Occasional songs: Lists for everybody for everything
In January 2023 Rolling Stone magazine generated considerable buzz and controversy for publishing its list of “200The Greatest Singers of All Time” list (https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/) . While it was admirably diverse in the scope of singers represented, especially in terms of genre, language, culture, and era, many readers found tis rankings unsatisfying and its omissions frustrating.
Credit: Rolling Stone magazine.
Alas, “Greatest” is so broad a moniker that it is inevitably divisive. For every obvious singer (e.g., Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra) there is an equal number of “What about so and so?!” For me, as a lover of lists, “Greatest” implies a one-size-fits-all model incompatible with the wide range of taste cultures people enjoy and the uses of music. If you want to rock out Ella Fitzgerald is not it but if you want to be soothed AC/DC is not it either. Different songs are warranted for different occasions.
As such, I decided to craft a list of songs well-suited to specific occasions. Dancing, commuting, feeling sorry for yourself, enjoying a picnic—these are everyday tasks for and certain songs and performers are particularly well-suited so to get things started I’ve compiled a list of five songs for a range of occasions. Think of this as a starter kit rather than a definitive or finite list. I hope it inspire you to make your own “occasional” playlists.
The Best Songs for…
A summer BBQ/picnic
Fantasy/Fantasy remix (Mariah Carey/MC f/ O.D.B.)
Got ‘til it’s Gone (Janet Jackson)
I can’t go for that (no can do) (Daryl Hall & John Oates)
Rock with you (Michael Jackson)
Summer Breeze (Seals & Croft)
Summertime (Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff)
Walking down an imaginary runway…
Breakout (Swing Out Sister)
Children (Billy Porter)
Crazy in Love (Beyoncé f/ Jay-Z)
Supermodel (You better work) (RuPaul)
Vogue (Madonna)
West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys)
Feeling loved…
As (Stevie Wonder)
Feel like makin’ love (Roberta Flack)
Fever (Little Willie John or Peggy Lee)
Love on top (Beyoncé)
The Best (Tina Turner)
You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman) (Aretha Franklin)
Dancing around your home…
Dancing on my own (Robyn)
Groove is in the Heart (Deee-lite)
Into the groove (Madonna)
It Takes Two (Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock)
Kiss (Prince)
Wake me up before you go-go (Wham!)
Walking on sunshine (Katrina and the Waves)
Feeling heartbroken…
Don’t explain (Billie Holiday)
Fool of me (Me’shell N’degeocello)
Guess I’ll hang my tears out to dry (Frank Sinatra)
Kissing a fool (George Michael)
The mind of love (k.d. lang)
Walk on by (Dionne Warwick)
Giving no fux…
Brutal (Olivia Rodrigo)
Let’s go crazy (Prince and the Revolution)
Shake and pop (Nick Lowe)
Well, well, well (John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band)
You oughta know (Alanis Morissette)
You’re so vain (Carly Simon)
Pining for the one you love…
Blue (Leann Rimes)
Crazy (Patsy Cline)
Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?) (Billie Holiday)
Missing (Everything but the Girl)
Not gon’ cry (Mary J. Blige)
We belong together (Mariah Carey)
Slaying the day…
Electric lady (Janelle Monae)
Feeling good (Nina Simone)
Lovely day (Bill Withers)
New attitude (Patti LaBelle)
Today (Smashing Pumpkins)
You Gotta Be (Des’ree)
Singing your heart out…
And I am telling you I’m not going (Jennifer Holiday)
Constant Craving (k.d. lang)
Love under new management (Miki Howard)
Rolling in the deep (Adele)
Superwoman (Karyn White)
Un-break my heart (Toni Braxton)
Feeling nostalgic…
April in Paris (Sarah Vaughan)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John)
I’ve Had the Time of My life (Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes)
Memory lane (Minnie Riperton)
Seems like old times (Teri Thornton)
Thanks for the memory (Rosemary Clooney)
Being a little corny unapologetically…
Do that to me one more time (Captain & Tennille)
Don’t know much (Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt)
Hello (Lionel Richie)
It Might Be You (Stephen Bishop)
Misty (Johnny Mathis)
They long to be (Close to you) (The Carpenters)
Wooing a lover…
A long walk (Jill Scott)
After the dance (Marvin Gaye)
Help me make it through the night (Sammi Smith)
Let’s stay together (Al Green)
My one and only love (Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane)
Sweet love (Anita Baker)
Driving on a road trip…
The city of New Orleans (Arlo Guthrie)
Fast car (Tracy Chapman)
Graceland (Paul Simon)
I just needed to see you so bad (Lucinda Williams)
On the road again (Willie Nelson)
Route 66 (The Nat King Cole Trio)
Making your daily commute tolerable…
9 to 5 (Dolly Parton)
Every day is a winding road (Sheryl Crow)
Opportunities (Let’s make lots of money) (Pet Shop Boys)
Save the overtime for me (Gladys Knight & the Pips)
Stop to love (Luther Vandross)
Work to Do (Isley Brothers)
Feeling vengeful…
God will (Lyle Lovett)
Hit the road Jack (Ray Charles)
I will survive (Gloria Gaynor)
Since you been gone (Kelly Clarkson)
Think (Aretha Franklin)
We are never ever getting back together (Taylor Swift)
Getting everyone one the dancefloor…
Ain’t nobody (Rufus featuring Chaka Khan)
Da Butt (E.U.)
Forget me nots (Patrice Rushen)
Got to be real (Cheryl Lynn)
September (Earth Wind & Fire)
Stomp (Brothers Johnson)
Evoking the sound of Motown…
Freedom (Wham!)
I can dream about you (Dan Hartman)
Like a virgin (Madonna)
Maneater (Daryl Hall & John Oates)
Two hearts (Phil Collins)
When Smokey sings (ABC)
Getting hitched…
All of me (John Legend)
Betcha by golly wow (The Stylistics)
Giving you the best that I got (Anita Baker)
Here and now (Luther Vandross)
The very thought of you (Nat King Cole)
Vision of love (Mariah Carey)
Slow dancing…
The closer I get to you (Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway)
Feel the fire (Peabo Bryson)
I only have eyes for you (The Flamingos)
Sweet thing (Rufus featuring Chaka Khan)
Turn off the lights (Teddy Pendergrass)
What you won’t do for love (Bobby Caldwell)
Being solemn…
Hallelujah (John Cale, k.d. lang, or Leonard Cohen)
I can’t make you love me (Bonnie Raitt)
Time after time (Cyndi Lauper)
Undone—The sweater song (Weezer)
Why (Annie Lennox)
Willow (Joan Armstrading)
Feeling hopeful…
Drift away (Dobie Gray)
I can see clearly now (Johnny Nash)
I’ll take you there (The Staple Singers)
O-o-h child (Valerie Carter or The Five Stairsteps)
Somewhere (Barbra Streisand)
Sunny (Bobby Hebb)
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