Bjcorbin's Blog

1. Heard it Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye) This Motown classic was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and was a smash hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips, before Marvin Gaye’s version was ever released. Soon after that, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s (CCR) eleven minute take on the song (from the album “Cosmos Factory”) also gained significant national attention. Despite all of these popular renditions, it is Gaye’s recording that stands out as the quintessential version of this soulful classic.

2. Black Magic Woman (Santana) Many fans of Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” era material may not be aware of the bands 1960’s blues band beginnings; but in 1968 group leader Peter Green penned a minor UK hit called “Black Magic Woman”. Two years later, legendary guitarist Carlos Santana (& future Journey vocalist Gregg Rolie) recast the song with a scintillating Latin flavor. It went on to become one of the most successful recordings of Santana’s long and illustrious career.

3. Summertime Blues (The Who) Written and originally recorded by rockabilly artist Eddie Cochran back in the late 1950’s, this song became a concert staple for the Who in the mid 1960’s. Though Cochran’s record achieved a higher chart position, it was the Who’s numerous live recordings that cemented the song’s status as a rock & roll standard.

4. You’re No Good (Linda Ronstadt) Though this had been a Top 5 R&B hit for Betty Everett in 1963 and a Top 5 UK hit for The Swinging Blue Jeans in 1964, it wasn’t until 1974 that Linda Ronstadt recorded what is generally regarded as the definitive version of the song. Combining Ronstadt’s signature vocals, with the haunting accompaniment of the talented Andrew Gold, turned out to be the perfect recipe for a pop music gem.

5. Blueberry Hill (Fats Domino) This song was originally recorded in the 1940’s by the likes of Gene Autry, the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Louie Armstrong. Though it had been a significant hit for both Miller and Armstrong, it was Fats Domino’s 1956 recording that branded the song as a classic. It went on to become the biggest hit of his highly successful career, selling over 5 million copies.

6. Because the Night (Patti Smith) Because of the odd way this record came together, it could be argued that it doesn’t really qualify as a remake; but the original version of the song was written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, for the “Darkness on the Edge of Town” album. When he decided not to include it on that album, his producer (Jimmy Iovine) shared the tape with Patti Smith, who reworked it for her album “Easter”. Springsteen was impressed enough with Smith’s changes that he subsequently gave her a co-writer credit when he released a live version of the song in 1986.

7. You’ve Got a Friend (James Taylor) Carole King wrote and recorded this song as part of her phenomenally successful “Tapestry” album. At the same time, James Taylor was working with many of the same musicians in an adjacent studio. Upon hearing King’s recording, he decided to include a version on his new album as well. Though the albums were released almost simultaneously, it was Taylor’s version that was first issued as a single. Not only did it reach #1, it went on to win Grammy’s for both Taylor (vocal performance) and King (songwriter). Within the following year, the song had been remade by the likes of Barbara Streisand, Dusty Springfield, Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin.

8. All Along the Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix) First written and performed by Bob Dylan, Hendrix put his unique stamp on the song, making it his own. It was not unlike what The Bryds had done (a couple of years before) with Dylan’s, “Mr. Tambourine Man”. While Jimi’s guitar playing was legendary, this was perhaps the most fully realized recording (i.e. writing, singing, playing and production) of his short and spectacular career.

9. Blinded by the Light (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band) In its original form, first released as part of the 1973 Bruce Springsteen album “Greetings from Asbury Park N.J.”, this song had a somewhat laidback, acoustic sound. But Mann’s 1976 radical reworking of the arrangement (from the album “The Roaring Silence”) gave it the driving electric feel that eventually landed it at #1 on the pop charts. A few years later, Mann’s Earth Band enjoyed some significant airplay with their remake of yet another early Springsteen tune, “For You”.

10. Respect (Aretha Franklin) This pop music classic was written and originally recorded by R&B legend Otis Redding, back in 1965. Though his version was a Top 5 hit on the Soul charts, it was a young Aretha Franklin (with her sisters singing backup) who recorded what many consider to be one of the greatest singles of all time. Not only did her version hit #1 on the Pop charts, it won two Grammys and was eventually named one of the “Songs of the Century” by the Recording Industry of America.

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As we start a new year, it has become commonplace to see lists compiled of the Top Ten movies or songs or news stories… from the previous year; and every once in a while, someone sets out to create a new list of the Top Hundred… of all time. Being a lover of rock and roll, I’m always interested in these lists as they pertain to the area of music; and as I recently reviewed yet another list of the top rock artists of all time, it occurred to me how difficult it is to agree on a particular artist’s rightful place in music lore. I believe that is because there are so many different ways in which you could measure an artist’s greatness. Perhaps the easiest measure is that of an artist’s popularity, which could be gauged by record and ticket sales. But a musical purest would rightly argue that popularity does not necessarily equate to quality and therefore favor some other scale. For some it might be the artist’s impact on music; for others it could be their impact on popular culture; for others it might be based on their skill as a musician, or as a performer, or as an artist or as an innovator. Depending on which measure you choose, certain artists can rapidly ascend or descend on the scale.

A great example of this would be Michael Jackson. He was undoubtedly one of the great performers of all time. His dance moves were almost surreal, his popularity was phenomenal and his use of the music video format was revolutionary. Based on those measures, he’d be high on the list. But for the musical purest, his singing and songwriting skills were less than spectacular and arguably his songs did little to impact the face of popular music or culture.

On the other end of the spectrum is someone like Bob Dylan, who many consider to be a voice that spoke for an entire generation. Based strictly on his songwriting ability he might make many a critic’s all-time list; but as a musician and a performer his stature becomes debatable. While die-hard fans might consider his music to be “nuanced” and his vocals to be “distinctive”, others might view these aspects through a less charitable lens. Where Dylan might fall on one’s list would likely depend on their overall perception of him as a performer.

The results will vary greatly depending on which aspect we choose to center our attention. If we focus strictly on performers, names like Elvis, James Brown, the Rolling Stones, Jim Morrison, The Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury and even a band like Kiss might rise to the top. If we talk about performers who changed the face of music, we would have to include artists like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Marvin Gaye, U2, Prince and maybe even groups like the Sex Pistols, Public Enemy and Nirvana. If we focused on artistry, we might add names like Bob Dylan, Carole King, Simon & Garfunkel, Elton John and Sting. If we think of innovation, we would probably incorporate artists like Jimi Hendrix, Credence Clearwater Revival, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd and Steely Dan. If we talk about virtuoso musicians, we would need to include people like Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, (the band) Yes, Stevie Ray Vaughn, (the band) Rush and Eddie Van Halen, in the conversation. If we consider incredibly talented assemblies, we might add groups like The Byrds, Cream, Crosby-Stills & Nash, The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac. If we take mass appeal into account, groups like the Bee Gees and ABBA would also have to be considered. Some of these artists, like the Beatles, Jim Morrison (and the Doors), Marvin Gaye, Led Zeppelin and Bruce Springsteen, would rank high in multiple categories. While others, like The Grateful Dead, Freddie Mercury (Queen), Steely Dan, Yes, Prince… might not even appear on many people’s top 100 list. Ultimately, it all depends on the measure that you decide to use.

As a lover of music, I’m less inclined to consider an artist’s impact on music or culture and more apt to judge them on their sound. While I can appreciate that a group like the Sex Pistols helped to usher in a new era or that Frank Zappa took music to a place it’s never been, I don’t have any real inclination to listen to their recordings. For me, the song is the thing. Based on that, I’d take the Beatles over Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin over the Stones, the Doors over Hendrix, Simon & Garfunkel over Clapton, Springsteen over Neil Young and the Eagles over the Grateful Dead. For rock historians that may not be very satisfying, but on my CD player, it’s right where it needs to be. Beyond these members of rock’s royal family, there are a whole slew of other bands, who aren’t necessarily revered by critics (e.g. Three Dog Night, Bad Company, The Doobie Brothers, Heart, ZZ Top, Boston, Journey, Tom Petty…), but who created a sizable catalog of highly listenable music. For me, some of those recordings would be more welcome in my collection than many of the ones which have been hailed as “classics”. Though these lists are interesting to ponder, in the end, it’s doubtful that any two people would pick them the same.

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