Some of the greatest songs ever written IMO:
Genesis: Mad Man Moon
- This is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I'm a sucker for Tony Banks's chords and melodies, but often his lyrics are...not so fascinating. But this song is perfect in every way. And the moment when it returns from the middle section to the main part (during the words "sun and sand. sun and sand") is one of the most beautiful movements in pop music ever. In the same league as the movement from the bridge to the last verse in New Kid In Town.
The Move: What?
- I'm sure Jeff Lynne doesn't care for his pre-ELO stuff, but this one is an undeniable masterpiece. The melody reminds me a bit of "I talk to the wind" by King Crimson, but I don't care. Years ago I played this to a friend, and he went "WHAT IS THIS??", like the truth behind everything in the universe was just knocking at his door. So I'm not the only one who's been enchanted by this. Only Jeff knows what some of the lyrics actually are, but I have my own theory about what is sung and what it means. (I'd LOVE to discuss this song with someone!)
Led Zeppelin: No Quarter
- I was in a band in my teens and the singer had this album. I fell in love with this song. We rehearsed at his home (his parents' house), and I remember during breaks from rehearsal I couldn't wait to go downstairs and listen to this song. Something about John Paul Jones's composition and keyboard sound plus Plant's lyrics and the weird effect in his vocals...
Moody Blues: Out And In
- I could pick a lot of Moody Blues tunes, but this is one of the not-so-well-known ones that get me every time. During the night when the stars are visible, go outside, lay down, watch the night sky and listen to this!
David Bowie: She'll Drive The Big Car
- A tragic story about a housewife who hates her life and finally drives the car to a river with her husband and kid in the car. Not that there's anything great about someone doing that, but the emotions of this woman come through in this song so well that you feel like you're in the car yourself. Especially when she keeps turning the car radio louder and louder to hide her agony.
The lyric doesn't say that she finally drives the car to the Hudson river, but according to Bowie that's how he sees the story. I feel it that way too.
Procol Harum: A Salty Dog, Too Much Between Us, Whaling Stories....
Tony Powers: Odyssey
- Tony's version can be found on YouTube, but KISS recorded this too. I love Tony AND KISS. In some ways I prefer Tony's own version and in some ways KISS's version. In Tony's version I like the singing. This is an awfully beautiful song, but Tony's singing is not pretty. But his "ragged" singing makes the song even more beautiful...if that makes sense.
On surface it seems like this song was written for someone special, but when Tony was asked about it, he said it was just about the idea of everything happening at the same time; the past and the future. Hence the chorus "Once upon, not yet. Long ago, some day". Magnificent chords!!!
Pink Floyd: The Final Cut
Roger Waters: Too Much Rope
- This is so moving, but I'm not sure why! Favorite part:
"What does it mean, this tearjerking scene, beamed into my home
That it moves me so much; why all the fuss, it's only two humans being"