An infinite number of tracks can each be THE greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. That's the hook of my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1), which collects 145 essays about 145 tracks, each one the greatest in its individual turn. The concept presumes there are many more worthy GREM! contenders, and including Volume 1 in the book's title suggests the possibility of a Volume 2.
The prospect of The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 2) has not yet been decided. I mean, it's likely, but it's nowhere near a sure thing at this point. Nonetheless, of course I've been thinking about what great songs this hypothetical second GREM! might address.
So here's a list of maybes. I have already completed GREM! essays for a number of these tracks, while I betcha there are many here that I will never get around to completing. Hell, some of the completed pieces may still be left out of GREM! # 2, even if there is such a thing as GREM! # 2. But the first book started with individual entries and a tentative blueprint, a blueprint that changed many, many times over the years I assembled Volume 1.
This is NOT a proposed Table of Contents for the still-imaginary-for-now The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 2). It's just a notion, or maybe a list of notions.
And that's okay. Everything starts with a notion. Can't chart the infinite without at least a notion.
ARETHA FRANKLIN: Save Me
THE KINKS: You Really Got Me
THE RAMONES: I Believe In Miracles
THE BEATLES: I Should Have Known Better
PEGGY LEE: Fever
AMOS MILBURN: Down The Road Apiece
MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS: Nowhere To Run
THE ROMANTICS: What I Like About You
THE GREG KIHN BAND: The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)
PARTHENON HUXLEY: Double Our Numbers
XTC: Life Begins At The Hop
THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE: All Along The Watchtower
FIRST AID KIT: America
EARTH, WIND AND FIRE WITH THE EMOTIONS: Boogie Wonderland
R. DEAN TAYLOR: Indiana Wants Me
ELTON JOHN: Saturday Night's Alright For Fightin'
ALICE COOPER: School's Out
WHAM!: Freedom
THE VELVELETTES: He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'
THE SOFT BOYS: I Wanna Destroy You
IGGY AND THE STOOGES: I Got A Right
MICKEY AND SYLVIA: Love Is Strange
MARY-CHAPIN CARPENTER: Never Had It So Good
THE SHADOWS: Apache
COTTON MATHER: The Book Of Too Late Changes
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE: White Rabbit
JUDAS PRIEST: Heading Out To The Highway
AC/DC: You Shook Me All Night Long
THE ANIMALS: House Of The Rising Sun
EMMYLOU HARRIS: Pancho And Lefty
THE MONKEES: The Girl I Knew Somewhere
RONNIE SPECTOR AND THE E STREET BAND: Say Goodbye To Hollywood
BILLY JOEL: An Innocent Man
HAYLEY MARY: Like A Woman Should
JUSTINE AND THE UNCLEAN: Vengeance
THE MYNAH BIRDS: I Got You (In My Soul)
BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD: Mr. Soul
TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS: Pressure Drop
THE ROLLING STONES: Can't You Hear Me Knocking
JUDY COLLINS: Both Sides Now
PETER, PAUL AND MARY: Leaving On A Jet Plane
SUGAR: If I Can’t Change Your Mind
THE DIXIE CUPS: Iko Iko
TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS: American Girl
GENE PITNEY: Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa
EDDIE COCHRAN: Somethin' Else
THE CREATION: Making Time
SAM COOKE: Chain Gang
THE FOUR SEASONS: Walk Like A Man
THE FOUNDATIONS: In Those Bad, Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)
THE B-52'S: Roam
HERMAN'S HERMITS: No Milk Today
BONEY M: My Friend Jack
BLONDIE: (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear
EMITT RHODES: Fresh As A Daisy
THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL: Summer In The City
THE CLASH: Train In Vain
THE AVENGERS: We Are The One
THE SAINTS: (I'm) Stranded
SOLOMON BURKE: Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
JOEY WILSON: If You Don't Want My Love
DERRICK ANDERSON: When I Was Your Man
THE SEARCHERS: Hearts In Her Eyes
THE COOKIES: Wounded
ROSANNE CASH: Pink Bedroom
DOLLY PARTON: Jolene
THE MUFFS: Saying Goodbye
THE VOGUES: Five O'Clock World
THE ONLY ONES: Another Girl, Another Planet
SQUEEZE: Tempted
WONDERBOY: Girl Songs
HOLLY AND THE ITALIANS: Tell That Girl To Shut Up
DAVE EDMUNDS: Girls Talk
JUICE NEWTON: Queen Of Hearts
THE RUBINOOS: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
THE CHI-LITES: Have You Seen Her?
BLUE ASH: Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?)
THE NEW YORK DOLLS: Personality Crisis
THE DICTATORS: Who Will Save Rock And Roll?
AMERICA: Sister Golden Hair
ISAAC HAYES: Theme From Shaft
SLADE: Gudbuy T' Jane
THE STEMS: Never Be Friends
WAR: Why Can't We Be Friends
THE DANDY WARHOLS: We Used To Be Friends
MARY LOU LORD: Aim Low
THE BEVIS FROND: He'd Be A Diamond
STIV BATORS: It's Cold Outside
THE PLIMSOULS: A Million Miles Away
RAY CHARLES: Hit The Road Jack
MAURICE WILLIAMS AND THE ZODIACS: Stay
THE CASTAWAYS: Liar Liar
THE YOUNG RASCALS: Good Lovin'
ROY ORBISON: Oh, Pretty Woman
CYNDI LAUPER: I Drove All Night
T. REX: 20th Century Boy
SOFT CELL: Tainted Love
VAN HALEN: Dance The Night Away
PIPER: Drop By And Stay
RACHAEL GORDON: Dresden Station
THE RECORDS: Starry Eyes
DONNA SUMMER: Hot Stuff
ABBA: Dancing Queen
FONTELLA BASS: Rescue Me
THE BEATLES: Thank You, Girl
CONWAY TWITTY: It's Only Make Believe
THE BEAU BRUMMELS: Laugh Laugh
NICK LOWE: So It Goes
R.E.M.: Radio Free Europe
MANNIX: Highway Lines
DAVID JOHANSEN: Frenchette
THE SHIRTS: Tell Me Your Plans
THE BUZZCOCKS: Ever Fallen In Love
JONATHAN RICHMAN: Roadrunner
THE DICKIES: Banana Splits
THE YARDBIRDS: Heart Full Of Soul
THE SHOCKING BLUE: Send Me A Postcard
THE VENTURES: Walk--Don't Run
LOVE: 7 And 7 Is
PARLIAMENT: Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)
THE MC5: Kick Out The Jams
EDWIN STARR: War
PHIL OCHS: I Ain't Marching Anymore
THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS: O-o-h Child
THE STANDELLS: Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White
THE PRETENDERS: Back On The Chain Gang
ROTARY CONNECTION: Love Me Now
NAZARETH: Love Hurts
THE EVERLY BROTHERS: Gone, Gone, Gone
STYX: Kiss Your Ass Goodbye
THE TEARJERKERS: Syracuse Summer
SWEET: Ballroom Blitz
SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY AND THE ASBURY JUKES: I Don't Want To Go Home
STEVIE WONDER: Uptight (Everything's Alright)
THE JAM: That's Entertainment
THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: Yesterday's Hero
THE ANIMALS: It's My Life
THE WHO: Won't Get Fooled Again
THE ENGLISH BEAT: Save It For Later
WILMER ALEXANDER, JR. AND THE DUKES: Give Me One More Chance
LUCINDA WILLIAMS: Passionate Kisses
THE RAMONES: Blitzkrieg Bop
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My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available; you can see details here. My 2023 book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is also still available, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books.
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I’ll pay for this book RIGHT NOW!
ReplyDeleteWhy not Dear God for Xtc and Two tub man for the Dictators? There’s at least half dozen songs I immediately wanted on this list that I thought no one would ever pick, including ours. Hope this makes it.
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