Mystery Train - Elvis Presley

 Elvis Presley is a music legend. I grew up listening to Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash on road trips with my dad and my appreciation for Elvis Presley's music has grown ever since. He really became a cultural icon by becoming a pioneer of early rock and roll and fusing it with hillbilly style music as well. Elvis's cover of "Mystery Train" which was originally recorded by Junior Parker, is among his most classic songs. The lead guitar riff grooves throughout the entire song and provides great continuity and makes the song interesting while still allowing Elvis's vocals to still take center stage and shine as the primary attention grabber. This song is a little bit different than most of the Elvis Presley music I listen too which is typical softer, such as "Crying in the Chapel," or has more raspy vocals, such as on songs like "If I Can Dream" (which prompted a recent cover by pop music stars Post Malone, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes and Darius Rucker) and "Jailhouse Rock." "Mystery Train" is fairly up tempo and has Elvis singing smoothly over the instrumental. I wouldn't consider it crooning, but its certainly not like some of his belting vocals on other hits. All in all I'd definitely recommend this song for anyone who is a fan of classic rock or enjoys listening to cultural icons throughout history.

Nancy (With the Laughing Face) - Frank Sinatra

 Frank Sinatra is an undisputed legend in the music industry. His impact stretches far beyond just his time period or even the soothing crooning singing style he perfected. Even to this day his impact is felt in a wide variety of genres including the "Young Sinatra" hip hop mixtape series released by rapper Logic. Nancy (With the Laughing Face) totally highlights classic Frank Sinatra. The sultry composition of the music is incredible and Frank Sinatra's voice is the cherry on top to make this song absolutely incredible. Nancy (With the Laughing Face) and actually Frank Sinatra's style in general is outside what I would typically consider my style of music, but for some reason I totally dig this song and much of Frank Sinatra's music. I feel like this song is a perfect description of love and romance and is a great song to just chill and listen to. The instruments in this song and its overall sound are different than what is typical in today's music but they pull of a sound so exquisite together that this song continues to be a classic and well known song. With his performance on Nancy (With the Laughing Face), Frank Sinatra defines himself as one of the greatest singers of all time. 

Caravan-Duke Ellington

 To put it simply, Duke Ellington's popular hit "Caravan" is a vibe. I really liked this song for several reasons. The first being the intricate use of several different instruments. From the piano, to the trumpet, to the trombone, to the drums, to the saxophone, each instrument takes its turn in standing out and taking front stage in the song. I also loved how the song utilized uncommon sounds of each instrument. This addition allows the song to rise above the typical "elevator style" of music we might associate with traditional jazz music and makes it into a truly enjoyable work of art. The song itself is quite enjoyable and makes you want to get on your feet and boogie along with the upbeat tempo. I also think it's really cool how this song utilizes minor sounding tones and still manages to be upbeat. As you are listening to it, it's almost like you can picture an old time black and white film of a real caravan traveling along in a montage to this song. I'd definitely recommend this song to jazz fans and even to non jazz fans who are looking for a fun classic to listen to. This song is a total classic and its initial impact in the music industry is undeniable.