Friday 5 for August 7 - La La La La La

From Scrivener's Friday 5 blog:
"Long-time (and even short-time) participants in the Friday 5 pretty much know that my two favorite topics to ask questions about are food and music. And I’ve had a pretty good music-filled week, so here are five questions inspired by that."

1.What’s your favorite song about a specific city?

Gosh there are plenty of city songs that i like. Here are 10 of them.

1. Honolulu City Lights - Keola and Kapono Beamer + the remake by The Carpenters. The song captures the essence of wanting to go back home to Honolulu.

2. City of the Angels - This song by Journey is my favorite for LAX.

3. The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace - always loved this fictional account of gangsters and Al Capone. The record went to #1 in 1974. The song could also fit in question #2.

4. Honey's Tune (Hilo's Such A Rainy Old Town) - by Olomana - This song just feels "so Hilo" especially about the rain. You got to have lived there or been on the Big Island of Hawaii to know what I mean.

5. El Paso - Marty Robbins - one of the best story songs ever, this is like an audio movie rolled into 5 minutes. From back in the days of real country music.

6. Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John - a great, uptempo dance song about a tennis team from Philly. Great arrangement and orchestration. #1 in 1975.

7. Echo Valley 2-6809 - The Partridge Family - One of the best songs on PF's Sound Magazine.

8. San Francisco - Scott McKenzie  - hippie song from 1967. "Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair".

9. London's Calling - The Clash for when you're angry.

10. Summer Night City - A Euro-pop song by ABBA from 1979. Location is probably fictitious or wherever there is a hot disco.

2. What’s your favorite song about a real, historical figure?

1. Candle in the Wind by Elton John (1973 - Marilyn Monroe) - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - 1973 Live in Australia - 1987
2. James K. Polk - They Might Be Giants (1990 on Istanbul Not Constantinople CD single)
3. Hey Jude - The Beatles (Julian Lennon, 1968 - he's not historical but he is part of Beatles history)
4. I'm Henry the 8th I Am - Herman's Hermits (1965) - Fun from when I was a kid.

3. What are your favorite song and favorite group (or solo artist) from the classic Motown era?

Way too much to list just one.

1. My Girl - The Temptations (1965)
2. Superstition - Stevie Wonder (1972)
3. Love Child - Diana Ross & the Supremes (1968)
4. Get Ready - Rare Earth (1970)
5. I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (1968)
6. Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder (1974)
7. Reach Out (I'll Be There) - The Four Tops (1966)
8. Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (1969)
9. Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (1970)
10. War - Edwin Starr (1970)

I would like to include "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips but this was released in 1973 on Buddah Records after they left Motown.

Favorite artist - Stevie Wonder (especially after he took creative control of his music in 1970).

Favorite group - Rare Earth (they were on a Motown imprint from 1969 to 1974)

Today Motown is just part of Universal Music and not its own label anymore.

4. What’s your favorite song by a musician (or band) you really dislike?

"The Real Slim Shady" by Eminem - definitely not a fan, but the song is ok.

5. What’s your favorite song with the word “song” in its title?

1. Song on the Radio - Al Stewart (1978) from Time Passages
2. Look What They've Done to My Song Ma - Melaine or The New Seekers (early 1970s)
3. Songs From the Wood - Jethro Tull (1978)
4. This Song - George Harrison (1976) - about being sued for My Sweet Lord.
5. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole "chestnuts roasting on an open fire...."