The Ecstatic Truth, Pt. 6
W: Wade/Brown/Murray/Burton/Benjamin/Patton/Gipp/Williams
P: Organized Noize
OutKast, Goodie Mob, Backbone, Organized Noize, what’s not to love? Fun beat, fun raps, all around a great time.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=U2F1XOLU
374 Franz Ferdinand - Walk Away
W: Kapranos/McCarthy
P: Rich Costey & Franz Ferdinand
This song represents the direction I most want Franz to go towards. There is a lot of movement in this song, and the bounce of the verse provided by the acoustic guitars help to set it apart from some of the harder elements of their music.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=ESU72BDA
373 Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life
W: Wonder
P: Stevie Wonder
I have always been fascinated by the fact that Stevie Wonder gave away the first two lines on this, one of his sweetest love songs, to other people.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=RMRE6JV2
372 Big Star - September Gurls
W: Chilton
P: Big Star
Did I say that “Surrender” was how power-pop should sound? I lied, this is everything power-pop should be: twangy Byrds-esque guitars, a catchy melody, and lyrics about love. Big Star are probably one of the most influential artists you’ve never heard.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=A1JE97YB
371 Snoop Doggy Dogg - Who Am I (What’s My Name?)
W: Clinton/Shider/Broadus/Spradley
P: Dr. Dre
Why doesn’t Snoop ever sound as if he is having as much fun as he does here?
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=GILITG4W
370 Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues
W: Cochran/Capehart
P: Jerry Capehart
I think this perennial teenage anthem still works because despite its time, it still sounds rough to this day. And everybody loves singing bass vocals.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=4ECDGNN9
369 Otis Redding - These Arms of Mine
W: Redding
Oh. My. God. If you don’t know Otis Redding beyond “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of Bay” you are about to experience one of the greatest vocalists of all time. He pours his soul into this song.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=LI5XFWBS
368 Sly & The Family Stone - If It Were Left Up To Me
W: Stewart
P: Sly Stone
This is one of the hidden highlights of Sly’s “Fresh” album. It isn’t that danceable, but it has a great driving bass line and I find the way it erases the line between the lead and backing vocals to be really interesting.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=6Y14BT9J
367 Sam and Dave - Soul Man
W: Hayes/Porter
P: Isaac Hayes and David Porter
Listen, I love to dance. Nothing cures the doldrums quite like a good dance song, and this is a very, very good dance song.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=2MKKTSY0
366 Parliament - Testify
W: Clinton/Taylor
P: George Clinton
This song finds Parliament straddling the line between old school R&B and their soon-to-come otherworldly funk. More importantly though, it is a really great uptempo love song.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=WHQK2KQ5
365 The Pharcyde - Return of the B-Boy
W: Robinson/Wilcox/Hardson/Stewart/Martinez
P: J-Swift
If you know me, you know how much I love old school. This loving tribute to the old school captures all of the fun and excitement of those early days and puts them in a new context that is just as much fun.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=C0P70Y4D
364 The Jackson 5 - The Love You Save
W: Perren/Mizell/Gordy/Richards
P: Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell, Berry Gordy, and Deke Richards
If you derive any enjoyment at all out of pop music you should love this song.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=UFHWTU35
363 Johnny Cash - In My Life
W: Lennon/McCartney
P: Rick Rubin
Don’t worry, The Beatles version is also on the list, but for those that were there, this recording holds a very special place in my heart.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=EDKOZ4N3
362 The Time - Jungle Love
W: Starr/Day/Johnson
P: The Starr Company
Chili sauce!
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=N9FH8R5I
361 Paul McCartney - The Back Seat of My Car
W: McCartney/McCartney
P: Paul & Linda McCartney
This song is wild. It takes so many twists and turns you may get lost, but McCartney’s insane gift for melody ties everything together and keeps the listener interested.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=83RZ2NEE
360 Prince & The Revolution - Raspberry Beret
W: Prince
P: Prince & the Revolution
Even though this isn’t my favorite Prince song, I have always felt that it is one of the most singularly Prince songs in his catalogue.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=ITXBHJTU
359 Sly & The Family Stone - I Want to Take You Higher
W: Stewart
P: Sly Stone
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: hand claps make every song better. Period.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=URAXB2MW
358 Stevie Wonder - Superstition
W: Wonder
P: Stevie Wonder, Malcolm Cecil, and Robert Margouleff
That groove is too damn nasty, how can you not dance to it?
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=XER76E0Y
357 The Beatles - Across the Universe (Naked Version)
W: Lennon/McCartney
P: The Beatles and George Martin
I chose the naked version of this song because I think it is much prettier in this stripped down form, and the crisp tone of John’s voice is haunting.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=6QHJX3EP
356 2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up
W: Anderson/Shakur/Troutman
P: DJ Daryl
What separates 2Pac from other rappers in my eyes is that when he talks about social issues, he actually sounds like he means it.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=XOFLSOXW
355 Nick Drake - Pink Moon
W: Drake
P: John Wood
I love how calm and natural this song feels. A lot of acoustic stuff can come off very forced, but this sounds like it is the only way this song could be presented.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=S6KBXDX6
354 Sublime - What I Got
W: Nowell
P: Paul Leary & David Kahne
Sorry, it’s generational.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZC520Y5X
353 Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt. II
W: Johnson/Muchita
P: Mobb Deep
No disrespect to Mobb Deep (whom I like very much), but this song shows that what makes music so exciting is that anyone can strike gold.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=08AUJTWP
352 Parliament - Flash Light
W: Clinton/Collins/Worrell
P: George Clinton
Another song that it just feels great to dance to.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=UXFYNSG5
351 Andrew W.K. - Party Hard
W: W.K.
P: Andrew W.K.
This is like a shot of fun going straight into your ear.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=474RN17B
P: Organized Noize
OutKast, Goodie Mob, Backbone, Organized Noize, what’s not to love? Fun beat, fun raps, all around a great time.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=U2F1XOLU
374 Franz Ferdinand - Walk Away
W: Kapranos/McCarthy
P: Rich Costey & Franz Ferdinand
This song represents the direction I most want Franz to go towards. There is a lot of movement in this song, and the bounce of the verse provided by the acoustic guitars help to set it apart from some of the harder elements of their music.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=ESU72BDA
373 Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life
W: Wonder
P: Stevie Wonder
I have always been fascinated by the fact that Stevie Wonder gave away the first two lines on this, one of his sweetest love songs, to other people.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=RMRE6JV2
372 Big Star - September Gurls
W: Chilton
P: Big Star
Did I say that “Surrender” was how power-pop should sound? I lied, this is everything power-pop should be: twangy Byrds-esque guitars, a catchy melody, and lyrics about love. Big Star are probably one of the most influential artists you’ve never heard.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=A1JE97YB
371 Snoop Doggy Dogg - Who Am I (What’s My Name?)
W: Clinton/Shider/Broadus/Spradley
P: Dr. Dre
Why doesn’t Snoop ever sound as if he is having as much fun as he does here?
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=GILITG4W
370 Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues
W: Cochran/Capehart
P: Jerry Capehart
I think this perennial teenage anthem still works because despite its time, it still sounds rough to this day. And everybody loves singing bass vocals.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=4ECDGNN9
369 Otis Redding - These Arms of Mine
W: Redding
Oh. My. God. If you don’t know Otis Redding beyond “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of Bay” you are about to experience one of the greatest vocalists of all time. He pours his soul into this song.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=LI5XFWBS
368 Sly & The Family Stone - If It Were Left Up To Me
W: Stewart
P: Sly Stone
This is one of the hidden highlights of Sly’s “Fresh” album. It isn’t that danceable, but it has a great driving bass line and I find the way it erases the line between the lead and backing vocals to be really interesting.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=6Y14BT9J
367 Sam and Dave - Soul Man
W: Hayes/Porter
P: Isaac Hayes and David Porter
Listen, I love to dance. Nothing cures the doldrums quite like a good dance song, and this is a very, very good dance song.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=2MKKTSY0
366 Parliament - Testify
W: Clinton/Taylor
P: George Clinton
This song finds Parliament straddling the line between old school R&B and their soon-to-come otherworldly funk. More importantly though, it is a really great uptempo love song.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=WHQK2KQ5
365 The Pharcyde - Return of the B-Boy
W: Robinson/Wilcox/Hardson/Stewart/Martinez
P: J-Swift
If you know me, you know how much I love old school. This loving tribute to the old school captures all of the fun and excitement of those early days and puts them in a new context that is just as much fun.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=C0P70Y4D
364 The Jackson 5 - The Love You Save
W: Perren/Mizell/Gordy/Richards
P: Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell, Berry Gordy, and Deke Richards
If you derive any enjoyment at all out of pop music you should love this song.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=UFHWTU35
363 Johnny Cash - In My Life
W: Lennon/McCartney
P: Rick Rubin
Don’t worry, The Beatles version is also on the list, but for those that were there, this recording holds a very special place in my heart.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=EDKOZ4N3
362 The Time - Jungle Love
W: Starr/Day/Johnson
P: The Starr Company
Chili sauce!
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=N9FH8R5I
361 Paul McCartney - The Back Seat of My Car
W: McCartney/McCartney
P: Paul & Linda McCartney
This song is wild. It takes so many twists and turns you may get lost, but McCartney’s insane gift for melody ties everything together and keeps the listener interested.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=83RZ2NEE
360 Prince & The Revolution - Raspberry Beret
W: Prince
P: Prince & the Revolution
Even though this isn’t my favorite Prince song, I have always felt that it is one of the most singularly Prince songs in his catalogue.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=ITXBHJTU
359 Sly & The Family Stone - I Want to Take You Higher
W: Stewart
P: Sly Stone
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: hand claps make every song better. Period.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=URAXB2MW
358 Stevie Wonder - Superstition
W: Wonder
P: Stevie Wonder, Malcolm Cecil, and Robert Margouleff
That groove is too damn nasty, how can you not dance to it?
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=XER76E0Y
357 The Beatles - Across the Universe (Naked Version)
W: Lennon/McCartney
P: The Beatles and George Martin
I chose the naked version of this song because I think it is much prettier in this stripped down form, and the crisp tone of John’s voice is haunting.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=6QHJX3EP
356 2Pac - Keep Ya Head Up
W: Anderson/Shakur/Troutman
P: DJ Daryl
What separates 2Pac from other rappers in my eyes is that when he talks about social issues, he actually sounds like he means it.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=XOFLSOXW
355 Nick Drake - Pink Moon
W: Drake
P: John Wood
I love how calm and natural this song feels. A lot of acoustic stuff can come off very forced, but this sounds like it is the only way this song could be presented.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=S6KBXDX6
354 Sublime - What I Got
W: Nowell
P: Paul Leary & David Kahne
Sorry, it’s generational.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZC520Y5X
353 Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt. II
W: Johnson/Muchita
P: Mobb Deep
No disrespect to Mobb Deep (whom I like very much), but this song shows that what makes music so exciting is that anyone can strike gold.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=08AUJTWP
352 Parliament - Flash Light
W: Clinton/Collins/Worrell
P: George Clinton
Another song that it just feels great to dance to.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=UXFYNSG5
351 Andrew W.K. - Party Hard
W: W.K.
P: Andrew W.K.
This is like a shot of fun going straight into your ear.
hxxp://www.megaupload.com/?d=474RN17B