Rolling Stone’s “greatest songs of all time” list is mislabeled, misconceived
The purpose of Rolling Stone magazine’s newly revised list of the “500 greatest songs of all time” is two-fold. It’s designed to provoke arguments and outrage and, by doing so, sell subscriptions. For the time being you can’t read the full list without signing up.
I am weak. I took the bait. And I am here to tell you that, while the list includes a goodly number of worthy, even indisputable choices, is project is misnamed, misguided and mystifying.
To begin with, it’s not a list of songs; it’s a list of recordings of songs, specific recordings, and the descriptive paragraphs that accompany each entry are as likely to include praise for the drumming or the production, the studio sorcery, as for melody and lyrics.
Aretha Franklin’s version of Otis Redding’s “Respect” is the Rolling Stone jury’s new #1. While I would never argue with its being one of the greatest rock/R&B records ever made, it isn’t the best song of “all time” or even the past 50 years. As for the new #2, Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” its power as a statement of defiance and as a recording is undeniable, but c’mon, it’s barely a song in the traditional sense
The magazine should have labeled the list what it actually is, a compilation of records. And if that’s what you want to read about, I recommend you find a copy of Dave Marsh’s The 1,001 Greatest Singles in Rock and Soul, which is unabashedly personal, rather than a consensus of musicians and critics, and is way more fun to read.
But that brings up another problem with Rolling Stone’s list. Not only should it be billed as recordings, not songs, it should specify that the editors mean rock, R&B and hip hop recordings. Even though Jay-Z, in the introduction he was asked to write, says a great song can be anything, including opera, the list has just a smattering of nods to country or gospel, show tunes and the Great American Songbook.
Any list of greatest songs I would compile would be, like Marsh’s singles list, entirely personal and probably quirky. But it would at least follow certain criteria:
It would range far and wide in terms of genre.
It would overwhelmingly include songs that have been covered and reinterpreted widely.
It would feature a lot of songs that everyday people actually sing or have sung.
Here’s a small sample of the sort of songs I’m talking about. A few of them actually appear on Rolling Stone’s list in a particular recorded rendition, but their greatness is not that limited.
“Peace in the Valley” — Written by the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey for Mahalia Jackson, covered by Red Foley, Elvis Presley and many more.
“Stardust” — Written by Hogey Carmichael and recorded by more than 1,500 artists, including Frank, Ella, Louis, Willie, Keely, Sarah, Brubeck, Trane and Lester.
“That Lucky Old Sun” — Frankie Laine, Louis Armstrong, Lavern Baker and Ray Charles are foremost of the many interpreters of this grand ballad of sweat and toil by Beasley Smith and Haven Gillespie.
“Dedicated to the One I Love — Written by Lowman Pauling for The Five Royales, reinterpreted by the Shirelles and then the Mamas and the Pappas.
“Bye Bye Blackbird”– Written by Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon, recorded by everybody from Eddie Cantor and Trini Lopez to Joe Cocker and Nina Simone, not to mention the gang on Sing Along with Mitch.
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” — Paul Simon’s song, originally vocalized by Art Garfunkel, foreclosed on by Aretha.
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” — Judy Garland’s is the most famous, but there are score of other lovely versions, including Eva Cassidy’s.
“Blue Bayou” — Written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson, first recorded by Roy and most famously covered by Linda Ronstadt. A gorgeous song in every respect.
“This Land Is Your Land” — The real national anthem. Thank you, Woody.
“Crazy” — Willie Nelson’s greatest song, immortalized by Patsy Cline, reclaimed by Willie.
“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” — For me, Marvin Gaye’s recorded rendition of this Norman Whitfield-Barrett Strong song is the greatest single of the rock & roll era, but I love Gladys Knight’s, Creedence’s and my own in-the-shower version.
“Lean on Me” — Written and first recorded by Bill Withers, covered by dozens of pros, sung at some point by, I’m guessing, a billion people. Greatness personified.
If you want to nominate more songs — not recordings, songs — that are tested and timeless and great just on the strength of the music and lyrics, the comments section is open. Be my guest.
