The Ecstatic Truth, Pt. 2
475 Goodie Mob - Soul Food
W: Wade/Brown/Murray/Barnett/Burton/Gipp/Knighton/Bennett
P: Organized Noize
I didn’t know that a song almost completely about food could actually speak about so much and sound this amazing.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=WO3QY98L
474 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Crosstown Traffic
W: Hendrix
P: Jimi Hendrix
I’ll admit that this is a bit of a cop-out since it is Jimi at his poppiest, but why lie, I love pop music.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=04GF6T0U
473 Jimmy Cliff - Many Rivers to Cross
W: Cliff
P: Jimmy Cliff
This song is Jimmy Cliff’s funeral dirge about the possibility of growing old, but it still sounds incredibly hopeful.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=4W63151H
472 The Isley Brothers - That Lady (Parts 1 & 2)
W: R. Isley/O. Isley/R. Isley/E. Isley/M. Isley/C. Jasper
P: Ronald Isley and Rudolph Isley
Ooooooooooweeeeeee, is this song cool. Be sure to check out the interplay of the group and solo singing, it is what really makes this song in my opinion.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=TZV27IVN
471 Eels - Railroad Man
W: Everett
P: Mark Oliver Everett
I like this song because of its lack of audaciousness. It is really simple, really enjoyable, soft country about knowing yourself and being okay.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=2LLZW1OG
470 The Impressions - It’s All Right
W: Mayfield
P: Johnny Pate
Hand claps. They make every song better.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=JNWWOOFY
469 Johnny Cash - Cocaine Blues (Live)
W: Arnall
P: Bob Johnston
Even though Johnny is more known for his down tempo material, he could still rock a song out. His vocal on this song is completely unrestrained and it gives the recording incredible punch.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=HNEKZLWE
468 A Tribe Called Quest - Steve Biko (Stir It Up)
W: Davis/Muhammed/Taylor
P: A Tribe Called Quest
I love this song because, like so many Tribe songs, it has a cool beat, a fun flow, and a unique structure that really separates it from other rap.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=G6JJAO46
467 De La Soul - Patti Dooke
W: Huston/Mercer/Jolicoeur/Mason
P: Prince Paul and De La Soul
This is an incredible record. The jazzy beat is one of the most intricate of Prince Paul’s career, and the bitterness in De La’s lyrics is unparalleled. If you like sell-outs, this song is not for you.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=85O4GCA9
466 Otis Redding - I’ve Been Loving You Too Long To Stop Now
W: Redding/Butler
P: Steve Cropper and Jim Stewart
Nobody sings like Otis.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=EIKMBCQD
465 Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
W: Burton/Callaway/Reverbi/Reverbi
P: Danger Mouse
You already know this song. I don’t need to say anything about it.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z8PNT7ES
464 The Jackson 5 - I’ll Be There
W: Gordy/West/Davis/Hutch
P: Hal Davis
Teenagers shouldn’t be allowed to be this passionate and this talented. It’s not fair.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=O4B1E7NX
463 Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton - Islands in the Stream
W: Gibb/Gibb/Gibb
P: Barry Gibb, Karl Richardson. And Albhy Galuten
Yeah, I like this song, what are you gonna do about it?
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=VAJJU8DT
462 Tony! Toni! Tone! - If I Had No Loot
W: Saadiq/Bautista/Harris
P: Tony! Toni! Tone!
Leave your pretensions at the door, Tony! Toni! Tone! are awesome.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=BAHBENZP
461 Van Morrison - Moondance
W: Morrison
P: Van Morrison
I try not to listen to this song during the day because it evokes the feeling of the night so well.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=F24KZDP0
460 Jurassic-5 - Quality Control
W: Givens/Postic/Stewart/Henderson/Macfadden/Stuart/Reid
P: Cut Chemist
Old school, new school, who cares, this is just a great rap song featuring some wonderful verbal interplay.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=GPQTZNNL
459 Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing
W: Gaye/Brown/Ritz
P: Marvin Gaye
I think some people dismiss this song because of how ‘80s it sounds, but the truth is it is still an extremely well-written song, and Marvin’s vocal is obviously flawless.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=U8UVIFJ8
458 Johnny Cash - It Ain’t Me, Babe
W: Dylan
P: Don Law & Frank Jones
Some people may want to hear the Bob Dylan version, but Johnny’s cover is so much more fun to me. Be sure to listen to the slight pause and then punch whenever Johnny sounds “Babe,” it really gives the song a lot of strength and force.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=APN7GIO0
457 Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23
W: Otis
P: Johnny Otis
I want to describe this so that a lot of people will download it. It is funky, but not too hard; it is sexy, but not raunchy; it is breezy and easy, but not lite. Basically, it is great all around.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=SZ9GS47R
456 Buffalo Springfield - For What It’s Worth
W: Stills
P: Charles Greene and Brian Stone
I honestly believe that when Stephen Stills is on his game, he is one of the greatest rock songwriters we’ve ever seen.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=IOMHEUGV
455 INXS - Need You Tonight
W: Farris/Hutchence
P: Chris Thomas
Michael Hutchence sings this song with a feline slinkiness that glides through the sparse backing to make an unusually affecting song that is ostensibly about sex, but seems to want even more.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=L89UH040
454 Goodie Mob - The Day After
W: Wade/Brown/Murray/Barnett/Burton/Gipp/Knighton
P: Organized Noize
Goodie Mob’s album “Soul Food” is one of the best Southern rap albums ever, if not the best, and this song is one of the many reasons why. The sound is more earthy than it is dark, and even though it is about the day after a funeral, it manages to sound hopeful. I love it.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=SZUIJD2P
453 The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
W: Whitfield/Strong
P: Norman Whitfield
My favorite part: “Every ni-ight on my knees I pray-ay.”
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=H2WNZLZ7
452 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - From Head to Toe
W: Robinson
P: Smokey Robinson
Smokey is mostly known for balladry, but this oft overlooked uptempo number is a hidden gem full of the joy of being in love.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=0V1HJFCE
451 Fatlip - What’s Up, Fatlip?
W: Stewart
P: J. Swift
This is about as real as rap gets. Fatlip is more self-deprecating than just about any rapper I can think of, but his sense of humor makes this record extremely fun to listen to.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=L3FAJVK7
W: Wade/Brown/Murray/Barnett/Burton/Gipp/Knighton/Bennett
P: Organized Noize
I didn’t know that a song almost completely about food could actually speak about so much and sound this amazing.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=WO3QY98L
474 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Crosstown Traffic
W: Hendrix
P: Jimi Hendrix
I’ll admit that this is a bit of a cop-out since it is Jimi at his poppiest, but why lie, I love pop music.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=04GF6T0U
473 Jimmy Cliff - Many Rivers to Cross
W: Cliff
P: Jimmy Cliff
This song is Jimmy Cliff’s funeral dirge about the possibility of growing old, but it still sounds incredibly hopeful.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=4W63151H
472 The Isley Brothers - That Lady (Parts 1 & 2)
W: R. Isley/O. Isley/R. Isley/E. Isley/M. Isley/C. Jasper
P: Ronald Isley and Rudolph Isley
Ooooooooooweeeeeee, is this song cool. Be sure to check out the interplay of the group and solo singing, it is what really makes this song in my opinion.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=TZV27IVN
471 Eels - Railroad Man
W: Everett
P: Mark Oliver Everett
I like this song because of its lack of audaciousness. It is really simple, really enjoyable, soft country about knowing yourself and being okay.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=2LLZW1OG
470 The Impressions - It’s All Right
W: Mayfield
P: Johnny Pate
Hand claps. They make every song better.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=JNWWOOFY
469 Johnny Cash - Cocaine Blues (Live)
W: Arnall
P: Bob Johnston
Even though Johnny is more known for his down tempo material, he could still rock a song out. His vocal on this song is completely unrestrained and it gives the recording incredible punch.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=HNEKZLWE
468 A Tribe Called Quest - Steve Biko (Stir It Up)
W: Davis/Muhammed/Taylor
P: A Tribe Called Quest
I love this song because, like so many Tribe songs, it has a cool beat, a fun flow, and a unique structure that really separates it from other rap.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=G6JJAO46
467 De La Soul - Patti Dooke
W: Huston/Mercer/Jolicoeur/Mason
P: Prince Paul and De La Soul
This is an incredible record. The jazzy beat is one of the most intricate of Prince Paul’s career, and the bitterness in De La’s lyrics is unparalleled. If you like sell-outs, this song is not for you.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=85O4GCA9
466 Otis Redding - I’ve Been Loving You Too Long To Stop Now
W: Redding/Butler
P: Steve Cropper and Jim Stewart
Nobody sings like Otis.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=EIKMBCQD
465 Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
W: Burton/Callaway/Reverbi/Reverbi
P: Danger Mouse
You already know this song. I don’t need to say anything about it.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z8PNT7ES
464 The Jackson 5 - I’ll Be There
W: Gordy/West/Davis/Hutch
P: Hal Davis
Teenagers shouldn’t be allowed to be this passionate and this talented. It’s not fair.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=O4B1E7NX
463 Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton - Islands in the Stream
W: Gibb/Gibb/Gibb
P: Barry Gibb, Karl Richardson. And Albhy Galuten
Yeah, I like this song, what are you gonna do about it?
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=VAJJU8DT
462 Tony! Toni! Tone! - If I Had No Loot
W: Saadiq/Bautista/Harris
P: Tony! Toni! Tone!
Leave your pretensions at the door, Tony! Toni! Tone! are awesome.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=BAHBENZP
461 Van Morrison - Moondance
W: Morrison
P: Van Morrison
I try not to listen to this song during the day because it evokes the feeling of the night so well.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=F24KZDP0
460 Jurassic-5 - Quality Control
W: Givens/Postic/Stewart/Henderson/Macfadden/Stuart/Reid
P: Cut Chemist
Old school, new school, who cares, this is just a great rap song featuring some wonderful verbal interplay.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=GPQTZNNL
459 Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing
W: Gaye/Brown/Ritz
P: Marvin Gaye
I think some people dismiss this song because of how ‘80s it sounds, but the truth is it is still an extremely well-written song, and Marvin’s vocal is obviously flawless.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=U8UVIFJ8
458 Johnny Cash - It Ain’t Me, Babe
W: Dylan
P: Don Law & Frank Jones
Some people may want to hear the Bob Dylan version, but Johnny’s cover is so much more fun to me. Be sure to listen to the slight pause and then punch whenever Johnny sounds “Babe,” it really gives the song a lot of strength and force.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=APN7GIO0
457 Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23
W: Otis
P: Johnny Otis
I want to describe this so that a lot of people will download it. It is funky, but not too hard; it is sexy, but not raunchy; it is breezy and easy, but not lite. Basically, it is great all around.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=SZ9GS47R
456 Buffalo Springfield - For What It’s Worth
W: Stills
P: Charles Greene and Brian Stone
I honestly believe that when Stephen Stills is on his game, he is one of the greatest rock songwriters we’ve ever seen.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=IOMHEUGV
455 INXS - Need You Tonight
W: Farris/Hutchence
P: Chris Thomas
Michael Hutchence sings this song with a feline slinkiness that glides through the sparse backing to make an unusually affecting song that is ostensibly about sex, but seems to want even more.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=L89UH040
454 Goodie Mob - The Day After
W: Wade/Brown/Murray/Barnett/Burton/Gipp/Knighton
P: Organized Noize
Goodie Mob’s album “Soul Food” is one of the best Southern rap albums ever, if not the best, and this song is one of the many reasons why. The sound is more earthy than it is dark, and even though it is about the day after a funeral, it manages to sound hopeful. I love it.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=SZUIJD2P
453 The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
W: Whitfield/Strong
P: Norman Whitfield
My favorite part: “Every ni-ight on my knees I pray-ay.”
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=H2WNZLZ7
452 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - From Head to Toe
W: Robinson
P: Smokey Robinson
Smokey is mostly known for balladry, but this oft overlooked uptempo number is a hidden gem full of the joy of being in love.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=0V1HJFCE
451 Fatlip - What’s Up, Fatlip?
W: Stewart
P: J. Swift
This is about as real as rap gets. Fatlip is more self-deprecating than just about any rapper I can think of, but his sense of humor makes this record extremely fun to listen to.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=L3FAJVK7