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