Top 40 Classic Rock Favorites

Here are my “Top 40” favorites.  This was the hardest thing I have ever tried, that is, to narrow this list down to 40, almost exhausting!  All right, I cheated!  On Elton John, The Beatles and Rolling Stones, Supertramp, Traffic and others, I have more than one pick.  My mind is still producing artists and songs that I love, such as, Jethro Tull, Locomotive Breath.  This list is mostly 60’s and 70’s music, except for U2, which is 80’s.

An abundance of controversy surrounds which is the “Best” of the best among my friends and on the internet.  I suppose it is an emotional choice, based on the feelings that the songs produce and the memories they bring.  Some might go by the amount of sales, but to me that is not the point.

The fact is that there is simply an enormous amount of great classic rock songs.  I love almost all of the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac songs.  I dare not forget to mention Pink Floyd, Steve Miller Band, Buddy Holly, The Mamas and the Papas, Robert Palmer, Aerosmith, The Guess Who, Rod Stewart, The Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Joe Walsh, Don Henley, Styx, David Bowie, The Clash, The Pretenders, Yes, Lovin’ Spoonful, Cat Stevens, Tommy James and the Shondells, Bee Gees, John Denver, Neil Diamond, Nilsson, Leon Russell… and so many more.  I could go on forever.  You might agree to why it is so hard to pick.  I cannot even express my thoughts on the late, great Duane Allman!  He was such an immense talent and in my opinion the best guitarist who ever lived.  However, we could have a rousing conversation about Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton compared to Duane Allman.

It is distressing that some of those who were the greats flamed out too soon, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Gram Parsons.  They were casualties of the hippie culture or perhaps casualties of their own demons.  Then there are those talents who really did not burn themselves out by drugs and drinking (though I cannot speak for the fact that they did or did not try drugs, for a fact, some did!), they just died too young, Buddy Holly, Duane Allman, John Lennon, George Harrison, Bob Marley and Otis Redding, to name a few.

I still listen to these classics and still think it is the best music ever!  Some may consider this music to be relics of a bygone era.  Not me!  I know people younger than myself who listen to this music.  I simply consider them to have good taste, although they may have missed the opportunity to live through this musical renaissance. Perhaps their parents introduced them to the music.

Occasionally, I will wander off into a country music phase, but always come back to the classic rock.  Is it because that era was the best time of my life?  Maybe, but I just think it’s the music!  I am still having the best time of my life, although without the accessories… (I will let you figure that one out!)

So here I go with the list.

1. Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
2. House of the Rising Sun - Animals
3. Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf
4. Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
5. Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival
6. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
7. You Really Got Me - Kinks
8. Nights in White Satin, Question - Moody Blues
9. Somebody to Love - Jefferson Airplane
10. White Room - Cream
11. Time of the Season - Zombies
12. Dust in the Wind - Kansas
13. Feelin' Allright, Low Spark of the High Heeled Boys - Traffic
14. For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
15. Daniel, Levon, Rocket Man - Elton John
16. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
17. Layla - Derek and the Dominoes
18. Piece of My Heart - Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Co
19. All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix (by Dylan)
20. Take it to the Limit - Eagles
21. Suite Judy Blue Eyes - Crosby, Stills and Nash
22. Black Magic Woman - Santana
23. Roxanne - The Police
24. Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
25. Baba O'Reilly - The Who
26. Respect - Aretha Franklin
27. Hey Jude, We Can Work it Out - Beatles
28. Riders on the Storm - The Doors
29. Free Bird - Lynrd Skynrd
30. Be My Baby - The Ronettes
31. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
32. Imagine - John Lennon
33. With or Without You - U2
34. More Than a Feeling - Boston
35. Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
36. Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
37. Breakdown - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
38. You Can't Always Get What You Want - Rolling Stones
39. Magic Man - Heart
40. Take the Long Way Home, Logical Song - Supertramp

What songs are your favorites? 

Next we will get into Concert lists!

Still leaving off the list... Electric Light Orchestra, Ike and Tina Turner, Earth Wind & Fire, Grand Funk Railroad, Foreigner, Kiss ….

Beautiful Women Comes in All Ages and Sizes

Everyone has their own idea of beauty, but I, for one, do not think the pencil thin model is beautiful!  I am not kidding.  I just want to give them milk shakes and butter. What is the beauty of ribs and shoulder blades sticking out?

Why this era has labeled this as beautiful is a mystery to me.  Marilyn Monroe was considered the most beautiful woman in the world in the 50’s and she was not pencil thin.  Then we got to Twiggy in the 60’s and we are still there.  The buxom lady with her cleavage showing and the large derriere are very sexy. 

I also believe Americans are too into youth.  Older women are beautiful too.  Helen Miren is one of the most beautiful women.  Sophia Loren is still spectacular.  There are many “normal” women who are beautiful and you probably know many of them.  I love the crinkles around the eyes of a delightfully lined face as she smiles. 

Thankfully I am married to a man who likes a bit of weight, or we call it “meat on the bones.”  I know many of you younger men will not agree, but in time, you will learn the truth.
 

So here’s to the beautiful women, no matter what size or age we are! 

Wandering in thought

I am new to this blogging business!  Lately I feel I have nothing to write about, nothing profound, nothing as creative and as original as those I am following and reading.
Don't give up on me.  I am a very creative person, just lately... my work is taking a lot of my energy and creative process. 
I am a day dreamer and have so many thoughts rattling around in my brain, but not coming out in print...
So I have discovered that I will need to take some time for me and my own creative energy.

The Birthday

Earlier I had written about how the darling husband did not seem to be aware of my birthday.  I felt silly and maybe a bit selfish.

Today, the day after my birthday, I am quite happy about it all.

I am on a couple of social networking sites and was overwhelmed by birthday wishes!  What great friends I have!

Last week-end, we went to a party out of town in a fabulous lake house.  Our friend is in the trash business and it must be a pretty good business!  It was not a party for me, but a housewarming party.  I had a nice time just the same.

I received a sewing machine for my present.  My darling husband came through!  This is a pretty big present for me!  It embroiders, but is for beginners, as I wrote in yesterday’s blog.

We are going to do more celebrating tomorrow, Veteran’s Day, because we are off work. 

So the birthday is still going on.  I am getting old, but still love to celebrate my birthday!  Heck, it beats the alternative!

Creative Visions... or Etsy here I come!

I received what I wanted for my birthday, a beginner sewing machine that embroiders.  I used to sew on an old Singer of my mother’s.  Then for years it just sat in the bedroom, idle.  So one day I thought I would be creative and make something, but the sewing machine did not work.

We took it to a store that sells and repairs machines and looked around at the new machines.  The owner sat us down to a machine that sews and embroiders and was $2700!  Wow!  So I fell in love with that machine and still really want it.

Later we found out that my mother’s machine could not be repaired because the part that holds the bobbin was broken and they don’t make the part any more.  Also we found out that Singer is not the same company it used to be and therefore not as quality as it used to be.

So for a year now I have had visions of creative projects that I could produce and possibly sell on Etsy… mentioning several times to my darling husband that I want a sewing machine.

I picked out several that we could afford, knowing that I will have to re-learn how to sew on these new computerized machines.

Well my creative visions will have to wait a while.  I work, am politically involved and have a very busy life.

I got all the pieces and parts out, watched the CD instructions, read parts of the manual, and tried to wind the bobbin.  First, the thread wound underneath the part that holds the bobbin… not good!  It took me a while to fix that and get all the thread out.  Next, it wound but then I discovered that a portion had also wound underneath, so I had to unwind the bobbin and underneath the bobbin winder.  Third time is the charm, right?  Well, yes , this time it was.  I finally successfully wound the bobbin.

Next I tried a couple of stitches on a very old project that I will never finish.  Then it dawned on me, yes, I have a lot to learn.  I have not even tried the embroidery part.  You have to wind a bobbin for each color and change thread for however many colors the project has…

The machine really does a lot for a little beginner machine.  It is computerized and you can download a design off a computer to the machine.  It’s not my mother’s Singer!

Etsy, here I come… maybe in a year or two? 

Valley of Elah, War and other thoughts

I saw the Valley of Elah last evening and it still sticks with me today.  I read the blogs and reviews.  Wow!  I am really behind.  This movie came out in 2007!  Some think that it is pro-Muslim… I did not see that at all in this movie, rather anti-Iraqi war.  What I saw was our young warriors turned into sociopaths by this war and I think that is the message the movie was trying to convey. 

Is this the way of the world today?  In the last few years, I have seen many sociopaths in the news that killed and just went on their merry way, eventually getting caught. 

To me, it did not seem that our World War II generation came home as messed up in the head as the soldiers are now.  I know “the greatest generation” did not want to talk about their war experiences, but they came home character intact, raised families, worked and became productive members of society.  The Vietnam era created many drug addicts.  To escape the atrocities of war, they just got hooked on drugs to numb their minds, but most eventually became productive members of society. 

Today we are fighting wars in a different way and have more advanced technology.  I don’t think people have changed, though, just technology.  Maybe these horrible things happened after WWII and we just did not hear about it.  Maybe some people are just capable of stabbing a buddy, chopping them up, setting them on fire and going out to eat because they were “starving” using the dead buddy’s credit card!  Unbelievable!!!!

I don’t like war.  I don’t like the Iraq/Afghanistan war, but I don’t think we should lie down and roll over doing nothing if we are attacked on American soil … or anywhere else Americans are attacked.

I think the problem with this particular war is this… who IS the enemy?  Al Qaeda?  All Muslims?  … And where are they?  Where are the enemies who plotted and executed the plan to fly into the World Trade Center?  They hate us.  They hate our way of life.  What we will never understand is WHY?  One answer is because we support and recognize Israel.  That is one conflict that will never be resolved.

Ah, but was it the Iraqis?  I believe that there is that element in Iraq.  They are better off without Saddam Hussein who terrorized and murdered his own people, but did the group who plotted and planned our demise come from Iraq?  Were there weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?  I think maybe yes and no.  Maybe the terrorists had been there sometime and left and maybe the WOMD were there but are hidden somewhere else in another country… waiting for the day.

So what do we do?

I am for bringing our troops home, rehabilitating them, keeping them in the armed forces and waiting for another day when we can identify the enemy.  All the while, training for the day the enemy is near.  America should warn our enemies… keep your distance unless you are prepared to do real battle.  Until then, we should say that we are protecting ourselves and our American citizens.  We should say that we are no longer the police for the rest of the world.  We should say if you helped us in the past and ask nicely, we will help you; otherwise, you are on your own.  We should say if you need money from us… sorry, we are in deficit; you are on your own.  We should say, go ask someone else to help you because we are saving and using our own resources for ourselves and planning for the day that the enemy comes against us again.

Oh this all sounds radical and I am not really suggesting that this will work in reality, just my little rant for the day.

I am just relieved that it is not up to me to make these difficult decisions.  Maybe I seem naïve.  But I do vote for those who should make these decisions! 

I agree with the last scene in the movie.  We should fly the American flag upside down because we are in distress!