Bossy Monkey
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Tue Jun-29-04 01:54 PM
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Best song by a female singer or songwriter? |
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Edited on Tue Jun-29-04 02:28 PM by undisclosedlocation
I was embarrassed when I went through two iterations of my Prettiest Pop Song Ever poll and could think of very few songs by women. However, the replies have been dominated by songs by men, too, so apparently I'm not the only one with this problem. Some that kind of leap to mind are "You've Got a Friend" or "It's Too Late" by Carole King, "Free Man in Paris" by Joni Mitchell and about 3/4 of the Aretha Franklin catalog. Don't be shy about throwing in non-hits and I won't be shy about adding "Biggest Memory" by Exene to the above list.
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mstrsplinter326
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Tue Jun-29-04 01:55 PM
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1. There's a whole slew of Fleetwood Mac |
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And their best stuff is the stuff sung by stevie, by far.
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nothingshocksmeanymore
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Tue Jun-29-04 01:56 PM
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2. Love and Affection - Joan Armatrading |
mirandaod
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Tue Jun-29-04 01:57 PM
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3. Bonnie Raitt - Nick of Time |
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That's just off the top of my head, but it has to be one of my top favorites.
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mac56
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Tue Jun-29-04 01:57 PM
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4. Everything on "Our Time In Eden" by 10,000 Maniacs. |
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Especially "Circle Dream" and "Stockton Gala Days".
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Bossy Monkey
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Tue Jun-29-04 03:14 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
35. I prefer the almost-title song Eden, by a very wide margin |
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One of the very few songs you can read as poetry without embarrassment.
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Beaverhausen
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Tue Jun-29-04 01:58 PM
Response to Original message |
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I Go to Sleep - Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders)
Rain - Patty Griffin
Who Holds Your Hand - Patty Larkin
I Can't Make You Love Me- Bonnie Raitt
Inconsolable - Jonatha Brooke
Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush
OK- so maybe only one of these was a hit but there are lots of great artists out there...
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LowerManhattanite
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:00 PM
Response to Original message |
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Aretha's mind-blowing "Ain't No Way" and "Call Me" (They will put chills up your spine)
Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
Linda Creed's (lyricist) "Betcha By Golly Wow", "You Are Everything", and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love"
Carly Simon's "After The Storm" and "You Belong To Me" (sidestepping her obvious mega-hits)
Brenda Holloway's "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (covered by Blood Sweat & Tears)
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cosmokramer
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:01 PM
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Loonman
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:01 PM
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8. "Caramel" by Suzanne Vega |
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The rest of her stuff is brilliant, too.
I remember I was at a book signing by her and some dork asked her if she was in the "waif movement"(Juliana Hatfield and Liz Phair were starting to peak in popularity at this time) and Suzanne said "If there is a 'movement' I'm not aware of it".
Priceless.
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johnnie
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:02 PM
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Patty Smyth Always liked that one.
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Bossy Monkey
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:34 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
24. Smith, cowritten with Springsteen |
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BELIEVE me, there's a difference. Patti Smyth was in Scandal, recorded guest shots with the Hooters and Don Henley, married McEnroe and then made up for her entire career to date with an enthralling cover of Ode to Billie Joe with Tom Scott & LA Express (who had a lot to answer for career-wise themselves).
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johnnie
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:38 PM
Response to Reply #24 |
27. Yeah..right song, wrong spelling...thanks. |
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I even have this one on my jukebox at home. I should have known.
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proud patriot
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:04 PM
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10. "Fast Car" Tracy Chapman |
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All of her stuff is awesome
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cosmokramer
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:41 PM
Response to Reply #10 |
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...definitely my favorite.
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stinkeefresh
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:42 PM
Response to Reply #10 |
31. I think that song is a masterpiece. |
On the Road
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:05 PM
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11. It Would be Hard for Me NOT to Give it to a Joni Mitchell Song |
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although there are several candidates in addition to "Free Man in Paris." "Cary", "Case of You", and "River" come to mind.
Nominating the BEST song is more difficult than the "prettiest" song or some other more specific adjective.
Then there are the Laura Nyro songs such as "Sweet Blindness" and "Save the Country." Also famously performed by the Fifth Dimension with a female lead, Marilyn McCoo. Although my favorite Fifth Dimension song, and one of my favorites all-time, is "Wedding Bell Blues."
Will have to pass over Janis Joplin and other old favorites such as "Heat Wve."
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Beaverhausen
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:08 PM
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13. We had a whole Joni thread the other day |
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she is really the best. Hands down.
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southpaw
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:05 PM
Response to Original message |
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Insensitive I Know You Good Mother I Would Die For You et al
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LowerManhattanite
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:13 PM
Response to Original message |
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How could I forget Laura Nyro?
Stoned Soul Picnic?
And When I Die?
Stoney End?
And the candidate for prettiest pop song of all, Wedding Bell Blues?
She left us waaaaay too young.
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mac56
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:15 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
16. Eli's coming! Hide your heart, girl! |
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Edited on Tue Jun-29-04 02:15 PM by mac56
nm
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Insider
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:14 PM
Response to Original message |
15. roberta flack, brenda russell |
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roberta flack - first time ever i saw your face, killing me softly brenda russell - if only for one night, get here
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bif
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:20 PM
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17. Anything by Jonatha Brooke |
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Most underrated singer songwriter around.
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Beaverhausen
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:30 PM
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22. YES! Jonatha Brooke, also Patty Griffin, Patty Larkin, Jane Siberry... |
peekaloo
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:36 PM
Response to Reply #22 |
26. Calling All Angels by Jane Siberry is a beautiful song! |
peekaloo
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:21 PM
Response to Original message |
18. Patti Smith-'People Have The Power' |
mac56
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:22 PM
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19. "Garden In The Rain" by Diana Krall. |
bbernardini
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:27 PM
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20. Anything by MIEKA PAULEY! |
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www.mieka.com
Or the woman that wrote "Insensitive", which Jann Arden later covered.
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bif
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:28 PM
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21. What about Freddy Mercury? |
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He sort of qualifies with the range he could hit.
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jobycom
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:31 PM
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23. Gretchen Peters, Amy Mann, and (flame away) Dolly Parton |
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Gretchen wrote Independence Day (sung by Martina McBride), and On a Bus to Saint Cloud, (sung by Trish Yearwood, and possibly the most haunting love song I've ever heard).
Amy Mann-- damn, list any, starting with Voices Carry.
And Dolly Parton is one of the three best country writers of all times. "I Will Always Love You," despite the Whitney performance, is one of the most successful singles of all time. It hit number one on the country and pop charts TWICE, in two different decades, both by Dolly, and once with Whitney. For those who listen to country, her songwriting credits are overwhelming, matching only Willie Nelson and Hank Williams for influence. (You kind of have to overlook her pop attempts, which weren't so great). Coat of Many Colors, Jolene, Joshua, Tennessee Homesick Blues, Kentucky Gambler, on and on.
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noonwitch
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:35 PM
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25. "Me And My Bobby McGee" |
CO Liberal
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:39 PM
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28. "At Last" by Etta James |
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Edited on Tue Jun-29-04 02:40 PM by CO Liberal
She didn't write it, but hers is the definitive version. You can hear it at the following web site: http://ubl.artistdirect.com/
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cosmokramer
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:41 PM
Response to Reply #28 |
29. ooooooh, I love Etta! |
Screaming Lord Byron
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:43 PM
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32. Aimee Mann - I Should've Known or Beth Orton's Stolen Car |
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Or Joni Mitchell's Coyote Or Patti Smith's Dancing Barefoot Or PJ Harvey's Down by the Water
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Gildor Inglorion
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:44 PM
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33. This one...by the IMMORTAL Judy Collins! |
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"Albatross" The lady comes to the gate Dressed in lavender and leather Looking North to the sea She finds the weather fine She hears the steeple bells Ringing through the orchard All the way from town She watches seagulls fly Silver on the ocean Stitching through the waves The edges of the sky
Many people wander up the hills From all around you Making up your memories And thinking they have found you They cover you with veils of wonder As if you were a bride Young men holding violets Are curious to know if you have cried And tell you why And ask you why Any way you answer
Lace around the collars Of the blouses of the ladies Flowers from a Spanish Friend of the family The embroidery of your life Holds you in And keeps you out But you survive Imprisoned in your bones Behind the isinglass Windows of your eyes And in the night the iron wheels Rolling through the rain Down the hills through the long grass To the sea And in the dark the hard bells Ringing with pain: Come away alone!
Even now by the gate With your long hair blowing And the colors of the day That lie along your arms You must barter your life To make sure that you are living And the crowd that has come You give them the colors And the bells And the wind And the dreams
Will there never be a prince Who rides along the sea And the mountains Scattering the sand and foam Into amethyst fountains Riding up the hills from the beach In the long summer grass Holding the sun in his hands And shattering the isinglass?
Day and night and day again And people come and go away forever While the shining summer sea Dances in the glass of your mirror While you search the waves for love And your visions for a sign The knot of tears around your throat Is crystallizing into your design And in the night the iron wheels Rolling through the rain Down the hills through the long grass To the sea And in the dark the hard bells Ringing with pain:
Come away alone Come away alone...with me.
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peacefreak
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Tue Jun-29-04 02:48 PM
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34. Boulder to Birmingham--Emmylou Harris |
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It Must Be Love--Ricki Lee Jones Little Green--Joni Mitchell Willow--Joan Armatraining Out of the Woods--Sinead Lohan
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