Who still remembers the computing acronym WYSIWYG “What You See is What You Get” or should I say “What You See Is What You Groove”? The next ninety minutes, straight from the shelves of my ever-surprising music library, comes a no-filters feast of funk, soul, sass, and sentiment. It’s honest, it’s eclectic, and just like WYSIWYG, it plays exactly how it sounds.
| Title | Artist | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Ding-a-Dong | Teach In | Written by Dick Bakker, Will Luikinga, Eddy Ouwens. A cheerful Eurovision-winning track about staying upbeat after heartbreak. Teach-In were a Dutch pop group known for bright, catchy tunes and colorful performances. |
| Fuck You | Cee Lo Green | Fuck You” (stylised as “Fuck You!” or “F**k You!”), known as “Forget You” or “FU” for the clean versions, was written by Cee Lo Green, Bruno Mars and Philip Lawrence. CeeLo Green has stated that, in addition to being about a heartbreak, the song was also about the music industry itself. Cee Lo Green (born Thomas DeCarlo Callaway on May 30, 1975, in Atlanta, Georgia.) is a soul singer known for his retro flair and bold style. |
| A Forest | The Cure | Written by Robert Smith and band members, this song is a dark, poetic track about emotional distance and existential longing. The Cure bassist Simon Gallup was inspired for the tune by The Stranglers’ bassist, JJ Burnel. The Cure are UK post-punk pioneers blending goth, pop, and melancholy. |
| Monkey See Monkey Do | New Swing Sextet | Written by George Rodríguez. A Latin jazz tune using mimicry as a social metaphor. New Swing Sextet is a salsa-jazz band from New York blending boogaloo and Afro-Caribbean sounds. |
| Een Echte Man | Wigbert | Written by Wigbert Van Lierde. A satirical pop song challenging traditional gender roles. Wigbert is a Belgian singer-songwriter with a knack for witty lyrics and storytelling. |
| Handy Man | Jimmy Jones | Written by Jimmy Jones and Otis Blackwell. A playful R&B hit where the singer offers himself as a ‘repairman’ for broken hearts. Jimmy “Handyman” Jones (born in Birmingham, Alabama) was an afro-american soul singer and songwriter known for his high tenor and doo-wop roots. |
| I Can Help | Billy Swan | Written by Billy Swan. He wrote this feel-good country-pop song on a little RMI organ he had received from Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge as a wedding present. Swan, from the USA, is a one-hit-wonder known for his relaxed vocals and friendly tone. |
| Man of Action | Les Reed Orchestra | Written by Les Reed. A brassy instrumental theme known for radio use. Les Reed was a prolific UK composer known for orchestral pop and easy listening anthems. |
| Help Yourself | Tom Jones | Written by Carlo Donida and Jack Fishman. An upbeat tune about taking love without hesitation. Tom Jones, from Wales, is a powerhouse vocalist with a long career in pop and soul. |
| Stir It Up | Bob Marley & The Wailers | A love song written by Bob Marley about stirring up desire that he wrote for his wife, Rita. Marley was a Jamaican icon whose music mixed romance, politics, and Rastafarian spirituality. Texas-born singer-songwriter Johnny Nash released “Stir It Up,” which became his final US hit. Nash’s version would become Marley’s first hit outside of Jamaica, originally recorded with his own group, The Wailers. |
| One Draw | Rita Marley | Written by Rita Marley. A humorous, laid-back reggae track advocating marijuana use. Rita, from Jamaica, is Bob Marley’s widow and an influential reggae artist and activist in her own right. |
| Someone Loves You Honey | June Lodge | “Someone Loves You Honey” is a tender reggae love song about fidelity and affection written by Don Devaney, was originally released by American country music singer Johnny Rodriguez in 1974. British singer June Lodge covered the song in 1982, featured by Jamaican DJ Prince Mohammed (born George Knooks). |
| (A Message to You) Rudie | Grant Phabao, Carlton Livingston & The Lone Ranger | “A Message To You Rudy” was originally recorded by the reggae artist Dandy Livingstone in 1967. His original recording was a portrait of social unrest amongst the youth in Kingston, Jamaica. This modern revival combines Jamaican vocalists with French producer Grant Phabao’s dub sound. “Rudy” (or Rudi, Rude boy) is a Jamaican term for criminal juveniles |
| Young Gifted and Black | Bob & Marcia | Written by Nina Simone and Weldon Irvine. A powerful anthem celebrating Black identity and talent. Bob & Marcia were a Jamaican duo who brought this soulful message to the UK reggae scene. Bob and Marcia were a Jamaican vocal duo, that consisted of Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths. |
| Love and Affection | Joan Armatrading | Written by Joan Armatrading. A vulnerable yet confident song about the complexities of love. Armatrading, born in Saint Kitts and raised in the UK, was a pioneering Black female singer-songwriter blending folk, pop, and blues. |
| He’s Misstra Know-It-All | Stevie Wonder | Written by Stevie Wonder. A funky, veiled critique of political dishonesty, possibly Nixon. Wonder, from Michigan, USA, is a blind multi-instrumentalist whose songs span love, justice, and joy. |
| What’d I Say, Pts. I & II | Ray Charles | Written by Ray Charles. A spontaneous, electric song that blended gospel, blues, and sensuality. Charles, from Georgia, USA, is considered one of the founding fathers of soul music. |
| Muscles | Diana Ross | Written by Michael Jackson as a way of thanking Diana Ross for her support and friendship over the years. A tongue-in-cheek song about physical desire and fantasy. Diana Ross, from Detroit, USA, rose to fame with The Supremes and became a defining voice of Motown and beyond. |
| Brick House | Commodores | Written by the Commodores. Guitar and trumpet player William King’s wife Shirley Hanna-King wrote the initial words. This disco classic is about a woman with a great body, “Built like a Brick House”. The woman is 36-24-36, measurements they took out of Jet magazine of a model that was modeling swimwear. The Commodores, from Alabama, USA, combined soul, funk, and Lionel Richie’s songwriting prowess. |
| Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman? | Bryan Adams | This heartfelt ballad exploring deep emotional intimacy was written by Bryan Adams, Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange and Michael Kamen. This song was featured in the movie Don Juan DeMarco, starring Johnny Depp. Paco De Lucia played the Flamenco guitar. Adams, from Canada, is known for his gravelly voice and powerful rock ballads. |
| You´re In My Heart | Rod Stewart | Rod Stewart wrote this love song when he was dating the Swedish actress Britt Ekland from 1975-1977. The lines, “You’re Celtic, United, but baby I’ve decided, you’re the best team I’ve ever seen” are a reference to two Scottish soccer teams, Dundee United and Celtic F.C. Stewart is an avid supporter of Celtic. |
| Song For Whoever | The Beautiful South | Written by Paul Heaton and Dave Rotheray. A sarcastic tune from the perspective of a songwriter exploiting love for hits. The Beautiful South, from the UK, were known for darkly comic lyrics wrapped in cheerful pop. |
| Tuxedos | Cold War Kids | Written by Cold War Kids. A cool indie rock song about nightlife, relationships, and appearances. Cold War Kids, from California, USA, are known for gritty vocals and soulful indie rock. |
| Just a Song Before I Go | Crosby, Stills & Nash | Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet with the guy taking him to the airport and composed it on the spot. A short, poignant farewell song reportedly written on a dare. Crosby, Stills & Nash, from the USA and UK, were famous for their harmonies and thoughtful songwriting in folk rock. |
Sources
The information sources of the song facts include, but are not limited to, Wikipedia, songfacts.com, discogs.com, secondhandsongs.com, YouTube and artists’ related websites.
