1. That's The Way- Led Zeppelin

• "And yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers, but all that lives is born to die, and so I say to you that nothing really matters, and all you do is stand and cry." Led Zeppelin's first two albums were largely comprised of songs built on/inspired by/borrowed from American blues music. The originality of some the early material may be up for debate but not the intensity- blues had never really been amped up this much before. "That's The Way" comes from "Led Zeppelin III"; an album that found it's inspiration from English folk music. It turns out the band was just as adept at incorporating this genre into their sound. I suppose the sound of much of "Led Zeppelin III" caught more than a few fans off guard upon it's release. "That's The Way" is built around Page's acoustic guitar work and Plants vocals while slide guitar and mandolin add color. Led Zeppelin's work post-"Led Zeppelin III" would often find the band alternating between the blues/rock and folk sound.

2. Georgia On My Mind- Ray Charles

• "Other arms reach out to me, other eyes smile tenderly, still in peaceful dreams I see, the road leads back to you. I said Georgia, ooh Georgia, no peace I find, just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind." Originally composed in 1930, the most famous version of "Georgia on My Mind" is this 1960 recording by Ray Charles. By the time Ray Charles was done with the song it had become an American standard and went on to become the official state song of Georgia. The 1960 recording features a beautiful blend of jazzy piano and soaring strings, not to mention Ray's famous raspy vocals. Aside from scoring with audiences in the states, the song had an impact across the pond as well; The Beatles would reference "Georgia on My Mind" later in the decade in "Back in the U.S.S.R.". The 2004 bio-pic "Ray" is a must see and provides insight into the recording/arrangement of "Georgia On My Mind".

3. Sea of Love- The Honeydrippers

• "Do you remember when we met, that's the day I knew you were my pet, I want to tell you how much I love you. Come with me, my love, to the sea, the sea of love, I want to tell you how much I love you." Great songs have a way of resurfacing through the years. "Sea of Love" was originally written/recorded in 1959 by Phil Philips and stands as an "oldie/doo-wop" classic. In the early 1980s former Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page teamed up with a number of musicians (including Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers and Paul Shaffer) to form the R&B group The Honeydrippers. They released just one EP, but it included a version of "Sea of Love" that would become a top 10 hit. The Honeydrippers version is notable for it's lush strings and the somewhat odd concept of hearing classic rock legend Robert Plant croon a 50s ballad. More recently, Cat Power had success with the song which she featured on "The Covers Record".