tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59126899459087101752024-03-14T11:17:21.177+01:00My favourite pop/rock songsAbout 200 gems from six decades in alphabetical orderArt Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-55822686294740564212020-07-01T23:59:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:28:25.331+02:00A coral room (Kate Bush)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QKGzSQTWMHU/XwhuUQlZwaI/AAAAAAAAkYU/UNCAsIm2kxAPgIeKLFwvZvTBThY9u-sfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/katebushaerial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QKGzSQTWMHU/XwhuUQlZwaI/AAAAAAAAkYU/UNCAsIm2kxAPgIeKLFwvZvTBThY9u-sfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/katebushaerial.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Bush" target="_blank">Kate Bush</a> (1958) is a British singer/songwriter, who in 1978 topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single <i>Wuthering heights</i>. Many hits (singles and albums) followed. She is generally seen as one of the greatest influences on a generation of female pop/rock artists who came after her. Kate Bush currently has seven songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time (and one as a part of a duo).<br />
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About the song: <i>A coral room</i> is a track from her 2005 double album <i>Aerial</i>. It is a beautiful solo piano accompanied ballad of the type that she should have a patent on, a very personal sharing of her feelings upon the death of her mother. Run time 6:12.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-74263692352048864412020-07-01T23:57:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:28:46.997+02:00A gentleman's excuse me (Fish)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QaErsV3awwk/Xwhy1cg3bUI/AAAAAAAAkYg/phPDjik9kyQ98ceoqKr1-DpgCzO_yAMnACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/fishvigil.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QaErsV3awwk/Xwhy1cg3bUI/AAAAAAAAkYg/phPDjik9kyQ98ceoqKr1-DpgCzO_yAMnACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/fishvigil.JPG" width="312" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_(singer)" target="_blank">Fish</a>, the stage name of British singer Derek Dick (1958), first became knows as the lead singer of neo prog band Marillion. He left the band in 1988 to embark on a solo career. Fish currently has two songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>A gentleman's excuse me</i> is one of the tracks of Fish' first solo album <i>Vigil in a wilderness of mirrors</i>, released in 1990. In this soft ballad Fish combines a touchy melody with sophisticated lyrics about a couple where the down-to-earth man is tired of the romantic woman's fantasies - for a while I thought that the lyrics could have a double meaning and hint at suicide ("Can't you get it inside your head, I'm tired of dancing"), but I have not been able to find anything on internet to support that. The piano play and orchestration are exquisite. Run time 4:15.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-23897829116543333612020-07-01T23:56:00.000+02:002020-07-22T10:18:27.989+02:00A routine day (Klaatu)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ynJ-xWVk67M/XxfzzRMkn_I/AAAAAAAAkr0/bPzltCXYYzEwOibhWusWvgQasvz0ypx-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/klsas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ynJ-xWVk67M/XxfzzRMkn_I/AAAAAAAAkr0/bPzltCXYYzEwOibhWusWvgQasvz0ypx-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/klsas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the band: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaatu_(band)">Klaatu</a> were a Canadian rock group formed in 1973 - and for a while rumoured to be the Beatles reunited. After five studio albums, the group fell apart in 1982, except for an occasional reunion afterwards. Klaatu currently have one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>A routine day</i> is a track from the 1978 album <span style="font-style: italic;">Sir Army Suit</span>. It can be seen as an homage to sixties' pop music, but the lyrics are biting in their directness. Never has a dreary unexciting life been described so sharply in pop music: "the life I live would even make a dead man yawn...". Great animated video to boot. Run time 3:09.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-30935425757652920742020-07-01T23:55:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:29:05.425+02:00Adia (Sarah McLachlan)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kOt-aN9Yod0/Xwh5sRoPJjI/AAAAAAAAkYs/DjXQukI3pnYgujRWiGMmzEi3D4vTCWiQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/SmcLSurfacing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kOt-aN9Yod0/Xwh5sRoPJjI/AAAAAAAAkYs/DjXQukI3pnYgujRWiGMmzEi3D4vTCWiQgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/SmcLSurfacing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_McLachlan" target="_blank">Sarah McLachlan</a> (1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range. As of 2015 she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Sarah McLachlan currently has one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: this track from the great 1997 album <i>Surfacing </i>was the first big international hit for her, helped of course by her fame as the organizer of the hugely successful Lilith Fair concert tour at the time. The song, a US top ten hit, is a great ballad about a former partner who is now living in misery, beautifully sung and with simple but effective instrumentation. The chorus lines "We are born - innocent" are among the most haunting ever penned. It is one of those songs that I find more and more impressive with every new time I hear it. Run time 4:05.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-11442438086511706532020-07-01T23:53:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:29:23.681+02:00Afscheid (Robert Long)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jJ0gSM1BKw/Xwh6514sfDI/AAAAAAAAkY0/SFmcpGanzwknjtal4M3IFsw_bqY1s1QlACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/rlvol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0jJ0gSM1BKw/Xwh6514sfDI/AAAAAAAAkY0/SFmcpGanzwknjtal4M3IFsw_bqY1s1QlACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/rlvol.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
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About the singer: Robert Long (1943-2006) was a Dutch singer and television presenter. He was the lead singer of the Dutch band Unit Gloria before embarking upon a successful solo career in the seventies. Several of his albums, typically comprising a mixture of cabaret and ballet, topped the Dutch charts. Robert Long currently has one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>Afscheid </i>(Farewell)<i> </i>is a track from his 1974 debut solo-album of Dutch songs, <i>Vroeger of later </i>(English translation: Sooner or later). It is a relatively simple song, with Long's voice accompanied only by piano, but the text is of literary quality - it could have been a poem. Two lovers find that they have drifted apart, and that it is necessary to say goodbye. The total effect is incredibly moving. Run time 5:35.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-23592679445848964402020-07-01T23:51:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:29:39.869+02:00After the goldrush (k.d. lang)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdd67I4T3VE/Xwh-qHpe2ZI/AAAAAAAAkZA/Zk4i9z0RV3Qci0ZlDtcRbAyaOghUXBslQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/kdlangs49p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1331" data-original-width="1500" height="283" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdd67I4T3VE/Xwh-qHpe2ZI/AAAAAAAAkZA/Zk4i9z0RV3Qci0ZlDtcRbAyaOghUXBslQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/kdlangs49p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K.d._lang" target="_blank">Kathryn Dawn Lang</a> (1961), known by her stylized stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer/songwriter. To date she has recorded ten studio albums. k.d. lang currently has one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>After the goldrush</i> is a cover of the famous Neil Young song. It comes from the 2004 album <i>Hymns of the 49th Parallel</i>, a collection of covers of songs by Canadian artists, also including Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell). I've always like this Neil Young song, but not particularly in his version. Her take it on it completely blows the original out of the water. Running time 4:00.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-44151732448159337462020-07-01T23:49:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:29:57.996+02:00Amber waves (Tori Amos)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9WTB3Bipc_I/XwiNkNpZr1I/AAAAAAAAkZM/qeak2vKvo6YVFDx3L0RFdOFshgbFLU5mACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/550x550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9WTB3Bipc_I/XwiNkNpZr1I/AAAAAAAAkZM/qeak2vKvo6YVFDx3L0RFdOFshgbFLU5mACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/550x550.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tori_Amos" target="_blank">Tori Amos</a> (1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist, and one of the most successful women in her genre. To date she has released 15 studio albums, many of which have received high praise. Tori Amos currently has eight songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>Amber waves</i> is the first track of her phenomenal 2002 album <i>Scarlets walk</i>, a concept album of an imaginary travel through America after the disaster of September 11th. It is a great song about a porn star who accompanies Scarlet (Tori) on the first part of a voyage through the USA. Tori characterises Amber perfectly in one simple line "from ballet class to a lap dance straight to video". The melody is haunting, with many submelodies, and especially fine in the "tell the Northern lights to keep shining" segment. Run time 3:39.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-4331998174538688102020-07-01T23:47:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:30:17.125+02:00America (Simon and Garfunkel)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gaqg_4Ki1Tk/XwlaoYhiJxI/AAAAAAAAkZY/ewtWjnBIIlAkXPEcUtF70K8XrcBVwuOxACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bookends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gaqg_4Ki1Tk/XwlaoYhiJxI/AAAAAAAAkZY/ewtWjnBIIlAkXPEcUtF70K8XrcBVwuOxACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/bookends.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the duo: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_%26_Garfunkel" target="_blank">Simon and Garfunkel</a> were responsible for me getting interested in music around 1970. They were active from 1964 until 1970, with occasional reunions since then. Both embarked on solo careers, with Paul Simon's being particularly successful. They are among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 100 million records. My favourite act from the sixties. Simon and Garfunkel currently have five songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>America </i>is a track from the 1968 <i>Bookends </i>album. It was released as a single in 1972. The lyrics vividly describe an imaginary trip through the USA of Paul and his girlfriend Kathy. We get both the personal viewpoints ("laughing on the bus, playing games with the faces", "Kathy, I'm lost, I said, though I knew she was sleeping - I'm empty and aching and I don't know why"), and the more general soul-searching of a nation for which this trip is symbolic ("Counting the cars on the New Jersey turnpike, they've all gone to look for America"). The melody is simple but memorable and the instrumentation, though more heavy than in most of their songs from that vintage period, is quite effective. Run time 3:32.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-44399241317350887222020-07-01T23:45:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:30:38.713+02:00American Pie (Don McLean)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwQPJaXF7d8/XwltlKoCW_I/AAAAAAAAkZk/BNBXc77orxEqrOjepJ5TqqENeR85CANrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1300" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwQPJaXF7d8/XwltlKoCW_I/AAAAAAAAkZk/BNBXc77orxEqrOjepJ5TqqENeR85CANrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/ap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_McLean" target="_blank">Don McLean</a> (1945) is an American singer-songwriter who had a world-wide success with his album American Pie. Don McLean currently has two songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: the title track of his hugely successful 1971 album. This impressive dirge about the day the music died clearly refers to the death of Buddy Holly in 1959, although the plane he died in was not called American Pie, contrary to popular belief. Some references in the lyrics are clear comments on developments (musical and political) in the sixties, including Dylan as The Jester, and Janis Joplin as 'the girl who sang the blues'. Some are rather obscure though, to say the least. McLean himself has always refused to clarify them in spite of several requests, and as a result numerous theories on interpretation have emerged.... they even made the columns of the famous Straight Dope by Cecil. That lyrical ambiguity remains one of the charms of this song. Run time 8:32.<br />
<br />Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-84342112194497784822020-07-01T23:43:00.002+02:002020-07-16T17:30:56.332+02:00American tune (Paul Simon)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASVgA2gPidU/XwlvcS64n_I/AAAAAAAAkZw/bKeyid6DlJssyd31WePr7oLyNsk_Ow4pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/tgrs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="1500" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASVgA2gPidU/XwlvcS64n_I/AAAAAAAAkZw/bKeyid6DlJssyd31WePr7oLyNsk_Ow4pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/tgrs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Simon" target="_blank">Paul Simon</a> (1941) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, whose musical career has spanned over six decades. After initial successes in the sixties as the duo Simon and Garfunkel, his solo career took off in the early seventies. He is generally regarded as one of pop/rock's most important artists. Paul Simon currently has four songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: the most beautiful track from the 1973 album <i>There goes rhymin' Simon</i> is based on the melody of an old Lutheran hymn - the same used by Bach for the most poignant scenes of the St. Matthews Passion. The lyrics are among the most depressing he has penned, inspired by Simon's shock and disappointment with Richard Nixon's landslide presidential re-election in 1972, but the listener gets none of that directly in the text of the song. Instead, it poetically unveils the misgivings of an everyday urban labourer, fearful that the 'American dream' has eluded him forever. "Don't know a dream that's not been shattered or driven to its knees - I wonder what went wrong, I can't help it, I wonder what went wrong." Run time 3:44.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-31594861825528514262020-07-01T23:41:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:31:18.627+02:00An island in the darkness (Strictly Inc./Tony Banks)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--7o56OEwlus/Xwl2JqDY-GI/AAAAAAAAkZ8/ksbqMca1nI8tlGsneqCmeiYOpT47gZw2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/strinc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--7o56OEwlus/Xwl2JqDY-GI/AAAAAAAAkZ8/ksbqMca1nI8tlGsneqCmeiYOpT47gZw2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/strinc.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
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About the band/artist: a bit of a conundrum here, as the song is sometimes ascribed to the band Strictly Inc., and sometimes to Tony Banks. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strictly_Inc." target="_blank">Strictly Inc.</a> was a short lived 'band' formed by Tony Banks with Wang Chung lead vocalist Jack Hues. Tony Banks (1950) is a Brittish musician, songwriter and film composer, primarily known as the keyboardist and founding member of the rock band Genesis. Banks is also a prolific solo artist, releasing six solo albums that range through progressive rock, pop, and especially classical music. Strictly Inc/Tony Banks currently have one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: in 1995, almost 20 years after the last progressive masterpiece by Genesis (<i>One for the vine</i> from the <i>Wind and wuthering</i> album), Tony Banks came up with this 17 minutes gem on the otherwise rather mediocre self-titled Strictly Inc. album. The singer is more than adequate, but the real strength of the song is the plethora of gorgeous instrumental passages, not only the pianowork from Banks himself, but also the guitar play of Daryl Stuermer. In many ways, this anachronistic and nostalgic epic reminds me of one of the best Genesis songs, <i>Firth of Fifth</i>. Run time 17:20.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-16384164170209602852020-07-01T23:39:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:31:34.766+02:00Andorra (Colin Blunstone)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kwoxTc4AZoc/XwmEmWLFxDI/AAAAAAAAkaU/qGsZmkUSkzkbxM5hqSWNoYykaNa4GQWsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cbe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kwoxTc4AZoc/XwmEmWLFxDI/AAAAAAAAkaU/qGsZmkUSkzkbxM5hqSWNoYykaNa4GQWsgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/cbe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Blunstone" target="_blank">Colin Blunstone</a> (1945) is a British singer-songwriter, who started his career in the band The Zombies, and after their breakup embarked on a long and successful solo career. He was also guest vocalist on several outstanding tracks by the Alan Parsons Project. He is the only artist to appear in my list in three different acts. As solo artist, Colin Blunstone currently has one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>Andorra </i>is a track from what is probably his best solo effort, the 1972 album <i>Ennismore</i>. It is an understated ballad, describing a journey, which has its beginning in Andorra, goes on in Barcelona and ends in the southern Spanish city of Grenade. The instrumentation is appropriate for the theme, featuring Spanish guitars and gypsy castanets. Run time 3:18.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-13521486308184751842020-07-01T23:37:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:31:57.624+02:00Anesthetize (Porcupine Tree)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_7izguVqh4/XwmNcy0CofI/AAAAAAAAkag/lXaAOSI4DDAkUtWKhEk5RTdyObjKOW5MgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/porcupine-tree-fear-of-a-blank-planet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_7izguVqh4/XwmNcy0CofI/AAAAAAAAkag/lXaAOSI4DDAkUtWKhEk5RTdyObjKOW5MgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/porcupine-tree-fear-of-a-blank-planet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the band: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine_Tree" target="_blank">Porcupine Tree</a> were a British progressive rock band formed by musician Steven Wilson in 1987. Originally their sound was more like psychedelic rock, but after 2000, it turned more to heavy prog. After ten well received and highly influential studio albums, the band split up in 2010, allowing frontman Steven Wilson to develop his solo career. Both the band and Steven Wilson solo are among my all-time favourites. Porcupine Tree currently have four songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>Anesthetize </i>is a song from the 2007 album <i>Fear of a blank planet</i>, one of my five favourite albums of all time. Nicknamed "The Beast" during their inaugural tour for the new album, this is the first Porcupine Tree song exceeding the 15 minutes mark since <i>The sky moves sideways</i> of 1995. A devastating picture of a boy who is completely depressed, with impressive lyrics that really need to be read in full. Musically, there are a number of different segments, but they are very well held together in the best prog rock tradition, and with striking melody lines (especially the Only apathy... refrain). There is the short flirt with metal that we have come to expect but overall there is a mixed feeling of resignation and urgency that is very difficult to describe. Run time 17:42.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-45565309119933567772020-07-01T23:35:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:32:11.387+02:00Angie (Rolling Stones)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yDuiTSgRjV4/XwmXuoDexaI/AAAAAAAAkas/_UcDQIpCv84_rPCbrEIelF31iPiU-Kf1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ghs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="600" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yDuiTSgRjV4/XwmXuoDexaI/AAAAAAAAkas/_UcDQIpCv84_rPCbrEIelF31iPiU-Kf1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/ghs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the band: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rolling_Stones" target="_blank">The Rolling Stones</a> are a British rock band formed in London in 1962, and still going strong with four of the original members. Touted "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World", they have released 26 studio albums and still draw sell-out crowds at their concerts. The Rolling Stones currently have one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: in general I do not particularly like the Stones, but the exception is this song from the 1973 album <i>Goats Head Soup</i>. <i>Angie </i>was released as a single when I was 16, just at the time that I really started to get interested in pop and rock music. Nothing in their repertoire comes close to this world-wide number one hit, a heartfelt mournful ballad about a doomed love. The inspiration for the lyrics have speculatively been attributed to varied sources: Keith Richards' long time love, Anita Pallenberg; David Bowie's ex-wife, Angela Bowie; and even David Bowie himself, who Angela claimed to have once found in bed with Jagger (it was in fact Keith Richards' daughter Angela who inspired the name choice). "Everywhere I look, I see your eyes...." Run time 4:52.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-73610999533420354262020-07-01T23:33:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:32:24.854+02:00Anne (Kayak)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E6cK5ykOSKE/XwmaKlXgo1I/AAAAAAAAka4/wn-iAWVJ9DobRD60e5OSyogVhG2B-ijjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/kpl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E6cK5ykOSKE/XwmaKlXgo1I/AAAAAAAAka4/wn-iAWVJ9DobRD60e5OSyogVhG2B-ijjwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/kpl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the band: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayak_(band)" target="_blank">Kayak </a>is a Dutch progressive rock band formed in 1972, and still going strong after a time-out from 1982 until 1999. Their singles and albums sold well in the Netherlands, but they made little impact internationally. A pity, because they are my favourite Dutch band. Kayak currently have seven songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>Anne </i>is a track from the 1980 album <i>Periscope life</i>, and became a minor hit in the Netherlands. This enchanting ballad tells the story of Anna Boleyn, one of the doomed wives of Henry VIII, presented as a minstrel's tale with a multi-part choral introduction and gentle flourishes of recorder. Run time 4:20.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-46071379286278508032020-07-01T23:31:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:32:44.969+02:00Ashes to ashes (David Bowie)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nIH2m0yTMOM/Xwmd0xUeflI/AAAAAAAAkbE/BZLn4ZKt4KQsg8G_E1sQfhUr9msslT5swCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/dbsm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1403" height="319" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nIH2m0yTMOM/Xwmd0xUeflI/AAAAAAAAkbE/BZLn4ZKt4KQsg8G_E1sQfhUr9msslT5swCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/dbsm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bowie" target="_blank">David Bowie</a> (1947 - 2016) was a British singer-songwriter, whose career stretched over six decades. He is generally recognized as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, affecting subjects as diverse as fashion and classical music. He released dozens of studio albums, many of which were bestsellers. David Bowie currently has three songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time (and one as a part of a cooperation).<br />
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About the song: David Bowie was one of the most original artists in the first half of the seventies, but to my taste he petered out a bit in the second half of the decennium (I know many will disagree with this statement). He returned once more to his original greatness in 1980 with the album <i>Scary monsters (and super creeps)</i>, and especially with the haunting song Ashes to ashes, a remarkably sharp critique on his first major hit <i>Space Oddity</i>, to which he refers in the lyrics with "Ashes to ashes, funk to funky, we know Major Tom's a junkie". The music is fabulous, and for many this is the best song he ever wrote. Run time 4:24.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-42203825912341709312020-07-01T23:29:00.000+02:002020-07-16T17:33:01.376+02:00At seventeen (Janis Ian)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_WosrLXc3Dg/XwmgoDGkGZI/AAAAAAAAkbQ/8kbDaIjfxFQeGCQNcxzIeiwX9SPrMulxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/btl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_WosrLXc3Dg/XwmgoDGkGZI/AAAAAAAAkbQ/8kbDaIjfxFQeGCQNcxzIeiwX9SPrMulxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/btl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janis_Ian" target="_blank">Janis Ian</a> (1951) is an American singer-songwriter who was most commercially successful in the 1960s and 1970s. She released 22 studio albums, but was never able to repeat her early successes. Janis Ian currently has three songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>At seventeen</i> is a delicate ballad from the highly successful 1975 album <i>Between the Lines</i>. Not only did the LP achieve platinum status, but the single <i>At seventeen</i> reached the USA top three and won a Grammy. Against a charming melody, she unfolds the feelings of a 17 year old ugly girl in astonishing detail. A sample from the lyrics: "To those of us who knew the pain of valentines that never came, and those whose names were never called when choosing sides for basketball", "Dreams were all they gave away for free to ugly duckling girls like me" or "And those of us with ravaged faces, lacking in the social graces, desperately remained at home, inventing lovers on the phone...". These are but a few of the many lines that strike a chord like hardly any other song. Run time 4:42.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-89056445504808667072020-07-01T23:27:00.000+02:002020-07-16T19:04:08.095+02:00Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KTXDjqIzbuQ/Xwmr-_-COcI/AAAAAAAAkbc/SyzmK_kjs2EX4_K11BC1c8-Wbn5YvrL2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/grctc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KTXDjqIzbuQ/Xwmr-_-COcI/AAAAAAAAkbc/SyzmK_kjs2EX4_K11BC1c8-Wbn5YvrL2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/grctc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Rafferty" target="_blank">Gerry Rafferty</a> (1947 - 2011) was a British rock singer-songwriter, who first was known as the lead singer of the band Stealers Wheel, and then in the mid seventies embarked on a solo career that yielded one huge hit. Gerry Rafferty currently has one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>Baker street</i> is a beautiful song from the 1978 album City to city, and became a top 3 hit in the UK and the USA. It helped the album reach platinum status. The lyrics are somewhat depressing, dealing with the evil of drink, the inevitability of night-life loneliness, and the difficulty of getting back on your feet and starting anew. However, this is set off against the phenomenal instrumentation, crowned by the unforgettable saxophone solo by Raphael Ravenscroft, which has been rightfully hailed as rocks greatest sax break in the Guinness Rockopedia. Run time 6:28.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-76988832899305353892020-07-01T23:25:00.001+02:002022-01-21T11:35:20.436+01:00Bat out of hell (Meat Loaf)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNPeVy_ruLU/XwmxVB7CCGI/AAAAAAAAkbo/7ym4QDc1tCsFRT-IOE9lQiaEH_cXvUEWACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/booh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="1500" height="319" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNPeVy_ruLU/XwmxVB7CCGI/AAAAAAAAkbo/7ym4QDc1tCsFRT-IOE9lQiaEH_cXvUEWACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/booh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: Meat Loaf (1947 - 2022) was an American singer and actor. He is noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and for his theatrical live shows. After the commercial success of his first two albums, he experienced some difficulty establishing a steady career. Nevertheless, he is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with worldwide sales of more than 80 million records. Meat Loaf currently has two songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: Meat Loafs stunning debut album<i> Bat out of hell</i> has been described quite aptly as a fascinating cocktail of Springsteen, Spector and Wagner. The title track is not as famous as the three hit singles (<i>Paradise by the dashboardlight</i>, <i>Two out of three ain't bad</i> and <i>You took the words right out of my mouth</i>), but in my opinion it is the best track on a CD that I consider one of the ten best CDs of all time. Almost 10 minutes of raw power with the piano solos and guest star Rundgren's motorbike-guitar as fascinating instrumental highlights, ending in the death of the singer ("and the last thing I see is my heart still beating, breaking out of my body and flying away.... like a bat out of hell!"). Run time 9:51.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-33994824872603458412020-07-01T23:23:00.000+02:002020-08-22T12:43:12.251+02:00Bedshaped (Keane)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cne6DPp14uM/Xwm0yfUcG9I/AAAAAAAAkb0/5y24RE14nMop44T84MWaJupM-NCz31_GwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/khf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="500" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cne6DPp14uM/Xwm0yfUcG9I/AAAAAAAAkb0/5y24RE14nMop44T84MWaJupM-NCz31_GwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/khf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the band: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keane_(band)" target="_blank">Keane </a>are a British rock band formed in 1995. They achieved mainstream, international success with the release of their 2004 debut album, <i>Hopes and Fears</i>. I consider this one of the best debut albums ever, and unfortunately the quality if their work has gone down gradually since then - even so, they made many worthwhile songs. Keane currently have one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: their 2004 debut album <i>Hopes and fears</i> is a beautiful collection of melodic songs, but even so, one track stands out for me: <i>Bedshaped</i>. Musically, a little more complex than most of their songs, and an amazing accomplishment for a new band. Especially the start of the instrumental section, where for a few seconds an Enya like atmosphere is created, which quickly gives away to powerful synthesizer magic. The lyrics are, well, interesting. Somehow I don't think that my wife would regard a line like "bedshaped with legs of stone" as a compliment..... Run time 4:37.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-14830388962139384432020-07-01T23:21:00.000+02:002020-07-16T19:05:20.231+02:00Belfast child (Simple Minds)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rdh5uLKTbZY/Xwm5LGIYv9I/AAAAAAAAkcA/qqOue3IVlI4wErl4jNOKOG1ZnlvtiKBBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sfy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rdh5uLKTbZY/Xwm5LGIYv9I/AAAAAAAAkcA/qqOue3IVlI4wErl4jNOKOG1ZnlvtiKBBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sfy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the band: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Minds" target="_blank">Simple Minds</a> are a British rock band formed in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for their 1985 hit <i>Don't You (Forget About Me)</i>, from the soundtrack of the film The Breakfast Club. So far they have released 19 studio albums. Simple Minds currently have one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>Belfast child</i> is an impressive rock ballad from the 1989 album <i>Street fighting years</i>. Based on the old Irish folksong <i>She moved through the fair</i>, recorded for instance by Loreena McKennit, this is one of a number of classics inspired by the tragic situation in Northern Ireland ("and the war is raging in this Emerald isle"). It does end on a more hopeful note though ("The streets are empty, life goes on - One day we'll return here, when the Belfast Child sings again"). Run time 6:41.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-2778642274199209602020-07-01T23:19:00.000+02:002020-07-16T19:05:35.388+02:00Beyond the pale (Pain of Salvation)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVDrzIcm-vk/Xwm71trNMeI/AAAAAAAAkcM/FNftK4aaENM_tUDjhwZglqUPYa96D3DKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/posrl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SVDrzIcm-vk/Xwm71trNMeI/AAAAAAAAkcM/FNftK4aaENM_tUDjhwZglqUPYa96D3DKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/posrl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the band: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain_of_Salvation" target="_blank">Pain of Salvation</a> is a Swedish eclectic progressive metal band, who have released ten studio albums. Personally, I find their albums a bit uneven, but there are some great songs to find there. Pain of Salvation currently have one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: <i>Beyond the pale</i> is the closing song of their 2002 album <i>Remedy Lane</i> and it is superior over anything they have done. The original start, a repetitive simple guitar riff, sets the scene for a song with bewildering changes of pace and mood, full of energy and breathtaking moments, and with an intimacy in the lyrics that I cannot do justice in a short summary. The song ends with one of the greatest lines ever: "We will always be so much more human than we wish to be". Run time 9:55.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-8629064029014487182020-07-01T23:17:00.000+02:002020-07-16T19:05:47.901+02:00Biko (Peter Gabriel)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A93AcJDeSHQ/XwnBguzACDI/AAAAAAAAkcY/B9rxUj73A5sgHK1RjMRILfmcJcP1onKjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Peter_Gabriel_%2528self-titled_album%252C_1980_-_cover_art%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="316" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A93AcJDeSHQ/XwnBguzACDI/AAAAAAAAkcY/B9rxUj73A5sgHK1RjMRILfmcJcP1onKjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Peter_Gabriel_%2528self-titled_album%252C_1980_-_cover_art%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gabriel" target="_blank">Peter Gabriel</a> (1950) is a British singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched a very successful solo career, with so far 13 studio albums. Peter Gabriel currently has eight songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time (and one as a part of a duo).<br />
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About the song: <i>Biko </i>is a track from Peter Gabriels third solo album, nicknamed 'Melt' (1980). It is a moving tribute to activist Steven Biko who died in a South African jail in 1977. Set against the background of a very South African sound (both voices and drum rhythm), the lyrics are sheer genius, including an immortal line like "You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire". The song has been a long-time live favourite and indeed features also on his tremendous <i>Peter Gabriel Plays live</i> double album of the early eighties. In contrast to some other tracks from that set however, I prefer the studio recording of <i>Biko</i>. It has that bit extra over the live version, especially in the moving final chorus of South African women. Run time 7:29.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-27628354039395338512020-07-01T23:15:00.000+02:002020-07-16T19:05:58.196+02:00Blinded by the light (Manfred Mann's Earth Band)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6GVZkIK2HY/XwnMos8D36I/AAAAAAAAkck/N0QJu8BgZMk-ClXKYoCm59d1p_IKEDMbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/trs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="596" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6GVZkIK2HY/XwnMos8D36I/AAAAAAAAkck/N0QJu8BgZMk-ClXKYoCm59d1p_IKEDMbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/trs.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
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About the band: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_Mann%27s_Earth_Band" target="_blank">Manfred Mann's Earth Band</a> is a British progressive rock band formed in 1971 by South African musician Manfred Mann, who had previously scored many hits in the sixties as leader of the band with his name. MMEB is still active today, and have released 15 studio albums. MMEB currently have one song in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time.<br />
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About the song: this is a cover of the Bruce Springsteen song <i>Blinded by the light</i>, included in their 1976 album <i>The roaring silence</i>. They take the original and give it a totally new treatment, which has been likened to a master filmmaker visualizing a novel - surely one of the most impressive covers ever. A condensed version was released as a single and became a rather unlikely USA Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit. I prefer the extended album version, which has the merit of an inspired instrumental intermezzo. The ending of this song with its abrupt tempo change is particularly memorable. Run time 7:29.Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5912689945908710175.post-66434632382894408552020-07-01T23:13:00.000+02:002020-07-16T19:06:11.517+02:00Blood of Eden (Peter Gabriel)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DC0uEsigUUY/XwnWfERGrpI/AAAAAAAAkcw/0ey97FmBXuQv2udpGTq8IB9RwA_vtiqeACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/pgus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="600" height="317" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DC0uEsigUUY/XwnWfERGrpI/AAAAAAAAkcw/0ey97FmBXuQv2udpGTq8IB9RwA_vtiqeACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/pgus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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About the artist: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gabriel" target="_blank">Peter Gabriel</a> (1950) is a British singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched a very successful solo career, with so far 13 studio albums. Peter Gabriel currently has eight songs in my list of about 200 best pop/rock songs of all time (and one as a part of a duo).<br />
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About the song: After his commercial breakthrough with the album <i>So </i>and the hit single <i>Sledgehammer</i>, Peter Gabriel typically did not cash in, but took six years to release his next regular studio album <i>Us </i>in 1992. The single <i>Steam </i>may be the best known track, but the highlight of the album is <i>Blood of Eden</i>, a bitter but beautiful song which deals with a broken relationship, undoubtedly inspired by his own divorce in that time. The lyrics are as usual great, with lines such as "I caught sight of my reflection, I caught it in the window, I saw the darkness in my heart, I saw the signs of my undoing" and the poignant Shakespearian "is that a dagger or a crucifix I see you hold so tightly in your hand?". Sinéad O'Connor provides additional vocals, and Peter Gabriel himself has stated that emotionally he feels very close to this song. Run time 6:37.<br />
<br />Art Rockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10489812058048433637noreply@blogger.com