10 Favorite Tracks of All Time?

[Ron Resnick]

What are your 10 favorite tracks (any genre) of all time?

 

[Ron Resnick]

(in no particular order)


1) "Fade Into You" Mazzy Star

2) "Send in the Clowns" Bill Henderson

3) "Bridge Over Troubled Water" Roberta Flack

4) "Fields of Gold" Eva Cassidy

5) Jupiter Symphony No. 41 Mozart

6) "Hallelujah" Jeff Buckley

7) "Take It to the Limit" Eagles

8) "A White Shade of Pale" Procol Harum

9) "Landslide" Stevie Nicks

10) "Song of Bernadette" Jennifer Warnes

 

[Kjetil]

In no particular order, and sampled just now:

1) Tower of Song - Leonard Cohen.
2) Jeep's Blues - Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (at Newport 1956). Is it jazz or is it blues? Yes.
3) Loving Cup - The Rolling Stones (since I cannot pick more than one track from Exile).
4) Bitch - The Rolling Stones (swing school).
5) Wagner Das Rheingold from the Rainbow Bridge to the end - Solti (ok, I guess this is more than one track, but you put in the complete Jupiter, Ron).
6) Riff Raff - AC/DC at their bestest.
7-8) Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 90 as Gilels plays it.
9) Get Back - The Beatles at their bestest too.
10) To Miss Someone - Maria McKee (making the second chord in a C major tune A major, hello. And that voice).

 

[DLS]

Also in no particular order - well, actually, the Four Last Songs are in the right order...
1-4) Four Last Songs - Strauss - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
5) Everything I've Got (Belongs To You) - Holly Cole Trio
6) Take 5 - Dave Brubeck Quartet
7) Get Lucky - Daft Punk
8) Something in the Way - Nirvana (from MTV Live Recording)
9) 54-46 That's My Number - Toots and the Maytals
10) Tracks 7-11 (Finale) on disc 3 of Don Giovanni - Giulini Conductor - 1959 Recording

 

[hopkins]

- Duke Ellington orchestra, maybe something off of his 1971 "New Orleans Suite" album, or "Mood Indigo" off his 1950 "Masterpieces" album, or both! Difficult to choose among his 50 year career. His 1971 album is underrated, but contains many fascinating pieces.

- Duke Ellington trio - "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" from his 1953 "Duke Plays Ellington" album. I could have chosen many other tracks among his piano solo/trio tracks. This one is simple on the surface, but there is so much subtlety

- Nat King Cole - "I Surrender Dear", a lengthy solo recorded at Monroe's in 1941. Fireworks.

- Lester Young - perhaps his 1941 live quintet recording of "Tickle Toe". Prez at his peak with a swinging band. No need to say more.

- Billie Holiday - one of her early sessions with Teddy Wilson - hard to choose which one, maybe "This Year's Kisses" from 1937, because it is so charming, and so was she! She single-handedly revolutionized singing. These sessions are perfect - stars aligned.

- Henry Allen - "I Cover the Waterfront" from his 1957 "World on a String" album, because he is a forgotten giant and plays so expressively

- Coleman Hawkins - "Out of Nowhere" recorded in 1937 - specifically that track because I played the recording at my mother's funeral

- Lucky Thompson - "Yesterday's Child" from his 1973 album "I Offer You" album which was his last as he gave up recording. What a shame!

- Charles Mingus "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" from his 1974 "Changes One" album, because it is such a beautiful tribute.

- Fred Astaire "Cheek to Cheek" because when I listen to it I can see him dance!

There are so many others...These are artists and tracks that come to mind now. These are all track that stimulate a strong "emotional response", and that bear repeated listening as I am perpetually amazed, and surprised, by what they do each in their unique way. Most of them can also be said to have had a lasting contribution and influence, even though some of their careers were ended too soon, or they had ups and downs. They all continuously evolved throughout their careers.

 

[Re-tread]

I don’t know if I categorise these 10 songs as my 'absolute' favorites, as that would be too limiting, so I will take the pressure off myself and add this list of 10 tracks that never seem to fail in bringing me enjoyment (in no particular order):

(Note: someone above already mentioned the RS songs “Loving Cup” and “Bitch”, so I will let those fine selections stand as a proxy for my strong sentiment for the RS from 1968 to 1974)

Here we go:

1. By and By – Rising Son [Rising Son]
2. 2:10 Train – Rising Son [Rising Son]
3. In the Wee Hours – Junior Wells [Hoodoo Man Blues]
4. Ships On The Ocean – Junior Wells [Hoodoo Man Blues]
5. Elsa – Bill Evans Trio [Explorations]
6. Nardis – Bill Evan Trio [Explorations]
7. What Is and What Should Never Be – Led Zeppelin [LZ II]
8. Ten Years Gone – Led Zeppelin [Physical Graffiti]
9. Babe I’m Gonna Leave You – Led Zeppelin [LZ I]
10. Thank You – Jimmy Page & Robert Plant [No Quarter]

Honorable Mention (it's hard to stop at just 10, once you get started… : - )

11. On Green Dolphin Street – Miles Davis (with Bill Evans) [1958 Miles]
12. Milestones – Bill Evans Trio [The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961]
13. Vigilante Man – Ry Cooder [Into The Purple Valley]
14. Just Wanna See His Face – Rolling Stones [Exile on Main Street]
15. Time Remembered – Bill Evans [Live at the Trident / 1964]

This list above is by no means represents the width of my musical interests, but is just proxy representing a fun and intimate sample. My format above is interpreted/read as:

#, Song Title – Performer [Album]

Thanks for the topic.

Re-tread