My 50 Favourite Songs by US Artists Part 3: (30-21)

[@TomCwimpRock]

“Nothing From Nothing was a number one hit over here in America. Billy Preston was a major presence with his hit singles for awhile in the 70’s - “Will It Go Round In Circles” was also a number one record. He had several other top ten hits as well (in the US). Nice video James. - Thomas Calden

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Thomas. I should have spoken more carefully about Billy as I knew he'd had quite a lot of success. It was only in later years that things went a bit awry for him (did some prison time I believe).

[@robwalkerletthemusicplay]

Hi James , I’ve loved Curtis for years I even named my cat after him 🐈. Smokey had a purple patch but I can’t think of anything by him since 1981 .. those Motown compilation are a treat .. thanks for sharing 👍

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Hi Rob, I think I knew your cat was Curtis. He's just popped up a thumbnail this evening I see. Thanks for watching.😎😺

[@spoteach]

Rene Magritte was a Belgian (not a French) painter.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Damn...thanks.

[@Suburbangeek]

Motown Chartbusters Volume 3: Iconic! Madonna: Can't beat Get Into The Groove for me. Interesting picks: I'll have to check out some of your choices.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Cheers, great to hear from you! Check out parts 1 and 2 if you get chance. I showed Motown Chartbusters 3 in a recent video I did on vinyl comps.

[@stevecarlsonvinylcommunity9147]

Doing my favorite 100 albums was daunting, doing singles, this seems like an impossible task. I just ordered that Eels album as I loved that when it came out. Thanks for helping me spend more money

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Ha ha, you're welcome Steve. Interesting comment about singles, I don't know how many of the songs I'm talking about actually were singles.

[@RandyforRoyals]

I really like that Chuck Berry song as well. I just found that Blood, Sweat & Tears album at a charity shop and I never find anything in charity shops. My favorite Blood, Sweat & Tears album is their first when they were led by Al Kooper. I still need to check out Laura Cantrell. Late For The Sky is my favorite Jackson Browne album and "Fountain Of Sorrow" is a great tune. "Tracks Of My Tears" is great. Wonderful picks.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Randy. Think you would enjoy the Laura Cantrell record if you can find it.

[@baggyhi-fi8628]

Late for the Sky is great and I also like Borderline by Madonna. Live to Tell is fantastic too, though lots of other Madonna songs leave me cold.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Most of Madonna's catalogue does little for me - I even bought a best-of CD a few years ago but ended up returning it to the charity shop I bought it from, along with the Bruce Springsteen one! Perhaps I should give her another try. Thanks John.

[@EmbryonicRobot]

Hi James, You picked some really diverse songs. I never really connected with Madonna, but I can see the appeal. On the other hand, I do love that Eels record and Late for the Sky really surprised me, when I finally heard it he first time about 10 years ago. I didn't really expect to like it.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Brian. Yeah I'm the same with Madonna, for some reason 'Borderline' just clicked. Jackson Browne is a good songwriter, I really like his hits collection which I have on CD.

[@wayneshields2916]

Hi James, Great video as always. Glenn Tilbrook always used to play "Tears of a clown" in his solo shows. I used to love the Glenn / audience call and response on "I need you". The Eels are a fantastic band. I love "Novocaine for the soul", but it's a 50/50 with "Flyswatter" for their best song.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Wayne. Ah of course it was Tears of a Clown not Tracks of My Tears. Two great songs, easily mix-up! Need to revisit Eels' catalogue this year.

[@wayneshields2916]

@@jamesgriffithsmusic Sorry James - my bad. It was "Tracks of my Tears" with "I need you" audience call and response. Doh!

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

@@wayneshields2916 We're a bad as each other!🤣

[@davebrzeski]

For me the Eels track would be 'Mr E's Beautiful Blues'. One of my all-time favourite Smokey Robinson albums is 'Floy Joy' by the Supremes. I love that post Diana Supremes album, and Smokey's DNA is all over it.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Cheers Dave. Don't think I've heard Floy Joy, I'll look it up.👍

[@FatCityVinyl]

Yeah I still have a soft spot for those very early Madonna songs, Borderline, Lucky Star, Holiday etc. Even watched Desperately Seeking Susan again a while back, think I saw it in the theatre when new. Certainly was something compelling about her! There was a girl in my school who copied her whole look with the stockings and bracelets and so on. I've been listening to a reggae cover of Fire And Rain lately, the album which is titled after it will likely make an appearance in a future video. Got Superfly and Curtis' debut but never come across Roots. Cheers!

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

I actually went out with our class' Madonna lookalike...it was a very common look back then! Will look forward to hearing about the reggae Fire and Rain, I imagine it's a song that would translate quite well to a Jamaican idiom. Cheers Doug!

[@CrackinVinyl]

Hey James, Interesting list and it prompted me to try to compile a list just for the sake of it. All it has shown is how much British music I actually listen to! I am struggling to get 50 songs together (which was a massive surprise to me.)

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

Thanks Graeme. John Bellamy also said he'd struggle to think of 50 American songs! I had no trouble at all, I think it took me about 5 minutes to write out my list of 50, and since then I've been making loads of substitutions. Be interested to see what you come up with. I might roll parts 4 and 5 of my series into one and get it done!

[@CrackinVinyl]

@jamesgriffithsmusic It would be very very different!

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

@ Ha! Yes, probably more Anthrax and Slayer.

[@CrackinVinyl]

@@jamesgriffithsmusic It's interesting because while I could choose loads of US albums as favourites I wouldn't necessarily choose songs by the same artists.

[@Wayner71]

The Blood, Sweat and Tears version of Fire and Rain is really good. The one thing that brings down James Taylor's excellent original is the short repeating acoustic guitar motif that occurs just after he utters a line in the verses. Or at least I think its an acoustic guitar. He should have dropped this after the first verse as its gets annoying in later verses. Thanks for the list. Cheers.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

I haven't heard Taylor's original version for some time, I'll have to revisit it. Thanks.

[@dixielandfarm]

Borderline - it is a good track. Memphis, Tennessee or Havana Moon are my Chuck Berry songs.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

I don't know why Borderline clicked more than other Madonna songs.

[@danny1959]

I believe that “Fire and Rain” is about the suicide of a friend he made when he was in the psychiatric hospital recovering from heroin addiction.

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

That's right...I did get the name of the person but I forgot to include the subtitle.

[@chrismoyse3529]

A turntable that doesn’t play 45s 😳

[@jamesgriffithsmusic]

It will play them but only after a lot of messing about. Going to put it in for a service this year if I can get myself organised! It's an old machine, probably at least 30 years old.