1100-1076 - Great Vocals
1100. HABANARA, L’AMOUR EST OINSEAU RABELLE “Carmen” (1959)
Vocalist: Victoria de los Angeles / and Chorus / (Sir Thomas Beecham cond.) (1959)
Writer/Composer: Georges Bizet (1875)
With this Opera piece’s 2nd entry on our list, this combination is considered by many as one of the greatest recordings in history by a mezzo soprano, and so is its 1st entry on our list by Renata Tibaldi. Victoria nails it here with a sultry, seductive, Spanish style. The selection is considered one of the most recognized Classical offerings ever in music, in fact, many times even cartoons feature the ubiquitous melody repeatedly. Her voice is astonishing, beautiful, very powerful, yet very sensitive to Bizet’s composition, able to turn on a dime, and capture the very essence and every nuance of this very complex piece. So even if Classical Opera is not your cup of tea, relax, sit back, close your eyes and enjoy this 5+minutes of sheer joy…Irresistibly Beguiling!
Link - Original recording 1959.
1099. WONDER (1996)
Vocalist: Natalie Merchant
Writer/Composer: Natalie Merchant (1996)
A wonder indeed is this truly unique example of Alternative Rock / Folk / Pop, at its best. With this American singer / songwriter, as the lead singer in the Alt-Rock band, 10,000 Maniacs, in the 1980s, her distinctive vocal qualities were already present. After 7 albums together, she went solo in 1993 and her crystal-clear, alto / contralto voice was the true wonder. How could anyone have a hit song about “a child born with a congenital disease?” Because of the wonder of Natalie vocals—fresh, convincing and sincere. Her career is still going strong, in spite of losing her voice a few years ago, now a little lower and more mature, and recording albums and concerts for over 40 years. Like the isolated lines in this selection, “With love, with patience, and with faith, she’ll make her way.”…Cool and Captivating!
Link # 1 Original recording & music video 1996, Link # 2 Live performance on David Letterman 1996.
1098. DO NOT FORSAKE ME, OH MY DARLING “High Noon” (1952)
Vocalist: Tex Ritter
Writer/Composer: Dmitri Tiomkin / Ned Washington (1952)
This song survives the test of time as a re-occurring, haunting, Western story-song that adds authenticity to the classic Western film, “High Noon.” Actor and singer Tex Ritter’s broad-stroked, baritone vocals add to the drama perhaps like no other Western, with passion, sincerity and desperation, making the song and the film a nostalgic look back into the past, displaying Kane’s fear of who’s arriving on that noon train, seeking revenge and, as the clock ticks, on his wedding day. “I do not know what fate awaits me / I only know I must be brave / And I must face a man who hates me / Or die a coward, a craven coward / Or lie a coward in my grave.” The Oscar-winning song continues to remind us that sometimes responsibilities rise above love. One of the truly great Movie songs—Mournfully Mesmerizing!
Link - Straight from the movie intro, High Noon 1952.
1097. FROM THE BEGINNING (1972)
Vocalist: Emerson, Lake & Palmer (guitar & bass, lead vocals Greg Lake / Keith Emerson keyboards / Carl Palmer percussion)
Writer/Composer: Greg Lake (1972)
This is a stunning example of a British Progressive Rock band that emerged into a ‘supergroup’ because of their expertise with sound and their breakthrough recordings that utilized innovative keyboard / synthesizer work. Any way one looks at it, they were among the leaders by introducing new techniques and motifs to the Rock / Folk / Pop world market—they were harmonic vocalists as well. This selection, their 2nd on our list, features the warm, tender and smooth baritone of Greg Lake, reminding us of the Moody Blues, Pink Floyd or the Alan Parsons Project. The song deals with regret and getting use to loss, “Maybe I might have changed / And not been si cruel / Not been suck a fool / Whatever was done is done / I just can’t recall / It doesn’t matter at all.” …Sparkling and Sophisticated!
Link # 1 Original recording 1972. Link # 2 Live performance 1974.
1096. YOU NEEDED ME (1978)
Vocalist: Anne Murray
Writer/Composer: Randy Goodrum (1978)
One of Canada’s shining stars—Anne Murray! This Country / Pop / Folk classic was a #1 Pop hit as well, and a Grammy winner as best female Pop vocal of 1978. She does this song so convincingly, as she takes her unique, mellow, sincere, contralto voice and sings this extraordinary love song about unconditional love, emotion, and vulnerability. How could you not fall, this example, verse 2, “You held my hand / When it was cold / When I was lost / You took me home / You gave me hope / When I was at the end / And turned my lies / Back into truth again / You even called me friend.” Gulp! It’s not just sentimental, it’s true in a powerful way. Her 3rd listed song shows remarkable range, phrasing, with just enough vibrato to appeal universally. Put this one on a pedestal…Very Beautiful!
Link # 1 Original recording with lyrics 1978. Link # 2 Live performance 1996.
1095. NEW ATTITUDE “Beverly Hills Cop” (1985)
Vocalist: Patti Labelle
Writer/Composer: Sharon Robinson / Jon Gilutin / Bunny Hull (1984)
What a positive, remarkable Movie song with R&B / Dance Pop vibes about changing our lives! With this New-Wave / Dance / Pop song she pulled out all the stops, soaring to become one of the biggest Dance songs of the decade. “I’m feelin’ good from my head to my shoes / Know where I’m goin’ and I know what to do / I tidied up my point of view / I got a new attitude.” American singer / actress Patti Labelle’s 2nd listed song on our list brought her back into the mainstream—she had the talent to prove it. Her soprano voice broke through with 3+ octaves of versatility, able to emote, bend the notes, and shine with a very unique sound, reminding one of Aretha with her ability to combine Gospel / R&B / Soul / Pop producing Dance tunes embraced by the public…A Crowd-Pleasing Stunner!
Link # 1 Original recording, official music video 1985. Link # 2 Live performance 1986.
1094. (Hep Hep) THE JUMPIN’ JIVE (1939)
Vocalist: Cab Calloway (Cabell Calloway III) & his Orchestra
Writer/Composer: Cabell Calloway / Frank Froeba / Jack Palmer (1939)
Jazz/Swing never sounded more joyful, setting a primitive template for later recordings of R&B & Rock & Roll, making this was a landmark song! His mix of Vaudeville and Jazz brought him intenational attention in the 1930s, topping off a 65-year career in music. He became a master at early scat singing and his band reached cult status with such future celebrities as Dizzy Gillespie, Jonah Jones, Doc Cheatham on trumpets, Ben Webster & Leon Berry on sax, Danny Barker & guitar, Milt Hinton on bass & drummer ‘Cozy Cole’, all early legends. He was the first black artist to sell a million records, Minnie the Moocher (Hi-de-ho) and later appeared on TV and in many musical films such as Stormy Weather. The movie features the Nicholas Bros, astounding dance act!…Jaw-Dropping, Breathless!
Link # 1 Original landmark recording 1939. Link # 2 Nicholas Brothers dance to Cab Calloway and his Orchestra 1943!
1093. YOU’RE MY WORLD (1968)
Vocalist: Cilla Black (Priscilla Maria Veronica White)
Writer / Composer: Carl Sigman / Gino Paoli / Umberto Bindi (1963)
British singer / actress / TV star, Cilla Black, rode a great crest of popularity from the early 1960s through the early ‘70s with her appealing, powerful, soprano voice. She displayed great phrasing as she does here, with a strong vibrato covering over 1.5 octaves. The ‘60s was the pinnacle of her 50-year career—she had more hits than any other female on the British charts in that era, and this song was a #1 hit for her in Britain. Some considered her vocal performances weak, but her strong expressive range allowed her to tap into people’s emotions. The strong chorus is touching, “You’re my world, you are my night and day / You’re my world, You’re every prayer I pray / If our love ceases to be / Then it’s the end of my world for me.” A Pop / Soul singer capable of a Larger-Than-Life Performance!
Link # 1 - Original Recording 1968. Link # 2 Live performance 1968.
1092. CAN’T HELP FALLING in LOVE “Blue Hawaii” (1961)
Vocalist: Elvis Presley / The Jordanaires
Writer/Composer: Hugo Piretti / Luigi Creatore / George David Weiss (1961)
With his 8th song on our list, we settle on one of his most cherished and famous romantic ballads, straight from the movie. The tune is loosely based on the French classic Plaisir d’ amour, the song resonates with a universal audience, Pop / Soft Rock and a multitude of Easy-Listening fans of the past. His smooth baritone features some crystal-clear phrasing and stunning vibrato when he holds those notes. This has endured as one of his most popular songs, especially for weddings and final numbers for his concerts, and it was his last song before his death in 1977. The chorus is vocal perfection, “Like a river flows / Surely to the sea / Darling, so it goes / Some things, you know, are meant to be.” This American singer / actor soared in popularity in 1961 as the most famous in the world…Extraordinary!
Link # 1 Original recording 1961 from Blue Hawaii. Link # 2 Elvis’ live Comeback Special 1968.
1091. OH, LONESOME ME (1958)
Vocalist: Don Gibson / & Jordanaires / Chet Atkins guitar
Writer/Composer: Don Gibson (1957)
Don Gibson exploded on the scene in the late 1950s, with 4 straight songs crossing from Country to the Pop charts, this song, I Can’t Stop Loving You, Who Cares and Blue, Blue Day. He had an exceptional baritone, 2+octave voice—his penchant for great melodies about loneliness contributed to that “Nashville” Country sound joining the likes of Marty Robbins, Jim Reeves, and Bobby Helms. Someone else helped him too, a guitar player name Chet Atkins who played in almost every song. His 3rd song on our list is an anomaly, it sounds happy and bouncy, but the lyrics are sad. Example? Final verse, “Well. there must be some way I can lose these lonesome blues / Forget about the past and find somebody new / I’ve thought of everything from A to Z / Oh, Lonesome me!”…Splendid Serendipity!
Link # 1 Original recording 1957. Link # 2 Live performance 1958.
1090. HOMEWARD BOUND (1966)
Vocalist: Simon & Garfunkel
Writer/Composer: Paul Simon (1965)
This beautiful harmonic Folk song released in 1965 launched this duo into the legendary musical stratosphere. Their 7th listed entry recreated Folk music just when the musical ‘British Invasion’ thought the conquest was over. Their astonishing harmony, humming or singing, and Paul’s understanding of the response of American culture to his poetic, intelligent, and extraordinary lyrics was phenomenal for its time. Other than the Everly Brothers, perhaps no other duet understood harmony better than Art Garfunkel. Their united voices were a perfect cure for the troubled times of the late 1960s, with social protests, assassinations and the Viet Nam War coming into irs own. This is a sterling example of beautiful musical harmony in their 30-year career together…Absolutely Superb, Stunning!
1089. ANGIE (1973)
Vocalist: Rolling Stones (Mick Jagger vocals / Nicky Hopkins piano / Keith Richards guitar / Mick Taylor acoustic / Bill Wyman bass / Charlie Watts / drums)
Writer/Composer: Keith Richards / Mick Jagger (1972)
The Stones have prevailed as iconic Hard Rock / Blues / Folk legends longer than any other group in Rock history, enduring changes in the music industry, selling out concert venues, and selling over 200 million records, from the early 1960s through the 2020s—over 65 years! This British 5-man Rock band has always been considered the bad boys of Rock, but this selection escapes that, as a loving ballad, full of depth and emotion, a slow paced melody that even broght in Folk Rock enthusiasts. Their 3rd listed song is a stunner—Mick actually sings this best performance of his long career. He concludes with, “Angie, Angie / Ain’t it good to be alive / Angie, Angie / They can’t say we never tried.” Keith’s words ring out emeotionally, probably titled from his next baby, Angela…Their Magnum Opus!
Link # 1 Official Promo # 1 1973. Link # 2 Official Promo # 2
1088. I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN (2014)
Vocalist: Tony Bennett / Lady Gaga
Writer/Composer: Cole Porter (1936)
Amazing! Almost 90 and Tony matched Gaga’s great showmanship in this Cole Porter classic! Tony astonished the music world by remembering lyrics in his early dementia stage. Something can be said—musical involvement may absolutely delay the dreaded condition. Lady Gaga’s presence and vocal prowess prove she’s not just a Pop princess with her outlandish costumes and her iconic attention-grabbing theatrics, but she’s a vocal presence, capable of 3 octaves of soprano delivery. She also is a chameleon of sorts, versatile enough to adapt to any musical genre, as she does from the Theater Jazz song from 1936. Together with Tony’s legendary presence, his 6th song, (her 2nd) they blend this tune from America’s treasured Songbook to an absolute historical jaw-dropping delight…Simply Overwhelming!
Link - Official live musical video. 2014.
1087. WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO (1988)
Vocalist: Whitney Houston and chorus
Writer/Composer: Chuck Jackson / Frank Wildhorn / (1987)
As of 2025, only one female musical artist has ever achieved this—to have 7 consecutive record releases hit #1, four from one album, Whitney Houston. She had an incredible run in the late 1980s, until her untimely death in at 48 years of age in 2012. This iconic American singer / actress / film producer had it all, with a total control of her 4 to 5 octave, mezzo soprano voice—and it was beautiful! With her 5th listed song, she pulled in R&B / Soul / Pop / even Jazz fans and became one of the most admired, beloved vocalists of the 20th Century. This song proved she had mastered love ballads, not just Soul and Dance music. “Where do broken hearts go? / Can they find their way home / Back to the open arms / Of a love that’s waiting there?” Wow! Her appeal went beyond the young…Simply Sensational!
Link # 1 Official music video 1987. Link # 2 Live performance American Music Awards 1988.
1086. USE ME (1972)
Vocalist: Bill Withers lead vocals, guitar / Melvin Dunlap bass / Ray Jackson clavinet / James Gadson drums
Writer/Composer: Bill Withers (1972)
This remarkable piece of music is…well, remarkable! This R&B Classic is magnetic to Soul / Rock / Funk / Jazz & Pop enthusiasts everywhere. Noted for its bass leadin, and its complex musical tempo, it was another completely original son from the pen of Withers, denoting its theme of him being too nice to have a serious love relationship. It was a smash, and marked the beginning of a stellar career from the 1970s through the 1980s. His 2nd song on our list features his smooth, warm, baritone delivery, with a hint of rasp, and comforting feeling of trust. “I, I, I, I, Yes, I wanna spread the news / That if it feels good gettin’ used / Oh, you just keep on usin’ me / Until you use me up / Until you use me up.” He can’t help it—it’s hopeless, she’s gonna walk all over him…A Dazzling Diamond in the Rough!
Link # 1 Original recording 1972. Link # 2 Live performance on BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test 1972.
1085. ONLY YOU (and YOU ALONE) (1955) (1960)
Vocalist: The Platters (lead vocals Tony Williams)
Writer/Composer: Buck Ram (1954)
Many today believe the Platters earn top billing among the greatest vocal performances of the 20th Century. Consider their being equally loved among R&B / Pop / Soul and Rock genres in the so-called ‘hall of fame,’ of Music, their astonishing choice of Buck Ram songs, melodies and the voice of lead singer, Tony Williams, certainly places them on the Mt. Rushmore of American vocal groups. It’s hard to put this selection, their 5th song listed, this far down our list, because his exact phrasing, vocal clarity, and power-packed tenor delivery, is nothing short of Magnificent! The finale, when he sings, “When you hold my hand, / I understand / The magic that you do00 / You’re my dream come true / My one and only …YOUUUU,“ takes your breath away…Superb, Sublime and Sensational!
Link # 1 Original recording with lyrics 1955. Link # 2 Live performance Rock Around the Clock 1956.
1084. GYPSIES, TRAMPS AND THIEVES (1971)
Vocalist: Cher / The Wrecking Crew orchestration
Writer/Composer: Bob Stone (1971)
Cher’s 4th listed song was a career risk in 1971, she recorded solo from Sonny Bono and next year starred with Sonny in a musical comedy variety how, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Their popularity soared—it was a massive hit that very same year, and the die was cast. Of Cher’s best remarkable vocal deliveries, this one stands out as she delivers it in a truly authentic gypsy style. The result of this story song—it was captivating to Pop / Rock / Soul / Folk audiences, proving she was just getting started, she was a fixture though the rest of the 20th Century, well into the 2000s. She had us from, “I was born in a wagon of a travelin’ show / My mama used to dance for the money the-d throw…” the start, with her larger-than-life, distinctive, and powerful, contralto voice…Breathtaking and Beguiling!
Link # 1 Official audio in 1971. Link # 2 Live performance The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour 1971.
1083. MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT (1967)
Vocalist: Mel Torme / George Shearing Orch.
Writer/Composer: John Blackburn / Karl Suessdorf (1944)
With his 4th song on our list, the “velour” voice of Mel Torme can really be appreciated. Redefining Jazz / on old standards, and appealing to Blues and Pop, his voice, even to the trained ear, shocks and awes those who are aware—this is a velvitone (if there is such a thing), almost uncanny and unheard of in music sounds. This beautiful ballad is stunning in its delivery, from its intro in A Capella, to its very conclusion, it still has the striking tone of a musical instrument: i.e. a flute or a violin. Thr song’s bridge, “Telephone cables, they sing down the highway / And travel each bend in the road / People who meet in this romantic setting / Are so hypnotized by the lovely…” OH! Done originally by Margaret Whiting in ‘44, and multitudes of others, this is one for the ages…Romantic, poetic=A Treat!
Link # 1 Original recording from Swinging on the Moon 1966. Link # 2 Live performance with George Shearing (1967
1082. I’D HAVE TO BE CRAZY (1976)
Vocalist: Willie Nelson / Steve Fromholz harmony vocals / Mickey Raphael harmonica
Writer/Composer: Steve Fromholz (1976)
“I’d have to be crazy / To stop all my singing / and never play music again / You’d call me a fool / If I grabbed up a top hat / And ran out to flag down the wind / I’d have to be weird / To grow me a beard / Just to see what the rednecks would do / But I’d have to be crazy / Plum out of my mind / To fall out of love with you.” It’s Willie this time, introducing us to an unbreakable love, with a treat and lark of a song. This is his 5th selection on our list with a surprise, Waylon Jennings joins him on the last verse. There is probable no one in Country / Folk music who can add the absurb in lyrics and get away with it, but Willie can. In a career spanning over 65 years, he still has that distinctive, raspy sound in his nasal delivery, and he alway delivers the goods…Absolutely Nod-your-head great, with Smiling Eyes!
Link - Original recording 1976.
https://youtu.be/s-6bYOwr2Bg?si=TlYyBrPy9IDqwnlO
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1081. RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS (1971)
Vocalist: The Carpenters / the Wrecking Crew (Session Musicians)
Writer/Composer: Paul Williams / Roger Nichols (1971)
Karen proved and secured her place in American music history from the late 1960s through the early 70s that her place could be cemented on the Mt. Rushmore of the Pop music—for all time. As a contralto who had complete ownership her rich, smooth, unique voice she, along with her brother Richard, put together a string of hits that eventually tapped into an iconic place among the best vocals of the 20th Century. Their 4th song here listed shows the perfection in their melody and harmony—it was impeccable! She captures every warm tone and feeling conveyed in the song, and every nuance possible with her marvelous breath control and her stunning, beautiful vibrato. The conclusion, “Hangin’ around (hangin’ around) / Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”…Simply Sublime!
Link # 1 Original recording 1971. Link # 2 Live performance the Johnny Cash Show 1971.
1080. WAKE UP LITTLE SUZIE (1957)
Vocalist: Everly Brothers (Chet Atkins electric guitar)
Writer/Composer: Felicia & Boudleaux Bryant (1957)
The Everly’s 2nd big record dominated Rock, Country, and Pop, and with their impeccable harmony, they embarked on a career that brought them 4 #1 songs, (counting this one) and multitudes of other hits from 1957 through 1962. This American singer / songwriter duet simply pioneered Country Rock, and along with Elvis and Ricky Nelson, were the biggest stars of that era. Their effervescent harmony was 2nd to none until Simon & Garfunkel came along—to whom they were often compared. The song has everything, verses, a chorus and a bridge, and its catchy tune, impossible to ignore, “We’ve both been sound asleep / Wake up little Susie, and weep / The movie over, it’s four o’clock / and we’re in trouble deep / Wake up little Susie / Wake up little Susie.” High Voltage and Electrifying!
Link - Original recording live 1957.
1079. IT’S PROBABLY ME (Live) (2017)
Vocalist: Gregory Porter
Writer/Composer: Sting (Gordon Sumner / Eric Clapton / Michael Kamen (1992)
An amazing thing happened in the world of Jazz proving that art form was not dying—it was just getting started! Gregory Porter performed at the Polar Music Prize / Stockholm / 2017 in Sweden. From that emerged an American singer whose warm, Soulful baritone was compared to “liquid gold,” and he burst upon the Jazz / Blues / Gospel scene as a man who embodied a vocal technique that was expressive, touching and full of rich texture and emotion. He won 2 Grammys for his music on 2 stellar albums, Liquid Spirit and Take Me to the Alley. This rendition of Sting & Clapton’s song made everyone take notice, he Jazzed it up and took it into overdrive. One writer noted his “booming baritone has a gift for earthy refinement and soaring uplift.” Hang on every word…Elevating and
Link # 1 Live recording Polar Music Prize 2017.
1078. LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING “Aspects of Love” (2005)
Vocalist: Sarah Brightman
Writer/Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber / Charles Hart / Don Black (1989)
One of the sweetest voices to dominate the Musical Theater and, as she proves here with her 5th listed number, she’s also one of the greatest interpreters of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical composition. This British singer / actress has performed many duets with some of the world’s great singers and her celestial, eerie high notes are astounding, but her maturity led to a slightly more flexible, coloratura soprano, with the Classical training to back it up. The play includes 3 aspects of love and deals mainly with passion, intimacy and commitment, and the song, for example, “Off into the world we go / Planning futures, shaping years / Love bursts in, and suddenly / All our wisdom disappears.” This stunning song is a credit to her enduring, lovable vocals through the years…Elegant and Elevating!
1077. LARGO AL FACTOTUM "The Barber of Seville” (1958)
Vocalist: Robert Merrill / Metropolitan Orch. (Eric Lansdorf cond.)
Writer/Composer: Gioachino Rossini (1816)
This comic Opera was brought to the masses in the early days of TV by this internationally famous Classical Opera star, Robert Merrill, teaming with the Metropolitan Opera Orch. It was scattershot, “boastful and buoyant” and certainly jolly, and when this great baritone sings in a fast-talking “patter,”—remarkable! He stood front and center to entertain and amuse his audience, showing his skills, abilities, versatility and experience as a favorite performer on variety shows in the 1950s through the 1970s. His acting skills kept him busy in those days, and his powerful baritone, tenor voice soared—whenever he wanted it to. Described as vigorous, yet smooth… A Stellar Performance!
1076. ON AND ON (1977)
Vocalist: Stephen Bishop
Writer/Composer: Stephen Bishop (1976)
The 1970s was the era of singer / songwriters and even actors in this case, and this wonderful romantic love song about the sadness of a breakup is one of the best of the era. It was a Pop / Soul smash, staying on the charts for seven months—it wouldn’t go away because the music industry was hungry for romantic melody and beautiful music.. Stephen delivered here from personal experience, how can you not like, “Got the sun on my shoulders / And my toes in the sand / Woman’s left me for some other man / Aw, but I don’t care / I’ll just dream and stay tan / Toss up my heart and see where it lands.” As a writer he was a master of such lines, such as Save It for a Rainy Day and It Might be You, and his 2+octave tenor vocals were known for their dreamy, sensitive, soft approach…Endearing and Exquisite!
Link # 1 Official lyric video 1976. Link # 2 Live performance The Midnight Special 1977.
