From: earendil@newview.etsu.edu (Allen Garvin)
Subject: Re: top 100
Reply-To: earendil@newview.etsu.edu (Allen Garvin)
Organization: East Texas State University, Commerce, TX
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 21:02:32 GMT


While not exactly answering your query, I would like to mention a very good
book that covers roughly the same terrain. It is 
   _The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever_
                by Dave Marsh

This is a highly opinionated guide whose subject is obvious from the title.
It's great fun to read, and it has led me to a fair amount of music I was not
aware of before I bought it. Readers of this list will probably recognize
the author, who has been a well-known rock critic for twenty years. Many
probably own the Rolling Stone Record Guide, which he edited. I find it leans
a little to heavily towards Motown, but that is probably because Marsh is 
from the Motor city itself, although every category of rock'n roll made in 
the last 40 years is represented, and every selection is of very high quality.

I have my copy on hand, and I will type out the top 20:
   1. "I Heard it through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye
   2. "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry
   3. "Papa's got a brand new bag" by James Brown
   4. "Reach out, I'll be there" by the Four Tops
   5. "You've lost that lovin' feeling" by the Righteous Brothers
   6. "I(I can't get no) Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones
   7. "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan
   8. "Respect" by Aretha Franklin   [This would be my top choice - Earendil]
   9. "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard
   10. "Nowhere to run
                      " (whoops!) by Martha and the Vandellas
       (Sometime I'll get around to learning vi)
   11. "Louie, Louie" by the Kingsmen
   12. "Mystery Train" by Elvis Presley
   13. "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" by Big Joe Turner
   14. "Whole Lotta shakin' going on" by Jerry Lee Lewis
   15. "(Sittin' on) The dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding
   16. "Everyday people" by Sly and the Family Stone
   17. "Only the lonely" by Roy Orbison
   18. "(You make me feel like) A natural woman" by Aretha Franklin
   19. "Be my baby" by the Ronettes
   20. "Da Doo Ran Ran" by the Crystals  [Some really great drumming here - E]
   21. "Christmas (baby please come home)" by Darlene Love
   22. "Do you Love me" by the Contours
   23. "Hold On I'm Coming" by Sam and Dave  [My favorite Stax hit - E]
   24. "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen
   25. "What's Goin' on" by Marvin Gaye
   26. "Who'll stop the rain" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
   27. "My Girl" by the Temptations
   28. "Jump" by Van Halen
   29. "Ticket to Ride" by the Beatles
   30. "There goes my baby" by the Drifters
   31. "When a man loves a woman" by Michael Bolton ... NOT! 
             ok bad joke, really by Percy Sledge, of course
   32. "A Change Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
   33. "That'll be the day" by Buddy Holly
   34. "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs
   35. "I've been loving you too long" by Otis Redding
   36. "Since I don't have you" by the Skyliners
   37. "Bernadette" by the Four Tops     [My fave motown song - E]
   38. "She loves you" by the Beatles
   39. "Oh Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison
   40. "I can see for miles" by the Who
   41. "What'd I say" by Ray Charles
   42. "Lonely tear drops" by Jackie Wilson 
   43. "One fine day" by the Chiffons
   44. "Uptight (everything's alright)" by Stevie Wonder
   45. "Little Red Corvette" by Prince
   46. "The tracks of my tears" by the Miracles
   47. "Blueberry Hill" by Fats Domino
   48. "Live to tell" by Madonna
   49. "Need you love so bad" by Little Willie John
   50. "Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vandellas

ok, that's more than twenty, but I got in the groove and couldn't stop 8-)
Remember, this is not my opinion, though many of these would make my own
list.

This probably wont satisfy album oriented people who feel that many songs
not released on singles are good, and aren't represented. Maybe someone
should post a list of best songs not released on 45.

There was a list in Rolling Stone magazine that had the greatest 100 singles
of the last 25 years (as of 89), voted on by their editorial staff. the
top three choices were "Satisfaction", "Respect", and "Like a rolling stone",
in that order. Unfortunately, I loaned that issue out, and never got it back.
I think there was an article on Van Halen in there that my friend wanted.

        -Earendil
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