Redartz: It's a momentous week for fans of pop music: ABBA has released two new songs ahead of a new album due in November! Those of us who are fans of the Swedish foursome have waited some 40 years (and I was a fan from their start, back when my friends looked at me cockeyed as they played their Aerosmith and Nazereth lps). For most of that time the likelihood of new ABBA tunes seemed remote. Nevertheless, here we are, and here they are; back with their engaging melodies and catchy hooks. Few acts in rock history could execute a pop song as effectively, as satisfyingly, as Anni-frid, Bjorn, Benny and Agnetha. Indeed, no less than Pete Townsend called the single "S.O.S." the greatest pop single ever made.
And therein lies our topic for the week. What do you consider the perfect pop single? Yes, there are countless candidates that you could name. My pick- I'd have to agree with Mr. Townsend; "S.O.S." remains a stunningly rich performance, and is still greatly enjoyable even after countless listenings.But that's simply my opinion. What's yours? What are the greatest stand out singles of the rock era? What were your favorites, and why? And feel free to share your thoughts about ABBA, as well. I'll be setting aside funds for their "Avatar Concert" (ABBAtars?) next year...
56 comments:
I think it's genuinely impossible to name the perfect pop single but, if forced to, I'd probably go for Kim Wilde's "Kids in America."
Among other contenders, I'd include:
Eddie & the Hot Rods - "Do Anything You Wanna Do"
The B52's - "Roam"
The Killers - "Read My Mind"
Kate Bush - "Wuthering Heights"
Orange Juice - "Rip it Up"
The Sweet - "Love is Like Oxygen"
ABBA - "Take a Chance on Me"
Donna Summer - "State of Independence"
The Buggles - "Video Killed the Radio Star"
Cliff Richard - "Carrie"
Britney Spears - "...Baby One More Time"
Madonna - "Ray of Light"
Madonna - "Hung Up"
Scissor Sisters - "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'"
Do 'B' sides count? Then my vote goes to Sweet's "Burn on the Flame," which was the B-side for the "Fox on the Run" single.
Nearly impossible to choose just one. I adore (and heartily endorse) both ‘S.O.S.’ and ‘Roam’ . Here’s a few more, off the top of my head:
‘Jesse’s Girl’ by Rick Springfield
‘867-5309 (Jenny)’ by Tommy Tutone
‘Just A Chance’ by Badfinger
‘What Is Life’ by George Harrison
‘I Got the Music In Me’ by Kiki Dee
‘Jam Up and Jelly Tight’ by Tommy Roe
‘Half Breed’ by Cher
‘I Want You Back’ by The Jackson Five
‘Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting’ by Elton John
‘China Grove’ by The Doobie Brothers
‘Don’t Pull Your Love’ by Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds
‘More Today Than Yesterday’ by The Spiral Staircase
‘Livin’ Thing’ by ELO
‘Pay To The Piper’ by Chairmen of the Board
‘Groovy Situation’ by Gene Chandler
‘I Want To Take You Higher’ by Ike and Tina Turner
‘Tell Her She’s Lovely’ by El Chicano
‘Temptation Eyes’ by The Grass Roots
‘Tighter, Tighter’ by Alive and Kickin’
‘My Baby Loves Lovin’ by White Plains
That’s just the tip of the iceberg….
b.t.
"Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs.....at least that's my perfect pop single. :)
Oh golly, I feel like I could respond here with nothing but Beatles songs, if I put my back into it. . . !
HB
Yes, there's no lack of possibilities!
Steve DC- great choices. "Kids in America " is a blast; perfectly captured that Summer of 1982.
Edo- certainly 'b' sides count! Only criteria is that it's a jewel in your eyes (ears). Which actually brings up an addendum; just what qualities make up a 'perfect ' single? I'll throw this out there- it's a song you still enjoy hearing even after countless previous listenings...
B.t.- man, your list got me thinking of so many others. But just to exercise self restraint, you mentioned Ike and Tina Turner. Excellent choice, brought to my mind "River Deep, Mountain High ". Tina Turner could be responsible for quite a few great singles.
Graham- yes, "Lowdown" was huge in High School. Terrific song!
HB- ah yes, the Beatles wrote the book on Perfect Singles. But the toughie is, can you pick just one (okay, okay, stop twisting my arm, you can pick the Fab Four's Finest Five) ; lol!
Here are some more. I don’t know if any of ‘em are ‘Perfect’ , but they’re all at least ‘Pure’ Pop — in my estimation, anyway…
‘Get It On’ by Chase
‘Bring A Little Lovin’ by Los Bravos
‘A Million Miles Away’ by The Plimsouls
‘Go Your Own Way’ by Fleetwood Mac
‘More Than A Feeling’ by Boston
‘Hot N Cold’ by Katy Perry
‘Good bye To You’ by Scandal
‘Here And Now’ by Letters To Cleo
‘Rock Me Gently’ by Andy Kim
‘Go All The Way’ by Raspberries
‘I’m a Believer’ by The Monkees
I’ve been deliberately avoiding the Beatles so far, because I thought it would too hard — but I keep wanting to say ‘Ticket To Ride’, so I’ll just go with that one.
How aboutîmes of them other British Invaders?
For the Stones, I’d have to pick the obvious : ‘Satisfaction’.
‘All Day and All of the Night’ by The Kinks
‘Heart Full of Soul’ by The Yardbirds
I love The Who, but none of their singles sound like ‘Pop’ to me. Same with The Animals. I’m not quite sure why that is. Hmm. Gonna have to ponder that a bit…
b.t.
By the way, Red, I see that no one is addressing your B-side topic, Abba.
I was exposed to their music early on, as my older sister's teenage years corresponded to the original peak of their popularity, i.e., early to late '70s. She had a few of their albums and that, together with frequent radio airplay, meant that I listened to them quite a bit as a child. At the time, I liked them well enough, but then when I hit my teens (early '80s), you were pretty required to make fun of Abba, disco and anything '70s.
However, once Abba had that first resurgence in popularity in the early 1990s and their songs started to get played again (and included in movie soundtracks), I realized that I still liked quite a few of their songs. I'd never call them favorites, but I enjoy listening to them occasionally. Also, I've learned to respect the hell out of the way they crafted seemingly simplistic tunes that are musically quite rich.
IshouldbegoingtoworkIshouldbegoingtoworkIshouldbegoingtowork. . .
Y'know---- I'm gonna plonk down a non-Beatles pop single that NEVER fails to get me dancing around (and I am NO dancer!) and clapping along as hard as my hands can stand it and yowling at the top of my voice (tough on the family, since it's on my Cooking Dinner Spotify List): Paul Revere and the Raiders' HIM OR ME (WHAT'S IT GONNA BE). Somehow, I was never aware of this perfect, joyful single until a few years ago. It came up on the Sirius/XM 60's channel at the shop while I was working up in the ceiling, on top of a ladder that was on top of a 16' scaffold. It got about 40 seconds in and I thought, "OMIGOD-- this is now my favorite song of my LIFE. . .and I have no idea who it is!!!" I managed to clamber down at an entirely unsafe speed, and get to my player before the song was over to identify it. I almost never, ever listen to it just once if I have an option to repeat it. . . Its video is also a hoot, as the energy is quite over the top. . . as well as hilariously messy with the lip/instrument synch. (Drummer stops playing at one point for a moment. . . and yet we somehow still hear him--- heh---)
Beatles Five Perfect Singles? Gut reaction:
TWIST & SHOUT (Def eligible for the main list as well)
I FEEL FINE
HELP
YELLOW SUBMARINE (Because-- universally recognizable novelty song + astonishing earworm)
HEY JUDE
Oh lordy, and now I'm latelatelate---
HB
Because I've now got lost down a YouTube rabbit hole, I'll add the following to my list:
The Dandy Warhols - "Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth"
Lady Gaga - "Born This Way"
Sparks - "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us"
Kirsty MacColl - "Terry"
Tracey Ullman - "They Don't Know"
B.t.- "Heart Full of Soul", yeah! One of the reasons 1965 was such a gargantuan year for pop music...
Edo- thanks for your thoughts on ABBA. You're right about the early to mid 80's, by the the 70's had been relegated to fodder for comedians and pop culture analysts. Still remember watching the Bee Gees on a video about that time and thinking them quite passe. But let another decade pass and the 70's were back in vogue, sort of...
HB- can't argue with your Beatles picks! If forced at pain of death (or musical excommunication) to pick one, it might be "I Feel Fine". And your essay on the Raiders prompted me to YouTube it. Excellent, love the guitar licks.
Oh, and I hope you made it to work on time...
Oh hey-- and I have two ABBA songs on the above-mentioned Spotify playlist (titled something like "Songs that fill me with Joy while cooking Dinner"). . .
TAKE A CHANCE ON ME-- probably my favorite. The sweetly stacked 7th chords near the end just clamp onto my heart. . .
THE VISITORS-- I actually didn't know that was ABBA for a long time.
I didn't buy anything of theirs until, like '01 or '02, though. And I picked up their big double-CD greatest hits collection. TERRIFIC compilation. I got a LOT of odd looks from my pals and peers who wandered through the shop at our theater-- "Never really though of ABBA as the kind of thing you'd like. . . huhn. . ."
HB
If we are talking perfect pop songs as opposed to classic rock then to add to some (most) of the brilliant selections above I would add:
Gimmie little sign – Brenton Wood
Cry to me - Solomon Burke
Hey-Ya! - Outkasts
Young gifted and black - Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths
Brandy (You’re a fine girl) – the Looking Glass
Party Fears two – The Associates
Lola – The Kinks
Babylon’s Burning - The Ruts (ok that’s maybe more rock /punk than pop)
Albert Hammond – Free Electric Band
Forget you – Ceelo Green
If interested a wee link to the Gimmie little sign song by Brenton Wood as it always cheers me up when I hear it.
Brenton Wood - Give me some kind of sign girl - YouTube
I was never a big fan of ABBA but I can appreciate their exceptional song writing talents and I do like their pop songs (“Ring Ring”, “Does your mama know” etc) and it is really is nice to see them back a wee nostalgia kick ( I have only just heard the 2 new songs and different but still ABBA and they are both good songs).
For me a "perfect" pop song must be 1) very catchy and 2) not very long (no more than 4 minutes please).
Some perfect pop songs that haven't been mentioned:
Super Trouper - ABBA
The Tide Is High - Blondie
Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep - Middle Of The Road
Japanese Boy - Aneka
Metal Guru - T. Rex
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This - Eurythmics
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Tight Fit
Top Of The World - Carpenters
Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks
Bye Bye Baby - Bay City Rollers
Figaro - Brotherhood Of Man
I Feel Love - Donna Summer
Rasputin - Boney M
You're The One That I Want - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
Saturday Night - Whigfield
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
Royals - Lorde...
...and to come bang up to date I'll include the new ABBA song Don't Shut Me Down which is very catchy and not too long :D
Red, here in the UK it was S.O.S. that really launched ABBA - yes, they'd already had a UK #1 hit with Waterloo, the winner of the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, but that song was dismissed as a Eurovision novelty one-off and ABBA's next few singles flopped until S.O.S. made the Top 5 in the Autumn of 1975. Thanks to S.O.S. ABBA were finally taken seriously as a pop group and their next seven singles included six #1 hits (ABBA had nine UK #1 hits in total).
In the early 1990s, I was busy buying CD compilation albums and Greatest Hits packages of 70s pop music, in a wave of nostalgia for my mis-spent youth. At that time, ABBA was something of a punchline in the zeitgeist, representative of all that was cheesy and awful about the 70s, right up there with paisley polyester shirts and avocado kitchen appliances. I bought one of their Greatest Hits CDs on a whim, cranked it up pretty loud in the car on my daily commute, and was blown away by the catchy hooks, glistening arrangements and effervescent harmonies.
‘S.O.S.’ was the track that stood out from all the rest, for me. I don’t remember hearing it on the radio in the States back in their heyday (or maybe I’d started to listen to Classic Rock stations more than Top 40), but in any case, it was like hearing it for the first time. The chord progressions and anthemic overdubbed vocals in the chorus are FIRE. I can totally see why Pete Townsend would dig it. Among all the other terrific candidates posted here, I do think this one song is probably my pick for the Pinnacle of Pure Pop Perfection.
Of course, it’s not gonna stop me from listing lots more Perfect Pop singles as I think of ‘em….
b.t.
Here are some more:
‘Shambala’ by Three Dog Night
‘Saturday Night’ by the Bay City Rollers
‘Beach Baby’ by First Class
‘Da Doo Ron Ron’ by The Crystals
‘Expressway To Your Heart’ by The Soul Survivors
‘Jet’ by Paul McCartney and Wings
‘Going On’ by Gnarls Barkley
‘Gent Lucky’ by Daft Punk / Pharrell Williams
‘The Edge of Glory’ by Lady Gaga
‘Boys’ by Lizzo
‘Downtown’ by Petula Clark
‘Lacy Day’ by Spanky and Our Gang
‘Come and Get Your Love’ by Redbone
‘Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’ by Bachman Turner Overdrive
‘Don’t Cry’ by Asia
b.t.
For consideration (tho it's too long by a mile for Colin's rubrick):
Meatloaf/Jim Steinman's PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT.
Yeah? Sure, it's a loving send-up of the "Rock & Roll Youth" genre-- with just the BEST punch-line ever. Except, it is brilliantly (over)produced, has incredibly catchy musical hooks, and honestly captures that sense of urgency and youth and exploration and paradoxically innocent lust which existed for such a brief window of time in some of our youths. Much better than any other teen/car/sex songs ever did.
HB
At the other end of the spectrum-- and this may get me ousted from the group-- I have ALWAYS liked I THINK I LOVE YOU by the Partridge Family! It's catchy as heck, great tempo, and David Cassidy is really better-than-advertised on the vocals--- especially when he opens up on the "HEEEEEY"s. . .
Yeah, I said it!
HB
Colin- thank you for the additional information on the UK reception to "S.O.S". I didn't realize ABBA's "Waterloo" was considered something of a one hit wonder at first. At least the UK had the taste to grant them so many Number Ones; here in the States they only topped out with "Dancing Queen" (S.O.S went to 15).
B.t.- another fabulous list! Glad that you are including some recent entries. Lady Gaga certainly has some pop clout. Might I nominate The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" as a Pop gem?
HB- oh yes, Meat Loaf hit it out of the park (to acknowledge the baseball reference in said song) with that one.
And if you're expelled for the Partridge Family, then I'm in trouble too. Their Greatest Hits cd resides on my shelf. "I Woke Up in Love This Morning "...
HB, I must admit that I do like Meatloaf even though his songs are so long - in the early '90s I bought the cassette of 'Hits Out Of Hell'. By the way, David Cassidy was very popular over here in the early '70s - he had two #1 hits called 'Daydreamer' and 'How Can I Be Sure'. David Cassidy fans and Donny Osmond fans were big rivals!
Some more "perfect" pop songs that come to mind:
Tragedy - Bee Gees
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Papa Don't Preach - Madonna
When Doves Cry - Prince
Bad - Michael Jackson
Honky Tonk Women - Rolling Stones
Return To Sender - Elvis Presley
Hello Mary Lou - Ricky Nelson
Hello Goodbye - Beatles...
By the way, Red - the album 'ABBA GOLD' (released in 1992) has spent more than 1,000 weeks on the UK albums chart!
Guys, I love BOTH of those Partridge Family songs. And ‘Tragedy’. And ‘Paradise By the Dashboard Light’. And I was thinking of Cyndi Lauper and Madonna earlier today (I’d put ‘Like A Prayer’ on my own list).
Since David Cassidy didn’t get anyone kicked out of the club, I’m gonna go for it:
‘Micky’ by Toni Basil
b.t.
Remembering when the local radio stations would have greatest single countdowns. Seemed to alternate between 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Hey Jude'. This was probably late seventies early eighties. Nowadays Ozzy will get the nod with 'Crazy Train' or something.
For my money Boston's 'Foreplay/Long Time'
Hi All!
Hard to believe the King hasn't been mentioned, lol. (Or did I miss it?)
Some songs we sing repeatedly at family gatherings when we have the ukuleles and guitars going:
Cigarette Daydreams by Caged Eliphant
Maxwell's Silver Hammer by the Beatles
Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks.
Are they the best pop songs, lol, perhaps not. But they are fun to sing along to.
I might add Marley's "I don't want to wait in vain" and "Jammin" and "Is this love." Charlie loves the reggae at times... actually most times.
Red - If you ever talk about "political" songs Charlie has some contenders! Makes him want to go out and kick some @ss and rage against the machine!
Charlie, I already mentioned The King, Elvis Presley's 'Return To Sender' (and I could have included MANY others) but it surprises me how you Americans don't seem to appreciate Elvis (or that's my impression after reading BAB and BiTBA since 2013). For us Brits Elvis has always been a huge music icon - he's had FIVE posthumous #1 hits!!
Colin:
For me, personally, Elvis was kind of ‘Old News’ by the time I started to pay attention to music, an icon of a time that had already passed. Mass media was saturated with his image, his legend, his movies and TV appearances, people doing their Elvis impressions, etc, and his songs were ubiquitous (especially on ‘Oldies Stations’) — many of them are burned into my brain, but I can’t say i ever developed a deep interest in his music. I don’t think I have a hard copy of any of his songs in my collection. If I’m flipping through the radio channels, the one song of his that I’ll stop and listen to is ‘Suspicious Minds’.
b.t.
Colin - you raise an interesting point about The King and my response would basically be like b.t.'s.
I did know one guy my age who was an Elvis fan. But he was the only one. Usually it was the older folks, maybe born around 1940 - 1945 who really dug him. Also, his movies were really not all that for a kid born in the early 1960s.
In truth we could substitute what b.t. said about Elvis for Chuck Berry or Little Richard or Fats Domino or Ricky Nelson or all those "legends" from the basically pre-Beatles era that are not getting mentioned here.
Early Rock n Roll displaced "jazz" as the popular music starting late 1950s. Then the Beatles, et al. displaced Rock n Roll.
So... I guess it's part of our DNA but not a dominant trait any more, lol.
Oh. I do own Elvis's Greatest Hits in vinyl.
Colin- interesting sidebar about Elvis! Like Charlie I was too invested in him 'back then'. But my wife is a HUGE Elvis fan and kind of drew me in. Have a bunch of cds, been to Graceland. Favorite Elvis single: "Little Sister", although I love "Viva Las Vegas".
What terrible records you've all been listing (;
But at least no-ones been raving about Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep, so thats something.
Can't say I care much for Abba - Chic were much better, and more stylish with it.
And give me any number of tunes on Stax or Motown over the Beatles.
"3am Eternal" - the KLF
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDsCeC6f0zc
Now thats what I call a hit!
And the obligatory French record for Charlie Horse (Francoise Hardy is much better than France Gall - fact.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ulq_jb7MhT0
On the subject of reggae Charlie, the big music news of recent weeks was of course actually the passing of Lee "Scratch" Perry, the mighty Upsetter, who's probably produced more great records than any other human being.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG-FNwBCvO8
Red, I won't be going to see the Abba avatars... but I did just get tickets to see the Residents! Yay! Well, hopefully - apparently most of their US shows have been cancelled, but its still a good few months before they get to Europe.
(I don't usually plan that far ahead, but it occurred to me that as no-one's played anywhere for ages it could sell out quite a while beforehand)
-sean
Sean, you didn't read my list of songs carefully enough - I included 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep' and why not as it's a fantastic pop song and it was also the first pop song that I was aware of (I was 5 when it was released) so it has a special meaning for me. It also stayed at #1 for 5 weeks and all those record-buyers can't be wrong ;)
Charlie, you said that a kid born in the early '60s (you) wouldn't be interested in Elvis's movies - I was born in the mid-'60s but I liked those movies. Elvis died in August 1977 and over Christmas '77 the BBC showed an Elvis movie every day and I watched them all. I particularly remember watching 'G.I. Blues' on Christmas Eve.
Red, I watched the film 'Viva Las Vegas' on TV last Christmas (well, streamed to my laptop actually) and it's still available to watch on BBC iplayer (the BBC's streaming and downloading service).
Sean!
Well if we are going international...!
I am a huge Francois Hardy fan!
"Comment te dire Adieu" is my fave!
It seems sooo french and sooo early 60s at the same time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwhX5V1Gn6w
An odd recommendation perhaps but Sean may give pause at least...
Jaques Brel's "Ne me quitte pas"
Is it the perfect single, if not a "pop" single? It is a work of art that brings tears to many.
Sung (recorded?) by over 1000 different artists in like over 50 languages. Streisand popularized it in the USA.
Who can not help but cry watching Brel sing:
"Let me become
The shadow of your shadow
The shadow of your hand
The shadow of your dog."
He is actually pleading with his real life mistress to not quit him for him not believing her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_bq5mStroM
Streisand's version is below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fewRSNwR5BM
You'll be able to tell when I'm going properly international Charlie, when we get to my terrible taste in 80s south Asian pop music.
Like Chhupke Kaun Aya by Usha Uthup -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uv0vyj6SpY
Colin, fwiw I did actually change that comment after originally writing that it was a surprise no-one mentioned Rasputin, but double checked and saw you had. So I'm not sure how I missed the Chirpy one in your list. Ah well, no harm done, but apologies anyway.
-sean
On my list I also included 'Seasons In The Sun' which was based on 'Le Moribond' by Jacques Brel so I can claim to be going international too...sort of :D
Interesting fact: Jacques Brel and the painter Paul Gauguin are both buried on the island of Hiva Oa in French Polynesia.
Colin - you Brits sure do liven up the place! French Pop, Motown...
But if it is soulful, like Brel's "ne quitte pas" is it "pop?" Let's assume so...
Al Green - Let's Stay Together (soul, not pop)
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (soul, not pop)
Curtiss Mayfield - Move on up! (I guess its pop. The brass horns and percussion make it seem too bright, sophisticated for pop.)
Stevie Wonder - I wish (Like Mayfied, the bass lines, brass, etc. just seem to make this song much more than pop.)
Jackson Five - Never Can Say Goodbye
Charlie, don't call Sean a Brit - he'll be furious!
Okay, I been biting my tongue — didn’t want to go there — but look, don’t blame me, it’s Charlie’s fault…
DEFINE ‘POP SINGLE’!
(Don’t look at me like that, you KNEW I was gonna bring up the whole ‘Definition’ thing sooner or later)
Charlie puts his finger right on it. The reason I don’t have many R&B / Soul tracks listed is that most of them seem much more than ‘Pop’ to me for a variety of reasons. Yes, the arrangements are a part of it, especially the ‘Philly’ style, with their lush, elegant strings and brass and woodwinds— and those funky bass lines and rhythms — but it’s also the heart, the depth of feeling that pushes them beyond the category of simple ‘Pop Music’ for me.
It’s also why I haven’t listed many ballads or melancholy love songs. I know that, TECHNICALLY, songs like ‘Wichita Lineman’, ‘One Less Bell to Answer’, ‘Betcha By Golly Wow’ and ‘Close To You’ are all absolutely pop songs. But they hit deeper — they’re so beautiful, they can actually make me cry if i don’t have my guards up.
For me, ‘Pop’ songs are like little dopamine hits — they’re upbeat, they make you feel good, make you want to dance or tap your feet or drum on the steering wheel or sing along — not terribly deep, maybe a bit frivolous or goofy. And like Colin said, catchy and short :)
‘Rock The Boat’ by The Hues Corporation, absolutely Pop. ‘Rock Your Baby’ by George McCrae, nahh, it’s too silky and sexy — it’s a glass of wine, not a can of soda.
‘Windy’ by The Association, definitely a Pop classic. ‘Stormy’ by Classics IV, ehhh, I dunno! I love that song, but the sense of longing in it is so heartfelt and intense…
But, this is just me and my OCD. I can’t seem to resist putting things in their ‘Proper’ categories. Obviously, everyone will have their own definition.
b.t.
B.t.- not to worry! I'd be inclined to agree with you on your definition of "pop". That's why I didn't mention any Soul , R/B, Country, etc. Granted, often the boundaries between categories are fuzzy. In that spirit, here's another huge favorite that edges into pop : 5th. Dimension, "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes". Okay, perhaps to atmospheric for true pop, but there you have it...
Good lord! How did we forget New Wave pop???
Yeah Charlie, I was surprised you didn't go for "We Don't Need This Fascist Groove Thang" by Heaven 17. And what about the Human League?
Even Steve who does comics didn't come up with a hit from the jewel of the north...
Although with this new definition do they even count?
Not to be argumentative (who, me?) but "beyond the category of simple 'Pop music'" sounds a bit like if it really is any good then its something else. Like, Motown was created as a factory, a conveyor belt to produce hits, which is pop by definition surely?
I guess what b.t. and Redartz are getting at is something that used to be covered by terms like "middle of the road" or "easy listening", which is fair enough... but that leaves out a lot of "New Wave" hits.
No "Annie I'm Not Your Daddy" by Kid Creole and the Coconuts ):
-sean
This subject is insidious...
What basically started out as "name your favorite 45 of 3 minutes or less" has devolved into bitter beating of breasts and gnashing of teeth!
ABC - When Smokey Sings
Baltimora - Tarzan Boy
Duran Duran - View to a Kill
Heaven 17 - Lady Ice and Mr.
House Martins - Build
Human League - Love Action
Jo Boxers - Just Got Lucky
Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
Spandau Ballet - True
Thompson Twins - Lay Your Hands
Vanessa Paradis - Joe le Taxi
Und so on und so on...
We all know the greatest pop tune is...
McCartney - Listen to What the Man Said.
Even Paul said he knew it was gold when he penned it out.
Sean and Charlie- quite so, this topic (and definition) seem predisposed to spiral round and round! If one considers 'pop' as simply "popular", it opens up the category to encompass basically any genre! Charlie said it , insidious. Perhaps it's like they used to say about pornography: Hard to define, but you know it when you see it...
Soft Cell and "Tainted Love "- absolutely a perfect popular single ...
Sean:
MY particular definition of ‘Pop’ is kinda narrow, but I’m not suggesting it as a guideline for this discussion. ‘Pop’ (or ‘Popular’) Music can be just about ANYTHING. Frank Sinatra, 50 Cent, Patsy Cline, Lou Reed, Pat Boone, King Diamond, Benny Goodman, Little Richard, The Troggs, Chet Atkins, Black Flag, Dusty Springfield, Wham, Herman’s Hermits, Rammstein, Ray Charles, Barbara Streisand, Skid Row, Loretta Lynn, etc etc. Whatever floats your boat!
As for New Wave — most of the big New Wave hits actually fit within my narrow parameters. Catchy hooks and upbeat melodies were an essential ingredient, almost by deliberate design. Less angry and aggressive than Punk, ‘Cooler’ than Disco (but just as dance-able). Here are ten, just off the top of my head:
Love Plus One - Haircut 100
I Ran - A Flock of Seagulls
Homosapien - Pete Shelley
I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow
99 Luftballoons - Nena
Lips Like Sugar - Echo and the Bunnymen
The Look of Love — ABC
Don’t You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
Love My Way - Psychadelic Furs
Just What I Needed - The Cars
b.t.
Oh no, here we go again ….
The MOR (‘Middle of the Road’) or ‘Easy Listening’ category is more about artists like John Denver, Anne Murray, Carole King, Barry Manilow, Carly Simon, Tom Jones, Jim Croce, The Carpenters, Gordon Lightfoot…. I think?
All of the above, of course, can be considered ‘Pop Music’ artists as well.
b.t.
b.t.-- I would DEF add Herb Albert & the Tijuana Brass as an early-ish member of your listed group, above. Especially "This Guy's In Love"-- Along with their ubiquitous-in-the-60's instrumental hits. . .
Let me toss in the Everly Brothers' "comeback" single (penned specifically for them by Paul McCartney)-- ON THE WINGS OF THE NIGHTINGALE. It may be my favorite EB song ever. . . and probably wasn't a bigger hit because it was SUCH a spot-on throwback that it didn't fit in too well with the musical trends of the time (that's my guess anyhoo---).
HB
Well b.t., I'm sure we can all go along with "99 Luftballoons".
And as for Abba... even though I'm not much of a fan, their collaboration with the KLF (as the JAMs)0 "The Queen & I" is entertaining...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJUyqhj4zMM
-sean
b.t. - throwing down the new-wave gauntlet!
Joy Division - Love will tear us apart
Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence
Talking Heads - Burning Down the House
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
New Order - Blue Monday
The Police - Every Breath You Take (the most perfect pop song ever?)
Clash - Rocking the Casbah
Information Society - I want to know what's on your mind (pure energy!)
Terence Trent D'Arby - Sign your name across my heart.
Joe Jackson - Steppin Out
You forgot "Jilted John" by Jilted John, Charlie.
-sean
Growing up in the UK we only had ONE singles chart, as opposed to the US with its' various charts - Hot 100, Country, Rock, R&B, Adult Contemporary etc, so a "pop song" to us was any song that made the UK Top 40 regardless of genre. And the BBC's weekly TV show dedicated to the Top 40 was called 'Top Of The Pops' further impressing on us that it was ALL just pop music!
We've mentioned SO MANY songs in this topic but here are a final three I heard in the supermarket this morning:
Love Is A Stranger - Eurythmics
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
Africa - Toto
...all classic pop (?) songs but I especially loved Africa - I was bopping along to that one :D
By the way, Red - didn't you say you've tasted the chocolate bar called Aero?
I haven't had an Aero for years but while in the supermarket I bought a peppermint-flavoured Aero - Aero is also available in orange flavour, ordinary milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate (the last two must be recent additions as I'd never seen them before).
Forcing myself to think outside of my ‘Simple, Frothy Pop’ comfort zone — someone brought up ‘Stop, in the Name of Love’, which got me thinking of other Soul / R&B tunes :
When Will I See You Again? - The Three Degrees
Nowhere To Run - Martha and the Vandellas
Shout - The Isley Brothers
Girls, It Ain’t Easy - Honey Cone
Back Stabbers - The O’Jays
Heavy Makes You Happy - The Staple Singers
Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I Got) - The Four Tops
And then some other random items, from a somewhat broader spectrum of ‘Pop’:
If I Can’t Have You - Yvonne Elliman
Livin’ On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
Since You’ve Been Gone - Rainbow
Love The One You’re With - Stephen Stills
Take On Me - a-ha
b.t.
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