1673 – Jackson Browne – The pretender (1976)

Escrita por Jackson Browne, foi gravada entre o fim de 1975 e começo de 1976 e lançada em novembro de 1976 no disco de mesmo nome, o quarto disco de Browne. Foi produzida por Jon Landau. Foi lançada em compacto em maio de 1977, com Daddy's tune como Lado B. Craig Doerge toca o piano, Jeff Porcaro toca bateria, Leland Sklar toca o baixo, Fred Tackett toca guitarra e violão. David Crosby e Graham Nash fazem as harmonias vocais. David Campbell fez os arranjos de cordas. Chegou ao número 58 do Billboard Hot 100.

A letra:

I'm going to rent myself a house
In the shade of the freeway
Gonna pack my lunch in the morning
And go to work each day

And when the evening rolls around
I'll go on home and lay my body down
And when the morning light comes streaming in
I'll get up and do it again, Amen
Say it again, Amen

I want to know what became of the changes
We waited for love to bring
Were they only the fitful dreams
Of some greater awakening?

I've been aware of the time going by
They say, in the end, it's the wink of an eye
When the morning light comes streaming in
You'll get up and do it again, Amen

Caught between the longing for love
And the struggle for the legal tender
Where the sirens sing and the church bells ring
And the junk man pounds his fender
Where the veterans dream of the fight
Fast asleep at the traffic light
And the children solemnly wait
For the ice cream vendor

Out into the cool of the evening
Strolls the pretender
He knows that all his hopes and dreams
Begin and end there

ah, the lovers as they run through the night
(Leaving nothing) leaving nothing but to choose off and fight
And tear at the world with all their might
While the ships bearing their dreams
Sail out of sight

I'm gonna find myself a girl
Who can show me what laughter means
And we'll fill in the missing colors
In each other's paint-by-number dreams

And then we'll put our dark glasses on
And we'll make love until our strength is gone
And when the morning light comes streaming in
We'll get up and do it again
Get it up again

I'm gonna be a happy idiot
And struggle for the legal tender
Where the ads take aim and lay their claim
To the heart and the soul of the spender
And believe in whatever may lie
In those things that money can buy
Where true love could have been a contender

Are you there? Say a prayer for the pretender
Who started out so young and strong only to surrender

Say a prayer for the pretender
Are you there for the pretender?
Say a prayer for the pretender
Are you there for the pretender?
Are you prepared for the pretender?

A versão de Jackson Browne:

A versão de Jake Thistle:

A versão de Reed McKenzie:

1672 – Rod Stewart – The Killing of Georgie (1976)

 

Escrita por Rod Stewart, foi gravada entre dezembro de 1975 e abril de 1976, e lançada em 18 de junho de 1976 no disco A night on the town, o sétimo disco do artista. Foi produzida por Tom Dowd. Sairia também em compacto com Fool for you como Lado B, em 13 de agosto de 1976. Conta a história de um amigo de Stewart, chamado Georgie, gay, que foi assassinado em New York City. Chegou ao número 2 no Reino Unido, número 25 na Holanda, número 30 no Billboard Hot 100, número 33 no Canadá e número 38 na Austrália. Georgie se mudou pra NYC pois foi expulso de casa pelos seus pais. Georgie se tornou bem relacionado em NYC, todas as festas do high society ele era convidado, mas em um dia que foi ver um show na Broadway, saiu mais cedo e foi atacado na East 53^rd Street, por uma gang de ladrões de New Jersey e assassinado.

A letra:

Oh yeah
In these days of changing ways
So called liberated days
A story comes to mind of a friend of mine

Georgie boy was gay I guess
Nothin' more or nothin' less
The kindest guy I ever knew

His mother's tears fell in vain
The afternoon George tried to explain
That he needed love like all the rest

Pa said there must be a mistake
How can my son not be straight
After all I've said and done for him

Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh

Leavin' home on a Greyhound bus
Cast out by the ones he loves
A victim of these gay days it seems

Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh

Georgie went to New York town
Where he quickly settled down
And soon became the toast of the great white way

Accepted by Manhattan's elite
In all the places that were chic
No party was complete without George

Along the boulevards he'd cruise
And all the old queens blew a fuse
Everybody loved Georgie boy

Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh

The last time I saw George alive
Was in the summer of seventy-five
He said he was in love I said I'm pleased

George attended the opening night
Of another Broadway hype
But split before the final curtain fell

Deciding to take a short cut home
Arm in arm they meant no wrong
A gentle breeze blew down fifth avenue

Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh

Out of a darkened side street came
A New Jersey gang with just one aim
To roll some innocent passer-by
There ensued a fearful fight
Screams rang out in the night
Georgie's head hit a sidewalk cornerstone

A leather kid, a switchblade knife
He did not intend to take his life
He just pushed his luck a little too far that night

The sight of blood dispersed the gang
A crowd gathered, the police came
An ambulance screamed to a halt on fifty-third and third

Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh

Georgie's life ended there
But I ask who really cares
George once said to me and I quote

He said "never wait or hesitate
Get in kid, before it's too late
You may never get another chance
'Cause youth a mask but it don't last
Live it long and live it fast"
Georgie was a friend of mine

Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh

Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh
Da da da da da da duh

Oh Georgie stay,
Don't go away
Georgie please stay
You take our breath away
Oh Georgie stay,
Don't go away
Georgie please stay
You take our breath away
Oh Georgie stay,
Don't go away
Georgie, Georgie stay (please stay)
You take our breath away

A versão de Rod Stewart:

A versão de Melissa Etheridge:

1671 – Joan Baez – Sweeter for me (1976)

Escrita por Joan Baez, foi gravada em 1976 no Sound Labs em Los Angeles e no TONTO, em Santa Monica, California e lançada no disco Gulf winds, o décimo sétimo da carreira da artista, em novembro de 1976. Foi produzida por David Kershenbaum. Joan Baez cantou, tocou violão, piano e sintetizador. Duck Dunn tocou baixo. Jim Gordon bateria. Ray Kelley e Jesse Ehrlich tocaram cello. Larry Knetchtel tocou piano elétrico e acústico e orgão. Dean Parks tocou violão, guitarra e bandolim. Sid Sharp tocou violino. Malcolm Cecil tocou sintetizador.

A letra:

Red telephone sitting by my bed
Practically bore your name
Lying alone in the twilight zone
Waiting for your call to come in
Hadn't been for the kid
Who was sleeping upstairs
You'd have found me well on my way
On that midnight plane to L.A.

You suffered sweeter for me
Than anyone I've ever known

I dared to look into the years
Would you still have your wife?
I dared to peer through my tears
Could we ever have a life?
Even thought I was pregnant by you
But I didn't care
I just talked to my son
Would he mind another one?

You suffered sweeter for me
Than anyone I've ever known

Once more the mist rolls to the sea
Like a hundred times we've known
Trees are faded and the clouds have stopped
Where the wind had blown
How I dread when the evening comes
And I cannot be
What you want me to be
When you are next to me

How silent you are as the veils come down
Before my eyes
Soft and reserved as you move away
Donning your disguise
While every folk song that I ever knew
Once more comes true
And loves grows old
And waxes cold

You suffered sweeter for me
Than anyone I've ever known

Just one favor of you, my love
If I should die today
Take me down to where the hills
Meet the sea on a stormy day
Ride a ridge on a snow white horse
And throw my ashes away
To the wind and the sand
Where my song began

You suffered sweeter for me
Than anyone I've ever known

A versão de Joan Baez:

1670 – Led Zeppelin – Achilles last stand (1976)

 

Escrita por Jimmy Page e Robert Plant, foi gravada em novembro de 1975 e lançada no disco Presence, o sétimo da banda, em 31 de março de 1976. Foi produzida por Jimmy Page. Na verdade, ela abre o disco. Com influencias de música oriental, mitologia e diversas culturas que aprenderam durante suas viagens, esta peça é uma das mais complexas do grupo, com muitas seções e muitas partes de guitarra. É a música favorita de Jimmy Page da banda e ele acha o solo pau a pau com o de Stairway to heaven. Eles estavam em Marrocos, fugindo do sistema de impostos inglês. O som local do Marrocos influenciou no solo desta canção. O título é uma referencia irônica à um acidente de carro que Robert Plant sofreu em agosto de 1975, onde machucou seu calcanhar. Plant ficou sem andar por um ano e gravou essa canção em uma cadeira de rodas. Aquiles morreu com uma flecha no seu calcanhar.

A letra:

It was an April morning when they told us we should go
As I turn to you, you smiled at me
How could we say no?

Oh, the fun to have
To live the dreams we always had
Oh, the songs to sing
When we at last return again

Slipping off a glancing kiss
To those who claim they know
Below the streets that steam and hiss
The devil's in his hole

Oh, to sail away
To sandy lands and other days
Oh, to touch the dream
Hides inside and never seen, yeah

Into the sun, the south, the north
At last the birds have flown
The shackles of commitment fell
In pieces on the ground

Oh, to ride the wind
To tread the air above the din
Oh, to laugh aloud
Dancing as we fought the crowds, yeah

To seek the man whose pointing hand
The giant step unfolds
With guidance from the curving path
That churns up into stone

If one bell should ring
In celebration for a king
So fast the heart should beat
As proud the head with heavy feet, yeah

Days went by when you and I
Bathed in eternal summer's glow
As far away and distant
Our mutual child did grow

Oh the sweet refrain
Soothes the soul and calms the pain
Oh Albion remains
Sleeping now to rise again

Wandering and wandering
What place to rest the search?
The mighty arms of Atlas
Hold the heavens from the earth

For the mighty arms of Atlas
Hold the heavens from the earth
From the earth

I know the way, know the way, know the way, know the way
I know the way, know the way, know the way, know the way

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh

Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh

For the mighty arms of Atlas
Hold the heavens from the earth

Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah

A versão do Led Zeppelin:

A versão de Temple of the Dog:

A versão da banda iraniana Part:

1669 – Neil Young and Stephen Stills – Ocean girl (1976)

 

Escrita por Neil Young, foi gravada entre fevereiro e junho de 1976, no Criteria Studios, em Miami, Flórida. Foi lançada em 20 de setembro de 1976 no disco Long May you run, de Neil Young e Stephen Stills. Foi produzida por Don Gehman, Neil Young e Stephen Stills. Stephen Still tocou piano acústico e guitarra. Neil cantou, tocou piano, sintetizador, guitarra e gaita. Jerry Aiello tocou orgao e piano. George Perry tocou baixo e fez backing vocals. Joe Vitale tocou bateria, flauta e fez backing vocals. Joe Lala tocou percussão e fez backing vocals.

A letra:

In the jungle land
With the sea and the sand
Can I meet you there?

We'll be drinkin' bananas
From long tall glasses
In the open air

Ocean girl
Come 'round the world
From forgotten shores

There'll be music playin'
What no words could say
When you first get there

We'll be lost in a corner
That we find in each other
There' so much to share

Ocean girl
Come 'round the world
From forgotten shores

Ocean girl
Come 'round the world
From forgotten shores

Ocean girl
Come 'round the world
From forgotten shores

Ocean girl
Ocean girl
Ocean girl (ocean girl)
Ocean girl

Ocean girl
Come 'round the world
From forgotten shores

A versão de Young-Stills:

A versão dos Mighty Manatees:

1668 – Blue Oyster Cult – (Don't fear) The reaper (1976)

 

Escrita por Donald Roeser, foi gravada em 1975 e lançada no disco Agents of fortune, o quarto disco da banda, em 21 de maio de 1976. Foi produzida por David Lucas, Murray Krugman e Sandy Pearlman. Saiu depois em compacto com Tattoo Vampire como Lado B. Fala sobre amor eterno e inevitabilidade da morte. É o maior sucesso da banda, chegando ao número 12 no Billboard Hot 100. É o número 405 das 500 greatest songs of all time, da revista Rolling Stone. Chegou ao número 7 no Canadá e número 16 no Reino Unido. Eric Bloom tocou guitarra e fez backing vocals. Danoal Roeser “Buck Dharma” cantou e tocou guitarra. Allen Lanier tocou teclado e guitarra. Joe Bouchard tocou baixo. Albert Bouchard tocou bateria, percussão e sino de vaca. Michael e Randy Brecker fizeram os sopros e David Lucas fez backing vocals e tocou teclado e percussão. A revista Rolling Stone disse que essa canção foi a canção do ano de 1976. Mojo disse que é a 80a melhor canção de todos os tempos. A revista Q disse que era a canção número 404 das 1001 best songs ever. The Guardian colocou-a na sua lista das 1000 songs everyone must hear. No livro The heart of rock and roll: the 1001 greatest singles ever made, o crítico de rock David Marsh colocou-a como número 997.

A letra:

All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain
We can be like they are

Come on, baby (don't fear the reaper)
Baby, take my hand (don't fear the reaper)
We'll be able to fly (don't fear the reaper)
Baby, I'm your man

La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la

Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity (Romeo and Juliet)
40, 000 men and women everyday (like Romeo and Juliet)
40, 000 men and women everyday (redefine happiness)
Another 40, 000 coming everyday (we can be like they are)

Come on, baby (don't fear the reaper)
Baby, take my hand (don't fear the reaper)
We'll be able to fly (don't fear the reaper)
Baby, I'm your man

La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la

Love of two is one
Here but now they're gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn't go on

Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew and then disappeared
The curtains flew and then he appeared
Saying don't be afraid

Come on, baby (and she had no fear)
And she ran to him (then they started to fly)
They looked backward and said goodbye (she had become like they are)
She had taken his hand (she had become like they are)
Come on, baby (don't fear the reaper)

A versão do Blue Oyster Cult:

A versão de Mike Masse e Jeff Hall:

A versão de Joe Hodgin:

1667 – Rod Stewart – Fool for you (1976)

 

Escrita por Rod Stewart, foi gravada entre dezembro de 1975 e abril de 1976, foi lançada em 18 de junho de 1976 no disco A night on the town, o sétimo da carreira do artista.

A letra:

Hey baby I gotta leave you

By the time you read this letter
I'll be outta your life
Gone forever more
But guess I'll survive
I'm gonna leave my records
And a forwarding address
Ain't you glad honey
That I'm off of your chest

You said you wanted Paris
Rome 'n' St. Tropez
Perfume by Chanel
And a ring by Cartier
But I gave you headaches
With my old fashioned ways
But that's all irrelevant
To what I'm tryin' to say
I'm a fool for you baby
Pride won't let me stay
I'm a fool for you honey
and I'll come back any day
Guess I'll always love you all my life

You can keep your Streisands
Bardots and Lorens
You're my everything
But now you're my end
It may be over
But just before I go
I can make a new start
But I can't mend a broken heart

So when I read about you
In all the national press
On the arm of so and so
I may get depressed
Cause I tried to love you
But didn't fit in
I came on the dust
I'll leave on the wind

I'm a fool for you baby
My pride won't let me stay
I'm a fool for you honey
I'll come back any day
I'm a fool for you baby
I don't care what your friends say
I'm a fool for you honey
And that's the way I'll stay
I guess I'll always love you all my life

A versão de Rod Stewart:

A versão de Thomas Ribeiro:

1666 – Ramones – 53rd and 3rd (1976)

 

Escrita por Dee Dee Ramone, foi gravada em fevereiro de 1976, no Plaza Sound, em New York City e lançada em 23 de abril de 1976 no disco de estréia da banda chamado apenas de Ramones. Foi produzida por Craig Leon e T. Erderlyi. A interceção das ruas 53^rd e 3^rd em Midtown, Manhatthan, NYC é um local conhecido pela prostituição masculina. Foi regravada pelo Metallica, entre outros artistas. Fala sobre prostituição masculina. Quando o prostituto pega um cliente, ele o mata pra provar que não é homossexual. Joey Ramone cantou, Johnny Ramone tocou guitarra, Dee Dee Ramone tocou baixo, fez backing vocals e dividiu os vocais principais. Tommy Ramone tocou bateia, fez backing vocals e bateu palmas. Craig Leon tocou guitarra e fez backing ocals. Mickey Leigh fez backing vocals e bateu palmas. Rob Freeman fez backing vocals. Arturo Vega e Danny Fields bateram palmas.

A letra:

If you think you can, well come on man
I was a Green Beret in Vietnam
No more of your fairy stories
'Cause I got my other worries

Fifty-third and third standing on the street
Fifty-third and third I'm tryin' to turn a trick
Fifty-third and third you're the one they never pick
Fifty-third and third don't it make you feel sick?

If you think you can, well come on man
I was a Green Beret in Vietnam
No more of your fairy stories
'Cause I got my other worries

Fifty-third and third standing on the street
Fifty-third and third I'm tryin' to turn a trick
Fifty-third and third you're the one they never pick
Fifty-third and third don't it make you feel sick?

Then I took out my razor blade
Then I did what God forbade
Now the cops are after me
But I proved that I'm no sissy

Fifty-third and third standing on the street
Fifty-third and third I'm tryin' to turn a trick
Fifty-third and third you're the one they never pick
Fifty-third and third don't it make you feel sick?

Fifty-third and third
Fifty-third and third
Fifty-third and third
Fifty-third and third
Fifty-third and third
Fifty-third and third
Fifty-third and third
Fifty-third and third

A versão dos Ramones:

A versão do Metallica:

A versão do Incorrect Thoughts:

1665 – Queen – Good old-fashioned lover boy (1976)

 

Escrita por Freddie Mercury, foi gravada entre julho e novembro de 1976 e lançada no disco A day at the races, o quinto da banda, em 10 de dezembro de 1976. Foi produzida pelo Queen. Sairia também no primeiro EP da banda, com Death on two legs (Dedicated to) sendo o outro Lado A e Tenement funster e White queen (as it began) como Lado B. Chegou o número 17 dos charts britânicos. Começa com uma introdução de piano e vocal de Freddie Mercury e continua com baixo e bateria sendo adicionados no começo do refrão. Então começa o segundo verso, seguido de outro refrão. Nesse ponto, a bateria, o baixo e guitarra saem, dando lugar a bridge cantada por Mercury e por Mike Stone. Em seguida bem o solo de Brian May, outro verso, outro refrão e acaba a canção. A canção descreve como um good old fashioned lover boy quer uma noite de romance e festividade. Freddie Mercury cantou e fez os backing vocals e tocou piano. Brian May tocou gitarra e fez backing vocals. Roger Taylor tocou bateria, triangulo, blocos de madeira e fez backing vocals. John Deacon tocou baixo. Mike Stone cantou.

A letra:

I can dim the lights and sing you songs full of sad things
We can do the tango just for two
I can serenade and gently play on your heart strings
Be your Valentino just for you

Ooh, love, ooh, loverboy
What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?
Set my alarm, turn on my charm
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned loverboy

Ooh, let me feel your heartbeat (Grow faster, faster)
Ooh, ooh, can you feel my love heat?
Come on and sit on my hot-seat of love
And tell me how do you feel right after all

I'd like for you and I to go romancing
Say the word, your wish is my command

Ooh, love, ooh, loverboy
What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?
Write my letter
Feel much better
And use my fancy patter on the telephone

When I'm not with you
Think of you always
(I miss those long hot summer nights) I miss you
When I'm not with you
Think of me always
Love you, love you

Hey, boy, where do you get it from?
Hey, boy, where did you go?
I learned my passion
In the good old-fashioned
School of loverboys

Dining at the Ritz we'll meet at nine precisely (One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine o'clock)
I will pay the bill, you taste the wine
Driving back in style in my saloon will do quite nicely
Just take me back to yours that will be fine (Come on and get it)

Ooh, love (There he goes again)
(He's my good old fashioned loverboy) Ooh, loverboy
What're you doin' tonight, hey, boy?
Everything's all right
Just hold on tight
That's because I'm a good old-fashioned (fashioned) loverboy

A versão do Queen:

A versão de Jason Mars:

A versão de Zach Wiley:

1664 – Joe Dassin – Le jardin du Luxembourg (1976)

 

Escrita por Salvatore Cutugno, Vito Pallavicini, com letras em francês de Claude Lemesle, foi gravada em 1976 e lançada no disco de mesmo nome, em 1976. Foi produzida por Jacques Plait. A parte vocal feminina foi feita por Dominique Poulain.

A letra:

Le Jardin du Luxembourg
Ça fait longtemps que je n'y étais pas venu
Il y a des enfants qui courent et des feuilles qui tombent
Il y a des étudiants qui rêvent qu'ils ont fini leurs études

Il y a des amoureux qui remontent discrètement
Le tapis roux que l'automne a deroulé devant eux
Je suis seul, j'ai un peu froid

Encore un jour sans amour
Encore un jour de ma vie
Le Luxembourg a vieilli
Est-ce que c'est lui
Est-ce que c'est moi
Je ne sais pas

Encore un jour sans soleil
Encore un jour qui s'enfuit
Vers le sommeil, vers l'oubli
Une étincelle évanouie

Là où cet enfant passe, je suis passé
Il suit un peu la trace que j'ai laissée
Mes bateaux jouent encore sur le bassin
Si les années sont mortes
Les souvenirs se portent bien

Encore un jour sans amour
Encore un jour de la vie
Un jour de pluie qui s'en va
Un jour de plus loin de toi

Je te disais que je t'aimais
Et j'y croyais et c'était vrai
Tu étais tout, tout est fini
Tu es partie, tu es partout

Moi, je suis presque bien
Ma vie continue
Je vais comme elle vient
Mais si tu m'appelais
Tu verrais comme rien ne change

Loin, loin dans l'avenir
Y a-t-il un chemin
Pour nous réunir

Viens, viens n'importe quand
Je t'attends ma dernière chance

Je vais creuser la tombe de mon passé
Je vais courir le monde pour te trouver
Je vais briser la glace qui nous sépare
Voir le bonheur en face dans ton miroir

La vie ne vaut la peine qu'à travers toi
Tous mes chemins me mènent où tu iras
Tous les chemins du monde vont vers ta vie
Vers la lumière de ta vie

A versão de Joe Dassin:

1663 – Eric Clapton – Black summer rain (1976)

 

Escrita por Eric Clapton, foi gravada entre dezembro de 1975 e maio de 1976, no Shangri-La studios, em Malibu, California e no Village Recorders, em Los Angeles, California. Foi lançada em 27 de agosto de 1976, no disco No reason to cry, o quarto disco de Clapton. Foi produzida por Rob Fabroni.

A letra:

Where is the sun
The sun that used to shine on me?
Where has it gone
Or is it just a memory?

I looked through the window
Staring at the sky
Waiting for a moment
That always passed me by

Black summer rain
Black summer rain
Black summer rain is falling on me, girl

Where is the love
The love I need to set me free?
And how can I escape
This gloom that is swallowing me?

Black summer rain
Black summer rain
Black summer rain is falling on me, girl

Black summer rain
Black summer rai
Black summer rain is falling on me, girl

A versão de Eric Clapton:

A versão de Oilman Brothers Band: