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Coleen: Great idea for a board! Most of us will be at a disadvantage on the first half or so of the century. With the assumption that classic means remembered, enjoyed, and influential for decades or more, there's "Daisy" (it won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage..." Then Al Jolson's "Mammy" and Tom Dorsey's "Take My Hand, Precious Lord." Lyrics from these three will be around when many so-called classics of the last 20 years are forgotten. During WW II, Kate Smith's rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" literally joined a generation of Americans in praying for God's blessing "as the storm clouds gather..." Few know that Berlin assigned half the profits from this song to the Boy Scouts. Soldiers on both sides hummed "Lili Marlene" (vor dem alt Laterne steht sie immer noch...) Back in the States, Earnest Tubb recorded "Great Speckled Bird," with an extended metaphor of the church pictured as a bird. Many wouldn't remember this song, but its melody shows up in country music all the time (as I sit here tonight, the juke box playing... its response: it wasn't God who made honky tonk angels and many more. As early rock evolved out of R&B, you have to give the nod to "60 Minute Man" by the Dominoes and "The Great Pretender" by the Platters. Back to C&W: "Back in the Saddle Again" by Gene Autry, "Happy Trails to You" by Roy and Dale Rogers, "Cool Water" by The Sons of The Pioneers, and a yodeling song of which all I can remember is "singing his cattle song..." Stuart Hamblin's "This Old House" doesn't quite make the grade, but "It Is No Secret" does. Since I've verged from C&W toward religious and/or gospel, a special mention for 'His Eye is on the Sparrow" by Mahalia Jackson. Throw in "El Paso" by Marty Robbins, Burl Ive's kiddie song about various animals "swimming in the water..." and his "Little Bitty Tear Let Ne Down." From this point on, with two exceptions, it's too soon to really judge what will become classics. The exceptions are "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" by The Righteous brothers, still the most played song on radio after more than 30 years, and "Respect" by Aretha Franklin with an assist from the Blues Brothers movie. Other candidates: "Lucille" by Little Richard, "He'll Have To Go" by Steve reeves, 2/3 of everything done by James Brown, Johnny Cash, The Righteous Brothers, Dianna Ross & The Supremes, Simon and Garfunkle, 1/2 of everything done by Elvis, The Temptations, and The Beatles, a smaller percentage of things done by Willie Nelson, Kris Christofferson, Michael Jackson, and Motown groups other than the big two. Also a few singletons like "The Letter" by The Boxtops and - title escapes me - the "bye, bye, Miss American Pie" song by what's-his name. History will have to judge this last bunch, but my hunch is that when people in 2099 look back at classics, they will not include "Stairway To Heaven" or anything by the whatever Pumpkins or the Spice Girls. Sorry for typos, but it's getting sleepy here. |
