Just My Imagination - The Temptations

I confess to being a huge fan of Motown, soul and original R&B music and a substantial portion of my collection comes from these genre, particularly from the 1960s and 70s era. Motown produced numerous vocal groups with smooth chops and immaculate harmonies, of which The Temptations are an excellent example.

There are so many songs about dreaming and unrequited love, but none paint quite so vivid a picture as Just My Imagination, released in 1971. It laments the fact that this poor guy doesn't even know the object of his affection, yet has imagined every detail of their perfect life together. (Hmm, that sounds a bit stalker-ish, but listen to the song - I assure you it's not like that.)

The bass line is the feature in this song. Listen out for the gentle marimba fills at the start and get caught up in the cello runs that rise and fall but ultimately go nowhere, just like the dream itself. Add rousing string orchestration and overlay it with poignant yet perfectly melded harmonies. *peaceful sigh*

Lola - The Kinks

Let's start with a classic. :-)

Lola, Ray Davies' 1970 hit by The Kinks, really is one of my favourites. Its raunchy rock style describes an ultimately sleazy scene that a fresh-faced, wide-eyed boy encounters just a week after leaving home. His naïve introduction to the seedy side of the city and one particular drag queen is way more than he bargained for. Slow and measured, the music plunges you further into the tangled mess that unfolds.

The sheer terror the boy feels once he realises that Lola is not the woman he expected is perfectly captured in these desperate lines, after which he completely succumbs to Lola's charms:

I pushed her away.
I walked to the door.
I fell to the floor.
I got down on my knees.

You need to listen to this song nice and loud.