/home

Michael debuted with his brothers in The Jackson 5 in 1964. He initiated a solo career in 1971 and became a superstar in 1979. By 1984, he was in a league of his own.

Got To Be There (1971): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dp2FiFfCNY

Rockin’ Robin (1972): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2vzTKh-O5c

Ben (1972): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1dAQN5QcZU

Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough (1979): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZorRGrDiMsA

Rock With You (1979): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-Mrc2l1d0

The Girl is Mine w/Paul McCartney (1982): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHp0s2wKajw

Billie Jean (1983): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi_XLOBDo_Y

Beat It w/Eddie Van Halen (1983): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B2wtC91_0U

Human Nature (1983): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSXjHyaDAHo

Say Say Say w/Paul McCartney (1983): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLEhh_XpJ-0

He changed the culture at the Motown 25 celebration:

Jackson suffered major injuries when his scalp caught fire filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984. That same year, he bought the Beatles catalogue.

He co-wrote “We Are the World” with Lionel Richie (1985):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcwblvqir-s

Jackson broke down racial barriers in music and opened the door for hip hop. In the late 80s, his skin lightened leading to rumors of bleaching. He claimed he had a skin disorder.

Bad (1987): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsUXAEzaC3Q

The Way You Make Me Feel (1987): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzZ_urpj4As

Man in the Mirror (1988): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PivWY9wn5ps

Dirty Diana (1988): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUi_S6YWjZw

Smooth Criminal (1988): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D3VFfhvs4

He suffered living in the tabloids….

Leave Me Alone (1989): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3Ijqp7YxQU

Black or White (1991): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MqRrbEvI_w

Remember the Time (1992): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeiFF0gvqcc

Taking on the other MJ in hoops:

Jam (1992): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbHI1yI1Ndk

Then things got really weird. He was accused of molestation and married Lisa Marie Presley (1993-94):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPl5yjn_W-c

Scream w/Janet Jackson (1995): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P4A1K4lXDo

You Are Not Alone (1995): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAyKJAtDNCw

The hits began to dry up as he became more and more a national punchline.

You Rock My World (2001): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-7ABIM2qjU

Jackson was tried for abuse, but acquitted. He died of an overdose in 2009. His personal physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Behind the Mask (2011): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWZLlkR9th8