Pop, Pop, Pop Music – by Hugh Manatee

Pop Music – Hugh Manatee

When someone says ,”Oh that is just a pop song” I cringe.  Pop music has always been the gateway drug of Rock- n-roll and deserves more appreciation.  As of late, I will admit that much of what passes as pop is shite but over the years some of my favorite songs have fallen in that category.  These songs almost immediately take us to a time or place, put a smile on our faces or evoke a memory held dear.   I can still remember listening to the local Top 40 station from the front seat of my parent’s 1976 Grenada (the first brand new car they ever bought) and when I hear those songs today I am right there sitting next to my father as he chain smokes Camel cigarettes and we close in on J.M. Fields for new school sneakers.  $5 dollar sneakers and second -hand smoke, as The Carpenters flow from a tinny speaker, does it get any better than that…NO!

Keeping this in mind, I have compiled some of my favorite pop songs of all time, well 5 favorite songs from this genre.  Here we go!

The Carpenters- Ticket to Ride.  Sure, it is a Beatles song but there is just something about the way Karen sang it that made it perfect without being apish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgj4xcxXyA

The Knack- My Sharona- simple, brilliant, chugging guitar and a chorus anyone can sing!!!  Pop gold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRLuIm2Bjgk

Roxette- The Look – The song opens with a jangly guitar and cliché keyboard but ohh it is soooo hooky.  Lyrics that are delivered in a snotty bravado and did I mention that it is a hook laden 3 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzrPH89rtWY

Gin Blossoms- Hey Jealousy- Like My Sharona this song has all the ingredients needed for a power pop classic. You can sing along, the guitar drives and once again the HOOK is huge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah5gAkna3jIssic

And finally, the greatest pop song of all time!  It pains me on some level to even include this band because their “fans’ are insufferable but I must

The Beatles– I Want to Hold Your Hand – This is the gold standard.  Nuff said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1HDt1tknTc

So there ya have it.  Pop is not a dirty word.  Just like everything else you gotta dig to find the gold but when you do it is a WIN!