This is ScottYee's post from the other forum. I thought it was a great idea, it helps us to compare and to know a little about all our friends here on this forum.
Thank you so very much Scott Yee you're special. Scott, I thought it would be OK to copy this post to this forum.
John C.


Ok, just what are YOUR favorite songs?

Realizing that as musicians, our personal favorite song list may differ from the typically requested general audience favorites, I think it would be interesting to find out what the PERSONAL favorite songs are of the rest of the Synthzone membership as well. Please share.

Scott

What a tough question?

As a music lover I have so many songs I "Love" and even more that I "Like".

I'm certain that to many of you my favorite song might be considered strange. It's "A Song For You" by Leon Russell.

OK so why do I love it? I find the melody to be hauntingly beautiful and the lyrics say just about everything a song writer could say about loving someone and not always knowing how to say or show it.

I've heard serveal versions of the song but Leon's version remains my favorite. Ray Charles' version takes a very close second.

My Best to All,
Heather

Oh Heather! That is the toughest of questions. There are so many great songs and I guess my favourite of the moment depends on what kind of mood I'm in and/or what I'm listening to or playing at the moment.

Peter

My Oh My!
Following the "crash" I had to re-register and see that I've lost all seniority and been relegated to being a junior again.
Still, I suppose that being regarded as a junior at my age is no bad thing......

Peter

Hi Heather,

I too really LOVE the song "A Song For You" written by Leon Rusell. I also really like his song: "This Masquerade" which has that same haunting sound. Though I certainly enjoy Rusell's rendition of both, I particularly LOVE Karen Carpenter's rendition of BOTH of these tunes as well. In fact, I rate Karen Carpenter's hauntingly beautiful voice in the same league as Ella Fitzgerald. I have a DVD recording of Karen & Ella singing "This Masquerade" as a duet. A timeless treasure.

I hope others will add their personal favorite songs to this thread as well as the reason you consider it your favorite as well.

Scott

John C (bruno123), thanks for spreading my 'favorite song' topic idea to our friends on this Technics forum as well. btw John, what are 'your' personal fav songs?

I started it specifically knowing that our 'personal' special favorite songs often differ from general (non musician) audiences. I’ve noticed that song favorites given by the general public most often are the songs they enjoyed most during their coming of age (14-24) years. I suppose I'm a bit different because, though I fondly recall the hits from my adolescent years, my song 'favorites' were written before my time. For me, a lastingly memorable song must: 1) deliver a convincingly believeable story/message, 2) have an interesting melody or beat (groove) and/or have interesting (chord) changes.

Ok, here are my current personal favorite songs along with associated recording artists

Standards:
Cheek To Cheek – Irving Berlin, performed by Buddy Greco
Come Fly With Me - performed by Frank Sinatra
Don't Fence Me In - Cole Porter, peformed by Rosemary Clooney
Embraceable You - George Gershwin, performed by Sarah Vaughan
I'm An Old Cowhand - Johnny Mercer, performed by Harry Connick Jr.
Lady Is A Tramp – Rogers & Hart, performed by Buddy Greco
Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Harold Arlen, performed by Judy Garland
This Could Be The Start Of Something Big – Steve Allen, performed by Buddy Greco
Too Marvelous For Words - Johnny Mercer, performed by Ella Fitzgerald
Top Hat White Tie and Tails - Irving Berlin, performed by Fred Astaire

Latin:
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - performed by Diana Krall
Sway - performed by Peter Cincotti
This Masquerade – Leon Russell, performed by Karen Carpenter & Ella Fitzgerald
Wave - Antonio Carlos Jobim

Country/R&B Blues
Big City - Merle Haggard
Cold Cold Heart - Hank Williams Sr, performed by Norah Jones
For The Goodtimes - Ray Price
He Walked On Water - Randy Travis
I Won't Mention It Again - Ray Price
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams Sr, performed by BJ Thomas
Long Gone Lonesome Blues - Hank Williams Sr
Night Life, the, performed by Ray Price
Ring Of Fire - Johnny Cash
Satisfied Mind - Porter Wagoner
Sweet Dreams - Patsy Cline
When Something Is Wrong With My Baby – Patti LaBelle & Travis Tritt

Ballads:
Anyone Who Had A Heart - Burt Bacharach, performed by Wynonna Judd
But For Now - Bob Dorough, performed by Jamie Cullum
If I Fell – Beatles
Midnight Sun – Johnny Mercer, performed by Sarah Vaughan
Poor Side Of Town - Johnny Rivers
Rainbow Connection - Kermit (Jim Henson)
Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael
Yesterday - Beatles (especially after 9/11 with revised lyrics

I'm looking forward to hearing personal song/artist favorites from others here.

Scott

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http://scottyee.com

Hi Scott,

Great list! Many of my favorites appear on your list. Dianna Krall does a great job with "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", but I prefer Billy Eckstein's rendition because of his very rich voice and big band.

Your point that most people's favorites were formed during their teen and early adult years is certainly true in my case. I grew up in the 30s and 40s, became a young adult in 1950, so my taste in music is still the music that was written and played during that period. Country music has always been a favorite. Hank Williams Sr. is my all-time favorite country singer/writer. I played a barely acceptable country guitar in my teen years. My brother and our friends and I used to sit around singing Cold, Cold Heart, the Lovesick Blues and all of Hank's great songs. What wonderful memories!

If I have some time to spare next week I will try to come up with my list of favorites. Take care.

Best Wishes,

Chuck

I’m afraid I’m a sucker for a melody and find that many of the great melodies were written in the 30’s and 40’s. My favorite composer of melodies is Henry Mancini. I feel that a great melody can be presented in many different way. We’ve seen Diana Krall put wonderful old standards to a soft latin beat. While there are too many to list, I’ll give you my two favorites from the Mancini song book.
“Just You And Me Together Love”
“Loss Of Love”
And, perhaps add one more from Cootie Williams and Thelonious Monk.
“Round Midnight”

Frank

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scottyee:
[B]John C (bruno123), thanks for spreading my 'favorite song' topic idea to our friends on this Technics forum as well. btw John, what are 'your' personal fav songs?

Well, let me see. What are my favorite songs?
I had to play Hello Dolly 1,095 times, so that's out. Chicken dance, no way.

I'm glad there is you
Tenderly
Satin doll
Moonlight Serenade
Stardust
What now my love
If it's the last thing I do I'll make you mine
How high the moon
Watch what happens
Y M C A, no, error, delete --naw, the dancers still love it -- it's not me
New York, New York
It had to be you
Night and day
Dancing in the dark
The lady is a tramp
Nice and easy
Serenade in blue
Nearness of you
And I love you so
September morn
Irving Berlin
Frank Sinatra
OK, you got me -- I love sentimental music. I do play up-tempos, rock, disco, ect, but my alone time is filled with meaningful sentimental music. No rushing, no strong tempo, just gliding and feeling.


Latin music

Wave
Quiet nights
Meditation
How insensitive
Girl from Ipanema
Yellows days
Dindi (Jin-Jee)

There is so many beautiful songs I could fill this page. There are times when I open one of my fake books and play song after song. Then I'm off to bed with a pleasent smile on my face.

I said to my friend, "music makes you feel good". He responded, "No John, I think it's music makes you feel period".

Life is so good, John C.

Wow, so many favorite tunes listed by all of you. Many of those songs are also part of my favorite list, but I have to add several more--(not an all-inclusive list, to be sure):

In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
When I Fall in love
They're Writing Songs of Love (But not For Me)
Just about anything by Irving Berlin (one of the most underrated composers of our time, I think--a true genius. By the way his birthdate and mine--May 11--are the same day--although a few years difference); and he was so much better a composer than I am!!!
Maria (from West Side Story)
I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
You'll Never Know (just how much I love you)
Singing in the Rain

My list is just the beginning, but enough for now. My very favorite? I would have to say Over the Rainbow, a song I consider an incomparable masterpiece of music and lyric. And I know I have forgotten dozens of others that I really also love.

One classic, or semi-classic, that turns me to mush, and makes me weep when I hear it, is the 18th Variation of Rachmaninoff's "Variations on a Theme of Paganini" (you should listen to the entire piece, however, to enjoy the incredible buildup to the 18th. I get chills just thinking about it!). And anything by Puccini.

Lots more, but enough for now, my dear friends.

Ted