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My Five
DIVYA KUMAR
Fields Of Gold
This is post-Police Sting at his mellow, melodic best. As love songs go, there are few that have lyrics as evocative, conjuring imagery of golden barley fields swaying in the breeze and feelings of nostalgia for love past/lost. The arrangements are simple and spare, with a distinctive throbbing bass line, and the result is a mature, bittersweet love song that stays with you long after you’ve heard it.
The Eagles
Lyin’ Eyes
Few songs ‘tell a story’ as well as this Grammy-winning 1975 hit. . Backed by the band’s inimitable guitars, the tale of a woman caught between her dreams and her reality unfolds poignantly, with Don Henley’s craggy vocals lending it an edge. And then there are the harmonies that stand out in their cohesion and clarity, especially in the chorus. This is one story you want to hear again and again.
Cat Stevens
Morning Has Broken
Cat Stevens (a.k.a Yusuf Islam) turned a children’s hymn into a richly lilting melody anchored by a gorgeous piano intro that makes it instantly appealing. Between the uplifting lyrics and Stevens’ soft crooning, there really couldn’t be a better pick-me-up in musical form.
Nirvana
The Man Who Sold The World
Written by David Bowie in 1970, this song was famously covered by Nirvana on MTV Unplugged in New York in 1993. Nirvana’s treatment of the number is more effective – Kurt Cobain’s melancholy rendering suits the rather mysterious lyrics, and their arrangement makes for a more cohesive sound. Still, the original songwriters definitely got it right with that terrific opening riff and the chord progression in the chorus.
Harry Chapin
Cat’s In The Cradle
This folk rock classic remains as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. With that raw, twangy riff at the beginning, Chapin’s expressive vocals that make the ‘voices’ of the father and son come alive and its heartfelt theme, this is a goosebump-inducing song in which you can see the tragic irony of the of the father who’s too busy for his young son and the son who wants to be ‘just like him’ unfolding as the song progresses.
Those that almost made it:
John Lennon:
Imagine, Working Class Hero
Simon and Garkfunkel:
The Boxer
Jeff Buckley:
Hallelujah
(Divya Kumar is Senior Reporter, The Hindu, Chennai)
My Five is a personal list of the five greatest tracks in popular music
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Visakhapatnam
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