Sunday, February 13, 2011

Oldies But Goodies



So think about this. When we were born, and by we I mean us children of the 80s, oldies were from the 50s and 60s, so 20-30 years old. Which means that for kids born today, oldies are anything from 1991 to 1981. That thought kinda scared me. I'm also worried about how nobody these days listens to this elusive and mercurial category, 'oldies'.

When I was growing up my parents wouldn't let us listen to anything explicit, so pretty much no rap in the car (other than Will Smith of course), and lots and lots of oldies/doo-wop. Though I got mad when they wouldn't let me buy parental advisory albums, I'm kinda glad now that I grew up on oldies. There are literally zero oldies stations left, and by oldies I mean pre 1970s. I guess these days 1970s are oldies now though. I don't know, I still wonder if oldies will mean the 40s-60s era, or if oldies means anything older than 30 years. Right now I'd say oldies is anything older than 1980, but that thought could change.
Either way, I've been listening to some old jams lately, and I thought I'd share some of the one's you might have forgotten.


1. The Delfonics - Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time


2. The Lovin' Spoonful - What A Day For A Daydream


3. Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You (Acapella)

Amazing version, I like it more than the original, though it kinda is the original without instruments.


4. Dion & The Belmonts - Runaround Sue


5. The Lovin' Spoonful - Do You Believe In Magic


6. The Five Stairsteps - Ooh Child


7. Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me (Live At The Harlem Square Club '63)

Sam Cooke is my favorite oldies singer. Better than Otis Redding, better than Marvin Gaye, better than Wilson Pickett, better than Al Green. He lived nothing short of a ridiculous life, and I don't mean that in a good way. One of the first black crossover artists, he gained popularity from the religious folk due to his religious background (father was a minister) and he used to sing gospel. I strongly recommend you listen to the entire concert. The live version of "Bring It On Home To Me" is my third favorite song of all time (only behind Little Wing and Thunder Road). Though he doesn't have as extensive a repertoire as Van Morrison, Sam Cooke could very well be the greatest vocalist ever. The concert is also up there for greatest of all time, and if I had to go to a concert sober than it would probably be number one. The best parts are when he goes off on tangents, throwing in a few extra words and lines. Even though he's speaking, it sounds better than any pop singer today. Interestingly, throughout the concert he circles around the theme of love and not 'hittin on your girl'. He seems like the perfect man, except for the fact that he was killed while wearing nothing but socks in the hallway of a hotel by a manager with a shotgun because he was beating up his girlfriend. True Story. But don't let that take away from the song, it's as raw as live music gets, and whatever happened in this club on this night in Harlem, 1963, is a once in a forever thing.



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