Playlist 16

[stoutfellow]

It wasn't easy to just get ten here; the initial cut left me with thirteen.

• Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show, Neil Diamond. A rollicking good time, just about Neil's best. Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies and everyone goes...


• Papa Was A Rolling Stone, the Temptations. A classic character study - or as much of one as can be compressed into a seven-minute song.


• Livin' Thing, the Electric Light Orchestra. This was my first introduction to ELO's idiosyncratic style, and it's still my favorite of theirs.


• Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel. This is the one time in their partnership that Art Garfunkel got to take the lead, and it's just beautiful. (I also have an... interesting cover by Aretha Franklin.)


• Dancing in the Dark, Bruce Springsteen. The Boss has written more powerful songs than this one, but nothing, I think, that's more fun.


• Nightingale, Carole King. I don't think she really has that good a voice, but she shines in this one. (It actually has some odd resonances with "Stand By Your Man".)


• Lady-O, the Turtles. Soft, cool, and romantic, this is one of my favorite Turtles songs.


• Flora's Secret, Enya. I love the... call it lushness... that Enya brings to this song; again, one of my favorites of theirs.


• Downtown, Petula Clark.


• Dancing in the Street, Martha and the Vandellas. I also have a cover by the Mamas and the Papas, but that one is arch and sly, and I don't think it works. This one needs to be sung exuberantly and sincerely.