What are some singers/bands that you have everything or as close to everything as you can by? Name no more than ten. Here is mine
Elvis Presley James Brown Otis Redding Hank Williams Sr. Led Zeppelin Jimi Hendrix Robert Johnson Rolling Stones Johnny Cash Iron Maiden
Many more, but I have to follow my own rules.
Nina Simone.
She is great. I have quite a bit of her music. Favorite song is Sinnerman. Also have that remixed house version
I think you've mentioned dabbling in French, right? I was introduced to "Sinnerman" via the song "Gibraltar" by Abd Al Malik. Absolutely fantastic if you have a few minutes. His French is so clear and seductive.
Of course... these days the politics of the song is.. well, maybe not important.
Yea I need to stop being lazy and learn. I speak Spanish so that helps. Never heard of Gilbraltar. Will have to check it out. He samples the beat?
The French don't often get their act together, but when they do they're generally the best in the world at whatever they want. Unfortunately, they usually want to do philosophy, pure math and love-triangle films.
Abd Al Malik has an album called 'Dante'. He used Jacques Brel's pianist as accompaniment. For a long time that was the only 'hip-hop' I knew, so I really thought of the genre as an overwhelmingly sophisticated re-imagining of white music (so to speak).
Then I discovered the 'nigga-nigga-bitch-y'all' hip-hop which... you know... has its charms too.
Unfortunately, French music is heavily bound-up with lyrics. Basically, the best lyricist in English, be it Dylan or Prine, is basically average in French. French music, though is a little monomaniacal.
But falling into the web of the French lyrics to a song is so comfortable...