Blondie: Heart of Glass (1979)

Blondie was very good at incorporating other influences into their punk/new wave sound. "Heart of Glass" is an example. In 1979, a war raged between rock fans and disco advocates. In the end, rock won.  However, before the ultimate victory, Blondie added disco into their took kit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU

Top 15 songs of 1999 (part 2)

My favorites...hope I did not forget one.

1. Whiskey in a Jar- Metallica

2. Mas Tequila- Sammy Hagar

3. Sleep Now in the Fire- RATM

4. Maria- Blondie

5. Smooth- Santana w/Rob Thomas

6. Learn to Fly- Foo Fighters

7. Back to Good- Matchbox 20

8. The Great Beyond- R.E.M.

9. Desert Rose- Sting

10. Bawitdaba- Kid Rock

Blondie: The Tide Is High (1980)

Blondie is one of the most eclectic groups in music history. They began as a punk band, but evolved to include everything around them. In this case, they throw some reggae into the mix. The video had a figure that looks remarkably like Darth Vader.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppYgrdJ0pWk

Top 10 Blondie songs

My top 10 favorite Blondie songs. They are not in any order...

Call Me

Maria

Tide is High

Atomic

Rapture

Heart of Glass

Dreaming

Rip Her to Shreds

Hanging on the Telephone

Picture This 

Blondie: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2006

Rock Hall Bio: https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/blondie/bio/

Official Site: http://www.blondie.net/

Chris Stein and Deborah Harry formed Blondie in the mid-70s. The band was at the forefront of the punk and new wave music revolutions of the period. They were eclectic in the extreme.

Rip Her to Shreds (1977): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsMefrj_ICE

They scored overseas, but did not break in the US until 1978 when they released the classic Parallel Lines.

Heart of Glass (1979): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU

One Way of Another (1979): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXewIR7Y7cc

Dreaming (1979): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU3-lS_Gryk

They provided an all-time classic and one of the great songs of the 80s for American Gigolo.

Call Me (1980): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH3Q_CZy968

Atomic (1980): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_WLw_0DFQQ

The Tide is High (1980): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppYgrdJ0pWk

The first song with a rap to hit #1:

Rapture (1980): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCdS7O248g

The totally changed their sound for their next album.

Island of Lost Souls (1982): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8ZviR3BzqA

Tensions in the band, a drop in album sales, drugs, and Chris Stein mortality in the face of pemphigus broke the band up in 1982.

Blondie reunited in the late 90s. They became the only band with #1 hits in three decades. The band continues to tour...

Maria (1999): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoOG7LEyUJ0

Good Boys (2003): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_niLaDS6ec

A Rose By Any Name (2013): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XQO7Bmj1UA

Bob Marley: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1994

Rock Hall Bio:

http://rockhall.com/inductees/bob-marley/bio/

Official Site:

http://www.bobmarley.com/

Bob Marley was a highly influential reggae musician and political activist. He preached Pan-Africanism and a neo-back to Africanism.

He helped form “The Teenagers” in 1963, which evolved into the Wailers. His work later made reggae mainstream and his influence can be heard in The Police, Eric Clapton, and Blondie.

Simmer Down (1964):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItIkqcss0iU

Get Up Stand Up (1973):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuMlHdxiIZ8

I Shot the Sheriff (1973):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WXtTIedyAY&feature=fvst

No Woman No Cry (1974):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGqrvn3q1oo

The Wailers broke up in 1974, but Marley kept the Wailers name for his new band. In 1975, he broke.

In 1976, he tried to ease tensions between political rivals and was shot. He survived and went into exile for a time.

Waiting in Vain (1977):

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

Jamming (1977):

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

One Love/People Get Ready (1977):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jy9mq7Cyu0

Is This Love (1978):

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

Could You Be Love (1980):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i-gcWdBUb8

Redemption Song (1980):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yXRGdZdonM

Bob Marley died in 1981 from cancer.

Buffalo Soldier (1983):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pzOx-Zzh2k

Iron Lion Zion (1992):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tESLeLhYg0M

Sun is Shining (1999):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59G67qq19e0
　

The Doors: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1993

Rock Hall Bio:

http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-doors/bio/

Official Site:

http://www.thedoors.com/

Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek met by chance at Venice Beach. The two joined forces and formed the Doors. By 1966, they were playing the Whisky a Go Go leading to an album deal.

Break on Through (1967):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbiPDSxFgd8

The band’s breakout hit was written by Robbie Krieger. When they played it on Ed Sullivan, the show asked the Doors to change the lyrics. They refused. After being banned from Sullivan, Morrison said, "Hey man. We just did the Sullivan Show."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2euBN3gbKc8

Light My Fire (1967):

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

People Are Strange (1967):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awi14wDTxNw

Love Me Two Times (1967):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G8DCFJ4vr4


The End (1967):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGXeXm0uMDo

The band decided to record a hit from the 1920s…

Alabama Song (1967):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mjp8ox59WE

On December 9, 1967, Jim Morrison was arrested on stage for belittling police. Charges were dropped.

Hello, I Love You (1968):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzM71scYw0M

Touch Me (1968):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PECk9A-07Pw

The infamous “Miami Incident.” Morrison allegedly exposes himself onstage. There remains no evidence to support this. Later that year, he got in trouble for harassing airline staff.

Roadhouse Blues (1970):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf9soeYILDQ

LA Woman (1971):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl-IWlzSItM

Love Her Madly (1971):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrv7Hs7k7w8

Riders on the Storm (1971):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-SpyO6bcwc

Jim Morrison died on July 3, 1971. The band tried to continue on, but eventually broke up in 1973.

Francis Ford Coppola re-introduced The Doors to the world in his film:

Apocalypse Now (1979):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4WJlLNIsyY

Gloria (1983):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPifW_fIih0

The Doors (1990):

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU0tR0EjAXA

Modern acts record duets with the Doors on Stoned Immaculate (2000):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dluxUtK2yqk

Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger reunited in 2002 and have worked together since. They tried calling themselves The Doors of the 21^st Century, but John Densmore sued. He refused to join because of Morrison’s absence.

Rapture/Rider w/Blondie (2005):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnhKPw2NXIw

Blondie: Maria (1999)

In 1999, Blondie released their first single in 17 years. "Maria" hit #1 in the UK and peaked at #82 in America. They disbanded in 1982 when doctors diagnosed Chris Stein with pemphigus. He survived and the band reunited. Blondie is the only American act to have #1 hits in the UK in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzUat_wC6Ko

John Lennon: Woman (1981)

John Lennon considered "Woman" a "grown-up version" of the Beatles' "Girl." The song begins with Lennon whispering "For the other half of the sky..." which is attributed to Chairman Mao. Interestingly, Lennon quipped "If you go around carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow" in "Revolution." The song debuted at #2 in the U.S., but Blondie's "Rapture" blocked it from moving to #1.

Woman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-x1FsvOAz4

Girl:

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

Rolling Stone Mag's Top 500 songs: #251-260

251. Rapper’s Delight: Sugarhill Gang- Kind of like Weird Al getting a song on the list.

252. Chain of Fools: Aretha Franklin- One of the songs that made her queen…don’t tell Bouncey.

253. Paranoid: Black Sabbath- The first real metal song.

254. Money Honey: The Drifters- Not to be confused with AC/DC’s song about money and honeys!

255. Mack the Knife: Bobby Darin- Mack the Knife would kick Suge Knight’s ass.

256. All The Young Dudes: Mott the Hoople- I know you were waiting for Mott the Hoople!

257. Paranoid Android: Radiohead- Their second and final song. Thought they’d have more.

258. Highway to Hell: AC/DC- Should be everyone’s wedding song.

259. Heart of Glass: Blondie- Blondie does disco to piss people off.

260. Mississippi: Bob Dylan- Even a Dylan song from the 90s makes the list!

Rolling Stone Mag's Top 500 Songs #276-300

276. Sloop John B: The Beach Boys- I think of Forrest Gump in the rain when I hear this.

277. Sweet Little Sixteen: Chuck Berry- The Beach Boys ripped this off and now Chuck Berry has a writing credit on “Surfin’ USA.”

278. Something: The Beatles- Pattie Boyd influenced this, and Layla and Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton.

279. Somebody to Love: Jefferson Airplane- Grace Slick accidentally got invited to the Nixon White House. She wanted to plant LSD in his drink, but got caught.

280. Born in the USA: Bruce Springsteen- The song’s message got lost in the flag.

281. I’ll Take You There: The Staples Singers- Still appears in commercials…It will never die!

282. Ziggy Stardust: David Bowie- Bowie makes a plastic rock star and becomes a real rock star.

283. Pictures of You: The Cure- Robert Smith does a love song…and of course it is about a broken dream.

284. Chapel of Love: Dixie Cups- Phil Spector was behind this (of course). It appears in wedding movies and will never die.

285. Ain’t No Sunshine: Bill Withers- Not sure why this is so high up.

286. Seven Nation Army: White Stripes- One of the last of the classic rock bands…even though they are newer.

287. You Are the Sunshine of My Life: Stevie Wonder- I vaguely remember this from childhood. I’m surprised it is not used in commercials nowadays.

288. Help Me: Joni Mitchell- Jazz meets the singer/songwriter genre.

289. Call Me: Blondie- More hookers.

290. What’s So Funny (About Peace, Love, and Understanding): Elvis Costello- Great song/long title.

291. Smokestack Lightin’: Howlin’ Wolf- Now we’re talking!

292. Summer Babe: Pavement- Pavement does a Lou Reed imitation.

293. Walk this Way: Run DMC and Aerosmith- They created a monster. Now we can’t get rid of rap rock.

294. Money (That’s What I Want): Barrett Strong- Motown’s First Hit

295. Can’t Buy Me Love: The Beatles- More hookers

296. Stan: Eminem and Dido: Not very often a song becomes a hit twice during the same period of time. This happened for Dido.

297. She’s Not There: The Zombies- The British Invasion meets jazz.

298. Train in Vain: The Clash- An uplifting end to an album about the post modern apocalypse

299. Tired of Being Alone: Al Green- Al Green was huge many moons ago.

300. Black Dog: Led Zeppelin- Robert Plant’s ode to a dog’s upfrontness. No courting rituals here!

Rolling Stone Mag's Top 500 Songs #301-310

301. Street Fighting Man: The Rolling Stones- Back when rock was about revolution and bad behavior as opposed to getting on Grey’s Anatomy and Glee.

302. Get Up, Stand Up: Bob Marley- Amazing how many of these potheads were about revolution. You’d think they’d be too mellow to care!

303. Heart of Gold: Neil Young- Young’s second appearance. Old Man didn’t make it though. Amazing.

304. Sign o the Times: Prince- According the write-up, this made the list b/c it was socially conscious during the age of hair metal.

305. One Way or Another: Blondie- Classic obsession…then she wants to ditch him.

306. Like a Prayer: Madonna- When it’s time to burn crosses, call Madonna. Nothing like a little KKK solidarity!

307. One More Time: Daft Punk- The first use of the Auto-Tune in a hit song. Damn them to hell.

308. Do Ya Think I’m Sexy: Rod Stewart- Everything that was wrong with the seventies is here.

309. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain: Willie Nelson- This is actually a cover of an old standard. Made Willie a star.

310. Ruby Tuesday: The Rolling Stones- Goodbye Ruby Tuesday…