Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2006

At the time, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s Class Of 2006 seemed like a real breath of fresh air.  This was a catch-up year for the fans of classic rock.  There were no newly eligible acts inducted, and this year is also noted for having an act that is much harder to defend as being part of the “rock and roll” diaspora.  The Mort Shuman rule comes into effect this year too, breaking up the Non-Performer duo into two people, so a total of seven Songs Of Proof, and just like the previous year, the first and penultimate songs in the playlist are for Non-Performer inductees.  Also, like last year, the biggest pop hits are the chosen songs for four of the five Performer inductees, though not intentionally.  Coincidence?  Probably.  But the big names of classic rock that finally smashed their way through this year are the real story that has everyone excited and restores people’s faith in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for their embracing more populist acts.   No one really thought it would serve as a foreshadow for a decade later, though.  It’s just a year with some really awesome and very deserving inductees, including:

Herb Alpert:  No one would have thought of inducting this man as a Performer, but he could have been.  As the leader of the Tijuana Brass, Alpert’s utility as a record label executive comes from his understanding the artists’ minds because he was an artist himself.  If you love instrumentals, and have an open enough mind, listen to his work with the Tijuana Brass.  “The Lonely Bull,” “Zorba The Greek,” and “Tijuana Taxi” are merely three examples of the incredible body of work that was put out by this outfit.  But even from the beginning, he was into the business side of things, starting with Dore Records, which was the first home for Jan And Dean.  Since he was such a prolific musician himself, his song is indeed one of his own.  From the late ‘70’s, his album Rise is a fantastic listen with four outstanding tracks, and four okay ones.  The first time I heard the title track, I was absolutely floored.  A solid and funky beat, great atmosphere, and a spellbinding melody emanating from Alpert’s trumpet all culminate in an amazing listening experience that still feels a little short even though it clocks in around seven minutes.  Such a masterpiece, that had to be the song.

Black Sabbath:  The most awaited and anticipated of the inductees, Black Sabbath strangely took eight nominations to get in, which may have contributed to the current perceptions of snobbery in the upper echelons of the Foundation’s management.   However, no one would deny the importance of Black Sabbath as innovators of heavy metal, nor the massive and profound influence they have had on bands that followed, and not just other metal bands, but a variety of bands in the years to come.  Though deeply rooted in the blues, no one would really categorize Black Sabbath as blues-rock.  They had a pattern of excellence, which continued even with personnel who were snubbed from the band’s induction.  Some might be a bit upset at the use of “Iron Man” as the selection for this project, but no one would deny that it’s a landmark record, the best-known song by the band, and a sterling example of the trail that Black Sabbath blazed.

Blondie:  Every once in a while, you might hear a Blondie song on a classic rock station, most likely “Heart Of Glass" or "One Way Or Another.”  Blondie is the new-wave, post-punk artist that got in almost right away that made you think the Hall was going to be pushing forward fully into the ‘80’s with more modern acts.   Debbie Harry’s vocal versatility and range was at times alluring, and other times eerie.   Admittedly, my choice for “Call Me” as their song in this project has absolutely nothing to do with anything that made them an innovative or influential band.  It wasn’t even because it was their biggest hit on the pop charts.  Simply put, I’m not a huge fan of Blondie.  I don’t like “Rapture” or “The Tide Is High,” not that big on “Heart Of Glass,” but I absolutely love “Call Me.”  That’s the song of theirs, along with “Dreaming,” that makes me really happy, and the fact that it was their biggest hit single clearly means it made a lot of other people happy, too.

Miles Davis:  When it comes to artists like Miles Davis, the task gets a bit trickier.  It’s especially problematic to award a tribute song to justify an artist’s induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame when that particular artist stated that they never considered anything they ever did to be any kind of rock and roll.  Miles Davis said he was jazz and only jazz.  He never even considered anything he did to be “jazz fusion.”  Just jazz.  Of all the “parent” genres that helped create rock and roll, jazz, especially Miles Davis’s style of jazz, is generally regarded as being less important than gospel and folk, but slightly more important than chamber music or barbershop quartet singing.  It’s not an easy sell.  Miles Davis himself had a few phases of his career, similar to Picasso’s periods.  That made choosing a song even harder.  Even though I used “Rise” for Herb Alpert, “So What” was just a little too long for me to want to use and put on a CD.  And anything from Bitches’ Brew which features Davis's horn is waaaaayyyy too long, especially to try and put on a specialty broadcast on commercial radio.  Additionally, his disavowing of being any kind of rock and roll makes the selection difficult, so with artists like Miles Davis, as you’ll see in the years to come, I tend to gravitate toward songs that at least have some rock and roll like elements to them.  I was originally using “The Doo-Bop Song,” his sole chart hit, on the R&B charts, with initially uncredited rapping done by Rappin’ Is Fundamental.  However, the notes from Miles’ electric trumpet just don’t come through as prominently as they should, so I went in another direction.  My encounter with the album Backyard Ritual was completely by chance, but when I listened to the whole album, it occurred to me that works like this may have had the kind of influence that Herbie Hancock spoke of in his induction speech for Davis.  The title track, especially, seems to sum it up relatively well.  The trumpeting is nice and cool, reminiscent of his early work, the instrumentation behind it is such that it could just about pass for fusion, and the different elements just complement each other well.  And so, that title track became the official song to salute Miles Davis and justify his induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Lynyrd Skynyrd:  One of the most influential and commercially successful Southern rock bands after the Eagles, it surprisingly took seven nominations to get this band in.   Southern rock has proven to be more influential upon mainstream country, such that a syndicated country program that focuses on ‘70’s and ‘80’s country might throw on an occasional Lynyrd Skynyrd song.  Their tale is tragically short, but their legacy is long.  The music of this outfit lives on with classics like “Gimme Three Steps,” “What’s That Smell,” and “Free Bird.”  Their anthem, though, is unquestionably “Sweet Home Alabama,” a song whose lyrics defending Southern pride may be a large part of why they were so influential upon country music.  It sadly is also scapegoated for an anthem of pride for some of the less honorable parts of Southern heritage, but let’s not be rehashing those strawmen.  Let’s simply celebrate their music and their induction with their anthem as their Song Of Proof.

Jerry Moss:  The M in A&M Records and the partner of Herb Alpert.  Together, they formed what was known as the biggest independent label in rock and roll.  That legacy eventually died, when the label was sold to PolyGram, and in turn to the Universal Music Group, but the music created during the time of Alpert and Moss has continued to stand the test of time.  Like a lot of great executives, they were willing to take risks, trust their instincts, and take responsibility as well as credit.  Surprisingly though, few of the artists that were on A&M have been inducted themselves.  The Police and Cat Stevens are the biggest names that have been inducted, but if anyone on the Nominating Committee ever has a brain fart and can't think of someone to nominate, they can always look at the roster of big names that were on A&M.  Among those names is the one belonging to arena rockers Supertramp, and while the credentials of Supertramp are dismissed by some as questionable at best, their song "Breakfast In America" remains an interesting, somewhat bohemian kind of song to create and take out to left field and see what happens--similar to the way Alpert and Moss were willing to take chances with their artists.  And so, I honor Jerry Moss with this unusual song from a somewhat unusual group, and it just seems fitting all around.

The Sex Pistols:  Sometimes considered a one-trick pony for having just the one album, but if that was all there was to their story, it'd still be impressive.  Nevermind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols is a furious album that took aim at everything from the hand the fed them to the figurehead of their own government.  They rejuvenated the impetus for rock and roll to be critical of the world around it.  And while their angry letter fired at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame when they were being inducted is part of their whole modus operandi, I refuse to believe that it is anything other than their way of saying "Thank you."  John Lydon could scream at me face-to-face for an hour telling me why I'm wrong, and I will still believe that letter calling the Hall a piss stain is simply their way of expressing gratitude.  For their song, I chose "God Save The Queen."  Many seem to think that "Anarchy In The U.K." is the better choice, but with a faster tempo, rawer screams, guitar licks more similar to what is considered punk, and crude harmonies, "God Save The Queen" makes a much better choice for the filthy lucre band.

This concludes the Class Of 2006.  The artists inducted are ones that a lot of people were hoping for, and their wishes finally came to fruition this year.  Do you agree with the selections made here?  If not, what would you go for?  Express your opinions in the Comments section below.  P.S. I'm still working on my write-up for the 2018 induction ceremony; sorry it's taking so long.  Recapping this class:

Herb Alpert: "Rise"

Black Sabbath: "Iron Man"

Blondie: "Call Me"

Miles Davis: "Backyard Ritual"

Lynyrd Skynyrd: "Sweet Home Alabama"

Jerry Moss: "Breakfast In America" by Supertramp

the Sex Pistols: "God Save The Queen"

This class didn't have any Vocal Group Hall Of Famers, but the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame did have their own Class Of 2006:

America: "Ventura Highway"

Bread: "Let Your Love Go"

the Byrds: "My Back Pages"

the Deep River Boys: "Recess In Heaven"

the Duprees: "You Belong To Me"

the Fleetwoods: "Mr. Blue"

the Haydn Quartet: "In The Evening By The Moonlight"

the Hi-Lo's: "My Baby Just Cares For Me"

the Hollies: "Look Through Any Window"

Journey: "Lights"

the Lovin' Spoonful: "Nashville Cats"

the Moody Blues: "Ride My Seesaw"

Queen: "Bohemian Rhapsody"

the Shangri-La's: "Long Live Our Love"

Simon And Garfunkel: "Scarborough Fair/Canticle"

Billy Ward And The Dominoes: "Have Mercy Baby"

Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2005

The Class Of 2005 is particularly special to me for a few reasons.  This is a class that I was very interested about knowing who made it, because a band I was very hopeful for was becoming eligible for the first year.  And that act did get nominated and inducted that first year.  And because they were going in, I was fully committed to watching the full ceremony, or at least the full broadcast as shown on VH1.  Prior to this though, I made a list of a hundred names, across the various categories, that I wanted inducted at the time.  Looking back, there are several names that I now see need to come off the list for lack of merit.  I was enthusiastic for the Hall, but I didn't really understand what the powers-that-be look for, or what really makes an artist worthy of induction.  That list was extremely heavy with '60's acts.  So some need to come off the list... some you could still argue for, and some still need very much to be inducted, in my opinion.  But every year since that original list, at least one name has come off it because a name has gotten inducted.  Just to satisfy curiosity, here are the names that have come off each year since I first created the list.

2005: the O'Jays, U2
2006: Black Sabbath, the Sex Pistols
2007: Van Halen
2008: the Dave Clark Five, John Cougar Mellencamp, the Ventures
2009: Little Anthony And The Imperials
2010: Jeff Barry And Ellie Greenwich, Genesis, the Hollies, Barry Mann And Cynthia Weil, Mort Shuman
2011: Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Leon Russell
2012: Donovan
2013: Rush, Donna Summer
2014: KISS
2015: Ringo Starr
2016: Chicago, Deep Purple, Steve Miller (Band)
2017: Electric Light Orchestra, Journey
2018: the Cars, the Moody Blues

Just to clarify, this is the from the list as first compiled in 2004, so a lot of acts now in were not eligible at the time.  Anyway, I find it interesting that every year, at least one name has come off.  It began with 2005, the first ceremony that I watched the entirety of.  I only saw bits and pieces of the ceremonies from 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, but this one, I committed to watching the full ceremony, and the performances by Jerry Lee Lewis and Bo Diddley need to be remembered, too, in addition to what we got from our inductees.  This is also the first class since the early '90's where there are more inducted Black artists than White, but between two bands, there were more inducted White people than Black in the Performer category.  For this project, the selections are a little on the cliche side: four of the five Performer inductees are saluted with their biggest hit on the pop or R&B charts.  Sometimes though, the biggest hits are solid choices that should be used.  Looking at this class in more detail now, our smallest class to date, it breaks down as such.

Frank Barsalona:  To my knowledge, the first and only inductee to have been inducted by a fictional character. He's also the only inductee from this year to not perform at the ceremony.  Credited as the man who made concerts something worth going to see, his concert promotions company helped make shows properly exhibit and encapsulate the elan that the songs are supposed to give to the audience and the performers alike.  Among the acts that he helped make a spectacle to behold were the Who, so I chose a song by the Who to salute the man.  No real reason why I chose this particular song. It's a fun song, one I love, I chose "Squeeze Box."  It's not the most theatrical song, not like "Who Are You," "Won't Get Fooled Again," or "Baba O'Riley," but the lyrical double-entendre lends a certain theatricality to the song, so I'm using it.

Buddy Guy:  A fantastic blues musician.  I could have listened to him, Eric Clapton, and B.B. King jamming together for another hour.  Great speeches, fantastic jamming, he made the blues come alive on stage.  That's part of what makes him so influential, as well as the tremendous records he made.  His sole hit single on the R&B charts was "Stone Crazy," and it's a song with pained vocals, great guitar licks, a melancholy horn line, and an electrifying atmosphere.  It's a song that screams, "Damn right, I got the blues!"  Sometimes the obvious choice works beautifully.

The O'Jays:  One of my all-time favorite soul acts, the O'Jays were a stellar group that spent a lot of years paying their dues before breaking through in the early '70's.  The years spent honing their craft combined with finding the proper home as part of Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International family, they broke through big with sweet harmony, catchy melodies, arrangements that depending on the need would underscore or enhance what's being sung, and of course, their messages.  They hit big with their socially conscious opuses like "Back Stabbers," "For The Love Of Money," "Put Your Hands Together," "Listen To The Clock On The Wall," and "Family Reunion."  Not every song was full of morals in the music, though, such as "992 Arguments," "I Love Music," and "Use Ta Be My Girl."  Their sole #1 hit on the Hot 100, "Love Train" is the song being used to represent them here because the idea of love permeating their music, whether it was religious, romantic, familial, or social; it's a powerful theme for them... you might even say it's the very soul of their music.  (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Put Your Hands Together")

The Pretenders:  The Pretenders are, in my opinion, the perfect example of the "No X Before Y" fallacy when discussing the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  Most people are fine with the Pretenders being inducted; the only quibble being that they were inducted on their first year of eligibility.  But if you agree that they should be inducted, does it really matter when?  For the sake of the ceremony, probably.  And with the classes being kept purposely small, it does force people to be a bit more choosy.  All that aside, when it comes to the Pretenders, people are fine with acknowledging their brand of rock and roll that embraces the influences of both punk and the Beach Boys and makes a melodic and driving combination, topped off with the beautiful voice of Chrissie Hynde.  "Back On The Chain Gang" is the song used here, as it's a perfect example of those qualities.

Percy Sledge:  The inductee everyone loves to hate.  The inductee everyone holds to be the poster child for cronyism running the Hall.  There have only been two defenses for Percy Sledge that I've heard, and one of them is mine, and even that was argued from a devil's advocate position, an exercise in Lorenzo Valla-esque dialogue.  A friend of mine once said that Percy Sledge was a decent call because if you're going to program an Oldies station, "When A Man Loves A Woman" is one of the three songs you absolutely must have.  He didn't mention what the other two were, but based on how much the songs were overkill on Oldies stations in my area growing up, I guess that means he'd be okay with inducting Los Bravos and J. J. Jackson, as well.  My argument for Percy Sledge, again, done just for the sake of argument, is that "When A Man Loves A Woman" was a fairly innovative and influential record, and kicked down the door, making it possible for smooth soul like that of the Dells, the Stylistics, the Chi-Lites, Donny Hathaway, and many, many others to be heard by the masses, ushering the style into the conversation and the cultural zeitgeist.  And naturally, I'm using "When A Man Loves A Woman" for him, because duh.  And the man's dead now, too, so let's let him rest in peace.

Seymour Stein:  In case you don't remember, or didn't see the 2005 ceremony, when Seymour Stein took the podium to accept his induction, he sang a song, presumably one traditionally sung at bar mitzvahs.  I really don't know what the song was or if it is traditional at bar mitzvahs--if you've ever seen my picture, I'm exactly as WASP-ish as I look.  But even he sang at his induction, making the aforementioned Frank Barsalona the only one to not perform this year.  Stein said why shouldn't he sing, he felt like he was at his bar mitzvah again, and that rock and roll helped him keep young, a sentiment that Dick Clark also shared.  Ice-T said it wonderfully in his speech, about Sire Records, which Stein founded, becoming home to artists with a certain kind of edge, whatever that edge was.  The music best known for its edge might possibly be punk, and because Seymour said rock and roll made him feel young, I chose Ramones' cover of "Do You Wanna Dance" to salute Seymour Stein.

U2:  My second-favorite act, behind only the Four Seasons.  I love their music, though maybe not every song.  I admire everything they've tried to use their celebrity to accomplish, even when it seems to border on the edge (see what I did there?) of farcical.  I was a member of a U2 Yahoogroup for several years, and when they were inducted, I transcribed Bruce Springsteen's induction speech and posted it in the group's file section.  I love their music, but even in the U2 community, I'm a bit of an oddball.  U2 fans usually say The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby is their favorite album by this band.  Me?  My favorite is one of the lesser loved albums by the community, and the one right between those two, Rattle And Hum.  Zooropa is probably my all-time favorite concept album, depicting the concept of a city with no soul, where national mottos are advertising slogans, too much is not enough, and the denizens are dead inside, living for only what they can get out of others.  I might argue that it's the perfect description of American society, but it might possibly be accurately said to some degree about most Western nations.  I also once hypothesized that the album is about a city without the Ten Commandments, and each song represents to some degree, a violation of a commandment, though they don't go straight from first to tenth, but instead jump around a bit.  Their songs have frequently been infused with the spirituality of their faith, while also had something to say about living in the world.  This is the only Performer inductee from this class that I didn't use the biggest hit as the representative.  Going a different direction, I decided to use a song that shows rock and roll still going strong, remaining current and relevant, and when U2 was inducted their most recent huge hit was "Vertigo," a song that people don't like as well as the favorites from the earlier years, but is still a powerfully driving song with a spiritual theme and shows them as a band that still has something to say.

And with that, we have wrapped up our look at the Class Of 2005.  Is there a lesser known favorite by any of these inductees that you'd have chosen instead?  Got another viewpoint to defend the induction of Percy Sledge?  Tell all in the Comments section below.  Recapping:

Frank Barsalona: "Squeeze Box" by the Who
Buddy Guy: "Stone Crazy"
the O'Jays: "Love Train"
the Pretenders: "Back On The Chain Gang"
Percy Sledge: "When A Man Loves A Woman"
Seymour Stein: "Do You Wanna Dance" by Ramones
U2: "Vertigo"

Meanwhile, the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame also had a Class Of 2005 that was quite a bit bigger.  Their songs selected are as follows:

the Angels: "'Til"
the Brooklyn Bridge: "Blessed Is The Rain"
the Chiffons: "One Fine Day"
the Chi-Lites: "Have You Seen Her"
the Crystals: "Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)"
the Del-Vikings: "Whispering Bells"
Fleetwood Mac: "Say You Love Me"
the Hilltoppers: "Marianne"
the Mel-Tones: "Where Or When"
the Neville Brothers: "Dancing Jones"
the Pointer Sisters: "Fire"
the Rascals: "A Girl Like You"
the Righteous Brothers: "Just Once In My Life"
the Sons Of The Pioneers: "Tumbling Tumbleweeds"
the Spaniels: "Goodnite Sweetheart, Goodnite"
the Tymes: "Wonderful, Wonderful"

Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2004

As we continue on in our celebration, we have now arrived at the Class Of 2004, which at the time was been as small as the classes had been.  Eight inductees, seven in the Performer category.  It's mostly classic rock, but aside from disco, which the Hall seems to be avoiding at this point, classic rock is pretty much what's newly eligible, so it doesn't seem like much of anything to complain about.  Blues rock, socially conscious rock, working man's rock... it's not stylistically stagnant, at least.  You'd be pretty surprised to see any two of these artists do a double-bill together, at least I would.

And for those who are wondering, either in the middle of this week, or the middle of next week, I hope to have my thoughts on the 2018 induction ceremony posted.  We'll interrupt our regularly scheduled programming for some more commentary.  In the meanwhile, it's 2004, and we're saluting this class with the following songs.

Jackson Browne:  A man with conscientious a view of the world that comes through as much in his music as in his politics, as evidenced by his No Nukes work.  His Running On Empty album is considered one of the seminal albums of the '70's.  And while many hate the song, I actually don't mind "Somebody's Baby" too much.  He was something of a blend of self-conscious and socially conscious, and I think the song that best depicts this balance between the two is his big breakout hit, "Doctor My Eyes," a song about the external causes of world-weariness, and the effects it has on the person suffering from it.  A plea for more right to be done in the world, and exasperation of how much it's killing the person on the inside.

The Dells:  For some reason, this remains one of the more unpopular inductees with fellow hobbyists.  Maybe it's because the Hall took so long to getting around to them that they're not viewed as nearly as essential.  Maybe it's because there're other soul acts they feel are more worthy, or maybe they just don't respect '70's soul vocal groups all that much, period.  Or it may just be a matter of them having a laundry list of acts that they've given higher priority.  Either way, I cannot think of a better way to show how the smooth soul of the '70's has its roots in the doo-wop of the '50's, and is therefore absolutely appropriate to honor in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame; than to induct a group that started out in the '50's singing doo-wop and by the late '60's, was leading the way in consistent, excellent, smooth soul that continued on through the '70's and beyond.  After the Flamingos got inducted in 2001, this was the second induction for Johnny Carter, making him one of the lesser known Clyde McPhatter Club members, and one of the few for whom neither induction was an eponymous effort of any kind.  Fun bit of trivia: this is the only group that was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in the same year.  For this institution, I am using the late '60's re-recording of "Oh, What A Night," with which they originally charted on the R&B charts in 1956.  It's their classic song updated in a newer style, and ties the two eras together splendidly.  (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Stay In My Corner")

George Harrison:  I have never been apologetic or anything less than adamant about the merits of all four members of the Beatles getting a second induction for their solo careers.  One was already inducted and a second about to be inducted when I learned of the existence of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and a third one by the time I discovered the community of fellow hobbyists.  In my entry where I described at length why Ringo Starr deserved better than AME, I depicted the Beatles as a house of love.  The group effort was both the foundation and the capper, the roof of that house which served as a starting point for the solo careers, but a group whose success was held up by their individual talents, and each wall that is a member is a facet of love that holds up the roof and makes the structure firm.  George Harrison's solo career, in terms of love as a universal theme, really delved into both the spiritual and intellectual aspects of love, perhaps proving that spirituality and intellectualism are not necessarily mutually exclusive.  He pondered its existence at a subatomic level, and also sought to connect with the source which gives it purpose.  And while everyone else's mind might instantly jump to "My Sweet Lord," I actually chose to go with the more "rockin'" song that still probes deeply into the matter, "What Is Life."  Love that song so much, and a sizable hit to boot.

Prince:  The purple one.  As proof that geniuses aren't always the most stable at times, I would point to Kevin Smith's "A Night With Kevin Smith" movies where he does the gab session.  The two that became movies talk about his getting inside Paisley Park, and spending time with Prince and his staff and getting to know what drives the man a little more.  It's comical, revealing, but also inspiring in a weird sort of way.  In terms of his music, I'm actually a bit in the middle ground.  I like "I Would Die 4 U," "Delirious," "Let's Go Crazy," "Raspberry Beret," and "Little Red Corvette;" but I think "Purple Rain" is boring, "Kiss" is annoying, "1999" is slightly overrated, and "When Doves Cry" is ho-hum.    I realize I'll now have to go into witness protection for those comments, but he's neither deity nor villain to my ears.  I purposely made sure the song I used for Prince, though, is one that is not additionally credited to the Revolution or the New Power Generation.  With the Sideman category, which has become Award For Musical Excellence, the possibility of either of those outfits getting their own separate induction someday remains a possibility, and I wish to leave those doors open.  The song I'm actually using is "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man."  It's a song I just flat-out love because it's so reminiscent of earlier rock 'n' roll, despite the subject matter about turning down the chance to score with a sure thing.  It's about being smart, and for guitar aficionados and dilettantes, Prince's solo is amazing in its rhythmic steadiness and in how Prince just shreds.  Fantastic song, and one of the few that went big on the pop charts, but completely failed to make the R&B charts.

Bob Seger:  By now, most of you know that I'm from Michigan.  Little quirk about Michiganders: we like to refer to the rock and roll legends from our state as relatives: Uncle Bob, Uncle Ted, Uncle Alice, Uncle Iggy, our crazy Aunt Madge whom we try not to acknowledge too much in public but give big hugs to at family get-togethers... and if it didn't off as HORRIBLY racist, we'd openly refer to the Boy Genius Of Motown as "Uncle Stevie."  Back when we looked at the Class Of 1990, I mentioned that the Hall has yet to recognize any real stars from the Cameo-Parkway empire, but they have inducted two artists who were once briefly part of that family.  One of them was the Kinks (hence, mentioning it in that particular post), and this man is the other.  "Heavy Music" was a big enough regional hit that it almost broke the Hot 100.  His first band was the Last Heard, and as part of the Cameo-Parkway family, they had some interesting songs, like "Chain Smokin'" and "Persecution Smith."  With the Bob Seger System, and then his Silver Bullet Band, he carried on the tradition of working man's rock and roll that the Four Seasons began.  His music had a bluesy edge, and the catalog includes classics and non-classics alike with "Lookin' Back," "Her Strut," "Turn The Page," and even after his induction with "Wait For Me," which sounds very similar to "Against The Wind."  Some are probably gonna smack their foreheads or shake their heads, but I did go with the obvious one here.  It's the first song of his I encountered, it salutes the great music of yore, it's a guitar rocker averring what should be once and for all that blues, funk, and soul are ALL part of what we celebrate (though he did diss disco), and it's one everyone knows and most everyone loves if they aren't sick of it being played so much.  Yep, after avoiding the cliches for Prince, we go straight to cliche for Bob Seger with "Old Time Rock And Roll."

Traffic:  When it comes to the circumstances involving an act's induction, it sometimes helps to step back and take a look at more than just the act itself.  In the case of Traffic, it's worth noting that lead singer Steve Winwood had been nominated the previous year as a solo artist, but didn't make it.  It does make one wonder if the selection of Traffic was part of an effort to induct Winwood in some capacity, and if Traffic hadn't gotten through on this try, would the Nominating Committee have tried putting the Spencer Davis Group on the ballot for 2005?  We may never know, but I do wonder if that was why Traffic even ended up on the ballot in the first place.  And like the Yardbirds and the Buffalo Springfield, this is band that is also possibly more well-known for the people in the band than for their music itself.  In addition to Steve Winwood, you have Dave Mason, who had a solo career and was one of the "friends" with Delaney And Bonnie; as well as Jim Capaldi, who also had a few hits as a soloist; and Chris Wood, whose aerophonic talents allowed the band greater versatility.  That versatility could also be a key part of what got them into the Hall.  Not a band I'm really a fan of, and one that I can't understand the words to half the time, but I do respect their ability to shift from prog to roots to blues rock.  The key to this band though, really seems to be the keys.  The keyboard playing by Steve Winwood is a big part of most of their songs, and with his vocals, I chose to go with "Empty Pages" to salute this eclectic outfit.

Jann S. Wenner:  If not the most controversial Non-Performer (well, Lifetime Achievement, technically), certainly one of the top three.  If this doesn't plain reek of cronyism, what does?  I mean, besides the E Street Band, Nile Rodgers, Frank Barsalona, Seymour Stein... okay, I've made the point  Nevertheless, there is some truth to the idea that the ones who had the passion, the knowledge, and the wherewithal to found this institution in the first place, probably also had the passion, the knowledge, and the wherewithal to play a part in the evolution of the music they were honoring.  Even while taking potshots at Wenner while inducting Bon Jovi, Howard Stern, the self-proclaimed King Of All Media, also had to acknowledge the importance of Rolling Stone, and how its coverage of the music scene, as well as the political scene, helped bring those worlds together even more tightly, as well as helped bring a lot of up and coming artists to the forefront.  For the longest time, it was considered a rite and privilege, proving that you had made it, to be put on the cover of that magazine.  That's one of the reasons I chose the song that I did.  Another is that it's just plain obvious.  But the third reason for choosing the song I did is that much like getting on the cover of the magazine, getting into the Hall almost seems to require a little bit of sucking up.  After releasing "The Cover Of 'Rolling Stone'," Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show managed to make it onto the cover, which almost certainly would have never happened if it hadn't been for that song.  It's probably also the reason that the band has been considered, though never nominated, for the Hall, under their shortened, later name, "Dr. Hook."  Written by Shel Silverstein, this song may have been a satirical stab at the shallowness of how success can be measured, as well as poking fun at the lifestyle offstage, but it's still a fun song, and is used for the former head of the whole shebang.

ZZ Top:  As much as I enjoy good blues-rock, ZZ Top is really more one that I respect, rather than love.  "Sharp Dressed Man" is alright, but I'm not big on "Tush," "Cheap Sunglasses," "Tube Snake Boogie," or the songs in those veins.  The song I do love though is "Legs."  That's a song that gets me dancing, or at least my best attempt at dancing.  A rhythmic pulse that sounds a helicopter off in the distance, staccato guitar licks that accentuate the space between vocals, and yet a smooth flow to it.  That's my jam right there.  No shame to my game, that's the reason I chose that song to represent the band here.  I know it's not typical of their sound, but it's a fantastic song, and I won't apologize for the selection.

And ZZ Top is about as alphabetically last as any musical list gets, so that's gonna put a bow on this one.  Hope it made you think as well as entertained you.  Which songs would you have chosen?  The Comments section below awaits you.  Recapping:

Jackson Browne: "Doctor My Eyes"
the Dells: "Oh, What A Night"
George Harrison: "What Is Life"
Prince: "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man"
Bob Seger: "Old Time Rock And Roll"
Traffic: "Empty Pages"
Jann S. Wenner: "The Cover Of 'Rolling Stone'" by Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show
ZZ Top: "Legs"

And as for the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame, their Class Of 2004 reads as such:

Alabama: "Love In The First Degree"
the American Quartet: "Moonlight Bay"
the Beatles: "Nowhere Man"
the Cadillacs: "Speedoo"
the Crests: "Sixteen Candles"
the Dells: "Stay In My Corner"
the Diamonds: "She Say (Oom Dooby Doom)"
the Doobie Brothers: "Black Water"
the Everly Brothers: "When Will I Be Loved"
the Four Tunes: "Marie"
the Jordanaires: "(There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me)"
the Marvelettes: "Beechwood 4-5789"
the O'Jays: "Put Your Hands Together"
the Penguins: "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)"
the Ronettes: "Be My Baby"
the Stylistics: "You Are Everything"
the Tokens: "Tonight I Fell In Love"

Songs Of Proof: The Class Of 2003

When it comes to listening to the playlists, whether on CD or on my computer, the Class Of 2003 is one of my favorites to listen to.  I think I picked some really excellent songs on this list, and a lot of it has to do with who got inducted.  Classic rock is largely the story of this class, where the only minority inducted is in the Sideman category.  Still, the classic rock format isn't nearly as uniform as it's been in more recent years.  Blues-rock, punk, and reggae-influenced are represented here, as well as an artist that isn't really isn't played on classic rock stations, but is a contemporary of those other three.  The Sideman category is a solid salute to some of the finest from the golden era of rock and roll.  Our class also has no women, and is one of the relatively few to have none, but it's still a solid class despite that glaring omission.

On a personal note, I also feel it necessary to let you know that I may not be able to maintain the pace of a class a week.  Over the past week and a half, something has flared up in my real life.  Something very serious that threatens to disrupt the steady flow of posts and reviews of the classes of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  I will make every effort to continue on the steady pace that I've set for myself, but just in case I disappear suddenly and you're wondering what has happened to me, you'll at least know that I warned you about it ahead of time.  I hope this turns out to be a lot of anxiety and warning over nothing, but just in case it's not...  I don't want to get into the details here, but those of you who are closer to me, if you're curious, you know where to find me.  But enough of the ominous and grave.  As I said, this class's playlist is one of my faves, and it's because of songs like these.

AC/DC:  To give you an idea about my small town, AC/DC was considered heavy metal while I was growing up.  Also giving you an idea how small my hometown was, there were people upset about this band being Satanic, which is saying something, given that Angus Young looked like a Catholic schoolboy on stage.  The first song I remembered from this band was "Moneytalks," because that's exactly how young I was, and just discovering the world of Top 40 radio.  This is a band that I would describe as one of those that epitomizes the rock and roll attitude, whether it's a hardcore attitude with "Back In Black," sophomoric in songs like "Big Balls," or saluting the ladies with the song I've chosen to represent them here, "You Shook Me All Night Long."  It's bluesy, it's full of attitude, and it rocks your socks off.  Powerful stuff.

Benny Benjamin:  There are still many stellar musicians from the Motown house band that still need to be inducted, but thankfully Benny Benjamin is not one of them.  A drummer for the legendary Funk Brothers during the golden age of Motown, it's somewhat telling how the change of the decade affected this label, not the least included the death of this man in 1969.  No less than Berry Gordy, Jr. considered Benjamin an indispensable member of the Motown family.  He played for all the big names, and probably the smaller names of Motown too.  The song I've chosen for him is one that his drums make hot right from the opening and keep going, whether it's his treatment of the cymbals, the occasional fill, or the steady pace giving it energy.  Take a listen to the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and see if you don't agree with me.

The Clash:  By order of the prophet, the song for this band is "Rock The Casbah."  I'm not saying that the Clash got in just on the strength of this song alone, nor could they have, but this is the song that just absolutely lays it on you what this band is all about.  Even in songs like "Train In Vain (Stand By Me)" or "Should I Stay Or Should I Go," there was a power to their sound that could be felt all the way around the world.  Remembered as a punk band, the Clash were arguably the most influential band of this sub-genre... it's a tossup between them and Ramones, that's for sure.  It's absolutely no surprise that these guys got in on their first year of eligibility, not with a sound as explosive as Spanish bombs.

Elvis Costello And The Attractions:  This is actually one of the groups that I'm not as familiar with as I'd like to be.  I know a few of their songs, but I readily admit that I need to spend more time delving into their work.  Part of it is because of former co-workers, who ruined "Watching The Detectives" for me.  Still, what I do know can be described as "regularly irregular."  Whether it was ballads like "Everyday I Write The Book" or the more straight-laced rock of his solo efforts, like "Veronica," or politically charged like "Oliver's Army."  Still, as a group, the outfit's overall sound is kind of quirky.  Maybe it's the keyboard lines that seem to borrow from ? And The Mysterians at times.  It's just such an interesting experience every time you hear them.  That quirky edge seems best exemplified in a song that never charted, but is an undisputed classic, "Pump It Up."  So quirky, you could do the Farkel to it.  And yes, when I sing along to it, I try to sneak in a line of "Gimme gimme wild west/Gimme gimme safe sex!"  Total lifting there.

Floyd Cramer:  The man was inducted into the Rock And Roll hall Of Fame and the Country Music Hall Of Fame the same year.  Sadly, both inductions were posthumous, as he died in 1997.  Having taken piano lessons as a kid, I am familiar with the concept of grace notes.  But the lengths to which Floyd Cramer took it, it goes beyond grace notes, to what has been called "slip note" or "bent note."  And it permeates everything he played on, whether it was for rock and roll musicians, or for country singers.  He was inducted as a Sideman, but he had quite an extensive career as a performing artist too, and if you need any proof that he could rock out, you need to hear his "On The Rebound."  Sadly, YouTube uploads of this song just do not do it justice.  It's one you'll need to find on CD or vinyl to truly appreciate it.  Such a cookin' song, with its rollicking piano from Cramer, a smokin' rhythm section behind it, and even "Oohs" and "Aahs" from background singers to all add layers to it.  If it weren't for his signature slip note style on the keys, you might even swear you were listening to the Ramsey Lewis Trio.

Steve Douglas:  You might not think of the saxophone as having much to do with the sound of surf, but Steve Douglas was on the early Beach Boys albums, and also helped drive the youth culture with his sax on records from Jan And Dean.  And just like the Funk Brothers, more members of the Wrecking Crew need to be recognized, but thankfully this man has gotten his due as well.  The song I chose from him though, is a bit earlier than that.  Steve Douglas was also the preferred sax man for Duane Eddy records, and I've chosen "Peter Gunn" to pay tribute to this session player, because in all honesty, it should have been credited as a Steve Douglas record.  Duane Eddy lays his twangy guitar on the iconic, relentless rhythm line of this legendary television theme song, but as the song goes on, it's Steve Douglas's wailing and improvisations that you're really listening to, not the pulsing of Eddy's axe.  That's not taking anything away from Duane, but Steve Douglas's lips are what really bring this record to life.

Mo Ostin:  When it comes to Non-Performers who were record executives, it's the standard to recognize all the labels they had a hand in, and all the artists that rose to prominence under their reign over the label.  And it's fitting.  Why salute a Non-Performer with a song by an artist that they really had absolutely nothing to do with, or no lore that attaches them to it?  When it comes to Mo Ostin, who was a key part of the Warner empire and getting their share of the rock and roll industry, it's almost a matter of picking a name out of a hat.  But what makes Mo Ostin special was his legacy as being a friend of the musicians, appreciating and respecting their talent, and pushing them to the artistic heights that maybe even they didn't know they were trying to reach.  In that respect, my choice of song for him is appropriate; however, it might have also been a misstep, albeit a minor one.  For some reason, I could have sworn coming across something that stated that Mo Ostin, as a musician's friend and record mogul, had a hand in popularizing the singer/songwriter movement of the '70's.  Maybe it was the speech for his induction in 2003, or the bio on the Rock Hall's website's previous layout.  Somewhere, I got that impression.  And even if I'm wrong about that, Mo Ostin is a big reason why we know who James Taylor is, and so, the choice of "Fire And Rain" to salute Mo Ostin, rather than James Taylor, remains.

The Police:  One of my oldest brother's favorite groups.  He once lent me his box set of the Police to share his love of them.  And I fell asleep trying to listen to it.  In all fairness, I fell asleep quite a lot during those years.  It wasn't narcolepsy, just puberty; I needed a lot of sleep then.  The Police are one of those acts that I don't particularly love, but don't particularly hate either.  But I do respect what this trio has done, the fact that they have been so influential, and they are still instantly recognizable.  Their reggae influences have been very noticeable, and the way they infused it and absorbed it into their sound is something that is perhaps the deft strokes of their signature sound.  Possibly the most noticeable example of this would be the song that took two tries, but eventually introduced America to the Police.  "Roxanne" is still a classic to this day, and it's my choice  in this playlist to symbolize their achievements.

The Righteous Brothers:  Awww yeahhh.  Unlike the journalist Bill Wyman, I haven't taken the time to really rank the Rock Hall Performer inductees; however, if I did, I would forgo even trying to be objective, because there's just so much.  My list would be totally subjective, based on whom I love listening to, and the Righteous Brothers would easily make the Top 20, maybe even the the Top 10.  My playlist on Spotify for when I'm at work includes "Hung On You," "Go Ahead And Cry," "You Can Have Her," "Try To Find Another Man," "Stand By," "Rock And Roll Heaven," and I think I'm gonna add "Melancholy Music Man," "Give It To The People," and "Dream On,"  too.  There are also two great uncharted songs that I want to plug for them.  One is their cover of "Something You Got," which I've only been able to find on a 2CD anthology, and the other is "American Rock And Roll," which was released on the 1990 Curb Records anthology/album that included the re-recording of "Unchained Melody."  I actually chose to avoid all the obvious choices for them, though, and decided to honor them with their breakout hit "Little Latin Lupe Lu," because it really irks me how ignorant people are about the roots of soul music as part of the rock and roll diaspora, and though the Righteous Brothers are blue-eyed soul, they get it, they gave it, and they were awesome, even on the one song with Jimmy Walker of the Knickerbockers, instead of Bill Medley.  Anyway, this song points out how soul men rock out just as well as the guitar bands.  (Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Song Of Proof: "Just Once In My Life")

And with that, we end our salute to the Class Of 2003.  One of the best years for Songs Of Proof, in my opinion.  So much great music.  Do you agree?  What years so far have you preferred?  Which songs would you swap out?  Mention it in the Comments below.  Recapping:

AC/DC: "You Shook Me All Night Long"
Benny Benjamin: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" by the Temptations
the Clash: "Rock The Casbah"
Elvis Costello And The Attractions: "Pump It Up"
Floyd Cramer: "On The Rebound"
Steve Douglas: "Peter Gunn" by Duane Eddy
Mo Ostin: "Fire And Rain" by James Taylor
the Police: "Roxanne"
the Righteous Brothers: "Little Latin Lupe Lu"

And for the Vocal Group Hall Fame, their Class Of 2003:

the Association: "Everything That Touches You"
the Charioteers: "So Long"
the Commodores: "Easy"
Danny And The Juniors: "Twistin' U.S.A."
Earth, Wind, And Fire: "Serpentine Fire"
the Five Satins: "To The Aisle"
the Four Lads: "Moments To Remember"
the Impressions: "People Get Ready"
the Isley Brothers: "Twist And Shout"
Martha And The Vandellas: "Quicksand"
the Merry Macs: "Mairzy Doats"
the Peerless Quartet: "I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier"
the Whispers: "Lady"