One Year of Songs

Almost too short for radio, "I Was Made to Love Her" is a terrific tune from Stevie Wonder's decade at Motown Records, which began when he was 11 years old. "I Was Made to Love Her" came out when Wonder was 16 years old, which begs the question, "What did Stevie know about love at that age?" Nonetheless, it's a darling of a song that anyone can relate to. However, it plays more like a march than your typical love song, perhaps mimicking the heartbeat of a lover on the chase. Wonder was born in Saginaw but grew up for the most part in Detroit. However, by the time "I Was Made to Love Her" came out, Wonder was attending Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing . The school moved to Flint in the late-1900s, and the dorms and classrooms for the school in Lansing are now apartments .

Uptempo love songs are staples in adult contemporary. They aren't cool enough for young audiences, slow enough for R&B, or heavy enough for rock. Perhaps, the ultimate Hot AC song is "(I've Had) The Time of My Life." Sung by Medley, half of The Righteous Brothers, and Warnes, one of the most prolific soundtrack writers and singers of all time, it was impossible to get away from this song for at least a year after its release -- in part because it was on the soundtrack to one of the most popular movies of the 1980s, Dirty Dancing . Medley shines throughout the song, giving his usual croon before lifting his voice and the song's emotional center over and over. When I DJed, this was in my rotation of closing songs, and the reaction was usually the same: Guys would hear the opening line and go, "Psssh." Then, every woman in the building would grab her girlfriends and rush the dancefloor, making the guys rethink their dismissive response. Not only is the

Few early rock 'n roll bands have taken the kinds of risks The Rolling Stones would take on a regular basis. Songs about things that made little to no sense or dealt with taboo topics rarely stopped the band from releasing a commercially successful album. "Sympathy for the Devil" certainly is one of those songs that beat the odds. With lyrics that read like a laundry list of evils throughout written human history, it uses stripped-down, up-tempo rhythms and A-major chords to create one of the most juxtaposed songs you'll ever hear. It's also a bit of a marathon, and some stations refused to play the entire song, cutting out some of the intro and outro to save time. The lyrics sprawl behind Mick Jagger's on-point delivery. However, as explored in a documentary about the song , many ideas for more verses were left on the studio floor because -- at some point -- even The Rolling Stones have to call it a day.

Stephen Sondheim was the greatest musical lyricist and composer, and it isn't close. Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold sooner or later, including Merrily We Roll Along , which was a complete bomb on Broadway much to the dismay of Terry Gross . "Opening Doors" is the highlight of the production. Its three protagonists, professionally and/or socially struggling artists, make a deal to get all their lives in order, and it suddenly pays off. Oh, and the agent who drops into the middle of the song is Jason Alexander. Merrily We Roll Along  is back on Broadway, starring Daniel Radcliffe .

A bizarre song with a bizarre name, "Possum Kingdom" was a lightning-hot hit when it was released and has become a weird, cult-ish song ever since. The song is about a strange encounter between the singer and an unnamed acquaintance at an actual state park the song is named after . It has a terrific, rolling bassline from Lisa Umbarger and one of the wildest guitar solos of the '90s. However, what listeners really get into is the lulling bridge that leads into the explosive lines, "Do you want to die?" Toadies have become a one-hit wonder, but even after a hiatus, the band has a strong following and still performs live from time to time. 

Black interactions with the police are a staple topic of rap. From  the early days of rap  to  recent hits , it's no wonder a portion of people think nothing has changed in terms of how police interact with the black community. Jay-Z used an autobiographical verse to create one of the more memorable rap songs involving the police . However, unlike many such songs that have some sort of martyrdom or otherwise tragic ending, Jay-Z comes out alive, having thwarted the authorities. The song was produced by Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin, who appears in the car when the police over Jay-Z. Rubin has worked with many heavy-metal bands, giving the song a distinct sound compared to the rest of the album it appeared on, The Black Album . Not without controversy, the line "... but a bitch ain't one" drew criticism during an interview with Terry Gross , who has a long history of confronting rappers with their use of misogynistic lyrics .

A theme for this week (Rap Week) has been songs that tell day-in-the-life stories, and this may be one of the best. After N.W. A. broke up, other members of the group released solo albums that garnered commercial success. Meanwhile, Ice Cube released album after albums with little success outside rap circles. Then, "It Was a Good Day" came out. With its laid-back sound and smooth delivery from Ice Cube, it chronicles a day in the life of Cube, starting with his mom's no-pork breakfast and ending with a drinking session with friends. The song burst into the mainstream, reminding listeners of the "other" member of N.W.A. That would be a fitting end to the story for the song, but in the Internet Age, that is not allowed as a blogger went line-by-line through the song and figured out Ice Cube's actual "good day."

Easily the best British rapper, Slick Rick has had an extremely interesting career and life away from music as he has been in and out of incarceration for various crimes, including ones similar to stories told in his songs. One of the earliest international rappers to find success in the U.S., Slick Rick was a staple on MTV in its early years of playing rap, appearing on various shows and promoting other rappers as well. Similar to "La Di Da Di," "Children's Story" is a day-in-the-life rap, which is his specialty. It follows a juvenile on a crime spree through a city. The ending is less than happy as the protagonist dies in a hail of police bullets. Despite its grim tale and given its title, "Children's Story" is sometimes mistake for an actual children's story .

Day-in-the-life songs are a staple in rap, and "Posse on Broadway" is one of the most imitated in the genre. The song takes place at various locations around Seattle , Sir Mix-a-Lot's home town, as he and his friends look for fun on what is assumed to be a summer night. From hanging out in their limo to picking off women from other crews, there's no shortage of drama in The Emerald City. The stripped-down arrangement gives the lyrics extra room to breathe and Sir Mix-a-Lot more space to fall into the pocket. Most people know Sir Mix-a-Lot from his international mega-hit "Baby Got Back," which landed him an endorsement deal with Cards Against Humanity .

Already well established as one of raps best duos of all time, Outkast took a massive step into the mainstream with its fourth album, Stankonia . "B.O.B.," Stankonia 's first single, was a thunderbolt to a genre that felt in a rut for a few months -- perhaps even a year -- as some of the same, ol' rappers put out what felt like extensions of their same, ol' work. "B.O.B." is a 150-bpm powerhouse. It goes and goes with a mix of sped-up, George Clinton-inspired funk and drum-and-bass loops. Bending a little more on relationships and social consciousness on its previous album, Aquemini , "B.O.B." is a braggadocios firestorm that reminded listeners Outkast ranked among the best of the day. Stankonia 's second single, "Ms. Jackson," would propel Outkast into the mainstream. However, the second single from its fifth and final proper album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below , "Hey Ya!," would catapult the duo into international sup

Rap is nothing if not boastful. Every rapper says they are the "best" and "greatest." Of course, there can be only one "best," and for a while, LL Cool J was just that. "I'm Bad" is a never-ending series of self-aggrandizing statements that actually held water. The young, brash New Yorker was a gold mine of album and single sales for a genre just starting to take off outside the East Coast. Released when LL Cool J was 19, "I'm Bad" and its album, Bigger and Deffer , would put him and rap more squarely on a cultural map that widely did not considered the genre a serious form of music. LL Cool J would go on to become a legendary rapper and go into acting, which led to him becoming a bit of a meme as his character in Deep Blue Sea  would be one of the few black characters in a major-release 20th Century horror film to not only survive but be the hero.

No rap group comes close to Wu-Tang Clan when it comes to volume of quality and success. Consistently made up of nine members who are considered among the best rappers in history, it would be easy to see a group of men in such a highly competitive field as rap to fall apart and not last longer than one or two albums. However, WTC has released seven albums as a collective and more than 100 solo albums. Yet, "Triumph" is the only song on a WTC album that includes all nine members. (All of them appear on one song on a solo album as well.) It was the first single on Forever , WTC's second album, and was a thunderbolt to the rap community. It had been four years since the group released its debut album, Enter the 36 Chambers , and with a flood of solo albums, there were rumors the group had in-fighting and/or had quietly disbanded. Not only were the rumors false, WTC put out one of the most acclaimed rap songs on one of the most acclaimed rap albums of all time, and the video

Most people think of Madonna and think raunch, sex, and smut, and they aren't wrong to do so. However, her music has another, playful side. "Holiday" may be one of the most joyful songs ever. It begs its listener to forget their problems and run away to a place without worries or cares. Granted, for some people, just getting laid -- perhaps, in a raunchy, smutty way -- may be the kind of getaway they need. Just don't let Robbie Hart sing it at your wedding reception .

Few bands in the history of rock 'n roll have been more pissed off than Rage Against the Machine, and if you need motivation to run through a wall, "Bulls on Parade" has the energy and anger you're looking for. A precursor to NuMetal of the late-'90s and early-'00s, RAtM brought a mix of hardcore metal and rap that blew the covers off speakers when its eponymous debut album was released. The second album, Evil Empire , contains this gem of aggression, a tale of revenge on a government that launches wars around the world out of greed. It contains some of the best musical drops you will ever hear. When I DJed bars and clubs, I would throw on this song when I needed to get the crowd gassed during The Power Hour (1-2 a.m.). It wasn't for every audience, but in the right place at the right time, it would do more work than any other song I could play (often followed by Buckcherry's "Crazy Bitch" ). Like many RatM songs, guitarist Tom Morello uses v

The lead song from one of the best albums in rock 'n roll, Graceland , "The Boy in the Bubble" sets a political tone for a collection of songs that champions unity, rebellion, and love. Paul Simon teamed up with South African band Ladysmith Black Mambazo for a few songs when he recorded Graceland , but the band also toured with Simon to support its release and even appeared with him on Saturday Night Live . Some LBM members perform on "The Boy in the Bubble," which directly addresses the atrocities of political violence and calls for a time when such pettiness is put aside. The song contains the lyrics "These are the days of miracle and wonder." Malcolm Gladwell's Pushkin Industries borrowed a phrase from that line as the title of a fantastic series of interviews with Simon .

There are dance videos. Then, there's "Days Go By." The video shows a man dancing from dawn to dush, hoping it will bring back the love of his life. If only it were so easy, mate. The production collective Dirty Vegas struck it rich with this, its first self-released single. Previously, it had been a gun for hire for EDM or techno artists who wanted to punch up their production. It hasn't recreated that magic of its first song. However, Dave Chappelle parodied a Mitsubishi commercial that featured the song .

Arguably one of the best love songs of all time, "In Your Eyes" is also one of the best songs of the 1980s. Peter Gabriel is a wonder lyricist and noteworthy singer, and a then-unknown Paula Cole displays her amazing vocals. However, the band really shines throughout the song. Even though "In Your Eyes" came out eight years before this performance, most of these musicians played on the studio version. I saw Gabriel in Detroit a few months ago, and the drummer (Manu Katche), bassist (Tony Levin), and guitarist (David Rhodes) are still part of his touring band, each receiving as loud applause as Gabriel throughout the show. (Other performers from the studio recording joined Gabriel on other tour stops (mostly in Europe).) "In Your Eyes" closes Secret World Live , which is one of my favorite live albums of all time. The entire concert film is a must-watch for music fans. However, most people who are familiar with the song probably know it from Say Anything ,

I've gone back and forth on including this song in this project. The problem is the fact most people will listen to these songs through earbuds, their phone, or a laptop. However, "Soma" was not made for small, dinky speakers. Its guitar solo is a wall of sound that singer/guitarist Billy Corgan and producer Butch Vig claim includes dozens of overdubs  and is widely considered one of the greatest solos in rock 'n roll history. However, not to be outdone, the lyrics to the bridges are fantastic and sung with the kind of heartbroken angst and self-loathing anger that made Smashing Pumpkins a teenage/young-adult favorite throughout the '90s -- and a regular part of my listening rotation. I have a pair Paradigm Monitor 11s and a PDR-10 that could peel your neighbors' wallpaper. I listen to "Soma" on these speakers and cry from the sheer beauty and majesty of the solo and lose my shit when the closing bridge crashes down. On my phone or laptop, it never h

Hyperbole and rap go hand-in-hand. Rappers have long declared they're the "best," "greatest," or "first." Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick have legitimate claim to many such proclamations as "La Di Da Di" fits a lot of those descriptions. A narrative tale about a day in the life of its central character, the song was unlike most rap at the time, which was more about boasting than actual storytelling. "La Di Da Di" set the groundwork for Slick Rick's career, and he's widely regarded as the first -- and perhaps greatest -- storytelling rapper. Not to be outdone, Doug E. Fresh ("The World's Greatest Entertainer") is  the only instrument on the record. His beatboxing grabs your attention at first, but like a good house band that knows its job, it almost fades into background because it's so, damn good, occasionally returning to the forefront to remind you just how good it is. "La Di Da Di" may be the most

A bizarre song by a bizarre band, "Life During Wartime" is an upbeat, minor-chord stomper with lyrics about survival in a post-apocalyptic United States. Look, it just works, alright? More pronounced in the concert-film version than the studio version, the rhythm team of drummer Chris Frantz, bassist Tina Weymouth, and percussionist Steve Scales create a bedrock bottom for singer David Byrne and a terrific synth solo by Bernie Worrell. In fact, the entire concert film Stop Making Sense  strips down and expands many Talking Heads songs, but only "Life During Wartime" features a jogging session with Byrne.

Parliament (and its sister project, Funkadelic) is one of the most bizarre collectives in rock 'n roll history. Its nonstop rotation of personnel brought it an ever-changing sound, but the one constant was Detroit native George Clinton, whose drug-enabled visions of the world left an indelible mark on music. "Give Up the Funk" is a funk opera (of sort). It has multiple movements that start with a get-up intro and crash into the jam most people recognize. However, the entire song has far-flung elements. All of them are centered on the Bootsy Collins' bass. Collins would go on to play on some of the most successful songs of the 1980s, but his work with Parliament -- specifically on "Give Up the Funk" -- is some of the best bass work you will ever hear. While Parliament never really left rock 'n roll consciousness, it got a breath of fresh air in the mid-'90s when gangster rappers -- particularly those from Death Row records -- raided their parents'

One of the best-selling songs from one of the best-selling bands of all time, "Where the Streets Have No Name" is easily one of the most recognizable rock 'n roll songs of the last 50 years. The Edge's delay-effect guitar riff is unmistakable, but drummer Larry Mullen Jr.'s steady-yet-uneven drumming throughout the song is the unsung hero of the record. Mullen skips third beat of each four, making the song feel off kilter despite Adam Clayton's terrific bass, which creates a solid, rhythmic bottom throughout the song. One of the highlights of my music-loving life was seeing The Joshua Tree Tour  in 2017 at Ford Field in Detroit. I waited decades to hear "Where the Streets Have No Name" live, and until there is an official concert film for the tour, which seems unlikely at this point, it would be impossible to describe how awesome it was to hear it performed in person. (However, some YouTubers have pieced together some solid footage from the tour to c

Most rock 'n roll is about sex -- or at least somewhat related to or on the path toward sex. When men sing about it, it's "boys being boys." When women sing about it, it's often considered "scandalous" or "immoral." "Rude Boy" has no time for such labels and makes it clear: If you have size and stamina, Rihanna has a place to put it. A modern pop-star sexpot if there ever was one, Rihanna's seductive-turned-aggressive vocals are backed by a Jamaica-inspired vibe that set dance floors on fire for over a year. While the original song is completely satisfying, Girl Talk managed to make it sound even better when he laid it over Fugazi's "Waiting Room" on his album All Day .

If you haven't heard of or aren't very familiar, ask someone whose musical knowledge you truly respect what they think of The Band, and they will likely light up. Few collections of multi-instrumentalists have had the level of talent The Band brought to every song, which shows throughout during their farewell concert, The Last Waltz , which is widely regarded as one of the greatest concert films ever. One of the highlights of the show is "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," a dower tale of the Civil War from the perspective of Southern farmer. The Band was full of Canadians with one American, Levon Helm, who sings and plays drums on the song. However, the song was written by bandmate Robbie Robertson, who grew up in Ontario. Widely regarded as one of the greatest songs in rock history, it has a troubled legacy as seemingly nostalgic for the Confederacy. It's a subject that's gotten many scholarly treatments and a long look from On the Media .

There's something oddly satisfying about a well-used sample from a decades-old song, and Eric Prydz struck aural gold when he repurposed the chorus of Steve Winwood's "Valerie." Electro-pop is often criticized for being too simplistic, and on that note, the lyrics to "Call on Me" -- although brilliantly sung by Winwood -- are reduced to just two lines. However, through echoing fades and well-time tempo changes, Prydz builds a soundscape that repeatedly takes the listener in and out of the music. Then, there's the music video. Vice called it "The Sexiest Music Video of All Time," and while there's plenty of competition for that title, there's no denying it has a certain appeal.

In an era of overproduction and throw-away takes, some songs still simply amaze. "Some Nights" is a what-did-I-just-hear composition that is finely tuned to within an inch of its life yet its self-reflective lyrics make it feel authentic. Nate Ruess stars from beginning to finish as his brilliant, quadrupled, rounded, tenor choruses and chants seamlessly slip in and out of each verse as the band cranks out a rather simple arrangement. Fun. disbanded soon after the eponymous album that contains "Some Nights" released, but during promotions, it sometimes performed a stripped-down version of the song that highlighted Ruess's talent.

Already established as a bona fide gangster rapper, Ice-T toured with Body Count, a heavy metal band that would split his shows between the two genres starting in 1991. Body Count's second single, "Cop Killer," is among the most controversial songs of all time. The song's lyrics describe a revenge killing spree on police who had beaten and/or killed black men -- particularly in Los Angeles. Outrage led to national media attention and even a telling of grievances by Charlton Heston , then the president of the NRA, during a Time Warner board meeting. The album was pulled from many stores' shelves, and songs and lyrics were changed in subsequent printings. However, the attention also increased sales beyond what was expected. The year before "Cop Killer" was released, Ice-T played both a cop and a gangster in two street-crime dramas, New Jack City  and Ricochet . In an ironic twist, Ice-T is probably best known today for playing detective Fin in over 500 ep

With one of the most unmistakable voices in rock 'n roll history, Tom Waits is at his best when he sings about romance. He sounds like 10,000 miles of unfiltered cigarettes and hard drinking but comes across with more tenderness than his voice allows. "Martha" is one of the deepest cuts you'll find when it comes to amazing love songs. The closing song on Side 1 of Closing Time , Waits' first album, it's a classic story of a lonely ex-lover, reaching out to feel that old spark one more time. The verses tell a sad tale with the faintest hope, but the chorus is where the song really soars. Waits makes you want to be the woman he croons for. Anyone who can make someone sing like that must have a good thing going. Bette Midler, who Waits had an off-and-on relationship throughout the 1970s, performed the song on Saturday Night Live , giving it new life nearly a decade after its release. 

A powerhouse of talent and trouble, Amy Winehouse burst into the mainstream with a mix of vintage flair -- as well as vintage problems -- that made her a must-watch artist. Her mainstream debut album, Back to Black , is one of the most confessional albums of the 21st Century so far -- and one of its best, period. It's a mix of throwback arrangements and Winehouse's undoubtedly inebriated vocals. "Back to Black" is the album's centerpiece, a sensational cocktail of lust for a man and the drug-filled void she admittedly falls into when things eventually go wrong with him (over and over). Unlike most British singers, Winehouse did not try to hide her British accent, giving the album an extra layer of authenticity. She also displays a range of emotions in her voice, going from vulnerable to strong and demanding in the span of a few notes. While she was alive -- but even more so since her death -- Back to Black 's producer, Mark Ronson, championed Winehouse as the