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Sometimes you like a song at first, but the more you hear it, the less you can tolerate it. The great ones are different. They express the thoughts…preserve the moments…and capture the imagination. Winner: “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Loser: “MacArthur Park.”
Song: "Piano Man"
Despite Billy Joel’s long and successful career, his numerous top ten hits and best-selling albums, if you’re asked to think of...
Read MoreSong: “Crazy”
Hugh Nelson wrote this song in 1961 for a country singer named Billy Walker. Two good things then happened. Hugh decided he’d prefer...
Read MoreSong: "Louie Louie"
What? This…this…filthy song listed as a Great American Thing? You may think you know what the lyrics are. You can read some...
Read MoreSong: "Let's Stay Together"
We’re going to call him Rev. Al Green, because that’s who he is today. He was still just Al in 1972, when he recorded...
Read MoreSong: "Embraceable You"
This may be the ultimate example of a Gershwin song. With music by George (Great American Things, Feb. 24, 2010) and lyrics by Ira,...
Read MoreSong: "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay"
Otis Redding died in a plane crash near Madison, Wisconsin just three days after overdubs of “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the...
Read MoreSong: "Orange Blossom Special"
Those who follow this blog regularly know that I try to make the selections based not just on my own personal opinions, but to honor those...
Read MoreSong: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”
In 1964, The Righteous Brothers had released two singles, neither of which made it higher on the charts than number 49. Fortunately for...
Read MoreSong: "At Last"
It’s the 1960 recording by Etta James that makes the list of Great American Things. The song itself has been around since 1941, when...
Read MoreSong: "Moonlight Serenade"
“Moonlight Serenade” is not only one of the most beautiful songs of the Big Band Era, it’s one of the most beautiful in...
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