A Record a Week: Creedence Clearwater Revival - 20 Greatest Hits

SIDE 1.
SUZIE Q.
I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
PROUD MARY
BAD MOON RISING
LODI

SIDE 2.
GREEN RIVER
COMMOTION
DOWN ON THE CORNER
FORTUNATE SON
TRAVELIN' BAND

SIDE 3.
WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN
UP AROUND THE BEND
RUN THROUGH THE JUNGLE
LOOKIN' OUT MY BACK DOOR
LONG AS I CAN SEE THE LIGHT

SIDE 4.
I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE RAIN
HEY TONIGHT
SWEET HITCH-HIKER
SOMEDAY NEVER COMES

This album contains a number of songs that seem as if they always existed. Have you ever heard a song and thought about what the writing process for those types of songs is like? Is it just like the writing of another song, or is it possible that the band thinks at the time 'this is going to be a song that will become eternal'? I suppose that's a bit arrogant, though it's not as if arrogance is something forever absent of popular rock bands.

Still, though, some songs feel like they have always existed and it's amazing to think that at one point they didn't. This album contains some original material like that (Bad Moon Rising and Down on The Corner to name a couple) as well as covers of other songs like that (Heard it Through the Grapevine and Suzie Q).

I grew up in a time when rock was a little bit more 'in your face' than this, but this album certainly contains a number of great classic rock songs.

A Record a Week: Beach Boys - 20 Greatest Hits

SIDE 1.
SURFIN' U.S.A.
CALIFORNIA GIRLS
FUN, FUN, FUN
I GET AROUND
HELP ME RHONDA
BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL
BARBARA ANN
SHUT DOWN
WENDY
LITTLE HONDA

SIDE 2.
LITTLE DEUCE COUP
SURFER GIRL
DO YOU WANNA DANCE
DANCE, DANCE, DANCE
WHEN I GROW UP
409
IN MY ROOM
DON'T WORRY BABY
SURFIN' SAFARI
CATCH A WAVE

You know, I've never really stopped to think about it, but as much as the Beach Boys are considered the ultimate in surf rock, they don't really look like surfers at all.

They were undoubtedly the kings of surf music, though. This album, as it is titled, contains all of your favourite Beach Boys tunes (Beach Boy tunes? Which is it?). I have to be honest, I think an instrumental version of this album would sound like two or three of the songs on repeat. I can't tell the musical difference between most of the tracks, other than the lyrics. They do invoke that signature 'wave' dance move.

If only we could all live on the beach and have fun, bleached-teeth-filled parties all the time. Alas, it is a nice break to throw on surfer music and go to Carolina in your mind. Wait, I think I'm confusing artists here.