Satisfaction & Stairway: A Review of the Greats. Part One.

  What defines a "great" song? A song that all of us know, hum the guitar solos to, and practically recite the lyrics in our sleep. A song that is just so timeless, so great, and simply incredible to listen to. We all know what I'm talking about: the greats. But who critiques what is already considered so great? Me. The answer is me. Today, I am going to take some of the greatest songs of all time (by Rolling Stone magazine, me, and various internet sources) and give my honest opinions. So sit back, relax, and let nostalgia take over.

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones

Writer: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
Producer: Andrew Loog Oldham
Released: May 1965, London
14 weeks; No. 1
  The Rolling Stones are still touring today (in fact, I'm seeing them for my birthday!) after over fifty years of being together as a band. Fifty! Any band that still tours after fifty years, let alone is even together, is definitely considered great. But is what is considered the Stones' most famous songs, often nicknamed "Satisfaction," really as great as it is made out to be? Yes. The answer is yes. In my opinion, this song isn't so much lyrically great as it is musically, but that doesn't knock it down even a tad. Every single time this song comes on the radio, I found myself air-guitaring the opening riff (which EVERYONE seems to know, for some reason) and even singing to it. Singing a riff! You know a song is great when you can sing a guitar riff. It's catchy, danceable, and definitely deserves to be considered a "great."

"Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan
Writer: Dylan 
Producer: Tom Wilson  
Released: July '65, Columbia
12 weeks; No. 2
  Bob Dylan is known as possibly one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century. Known as the "king" of folk rock, Dylan changed us all with just his acoustic guitar, harmonica, and that strange, strange voice. (It wasn't until the famous Judas!/Electric guitar incident that people began to look at him for things other than folk rock.) "Like a Rolling Stone" is considered one of his best songs, and in actuality- it is. In my opinion, at least. Of course I love millions of other Dylan tunes, like "Ballad of a Thin Man," "Lay Lady Lay," etc- "Like a Rolling Stone" really is a great song. I love everything about it, from how Dylan's voice echoes through stereo when you play it to how jumbled and disorganized it sounds, and yet somehow still works. "Al Kooper, who played organ on the session, remembers today, 'There was no sheet music, it was totally by ear. And it was totally disorganized, totally punk. It just happened.'" (RollingStone.com/) And I think that's why it's so good.. the rambling of Dylan and the crazy instrumentation make this song both enjoyable and fun to listen to.

"Hey Jude" by The Beatles
Writers: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Producer: George Martin
Released: Aug. '68, Apple 
19 weeks; No. 1

  *Takes a deep breath, clearing my throat and preparing for a ton of hate from Beatlemaniacs alike* I DON'T LIKE LISTENING TO THIS SONG ON MY OWN TIME! Whoo. There, it's finally been said. Worshipping The Beatles as much as I do, I must have listened each song dozens of times. Of course, their more popular songs, like "Blackbird," "Yellow Submarine," "Let it Be" and "Hey Jude" receive more airplay and mention than some of my personal favorites, like "Happiness is a Warm Gun," "Lovely Rita," and "Long, Long, Long." Don't get me wrong; I very much enjoy "Hey Jude." I just don't like listening to it in my own free time, because of how much airplay it receives. When it comes onto the radio, I of course sing along, jam out, and obsess over the song. But it's just so overplayed that I become sick of it. While "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Satisfaction" are both very famous, I find they don't get as much radio play as "Hey Jude," and therefore, I'm not as "sick" of them. I do love "Hey Jude," but I feel like it's just been played over and over to the point of tiring me out.

"My Generation" by The Who
Writer: Pete Townshend
Producer: Shel Talmy
Released: Nov. '65, Decca
5 weeks; No. 74

  I used to love the Who. But after I saw their concert in November I realized that in my opinion, the band was a bit overrated. (PLEASE, I NEED TO POINT OUT THAT THESE ARE ALL MY OPINION) I do enjoy a lot of their songs, but from listening to and obsessing over them so much in the previous year to seeing their concert, seeing them live was just.. well, a let-down. That being said, I am somewhat bias to review a Who song because of my current opinion on them. But let's get this straight; I love Roger Daltrey's stuttering, Entwistle's quick bass solos, and basically the whole song. Although I don't consider this the GREATEST SONG OF ALL TIME I do like it well enough to put it on this list, and give it a mention. It's not the Who's best song in my opinion, but I do like it and consider it one of their few songs I don't find overrated.

"Stairway to Heaven" by Led ZeppelinWriters: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Producer: Page 
Released: Nov. '71, Atlantic
Non-single, no chart information
  NO! NO NO NO NO NOOOOOO. I love Zeppelin, but Stairway is NOT their only song! They have plenty of other songs that are just as great, and maybe even better! I am beyond sick of people saying Stairway is their best song (as well as "Kashmir," which I don't like at all, actually) and I'd appreciate it if people looked into the band before adding their input on Stairway's greatness. Yes, the solo is amazing. Yes, Plant's vocals are both beautiful and haunting. But no, it is not my favorite Zeppelin song, and not their best in my opinion.

"Light My Fire" by The Doors
Writers: Robby Krieger, John Densmore, Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek 
Producer: Paul Rothchild
Released: June '67, Elektra 
17 weeks; No. 1  The position I have on "Light My Fire" is similar to how I feel about "Hey Jude." I love the band, and thoroughly enjoy the song- it's just that hearing this song over and over has started to bore me. I absolutely love the Doors, and they're even one of my favorite bands. I love Morrison as a singer, Densmore as a drummer, Krieger as a guitarist, and Manzarek as a keyboardist. I even saw them live in October of 2012. (Well, minus Densmore because he doesn't tour anymore and obviously Morrison.) It's just that hearing this song constantly has started to annoy me. Especially because this song, like Stairway, is lengthy. Don't get me wrong- I like this song. But the instrumental part of it just.. bores me to pieces. 

Those Were the Days - Music Review #1

Illustration by Kendra

  Unfortunately with today's vast musical library, many songs, especially songs from the past, have been overlooked. But fear not! For I have come today to give you an inside look at a few very overlooked songs that I personally love.

"Picture Book" by The Kinks
The Village Green Preservation Society, 1969
 The Kinks have forever been an overlooked and underrated band in the world of classic rock. In the early to mid-1960's, the British Invasion propelled many bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who over to America. However, since The Kinks were slightly more British sounding, their popularity in the United States never quite rose like other popular bands at the time. The Kinks' lead singer Ray Davies mainly focused on the British class system, (which I have based many of my posts about) which meant that many Kinks songs did, too. An album that particularly highlights this is 1968's The Village Green Preservation Society, a concept album telling tales of the British class system and its supposedly preserved and safe society. One of my favorite songs on this album has to be "Picture Book," telling about looking through an old book of photographs and remembering times of past. With the usual Kinks twist, this song gives off heartfelt memories with a sixties rock n' roll feel. If you're a Kinks fan, a nostalgia fan, a UK fan, or just a fan of the sixties at all, "Picture Book" is definitely a song worth listening to.

"Intuition" by John Lennon
Mind Games, 1973
  Of course, John Lennon is one of the most respectful and well-known musicians from the 20th century. Unfortunately many of us do not know his music outside of the Beatles or his famed solo song, "Imagine." On the well put together 1973 album Mind Games, Intuition kicks off side two with a calm, cool, somewhat tropical beat. For anyone wanting to take a break from Lennon's sometimes harsh and rough vocals and cynical lyrics, "Intuition" will definitely calm your musical taste buds. Every time I listen to this song I imagine floating down a river as a gentle breeze blows through the tropical air. This is the perfect song for both summer and just days where you'd like to relax and take a break from life.

"Pisces Apple Lady" by Leon Russell
Leon Russell, 1970
  I had first heard about Leon Russell while reading Chris O'Dell's wonderful autobiography Miss O'Dell. (which I highly recommend to everyone!) Chris had dated Leon in the late sixties, and he had written this raunchy, bluesy, soulful all-in-one tune, "Pisces Apple Lady" for her. Leon, known as an excellent piano player throughout the sixties and seventies, was known for his unique style. "Pisces Apple Lady" starts off with a somewhat-calm piano riff, booming into a wonderful piece that is, well, quite difficult to explain. I guess you could say its one of those songs you just have to listen to for yourself in order to fully understand. This is also one of those songs that by just listening to you can't define into a decade, because both Leon's soulful, raspy voice and intense piano playing just don't fit anywhere else. Even if you aren't a fan of blues or soul, I recommend this song for anyone looking for a new song that wants to have a good time.

"Go All the Way" by The Raspberries
Raspberries, 1972
  This song is probably the song that got me into the seventies. Before I heard this song, I had been mainly focused in the eighties (a fifth and sixth grade stage I quickly wanted to forget) and had been listening to one of those decades musical channels on TV with my dad. As soon as 1972's "Go All the Way" came on, my eyes instantly darted to the TV to find out where the hell such a wonderful song was coming from. Starting off with an intense and raunch-filled (I know I've used raunchy many times before during these reviews, but each song I describe it with really is raunchy!) guitar riff, this song is the definition of kick-ass. It starts off very intense, slowing down for the verses and chorus, then booming back up again. Although The Raspberries were slight one-hit-wonders, this song is definitely a gem and if I had to pick one song to be known for, I would definitely pick this one. (Note to all of you who saw the 2012 movie Dark Shadows, this song was covered by The Killers for the ending credits.)

"Listen to Me" by The Hollies
A 1968 single
  I hadn't used Pandora radio much until this year, and before I did, I knew who The Hollies were due to my obsessive interest in the British Invasion. I had put The Kinks in as my artist for this playlist, but when 1968's "Listen to Me" came on, I had forgotten to write it down and had this song stuck in my head for days. It's wonderful use of repetitive lyrics and smooth vocals (not to mention the chirpy backing vocals) made this song virtually impossible to get out of my head, and I searched long and hard trying to find this song again. When I finally found it again I realized I was in love with it, and it still remains a favorite of mine to this day. The Hollies themselves are like a one-of-a-kind crossbreed between The Beatles and The Kinks, taking on a very British yet poppy personality. If you haven't heard this song, as well as haven't heard of The Hollies, I think you should definitely take a listen.

"Eight Miles High" by The Byrds
Fifth Dimension, 1966
  When everyone thinks "The Byrds," they automatically think of 1967 acid-infused surf rock. Although with many later Byrds hits, 1966's "Eight Miles High" was just as rough and heavy as their latest hits. "Eight Miles High" is often overlooked for more popular and later hits such as "Turn! Turn! Turn! (There is a Season)" and "Mr. Tambourine Man." However, if you're ever in a groovy summer pre-summer of love mood, "Eight Miles High" is the song for you. This song combines psychedelia, heavy guitars, and haunting vocals. Although I don't have much to say about this song, I would definitely recommend you give this song a listen.

"Those Were the Days" by Mary Hopkin
A 1968 single
  Oh, how do I declare my love for Mary Hopkin? She started off her career on The Beatle's infamous Apple Corps, and I believe she was the label's first (and only) female artist to produce any success from them. Unfortunately Mary Hopkin isn't a household name today, which I find a shame. Her raw talent and stunning vocals make her an instantly likable musician, and what better way to showcase her talent than her first single, 1968's "Those Were the Days"? When I first heard this song, I went gaga over the Balalaika, a unique instrument that's so hard to explain, I'd rather you listen to the song itself in order to understand. The song gives off a klezmer feel, making it seem like you're in the clucky countryside rather than your own home listening to it. It is by far the prettiest and most calming song on this list, so I suggest you take a listen.