Tag / Dusty Springfield

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Top 200 Albums: #107 – 119

We last counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library four years ago. Since that time, the world has literally changed, and my commute has decreased from 1+ hours each way to 25 steps. So, despite the decrease in potential listening time, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through the morning of January 1, 2022.

We continue today with the next batch of ten albums that I have listened to the most over the last 15 years, breaking the triple digit total play plateau with three compilations, and music from the 60s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.

#119: Bangles – Bangles: Greatest Hits
iTunes stats: 103 plays
Previous Ranking: 143

Five of the Bangles biggest hits, which notched 49 additional listens over the past four years, contribute to this total for their greatest hits album.

#119: Florence + The Machine – Between Two Lungs
iTunes stats: 103 plays
Previous Ranking: N/A

A very strong introduction to this chart for the debut album from the English indie rock band, thanks to a 186% increase in listens.

#116: Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
iTunes stats: 105 plays
Previous Ranking: 171

A 123% increase in plays over the past four years led to this 65-spot jump for the second album from Florence + The Machine, which featured prominently in my Road Trip playlist for the 2016 drive to Florida with Jeff and Val.

#116: Green Day – Dookie
iTunes stats: 105 plays
Previous Ranking: 109

The breakthrough major label debut for the California punks added 40 new plays to the five tracks from the label in my collection.

#116: Various Artists – More Music From Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion
iTunes stats: 105 plays
Previous Ranking: 136

The second soundtrack album to the hit Lisa Kudrow/Mira Sorvino film takes six 80s hits, from the likes of Tiffany and Rick Astley, and raises their play total by 87.5%.

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Top 200 Albums – #120 – 129

itunes_imageNearly 4 years ago, we first counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2018.

We continue things with the next batch of 10 albums that rank between #120 and 129, including 4 studio recordings, 3 compilations, 2 greatest hit packages,  and 1 live performance from a marching band.

#129: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – Very Best Of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
iTunes stats: 58 plays
Previous Ranking: 100

21 new listens to the four tunes from this particular greatest hits package caused a bit of a drop.

#129: Various Artists – On The Edge
iTunes stats: 58 plays
Previous Ranking: 139

This compilation, featuring 80s alternative hits from the likes of The Smiths, Love & Rockets, and Michael Penn, had 5 different tunes make up its total.

#127: Various Artists – Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1970
iTunes stats: 59 plays
Previous Ranking: 164

This compilation of the biggest hits of 1970 by bands that would allow themselves to be on such a compilation, like Ides of March or the Partridge Family, has 7 tunes making up its total.

#127: Liz Phair – Whitechocolatespaceegg
iTunes stats: 59 plays
Previous Ranking: 112

10 different songs make up this total for this third studio album by the one-time indie darling.

#125: Nirvana – In Utero
iTunes stats: 60 plays
Previous Ranking: 112

The last studio album from Nirvana uses 4 different tracks to make up this total.

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Top 200 Albums – #131 – 138

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue climbing up the list and look at the 4 albums tied for 135th with 31 listens and the 4 albums tied for 131st with 32 listens.

#131: Pearl Jam – Vitalogy
iTunes stats: 32 plays
The 3rd studio album from the Seattle grunge band, and the last that I purchased, uses the totals from 4 different tracks.

#131: Various Artists – Rock N’ Roll Era: 1958
iTunes stats: 32 plays
This edition of the Time Life series, featuring songs by The Big Bopper, The Monotones, and Little Richard, had 7 songs make up its total.

#131: Various Artists – Pulp Fiction OST
iTunes stats: 32 plays
The soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s magnum opus, featuring tracks by Urge Overkill and Dusty Springfield, had 6 songs and/or movie clips make up its total.

#131: Various Artists – Bones (Original Television Soundtrack)
iTunes stats: 32 plays
Only one tune, the original version of the theme song, contributes to the total for this soundtrack album for the long running Fox show.

#135: Weezer – Weezer (Green Album)
iTunes stats: 31 plays
After a long layoff, Weezer returned in the early 2000s with their third album, which had 2 songs make up this total.

#135: Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion I
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Goodbye, iPhone 4S – Music Edition

A little more than a week ago, I upgraded my phone from the iPhone 4S to the newly released iPhone 5S.  The biggest difference, aside from a slightly bigger screen, is the jump from 3G (or 4G, if you believe AT&T’s hype) to LTE.  I had the 4S for a little under 2 years, and in that time, we traveled the world together (well, at least going back to the UK) and have listened to a lot of podcasts and music. Here is every song (all 2079 of them) I’ve listened to on the phone, with some (ok, very little) bonus commentary.  Godspeed.

 

Let’s Go-Go-Go White Sox Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers 33
He’s a Pirate Klaus Badelt Pirates of the Caribbean (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) 32
Take Me Out To The Ballgame Harry Caray 31
Thunderstruck AC/DC The Razors Edge 31
Gordon Beckham Intro 29
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Steam Billboard’s Top Rock ‘n’ Roll Hits: 1969 29
Don’t Stop Believin’ Journey Journey’s Greatest Hits 27
sox05_montage 27
We Are The Champions Queen Queen: Greatest Hits I & II 27
Your Love The Outfield Play Deep 27
2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage Chris Tannehill WSCR 670 The Score 25
Take Me Out To The Ballgame Nancy Faust 25
Harvester Of Sorrow Metallica …And Justice For All 20

You would hope that these numbers would have been higher, but this past season’s miserable performance by the White Sox has put the songs on their playlist out of mind more often than not.

Cannonball The Breeders The First 1000 Years- Rock 19
Man Or Muppet Jason Segel The Muppets 15
It’s Time For Our Song Miss Piggy The Muppets 14
Get Out There And Help Those Guys Jason Segel The Muppets 13
Main Title LOST Soundtrack LOST Soundtrack 13
Are You A Man Or A Muppet? Amy Adams The Muppets 12
How Charming, A Finale Uncle Deadly The Muppets 12
I’m On A Boat (ft. T-Pain) The Lonely Island Incredibad 12
Down At The Ole Barbershop Kermit The Muppets 11
Me and Drugs David Cross Bigger and Blackerer 11
The Antichrist Howard Stern Private Parts: The Album 11
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Mix Tape Monday – Cool Tracks

After my tape deck crapped out in 1997, I was stuck listening to either the radio or full albums in whatever order the artist intended. That all changed in 2001, when the new-fangled MP3 technology got combined with my new CD burner.

In addition to the occasional series of CDs I had burned in order to keep abreast of new music, I had created a bunch of genre-specific mixes that could be used both in the car and at the gym. This week we will take a look at the first disc covering the world of 60s and 70s rock music. This CD was kind of a counterpart to the ballads disc we covered a few weeks back, with most of the songs coming from the same era but with a decidedly harder bent.  So, without further ado, I bring you Cool Tracks, volume 1.

Paul McCartney & Wings – Live And Let Die

Became the first James Bond theme song to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 3/19/2013

Blood Sweat & Tears – Spinning Wheel

Nominated for three Grammy Awards at the 1970 ceremony, it won for Best Instrumental Arrangement.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 3/22/2013

Warren Zevon – Werewolves Of London

BBC Radio 2 listeners rated it as having the best opening line in a song.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 7/5/2011

Chicago – 25 Or 6 To 4

The song was released as a single in June of 1970, climbing to number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 6/17/2010

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze

Rolling Stone magazine placed the song at number 17 in their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and also at number 2 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 5/29/2009

Jefferson Airplane – Somebody To Love

Originally recorded by 1960s folk rock band The Great Society, featuring Grace Slick’s brother-in-law.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 7/6/2011

Patti Smith – Because The Night

Originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen during sessions for his Darkness on the Edge of Town album, he was not satisfied with it so the song was passed to the Patti Smith Group, who were working in the studio next door.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 11/9/2012

Ohio Players – Love Rollercoaster

Urban legend says that the scream heard in the background belonged to a woman being murdered at the studio.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 3/24/2011

Five Man Electrical Band – Signs

The song was released during an era of social and political change, and its lyrics carry themes of intolerance and exclusion.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 3/11/2013

Janis Joplin – Piece Of My Heart

Originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967 as a romantic love song.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 12/27/2012

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Goodbye, iPhone 3G – Music Edition

As I wait for tomorrow’s delivery of my new iPhone 4S, it is time to say goodbye to the 3G that has been my trusty companion for nearly the past 3 1/2 years.  We’ve traveled the world together (well, at least Canada and the UK) and have listened to a lot of music.  Here is every song (all 1597 of them) I’ve listened to on the phone, with some (ok, very little) bonus commentary!

He’s a Pirate Klaus Badelt Pirates of the Caribbean (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) 100
Gordon Beckham Intro 91
Let’s Go-Go-Go White Sox Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers 87
Thunderstruck AC/DC The Razors Edge 84
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Steam Billboard’s Top Rock ‘n’ Roll Hits: 1969 83
sox05_montage 75
We Are The Champions Queen Queen: Greatest Hits I & II 73
Boom P.O.D. Satellite 70
Don’t Stop Believin’ Journey Journey’s Greatest Hits 69
2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage Chris Tannehill WSCR 670 The Score 65

No surprise that the top 10 are all part of (or were part of) my White Sox victory playlist.  This gets played on the way home from every White Sox winner, plus the occassional ride to a game.  Continue reading →

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Workout Mix

Spent an hour on the treadmill this morning. This is what got me through it.

Son of a Preacher Man Dusty Springfield Pulp Fiction OST 8/29/2011 11:42 AM
Song 2 Blur The Best Of (Disc 1) 8/29/2011 11:44 AM
A Song For You Mexican Cheerleader Kings And Kings’ Hoots 8/29/2011 11:47 AM
Soul To Squeeze Red Hot Chili Peppers Coneheads 8/29/2011 11:52 AM
South Side Moby Featuring Gwen Stefani South Side 8/29/2011 11:55 AM
Spark Tori Amos From The Choirgirl Hotel 8/29/2011 11:59 AM
Speak Slow Tegan and Sara So Jealous 8/29/2011 12:02 PM
Speak Slow
Sadly, this is when I first realized my iPod was not on shuffle		 Tegan and Sara 5 Songs Live from the Phoenix – EP 8/29/2011 12:04 PM
Special Garbage Absolute Garbage 8/29/2011 12:08 PM
Speed Kills Bush Golden State 8/29/2011 12:12 PM
Spiderman ’79 Veruca Salt American Thighs 8/29/2011 12:18 PM
Spiderwebs No Doubt Tragic Kingdom 8/29/2011 12:22 PM
Spin The Black Circle Pearl Jam Vitalogy 8/29/2011 12:25 PM
Spin The Bottle The Juliana Hatfield Three Reality Bites Soundtrack 8/29/2011 12:27 PM
Spinning Wheel Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears Greatest Hits 8/29/2011 12:31 PM
Spirit In The Sky Norman Greenbaum Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1970 8/29/2011 12:35 PM
Spoonman Soundgarden Superunknown 8/29/2011 12:39 PM
St. Elmos’s Fire (Man In Motion) John Parr St. Elmo’s Fire Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 8/29/2011 12:44 PM