The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 281-290

Martha and the Vandellas, Dancing in the Street, Heat Wave
I received an invite to the First Ladies' Luncheon, which was hosted by the Betty Ford Foundation. It was a rare moment when the luncheon was going to be in Grand Rapids. Of course I went. One of the guests of honor was Martha Reeves, who is now spending her twilight years as a political activist in the Detroit area. She sings the national anthem, and we were disappointed that we weren't treated to more, and went forward with having our cold soup (watercress? it was tasty) and salad.

She comes back out later and says she is looking for volunteers to come help her perform a couple of songs. Jen to my right says "are we going?" and I was already halfway out of my chair. For ten minutes of my life, I was one of the Vandellas.  Jen and I sang backup and danced to these two songs. It was the bucket list entry I didn't know I had until I fulfilled it.

Curtis Mayfield, Superfly
Curtis pops up here and there with various projects but he's all alone here with Superfly. I'm rooting for him to beat out Eric Clapton for representation on this list in all his incarnations.

MC Hammer, U Can't Touch This
This was everywhere summer of '90. I think I still have the cassette in the basement. He was just fun. He tried to go hardcore, then he tried to go the gospel route, which is where I believe he settled in his career. Another one of those guys that just tried to improve things for everyone around him.

Paul McCartney, Maybe I'm Amazed
Paul's first, and maybe best, love song to Linda. This one was written during the breakup of the Beatles, and he was reeling at the loss of what he has said was his other great love, his artistic partner John Lennon. I'm a fan of Linda McCartney for her amazing photography and supporting his genius. Extra stones for bravely getting on stage in front of a keyboard to play with her husband. Many derided her efforts but he needed her there if only for emotional support. Screw all of you for making fun of her, SHE WAS MARRIED TO A BEATLE.

Barry McGuire, Eve of Destruction
I think I've heard this performed by the band X in the 80s in protest at the threat of nuclear war. I think I heard it in the wake of the Gulf War. And after 9/11. Surprised I'm not hearing it these days. In other words, the message resonates time and again. I wish it weren't timeless.

Don McLean, American Pie
An epic tome paying homage to the early pioneers of rock and roll. This song goes on forever. And it's a game to figure out who is who - easy to know the day the music died was the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Richie Valens, but is the jester Keith Moon?

Blind Willie McTell, Statesboro Blues
While I dig the music, it makes me wonder what was blinding all these black men/artists back in the day. I don't have the medical history background to do the proper research on such a thing, but it would be cool, like the pediatrician fellow at the University of Michigan who wondered why Laura Ingalls stated in her books that Mary was blinded by scarlet fever, when she was presenting as a spinal meningitis patient. Mind blown.

John Cougar Mellencamp, Authority Song
This entry surprises me, when Jack and Diane, Pink Houses, I Need a Lover, or Paper and Fire could have fit in here just as well. John is the middle America Bruce Springsteen, writing songs about the life and plight of us here in the flyover states. He was one of the originators of Farm Aid, which was a concert to aid farmers who struggled during the Reagan years. Our neighbor's grandsons, born in Fort Wayne, all considered him a patron saint.

Metallica, Enter Sandman
This song was everywhere the fall of 1991. If this list was published in 1995, kudos for this being one of the youngest if not the youngest entry on this list. The Black album was solid from top to bottom. Hardcore fans criticize it for being more commercial friendly and bringing more fans into the fold, but that doesn't mean it doesn't rock any less.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 271-280

Professor Longhair, Tipitina
First time listening. Is it jazz? Blues? Cajun? This is cool as hell. I feel like having a hurricane and a beignet.

The Lovin' Spoonful, Do You Believe in Magic
I'm watching the performance from the Ed Sullivan Show, and it's just a sunny little time capsule: the hair, the fashion, the sound, the early attempts at special effects. I feel like this color palette was mined for Hanna Barbera Saturday morning cartoons.

Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent, Why Do Fools Fall in Love
Frankie's legend supersedes his songs. He loved the ladies, and loved to woo and marry 'em. Problem is, he didn't like to divorce them, so there were quite a few Mrs. Lymons running around. Sadly, he died of a heroin overdoes at the age of 25, so pretty close to being an eternal teenager.

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Free Bird
Hm. Not a favorite, the legend around this song had led to idiots screaming "Free Bird!" at the first lull in a concert. Doesn't matter who the performer is; for some reason, these guys think it's even funnier at concerts that aren't Lynyrd Skynyrd. Prefer Sweet Home Alabama in this spot.

Madonna, Like a Virgin
This was her big song, the big break, the big IT. I was a HUGE Madonna fan back in the day, that lasted right up to Music in 2002. She was, as I recall saying, the patron saint for repressed Catholic school girls everywhere.

I loved the exploration of her sexuality, and her asserting that we had the right to be sexual. And funny. And provocative. Then she started to explore more: acting, musicals, other religions, other theories on life and living. Then she started having babies, adopting babies, getting remarried then divorced. She slipped a little, and started following trends instead of leading them. Personally, I would have loved to have seen her delve into aging gracefully instead of some desperate cougar holding onto scraps of youth culture.

I still love you, Madge. The albums Like a Prayer, True Blue and Ray of Light are masterpieces.

The Mamas and the Papas, California Dreamin'
What a soap opera of people treating other people poorly. Mama Cass deserved better. This song is gorgeous.

The Marcels, Blue Moon
Classic doo-wop from the era. Second generation, we remember it from Grease and also my friend Leslie's hilarious skating routine with a prosthetic bum.

Bob Marley and the Wailers, Lively Up Yourself, No Woman No Cry
In order to go to college in the 90s, you should arrive at your dorm or apartment with a hide-a-bed couch, a pallet of ramen noodles, the excuses to party poster, stuff you nicked from your parents' liquor cabinet, and the greatest hits albums from Steve Miller Band, Elton John, Queen, The Beatles, Aerosmith, and Bob Marley. When someone would blast Bob mid-afternoon on Friday, the party was started. No Woman No Cry is my absolute favorite of his songs.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 261-270

I'll be your Tennessee Lamb

Led Zeppelin, Whole Lotta Love
I was lucky enough to live on Ryan's creek in Big Rapids my senior year of college, which connected Canadian Lakes to the Muskegon River. Why is this important? My roommate Jill, a Deadhead and Zeppelin enthusiast, found most any excuse to blast this band, typically when we were hosting parties. One particular night, dead of winter, we decided it was time for us to earn our polar bear status by frolicking in the creek while singing this song. "Shake for me girl, I wanna be your back door man."

The Left Banke, Walk Away Renee
I don't know, it's not a bad song, just sounds very dated to me. I don't hear any influence in today's music. It's a bit melancholy, however the harmonies are nice. Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy have a version that is very sweet and timeless.

John Lennon, Give Peace a Chance, Imagine, Instant Karma
I have a conflicted love for Lennon. He was a dick in many instances where he could have been a better person, but the how-to-be-a-rock-star playbook wasn't written quite yet at the height of Beatlemania. And he didn't learn from his dad how to treat his woman, something he confessed in discussing his marriage to his first wife Cynthia. I know Yoko gets plenty of shit from fans, but if she influenced him to be a better man, I think that's more important than being a rock star.

That said, these three songs sprang from his personal transformation from a Fab to a man. Instant Karma is the jewel of the three. I understand Give Peace a Chance being on the list, but given the heartbreaking end to his life in sharp contrast to the joyous Double Fantasy album, I'd rather the song Starting Over or Woman be here instead. And the day Will was born? I couldn't get Beautiful Boy out of my head.

Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On
From biopics and documentaries, this guy was kind of an ass. I don't know what pact he made with the devil, but he's one of the few from that era still standing. He can pound a piano with the best of 'em.

Little Eva, The Locomotion
How do you not love Little Eva and this pop perfection?

Little Feat, Dixie Chicken
There's something so easy going and lovely about this song. Bar room boogie. Southern fried soul. Oh us girls and our feminine wiles. Also part of a grand 70s tradition of awesome album covers. The pillow top, the accordion, what's with that chick's fingers? Easy to sing along.

Little Walter, Juke
A lesson in harmonica mastery.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 251-260

I heart The Kinks

Oh, we're halfway there!

The Kinks, You Really Got Me
Random story: my friend Anne from high school was getting quite tired of some of the stupid sophomoric actions by some of the boys in our biology class. For some reason, she belted this song out, and they left her alone. I really should have tried that.

Kiss, Rock and Roll All Nite
My feelings about Kiss are conflicted. I love the songs Hard Luck Woman and New York Groove. And I Was Made for Loving You figures into the stories of my teen angst; its use in the Umbrella Academy had my inner teen screaming. Some of their more popular songs, like this one, I couldn't care less. And the stories of how poorly they treat each other are pathetic.

Buddy Knox, Party Doll
I remember this song from repeat watchings of the movie American Graffiti. It's sweet, it's catchy, it's pretty innocent. Nothing released today could even compare. Nice little rockabilly bridge too.

Kraftwerk, Autobahn
I've heard it, it's 22 minutes long. Isn't this the birth of industrial music? I wonder if I can skate to this? It's an industrial symphony I don't quite want to turn away from yet. When did this come out? 1974?!? NOTHING sounded like this at the time, closest I could possibly come would be King Crimson or ELP, but then they progged that shit out, and this is very clean.

Whoa, at the 8 minute mark, it gets really interesting! I'm mesmerized!

Auuuuuutoooooo Bahhhhhhhhhhhn... Auuuuuutoooooo Bahhhhhhhhhhhn...!

LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out
LL was a pioneer of early rap in the 80s, just a cute kid with some great hooks. He got a bit more hard rock and aggressive with this one. This song gets me revved up, and is consistently on my running playlists, getting my fat ass over the finish line. Oooo, sucka.

Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Second time referencing my sophomore year in high school in as many posts... Anyway, in Speech class, we were asked to write a short presentation on who you admire, and Cyndi was my subject. Why? She's creative, bright, crazy, fun, and could be entirely unique and introspective. She was who I was a little too bashful to become at that time, but the paint was starting to be applied to the canvas. Thank you allowing me to not be like every other girl.

Lead Belly, The Midnight Special
I think my introduction to this came second hand, again, this time from Creedence Clearwater Revival. It's a good song.

Sorry, still listening to Kraftwerk....

Led Zeppelin, Dazed and Confused, Rock and Roll, Stairway to Heaven
Just remember girls: if a boy tells you it's unladylike to listen to Led Zeppelin, BREAK UP WITH HIM. That is all. Oh, and Jimmy Page's curls are divine.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 241-250

Albert King, Born Under a Bad Sign
My introduction to this song was via Stevie Ray Vaughn's cover version. A standard track for any well respected blues bar band.

B.B. King, Sweet Little Angel, The Thrill is Gone
Saw him at the House of Blues in 2005, where he winked and threw me a genuine lapel pin. Amazing to see a man who was bound to his chair still command an audience. Some tracks are just so much a part of the fabric of the American songbook, you can't take it out of context.

Ben E. King, Spanish Harlem, Stand by Me
I would also consider these two to be American standards.

Carole King, You've Got a Friend
Another song that has been around for as long as I have been around. My mother-in-law gave us tickets to see the musical based on her life. Initially, I wasn't interested but they were free, and it was close to Valentine's Day, so it was our date for the holiday. Charming, entertaining and a quick three hours.

Freddy King, Hide Away
Blues standard. Youtube poster says: seems like half the riffs in rock music came from this song. Black girl in navy fringe dress and go-go boots dancing in the background of a YouTube video gives me love. Oh! There's another one in a hunter green dress! FRINGE!

The Kingsmen, Louie Louie
You gotta love a song that was banned because no one could understand the lyrics. Loud, messy, joyous. Lots of frat boys pretending to be characters from Animal House will sing this wrapped in the flat sheets from their childhood twin sets.

The Kinks, A Well Respected Man, Lola
I. Love. The. Kinks. They are the messier Beatles, the slightly more unhinged Who, the rowdier Rolling Stones. Little Steven features them consistently on the Underground Garage. Telling that their Christmas song is about stealing money.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 231-240

Elton John, Your Song
If you're going to nail it, knock it out of the park on your first try. Bravo, Reginald.

Little Willie John, Fever
An American standard. This one is a little more upbeat compared to the femme fatale versions that followed.

Blind Willie Johnson, Motherless Children
Who is blinding all these blues guys? This is rough, in a good way. He is a pioneer of chest voice singing, was master of the slide guitar, and recorded 30 songs between 1927 and 1930. He was also a preacher, and died in Beaumont, Texas in 1945 of malaria. He was also apparently friends with Blind Lemon. Eric Clapton did a remake.

Robert Johnson, Crossroad Blues, Hellbound on My Trail, Love in Vain, Sweet Home Chicago
I bought this box set back when I was in college, and did a report on him for my American Music class. He only recorded 29 songs to acetate, and four - FOUR - are featured on this list. That's 14% of his entire career output enshrined.

And for good reason. These songs are a blueprint for what's to come, as wiki states: "His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. He is now recognized as a master of the blues, particularly the Delta blues style."

Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, California, Saturday Night Fish Fry
Big Band that's been dragged through a honky tonk. When I had my Cabrio, I also had Sirius, and an addiction to the 40s station. I've heard these songs constantly. What fun.

Joy Division, Love Will Tear Us Apart
Early emo, early new wave, industrial, whatever, it was the sound of 80s bars located in basements with DJs sporting black lights and waitresses in fish nets. Interestingly enough, I took a fitness coach class at Ferris (one of those infamous 1-credit classes that you used to flesh out your schedule) and my team decided to teach an aerobics routine while doing aerobics to this song. True story.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 221-230

Looks like one of those old-timey cigarette cards. 

Tommy James and the Shondells, Hanky Panky
Do not like him. Next.

Jan & Dean, Surf City
Meh, at first listen, or even 56th listen, it could have easily been the Beach Boys. I think Brian Wilson wrote it too. I grew up hearing this in 10 second snippets in as-seen-on-TV nostalgia compilation box sets, you choice of cassette, vinyl, or compact disc, $39.99.

Jane's Addiction, Been Caught Stealing
YES! More good music needs to have a sense of humor. It is a sonic explosion that goes too fast yet is over too soon. Bitter we missed them on the first Lollapalooza tour.

Jefferson Airplane, Somebody to Love, White Rabbit
I dislike JA, I like very few Jefferson Starship songs, and I have no use for Starship. Pass.

Blind Lemon Jefferson, Matchbox Blues
OMG, remember when I researched the bar in Cincinnati named for a blues guitarist? This is him! 1927. I repeat, 1927.

Jethro Tull, Aqualung
Hard rock flute. You don't often type that out loud. Will has been practicing on his recorder again, in preparation for band. I can’t help but think of this song.

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts I Love Rock n' Roll
I've seen her three times, and she deserves her spot in the Hall of Fame. This is the song that broke her, but honestly, there's better out there: Do Ya Wanna Touch, I Hate Myself for Loving You.

I remember a teen beauty magazine in the late 80s did a feature on how they would give female musicians a makeover. Joan's was particularly hilarious. They wanted to slick Jett's black hair into a smart ponytail, with a pert bow, hot pink lipstick, and a softer look than her black leather. What a bad idea - might as well give Stevie Nicks a pert bob and easy care double knits.

Billy Joel, Just the Way You Are
Billy is just a tad too soft for me, and don't get me started on the shit he produced in the 80s. He has a few good ones though, and wonder why there's no Piano Man or It's My Life here.

Elton John, Bennie and the Jets
A recent Top 10 Revealed on AXS TV named this the best song of 1974. I was old enough to actually remember 1974 and I concur! Then a talking head said the damndest thing - that Bennie was a girl. Huh, electric boots, a mohair suit, ok then.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 211-220

The Isley Brothers, Shout
I want to skate a humorous silver free skate to this song in a toga. And I'm glad I have seen the Isley Brothers in concert.

Jackson 5, ABC, I Want You Back
Little Michael Jackson was a beautiful soul that lost his way. Voice of an angel, moves like James Brown, and talented brothers to help showcase the harmonies. I used to watch the Jackson 5 cartoon when I was a kid. Everyone loved the Jackson 5 back then.

Mahalia Jackson, Move On Up a Little Higher
I've just been taken to church.

Michael Jackson, Beat It, Billie Jean
I lived the cultural phenomena that was the Thriller album. This was epic, huge, colossal. This was everywhere. Even my dad bought the album so we would have it. Beat It was the blend of pop/rock/R&B that hadn't been seen perhaps since Jimi Hendrix. Billie Jean was dark, moody, and sexy. Still, I'm surprised Thriller isn't featured. And I loved the song Human Nature.

Elmore James, Dust My Broom, Shake Your Moneymaker
I've got a blues compilation, picked up for a song in a dusty record resale shop. I also remember a kid I went to high school with, who was a little scary, but also a big blues guy dd a report on Elmore James and Ike Turner. He later went on to be a minor WWE wrestler. I say that because I do believe he used Shake Your Moneymaker as his intro music. Or maybe that was just a rumor...

Etta James, Tell Mama
She is more famous for her classic At Last, but wow... I think maybe this needs to be in rotation. Sassy.

Rick James, Super Freak
This song is in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody because it is one of John Deacon's favorite songs. Why should everything reference John Deacon? Because.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 201-210

"Hey, do you like Hüsker Dü?"

Howlin' Wolf, Smokestack Lightinin', Spoonful, Red Rooster
Second generation, I heard most of these redone by The Rolling Stones. He's a legend, nothing more to say.

Human League, Don't You Want Me?
This one surprises me. It's a one hit wonder during the new wave that was played on MTV all the time. It's a moody love triangle with lots of sharp haircuts and glossy red lipstick.

Mississippi John Hurt, Stack o' Lee Blues
OMG, 1928! And I love it. It's a little bit blues, a little bit folky. The melody is very sweet, but those lyrics... damn. And if you want a quick lesson, according to wiki, his playing style was "a fast, syncopated fingerpicking style of guitar playing that he taught himself." Face like a road map.

Hüsker Dü, Turn on the News
OK, a story of my youth. There was a boy that I thought maybe was into me, I was kind of into him until another boy professed his interest in me. Then that boy broke my heart and I broke up with him in the art studio, with every other class listening in. Including the other boy. His shy intro to me was "hey, do you like Hüsker Dü?" and asked me on a date to get dinner at Burger King. Alas, I was DONE with men at the moment in time, and me and the boy never had our moment. I'm sad that I don't remember his name, but he gave a very Kurt Cobain vibe well before Cobain was giving his vibe out to the general public.

Is it too late to say yes, I like Hüsker Dü?

The Impressions, People Get Ready
Of musical geniuses, the silky Curtis Mayfield is one. Thank you sir, this is sublime.

The Ink Spots, If I Didn't Care
From 1939, wow! YouTube posters keep talking about The Shawshank Redemption, I believe this song figures prominently in Andy's trial scenes. The Ink Spots were prominent recording artists of the 30s and 40s, and thus far, this song may be the second-oldest that figures in the list.

*edited to add, there's been a group of songs that predate this one which will lead me to do my nerdy girl stats at the end of the endeavor because I'm curious about the timeline.

Iron Butterfly, In A Gadda Da Vida
Best thing about this song is the prank Bart Simpson played during one church service, replacing the regular hymn with "In the Garden of Eden," by I. Ron Butterfly. It's brilliant.

The Isley Brothers, It's Your Thing
We've seen the Isley Brothers! They were one of the musical acts featured on the bill for SARstock in Toronto. Who's That Lady? has been featured in commercials for years as well. Funky.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 191-200...and post 400!

John Lee Hooker

Screamin' Jay Hawkins, I Put a Spell on You
This song devolves into maniac screaming, and while may be considered in the novelty genre, it's cool as hell.

Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Blank Generation
Just your classic punk song, following the classic recipe for garage/rockabilly.

Jimi Hendrix, All Along the Watchtower, Purple Haze, Voodoo Child
Another one of those moments when I can't understand the impact as I wasn't alive to experience it firsthand. I understand why three songs are listed here, but prefer, personally, the psychedelic If 6 was 9.

The Hollies, Bus Stop
Another song that sounds terribly dated to me. When I complete this list and revisit the updates, I'll be curious to see if this song remains on the list.

Buddy Holly, Peggy Sue, That'll Be the Day
My dad told me of one of the few times he got in trouble at St. Mary's High School. When Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens died in the most historic plane crash, my dad and his friends decided to break dress code and wear black instead of blue in solidarity of mourning the death of their rock icons. According to him, the punishment was worth it.

John Lee Hooker, Boogie Chillun, Boom Boom
A return of the influence of the movie The Blues Brothers. Dan Ackroyd knew what he was doing.

Edited to add:

I just realized this is post #400 of this blog! If I have any followers *crickets* thank you for reading. This has been cathartic during the COVID nonsense, and just a fun little exercise. I just found out two of my usual races are now virtual, so I will be doing them in the comfort of my basement and probably listening to this list because I have signed up for a half marathon. All the sticker earning potential with none of the getting passed by everyone shame.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 181-190

I'm Team Duff McKagan, I think Dave is Team Slash

Guitar Slim, The Things I Used to Do
First time listening, from 1953. It's got the rock song structure, guitar solo. How to put it, it's got blood to it.

Guns n' Roses, Welcome to the Jungle
The song that broke them. This was huge back in '87. They did the hard rock/glam rock thing for a while, but they quickly dropped the Aqua Net and did their own dirty, gritty LA thing. Personally, I prefer Patience, November Rain, or Sweet Child of Mine, but I get this being their entry here.

Woody Guthrie, Pastures of Plenty, Pretty Boy Floyd, This Land is Your Land
His importance as one of the founding fathers of popular music cannot be denied. It's folk and basically invents protest music. It's relevant 90 years later. His son Arlo wisely continued dad's legacy in his own way, with songs like Alice's Restaurant.

Bill Haley & the Comets, Rock Around the Clock
Second generation introduction was the opening credits to the sitcom Happy Days. I think it's more rockabilly than pure rock, but those early days are fascinating in how the sound came to be.

Slim Harpo, Rainin' in My Heart
Now that's some harmonica! As sharp as that was, the vocals come in surprisingly soft. Gentle plea for his sweetheart to come home.

Wynonie Harris, Good Rockin' Tonight
From 1948! The Beatles of course covered it, which means they picked it up from the guys at Sun Records, which I'm assuming Wynonie is the original artist.

Wilbert Harris, Kansas City
My introduction to this was the Beatles version that melded with Hey Hey Hey.

Dale Hawkins, Suzy Q 
This is a jangly awesome recording, CCR be damned. I don't remember this guy featured in the movie about Chess Records. This requires further digging.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 171-180

Dave is Team Belinda

Marvin Gaye, What's Goin' On
Another of the great political songs that speaks immediately to what was going on at the time - Vietnam, civil rights movement - that still resonates today, 50 years later.

Gerry and the Pacemakers, How Do You Do It?
Pale imitators of the Beatles, a weak entry of the British Invasion. Next.

Gary Glitter, Rock n' Roll Part 2
Glam rock is campy, vampy, and fun, a response to the seriousness of the times. It's entirely too bad what he did in the future. Don't touch kids.

Go Go's, We Got the Beat
I'm ooooooooold! There is a documentary out about the band, and how groundbreaking they were. And I experienced them first time around. I didn't think about them being revolutionaries at the time, I just danced.

Golden Gate Quartet, Rock My Soul
I don't know where or how to define this. I hear gospel, I hear soul, I hear a little country twang.

Grand Funk Railroad, We're an American Band
Another classic rock staple, notable for its celebration of the groupie Sweet Connie. Not particularly a fan.

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, The Message
Early days of rap music, a simpler sound, simple sample, but the message complex.

The Grateful Dead, Dark Star, Uncle John's Band
Enjoyed the Dead but not a Deadhead. Prefer Ripple, which was my introduction to the band, from the soundtrack to the movie Mask. I will reference that movie again when I get to Bob Seger.

Al Green, Let's Stay Together
Another one that is featured on the soundtrack (Pulp Fiction) to introduce it to another generation. Smooth soul from the 70s.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 161-170

Aretha Franklin, I Never Loved a Man the Way that I Love You, Respect
I don't like when lists like this overrepresent an artist, but in this case, I feel like there's not enough Aretha. Where's Think or Until You Come Back to Me or Chain or Fools or Say a Little Prayer or Natural Woman?

I'm so glad I had to work from home on the day of her funeral and was able to watch and revel in the sheer glow of her starpower. They renamed a park in Detroit for her, and I was so pleased that my race that October went through it, and I was able to celebrate her.

Free, All Right Now
Oh, Paul Rodgers. All Right Now is a classic rock radio staple, and I was fed a steady dose of his work with Bad Company prior to making the connection that he was lead singer for both bands. Critics didn't seem to love Bad Co for some reason, but Rodgers' silky vocals made any listen worth it.

The Bobby Fuller Four, I Fought the Law
Maybe not being from the generation that experienced this as a hit first time around, I see this as more of a novelty song than anything else. I don''t get it and in the current climate, eh.

Lowell Fulson, Reconsider Baby
Prepared to write this one off as just another blues single, but fond myself doing the cakewalk in the kitchen while preparing dinner. Well played Mr. Fulson.

Funkadelic, One Nation Under a Groove
We missed the opportunity to see Funkadelic no less than three times - St Louis, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids. And with the band getting older and this damn pandemic, chances are getting ever slimmer. My backwards introduction to the band was the stupid movie PCU. And what is the difference between Funkadelic and Parliament Funkadelic? Anyway, this jams.

Peter Gabriel, Biko
He's got a magic voice, and in rock-meets-social-justice, this song is important, yet doesn't get the play that more popular songs do, like In Your Eyes, Sledgehammer, or Games Without Frontiers.

Cecil Grant, We're Gonna Rock
First time listening. Got some boogie woogie piano. Lyrics very basic. Eh?

Marvin Gaye, I Heard it Through the Grapevine, Sexual Healing
I love him, and greedily wish some of his duets with Tammi Terrell were included. She herself deserves her own biopic. Marvin too deserves a biopic, but don't doubt for a moment that the music is the reason for the affection.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 151-160

The Flamingos on American Bandstand

The Everly Brothers, Bye Bye Love
Ah, more Everly Brothers. Stories of bickering brothers are a mainstay in rock music, from the guys in The Kinks to Oasis, and the guys in the Beach Boys. Siblings can be your best friends and your ultimate nightmare. At least Alex Van Halen ignores Eddie.

The 5 Satins, In the Still of the Night
An American Classic.

The Flamingos, I Only Have Eyes for You
Drop this on me anytime and I'll get misty. This is a jewel. I. Love. This. Song. As I type, I'm watching a youtube clip performance on the show The View. There is any number of prickly people who proudly say they've never watched The View and my response has been I work during the day so I haven't either. Well, I guess I've watched it now.

Fleetwood Mac, Go Your Own Way
There could be so much more on here: Gypsy, Sara, Rihannon, Hold Me, Don't Stop.

The Flying Burritos Brothers, Sin City
My knowledge of the Burrito Brothers is from Pamela Des Barre's memoir I'm With the Band and her brief love affair with Gram Parsons. Also, the lovely country miniseries on PBS, an episode that dealt with the country/rock output that bridged genres, like Dylan, the FBBs, The Band, and the ever-elegant Emmylou Harris.

The 4 Seasons, Big Girls Don't Cry, Walk Like a Man
Oh, I hate this band. Pass.

The Four Tops, Baby I Need Your Loving, Reach Out I'll Be There
Am I cranky? I rank The Four Tops waaaaaaay below The Temptations and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. I guess Reach Out is a righteous bop.

Aretha Franklin, Chain of Fools
The Queen. One year for our anniversary, I thought I would surprise Dave with an Elvis impersonator. He surprised me with tickets to see a real Queen. From that show, I quote: she hums better than 99% of the world can sing.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 141-150

Imagine being this cool

Bob Dylan, Blowin' in the Wind, Like a Rolling Stone, Subterranean Homesick Blues, Tangled Up in Blue, Times They Are a' Changin'
I'm not a Dylan fan, but I cannot deny his influence. Of the songs listed here, Tangled Up in Blue and Blowin' in the Wind stay with me.

The Eagles, Hotel California, Take It Easy
My old roommate Cara loves, loves, loves this band; I however, am lukewarm to the golden California sounds. Take It Easy is so iconic, there is a statue of a flatbed Ford on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. I don't get what is so magical about Hotel California either. Give me Take it to the Limit anytime, because I've always been a dreamer.

Duane Eddy, Rebel 'Rouser
Usually used in nostalgia movies during a chase scene. I think it was used in The Sandlot and Stand By Me. It's pretty cool.

Eurythmics, Sweet Dreams
Another of the epic new wave acts of the 80s whose appeal has endured. Recent remixes of this song prove how groundbreaking it was and how cool it still is.

The Everly Brothers, All I Have to Do is Dream
There's a reason Paul and John aspired to be like the Everly Brothers, their harmonies are like butter. Incredibly sweet but not sugary.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 131 - 140

Dre!

Lonnie Donegan, Rock Island Line
Rockabilly icon whose influence stretches through even to today. Would there be the Beatles without him? Probably, but would they have rocked as hard?

Donovan, Sunshine Superman
Dated but yet no. You can hear the loopy sunshine in artists like Katy Perry, and snippets of this song in samples. The best one is still Legend of a Cowgirl by Imani Coppola.

The Doors, Light My Fire, The End
My husband's favorite karaoke request is The End, a dirge of a joke. Eh, give me Riders on the Storm. We frequently debate who the best member of a band is, often an argument against the perceived legend, such as Jim Morrison. We are Team Ray Manzarek.

Dr. Dre, Nuthin' But a G Thang
The man knew something about a beat and distinct harmonies. And everyone loves Snoop.

Dr. John, Right Place Wrong Time
This is a great track. The one that made your parents cool in your single digits in the 70s impressionable mind.

The Drifters, Money Honey, There Goes My Baby, Up on the Roof
Money Honey has been redone by so many other artists that it was a shock to hear the original. Meh. Clear, beautiful singing and harmonies but I'm surprised Under the Boardwalk isn't on this list.

Duran Duran, Hungry Like the Wolf
Comedian Greg Beherendt laments growing old and being made fun of for liking 80s bands like Duran Duran by the younger set. "What, you've never been hungry like the wolf?" is his snarled reply. Ah Greg, but it has happened and there's nothing we can do about it, except skip the opening act since we paid our opening band dues, skip the encore, and be in bed by 10pm. Personally, I prefer The Reflex or Come Undone, but neither of them had the cultural impact as HLtW in terms of expanding their appeal and creating that moody, sexy MTV vibe.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 121 -130

Devo, Whip It
It's so weird to see the stuff I grew up on now museum/archive worthy. Devo were smart punks, opting for the new wave moniker. For me, while Whip It was a hit, there's so much more that I preferred from their catalog, like Thru Being Cool and Girl U Want. I liken this entry as the song with the most exposure to ensure they are part of history.

Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley
The bone structure of most basic blues riffs. Widely copied, but here's the original.

Dion, A Teenager in Love
A staple of the genre. I have no great love for it.

Dire Straights, Sultans of Swing
Again, another song I experienced in real time, when I was 10 back in 1979. I don't know why the song is deemed worthy, I just know I loved it then, love it now. So prefer it to the fourth wall breaking biting the hand that feeds it Money for Nothing.

The Dixie Cups, Chapel of Love
This song in some variation, is in almost every chick flick rom-com prepping for the wedding montage.

The Dixie Hummingbirds, I'll Live Again
First time listening, and I'm not sure what the hell is going on. These are legends, and what I'm seeing is a youtube video of these guys performing in what appears to be a church basement in 2011. Is this possible? Ok, it's an incarnation of the original band, that formed in, get this, 1928. Founder James Davis formed the band while in high school in '28, and left the band when he passed in 2007. 2007! Lead singer Ira Tucker joined in 1938 when he was 13, only to leave when he died in 2008! They are widely considered the early conceptualizers of gospel soul. They have been the subject of a book on their rich history, as well as a documentary. They were recipients of a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Wow, and that is just scratching the surface.

Bill Doggett, Honky Tonk
A song I've heard many times but never linked or attributed it to any one person. Another patch connecting one style of music to another. Within it, you hear blues, you hear country, you hear the bones.

Fats Domino, Ain't That a Shame, Blueberry Hill
A mainstay of the 50s nostalgia train. Talented piano player.

The Dominoes, Sixty-Minute Man
My second generation exposure was Susan Sarandon and Kevin Costner dancing over the end credits in Bull Durham. It's very wink-wink naughty, but a very enjoyable song.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 111-120

The Damned, New Rose
Uh oh, I feel a new obsession coming on. It's garage rockabilly punk. How are the Sex Pistols the face of punk? This is fantastic. I remember hearing and seeing stuff by The Damned, but perhaps I was too young to appreciate it.

Danny & The Juniors, At the Hop
I grew up listening this stuff since it was my parents' music and in the 70s, there was a huge surge in 50s nostalgia - Grease, American Graffiti, Sha Na Na, etc. It's a micro caspule of everything - doo wop, bar blues, dance records, and of course, teenage culture.

Bobby Darin, Splish Splash
My first exposure to this was Potsie singing it on Happy Days. Generations to follow have been little kids in bathrobes skating to it in their earliest attempts at light entertainment showcase numbers.

Spencer Davis Group, Gimme Some Lovin'
I really don't like Steve Winwood, but I have to acknowledge he was some sort of blues wonderkid who hit it big when he was in his tender years. Also love the Blues Brothers version of this. And as I'm typing this, I don't know if it's a credit to this SNL skit turned major motion picture to expose me to this musical culture, or that I was so sadly lacking in musical culture that I learned so much from a movie based on a skit.

De La Soul, Me, Myself and I
"Mirror, mirror on the wall..." I feel like going to the Alibi and licking my hand and hoping the over 21 stamp transfers. Early hip hop.

Deep Purple, Smoke on the Water
Every time there's a nightclub tragedy, this song inevitably narrates the story. Also, Bender singing the riff to annoy the principal in The Breakfast Club.

The Del-Vikings, Come Go With Me
Beatle girl, Beatle story. This is the song John Lennon was playing at the church fete when Paul McCartney first laid eyes on him. IIRC, Paul says John knew half the song and half the chords, but made it up anyway. Lately, I think it's been in a car insurance commercial on basic cable stations.

The Dells, Oh What a Night
More early 50s doo wop. The Dells, or an incarnation of the original band, is a regular fixture on PBS fundraising drives on their nostalgia concert tours. Admittedly, I would love to have gone to one of them.

The Delmore Brothers, Hillbilly Boogie
First time listener. Early country/hillbilly music, which youtube posters say is the bridge to rockabilly. It's incredible to think what modern music has come from.

Derek and the Dominoes, Layla
Oh look, more Clapton. And he's whining about his best friend's wife. Turned out well for Pattie I guess. I think my sarcasm comes from AOR playlist fatigue.

We attended a panel discussion of rock and politics at the Gerald R. Ford museum a few years back, and the DJs on the panel were taken to task for this very subject. "Play deep cuts man, we are tired of the same 5 songs from the same dozen artists!"

The music director, with gritted teeth, explained they had to play the game for the gravy train. A while back, a few conglomerates starting buying up radio stations in medium to large markets. And then started dictating what the stations could play based on scientific data research, giving the people what they wanted. So instead of hearing Bell Bottom Blues for a change, You get to hear Layla, again.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 101-110

The fabulous Crystals.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son, Green River, Proud Mary
More Vietnam protest songs. These are so tied to period movies, you can't separate them, at least if you aren't from that generation.

Crosby, Stills & Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Ohio
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes is a classic. Ohio is another song from the Vietnam/Watergate era. Historical, which is enough for it to be included here. Given our present times, wondering what significant musical contribution modern era musicians will make, the bar has been set.

The Crows - Gee
First time listening. Sounds like the blueprint for the doowop era to follow. Not the best song of its genre, is it here because it was the first? A trip to wiki: The group's first single and only major hit, "Gee", released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first rock n’ roll hit by a rock and roll group. Hm, I always thought it was Rocket 88 or Rock Around the Clock. If they are the first rock and roll group with a rock and roll hit, they would also be considered the first one hit wonder of the rock and roll era, wouldn't you think?

The Crystals - Da Doo Run Run, He's a Rebel
I love them. But the joyful And Then He Kissed Me not on the list? No way.

Culture Club - Time
I lived this in real time back in the 80s. Oh, my sweet friend Carrie Gorney loved Boy George, even though he was oh so very gay. I get it now, he is a very handsome man, see below. BG was a cultural sensation in the 80s, voice of an angel, truly had society tackling ambiguous sexual orientation as a culture.

I'm not sure if I'm saying it right, so I'm kind of winging my perspective. 

In the 70s, gay pop stars were very wink-wink-nudge-nudge, and by time Boy showed up in the 80s he was OUT and proud. He paved the way for many artists to be true to themselves like Phranc, Bronski Beat, Melissa Etheridge, and Erasure. Other sectors of society are still catching up. The music was fabulous and he was not one to back down or be coy. 

But the suave reggae of Do You Really Want to Hurt Me belongs here, as this song was HUGE, and broke the band all over the world. I find this song so much more important, as his powerful voice simply could not be ignored.

Dick Dale and the Del Tunes - Let's Go Trippin'

More surf music from 1960. It's 60 years later, and I don't hear where this is culturally significant. Pass. 

Just one more before we go: Culture Club has aged well.

The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll, 91-100

Oh Mr. Cooke, you send me...

Sam Cooke - Bring it On Home to Me, You Send Me
I love Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. Any number of songs on this list from them is ok by me.

Alice Cooper - Eighteen
School's Out has become a better anthem. You and Me demonstrates that he was capable of pulling off a cool ballad. Fun story: met him at a Detroit Tigers game during the early aught terrible years. They were playing the Twins and mired in last place. Vincent was there to throw out the first pitch and drum up interest in his charity golf outing. Rain delay, and we are hanging out with Alice Cooper in the stands, and Dave is talking to him about his golf game and what driver he's using. Fan comes up and wants to talk rock and roll, and he wants to talk about Big Berthas.

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up
Sauve yet punky. He's an artist with a couple of hits that if you scratch the surface, you will be blown away by the breadth and depth. Banned from Saturday Night Live, married to a fellow musician, cameos in pop culture comedies. That's how you build a storied career.

The Count Five - Psychotic Reaction
One of those songs I've heard a million times but have never attributed to any one band. A frequent spin on Little Steven's Underground Garage. I love a filthy harmonica. It's garage, it's surf, it's that hard mid-60s beat sound.

Country Joe and the Fish - The Fish Cheer
What the actual fuck? Ohhhhhhh, it's the Vietnam protest song. It's one of those songs that while important what rock music was attempting to do in protesting the establishment, this is eh. Nice kazoo action.

Don Covey - Mercy Mercy
Youtube posters saying Jimi Hendrix on guitar. From 1964. Admittedly, a first listen for me, but I feel like I've heard this song in spirit for a God's age.

Cream - Crossroads, Sunshine of Your Love
Ugh, more Eric Clapton? I feel like the dog pissing on the wall on the back of Slow Hand. I blame AOR stations; mix it up or else we grow tired of these titles.