Friday, May 9, 2025

VA - The Melodic Collection (A Butterboy Compilation) (6 x CDs)

MELODIES

VA - The Melodic Collection (A Butterboy Compilation) (6 x CDs)

Let’s talk about melody, the heartbeat of every great track. Whether you’re spinning vinyl, flipping through liner notes, or savoring those perfect analog tones, melody is what draws us in, holds us, and keeps us coming back for more. But what is melody, really? It’s the tune, the linear sequence of musical notes that we recognize, hum, and get stuck in our heads. Think of it as the voice of a song, the part that tells the story and gives it soul.

Melody isn’t just notes slapped together. It’s shaped by pitch and rhythm, creating a musical journey that rises, falls, builds tension, and resolves with satisfying relief. Whether it’s the soaring electric guitar in a rock anthem or the graceful arc of a cello line in a classical symphony, melody is what makes a song truly unforgettable.

The beauty of melody lies in its emotional impact. It has the power to evoke joy, nostalgia, melancholy, or even awe. Think about those tracks where the melody just grabs you, whether it’s the bittersweet yearning in a folk ballad, the rich warmth of a soul groove, or the intricate interplay of jazz improvisation. Melody doesn’t just speak to us; it connects with us on a visceral level, crossing language and cultural barriers to tap into something universal.

As collectors and enthusiasts, we know that melody is what makes a track stand out, what turns a good song into a great one. When you’re putting that needle down or curating your next compilation, you’re chasing that ineffable quality, the melody that grabs your heart and sticks with you long after the music fades. That’s the magic, and that’s why melody is the cornerstone of our passion for records.

Here are 180 tracks that exemplify the very essence of melody be it in their familiar refrains or deeply resonant tunes that forge a powerful connection with listeners. Organized into six thoughtfully assembled playlists, each featuring 30 songs, this collection pays tribute to six distinct genres: Rock, Folk, Pop, Soul, Jazz, and Classical. This compilation is a heartfelt endeavor and an ambitious dive into music's universal allure, with infinite possibilities for alternative track lists. Each genre brings its own unique charm, inviting you to explore the myriad ways in which melody weaves its magic across musical styles. (B)

Rock: Rock melodies often have a boldness and raw energy that resonate deeply. Whether it’s a soaring guitar riff or a poignant vocal line, rock melodies can evoke anthemic power or introspective beauty. Think of tracks like Door's "Rider In The Storm" or Bad Company's "Seagull," which represent strong melodic storytelling.

Folk: Folk melodies are often straightforward yet profoundly moving, rooted in tradition and storytelling. They tap into universal emotions through simplicity and authenticity. Songs like John Maryn's "May You Never" or Karen Dalton’s "Something on Your Mind" have melodies that feel timeless and deeply personal.

Pop: Pop melodies are crafted for instant appeal, combining catchy hooks with emotional resonance. They are often the most memorable, designed to stay with the listener long after the song ends. Examples include ABBA's "Dancing Queen" or Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams," both of which highlight the uplifting and polished aspect of melody.

Soul: Soul melodies intertwine with rich vocal expression, capturing emotion in every note. Whether it’s the longing in Bill Withers’s "Aint No Sunshine" or the smooth groove of Marvin Gaye’s "What's Going On," soul tracks excel in delivering melody with warmth and depth.

Jazz: Jazz melodies often weave intricacy with improvisation, showcasing sophisticated craftsmanship. Tracks like Chet Bakers's "My Funny Valentine" or Dave Brubeck’s "Take Five" marry melody with technical brilliance, creating music that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally stirring.

Classical: Classical melodies have a timeless elegance and complexity that inspire introspection and awe. Pieces like Debussy’s "Clair de Lune" or Dvořák’s "New World Symphony" embody melody’s ability to transcend time and evoke profound emotional landscapes.

Enjoy!

===========================================================

ALL 

OR

ALL 

===========================================================

Track lists

CD1     ROCK

01 Hollies - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother 4:20 1969

02 Badfinger - Day After Day 3:10 1971

03 Big Star - Thirteen 2:34 1972

04 Band - The Weight 4:37 1968

05 Fleetwood Mac - Landslide 3:19 1975

06 Velvet Underground - Pale Blue Eyes 5:38 1969

07 Guess Who - These Eyes 3:37 1968

08 Eagles - Hotel California 6:31 1976

09 Rolling Stones - Angie 4:32 1973

10 Rod Stewart - Maggie May 5:50 1971

11 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen The Rain 2:40 1971

12 Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird 9:06 1973

13 Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit 2:33 1967

14 Troggs - Love is All Around 3:00 1968

15 Procol Harum - Homburg 3:54 1967

16 King Crimson - I Talk to The Wind 6:08 1969

17 Renaissance - Carpet of The Sun 3:31 1973

18 Eric Clapton - Layla 7:04 1971

19 Santana - Black Magic Woman 3:17 1970

20 Doors - Riders on the Storm 7:21 1971

21 Raspberries - Go All The Way 3:22 1972

22 Badfinger - Baby Blue (U.S. Single Mix) 3:35 1971

23 Love - Alone Again Or 3:08 1967

24 Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow is Born 3:11 1968

25 Mott the Hoople - All the Way from Memphis 5:02 1973

26 Be Bop Deluxe - Sister Seagull 3:37 1975

27 Bad Company - Seagull 4:04 1974

28 Crosby Stills Nash & Young - Helpless 3:40 1970

29 Can - Vitamin C 3:33 1972

30 Colosseum - Valentyne Suite 16:51 1969


CD2     FOLK

01 Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn! 3:55 1965

02 Crosby Stills Nash & Young - Teach Your Children 2:55 1970

03 James Taylor - Fire and Rain 3:14 1970

04 Stone Poneys; Linda Ronstadt - Different Drum 2:39 1967

05 Fairport Convention - Who Knows Where The Time Goes 5:10 1969

06 Pentangle - Light Flight 3:16 1969

07 Linda Perhacs - Parallelograms 4:33 1970

08 Sandy Denny - Solo 4:26 1974

09 Roy Harper - Another Day 2:57 1970

10 Traffic - John Barleycorn (Must Die) 6:24 1970

11 Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi 2:15 1970

12 Cat Stevens - Father and Son 3:42 1970

13 Bob Dylan - Blowin' in The Wind 2:48 1963

14 Linda Ronstadt - The Blacksmith 2:43 1990

15 Simon & Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair, Canticle 3:05 1966

16 Paul Simon - Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard 2:42 1972

17 Fugs - Wide Wide River 2:53 1968

18 Gene Clark - No Other 5:03 1974

19 Incredible String Band - The Hedgehog's Song 3:30 1967

20 Fairport Convention - Meet on The Ledge 2:46 1969

21 Spirit - Nature's Way 2:32 1970

22 Nilsson - The Moonbeam Song 3:22 1972

23 Nico - These Days 3:29 1967

24 Kevin Ayers & The Whole World - May I 4:01 1970

25 Don McLean - American Pie 8:38 1971

26 Karen Dalton - Something on Your Mind 3:23 1971

27 Vashti Bunyan - Diamond Day 1:47 1970

28 John Martyn - May You Never 2:44 1973

29 Michael Chapman - Postcards of Scarborough 4:07 1970

30 Richard Thompson & Linda Thompson - The Calvary Cross 3:52 1974


CD3     POP

01 Beatles - Yesterday 2:05 1965

02 Turtles - You Showed Me 3:16 1968

03 Elton John - Your Song 3:59 1970

04 John Lennon - Imagine 3:04 1971

05 Bread - The Guitar Man 3:46 1972

06 Barry Manilow - Mandy 3:19 1974

07 Carpenters - (They Long to Be) Close to You 4:35 1970

08 5th Dimension - Love's Lines, Angles & Rhymes 3:15 1971

09 Who - Behind Blue Eyes 3:37 1971

10 Zombies - Care of Cell 44 3:54 1968

11 Carole King - It's Too Late 3:53 1971

12 Carly Simon - You're So Vain 4:17 1972

13 John Legend - All of Me 3:01 2013

14 Laura Nyro - Stoned Soul Picnic 3:49 1968

15 Sir Psych - Palm desert 3:11 1967

16 Coldplay - Fix You 4:55 2005

17 Left Banke - Walk Away Renee 2:44 1966

18 Todd Rundgren - A Dream Goes on Forever 2:23 1974

19 Chicago - If You Leave Me Now 3:54 1976

20 Emitt Rhodes - Lullabye 1:08 1970

21 Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song 4:47 1973

22 Harry Styles - Watermelon Sugar 2:54 2019

23 Adele - Someone Like You 4:47 2011

24 Billy Joel - Piano Man 5:38 1973

25 Fleetwood Mac - Dreams 4:15 1977

26 Weeknd - Blinding Lights 3:21 2019

27 Ed Sheeran - Shape of You 3:53 2017

28 ABBA - Dancing Queen 3:51 1976

29 ABBA - Waterloo 2:45 1974

30 Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World 3:36 1967


CD4     SOUL

01 Marvin Gaye - What's Going On 3:53 1971

02 Bill Withers - Aint No Sunshine 2:05 1971

03 Sly & the Family Stone - Family Affair 3:05 1971

04 Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) 3:54 1971

05 Al Green - Let's Stay Together 3:20 1972

06 Temptations - My Girl 2:56 1964

07 Staple Singers - I'll Take You There 3:23 1972

08 Aretha Franklin - Day Dreaming 4:00 1972

09 Gladys Knight and the Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia 4:37 1973

10 Stevie Wonder - Superstition 4:26 1972

11 Supremes - Stop! in The Name of Love (Promo version) 2:55 1965

12 Isley Brothers - That Lady (Parts 1 and 2) 5:34 1973

13 Jackson 5 - I Want You Back 3:00 1970

14 O'Jays - Love Train 2:59 1972

15 Syreeta - Harmour Love 3:38 1975

16 Spinners - It's a Shame 3:13 1970

17 Curtis Mayfield - Move on Up 8:54 1970

18 War - Low Rider 3:11 1975

19 Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter 23 3:38 1977

20 Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes - If You Don't Know Me By Now 3:29 1972

21 Minnie Riperton - Lovin' You 3:23 1975

22 Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street 3:46 1973

22 Al Jarreau - We're in This Love Together 3:45 1976

24 Rufus featuring Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good 4:39 1974

25 Meters - Cissy Strut 3:01 1969

26 Parliament - Flash Light 4:28 1977

27 Carla Thomas - Every Ounce of Strength 2:14 1965

28 Commodores - Brick House 3:35 1977

29 Chic - Le Freak 3:37 1978

30 Barry White - You're the First, the Last, My Everything 3:32 1974


CD5     JAZZ

01 Miles Davis - So What 9:25 1959

02 John Coltrane - My Favorite Things, Pt 1 (Single Version) 2:47 1961

03 Dave Brubeck - Take Five 5:27 1959

04 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Moanin' 9:30 1958

05 Chet Baker - My Funny Valentine 2:20 1954

06 Sarah Vaughan With The Quincy Jones Orchestra - Misty 3:00 1958

07 Peanuts Holland & Son Orchestre - That's My Desire 4:19 1954

08 Bobby Jaspar Quartet - Autumn in New York 3:56 1954

09 Nina Simone - Feeling Good 2:57 1965

10 Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit 3:11 1939

11 Ella Fitzgerald - Summertime 5:00 1964

12 Wayne Shorter - Footprints 7:31 1966

13 Barney Wilen - Melodie Pour Les Radios Taxis 3:49 1958

14 Charles Mingus - Better Git it in Your Soul 7:23 1959

15 Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage 7:49 1966

16 McCoy Tyner - Passion Dance 8:46 1967

17 Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Jazztet - I Remember Clifford 3:12 1957

18 Toots Thielemans Quartet - Willow Weep for Me 5:30 1961

19 Duke Ellington version - In A Sentimental Mood 3:12 1935

20 Thelonious Monk Quintet - Round About Midnight 3:10 1947

21 Charlie Parker - Ornithology 4:25 1946

22 Art Tatum - Tea for Two 3:17 1951

23 Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra - Body and Soul 3:02 1938

24 George Benson - Breezin' 5:41 1976

25 Bobbi Humphrey - Blacks and Blues 4:36 1973

26 Cannonball Adderley - Mercy, Mercy, Mercy 3:07 1966

27 Yusef Lateef - Nubian Lady 6:35 1972

28 Ahmad Jamal Trio - Poinciana 9:32 1958

29 Stéphane Grappelli Quartet - Django 4:57 1962

30 Keith Jarrett - Köln, January 24, 1975, Part I 26:03 1975


CD6     CLASSICAL

01 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Dance of the Reed-Pipes from The Nutcracker 2:36 1892

02 Johann Sebastian Bach - Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042 - Adagio 7:22 1723

03 Ennio Morricone - Gabriel's Oboe 2:16 1986

04 Edvard Hagerup Grieg - Morning from Peer Gynt 3:54 1876

05 Gabriel Urbain Fauré - Pavane 6:08 1887

06 Ludwig van Beethoven - Bagatelle in A Minor, WoO 59, 'Fur Elise' 3:08 1810

07 Georg Philipp Telemann - Trumpet Concerto in D Major - Adagio 1:59 1803

09 Samuel Barber - Adagio for Strings Op. 11a 6:26 1936

10 Johann Sebastian Bach - Air 'on The G String' 3:35 1730

11 Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni - Oboe Concerto in D Minor, Op.9, No.2 - Adagio 5:20 1705

12 Johann Sebastian Bach - Air from Suite No.3 5:55 1730

13 Johan Julius Christian Sibelius - Der Schan von Tuonela op. 22-2 7:43 1895

14 Johann Pachelbel - Canon in D 4:45 1680

15 Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy - Spring Song in A Major, Op. 62, No. 6 2:19 1844

16 George Frideric Handel - Largo from Serse 3:42 1738

17 Christoph Willibald Gluck - Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orpheus and Eurydice 6:05 1762

18 Ludovico Einaudi - Elements Variation 3:39 2015

19 Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni - Adagio in G minor 5:51 1945

20 Achille-Claude Debussy - Clair De Lune 5:14 1890

21 Antonio Lucio Vivaldi - Guitar Concerto in D Major, RV 93 - Largo 5:28 1730

22 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op. 23 - opening 4:08 1875

23 Orlando di Lasso - Lubilate Deo 1:30 1585

24 Marin Marais - Sonate a la Maresienne 5. Tres vivement 2:14 1723

25 Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart - Alla turca from Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major K. 331 3:43 1783

26 Antonio Lucio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons - Spring 3:30 1723

27 Antonín Leopold Dvorák - Symphony No.9 From the New World - Largo 11:58 1893

28 Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin - Nocturne Op.9 No.2, N. in E flat major- Andante 4:22 1832

29 Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor Op.18 - II- 4:31 1901

30 John Barry - Out of Africa 3:11 1985

08 Joseph Maurice Ravel - Pavane pour une infante défunte 7:45 1899

=============================================================

=============================================================

Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

=============================================================

=============================================================

17 comments:

  1. Thanks BB I'm sure I have most of 1-4 some of 5-6. Should be nice to hear your sequence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi lemonflag.
      I'm sure you already have most of these tracks, but there's something special about hearing them in a carefully curated sequence. Enjoy the rediscovery.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  2. Great concept and great compilation, thanks BB!
    Cheers
    Giulio

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Giulio
      It was fun pulling this together.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  3. Wow, them's some tunes there. Thankyou once again BB, always something tasty for the ears to mull over!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very original point of view. I like it very much. Great work BB.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Herve,
      Glad you read the write up. I am listing to this again today and my mind is swirling with new tracks for an additional volume.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  5. Great idea. Thank you very, very much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, copacetic47.
      Enjoy the music, always.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  6. La música nos acompaña durante toda la vida (a quienes la amamos), y de acuerdo al momento emocional que estemos viviendo o la evolución que estemos realizando podemos saltar de una melodía a.otra, pero las que dejaron huella son siempre bienvenidas.
    Muy buen trabajo.
    Gracias.
    Saludos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mirta,
      Beautifully said. Music has that incredible ability to follow us through every stage of life, adapting to our emotions and experiences. I really appreciate your thoughtful words.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  7. Dear Butterboy, I know this is not the right place to post this, but I can’t find a better one. Can you re-upload Best Songs of the Seventies (A Butterboy Compilation) (4 x CD's), please? And is there a similar comp by you of The Best of the Eighties? Best regards, Per

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi iPer.
      That's OK.
      Feel free to make requests by simply adding it as a comment on the Main post page you are requesting.
      I will reupload the 70s set soon. Additionally, I can always be contacted at BUTTER2020ap@proton.me.
      Cheers.

      Delete
    2. Hi iPer.
      New links established, tested and working. Find them here:
      https://butterboycompilations.blogspot.com/2019/01/va-best-songs-of-1970s-cd1cd2cd3cd4.html
      Cheers.

      Delete