1. Louder Than a Bomb- Public Enemy

• "'Cause the D is for dangerous you can come and get some of this." " CIA, FBI all they tell us is lies, and when I say it they get alarmed 'cause I'm louder than a bomb." Public Enemy took hip hop to new heights in 1988 with their groundbreaking LP "It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back". "Louder Than a Bomb" like a number of songs on the album ("Bring the Noise, Rebel Without A Pause") is a musical call to arms. Chuck D speaks truth to power with every verse. I'm proud to say that my 1st concert was Public Enemy at the Philadelphia Spectrum in 1990. "Louder Than a Bomb" features amazing production from P.E.'s bomb squad and samples/references "It's Yours" by T La Rock. "It's Yours" is credited as the 1st single on Rick Rubin's Def Jam label and was also used years later by NaS on his debut "Illmatic". There is a great Jam Master Jay remix of "Louder Than a Bomb" on P.E.'s "Greatest Misses" album (R.I.P. JMJ).

2. Just In Time- Marvin Gaye

• "I was lost, the losing dice were tossed, my bridges all were crossed, no where to go, now you're here, now I know just where I'm going, no more doubt or fears I've found my way, for love came just in time." It may surprise some to know that R&B star Marvin Gaye wanted to make a career out of singing jazz standards. He wanted to be a crooner. Before his untimely death he told his biographer- "I never wanted to shake my ass... I wanted to sit on a stool and sing soft love songs." "Just In Time" is a Dean Martin standard from "Marvin Gaye at the Copa", a live album recorded in the 60s but made available for the 1st time in 2005. Marvin sounds perfectly at home belting out "Just in Time" with a big band horn section swinging behind him. "Marvin Gaye at the Copa" shows Marvin's versatility as a singer. He's able to pull off the jazz big band sound. Can we imagine Perry Como trying to sing "Sexual Healing" or "Let's Get it On"?

3. Simple Twist Of Fate- Bob Dylan

• "A saxophone someplace far off played, as she was walkin' by the arcade, as the light bust through a beat-up shade where he was wakin' up, she dropped a coin into the cup of a blind man at the gate, and forgot about a simple twist of fate." In 1975 Bob Dylan released "Blood On The Tracks" which stands up as one of his best collection of songs. Songs like "Shelter From The Storm", "Tangled Up In Blue", "If You See Her Say Hello" (to name a few) are as good as anything Dylan ever recorded. "Simple Twist of Fate" is classic Dylan- a great acoustic number with harmonica, great vocals and minimal production. It is hard to imagine a more successful/influential songwriter than Dylan ever coming along. Speaking of great songwriters, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy recorded a great version of "Simple Twist of Fate" on the "I'm Not There" soundtrack. This song belongs on your iPod.