So, the debates raged on at the world headquarters of KBEC Classic Texas Music. What were the top ten songs you had on your playlist. Any genre, any rationale but you have to confess the reason the song made your top 10. We’d love to hear from your which ones you loved, you questioned or plainly needed to hear or avoid. All the music gurus of KBEC assembled their lists and you are free to critique away. Please Keep the comments family friendly.

DJ Alexx

• Pearl Jam – Jeremy
• The Get Up Kids – Overdo
• The Early November – Sunday Drive
• Dorothy Moore – Misty Blue
• Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
• Thursday – Understanding in a Car Crash
• The Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas
• Slow Roosevelt – Cake
• Doosu – Precious
• Jodice – Forever My Lady

DJ Sarah Rhodes

1. Iron Maiden – Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
   Clocks in at nearly 14 minutes and Maiden does a masterful job interpreting the classic Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem.
2. Billy Joel – You May Be Right
   Have loved the tune all my life, plus Svengoolie used it as his closing song for several years.  Extra points.
3. Waylon Jennings – Rough And Rowdy Days
   To be honest, this list could be nothing but Waylon.
4. Rush – Subdivisions
   From their 1982 album Signals. Admittedly overplayed on classic rock stations, that LP was my “gateway” to becoming a lifetime fan.  Neil Peart could do no wrong.
5. Genesis – Dodo/Lurker
   Time for a prog rock deep cut.  And I mean deep cut.  It might be an acquired taste but is such a fantastic song and required listening for any Phil Collins fan.
6. Rainbow – Man On The Silver Mountain
   That band could rock HARD.  The opening riff and Ronnie James Dio’s vocals are simply unmatched.
7. Alan Parsons Project – Don’t Answer Me
   I am a major fan of his work.  He’s a genius producer and great musician who successfully re-created Phil Spector’s Wall Of Sound.  Watch the music video if you ever get a chance.
8. Rolling Stones – Far Away Eyes
   They might be the “Bad Boys of Rock N Roll” but one would be pleasantly surprised by their country chops here.  Yeehaw!
9. The Lovin’ Spoonful – Summer In The City
   It’s just a great feel-good song that never gets old.
10. Jerry Jeff Walker – Pissin’ In The Wind
    It’s a great tounge-in-cheek song and the lyric “Makin’ the same mistakes we swore we’d never make again” is painfully relatable.

DJ Barry Wolverton

1. Your Song – Elton John
   The song that got Elton on the map in 1970.
2. When Will I Be Loved – Linda Ronstadt.
   She sounds so happy singing a song that she got done wrong in so many ways.
3. If You’re Thinking You Want A Stranger – George Strait
   Good upbeat well written Country Song.
4. Live Like Your Were Dying – Tim McGrew.
   Just tells you life’s short, just enjoy it.
5. I Just Called To Say I Love You – Steve Wonder.
   What’s not to Love about this song.
6. He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones.
   He didn’t wanna record it, but he did and it turned out to be one of his biggest hits.
7. When A Man Loves A Women – Michael Bolton.
   Great vocals on this song.
8. Keep on Loving You – REO Speedwagon.
   I just love this song.
9. Fire And Rain – James Taylor.
   A good song to crank up and sing along to.
10. Don’t Pull Your Love – Harrison Joe Frank & Reynolds
    Just a great upbeat song.

DJ Dave Van Zant

1. Hello, It’s Me – Todd Rundgren
   This is the first song I felt like I connected to in my youth.
2. Deacon Blues – Steely Dan
   I loved this song from the time I first heard it. Who doesn’t, at some time or another, want a name when you lose?
3. London Homesick Blues – Gary P. Nunn
   I learned to play this song on the guitar and played it all over the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean during both deployments I served in the Persian Gulf. I paid Gary P. Nunn for all the royalties I owed him when I met him. The CS-3 division of the Good Ship USS. Elrod (FFG-55) would sing this song at the top of our lungs everywhere we went.
4. Whipping Post – The Allman Brothers Band
   Another song I connected with on a visceral level. Been there, done that, Brother.
5. Driver’s Seat – Sniff ‘n the Tears
   I loved driving my car on Saturday Nights in my 20’s. Riding around with friends and just having fun. Good times.
6. Riders on the Storm – The Doors
   One of the darker songs on my list, perhaps the darkest. Jim Morrison’s depiction of an actual case of a family being wiped out by a hitchhiker is both scary and mystical with the music, words, and the sound effects.
7. Everything’s Changed – Lonestar
   Another song that connects with me on an emotional level. Burleson changed so much from the time I left in the Fall of 1977 to the time I returned in 1986, it was incredible. You truly can never go home again.
8. Tuesday’s Gone – Lynyrd Skynyrd
   Melancholy lament of leaving and losing love. Many would have chosen Freebird, and I considered it long and hard since it was chosen as the Class Song of the Burleson High School Class of 1977. Since Freebird has become a “meme”, I went with my heart on this one.
9. Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground
   The first song I remember thinking about the “revolution” of the 70’s. Andy Warhol would be proud.
10. Long Distance Runaround – Yes
    My roommate at the time and I would race home to see who could get to the stereo first (it was quadraphonic, too) to start our favorite album. His was “Fragile” by Yes. Mine was “Greatest Hits” by Steely Dan. The result was we both fell in love with the songs on the other’s favorite albums. Go figure.

DJ Jim Phillips

1. Stairway to Heaven- Led Zeppelin
   1971 was a magical teenage time for me and when I first heard this three phase song it hit a chord. The progression in tempo and volume blew me away. It was never released a single to radio stations but was the most requested song of the70’s on contemporary and rock FM stations in the Untied States. A great version can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbhCPt6PZIU
2. Let it Be- The Beatles
   “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
   Speaking words of wisdom, let it be”.  The final single before Paul McCartney left the band, this iconic song first came to McCartney as a dream about his mother helping the band through some turbulent times. “At the time, it had the highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100, beginning its chart run at number 6 and eventually reaching the top”
3. Margaritaville- Jimmy Buffett
4. On the Road again- Willie Nelson
   I first heard this in Austin in 1977 when I attended a Texas football game. I never thought of country music in the same light after Willie crooned away.
5. Amarillo by Morning- George Strait, written by Terry Stafford in 1973 but covered by King George in 1983
   “Amarillo by Morning” was named “#12 country song of all time” by Country Music Television in 2004.
6. White Christmas -Bing Crosby
   Mom, Christmas and so many great family memories. A must have for the nostalgia.
7. Wind of Change- Scorpions
   This song represent for me the end of the Cold war, the end of fear of nuclear destruction and the start of a world view toward surviving on this planet. My political awakening for sure. This live version gets me every time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQRtlMUcbpY
8. My Sweet Lord – George Harrison
   One of the first albums I really understood was “Live from Bangladesh” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqFAHmy910k . This song touches beyond the heart to the soul of music.
9. Musta Got Lost- J. Geils
   The college years, dorm parties, parties at the Indy 500, parties wherever my Cutlass 442 went, you get the idea, this song was the anthem for the craziness.
10. Cant’s Find My Way Home – Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood ( Blind Faith)
    Clapton playing acoustic guitar alone would make this a must listen but add in the bluesy, soul vocals delivered by Steve Winwood and magic is created. “one of the most covered songs in the history of music. From House of Lords to Joe Cocker, from Styx to John Wetton – various musicians of different genres, including hard rock, soul and pop, recorded their own interpretations of this song. We can easily conclude that “Can’t Find My Way Home” turned out to be an inspiration for many younger generations of musicians.”
    1. https://myrockmixtapes.com/2017/04/19/the-story-of-blind-faiths-cant-find-my-way-home-1969/
    2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L82II1lNjo

 

DJ Ken Roberts

1. Time Passages – Al Stewart
   Always a favorite since the first time I heard it. Such a mellow tune.
2. Peaceful Easy Feeling – the Eagles
   The first Eagles album I owned was their first greatest hits LP. I wish I had a nickel for every time I played that one.
3. Strawberry Letter 23 – the Brothers Johnson
   Memories of cruisin’ Ferris avenue the first time I heard it. Loved it right away. Still don’t know what the lyrics mean.
4. Only the Beginning – Chicago
   What’s not to love? Upbeat, easy going tune and those great horn arrangements.
5. Year of the Cat – Al Stewart
   Yes, another Al Stewart story/song. His instrumental arrangements in his songs are phenomenal.
6. Fire and Rain – James Taylor
   I love me some sweet baby James.
7. Human Nature – Michael Jackson
   Tough call between this and “Off the Wall”…flip a coin.
8. What a Fool Believes – Doobie Brothers
   The Doobies officially went from rock to pop with this tune!
9. I Can’t go for That – Hall and Oates
   My favorite duo of all time. I wore out a H&O t-shirt back in the day!
10. Give Me the Night – George Benson
    The genius of George Benson! When he sings and plays the same notes on his guitar, It’s pure magic!