The Heart of Rock and Soul Poll: the 1001 Greatest Singles Part 34: 151-175

"Solsbury Hill" over "Higher and Higher" and "Sex Machine".

This is the easiest one yet -- Chris Kenner's original "Land of 1000 Dances." It's amazing.

See, I've never understood that. Wilson Pickett's has always been favorite. It's not only a fierce creation in its own right but it's one of Pickett's greatest shouters. Cannibal's is too messy (but you'll get to vote for it next time if so inclined) and Kenner's is too damn slow (same with Cannibal, though). Guess I'm too much a product of the rock era.

But not so much because Marsh's review of Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness" gives me heart palpitations. Sic semper tyrannis? Wtf? It's bad form for a singles champion to celebrate the eradication of Tin Pan Alley (which didn't quite happen anyway).

Fittingly, then, I'm voting for "The Great Pretender" (with apologies to The Hardest Working Man in Show Business). Marsh was right to focus on the ending but there's nothing peaceful about it. In Tony Williams' deathmatch with Pop, Pop wins. Always does.

A lot of fun stuff up there, though. And p.s. the Prince track is actually "U Got The Look (Long Look)," a longer 12" mix.

"Cold Love"? Really?

It was her rock move so...

Am I really being forced to choose between "Planet Rock" and "Sex Machine"?

It was her rock move so...

So why not just choose "Hot Stuff"? Is the entry really just all about her closing the door on disco via litigation?

Yeah, I agree, "Cold Love" as a single makes no sense at all; it just the codified rock that was already in her music. But Marsh was a huge fan of The Wanderer -- it was the only five-star rating he gave her in the Rolling Stone Record Guide. Which is ridiculous, not because it's a bad album (it's actually good), but because she'd made so much better, and more groundbreaking, ones before.

Anyway, I'm voting "Double Shot" over "Planet Rock." (If I had to pick a "Land of 1000 Dances," I'd go with Cannibal, though.)

("...just codified the rock..." I meant.)

It was "U Got the Look," "Sex Machine" or "Baby I Need Your Lovin" for me. I guess I went with the first, but now I can't even remember.

My #3 and #4, in some order, would probably be "Searchin'" and "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby" (which I mainly found out about via the Gore Gore Girls' '00s cover version.)

Never was super crazy about "U Got The Look," fwiw, though I'm not sure whether I've ever heard its 12-inch mix.

Probably the only one here but gotta go with Jackie Wilson on this one.

The Wanderer was overpraised for a while, and now it's underpraised. It's a better album than Bad Girls.

Never been crazy for "Planet Rock." Went for "U Got the Look" over Joni's second best single, "The Great Pretender," and Brother Ray.

Afrika, Platters, Otis, James Brown, Layla, Clash. But giving a nod to "Gimme Some Lovin'" (slightly over Jackie Wilson) , which leaps off the stereo and doesn't let go.

The Wanderer is also out of print on CD as of this writing/

Wow: I can just barely cast a half-hearted vote for the Four Tops (edging out a half-hearted vote for Fats Domino).

voting solsbury hill - the only peter gabriel song I really love

Am I the only one that remembers the time "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" saved us all from Vigo the Carpathian by making the Statue of Liberty walk around? That song has POWER!

Wonder if this will be one of those polls where we mention every song on the list and then "Layla" wins.

Truth be told: I've always found "Sex Machine" kinda meh. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, nice groove and I like the call-&-response, but I don't get why it's considered so groundbreaking, unless maybe it was one of the first-ever hit songs with "sex" in the title. (Wasn't it?) I can name a dozen other charting JB singles of the era (1969-72) that I prefer.

Double Shot

I sort of agree with Myonga, actually, but isn't part of why "Sex Machine" is considered so groundbreaking the fact that Brown stretched it out for 11 minutes on the album of the same name? (Which is a different version from the single hit, obviously.) To what extent was that unprecedented for him?

And I'm glad the Swingin' Medallions got another vote. Honestly, that was one of my easiest picks in any of these rounds yet, and one of my favorite singles ever; sad that hardly anybody else has mentioned it.

Also, sorry, but no way is The Wanderer better than Bad Girls, not even close. But I'm pretty sure Alfred (and maybe Kevin, who considers Bad Girls uneven iirc) and I have been through that before.

Okay, here, I guess:

is Donna Summer's "The Wanderer" worth buying?

xpost - Hmm, could be. Even all those "...Parts 1 & 2" tracks he did in the '60s usually weren't longer than six minutes or so.

Anyways, I'm giving it to The Coasters, just ahead of Jackie Wilson and Spencer Davis. I really should check out Chris Kenner someday.

Jackie Wilson! Jackie Wilson? Jackie Wilson.

xps: "Sex Machine" is very distinct in Brown's discography at that point for dialing back the horns (they only serve as punctuation at the beginning/return from bridge/finale) and driving the groove with just guitar/bass/drums. Catfish Collins' guitar riff is more relentlessly immovable (other than the bridge and aforementioned stabs, it never breaks away from its one-bar pattern for a single note) than anything that had appeared on a JB record to date. With Catfish so deep in the pocket, Bootsie is free to riff all over the place. James and Bobby came up with several of their catchiest chants, the piano riff provides another hook, and the mix is much cleaner than any JB single to date (I wouldn't be surprised at all if it was his first recorded using solid-state technology). It might not be all SUPERINNOVATION like "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", but it is totally singular among JB singles to then. It isn't any wonder to me why it's so well loved. Hell, I have no problem saying it's the best song he ever did.

What do I know. I consider I Remember Yesterday better than Bad Girls.

Also, sorry, but no way is The Wanderer better than Bad Girls, not even close. But I'm pretty sure Alfred (and maybe Kevin, who considers Bad Girls uneven iirc) and I have been through that before.

right, cuz you've listened to the Bad Girls ballads more than once?

A few more points

a) The damn intro!

b) I don't think any JB single to date had used call and responce so effectively to date. "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" comes closest, but that just has one chant to "Sex Machine"'s many.

c) Bobby Byrd fills the role a horn section would have on previous JB singles.

Rev OTM x1000. I voted "Sex Machine." Then "Look," then "Planet Rock."

It's JB's greatest record, easily.

you've listened to the Bad Girls ballads more than once?

A lot more than once! (And "more consistent" -- not that I necessarily buy that The Wanderer is that, either -- is hardly the same as "better," regardless.)

Well, sure. But The Wanderer has more songs I care about, and all of a piece, so it is more consistent.

"Higher and Higher." I had to go for the one that turns me into a rocket.

Another thing: JB had sounded looser, angrier, goofier, rawer, more distraught, more joyous and all these other things, but he had never before sounded so damn cocksure of himself. He just found this whole other swagger on "Sex Machine" that would serve him well through the early 70s.

Sorry, Bambaataa. :-(

Rev convinced me; "Sex Machine" it is. could have easily voted for 8/9 other track under different circumstances tho. (soooo glad i read the thread before voting.)

quite a few good 'uns here, incl. about the only Gabriel solo song i like, but went w/Joni 'cuz she rhuels

The piano riff is some retro boogie-woogie shit, like something James might have learned growing up in Augusta.

But it doesn't feel old-timey at all because it's tossed to sink or swim in the middle of the Collins brothers' state-of-the-art funk. It swims.

sincere question: why isn't Rev being paid to write about such stuff on the regular like? it's downright criminal that he isn't, imo.

Yeah, good stuff there Rev! Not enough to change my mind, but certainly enough to make me reconsider.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

damn, Bobby is almost as completely unflappable as Catfish

can't figure out why he's credited with organ tho. if it's there, it's veeeeerrry hidden in the mix, if not completely mixed out.

i would have voted solsbury hill b/c i luv 7/4 time and i guess other reasons too.

I would like to point out that I have been OTM in this thread.

agreed.

I would like to point out that I have been OTM in this thread.

― dark side of the goon (The Reverend), Sunday, November 14, 2010 6:42 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

https://www.soultracks.com/story-jackie-moore-dies

RIP Jackie Moore of soul and disco fame