Iconic Songs

[Nickyboy]

There are songs that are just iconic in their sound. They represent the era in which they were recorded and immediately take you back to that time (even if you weren't alive then). Here are a few that speak to me of their time, in no particular order. Please feel free to add your selections from any time period and any genre..

The Beatles- Tomorrow Never Knows. What could be more psychedelic than this?

T. Rex- 21st Century Boy. More 60s psychedelia. But with an aggressive strut.

The Ronettes- Be My Baby. Start with the bass drum kick at the opening and then layer on Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. This is 60s girl bands.

Dave Brubeck- Take Five. The epitome of 1950s West Coast Coo.l Jazz. Nothing cooler. Nothing jazzier.

Brian Eno- Spider and I. Eno was about to enter his "ambient" period. We see the first hints here in this haunting track.

Beach Boys- Good Vibrations. The California sound was invented by Brian Wilson and his cohorts. Gotta dig anything with a Theremin!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdt0SOqPJcg

Mamas and Pappas- Monday, Monday. More from the laid back California sound. Those harmonies!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG_3lyJfbAc

 

[Ojai Sam]

Bing Crosby - Brother, Can You Spare A Dime? (1932)

Great thread, Nick!

This song captured the mood of The Depression perfectly.

 

[Nickyboy]

Simon & Garfunkle- The Boxer. Come for the harmonies, stay for the lightning crashes. This song speaks to my childhood.

Samuel Barber- Adagio for Strings, Opus II. This brings an air of solitude and contemplation. Written by Barber when he was in his 20s.

Antonio Vivaldi- The Four Seasons. Maybe the first Classical music piece kids recognize?

W.A. Mozart- Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Hmmmm, maybe it's this one. This title always makes me laugh when Americans say it. Since many can't pronounce "nacht" (night) with the proper gutteral ch, they say "nackt", which means "naked". Naked music? I'm in!

 

[Ojai Sam]

Billy Murray - In My Merry Oldsmobile (1905)

No song heralded the arrival of the 20th Century more clearly than this one. Three years before Henry Ford started delivering Model T's to the masses, this optimistic ditty celebrated the joys of "automobubbling". Billy Murray was the first recording superstar, waxing hundred of tunes alone and with various duet partners and vocal groups. His lively voice and strong persona managed to break through the technological limitations of the day.

 

[Unsomnambulist]

TIL Bill Murray is an immortal.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Al Jolson - My Mammy (1927)

Jolie’s career was actually on the downswing when Warner Brothers signed him for the first talking feature film. “The Jazz Singer” hasn’t aged well for many reasons, including the embarrassing stereotypes. But its importance can’t be overstated. This is the signature song that caused theater audiences to go berserk.

 

[Nickyboy]

David Bowie- Heroes. Recorded in West Berlin, this song captures the angst and fear families and lovers who were separated by the Wall felt.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Glenn Miller - Moonlight Serenade (1939)

The big band era had a short life, roughly a decade from the mid-1930’s to the mid-1940’s. In a real sense, it came to an end when Miller’s aircraft went down over the English Channel on a foggy December day in 1944.

Glenn enjoyed innumerable hits from flag wavers like “Tuxedo Junction” to pop vocals such as “Chattanooga Choo-Choo”. But his ubiquitous instrumental theme with its unique singing reeds typified the whole dancing and dreaming ethos of the swing era.

 

[Nickyboy]

I've got a Miller greatest hits collection. I used to listen to it all the time, but I haven't in a while. Thanks for the reminder. Going to spin him during dinner tonight.

 

[Nickyboy]

Vera Lynne- The White Cliffs of Dover. Does anyone remember Vera Lynne? Lynne was the darling and voice of WWII. This is perhaps her most iconic song. What a voice! I could listen to her all day.

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Roger Waters remembers Vera Lynne.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Vera Lynne- The White Cliffs of Dover. Does anyone remember Vera Lynne? Lynne was the darling and voice of WWII. This is perhaps her most iconic song. What a voice! I could listen to her all day.

I was going to post some Dame Vera. Great pick, Nick.

 

[Nickyboy]

And lets not forget one of my favorite genres, French Ye-Ye from the 60s. This was their response to English brit-pop that was sweeping the globe. I offer up two examples from the queens of Ye-Ye, Francoise Hardy (>swoon<) and France Gall (could you select a more French name as your stage name?)

Francoise Hardy- Comment te dire Adieu

France Gall- Laisse Tomber les Filles

 

[Worm]

Good thread!

 

[Ojai Sam]

Ruth Etting - Ten Cents A Dance (1930)

This plaintive lament of a melancholy taxi dancer captured the disillusionment that arose when The Roaring Twenties came to an abrupt end.

 

[Ojai Sam]

The Weavers - Goodnight Irene (1950)

Leadbelly was gone by the time The Weavers took his signature song to the tops of the pops. But this song played a major role in launching the folk music boom.

 

[axolotl]

This one had some influence on the American folk revival movement and British skiffle, too.

Elizabeth Cotten ~ Freight Train

https://folkways.si.edu/elizabeth-cotten-master-american-folk/music/article/smithsonian

 

[axolotl]

What list of iconic songs would we have without this classic song about a motorcycle Ford Falcon?

Steppenwolf ~ Born to Be Wild

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jul/31/how-we-made-steppenwolf-born-to-be-wild

Spoiler

Best comment I've read: "This is my neighbor's favorite song, whether he likes it or not."

 

[Ojai Sam]

Cab Calloway - Minnie The Moocher (1931)

The saga of Minnie and Smokey Joe’s magical mystery tour to Chinatown (to kick the gong around) is as electrifying as it was 8 decades ago. It’s where Cab stumbled across his “hi de ho” call and response trademark.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Louis Armstrong - When It’s Sleepy Time Down South (1931)

Satchmo abandoned his hot combos in favor of simpering saxes, thereby achieving a mainstream success that usually eluded his earthier brethren. This was his theme and a breakthrough hit.