I've been reading the book 'The Heart of Rock and Soul' by Dave Marsh and have been really enjoying it. Obviously I don't agree with him on all of his choices, but between his great commentary on his choices and the recent additions of the Stax/Volt box set and the Motown box set (both of which are excellent) to my collection, I've really been enjoying great singles lately.

So, what do you all think are some of the best singles ever.

A few of my faves-

The Four Tops- Standing in the Shadows of Love, Reach out, Bernadette (one of these wold probably be my choice for best single ever)

The Impressions- People Get Ready

Sam Cooke- A Change is Gonna Come

Elvis- Suspicious Minds (yes it's cheesy, but I also think it is kind of perfect coming out of the radio.)

OK, there will be more to come, those are just a few off the top of my head.

More recent:

"Train In Vain" The Clash

"The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes" Elvis Costello

quote:

"Train In Vain" The Clash

I think Butch Vig ruined this song for me.

The Ronettes - Be My Baby (of course produced by Phil Spector..this and You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling would be way up there on a list by me. About as perfect as popular music has ever been.

The Ramones - Sheena is a Punk Rocker (they never had a hit on radio, really..though they always wanted one. They had the misfortune of being about 20 years ahead of the times and reaching their zenith during the age of disco.

If I start listing any more than those two I'll be here all day...

"Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" -- Edison Lighthouse.

I'm not joking. Quite possibly the most perfect pop single ever.

In terms of a good, old-fashioned 45 rpm single, it's awfully hard to beat The Beatles' "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields Forever." If it was just me, a Close 'n' Play, and one single on a desert island, that would probably be the one.

I really like "A Change is Gonna Come," too, klt. I've not read the book in a long time, but I seem to remember that was actually the b-side of that single, right? I love when b-sides top the a-side like Artie Shaw's "Begin the Beguine" or XTC's "Dear God."

I'm a sucker for the classic 60s R&B tracks, too:

Aretha Franklin "Respect"

Otis Redding "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"

pE and s&v's contributions can't be beat either.

Oh, and "Suspicious Minds?" Chessy? Nah! Pure pop goodness.

Now Playing: "Ring of Fire" Johnny Cash Columbia Country Classics, Volume 4: Nashville Sound <-- a pretty fine single as well

I really LOVE your Beatles single, LT. I think I only played it 150 times before Magical Mystery Tour came out, but I'd have to put "Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out" up against it because those two were NEVER on a U.S. album release until I was practically an old man!

Bob Dylan - "Like a Rolling Stone"
The Beatles - "I Am the Walrus"
Ray Charles - "What'd I Say (Pt. 1 & 2)"
Sam Cooke - "A Change is Gonna Come"
Aretha Franklin - "Respect"
Nirvana - "Come as You Are"
Jane's Addiction - "Been Caught Stealing"
Johnny Cash - "Ring of Fire"
2pac - "Changes"

The Smiths- There is a Light That Never Goes Out
Laura Nyro- It's Gonna Take A Miracle
Bob Dylan- I Shall Be Released
Joy Division- Love Will Tear Us Apart
New Order - Regret
REM-Drive
Talk Talk- It's My Life
Yazoo- Nobody's Diary
Michael Andrews & Gary Jules- Mad World
Lush- Ladykillers
Manic Street Preachers- Motorcycle Emptiness

...

ABC Dunhill released a lot of great sounding 45 rpm singles that still sound brilliant today. The Four Tops' "Keeper of the Castle" and "Are You Man Enough?" come to mind right away as well as an old beloved bubblegum-pop ballad, "Sweet City Suite" by Cashman & West.

I really enjoyed Elton John's singles during 1973-5 that sometimes featured two songs on the b-side and almost always a non-album track.

My most played singles- Aretha Franklin's "Until You Come Back to Me", The Stories "Brother Louie" and Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose's "Too Late to Turn Back Now". Most played cheesey single- "It Never Rains in Southern California" by Albert Hammond (Sr. that is).

There were a lot of great surf, garage and Americana singles on small labels during the mid-late 90's that went unnoticed by most. Not sure if they'd count here.

Pixies have several of my favorite pop songs of all time.

Monkey's Gone To Heaven
Where is My Mind
Hey
Bone Machine

'The Tracks of my Tears' is hands down just about unbeatable.

Many others are 'Walk Away Renee' by the Four Tops, and pretty much anything Motown turned out in their glory days.

Are you honestly saying that you prefer the cover of "Walk Away Renee" to the Left Banke's original?

Ooooh baby baby....of course honeychile. Levi Stubbs and the boys make me feeeeeeel that break up. Plus the arrangement is heaps better than The Left Banke.

This goes against my mostly usual championing of the original version of songs, but you know I'm right..huh, huh....

Bollocks.

quote:

Originally posted by soundandvision:
The Ronettes - Be My Baby (of course produced by Phil Spector..this and You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling would be way up there on a list by me. About as perfect as popular music has ever been.

First of all, I realize that this quote was posted a couple of years ago. But I couldn't agree more with "Be My Baby" and I couldn't disagree more with that god-awful "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling."

The Ronettes' "Be My Baby" is quite simply the greatest song ever recorded.

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
The Ronettes' "Be My Baby" is quite simply the greatest song ever recorded.

It is one tremendous song. Heck, some guy named Brian Wilson even wrote an entire song based off it because he would listen to it non-stop for hours on end.

quote:

posted by mark f.
Bollocks

Why you gotta be hatin the black man? But seriously, why do you prefer the white boy version? I like it too, and have a burnt copy of it somewhere, but it just doesn't fray my nerves like the Tops version.

In other news, I would argue for 'Be My Baby' as aa peak also. I especially love the way it is used in Mean Streets

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:
Are you honestly saying that you prefer the cover of "Walk Away Renee" to the Left Banke's original?

I liked the Linda Ronstadt/Ann Savoy version best.

Yipes!!