Rate-O-Rama: Year-End Special

Welcome to Rate-O-Rama

This week, the last week of the year, we have a slightly different round of Rate-O-Rama. Instead of featuring three versions of one song. This week we are going to have the three songs over the past 17 weeks that have received the highest ratings.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Each song can be given a score from 1 to 100.

2. Each song must be given a different score.

3. You cannot award a score more than once.

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If you wish to receive a notice when the next Rate-O-Rama post is published please mention that you would like a notification in the comments section.

Rate-O-Rama : Songmania is a reader participation game.

Every Saturday evening I will publish a Rate-O-Rama article which will feature three versions of a popular song.

The object is to listen to each of the music videos provided within the post.

After listening to each video you can rate each song in the comments section below.

(You must be a member to comment. If you are not a member you can join Vocal Media for FREE. You don’t ever have to pay for membership unless you choose to upgrade your membership)

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The rating method is easy. Simply give each song a rating of 1 to 100. (See the Special Instructions at the top of the page for this week's rating process - Thank you!)

(The more you like the song the higher the rating).

If possible, please provide a brief comment explanation of the reasoning behind your ratings for each song.

After a week (Saturday evening) I will tally the ratings and in the next Rate-O-Rama post I will announce the average rating each song received from the previous post.

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Last week we featured the Christmas classic: “(There's No Place Like) Home For the Holidays” as recorded by Perry Como (1954), Carpenters (1978/1984), and Garth Brooks (1999).

The following are the average ratings for each song as resulted from the votes:

🥇 Carpenters : 93.5

🥈 Perry Como: 87.5

🥉 Garth Brooks: 84.8

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The Eighteenth Edition of Rate-O-Rama features the Top Three rated Rate-O-Rama songs of 2023 (which was the last seventeen weeks) of the Rate-O-Rama game!

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"Crazy" by Patsy Cline (1961)

Patsy Cline is considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century and of all time.

From Wikipedia: Cline's husband Charlie Dick had previously taken her to a demo of Willie Nelson's "Night Life". Cline disliked the song, and she asked her husband not to bring her any more of Nelson's songs, saying that she did not want to record compositions that embraced vulnerability or loss of love. The persistent singer/songwriter/song promoter Hank Cochran drove Nelson to Cline's house with the demo of "Crazy". While Nelson waited in the car, Cochran played the song for Cline. Cline told Cochran to bring Nelson into the house, where he taught her to sing the song. Cline had difficulty following Nelson's phrasing because he sang behind the beat.

Producer Owen Bradley added The Jordanaires (Elvis Presley's backing singers) on background vocals.

Bradley asked Cline to sing the song in her style instead of Willie Nelson's style. She nailed it on the first take.

Patsy Cline took the song to #2 on both the US Country charts and US Adult Contemporary charts and #9 on the US Hot 100 Singles chart. She also made it to #8 in Canada as well as #14 in both the UK and Ireland.

In 2003, Cline's recording was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. In 1992, Patsy's version of "Crazy" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

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"People Are Strange" by The Doors (1967)

"People Are Strange" is featured on The Doors' iconic album Strange Days which also includes the classics "Strange Days," "You're Lost Little Girl," "Love Me Two Times," "Unhappy Girl," "Moonlight Drive," "My Eyes Have Seen You," and "I Can't See Your Face In My Mind."

"People Are Strange" was written by Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger, and John Densmore (The Doors). In its initial release as a single the song was a moderate hit in the US reaching #12. However in Canada it was a #1 hit and reached #9 in New Zealand. As time has passed the song has become an enduring classic.

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"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) by Stevie Wonder (1970)

This is one of Stevie Wonder's most famous songs having made it to #3 in the US, #15 in the UK, and #19 in Canada. He co-wrote it with three other people, one being his mom Lula Mae Hardaway, another his then fiancé Syreeta Wright and singer/songwriter Lee Garrett. It was the first single Stevie produced on his own, he was only 19 years old and did a great job at the helm of the song.

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My Thoughts

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"Crazy" by Patsy Cline:

Patsy's voice is one of the most engaging voices I have ever heard in my life. She had great control over her instrument. Her voice was full of confidence, warmth and emotion. She effortlessly glides from one note to the next with a smooth delivery. Patsy was one of the greatest of her time and of all-time. "Crazy" is one of those songs we'd sing at house parties during the 1980s. It was also a popular karaoke tune. I must give this one the crown rating of 100.

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"People Are Strange" by The Doors:

Often when I watch Jim Morrison perform I want to not like him. He seemed a bit self-involved. But then I begin to listen to his voice and he wins me over. He was no Freddie Mercury but Jim had a unique style of his voice that was artsy, energetic, and in it's own way versatile. But let's not forget the band. The Doors are more than just Jim Morrison. There's Ray Manzarek who gives a great keyboard solo and Robby Kreiger on guitar and John Densmore on drums rounding out the sound out, producing one of the most iconic songs in classic rock history. Oh gee why did I make the rule of not giving duplicate scores in this round. Am I going to have to lower Patsy's score and give the Doors 100? Well, I guess I am giving The Doors a solid 96.

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"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" by Stevie Wonder:

As much as I love The Doors and Patsy Cline, it is Stevie Wonder that is one of my all-time favorite musicians. I love Stevie Wonder! I can honestly say he is in the Top Ten of my all-time favorites. If I could give more than one 100 score Stevie would have got 100 right out of the box just for being Stevie. But we are rating the individual songs. This is a great song and Stevie gives a dynamic funky soulful performance. I give this one a 98.

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I will be back next week with the results of this Rate-O-Rama Edition.

Last Week's Rate-O-Rama:

With Love, RHC ❤️

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