THIRTY GREATEST SONGS OF THE MODERN ERA

I came across a video on YouTube of the incredible Norah Jones singing from her house on a spinet piano a Hank Williams tune.  Now Hank wrote a lot of great music, a lot of beautiful music with lyrics that are as beautiful and somber as the music that accompanies them are.  Hank was special.

I thought to myself, this has GOT to be one of the greatest songs of the modern era, and posted it on Facebook relaying my feelings.  I then got to wondering if I could possible come up with a list of the greatest songs that I am familiar with.  It would have to be more than just the music and more than just the lyrics.  It would have to contain both to qualify.  Beautiful lyrics and beautiful music.  A list of perfect songs.  I am going to try to make it a list of twenty of songs that I am familiar with.  I am sure that there are many songs out there that I have not heard yet and I would welcome suggestions of songs so that I can expend my music knowledge.  So let's give this a shot.

I tried to keep it to a list of ten songs but that proved to be impossible.  There have been so many wonderful songs over the years that I eventually decided on keeping the list to thirty with some honorable mentions plus a separate list of my favorite hymns.  A lot of the hymns are pretty old and may not fit into the modern era category.  The criteria I used was a two prong test.  Fifty percent of the score would be based on the music and fifty percent on the quality of the lyrics.  Any song that uses "YEAH YEAH YEAH" probably wouldn't qualify (sorry John and Paul)  Another thing to keep in mind when looking at this list is the mood I was in while searching out these songs.  Chances are you won't find any distorted guitars on the list or pounding drum solos.  The list of songs are not necessarily in a particular order from best to worst.  It was hard enough narrowing the list down to thirty without then trying to decide which was better than another.

SO ... here are thirty songs that to me, are masterpieces that are timeless.  These songs have stood the test of time for the most part.

01. O Holy Night - Adolphe Adam
02. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams
03. Run For The Roses - Dan Fogelberg
04. White Christmas - Irving Berlin
05. Forever Young - Bob Dylan
06. Am I Blue -  ‎Harry Akst‎; ‎Grant Clarke
07. Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) - Frederic Weatherly (Lyrics)
08. The Very Thought Of You - Roy Noble
09. Something - George Harrison
10. Send In The Clowns - Stephen Sondheim

11. We'll Meet Again - Ross Parker, Hughie Charles
12. Come Rain Or Come Shine - Harold Arlen; Johnny Mercer
13. Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton
14. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain - Fred Rose
15. Faded Love - Bob, John and Billy Jack Wills
16. Will The Circle Be Unbroken - Ada R. Habershon; Charles H. Gabriel
17. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning -  David Mann; Bob Hilliard
18. Time In A Bottle - Jim Croce
19. Crossroads - Don McLean
20. Yesterday - John Lennon; Paul McCartney

21. The Wayward Wind - Stanley Lebowsky; Herb Newman
22. Dream - Johnny Mercer
23. Christmas Time Is Here - Lee Mendelson; Vince Guaraldi
24. How Great Thou Art - Carl Boberg
25. Where Or When - Richard Rodgers; Lorenz Hart
26. You Don't Know Me - Cindy Walker; Eddy Arnold
27. Somewhere Over The Rainbow -  Harold Arlen; Yip Harburg
28. What A Wonderful World - George David Weiss; Bob Thiele
29. Crying - Roy Orbison; Joe Melson
30. Chances Are - Robert Allen; Al Stillman

I think this is a pretty impressive list.  Remember the lyrics have to be as great as the music is and these songs have words that will tear at your heart. I love these songs.  Some of you might scoff at Bob Dylan making this list but his "Forever Young" has a beautiful melody if you can get past his vocals and the lyrics are very inspirational.  

There are a lot of songs that just didn't quite cut into the top thirty.  A big reason they may have not made the list is that they are still relatively new songs in the history of music.  Here are a few of them.

01. Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
02. Remember When The Music - Harry Chapin
03. I Only Have Eyes For You - Harry Warren; Al Dubin
04. When I'm Gone - Sandra Emory Lawrence
05  All Or Nothing At All - Arthur Altman; Jack Lawrence
06. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Paul Simon
07. The Summer Wind -  Heinz Meier; Johnny Mercer
08. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - Bobby Scott; Bob Russell
09. Song For You - Leon Russell
10. But Not For Me - George Gershwin; Ira Gershwin

Of course, the list could go on and on and on.  These are special.  These songs all have played a role in my life at one time or another.  I hear these songs and some can make me teary as they take me to places my mind has been.   The newest song of these forty listed is in the honorable mention but I am sure will move into one of the all time greats.  It is a song introduced to me by friends and family at the time of Barbara's death.  "When I'm Gone" was recorded by Joey + Rory and it means the world to me because of the time in which it entered my life. Music is such a wonderful gift that God has given us.

Now for a small list of hymns that have been a part of my life as long as I can remember.  These hymns bring out emotions in me as I listen to the words and how they express the love of God and all that He has done for us.  How God carries us through difficult times and how we can depend on God to follow through with His promises that He gave us.  I am not even going to put a number next to them.  All of the lyrics to these songs are equally important and meaningful.

Amazing Grace
Holy Holy Holy
In The Garden
It Is Well
Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Just As I Am
When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
Were You There...
What A Friend We Have In Jesus 
Blessed Assurance
Blest Be The Tie That Binds 
Sweet Hour Of Prayer 
For The Beauty Of The Earth
I Need Thee Every Hour

So many hymns.  Wonderful songs of Praise and Faith.  All of those hymns I listed come from my childhood, songs that I was raised hearing every Sunday.  Those songs are an integral part of my life.  My philosophy on many things in life are grounded in those hymns.  These are hymns that generations past of my family have sung and pondered and were comforted by.  Hymns are almost magic as they bring us back after wandering afar.  I can not imagine music without hymns being a huge part of the discussion.

Well, my purpose in writing this was to lighten up a little for my readers.  I hope I accomplished that.  I hope you learned why I love music so very much.  I hope that if there is a song you are not familiar with, you will go in search for it and listen.  Consider it my gift to you to introduce you to something new.  You know, something can be 100 years old and still be brand new to somebody.

Thank you for letting me write this to you.  Thank you for looking them over.  Let me know if there is a song that you think should be one of the greatest ever.  I am always anxious to listen to music I may not have been familiar with.  

You all take care now.  Enjoy some music.

God Bless every one of you.

Bill