Everybody can sometimes use a pick me up on the way to school or to work. It is hard to come up with a depressing sunshine song (although Fiddler on the Roof is close). So, we play these on just about every morning when we are not feeling all that excited about the day. And, it works!
SONG
ARTIST
Close to You
The Carpenters
Here Comes the Sun
The Beatles
Tomorrow (Annie)
Alicia Morton, Audra McDonald, Kathy Bates & Victor Garber
My Girl
The Temptations
I Can See Clearly Now
Johnny Nash
Sunshine On My Shoulders
John Denver
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Stevie Wonder
Walking on Sunshine
Katrina & the Waves
Good Day Sunshine
The Beatles
I Was Made For Sunny Days
The Weepies
Sunrise, Sunset
John Williams (Fiddler on the Roof)
Another Sunny Day
Belle & Sebastian
Lost in the Sun
Ivy
Brighter Than The Sun
Colbie Caillat
Chasing the Sunset
Imaginary Cities
Distant Sun
Crowded House
Walking In the Sun
Travis
Where the Road Meets the Sun
Katie Herzig & Matthew Perryman Jones
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
Elton John
I'll Follow the Sun
The Beatles
Facing the Sun
Treelight for Sunlight
Honey in the Sun
Camera Obscura
Summer Sunshine
The Corrs
In the Sun
She & Him
To make this (NOT ALL INCLUSIVE) list, the song must demonstrate a mind-blowing bass line of some sort. It can't just be a simple repeat bass beat, like Seven Nation Army (too obvious). It does not matter whether it is a famous bass player or a session player. The song also must be fairly decent, if not immediately recognizable. Above all else, one may not have realized that the awesome bass line was always there. . .
SONG
ARTIST
<15 WORDS
I Wonder
Rodriguez
Right? Unbelievable bass throughout the whole thing. Almost silly. Without 60 minutes, never would have known.
Dream Weaver
Gary Wright
Surprise. For such an unbelievably cheesy song, the bass line surrounding the chorus is amazing!
It's My Life
Talk, Talk
Not a big secret, but poor dude is killing it for about four minutes and probably never had a proper gig again in his life.
25 or 6 to 4
Chicago
Take your pick, but you played this in your high school jazz band for a reason, with your conductor yelling at the bassist to keep up.
Grey Cell Green
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Tough call between this and Cut Up, but picked this one to meet criteria. Band had low-octave and high octave bass players. You can hear both ends clearly.
Long Distance Runaround
Yes
Ok, not a fair fight. Christopher Squire is ridiculous. God rest his soul.
By the Way
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Flea. Mind blowing. Ask him his inspiration (hint, he is referenced herein)
Billie Jean
Michael Jackson
Sort of an obvious pick, but who is this and how did they get so lucky? Beat It, as well. (If only there was some way to find out)
Feel Good Inc.
Gorillaz
This song would be nothing without the sneaky good bass line. Plus, it is a funny song.
I Want You Back
Jackson 5
Dude just absolutely kills it on bass while Michael sings it! Is it Tito?
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrel
Have to listen carefully, but the bass line is incredible. The song is great too.
Badge
Cream
So, not a big Cream fan necessarily, but hard to argue with the bass in this one.
Higher Ground
Stevie Wonder
So could go with Flea's version just as easily, but let's give credit where credit is due for this mind blowing bass line.
The Unforgettable Fire
U2
A hidden bass gem and a decent song. Listen carefully, Adam Clayton can play the bass (New Year's Day too)
Hand in Glove
The Smiths
Don't normally associate bass virtuosity with the Smiths, but there is sufficiently consistent bass shredding going on here.
Bad Girls
Donna Summer
Get the dance funk out. So, again, take your pick, but her bassist holds it all together.
You Can Call Me Al
Paul Simon
I hate myself for this one. But, it is good. The fact that Chevy Chase gets the video credit is a shame.
Maneater
Hall & Oates
Some random band-mate got this gig. A little plodding, but the song does not work without that bass line.
New World Man (Live, Replay X 3, Disc 4)
Rush
Again, not a fair fight, but the uniqueness of this song and this album (Signals) is that Geddy shreds the melody and harmony on bass throughout. Plus, it was one of their few top 40 hits (to meet the criteria). This version (from the Grace Under Pressure tour, has the best sound quality)
Seven Wonders
Fleetwood Mac
There are others, e.g., the Chain, etc., but this subtle bass line is really great. (Have to listen carefully)
Shining Star
Earth Wind & Fire
Take your pick. They just crush it and the bass line really picks up after the first chorus.
Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison
Another sort of obvious bass line, but people get lost in the great lyric and forget the dude pushing the bass clef -all 3 minutes worth.
Some Like It Hot
The Power Station
No one is saying that the bassist is great here, but the bass line absolutely is.
Where I End and You Begin (The Sky Is Falling In)
Radiohead
So, an uber depressing song, but also a bass playing expose from the get-go. Listen again at about the 2:50 mark, where the bass takes over the melody underneath it all.
Rebel Yell
Billy Idol
A little surprising and little plodding, but it is there...
China Girl
David Bowie
Could this song even be made today? Ok, but the bass is awesome.
New Year's Day
U2
Great.
Holding On
The War On Drugs
The bass line glues this entire, magnificent arrangement together. David Hartley is not flashy, but an incredibly critical piece to this band's compositions.
The choo choo songs for those of us who ride with those who love to see trains. Not an all-inclusive list, but these are the ones with which we've become most familiar.
SONGS
ARTIST
Midnight Train to Georgia
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Downtown Train
Rod Stewart (version)
Long Train Runnin'
The Doobie Brothers
Love Train
The O'Jays
Runaway Train
Soul Asylum
Train In Vain
Annie Lennox (version)
Peace Train
Cat Stevens
The Train From Kansas City
Neko Case
C'mon 'N' Ride It (The Train)
Quad City DJ's
Long Black Train
Josh Turner
Night Train
Jason Aldean
City of New Orleans
Arlo Guthrie
Downbound Train
Bruce Springsteen
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Barry Manilow (version)
I'm Ridin' This Train
Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper
Sweet Home
Old Crow Medicine Show
Railroads
Holly Williams
The Jupiter & the 119
Railroad Earth
Mystery Train
The Grascals
The Train I'm On
The Farm Inc.
This is a long, and inevitably ever-growing, list of great songs by great song-writers of the 70s and 80s. There can only be one song by each artist. It is not necessarily the artist's most popular. In general, the artist can't be a flash in the pan. There will be different lists posted here for niche artists that made or continue to influence a genre (e.g. New Wave, Heavy Metal..). Here, it is about the song-writing from arguably the best time period in popular music.
SONGS
ARTISTS
Blue Sky
The Allman Brothers
On the Road to Find Out
Cat Stevens
Sweet Seasons
Carole King
Danny's Song
Anne Murray
Babe
Styx
Getting In Tune
The Who
At The Zoo
Simon & Garfunkel
Lights
Journey
Dreams
Van Halen
Time And A Word
Yes
I Got A Name
Jim Croce
Take It Easy
Eagles
Rhymes And Reasons
John Denver
Sara Smile
Hall & Oates
I Saw The Light
Todd Rundgren
Don't Do Me Like That
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
The Weight
The Band
Your Smiling Face
James Taylor
Doctor My Eyes
Jackson Brown
Keep On Loving You
Reo Speedwagon
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
Stevie Wonder
Country Comfort
Elton John
Dancing In The Dark
Bruce Springsteen
Now More Than Ever
Chicago
Sailing
Christopher Cross
Easy
The Commodores
Long Train Runnin'
The Doobie Brothers
Strange Days
The Doors
Layla
Derek & The Dominoes
Carry On/Questions
Crosby, Stills & Nash
(They Long To Be) Close To You
The Carpenters
Nobody Does It Better
Carly Simon
Sister Golden Hair
America
Reminiscing
Little River Band
The Guitar Man
Bread
Leader of the Band
Dan Fogelberg
Rhinestone Cowboy
Glen Campbell
Cat's In The Cradle
Harry Chapin
Take The Long Way Home
Supertramp
Shambala
Three Dog Night
Dust In The Wind
Kansas
Gimme Shelter
The Rolling Stones
Jolene
Dolly Parton
Hitch A Ride
Boston
Right Down The Line
Gerry Rafferty
Human Nature
Michael Jackson
Imagine
John Lennon
Always On My Mind
Willie Nelson
You're My Best Friend
Queen
Make You Feel My Love
Bob Dylan
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
Fortunate Son
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Just What I Needed
The Cars
Road to Nowhere
Talking Heads
Sweet Thing
Van Morrison
Sweet Home Alabama
Lynyrd Skynyrd
More Than A Woman
The Bees Gees
I've Loved These Days
Billy Joel
I Believe
R.E.M.
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The Police
Show Me
Pretenders
Young Americans
David Bowie
Help Me
Joni Mitchell
Reeling In The Years
Steely Dan
Me and Bobby McGee
Janis Joplin (Kris Kristofferson)
Lido Shuffle
Boz Scaggs
Cracklin' Rosie
Neil Diamond
Closer To The Heart
Rush
Caught Up In You
.38 Special
With Or Without You
U2
Sultans of Swing
Dire Straits
Somewhere Down The Road
Barry Manilow
Lean On Me
Bill Withers
Touch Me In The Morning
Diana Ross
Panic
The Smiths
Don't Change
INXS
Heat Wave
Linda Ronstadt
Waiting For a Girl Like You
Foreigner
Crazy For You
Madonna
You're The First, The Last, My Everything
Barry White
Love Train
The O'Jays
Land of Confusion
Genesis
You Got It
Roy Orbison
Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
Meat Loaf
Coward of the County
Kenny Rogers
Small Town
John Mellencamp
Magic Carpet Ride
Steppenwolf
December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)
Franki Valli & The Four Seasons
I'll Be Around
The Spinners
Reach Out (I'll Be There)
The Four Tops
Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett
Kokomo
The Beach Boys
Midnight Train to Georgia
Gladys Knight & The Pips
I Would Die 4 U
Prince & The Revolution
In Between Days
The Cure
Time After Time
Cyndi Lauper
Love the One You're With
The Isley Brothers
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Pat Benatar
Heart and Soul
Huey Lewis & The News
Cruisin'
Smokey Robinson
Carefree Highway
Gordon Lightfoot
Heart of Glass
Blondie
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)
The Hollies
Miracles
Jefferson Starship
A Well Respected Man
The Kinks
Show Me The Way
Peter Frampton
Feelin' Alright
Traffic
Africa
Toto
Shooting Star
Bad Company
Handle With Care
The Traveling Wilburys
In Your Eyes
Peter Gabriel
Jet Airliner
Steve Miller Band
The End of the Innocence
Don Henley
Magic
Olivia Newton John
I'm Not in Love
10cc
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
Marvin Gaye
A Song For You
Gram Parsons
Ol' 55
Tom Waits
Go All The Way
Raspberries
Don't You (Forget About Me)
Simple Minds
Gloria
Laura Branigan
Faith
George Michael
What I Am
Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
Give Me The Night
George Benson
Never Gonna Let You Go
Sergio Mendes
Stuck On You
Lionel Richie
Over You
Roxy Music
Tonight
David Bowie/Tina Turner
Stuck In The Middle With You
Stealers Wheel
Don't Dream It's Over
Crowded House
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car
Billy Ocean
No Time
The Guess Who
Can You Feel It
The Jacksons
Ooh La La
Faces
Ramble On
Led Zeppelin
Dream
Fleetwood Mac
Northern Sky
Nick Drake
September
Earth, Wind & Fire
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Electric Light Orchestra
Band on the Run
Wings
Last Dance
Donna Summer
Main Street
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Don't Fear The Reaper
Blue Oyster Cult
Summer Breeze
Seals and Croft
Alison
Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Moonlighting (Theme)
Al Jarreau
Sugar Magnolia
Grateful Dead
Joanna
Kool & the Gang
Smoke on the Water
Deep Purple
Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen
Train In Vain
The Clash
Crazy Love
Poco
I Feel Love
Donna Summer
Love Will Find A Way
Pablo Cruise
So Into You
Atlanta Rhythm Section
The Love I Lost
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes & Teddy Pendergrass
Drift Away
Dobie Gray
Jackie Blue
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Strawberry Letter 23
The Brothers Johnson
I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor
Eye In The Sky
Alan Parsons Project
Oh Yeah
Roxy Music
Mr. Blue Sky
Electric Light Orchestra
I Keep Forgettin'
Michael McDonald
Piano Man
Billy Joel
Let It Be
The Beatles
Songs for times of profound sadness and songs for those "best" days. There are too many and the list will grow, but these are some that have had special meaning.