962 – Otis Redding – Scratch my back (1966)

Escrita por Slim Harpo, foi lançada originalmente por ele em 1965 sob o título de Baby scratch my back. Mas a nossa versão é a de Otis Redding, de 1966, onde o título foi alterado pra apenas Scratch my back.

Otis lançou-a no disco chamado The Soul Album, seu quarto disco. A gravação teve Booker T. Jones nos teclados e piano e Steve Crooper na guitarra.

A letra:

Aww I'm itchy
And I don't know where to scratch
Come here baby
Scratch my back
I know you can do it
So baby get to it

Aww you're workin with it now
You got me feelin' so good
Just lookin' up to the sun now baby

Uuummmmm

This little girl sho' knows how'd scratch

Now you're doin' the chicken scratch

Aww its lookin' good baby

Just gettin' scratchy

That's what I'm talkin' bout

A versão de Otis Redding:

A versão de Slim Harpo:

A versão do Whitehorse:

961 – Bobby Hebb – Sunny (1966)

Escrita por Bobby Hebb ainda em 1963, foi lançada por ele em junho de 1966 em um compacto que tinha Bread como Lado B. É uma das canções mais regravadas da história, com centenas de gravações. Chegou ao número 3 nos charts de R&B e número 2 nos charts pop americanos.

Os pais de Hebb eram músicos cegos e ele era muito próximo do seu irmão Harold. Eles cantavam juntos em uma dupla e chegaram até a cantar na TV. Duas tragédias fizeram com que ele escrevesse Sunny. A morte do presidente Kennedy e o assassinato do seu irmão Harold, à facadas.

Foi regravada por Cher, ainda em 1966. Também foi regravada por Ray Conniff, Andy Williams, Shirley Bassey, Public Enemies, James Brown, Jose Feliciano, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, The Four Seasons, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Johnny Mathis, George Benson, Chris Montez, Wilson Pickett, Del Shannon, Nick Cave, Dusty Springfield, Gary Lewis and The Playboys, Luis Miguel, Frank Sinatra, Bill Cosby, Bryan Adams, entre outros artistas.

A letra:

Sunny
Yesterday my life was filled with rain
Sunny
You smiled at me and really eased the pain
Now the dark days are gone, and the bright days are here
My sunny one shines so sincere
Sunny one so true, I love you

Sunny
Thank you for the sunshine bouquet
Sunny
Thank you for the love you brought my way
You gave to me your all and all
And now I feel ten feet tall
Sunny one so true, I love you

Sunny
Thank you for the truth you let me see
Sunny
Thank you for the facts from A to Z
My life was torn like wind-blown sand
And a rock was formed when you held my hand (oh, sunny)
Sunny one so true, I love you.

Sunny
Thank you for the smile upon your face
Hmm, sunny
Thank you, thank you for the gleam that shows its grace
You're my spark of nature's fire
You're my sweet complete desire
Sunny one so true, yes, I love you

Sunny
Yesterday, all my life was filled with rain
Sunny
You smiled at me and really-really eased the pain
Now the dark days are gone, and the bright days are here (oh, sunny)
My sunny one shines so sincere
Sunny one so true, I love you
I love you (sunny)
I love you (sunny)
Signin' I love you (sunny)
Yes, I love you (sunny)

A versão de Bobby Hebb, acústica, maravilhosa:

A versão de Marvin Gaye:

A versão de Frank Sinatra com Duke Ellington:

960 – Otis Redding – Try a little tenderness (1966)

Escrita por Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly e Harry Woods, foi gravada inicialmente em 1932 pela orquestra de Ray Noble e em 1933 foi gravada por Bing Crosby. A versão que escolhemos no entanto é a de Otis Redding, gravada em 1966 em Memphis, Tennessee e lançada em 15 de outubro de 1966 em seu disco Complete and Unbelievable: The Otis Redding dictionary of Soul.

Otis teve Booker T and The Mgs como banda para gravar esse clássico. Chegou o número 25 dos charts pop americanos. É o número 204 da lista das 500 maiores canções de todos os tempos da revista Rolling Stone.

A letra:

Oh she may be weary
Them young girls they do get wearied
Wearing that same old shaggy dress, yeah, yeah
But when she gets weary
Try a little tenderness, yeah, yeah

You know she's waiting
Just anticipating
The thing that you'll never, never, never, never possess, yeah, yeah
But while she's there waiting
Without them try a little tenderness
That's all you got to do

It's not just sentimental no, no, no
She has her grief and care, yeah, yeah, yeah
But the soft words they are spoke so gentle, yeah
It makes it easier, easier to bear, yeah
You won't regret it no, no
Young girls they don't forget it
Love is their whole happiness, yeah, yeah, yeah

But it's all so easy
All you got to do is try
Try a little tenderness
Yeah
All you got to do is, man, hold her when you wanna
Squeeze her, don't tease her, never leave her
Get to her, got, got, got to try a little tenderness, yeah, yeah
You got to know how to love her, man
Don't be surprised, man
You got to squeeze her, don't tease her, never leave
You got to hold her, brother, something, man
Try a little tenderness, yeah, yeah, yeah
You got to grab her gently, man
Don't bruise her, no, no
You got to love her, tease her, don't squeeze her
You got to try, na na na na na
Try, try a little tenderness, yeah
Watch her groove
You got to know what to do, man
Take this advice
You gotta love, squeeze, don't tease

A versão de Otis Redding:

A versão de Michael Bublé:

A versão de Paul Giamatti e Andre Braugher:

0029 – April come she will - Simon and Garfunkel (1966)

Compositor: Paul Simon

• Foi gravada em 21 de dezembro de 1965 e lançada em 17 de janeiro de 1966 no LP Sounds of silence. 

A letra:

April, come she will
When streams are ripe and swell with rain
May, she will stay
Resting in my arms again

June, she'll change her tune
In restless walks she'll prowl the night
July, she will fly
And give no warning to her flight

August, die she must
The autumn winds blow chilly and cold
September, I'll remember
A love once new has now grown old

A versão de Simon and Garfunkel:

A versão de Pavel Fomenkov:

A versão de Eric Johnson:

958 – Bob Dylan – Just like Tom Thumb's blues (1965)

Escrita por Bob Dylan, foi gravada em 2 de agosto de 1965 e lançada em 30 de agosto de 1965 no disco Highway 61 Revisited.

Foi regravada por Gordon Lightfoot, Nina Simone, Barry McGuire, Judy Collins, Linda Ronstadt, Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Black Crowes, Townes Van Zandt, Bryan Ferry, entre outros.

Fala da experiencia do narrador quando foi a Juarez, Mexico, e encontra pobreza, doença, desespero, mulheres disponíveis, autoridades indiferentes, alcool, drogas... entao ele decide voltar a New York City.

Mike Bloomfield tocou guitarra elétrica, Al Kooper tocou Hornet Pianet, Paul Griffin tocou piano, Harvey Brooks tocou baixo e Bobby Greg tocou bateria.

A letra:

When you're lost in the rain in Juarez when it's Easter time, too
And your gravity fails and negativity don't pull you through
Don't put on any airs when you're down on Rue Morgue Avenue
They got some hungry women there and they really make a mess outta you

Now, if you see Saint Annie, please tell her thanks a lot
I cannot move, my fingers are all in a knot
I don't have the strength to get up and take another shot
And my best friend, my doctor, won't even say what it is I've got

Sweet Melinda, the peasants call her the goddess of gloom
She speaks good English and she invites you up into her room
And you're so kind and careful not to go to her too soon
And she takes your voice and leaves you howling at the moon

Up on Housing Project Hill, it's either fortune or fame
You must pick one or the other, though neither of them are to be what they claim
If you're lookin' to get silly, you better go back to from where you came
Because the cops don't need you, and man, they expect the same

Now, all the authorities, they just stand around and boast
How they blackmailed the sergeant-at-arms into leaving his post
And picking up Angel, who just arrived here from the coast
Who looked so fine at first but left looking just like a ghost

I started out on burgundy but soon hit the harder stuff
Everybody said they'd stand behind me when the game got rough
But the joke was on me, there was nobody even there to bluff
I'm going back to New York City, I do believe I've had enough

A versão de Bob Dylan:

A versão de Neil Younge:

A versão de Nina Simone:

957 – The Beach Boys – You're so good to me (1965)

Escrita por Brian Wilson e Mike Love, foi gravada em 24 de maio de 1965 e lançada em 5 de junho de 1965 no disco Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!!).

Al Jardine fez backing vocals, tocou baixo e guitarra. Bruce Johnston fez backing vocals, tocou orgão Hammond e bateu palmas. Mike Love fez backing vocals e bateu palmas. Brian Wilson cantou, fez backing vocals, tocou piano e bateu palmas. Carl Wilson tocou guitarra solo e fez backing vocals. Dennis Wilson tocou bateria e bateu palmas.

A letra:

You're kinda small
And you're such a doll
I'm glad you're mine
You're so good to me
How come you are

You take my hand
And you understand
When I get in a bad mood
You're so good to me
And I love it, love it

You're my baby
Oh yeah
Don't mean maybe
Oh yeah

I know your eyes
Are not on the guys
When we're apart
You're so true to me
How come you are

And every night
You hold me so tight
When I kiss you goodbye
You're so good to me
And I love it, love it

You're my baby
Oh yeah
Don't mean maybe
Oh yeah

You're my baby
Oh yeah
Don't mean maybe
Oh yeah

You're my baby
Oh yeah
Don't mean maybe
Oh yeah

You're my baby

A versão dos Beach Boys:

A versão dos Fendertones:

A versão de Phil Davis:

956 – Bob Dylan – Queen Jane approximately (1965)

Escrita por Bob Dylan, foi gravada em 2 de agosto de 1965 e lançada em 30 de agosto de 1965 no disco Highway 61 Revisited.

Trata-se de uma das músicas de Dylan em que ele critica a pessoa da música, dizendo que o mundo dela pode cair.

A letra:

When your mother sends back all your invitations
And your father, to your sister he explains
That you're tired of yourself and all of your creations
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane

Now, when all of the flower ladies what back what they have lent you
And the smell of their roses does not remain
And all of your children start to resent you
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane

Now, when all the clowns that you have commissioned
Have died in battle or in vain
And you're sick of all this repetition
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane

When all of your advisers heave their plastic
At your feet to convince you of your pain
Trying to prove that your conclusions should be more drastic
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane

Now, when all of the bandits that you turn your other cheek to
All lay down their bandannas and complain
And you want somebody you don't have to speak to
Won't you come see me, Queen Jane
Ah won't you come see me, Queen Jane

A versão de Bob Dylan:

A versão do Grateful Dead:

A versão dos Four Seasons:

955 – Otis Redding – Nothing can change this love (1965)

Escrita por Sam Cooke, foi lançada inicialmente por ele em 11 de setembro de 1962. A nossa versão no entanto é de Otis Redding, lançada em março de 1965 no disco The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads. Esse foi o segundo disco da carreira de Otis. Teve o grande Booker T Jones tocando Orgao, Piano e teclados e Steve Crooper tocando guitarra, teclado e piano.

A letra:

If I go million miles away
I'll write a letter each and every day now
Oh, honey, nothing, nothing, nothing
Nothing is ever gonna change this love
I have for you, oh no, oh no

You can make me weep
Or you can make me moan
Tell me you just got back, darling
I'll just say, "Well, welcome home now"

For honey, nothing, nothing in this world
Could ever stop this love
Could ever stop this love
I have for you, oh no, oh no

Oh, you're the apple of my eye
My sweet little cherry pie
[Incomprehensible], you can be
My cake and ice cream

Sugar and spice
Everything nice
You can be the
Girl of my dreams

If you would only [Incomprehensible]
When you get back, when you get back
I'll just say, "Well, welcome home now"

Oh my darling, nothing
Nothing, nothing
Nothing could ever change
This love I have for you, oh no, oh no

A versão de Otis Redding:

A versão de Sam Cooke:

A versão de Jae Jin:

954 – Bob Dylan – She belongs to me (1965)

Escrita por Bob Dylan, foi gravada em 14 de janeiro de 1965 nos estudios da Columbia em New York City e lançada em 22 de março de 1965 em um compacto que tinha como Lado A Subterraneam homesick blues.

Foi regravada por Barry McGuire, The Grateful Dead, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, Ricky Nelson, Tina Turner, entre outros artistas.

A letra:

She's got everything she needs, she's an artist
She don't look back
She's got everything she needs, she's an artist
She don't look back
She can take the dark out of the nighttime
And paint the daytime black

You will start out standing
Proud to steal her anything she sees
You will start out standing
Proud to steal her anything she sees
But you'll wind up peeking through her keyhole
Down upon your knees

She never stumbles, she's got no place to fall
She never stumbles, she's got no place to fall
She's nobody's child, the Law can't touch her at all

She wears an Egyptian ring that sparkles before she speaks
She wears an Egyptian ring that sparkles before she speaks
She's a hypnotist collector, you are a walking antique.

Bow down to her on Sunday
Salute her when her birthday comes
Bow down to her on Sunday
Salute her when her birthday comes
For Halloween give her a trumpet
And for Christmas, buy her a drum

A versão de Bob Dylan:

A versão de Ricky Nelson:

A versão de Jerry Garcia, Phil and Bob:

953 – The Lovin' Spoonful – You didn't have to be so nice (1965)

Escrita por John Sebastian e Steve Boone, foi lançada em 13 de novembro de 1965 no compacto que tinha My gal como Lado B.

Chegou ao número 10 dos charts pop americanos em janeiro de 1966. Foi inspiração para God only knows, dos Beach Boys.

Foi regravada por The Grass Roots e por Astrud Gilberto, entre outros artistas.

A letra:

You didn't have to be so nice
I would have liked you anyway
If you had just looked once or twice
And gone upon your quiet way

Today I said the time was right for me to follow you
I knew I'd find you in a day or two
And it's true

You came upon a quiet day
(ooh) You simply seemed to take your place
(ooh) I knew that it would be that way
(ooh) The minute that I saw your face

And when we've had a few more days
(when we've had a few more days)
I wonder if I'll get to say
(wonder if I'll get to say)
You didn't have to be so nice
(be so nice)
I would have liked you anyway
(would have liked...)

Today I said the time was right for me to follow you
(...today said that the time was right to follow you)
I knew I'd find you in a day or two
(I knew that I would find you in a day or two)
And it's true

You didn't have to be so nice (didn't have to be so nice)
I would have liked you anyway (would have liked you anyway)
If you had just looked once or twice (once or twice)
And gone upon your quiet way (quiet way)

A versão do Lovin' Spoonful:

A versão dos Grass Roots:

A versão de Astrud Gilberto:

952 – Otis Redding – For your precious love (1965)

Escrita por Arthur Brooks, Richard Brooks e Jerry Butler, foi gravada inicialmente por Jerry Butler and The Impressions em 1958. É a canção número 335 da lista das 500 maiores canções de todos os tempos da revista Rolling Stone.

Mas a nossa versão é a de Otis Redding, do seu disco de 1965 chamado The Great Otis Redding sings Souls Ballads.

Foi regravada também por Jerry Butler sem os Impressions, The Rolling Stones, entre outros artistas.

A letra:

Your precious love, now, means more to me
Than any love, any love could ever be
For when I wanted you, oh now, I was so lonely and so blue
For that's what love, that's what love really made me do

And darling, oh, they keep saying that our love won't grow, now
But honey I wanna tell them
And I just wanna show them
How in the world do they know?

It won't be long, oh now, oh now
For as long as you're in love with me, now
I know our love will grow wider
And so deeper than any, any other sea, now

And all, all the things that I want, now
In this whole wide world is just
For you to say, for you to say
That you would be my, my girl, now

And I'm calling, I'm wanting you, I just keep wanting you, now, oh now
I'm wanting you, now, nobody but you, now, nobody but you, now

A versão de Otis Redding:

A versão dos Rolling Stones:

A versão de Jerry Butler:

951 – The Animals – I'm mad again (1964)

Escrita por John Lee Hooker, foi gravada pelos Animals em 1964 e lançada no disco deles de estréia em setembro de 1964. Eric Burdon cantou, Alan Price tocou seu orgão e fez backing vocals, Hilton Valentine tocou guitarra e fez backing vocals, Chas Chandler tocou baixo e fez backing vocals e John Steel tocou bateria.

A letra:

I had a friend one time, at least I thought he was my friend
For he came to me, said "I ain't got no place to go"
I said "take it easy man, you can come home to my house,
I'll get you a pillow where you can rest your head"
Took him home with me, let him in my house,
Let him drive my Cadillac that I could not afford
When I found out he'd been messin' around with my baby

You know I'm mad like Al Capone (I'm burnin' up)
I said I'm mad (I'm burnin' up)
Like Sonny Liston yeah (I'm burnin' up)
You know baby I'm mad (I'm burnin' up)
Like Cassius Clay (I'm burnin' up)
You know I'm mad (I'm burnin' up) you know I'm mad
Yeah baby, alright baby (I'm burnin' up)
I'm mad, come on (I'm burnin' up)

Took him home with me, introduced him to my baby,
He began to talk to her, made her think the moon was blue
You know I think I ought to tell you daddy
I'm mad, I said I'm mad with you
I don't know what I'm gonna do to you
I might drown you, I might shoot you
I just don't know because I'm mad

I said I'm mad (I'm burnin' up)
You know I'm mad (I'm burnin' up)
I don't have to tell you I'm mad (I'm burnin' up)
I'm mad with you yeah (I'm burnin' up)
I said I'm mad (I'm burnin' up)
Yeah yeah yeah (I'm burnin' up)
I said I'm mad (I'm burnin' up)
You know I'm mad, oh baby I'm mad
Oh I said I'm mad, you know I'm mad, oh baby I'm mad

A versão dos Animals:

A versão de John Lee Hooker:

A versão dos Noblemen:

950 – The Searchers – Love potion number 9 (1964)

Escrita por Jerry Leiber e Mike Stoller, foi gravada inicialmente pelos Clovers em 1959, mas a nossa versão é a dos Searchers de 1964. Essa nossa versão chegou ao número 3 nos charts pop americanos. Foi também regravada por Herb Alpert e pelos Coasters.

A canção fala de um homem que busca ajuda pra encontrar o amor, então ele fala com uma cigana que diz que ele precisa de uma poção do amor número 9. A poção é um afrodisíaco e ele se apaixona por toda pessoa que vê, beijando tudo em frente a ele, até beijar um policial numa esquina que quebra sua garrafa com a poção.

A letra:

I took my troubles down to Madame Ruth
You know that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth
She's got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
Selling little bottles of love potion number nine

I told her that I was a flop with chics
I've been this way since 1956
She looked at my palm and she made a magic sign
She said "What you need is love potion number nine"

She bent down and turned around and gave me a wink
She said "I'm gonna make it up right here in the sink"
It smelled like turpentine, it looked like Indian ink
I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink

I didn't know if it was day or night
I started kissing everything in sight
But when I kissed a cop down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
He broke my little bottle of Love Potion Number Nine

I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink

I didn't know if it was day or night
I started kissing everything in sight
But when I kissed a cop down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
He broke my little bottle of Love Potion Number Nine
Love potion number nine
Love Potion number nine
Love Potion number nine

A versão dos Searchers:

A versão dos Clovers:

A versão dos Coasters:

949 – Charles Aznavour – Que c'est triste Venise (1964)

Escrita por Charles Aznavour e Françoise Dorin, fala sobre Veneza. Foi gravada em 1964 pelo próprio Aznavour, que deu a ele um número 1 na França e no Brasil e depois foi regravada em espanhol, em alemão, em inglês por Bobby Darin e em italiano em 1971.

A letra:

Que c'est triste Venise
Au temps des amours mortes
Que c'est triste Venise
Quand on ne s'aime plus

On cherche encore des mots
Mais l'ennui les emporte
On voudrait bien pleurer
Mais on ne le peut plus

Que c'est triste Venise
Lorsque les barcarolles
Ne viennent souligner
Que des silences creux

Et que le cœur se serre
En voyant les gondoles
Abriter le bonheur
Des couples amoureux

Que c'est triste Venise
Au temps des amours mortes
Que c'est triste Venise

Quand on ne s'aime plus

Les musées, les églises
Ouvrent en vain leurs portes
Inutile beauté
Devant nos yeux déçus

Que c'est triste Venise
Le soir sur la lagune
Quand on cherche une main
Que l'on ne vous tend pas

Et que l'on ironise
Devant le clair de lune
Pour tenter d'oublier
Ce qu'on ne se dit pas

Adieu tous les pigeons

Qui nous ont fait escorte
Adieu Pont des Soupirs
Adieu rêves perdus

C'est trop triste Venise
Au temps des amours mortes
C'est trop triste Venise
Quand on ne s'aime plus

A versão de Charles Aznavour:

A versão de Rémy Francis:

A versão de Bobby Darin em inglês:

948 – Sam Cooke – A change is gonna come (1964)

Escrita por Sam Cooke, foi gravada em 30 de janeiro de 1964 e lançada no meio de fevereiro de 1964 no disco dele chamado Ain't that good news.

Foi inspirada em eventos que ocorreram na vida de Cooke. Um deles foi que ele e sua entourage foi negado ficar em um hotel que era só pra brancos na Louisiana.

Muitos consideram a melhor composição de Cooke e uma das melhores de todos os tempos, apesar de ter sido um hit menor pra Cooke. Entru na National Recording Registry, da Library of Congress em 2007.

Em 8 de outubro de 1963, Sam Cooke ligou pro Holiday Inn em Shreveport em Louisiana e fez uma reserva pra ele e sua esposa, mas quando chegou lá viram que eram negros e disseram que não tinham vaga. Uma confusão foi instalada e Cooke, sua esposa e toda a entourage foram presos por perturbar a paz. Foi uma grande confusão por todo os Estados Unidos, os negro americanos ficaram enfurecidos. Em 2019 o prefeito de Shreveport Adrian Perkins pediu desculpas à família de Cooke e deu a ele a chave da cidade.

Além desse evento, Cooke estava muito impressionado com Blowin' in the wind, de Bob Dylan, que havia sido escrita em 1963 e falava em racismo. Ele ficou puto porque foi escrita por um branco e como que ele não havia escrito nada sobre racismo e um branco havia? Na verdade Cooke tinha medo de perder seus fãs brancos. Mas amou tanto a canção de Dylan que a colocou no seu repertório.

Quando Cooke mostrou a canção à sua equipe, foi alertado que não era uma canção pop igual as que ele fazia e que talvez não fosse vender muito. Cooke respondeu que não importava, que ele queria apenas deixar o pai dele orgulhoso.

O baterista de Cooke ficou intimidade pelo lindo trabalho de orquestra feito pela canção e não quis gravar. No entanto, o lendário Earl Palmer estava gravando uma canção no estúdio ao lado e tocou felizmente.

Um amigo, Bobby Womack, disse a Cooke que a canção lembrava morte pra ele e Cooke disse é assim mesmo que a vejo, por isso mesmo nunca mais vou tocá-la na vida. Iriam no entando lançar a canção em um compacto, mas em 11 de dezembro de 1964, duas semanas antes do lançamento do compacto, Sam Cooke foi assassinado em um motel em Los Angeles.

A canção se transformou num hino pro movimento dos Direitos Civis americanos.

A letra:

I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ev'r since
It's been a long time, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there, beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep tellin' me don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees, oh

There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

A versão de Sam Cooke:

A versão de Beyoncé:

A versão de Beth Hart: