Monday, May 25, 2009

Music Mundays - Bang for Your Buck: The Charming Comedian Picks Some of his Favourite Greatest Hits Albums


If you want to listen to good music (legally), but don't want to go broke in the process, greatest hits albums are the way to go. Some of the best ones in my collection (in no particular order) are:

Two for the Show
by Kansas (Double Live Album) - I liked this album because, while most bands do okay in the studio, when it comes to performing live on stage they sometimes give lackluster performances. Let's face it, some of them suck! (Boston seems to come to mind). Kansas, however, proves that this isn't always so. After I heard the performances on this album, I found some of their studio versions boring in comparison. Although my favourite song is Carry on Wayward Son; the best performance by far is Magnum Opus. Here is an example of Magnum Opus, but it is a different recording than the one on the album.




7even Year Itch by Collective Soul (Greatest Hits 1994-2001) - I don't know what it is about these guys, but they have written some great tunes. When I bought this CD it stayed in my car's player for two months straight! Some of the songs I have covered in different rock bands that I have played in. Guitar riffs are their specialty. (Precious Declaration comes to mind!) Gel, and Shine are rocking examples of their many one-word-title songs, and Run has an extremely well played guitar solo over-top of violins... awesome!





The Very Best of Eagles by The Eagles - People ask me why I like the Eagles and I just kind of look at them and say: "What do you mean, why do I like the Eagles? What's not to like?". I like music with a lot of harmonies and theirs are the best. If I had their talent, I would probably be just as arrogant as they are!





Rush Gold by Rush (Greatest Hits Album) - Either you love Rush or you hate them! I once made my own greatest hits compilation of Rush songs and it took up two ninety minute cassette tapes. I still didn't get them all on it. I'm a drummer, so before every gig I would listen to Rush, and Neil Peart would always inspire me, after all, he IS the Professor! Not only is he recognized as the best Rock drummer out there, (he won the award so many times, they just put him up on a pedestal, and wouldn't consider him any more!), he writes 99% of their lyrics. His songs are very rarely in 4/4 time, and very often the time signature changes many times within each piece. They are all played exceptionally well, with Geddy and Alex being equally gifted in their musical abilities. Peart is also an accomplished author. Any time he puts a pen near paper, good things happen. If you're stuck in a 4/4 world, Rush might not be your cup of tea, but I couldn't imagine a world without them! (I have read three of Peart's memoirs: Ghost Rider, Traveling Music, and Roadshow.)





Money for Nothing by Dire Straits (Greatest Hits) - Mark Knopfler is an amazing song writer, but an even better guitar player. His fingers are very fast and very precise. He doesn't miss a lick, and, you have to love that National Steel Guitar on Romeo & Juliet, even though the song is a little corny.The line "All I do is keep the beat, and bad company" brings back memories. My favourite song on this album is Tunnel of Love. It tells a great story, and the lyrics go on and on, to the point that you think "How does he remember them all?"... but, it was his story, he lived it.





That was fun, huh? I sort of tweaked Chris' original idea for this meme, but it works for me! I hope everyone enjoyed. As to the c.c.'s choices...

I consider Dust in the Wind my favourite Kansas song, but Carry on Wayward Son is really good, too!

Precious Declaration
is my favourite Collective Soul song. I had forgotten all about it until this post!

I recently read a biography of The Eagles. I will be posting a review one of these days! The c.c. gave it to me, so I figured I should read it! If I was doing this list, they would probably fall on it, too!

Rush and Dire Straits are two of my favourite bands ever! Rush is nothing new to my regular readers! My favourite Rush song is probably Freewill, but I like a lot of their stuff! As to Dire Straits... I actually like Romeo & Juliet! (Oh, Ana, you could have used that song for your Sunday Salon the other day!)

That's it for this week! Tune in next week for a similar post from Vanessa from A Journey Through My Music Collection.

12 comments:

  1. This was great :D I'm glad you got the CC to participate! I'm a big fan of the Eagles too...their harmonies just blow me away...I saw them in concert a couple of months ago and they're just as great live if not better.

    I used to love Collective Soul back in the 90's when I was a wee teen. I haven't listened to them in AGES!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Collective Soul is the only group here that I'm not familiar with. I adore the rest. Dire Straits "Brother-in-Arms" CD was one of those that spent a very long time in my CD player. Their sound is simply amazing.

    cjh

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh the memories! I got to see CC "back in the day" when they weren't too popular at a small little club here in downtown Orlando. They rocked my world back then. Their songs were so uplifting; they always filled me with high levels of energy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love Collective Soul. (Heaven's Already Here is my favorite song of theirs.) And I love the Dire Straits, too, but I think I like Mark Knopfler's stuff since those days even more. What a fun post!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Eagles fan here as well! My favourite song by them is Peaceful, Easy Feeling.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I cut my teeth on the Eagles!! My parents had all of their albums so I used to play them constantly!! Love the Charming Comedian's picks!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow. Didn't realize you guys were so "old school"!! I've always liked Rush...do you watch Chuck?? I can't help but think of that TV show now every time I hear Rush!!

    Dire Straights. Not so much. Eagles are the Eagles. They are such an icon, you just can't NOT like them. Kansas is ok. I saw them in concert back in high school.

    Very cool post!

    ReplyDelete
  8. You know, I know all those bands by name but I haven't actually listened to them closely!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I saw Kansas live in 2003 I think during Music Midtown. It was still really, really awesome! Out of ever other band I saw (including Smile Empty Soul and even Fuel) I think Carry on Wayward Son was my favorite performance. I also caught David Ragsdale's sweat rag lol. I love the Eagles!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Terrific post! Carry On Wayward Son is one of my favorite songs - imagine my glee when it was included in Guitar Hero :D

    If anyone asks my top bands I would never think to say the Eagles, but now that I think of it there aren't any of their songs I don't like.

    Sultan of Swing would be my fave Dire Straits song, but then I've never owned a CD by them - have to take a look for a greatest hits of theirs.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lots of great choices here, Kailana. I like your tweaking of Chris' idea! I think Carry On is probably my favorite Kansas song, but those two are neck and neck!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Chris: The harmonies of the Eagles are pretty great, huh? I actually am the owner of the CD that he talks about in this post. lol I bought it as a Christmas present and ended up keeping it for myself... shhh... haha

    I actually am not entirely sure I KNEW who Collective Soul was until over a year ago when the cc handed me their CD and told me I had to listen. :)

    CJ: I love Dire Straits! I think between us we have most of their CDs. The greatest hits album is in my car stereo often!

    Christina: That's very cool!

    Debi: The cc says that he is not a big fan of Mark Knopfler's solo stuff. Book nerd me didn't even know he had a solo career... Honestly, if the cc didn't push music at me once in a while I think I would just listen to the same stuff over and over again and not have any problems!

    Cath: Peaceful, Easy Feeling is a great song!

    Staci: He says thanks! :)

    Stephanie: I am insanely 'old school'. I think he listens to more modern bands than I am even aware exist. lol We both have no idea what 'Chuck' is, but I think I will have to look it up!

    Ana: I hope you found something about them to enjoy!

    Tink: That's very cool that you saw Kansas live. I don't think they have ever came here. The Eagles were here last year, but neither of us went to the concert.

    Joanne: I did not remember there being a Kansas song in Guitar Hero. I have only played the game a couple times, though.

    I never think of the Eagles when I think top bands either, but like you, there aren't any songs I can say I really don't like by them.

    Sultan of Swing is the cc's favourite song by them, too, overall. He said when he read your comment, anyway!

    Carl: Thanks! It was fun!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

I am so sorry, but I turned anonymous commenting off. I have had it from the very beginning, but that is how the spam is getting by my spam filter at the moment. If it is a big deal I will turn it back on and moderate all comments. I also changed moderation from older than 14 days to older than 7.