Michael Jackson feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & Brandy – Unbreakable

Michael Jackson feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & Brandy – “Unbreakable” – (2001)

Invincible was Michael Jackson’s final studio album (strangely, as it came out in 2001). This was the lead track and it was never released as a single, although it’s pretty good and features a rap verse from The Notorious B.I.G. (who died in 1997). The rap verse was taken from a song by, who else, Shaquille O’Neal. Of course it was. (Brandy also contributed some background vocals). There’s nothing exceptional about this song except that its sound is very much definitive of Michael’s later work. I’m not sure how to explain this other than to dumbly say “you’ll know it when you hear it.” He makes a lot of popping sounds with his mouth, but other than that it’s just a feel thing. It’s a pretty sweet song, as were others on this album. It’s strange how they weren’t bigger. I think that has a lot to do with resistance for people to take it seriously as everyone figured he was “past his prime” which may have been true – but when you’re prime is Thriller, you have a very long way to fall before your work isn’t any good. Invincible isn’t Thriller – and doesn’t pretend to be. But it’s still good.

 

Michael Jackson – Black or White

Michael Jackson – “Black or White” – (1991)

Another classic from the King of Pop – who went a little rock ‘n roll on this track. This was the only #1 from Dangerous and it set a few records: it made Michael the first person to have a #1 hit in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s (he missed having a #1 in the 60s by about 3 weeks). This is also one song from him that is “infamous” – namely the music video. First let’s start with the “skit.” Skits on albums are one of my pet peeves… this song starts with over a minute of some kid listening to rock music when his dad bursts in and demands it silenced. In the video (but not on the album version) the dad is George Wendt and the kid is Macaulay Culkin and was directed by John Landis (who also did “Thriller“). The infamy comes in the long form of the video (which is not part of the “official” video linked above) where Michael Jackson is on top of a car and grabs his crotch. There were also wonderful racial epithets in graffiti on the walls behind him. Kinda tame now, but I bet it would still piss some people off as it did upon its release back in 1991.

 

Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror

Michael Jackson – “Man in the Mirror” – (1987)

This was a #1 for Michael Jackson and it’s one of his best songs – actually it was the fourth consecutive #1 from Bad, which is a pretty incredible feat. “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make that change – I’m starting with the man in the mirror.” Basically, if you don’t know this song, there’s no helping you so I’ll just go ahead and move on to Wednesday’s post, where we continue with our unofficial “Michael Jackson Week” – featuring an 80s song today (Monday), a 90s hit on Wednesday, and a song released since 2000 on Friday. I think we might do this for a couple of applicable artists over time. We’ll see.

 

Ray LaMontagne – Trouble

Ray LaMontagne – “Trouble” – (2004)

Trouble was Ray LaMontagne’s debut album and the title track from it, this, is the pick of the album. Perhaps you’ve heard this song as it’s featured on a commercial for Travelers Insurance where the little white dog is worried about where to hide his bone. LaMontagne’s raspy, soulful voice gives this folk song a very bluesy feel. His songs all feel like they’re 40 years old – in a very good way. He sounds a little like Van Morrison – but he’s not ripping them off. His stuff is all his own and it’s awesome.

 

Britney Spears – Sometimes

Britney Spears – “Sometimes” – (1999)

This was Britney’s second single and while it was nowhere near as successful as the title track from …Baby One More Time, it almost cracked the top 20 in the U.S., peaking at #21. The music video was a TRL mainstay for the duration of its eligibility – and let’s be honest, Billboard’s inconsistent and screwy chart rules in the mid and late-90s made it so TRL was almost a more recognizable form of song popularity. The video features really lame choreography because Britney was nursing a wounded knee during its shoot. It’s basically Britney in white showing that she was “pure” – in contrast to the “Baby One More Time” video which was kind of the opposite. This song might be kind of annoying today but back in 1999 it was just another pop hit.

 

Johnny Hates Jazz – Shattered Dreams

Johnny Hates Jazz – “Shattered Dreams” – (1988)

Whoa, how did this not make our best songs of the 80s list? It should have. This catchy synthpop tune was a top five hit in the U.S. Johnny Hates Jazz (which is a pretty 80s name for a new wave band) were from London and this is the song they’re known for (they had a few other minor hits). Oh, and if you watch the music video I’ve linked to above, check out the bass player because he looks just like Jerry Seinfeld circa 1990.

 

Avicii & Sebastien Drums – My Feelings For You

Avicii & Sebastien Drums – “My Feelings For You” – (2010)

The awesome video-game themed music video (more of a lyrics video) backs up this upbeat catchy dance song. This song is actually an updated (and infinitely better) version of a song with the same title by Cassius made back in 1999 (although it sounds much older). The “purists” that always come out of the woodwork to support abandoned artists when their songs are remade will no doubt disagree. The song was a big hit across Europe. And Avicii and Sebastien Drums are two different people. It’s not like a backup band or anything.

 

Matchbox Twenty – Long Day

Matchbox Twenty – “Long Day” – (1996)

Rob Thomas is one of the premier vocalists of the 90s – and today. There, I said it. He’s awesome. His voice is unique and there’s passion behind the lyrics. I wish Matchbox Twenty was still rockin’ like they were in 1996. I just bought this album (for only $6.99 on Amazon!) and feel like I stole it. It’s full of hits and awesome songs like this. This was the first single from Yourself or Someone Like You – well, it was their first single, period – and it’s a good one, although you don’t hear it as often today as the other tracks from this album.

 

The Cars – Shake It Up

The Cars – “Shake It Up” – (1981)

“Shake It Up” was a top five hit for The Cars in 1981. It’s a “party song” – but I think I can qualify that by saying “by 1980s standards.” It is definitely the best song from the album, also called Shake It Up. The album was a success compared to their previous, more rock-oriented album. I’ve never considered The Cars as a major “rock” band – always more of a pop rock band. That’s obviously what they were best at.

 

Flo Rida feat. Wynter Gordon – Sugar

Flo Rida feat. Wynter Gordon – “Sugar” – (2009)

Flo Rida kind of looks like a cartoon character. A little bit? I think it’s the very exact facial hair. The dude can rap though. This was a top five hit in the U.S. and it very poorly “samples” Eiffel 65′s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” – which is an awesome 90s song. I don’t like that it’s using Eiffel 65 – but this is one of the best songs on the album. Paradox. Flo Rida has actually had some pretty huge songs with very impressive beats and lyrics… but this one was kind of cheating.

 

Celine Dion – It’s All Coming Back to Me Now

Celine Dion – “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” – (1996)

This is the “Total Eclipse of the Heart” of the 1990s. Maybe it’s the curtains blowing in open windows in the music video. Maybe it’s the haunting, building ballad. Actually, yeah, it’s both. Meat Loaf wanted to record this originally (the songwriter said no), and it sounds like something he’d do. The song was actually done originally by Pandora’s Box who went on to do, well, nothing else. The song was written about Wuthering Heights, which is kinda cool. The song turned out to be pretty big, hitting #2 on the Hot 100 (and #1 in other countries). It’s probably the biggest non-Titanic related-song of Celine Dion’s career. The song is kind of eerie and honestly, as much as I like to poke fun at Celine Dion’s songs, pretty damned good. So there, take that. Oh, and Meat Loaf did finally get to record it in 2006.

 

AC/DC – That’s The Way I Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll

AC/DC – “That’s The Way I Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll” – (1988)

This was the second and final single from AC/DC’s 1988 album Blow Up Your Video. Strange fact I can’t quite believe but then again I’m reading it on Wikipedia: this is the last album that singer Brian Johnson (or anyone not named “Young”) is credited as a songwriter. Malcom & Angus Young wrote all songs on all future albums. If that’s true it’s insane. The album kind of fizzled and didn’t go anywhere and the single didn’t either for the most part but it’s solid 80s AC/DC… the sort of final sendoff to the 1980s from one of the biggest rock groups of the decade.

 

Kenny G – Auld Lang Syne (Millennium Mix)

Kenny G – “Auld Lang Syne (Millennium Mix)” – (1999)

Why is Kenny G always barefoot on his album covers? Put some shoes on, it’s weird. Bizarrely, this album charted in the top five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. This version of the song was a top ten hit in the U.S. at the end of 1999. It features sound clips – a walk through the history of the 20^th century. It made everybody nostalgic, and since everyone thought the world was about to end, I guess that was a good thing. The song is less about Kenny G, really, and more about the sound clips which are pretty interesting. It’s like a first-hand version of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Plus, “Auld Lang Syne” is the New Year’s song for whatever reason (it’s got something to do with Scotland).

 

U2 – New Year’s Day

U2 – “New Year’s Day” – (1983)

I was trying to come up with songs about the New Year and, well, this one had the holiday’s name in its title so I figured it would work. War was U2′s third album and, in all honesty, the first one with any songs of note (I almost said, “The first one that mattered” but didn’t want to be attacked by Bono and called a simpleton for “not understanding” their early work). Anyway, this was the lead single and it brought the band commercial success. Of course, the lyrics have to be about a plight somewhere in this world (in this case, Poland). The bassline is pretty groovy and it works well as a rock song – not so much as a New Year’s song, other than the title.

 

Vince Guaraldi – Linus and Lucy

Vince Guaraldi – “Linus and Lucy” – (1964)

This isn’t technically a Christmas song but the only airplay it gets is every year around Christmastime. It’s famous for this because it appeared in the television special, A Charlie Brown Christmas and also on that soundtrack, in 1965. It’s a well-known piece of music and every time I hear it I picture Schroeder sitting at a mini-piano playing it while all the Peanuts characters dance around him. Some people think that this is the “Peanuts theme” but that’s not really true either, even though it did appear in most of the TV specials. Technically or not, in my mind, this is the song when it comes to Peanuts.

 

John Mellencamp – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

John Mellencamp – “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” – (1987)

This is easily the best version of this song. Mellencamp really takes a 1950s Christmas standard (kinda) and rocks it. This was another radio-friendly Christmas hit from the first charity album A Very Special Christmas (there are a series of them) that benefitted the Special Olympics. The other big hit from this was Bruce Springsteen’s “Merry Christmas Baby.”

This song has a very country-rock feel to it. It’s like a hillbilly orchestra going on in the background. Someone is clearly playing the cow-bell and I’m pretty sure that’s a banjo… in a Christmas song? Very cool.

 

Judy Garland – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Judy Garland – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – (1944)

It seems like there were a bunch of great, classic Christmas songs recorded in the 1940s – and there were. This song originally appeared in the film Meet Me in St. Louis, sung by Judy Garland. Frank Sinatra did another popular version later on. Mel Torme’s version appeared in Home Alone and is also very popular. Just another one of those 20^th Century Christmas tunes.

 

Nat King Cole Trio – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)

Nat King Cole Trio – “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” – (1946)

I have the sneaking suspicion that the video I linked to above is seasonal… but maybe not. Maybe Nat King Cole didn’t get a YouTube account until August of 2011. Who knows. This is one of the most beloved Christmas songs of all time. The title isn’t terribly original but the song itself is pure class. Most people refer to it by its opening line “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” It’s been covered by just about everyone – Cole recorded it first, although it was written by Mel Torme, who later recorded it himself. According to BMI, this is the most performed Christmas song. Not hard to see why.

 

Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Wizards in Winter

Trans-Siberian Orchestra – “Wizards in Winter” – (2004)

This is a rockin’ Christmas song by the people who know how to rock Christmas better than anyone else. It was released toward the end of 2004, but in 2005 it took on a life of its own. A guy in Ohio put up 16,000 Christmas lights in his yard and synchronized them to this song. Then he broadcast the song on a low-frequency radio from his house so anyone driving by could listen to it and watch the show. It caught on online and was eventually used in a Miller commercial. In fact, the “Official” video for this song (from Atlantic Records) is the video of that guy’s house. TSO really grabbed some new fans because of it.

 

Adam Sandler – The Chanukah Song

Adam Sandler – “The Chanukah Song” – (1994)

Yeah, Chanukah is a Jewish holiday but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a great Christmas song. There have been sequels (we’ll get to them individually) but this is the original and the best. “Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli, Bowser from Sha-Na-Na and Arthur Fonzarelli.” That’s a lyric. When played on the radio the words “marijuana-icah” is often removed for whatever stupid reason. “O.J. Simpsons: not a Jew.” Not sure when Chanukah starts, but Happy Chanukah anyway!

 

Vince Vance & the Valiants – All I Want for Christmas is You

Vince Vance & the Valiants – “All I Want for Christmas is You” – (1989)

A country Christmas song by what can more or less be described as a “novelty band.” It’s a popular song on the radio this time each year and it’s the only song to hit the charts by Vince Vance & the Valiants. I’ve heard people say that they’re disappointed because there aren’t any “modern, original” Christmas songs. But they’re thinking in terms of carols, because this is a modern, original Christmas song and it’s very, very good. The video is weird, but the song is good and you’ve no doubt heard it a hundred times.

 

Perry Como & the Fonatine Sisters – It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Perry Como & the Fontaine Sisters with Mitchell Ayers & his Orchestra – “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” – (1951)

So far, I think that’s the longest artist/song title combo we’ve yet had on this site. I hate leaving out orchestras and their conductors, so I included it there. Memorize it, there’ll be a quiz later. This is the best version of this Christmas classic – he and Bing Crosby both recorded it in 1951, but Como’s was more popular initially and with Bing having done every other popular Christmas song up to that point, why not let someone else have a win. Have I already called it a classic?

 

Andy Williams – Medley: Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season

Andy Williams – “Medley: Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season” – (1963)

This is a classic 1960s Christmas song. There are the back-up singers just highlighting random things. “He’ll be coming down the chimney, down.” And Andy is at his best: “So hoop-dee-doo and dickory-dock.” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” gets all the love but I’ve noticed this song getting more and more airplay every year. I heard recently that Andy Williams announced that he has cancer, which sucks because he’s got a great voice and he’s a classic entertainer. Like just a solid guy – you look at his Wikipedia article and you don’t see a section called “Controversy” or anything like that. This is among his best work.

 

The Beach Boys – The Man with All the Toys

The Beach Boys – “The Man with All the Toys” – (1964)

Gotta love the harmonies here. “He’s the man – bop – with all – bop – the toys – bop.” Or at least I think they’re saying “bop,” I don’t really know. Since its St. Nick’s Day I thought I’d go with “Little Saint Nick” from the same Beach Boys Christmas Album but that song was already posted in our Christmas countdown. This is a nice little, original, song from the Beach Boys and one people seem to like.

 

Pitbull feat. Marc Anthony – Rain Over Me

Pitbull feat. Marc Anthony – “Rain Over Me” – (2011)

Marc Anthony hasn’t done a lot of business on mainstream U.S. radio since, umm, about 2000. Nowadays he’s more famous for having married Jennifer Lopez, but he kills it in this song. Pitbull has been about everywhere since about 2010 and as time has progressed, I’ve noticed that when he starts rapping (or whatever) in Spanish, it seems to be more and more “phoned it” every time. He just kind of mumbles. I’m jealous he’s making a career out of mumbling (“ya tu sabe”). This video is classic Pitbull: a white suit, hand motions with fingers spread, reflective sunglasses, the sun, beautiful women, and him – at some point – throwing his arms in the air and spinning as the beat drops. But Marc Anthony really makes this song – he’s still got the pipes he did 10 years ago and it really helps make this dance track more pop-y.