The Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) produced a list a few years back that they called the “Songs of The Century”. It was concocted based on a questionable set of sampling and was to represent and “promote a better understanding of America’s musical and cultural heritage.” The voting pool was a strange mixture elected officials, school students and teachers, as well as industry professionals. The respondent pool was about 200. The list is woefully inadequate but certainly worth discussing. Deeper Roots will spend this week exploring the top 30 (of 365) and follow up with its own list in a second episode next week. Listen in as we stretch the imagination.
| No. | Artist | Title | Album | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Lennon | Imagine | Imagine |  |
| 2 | Gladys Knight & The Pips | Midnight Train To Georgia | Singers And Songwriters: 1973- | |
| 3 | The Beatles | I Want to Hold Your Hand [Stereo] | The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1 Disc 1 | |
| 4 | Chuck Berry | Johnny B. Goode | Johnny B. Goode-His Complete 50's Chess Recordings | |
| 5 | Lena Horne | Stormy Weather (From "Stormy Weather") | The Essential Lena Horne – The RCA Years | |
| 6 | Ben E. King | Stand By Me | Malt Shop Memories Save the Last Dance for Me | |
| 7 | The Beach Boys | Good Vibrations | Endless Summer | |
| 8 | Tony Bennett | I Left My Heart in San Francisco | The Essential Tony Bennett [Columbia/Legacy] Disc 1 | |
| 9 | Otis Redding | (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay | The Very Best of Otis Redding, Vol. 1 | |
| 10 | Marvin Gaye | I Heard It Through the Grapevine | Motown: The Classic Years Disc 2 | |
| 11 | John Philip Sousa | Stars And Stripes Forever | The March King: John Philip Sousa Conducts His Own Marches and Other Favorites (An Historical Recording) | |
| 12 | Kate Smith With Orchestra | God Bless America | Nippers 30's-Vol.1 | |
| 13 | Fats Domino | Blueberry Hill | Out Of New Orleans, Vol. 4 | |
| 14 | Duke Ellington & His Orchestra | Take The "A" Train | Ken Burns Jazz [Disc 3] | |
| 15 | The Rolling Stones | (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction | Singles Collection: The London Years Disc 1 | |
| 16 | Bobby Darin | Mack The Knife | Magic Moments: Best Of 50's Pop (Disc 3) | |
| 17 | Jimmie Davis | You Are My Sunshine | Bob Dylan Presents: Cover to Cover – The Originals | |
| 18 | Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra | When The Saints Go Marching In | Pete Fountain Presents The Best Of Dixieland: Louis Armstrong | |
| 19 | Bill Haley & His Comets | (We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock (Single Version) | Rock Around The Clock | |
| 20 | Glenn Miller & His Orchestra | In the Mood | The Centennial Collection Disc 1 | |
| 21 | Scott Joplin | The Entertainer | compliments of grimriper2u@yahoo.com | |
| 22 | The Righteous Brothers | You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' | Malt Shop Memories: All I Have To Do Is Dream (Disc 2) | |
| 23 | Billy Murray & Haydn Quartet | Take Me Out To The Ball Game | www.allaoijr.com | |
| 24 | Leonard Bernstein | West Side Story Overture | West Side Story | |
| 25 | The Andrews Sisters | Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy | 20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection – The Best Of The Andrews Sisters | |
| 26 | Don McLean | American Pie | American Pie [Bonus Tracks] | |
| 27 | Aretha Franklin | Respect | 30 Greatest Hits [Disc 1] | |
| 28 | Woody Guthrie | This Land Is Your Land | This Land Is Your Land: The Asch Recordings Vol. 1 | |
| 29 | Bing Crosby | White Christmas | Bing Crosby's Greatest Hits | |
| 30 | Judy Garland | Over The Rainbow | That's Entertainment! The Best Of The MGM Musicals | |
| 31 | George Gershwin | Rhapsody in Blue | Nipper's Greatest Hits: The 20's | |