Top 25 songs of 1989 (#21-25)

My favorites...

21. Fire Woman- The Cult
22. Paradise City- GnR
23. My Brave Face- Paul McCartney
24. You Got It- Roy Orbison
25. Zombie Zoo- Tom Petty

1960 in music

In the year Kennedy won the White House, Elvis was discharged and hit the charts full steam. Ben E. King went solo. The Beatles make their Hamburg debut. Neil Young forms his first band at age 14.

#1 song:
It's Now Or Never by Elvis Presley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkMVscR5YOo



Other classics:

Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis Presley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPjnE1WRMKo

Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8OlDPqYBLw

Cathy’s Clown by The Everly Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXvKAWiU_cQ

Chain Gang by Sam Cooke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmZdvVnMXCc

El Paso by Marty Robbins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-y3DB0wLh4

Only the Lonely by Roy Orbison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjq4wYuwgxs

Shop Around by The Miracles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGXa3FiXKM

Walk, Don’t Run by The Ventures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW21rcHiVU0



Chubby Checker set off a major dance craze:

The Twist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im9XuJJXylw



and then this...

Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini by Brian Hyland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge9Ou3-YyqU

Del Shannon: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1999

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/del-shannon/bio/

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

Shannon was drafted in 1954. When he returned from the army, he worked part time in a band. In 1958, he assumed control of the band and Del Shannon took off.

Runaway (1961): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S13mP_pfEc

Hats off to Larry (1961): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk_FR3341bA

The Swiss Maid (1962): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn27xBY8X68

Little Town Flirt (1962): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9kt5LxwxXg

He fought with his label and switched in 1963.

Handy Man (1964): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gIocqHTnWs

Do You Wanna Dance? (1964): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V7m9peH8QA

Keep Searchin’ (We’ll Follow the Sun) (1964): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnSpWU8utw4

Shannon moved to Liberty Records in 1966. His success waned, so Shannon moved to producing in 1969.

Alcoholism and changing music scene slowed his career in the 70s.

Sea of Love (1981): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3O6I6CL3lA

He was in line to replace Roy Orbison in the Travelin’ Wilburys.

Depression led to suicide in 1990.

Roy Orbison: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1987

His life and career in links.

Rock Hall Bio: 

 http://rockhall.com/inductees/roy-orbison/bio/

Official Site:

http://www.royorbison.com/us/home

Ooby Dooby (1956):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ijEWj2xmg

He did not hit it big until the sixties.

Only the Lonely (1960):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2whGEvy13Ag

Running Scared (1961):

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

Crying (1961):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l-AxZIdq4E&feature=related

In Dreams (1963):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbxsmcT7GOk

It’s Over (1964):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMc263klrMQ

Pretty Woman (1964):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdmS9wCHhSU&feature=related

1966: His wife died in a car accident.

1968: His house burned down killing his two oldest sons.

He struggled following these tragedies. He experienced a major comeback in the late eighties.

Crying w/K.D. Lang (1987):

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

You Got It (1988):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpgtbcP8-ig

The Traveling Wilburies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8s9dmuAKvU

Died: December 6, 1988:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tKoTLHx98

Sam Phillips: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1986

His life and career thru links:

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/sam-phillips/bio/


Sun Records Official Site: http://www.sunrecords.com/

The First Rock Record recorded at Sun Records: Ike Turner and Jackie Brenston:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbfnh1oVTk0

He discovered Elvis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWgprZu4Hk4

Sun was “an early home” to:

Jerry Lee Lewis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xraIf_cYRQE

Johnny Cash: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEV58ztuihs

Roy Orbison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMdWzIITwoM

Carl Perkins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79CJON8fv6c

Sam Phillips died in 2003:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyOmzxPxND4

894. Crying by Roy Orbison (1961)

Originally titled "I Am Crying" and written for Don Gibson, Roy Orbison decided to record the song himself.  "I Am Crying" was shortened to "Crying" to make it sound less country. Supposedly, Orbison wrote the song about an old girlfriend. Orbison's voice was perfect for "Crying" adding a layer of credibility to a great song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07NMA51D46c

with KD Lang:

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

RS Mag's Top 500 Songs #61-70

61. Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On: Jerry Lee Lewis- The single flopped four times before Lewis got a hold of it. He added piano and energy and it became a smash.

62. Bo Diddley: Bo Diddley- Very influential beat. You can hear it in hundreds of songs.

63. For What It’s Worth: Buffalo Springfield- They predicted the clash between authorities and anarchy that accentuated the late 60s.

64. She Loves You: The Beatles- Initially panned by America, it made a comeback after Beatlemania began.

65. Sunshine of Your Love: Cream- What a riff.

66. Redemption Song: Bob Marley- Inspired by Marcus Garvey who was a bit of a clown.

67. Jailhouse Rock: Elvis Presley- Some lyrics that elude to big gay prison love.

68. Tangled Up in Blue: Bob Dylan- Great lyrics, great song.

69. Crying: Roy Orbison- Some of the best vocals ever!

70. Walk On By: Dionne Warwick- and call the psychic friends network!

Rolling Stone Mag's Top 500 Songs #216-230

216. Rockin’ in the Free World: Neil Young- Pride and guilt about being American…Young throws everything from infanticide to the hole in the ozone layer (remember that crisis?) into this song


217. Your Cheatin’ Heart: Hank Williams Sr.- Real country; not this Taylor Swift pop stuff.

218. Do You Believe in Magic?: The Lovin’ Spoonful- America’s answer to the British Invasion.

219. Jolene: Dolly Parton- Parton’s breakout hit; covered much later by the White Stripes.

220. Boom Boom: John Lee Hooker- Hooker adds bounce to the blues.

221. Spoonful: Howlin’ Wolf- Cream later covered this. Wolf was a baaaad man.

222. Walk Away Renee: The Left Banke- Another odd choice. No one remembers this one...well almost no one.

223. Walk on the Wild Side: Lou Reed- and the colored girls go doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo

224. Oh, Pretty Woman: Roy Orbison- Should be in the top 40 greatest ever. How is #222 ahead of this?

225. Dance to the Music: Sly and the Family Stone- It’s a shame Sly is so messed up now.

226. Hoochie Coochie Man: Muddy Waters- Not a gangsta…not a pimp…a hoochie coochie man!

227. Fire and Rain: James Taylor- About addiction, crisis, and recovery.

228. Should I Stay or Should I Go?: The Clash- A prescient question as the band began to implode.

229. Good Times: Chic- Influenced Queen and the Sugarhill Gang. It was a song based on irony as it came out during the worst times since the Great Depression.

230. Mannish Boy: Muddy Waters- One of the all time great Blues songs.

Rolling Stone Mag's Top 500 Songs #231-250

231. Moondance: Van Morrison- I picture little faeries dancing around to this song at night.


232. Just Like a Woman: Bob Dylan- This might have been about a former girlfriend’s early death. Edie Sedgwick also influenced the Cult’s “Edie.”

233. Sexual Healing: Marvin Gaye- Reminds me of the old record store. Some 40something guy brought in his 20 year old girlfriend looking for something to screw to. He set off pedophile vibes and she was dressed in white lace.

234. Only the Lonely: Roy Orbison- All time classic. Probably ranked too low.

235. We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Animals- Every Junior High Schoolers feeling…then every high schoolers feeling and then…every person in the workforce’s feeling…then every person that Jack Kevorkian visits feeling…

236. Paper Planes: MIA- How in the world did this crap make it? And how did it score so high? This is just mind boggling.

237. I Feel A Whole Lot Better: The Byrds-Not a bad song. Not sure why it made the list or is this high.

238. Everyday: Buddy Holly- A great example of Holly’s studio genius.

239. I Got a Woman: Ray Charles- Ray Charles rewrote old gospel songs. Wish I’d have thought of that…anything out there without a copyright nowadays?

240. Planet Rock- Afrika Bambaataa- This belongs in the Star Wars cantina.

241. I Fall to Pieces: Patsy Cline- The Tigers theme song every August since 2006.

242. Son of a Preacher Man: Dusty Springfield- One of those rare instances of a white Euro girl sounding like a black American

243. The Wanderer: Dion- Ted Kennedy’s theme before he got remarried.

244. Stand!: Sly and the Family Stone- A civil rights anthem

245. Rocket Man: Elton John- Put this with Bowie’s Space Oddity and you have rock sci-fi.

246. Love Shack: B-52’s- The love shack burnt down a few years back.

247. Gimme Some Lovin’: Spencer Davis Group- This bombards the senses.

248. Higher and Higher: Jackie Wilson- Another Jackie Wilson tune.

249. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down: The Band- A Civil War rock song…about the end of the Old South….written by a Canadian!

250. Hot Fun in the Summertime: Sly and the Family Stone- One of those all time summer songs that (ironically) got released as kids went back to school.

Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 500 Songs #311-325

311. With a Little Help From My Friends: The Beatles- Some love for Ringo (as Billy Shears)!


312. Say It Loud! I’m Black and I’m Proud: James Brown- How about an Undercover Brother II?

313. That’s Entertainment: The Jam- Popular Euro group no one in America knows!

314. Why Do Fools Fall in Love: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers- Lymon hit it big in 1956 and OD’d on heroin in 1968. He was 25.

315. Lonely Teardrops: Jackie Wilson- In 1975, Wilson sang the line “My heart is crying” and collapsed on stage. He entered a coma and died in 1984.

316. What’s Love Got To Do With It: Tina Turner- I hear this and it’s 1984 again.

317. Iron Man: Black Sabbath- Robert Downey Jr. rules.

318. Wake Up Little Susie: The Everly Brothers- This song about a teen couple innocently falling asleep got banned in 1957.

319. In Dreams: Roy Orbison- This turned Orbison into a headliner. His opening acts? The Rolling Stones and Beatles.

320. I Put a Spell On You: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins- Look up the video on you tube. It’s worth it.

321. Comfortably Numb: Pink Floyd- Another song that’s about 300 spots too low. A lot of people consider Gilmore’s solo the best of all time.

322. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood: The Animals- The Animals had a way of turning something completely un-poppy into a pop tune.

323. Alison: Elvis Costello- This is not about murder. It is about disappointment.

324. Wish You Were Here: Pink Floyd- In a bizarre twist, Syd Barrett showed up for the recording of this album.

325. Many Rivers to Cross: Jimmy Cliff- Another outlaw reggae tune by Jimmy Cliff.