Continuing with this list of my favorite albums of the decade. I want to specifically reiterate that they are not necessarily the best, but that they gave, and not infrequently give me enjoyment.
Before that, though, gotta mention one album on SamuraiFrog’s excellent finale. Judy Garland: Judy at Carnegie Hall (1961) is not on my list. I never owned it, though I was certainly aware of it. The Capitol Records LP inner sleeves from the mid-1960s – the Beatles and Beach Boys were on the label – always featured it. Probably the first of several albums on his list I’ll have to check out.
125. The Who: Sell Out (1967)
Another album I discovered only in the past decade, via my old friend Fred Hembeck. The motif of faux ads was stolen on some SpongeBob SquarePants CD I own.
124. Joe Cocker: Mad Dogs and Englishmen (1970)
Love the Frenchman’s introduction – “Joe Co-CARE”
123. Rascals: Collections (1967)
The second album, not the greatest hits.
122. Beach Boys: Sunflower (1970)
Underrated at a point the Beach Boys were pretty much written off commercially.
121. Doors: Strange Days (1967)
120. Rolling Stones: Between The Buttons (1967)
119. Van Morrison: Moondance (1970)
118. Righteous Brothers: Back to Back (1965)
Features ‘Hung On You’, written by Goffin/King/Spector plus ‘Ebb Tide.’
117. Ramsey Lewis Trio: Hang On Ramsey! (1965)
A live jazz album that features ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ and ‘Hang On, Sloopy’.
116. Donovan: Open Road (1970)
‘Celtic Rock’ is a particularly engaging tune.
115. Cream: Fresh (1966)
My 7th-grade history group referred to the group as The Cream. My friend Karen disdainfully corrected him: “It’s Cream.”
114. Peter, Paul, and Mary: Album 1700 (1967)
This album, with ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane,” was named for its Warner Brothers Records catalog number.
113. Bill Cosby: Wonderfulness (1966)
112. Laura Nyro: Eli And The 13th Confession (1968)
This woman belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, if only as a songwriter.
111. Herbie Hancock: Maiden Voyage (1965)
110. Mamas & the Papas: The Mamas & The Papas (1966)
The second album.
109. The Night They Raided Minsky’s – movie soundtrack (1968)
This is a slight album – only four or five songs, repeated – in a film I saw at the time. I went with my friend Carol and her friend Judy, for whom I developed a bit of a crush; nothing ever came of it. I know the lyrics to the verse of ‘Take 10 Terrific Girls (But Only 9 Costumes)’ by heart.
108. Derek and the Dominoes: Layla (1970)
My neighbor’s cat in college was named Layla. (My cat, Layla’s sister, was named Doris.)
107. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde (1966)
This is about the time I first really knew Dylan as the artist, rather than as the songwriter, but bought much later.
106. Doors: The Doors (1967)
I prefer the single version of ‘Light My Fire’, actually. The organ solo was boring to me.
105. Beatles: Beatles for Sale (1964)
Now we get into the murky Beatles territory since this did not exist in the US when I was growing up, only in most of the rest of the world. So it’s a new collection for me – OK, 25 years old, but not nearly 50.
104. Mamas & the Papas: The Papas & The Mamas (1968)
The group went on hiatus, had a greatest hits album, then got together again.
103. Simon & Garfunkel: Wednesday Morning 3 AM (1964)
Much more folky than their later output.
102. Grateful Dead: Workingman’s Dead (1970)
101. Joni Mitchell: Ladies Of The Canyon (1970)
When I was in the play Boys in the Band in the spring of 1975, the cast was at someone’s house and played side one. Enough folks had disdain for the album so that we never heard Side 2, which is more uptempo and might have gone over better with the group.
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Re: my previous post on the topic, Dustbury discusses the song ‘Reflections.’
I know the Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, Doors, Simon and Garfunkel, and The Beatles. I only have CD’S of the last two groups. They are fabulous.
Nice grouping! Love 120, 124, 115 and 103. I think Ladies of the Canyon is underrated. 102 nearly made my list, as did 121. I’d never heard of the Ramsey Lewis Trio before; I have less than nothing to do today, so I went over to Spotify to listen to them. They don’t have that specific album, but they do have a collection with 7 of the 9 tracks from it, so I’ve now heard most of the album, and what I heard was wonderful. Just my kind of jazz music, and I love how much the audience is into “Hang On Sloopy.” I especially liked their rendition of “And I Love Her,” which is actually not one of my favorite Beatles songs.
In today’s age of iTunes and other digital music venues, I can’t even remember the names of the albums I had when I was younger! I do, however, remember that I did have Bill Cosby’s Wonderfulness album!
I’m hoping Simon and Garfulkel’s “Bookends” makes it in there somewhere. Their recordings of old people’s voices, going into the final song, just wonderful.
Also, re Cosby, “ICE CREAM! We’re gonna eat ICE CREAM!” And wasn’t the Chicken Heart and the jello smeared on the floor on that one?
Always loved Laura Nyro; her recording of “Buy and Sell” is poignant. Her death was a great loss…
Waiting for Dusty to show up, and I wonder if she will. The epitome of blue-eyed soul for this little singer! You have excellent taste. As long as Miles’ “Bitches Brew” does NOT make your list, I’ll probably agree with most of it! Ha ha Amy
Afraid Dusty didn’t make it, but neither did Miles. Bookends will show up.
My 45 of “Sunshine Of Your Love” quite clearly says “The Cream.”