410

SlyandtheFamilyStone,'ThankYou(FalettinmeBe
MiceElfAgin)'

Writer:SlyStone
Producer:Stone
Released:Jan.'70,Epic
13weeks;No.1
Thedoublesidedsmash"ThankYou"/"EverybodyIsaStar"wasSly'ssolenew
releasein1970."ThankYou"rodeonthefingerpoppingbassofLarryGraham,
whoplayedlikethatinaduowithhisorganistmother."Istartedtothumpthe
stringswithmythumb,"hesaid,"tomakeupfornothavingadrummer."
Appearson:Anthology(Epic)
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100GreatestArtistsofAllTime:SlyandtheFamilyStone

409

TheShirelles,'Tonight'stheNight'

Writers:LutherDixon,ShirleyOwens
Producer:Dixon
Released:Sept.'60,Scepter
12weeks;No.39
TheShirelles,whooriginallycalledthemselvesthePequellos,formedwhileat
theirPassaic,NewJersey,highschool.LeadsingerOwenswasonly19whenshe

cowrotethishitaboutromanticsurrender,fullofLatinstylesyncopationand
soulfulyearning.
Appearson:25AllTimeGreatestHits(VarseFontana)
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408

Metallica,'EnterSandman'

Writers:JamesHetfield,LarsUlrich,KirkHammett
Producers:BobRock,Hetfield,Ulrich
Released:July'91,Elektra
20weeks;No.16
ThankstoproducerRock,thecoiled,brooding"EnterSandman"wasthe
firstMetallicatunethatsoundedperfectfortheradio.AsdrummerUlrich
pointedoutin1991,"Thewholeintro,theverse,thebridge,thechorusit'sthe
sameriff."
Appearson:Metallica(Elektra)
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Metallica

407

LynyrdSkynyrd,'SweetHomeAlabama'

Writers:EdKing,GaryRossington,RonnieVanZant
Producer:AlKooper
Released:April'74,MCA
17weeks;No.8
VanZantsangthispissedoffanswertoNeilYoung's"SouthernMan,"andeven
Younglovedit."I'dratherplay'SweetHomeAlabama'than'SouthernMan'
anytime,"Youngsaid.Theadmirationwasmutual;VanZantworeaYoungT
shirtonthecoverofSkynyrd'sfinalalbum,StreetSurvivors,andaccordingto
legend,heisburiedintheshirt.
Appearson:SecondHelping(MCA)
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406

BigStar,'Thirteen'

Writers:AlexChilton,ChrisBell
Producer:JohnFry
Released:April'72,Ardent
NonSingle
Chiltonwrotethisacousticballadabouttwokidsinlovewithrock&roll,
featuringthedeathlesscouplet"Won'tyoutellyourdad,'Getoffmyback'/Tell
himwhatwesaidabout'PaintItBlack.'"It'ssimplemusically;asChiltonsaid,"I
wasstilllearningtoplayandstuff."Itnevercameoutasasingleorgotanyradio
play,but"Thirteen"isoneofrock'smostbeautifulcelebrationsofadolescence.
Appearson:#1Record/RadioCity(Fantasy)
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#1Record

405

BlueysterCult,'(Don'tFear)theReaper'

Writer:DonaldRoeser
Producers:MurrayKrugman,SandyPearlman,DavidLucas
Released:July'76,Columbia
14weeks;No.12
ThisLongIslandband'sdeathtripwaspickedbyRollingStonecriticsasthebest
rocksingleof1976.Withitsghostlyguitarsandcowbell,"Reaper"hasadded
chillstohorrorflicksfromHalloweentoTheStand.Bonuspointsforthe

crackpottheologyabouthow"40,000menandwomeneveryday"joinRomeo
andJulietineternity.
Appearson:AgentsofFortune(Columbia)

404

TheShangriLas,'Remember(Walkin'intheSand)'

Writer:George"Shadow"Morton
Producer:Morton
Released:Aug.'64,RedBird
11weeks;No.5

TheShangriLas,twosetsofsistersfromQueens,wereinhighschoolwhen
producerMortonhiredthemtorecord"Remember"atuneheclaimedtohave
writtenin20minutesonthewaytothestudio.Onestoryhasitthata15yearold
BillyJoelplayedpianoonthesession.MortonwentontoproducetheNewYork
Dolls.
Appearson:TheBestoftheShangriLas(Mercury)

403

ElvisPresley,'Can'tHelpFallinginLove'

Writers:GeorgeWeiss,HugoPeretti,LuigiCreatore
Producer:JosephLilley

Released:Oct.'61,RCA
14weeks;No.1
ThisadaptationofGiovanniMartini's18thcenturysong"Plaisird'Amour"was
giventoElvisforhismovieBlueHawaiihencetheHawaiiansteelguitar.But
thiswasnovacationforPresley:Ittookhim29takestonailhisexquisitely
gentlevocals.ThesongbecametheclosingnumberformostofhisSeventies
concerts.
Appearson:Elvis30#1Hits(RCA)
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402

TheFiveStairsteps,'OohChild'

Writer:StanVincent
Producer:Vincent
Released:April'70,Buddha
16weeks;No.8
"OohChild"gavetheFiveStairstepsfourbrothersandasisterfromChicago
apopsoulclassicthatrivaledthehitsofanothersiblinggang,theJackson5.
ThechildrenofpolicedetectiveClarenceBurke,theFiveStairsteps,whoplayed
theirowninstrumentsaswellassang,rangedinagefrom13to17whenCurtis
MayfieldsignedthemtohisWindyClabel.
Appearson:SoulHitsofthe'70s:Didn'tItBlowYourMind!Vol.2(Rhino)

401

TheLovin'Spoonful,'SummerintheCity'

Writers:JohnSebastian,SteveBoone,MarkSebastian
Producer:ErikJacobsen
Released:June'66,KamaSutra
11weeks;No.1
"SummerintheCity"wasastylisticturnfortheLovin'Spoonfultougherand
lessdaydreamy."Wefelttheonlywaywecouldstickoutwouldbetosound
completelydifferentfromonesingletoanother,"saidJohnSebastian.Witha
barrageofcarhornsonthebridge,therecordevokeditssubjectwithurbangrit
andGershwinesquegrandeur.
Appearson:TheLovin'SpoonfulGreatestHits(Buddha)

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