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Simon and Garfunkel, The Sounds of Silence
It’s part 96 of my youtube countdown, and we are getting so close to the end! This time I have Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence,” from the album of the same name. When I was crafting the title of this entry, I noticed that the original version of the song was not titled,…
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The Beach Boys, The Ramones, Do You Wanna Dance?
Part 95 is a double dose of glorious rock and roll. I’ve got the Beach Boys and the Ramones rocking the Bobby Freeman classic, “Do You Wanna Dance?.” In the Beach Boys version, drummer Dennis Wilson takes the lead vocals, and man is he good. Dennis was the only Beach Boy that actually surfed, and…
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The Rolling Stones, Paint it, Black
For part 94 of my fast concluding countdown, I have the Rolling Stones, “Paint it, Black,” from their 1966 LP Aftermath. First things first, the odd placement of the comma in the song’s title was added by the Rolling Stones record label Decca. Why? I have no idea. Second, although Richards and Jagger wrote the…
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Ween, Even If You Don't
Part 93 of my youtube countdown keeps the party going with Ween’s stunning 2000 single “Even if You Don’t” from their fantastic White Pepper album. The music video was directed by two geniuses who were enormously influenced by Ween’s music, that being South Park and Book of Mormon creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. “Even…
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The Doors, Break On Through (To The Other Side)
Part 92 of my youtube countdown tears you into another dimension with the Doors, “Break On Through (To the Other Side).” This is one of the greatest psychedelic pop singles you’ll ever hear. It’s got an iconic pulsing keyboard bass intro played by the genius Ray Manzarek, propulsive drumming by John Densmore, stunning pickless riffs…
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Joy Division, Love Will Tear Us Apart
The final countdown is underway with part 91! It’s the immortal Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” one of the greatest singles of all time. Joy Division were pioneers of the flashy dark kind of rock and roll known as post punk, a genre known for its angular introverted style. The band was fronted…
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Islands, Rough Gem
Part 90 of my countdown blasts forward with one of my favorite group, Islands, and there video “Rough Gem.” From their debut record Return to the Sea, “Rough Gem” is a beautiful kaleidoscopic indie pop song that swirls, spirals, and cyclones all over your ears. It’s a gorgeous cacophony of genius modern pop. I’m not…
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Bob Marley, Could You Be Loved (Rare Studio Take)
Welcome to part 88 of my youtube countdown! Today I have a beautifully rare studio take of Bob Marley singing his 1980 masterpiece, “Could You Be Loved,” from Uprising. This is probably my favorite Bob Marley song for those keeping score at home. It has everything I love in a Marley song; that driving irresistible…
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James Brown, Get Up Offa That Thing, Dancing Lessons
Part 86 kicks your ass. It’s soul week at williesimpson.com, and I got the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, in two incredible clips. The first is a dancing lesson not meant for beginners. It’s James in full 70s flair, just announcing steps and performing them with utter mastery. I don’t know who this tape is…