The November Los Angeles magazine has a great piece on "L.A.'s Top 100
Songs" covering the '30s through today and written by Steve Erickson. Some
of his commentary is just priceless. Joni weighs in at No. 49 for "Blue."
Erickson writes "Acid booze and ass, needles guns and grass, lots of
laughs..." ..."an epitaph for the 60s to whomever didn't already know they
were dead." Most of many all-time favorites are on the list including songs
from Waits, Brian Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Charlie Parker, X, GoGos ("part pop
tart and part razor blade"), Judy Garland, Emmylou (with great photo
included), Smokey, Wanda Jackson, Dylan.
Another of my favorite songs - No. 42 "Alone Again Or" by Love - "all of the
multiple personalities of this strange band never came together more
effectively than here, with the lyric of hippie optimism offset by the
ominous melody. Arthur Lee's black punk harmony vocal overshadowing Bryan
MacLean's folk soul lead vocal, flamenco guitar threading psycheldelic
strings, and Spanish horns that the producer later felt compelled to
apologize for when in fact they're the most inspired touch of all. If this
was the soundtrack of the Sunset Strip - and it was - it was also a warning
of paradise lost."
No. 19 the recently discussed "Louie, Louie" - Richard Berry and No. 1 - "A
Change is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke.
Kakki
