Media Watch
Vanity Fair's 'Best 25 Songs' Include Some Unlikely Candidates
In honor of Vanity Fair's 25th anniversary, the magazine's editors have created a Top 25 List that includes everything imaginable, from book covers to parties the likes of which Prince attended but not you. The latest "best of" list to drop? You guessed it! Vanity Fair's "Best 25 Songs!" Not that it compares to our magnum opus of Top 100 Soul/R&B Song Countdown, but there are some great cuts on the list. "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck, the same song that ushered in West Coast Jazz, "Goldfinger" by Shirley Bassey, and John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" are all well represented on a list that looks as though it was composed by someone who is under tenure, smokes pipes, and wears corduroy blazers with elbow patches. But what's surprising is that while the Motown sound is well represented, my choice for top Hip Hop song, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five's "The Message" is included here, too. Currently, The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" is pouncing the competition. And I'm not mad since, as a listener to more than just Hip Hop, this is one of my favorite songs ever. But while we're on the topic of non-Soul songs, what are some of your favorite non-Soul tracks of all time? I'll go first: Journey's "Who's Crying Now."
Tags: beach boys, beyoncé, dave brubeck, grandmaster flash and the furious five, john coltrane, journey, shirley bassey
Comments
My favorie non-soul track is If You Leave Me Now. by Chicago.
Doganr | October 20, 2008 11:48 AM | PermalinkI am so happy that someone else mentioned Toad The Wet Sprocket that I could cry!!!! AMEN to diverse musical tastes!
But while we're mentioning underappreciated artists, can I give a shout to my girl Cree Summer??? Her debut (and only) album is one of my favorite things, period.
Stephanie Renee | October 20, 2008 10:50 AM | Permalinkoh man.
i'm gonna go ahead and give a gang of songs off the top of my head (no special order). i'm sure i'm going to look back and be like "how in the hell did i forget _____________" i'm not good at this sort of thing.
keane--we might as well be strangers
dar | October 18, 2008 5:14 PM | Permalinkjeff buckley--everybody here wants you
the smashing pumpkins--for martha
fiona apple--the first taste
beck--hotwax
weezer--waiting on you
toad the wet sprocket--i will not take these things for granted
level 42--something about you
coldplay--trouble
superdrag--i can't wait
pearl jam--faithfull
stone temple pilots--sour girl
ryan adams--answering bell
death cab for cutie--company calls (epilogue)
the verve--the drugs don't work
steely dan--peg
led zeppelin--what is and should never be
pavement--shady lane
the band--the weight
kansas--dust in the wind
james morrison--you give me something
the sundays--when i'm thinking about you
billy joel--get it right the first time
gavin degraw--belief
spoon--sister jack
jars of clay--blind
hum--if you are to bloom
badly drawn boy--silent sigh
Esthero "Country Livin"
Joni Mitchell "You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio"
Bjork "Anchor Song"
Carole King "So Far Away"
Jefferson Airplane "Free Ride"
Seals & Croft "Summer Breeze"
... even though I still consider all these songs "soul" songs because that's what they move!
Bianca | October 17, 2008 7:25 PM | PermalinkFIona Apple "Pale September"
Esperanza Spalding's cover of "Ponta de Areia"
Um...tough question.
That Mr. Big song "To Be With You" seems like a good start. I have no shame of my love for that song or my cheesiness in general. Tons of Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. I've also got mad love for Haydn, Bach and folks like that, particularly their cello concertos.
Ro | October 17, 2008 5:10 PM | Permalinkthe cardigans--love me
miss concrete jungle | October 17, 2008 11:00 AM | Permalinksix pence none the richer--kiss me
extreme--more than words
aerosmith--jaded
james taylor--shower the people
sheryl crow--favorite mistake and all i wanna do
I loved the entire Shania Twain come on over album
I also really like Maroon 5...umm i think that's all off the top of my head!
I'll admit I'm pretty much strictly Soul/R&B when it comes to music, nothin else really appeals to me on the same level, I think there are only about 2 non-soul albums on my iPOD. However I do like:
Elton John - Your Song & Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Soul Uk | October 17, 2008 4:43 AM | PermalinkEva Cassidy - Songbird
Justin Nozuka - Holly (album)
Non neo - that is hard as all hell! Long ass list, but it would start with A Different Corner -Wham/George Michael, Coldplay - God Put A Smile On Your Face, Journey - Foolish Heart and the list goes on...
tha Connoisseur | October 17, 2008 1:40 AM | Permalinkno jimi hendrix? no james brown? no miles davis? no rage against the machine? no f*ckin billie holliday?! no pink floyd? AND NO MARVIN!? or even Otis!? or Curtis!? NO JAMES BROWN?!?!
vanity fair needs to stop fuckin' around with quadrilles.
toothpick | October 16, 2008 8:38 PM | PermalinkBree, I agree with the Maroon 5. I love all those songs. I like several mentioned by the Chili Peppers, Queen, Nirvana.
a few more:
Reecie | October 16, 2008 7:28 PM | PermalinkDon't Speak by No Doubt
Yellow by Coldplay
Criminal by Fiona Apple
Crazy and I don't want to miss a thing by Aerosmith
.... and tons of Madonna
Sheryl Crow & Kid Rock 'Picture'
khalid | October 16, 2008 4:44 PM | PermalinkDolly Parton 'Coat of Many Colors'....don't ask why.
Elton John 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word'
@ TiP...
You reminded be about No Doubt and Shania Twain- both great!
Also,
Bree | October 16, 2008 4:34 PM | PermalinkMaroon 5- Wake Up Call, She Will Be Loved, Makes Me Wonder, This Love
I LOVE all music but here are some of my favorite non-soul artist and songs.
Red Hot Chili Peppers"Under the Bridge" and "Give it away"
TiP | October 16, 2008 4:04 PM | PermalinkTom Petty and Heartbreakers "Free Fallin"
No Doubt "I'm just a girl"
Guns & Roses"Sweet Child of MIne"
Pearl Jam "Jeremy"
Nirvana "Come as you are"
Dave Matthews Band "Ants Marching"
Dixie Chicks "Cowboy Take Me Away"
Shania Twain "Feel Like a Woman"
I will bite
Jeff Buckley "Forget Her"
Fleetwood Mac "Silver Springs"
Bonnie Raitt "Nick of Time"
Queen "Somebody to Love"
311 and Cure- "Love Song"
DMB- "satellite"
Ricki Lee Jones-" The Horses"
The Police- "every little thing she does is magic"
Fiona Apple-"Never is a promise"
Bree, I am feeling your inclusion of Pat Benatar
I could go on & on.....
j | October 16, 2008 4:01 PM | PermalinkNirvana- "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Bree | October 16, 2008 3:18 PM | PermalinkHeart- "Alone"
Pat Benatar- "Love is a Battlefield", "Heartbreaker"
Queen- "Bohemian Rhapsody"
The Beatles- "Come Together"
Journey- "Open Arms"