10 best songs you've ever heard

[Athrabeth]

tinwë, that's a GREAT playlist.

Very eclectic.

I like eclectic.

You'd need some hip-hop in there to really complete the effect.

Hmmmm.....I don't know much about hip-hop.

How about Clint Eastwood by the Gorillaz?

Don't know if this is any indication of my mental state, but Led Zepp's Dazed and Confused is among MY top 10 ever!!

The studio version or the epic, thirty minute long live version?

In 1969, I saw Led Zeppelin live in Vancouver. The crowd went wild when Jimmy Page played his guitar with a violin bow during "Dazed and Confused". Considering that the song title pretty much sums up how I was feeling that night, I remember the performance with remarkable clarity........maybe because it was my first date with Mr. Ath.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

sw0000ns for Ath and Mr. Ath having their first date at a Led Zeppelin concert.

[yovargas]

How about Clint Eastwood by the Gorillaz?

Almost, but not quite.

[Athrabeth]

Well, poo.

I told you I don't know much about hip-hop.

<desperately tries to remember back to music her daughter played LOUDLY down in the basement>

Aha!

So what about "Lady Venom" by Swollen Members?

I remember that one because of the Arabic chant that's in it.

sw0000ns for Ath and Mr. Ath having their first date at a Led Zeppelin concert.

It's funny, but at the time, I was more enamored by the Vanilla Fudge, who opened for Zepp. I must have played "Keep Me Hanging On" at least 20 times a day.
My poor parents.

[tinwë]

You know, looking at it now, that’s one of the strangest lists of songs I’ve ever seen!

You'd need some hip-hop in there to really complete the effect.

I admit that I’m not up on hip-hop, but I’m open to suggestions!

In 1969, I saw Led Zeppelin live in Vancouver. The crowd went wild when Jimmy Page played his guitar with a violin bow during "Dazed and Confused". Considering that the song title pretty much sums up how I was feeling that night, I remember the performance with remarkable clarity........maybe because it was my first date with Mr. Ath.

I can’t believe you actually got to see them. I am sooo jealous. Of course, I was only five years old at the time, but still. Actually, I was planning on seeing them in 1980 when they announced their US tour, but two days later John Bonham died, and I never got my chance. Such a waste.

I’ve been getting into Led Zeppelin bootlegs a lot recently. I don’t have anything from ‘69 yet, but I’ll keep my eyes open. I did just get a recording of one of their first shows in Spokane Washington, 1968. Pretty cool stuff.

I’m kind of a LZ fanatic, if you can’t tell.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

For some "classical" hip-hop, check this out:

http://www.thehalloffire.net/forum/view ... 2645#72645

[tinwë]

Actually, now that I think about it, my list did include a hip-hop song. Blondie’s Rapture was the first hip-hop inspired song to reach number one in the world. It’s a great song, if you’ve never heard it you should check it out.

V, that’s interesting. I like it!

[Athrabeth]

I can’t believe you actually got to see them. I am sooo jealous. Of course, I was only five years old at the time, but still.

But you did miss a heady time, tinwë. It was great to be 16 years old in 1969!

Blondie’s Rapture was the first hip-hop inspired song to reach number one in the world.

You are so right!

I remember what a breath of fresh air Blondie and many other "punkish" bands were for Mr. Ath and I, who had to endure the birth of disco around that same time. The Cars, The Clash, The Police......ah, good times.

*edited for a lapse in grammar

[Alatar]

Speaking of which....

I GOT MY TICKETS TO SEE THE POLICE!!!!




Ahem.

[Athrabeth]

Going to The Police?

Alatar, I'm most definitely envious.

Actually, it's more a case of full-blown jealousy.

They're performing in Vancouver on May 28th, but there's no way that Mr. Ath and I can get over to the Big City at that time. We thought out any number of scenarios to see if we could make it fly, but alas, to no avail.

We still play sooooo much of The Police so many years after they last played together. What a great band. When my daughter was no older than about 15 months old, the first "song" she ever sang was the chant from Regatta de Blanc. She'd sit in her car seat and croon away...."Ee-o, ee-ay, ee-ay-o......". She still listens to them, edgy teen rocker that she is!

When's the concert?

[Alatar]

October 6th!

I have my "Message in a Box" boxset in the car now, reminding myself of all the great classics that I'd forgotten. Of course, you still occasionally hear stuff like Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, So Lonely, Don't stand So Close To Me, Every Breath you Take and the like, but so many other great numbers rarely see the light of day. Beds too Big Without You, Regatta de Blanc, Landlord, Canary in a Coalmine, the list just goes on and on.

Funnily enough, when you look back at the really good stuff, nearly all of them were Sting songs. Even though he only wrote half to two thirds of the material, practically all the bonafide hits were Stings. I wonder what effect that will have on the set list? Will Andy and Stewart push for inclusion of their material, or will they take a "Best of... " approach?

Anyway, to avoid osgiliation, here's my list of 10 best Police songs in no particular order. (like you can pick a favourite child!)

Every Breath You Take
Don't Stand So Close to Me
King of Pain
Invisible Sun
So Lonely
Message in a Bottle
Walking on the Moon
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
I Can't Stand Losing You
Roxanne

[Athrabeth]

What a list.

I wouldn't (couldn't) take any of those songs off a "Best of" list, BUT I would (and will) add:

Spirits in the Material World
Tea in the Sahara
Bring On the Night

Sting does have a distinctive sound that is easily discerned in Police recordings. I faithfully followed his solo career for a number of years, but after a while, he just got too darn mellow. I liked it when he was edgier.

Have you ever heard/seen Stuart Copeland's "The Rhythmatist"? It was a wonderful example of fusion, with some great recordings of African drums, percussion, and song that Copeland incorporated into his strange story about a pilgrimage to Africa to search for "the one" universal rhythm of the natural world. I think the final scene is him pounding out said rhythm on a great rock, using bones as drumsticks, as the camera pans across the vast plains below. Great stuff.

[samwarg]

Isn't it great that these "old" bands can still stir such enthusiasm? Actually, the Police, Dire Straights and AC/DC all came on the scene in 1979 (in the US at least) making them relative new-comers to an old rocker like me. As I remember it, all three of the Police's members, Copeland, Summers and Sumner all had a bit too much testosterone and were always beating on one another. A rowdy bunch if there ever was one, so I read. Anyway, I envy those of you who are able to go see them.

[melianndoriath]

I’m kind of a LZ fanatic, if you can’t tell.

You have excellent taste in music my friend. We should get along very well.

I love both the studio version, the 30 minute version and the live version of Dazed and confused. I saw them in 1973 and had planned to again later, but Robert Plant's son died and the tour was cancelled. Several years later I saw Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. I love the middle eastern flavor of Kashmir and some of Plant's newer stuff.
I feel the need to go watch/listen to the LZ DVD- more than 5 hours of kick butt music.

Meli