top 50 songs of the 20th century

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the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), asked their listeners and various musicians and music journalists to complie a list of the top 50 songs of the twentieth century, this is the list they came up with

they are working this year to compile a list of top 50 canadian songs, if you are interested in more info look here 50 tracks

1. Imagine - John Lennon
2. In my life - The Beatles
3. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
4. With or Without You - U2
5. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
6. Over the Rainbow - judy garland
7. Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
8. Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
9. In the Mood - Glenn Miller and his orchestra
10. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
11. One Love/People get ready - Bob Marley
12. Day in the Life - The Beatles
13. London Calling - The Clash
14. This Land is Your Land - Woody Guthrie
15. Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf
16. Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds
17. Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys
18. Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
19. Born to run - Bruce Springsteen
20. Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday
21. Star Dust - Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra
22. Your Cheatin' Heart - Hank Williams
23. Heroes - David Bowie
24. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
25. God Save the Queen - The Sex Pistols
26. Stayin' Alive - Beegees
27. How High the Moon - Ella Fitzgerald
28. Paranoid Android - Radiohead
29. Rock around the Clock - Bill Haley and the Comets
30. You oughta know - Alanis Morissette
31. What'd I Say - Ray Charles
32. Brother can you spare a dime? - Recorded by Bing Crosby
33. My Girl - The Temptations
34. Moritat Vom Mackie Messer (Mack the Knife) - Harald Paulsen
35. When Doves Cry - Performed by: Prince
36. Fight The Power - Public Enemy
37. St Louis Blues - Bessie Smith
38. Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed
39. Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin
40. Misty - Sarah Vaughan
41. I believe I'll Dust My Broom - Robert Johnson
42. Nature Boy - Nat King Cole with Frank Devol and his Orchestra
43. That's Alright Mama - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
44. Stop in the Name of Love - The Supremes
45. Potato Head Blues - Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven
46. Doo Wop (That Thing) - Lauryn Hill
47. Message - Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five
48. Blue Yodel #1 (T is for Texas) - Jimmie Rodgers
49. Saturday Night Fish Fry - Louis Jordan and his Timpany Five
50. Real Love (Mark Morales and Mark Rooney) - Mary J. Blige

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I love no.2...it's my favourite Beatle song, closely followed by JL's, Watchin' the Wheels :wink:

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Agreed about #2. But I cannot agree with #6!

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No 6 was very influential though - made my heart glad that No 13 was in...I'm listening to it right now at 7.41 in the morning (not too loud, in case I wake Mr S) I love Mr S...nearly as much as Joe Strummer. :wink:

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There are hundreds of songs as good or better than many of these.

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The list shows a definite bias toward the latter half of the twentieth century, reflecting the age of the respondents.

I predict a recount 50 years from now will contain few of the songs listed here.

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<laughing>

I was wondering if djjd was also listening to this yesterday.

It was a great program, especially with the interviews with people who'd recommended/ voted for particular pieces of music/artists. It wasn't just a straight-out music show.

They're going to be doing the same thing this year, but only Canajun music. I'm looking forward to that.

<wondering what Greyfan thinks the age of the respondents is - I'm guessing that s/he's underestimating significantly - CBC listeners are NOT young>

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Quote:

50 Tracks with Jian Ghomeshi

Thousands of CDs are released each year by thousands of artists in an ever expanding array of genresit's been happening for decades and it's getting harder and harder to figure out what should be in your collection! How is a music lover, casual or devoted, to have any chance of knowing what to buy? What's good? What's going to last? How can a person find the music that matters? Last summer 50 Tracks came up with one great list of essential popular songs of the 20th century.

It was really an interesting question. Not just good, not just popular, not just influential - but all of those things. So there could clearly be better, or more popular, selections.

It seemed to me, when I was listening to the panel, that the blues/jazz lovers were perhaps a bit over-represented, but then there was some discussion of how rock grew out of some of the old blues/jazz selections.

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the process

Quote:

The show is a 10 part series hosted by Jian and featuring a number of
panelists (musicians, industry folks and music journalists) who will present
and debate their choices for the most important recorded music from the 20th century.

Our first show will introduce the series and look at the elements that make a
song "essential". Then we'll work our way through the decades. For each
decade, 3 guest panelists will introduce - and defend - their top music picks
for that time period. By the end of the season we'll have a list of 50
essential tracks of music.

There was a listeners' vote in the mix.

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These lists are difficult to compile. Some of these songs changed the course of music history and some are merely a footnote.
"Rainbow" had quite an impact as it spoke for a generation involved in a holocaust.
"Hero"...I have no idea...

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I wonder how many people realize the lyricist of "Over the Rainbow" is represented by another song on the list?

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I think its a pretty good list!

BUT any top song list that doesn't include the Ramone's "I Wanna Be Sedated" is bogus.

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Or the Mothers of Invention's "Stuff Up the Cracks"

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Good eye Grey...

Yip Harburg-

His most noted work in film musicals was in The Wizard of OZ for which he wrote lyrics, was the final editor and contributed much to the script (including the scene at the end where the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion are rewarded for their efforts by the Wizard). He also wrote lyrics for the Warner Brothers movie, Gay Purr-ee.

Yip was "blacklisted" during the 50's by film, radio and television for his liberal views.

In all, Yip wrote lyrics to 537 songs including; "Brother Can You Spare a Dime", "April In Paris", "It's Only a Paper Moon", "Hurry Sundown", "Lydia the Tattooed Lady", "How Are Things In Glocca Mora" and of course his most famous... "Over the Rainbow".

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Pan- Normally i would never disagree with you about music...but It's Only a Paper Moon" was written by Billy Rose....even my copy of "Funny Lady" says so...:-)

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Just keep repeating: "I will not disagree with Pan about music...I will not disagree with Pan about music..."
And then check out "Brother Can You Spare A Dime"

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I did ya one better I googled...and Billy Rose wrote It's only a paper moon..

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Cut and paste job:

Born William Samuel Rosenberg in New York City, he began his career as a lyricist, best known writing or co-writing the lyrics to "Me and My Shadow", "Great Day" (with Edward Eliscu), "Does the Spearmint Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight" (with Marty Bloom), "I Found a Million Dollar Baby" (with Mort Dixon), and "It's Only a Paper Moon" (with E. Y. Harburg).

Most of his Rose's lyrics credits were collaborations. Biographer Earl Conrad says "Nobody clearly knew what he wrote or didn't write.... Publisher tend to credit him with writing the songs known to bear his name as a lyricist.... But tales rumble on... that Billy could feed and toss in a remark and monkey around, but that others did most of the writing." Lyricists might have been willing to tolerate a Rose credit grab because Rose was very successful at promoting "his" songs.

Thanks for leading me through an interesting info chase Willow...it's what I love about these threads.

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your welcome...:-) knowledge is power....

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Take "Like a Rolling Stone" as an instance. I dearly love Bob Dylan. However, though that one may be a milestone that ushered in a new type of music, it is far from being his best song.

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top 50 songs of the 20th century

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