Rapper's Delight - The Sugarhill Gang

 "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang is a hip hop classic. This song really set the tone and paved the way for much of modern rap and hip hop. I think what is so cool about this song is how the pattern established in the song as well as its style, have returned to hip hop today after the genre had branched out in other directions for several years. The smooth flows, light hearted and fun lyrics, as well as the heavily pop influenced beat are staples in much of today's rap and hip hop music. 

Something I found interesting about this song compared to many of the other songs we have been listening to, aside from it being one of the first songs we could truly call rap, is the length. At seven minutes long, "Rapper's Delight" is way over twice as long as what we have normally been listening to. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and actually  works somewhat in the group's favor. The consistency of the flow and beat allow the song to really sit in your brain and the duration of the song makes it extremely catchy. I had heard this song before, but after some more in depth listening, its definitely one of my new favorites. 

Superstition - Stevie Wonder

 Stevie Wonder is one of the most beloved musicians even today. Going blind as an infant, his life and music provides us not only with great entertainment but also great inspiration and motivation. To be honest, I personally haven't gotten into a ton of Stevie Wonder's music aside from his most popular songs. However, "Superstition" is one of my personal favorites. For me, this song is all about the beat. The funky groove and instrumentals provide this song with a great upbeat vibe. It really just makes you want to jam out and dance. This song is just totally enticing and draws your attention. To be honest, the beat is so good that aside from the chorus, each time I listened I found myself almost totally ignoring the lyrics in favor of the beat. I also found myself recognizing that this song was totally owned by Stevie Wonder, and not just in a legal sense. With some songs, you can imagine another artist performing well on it or even better than the original artist. But with "Superstition," that's just not the case. Stevie Wonder totally knocks this performance out of the park and makes it clear why he is such a music legend.

A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

 "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke has become one of my favorite songs since hearing it in class a couple weeks ago. Each time I listen I'm inspired by Sam Cooke's powerful vocals, inspiring message, and emotional instrumental. I love the message this song contains about having a hope for a brighter future. One of my favorite lines is, "brother help me please." I find it tremendously inspiring that Sam Cooke chose this line because the best way for us to overcome trials is together. I find the message of the song very pertinent for the time of its release in 1964 which was at the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. In fact, the song is quite prophetic. It was actually written in 1963 and recorded in January of 1964, although it wasn't released until December of 1964. Between the months of its release in July was when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act which abolished racial segregation. I found that bit of history of the songs timeline quite interesting and it made the song even cooler to me. This song remains a classic because the quality of the music matches the quality of the message, making it a masterpiece. 

Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles

 The Beatles are arguably some of the best musicians of all time. Their distinct sound propelled them to international recognition and stardom. "Eleanor Rigby" is one of The Beatles more popular songs. Its iconic sound set the track apart from virtually every other artist of their time. The utilization of multiple string instruments provides the song with an extremely unique audio aesthetic. I love the role the violins play in the song in transforming the song from a typical rock or pop song of the day to something else entirely. Another important part of "Eleanor Rigby" is the vocal harmonies of the band members. I love the fact that not just one of The Beatles got to show their vocal talent, but that we got to see them work together to create such a beautiful melody. As The Beatles continued to push the boundaries of traditional pop music of the day, "Eleanor Rigby" must have had a big role in showing the music world that such musical experiments could create awesome music. This song is one of my personal favorites by The Beatles as it highlights what set them apart from the other artists of their day and shows the range of their skill.