Time To Crank Up Your Speakers – Music With The Letter “F” Is Here!

My alphabetical countdown of music from “A – Z” continues with the letter “F” – ten songs that begin with and “F”…let’s begin with one of the great music stories of the past year…

10 – “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman

It was the first song on Singer / Songwriter Tracy Chapman’s 1988 debut album, and it was an immediate classic. So much so that country Artist Luke Combs recorded it last year and turned it into a #1 smash hit – 25 years later!

Luke’s beautiful cover version resulted in Chapman being the first black female Songwriter in history to top the country charts!

It’s a haunting song – check out some of the lyrics:

“You got a fast car
Is it fast enough so we can fly away?
We gotta make a decision
Leave tonight or live and die this way

So I remember we were driving, driving in your car
Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped ’round my shoulder
And I-I, had a feeling that I belonged
I-I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone”

Such beautiful imagery – fast forward to the Grammy Awards in February, when the two performed the song together live and brought down the house!

Not only does Combs have a perfect voice for the song, but watching Luke stare at Tracy with wonder and appreciation while she sang was so heartwarming – here it is, an absolutely gorgeous duet:

The harmonies are perfect…and speaking of perfect harmony, how about a song from Fleetwood Mac, a cover version of a little known Beach Boys song?

9 – “The Farmers Daughter” by Fleetwood Mac

Yes, Fleetwood Mac has endured for decades, with their “Rumours” album one of the biggest-selling records of all time…but this song has only been released once:

When Fleetwood Mac released a double live album, they came back out for an encore and performed this beautiful Beach Boys song “The Farmer’s Daughter”.

Here’s a great live version with the band members lined up on stage:

Yes, that’s an obscure Beach Boys song!

This double live album is a time capsule – when Fleetwood Mac ruled the airwaves with some of the smoothest harmonies in the world…just as The Beach Boys did for 50 years…

Sadly it was just announced that Brian Wilson has been diagnosed with dementia….so sad – I you want to see how he wrapped his Beach Boy career on a high note, here is a look at their music, and their final song:

Now, time for a band that burned bright – then just as quickly flamed out!

8 – “Fantastic Day” by Haircut One Hundred

Haircut One Hundred were a British new wave/jazz-funk group formed in 1980 in Beckenham, London by Nick Heyward. In 1981 and 1982 the band had four UK Top 10 hit singles: “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)”, “Love Plus One”, “Nobody’s Fool”, and my choice for this list, “Fantastic Day”.

Listen and love!

Sadly, Haircut One Hundred only released one album – really a shame as they were terrific and the entire album is an upbeat gem!

Next up is one of England’s most loved bands!

7 – “Fat Bottom Girls” by Queen

Wait – WHAT?!?!?

Yes, Queen released this single in 1978 – with this artwork:

I included this because it’s a catchy song, and because it’s an interesting story of how controversial this was at the time of release!

Freddie Mercury and Queen have so many classic songs, but this one has some of the most inappropriate lyrics of all!

“Oh won’t you take me home tonight
Oh down beside your red firelight?
Oh and you give it all you got
Fat bottomed girls
You make the rocking world go round!”

Well, then! However, there’s more to it…as “American Songwriter” reported:

“Here, the song describes the songwriter or singer’s experience with the typical American beauty standard — tall, skinny, blonde, and blue-eyed. He implies that after seeing a lot of this kind, it no longer appealed to him. Rather, he wants an “unconventional” fat-bottomed woman. “

It was released as a “Double single” with “Bicycle Race” on the other side – watch the performance and understand that this was a band that knew exactly what they were doing, and had a great time doing it!

“Get on your bikes and ride!”

Indeed!

Queen had a unique sound, and some incredible albums as well – check out my story on their masterpiece “A Night At The Opera”, with the music video for “Bohemian Rhapsody”, still one of rock’s greatest achievements:

One of the most popular bands of the 80’s will live forever thanks to the use of one of their songs in “The Sopranos!”

6 – “Faithfully” by Journey

This 1983 power ballad has all of the signature Journey sound, beginning with the distinctive lead vocals of Steve Perry:

There he is, arms folded…the band had massive hits like “Any Way You Want It”, “Separate Ways” and of course, “Don’t Stop Believin'” – the song that begins playing as the Soprano family eats in a diner as the door opens and someone steps inside…what wasn’t shown next is one of TV’s most enduring mysteries!

Anyway, here is “Faithfully”:

I have posted many stories about the next Artist, who has a career filled with beautiful ballads and raucous party songs as well!

5 – “Fade Away” by Todd Rundgren

With such hits as “Hello It’s Me”, “We Gotta Get You A Woman” and “I Saw The Light”, Todd Rundgren has had a stellar career, and he still releases new music and tours today, but this song captures him at his best:

“The sea will rise, mountains fall
The earth will turn itself upside down
But we have seen it all before,
we will always be around
In a hundred million years
when the planet disappears
You and I will stay
and watch the world fade away
And in a million trillion years
when the stars all disappear
You and I will stay
and watch it all fade away…”

Here’s Todd performing the song live with the Metropole Orchestra” – enjoy!

The song is from his masterpiece “Hermit Of Mink Hollow”, which also includes the hit single “Can We Still Be Friends?”

See a track by track look at the album here:

Next up, a stunning solo albums from one of rock’s greatest performers!

Pete Townsend Takes Off!

The iconic Songwriter for The Who wrote such classic songs as “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Who Are You” among dozens more, but he also released many solo album as well, like this one:

4 – “Face The Face” by Pete Townsend

the album “White City” was an autobiographical look at his life growing up…and the hit single from it is a raucous rocker called “Face The Face” – here it is:

The band still performs and tours, and Pete wrote his riveting memoire as well – see all of that here:

Next up, one of my favorite bands won many Grammy awards, released iconic hits like “Aja”, “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”, “Reelin’ In The Years” and this title track for a comedy about FM radio!

3 – “F.M. (No Static At All)” by Steely Dan

This 1978 comedy featured many new songs from a variety of Artists, but the title track kicks it off perfectly:

Here is the song with scenes from the film!

Sadly one of the two founding members of the band, Walter Becker, died a few years ago…see the story of the band and their icy cool musical style:

Another of my all-time favorite artists is next:

2 – “Free Fallin'” by Tom Petty

One of Petty’s most iconic songs and biggest hits, “Free Fallin'” is a song that celebrate life cousin down the boulevards in Southern California:

Here are the terrific lyrics – Petty really knew how to pain an image and tell a story:

“She’s a good girl, loves her mama
Loves Jesus and America too
She’s a good girl, is crazy ’bout Elvis
Loves horses and her boyfriend too

And it’s a long day livin’ in Reseda
There’s a freeway runnin’ through the yard
And I’m a bad boy, ’cause I don’t even miss her
I’m a bad boy for breakin’ her heart

And I’m free
Free fallin’
Yeah, I’m free
Free fallin’

And all the vampires walkin’ through the valley
Move west down Ventura Boulevard (Ventura Boulevard)
And all the bad boys are standin’ in the shadows
And the good girls are home with broken hearts

And I’m free
I’m free fallin’
Yeah, I’m free
Free fallin’…”

Here is the terrific music video:

Finally, how can you do a list of the best “F” songs without including this classic – just another of the many “moods” of David Bowie!

1 – “Fame” by David Bowie

“Fame, (fame) what you like is in the limo
Fame, (fame) what you get is no tomorrow
Fame, (fame) what you need you have to borrow Fame
Fame, (fame) it’s mine, it’s mine, it’s just his line
To bind your time, it drives you to crime (fame)”

Bowie’s amazing 1975 song “Fame” was written by Bowie, Carlos Alomar and John Lennon, and was Bowie’s first number 1 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. 

Here’s a raucous performance by Bowie on the BBC in 2000:

The world was stunned by the death of Bowie, one of music’s most original Artists…here is a look at this musical legacy:

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You can see music from “A-E” by clicking on my home page – let me know your favorite “F” songs – and if you enjoy this story please share with friends on social media – thanks!

Categories: 70's Music, Art, Classic Rock, Music, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities, Todd Rundgren

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