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100 Albums You Would wish for...from a Genie

This thread was inspired by this thread:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/building-a-100-album-vinyl-collection-3-must-have-albums-are

Please add to the above list. Thanks!

 

Okay, here is my premise for this:

I find an very odd, really old record in the $.99 cent bin in the back corner of some old, dusty record store. I pull the LP from the sleeve and a Genie appears. He says I can have any equipment/gear I want. Speakers, amp, preamp, etc. Just name it, (mbl Master Reference System and a custom room for it please.)...

...but, I can only have 100 albums forever to play on it. No "Best Of" or "Greatest Hits". No Box Sets or Compilations. Soundtracks are fine if original score, no Compilations. Double and Triple LP’s count as one album. (This Genie was very detailed in his instructions. He kinda looked like Donald Fagen).

 

What 100 albums would they be?

(I know I fudged on a rule or two, on a few of mine).

 

  1. Allman Brothers-Idlewild South

  2. Amazing Rhythm Aces-Too Stuffed To Jump

  3. April Wine-Harder, Faster

  4. Atlanta Rhythm Section-Red Tape

  5. Bad Company-Straight Shooter

  6. The Band-The Last Waltz

  7. The Beatles-Abbey Road

  8. The Beatles: Rubber Soul

  9. Jeff Beck-Live At Ronnie Scott’s

  10. Blackberry Smoke-The Whippoorwill

  11. Blackfoot-Strikes

  12. Karla Bonoff-Restless Nights

  13. Boston-Boston

  14. Jackson Browne-Late For The Sky

  15. Jimmy Buffett-Songs You Know By Heart

  16. Charlie-Lines

  17. Chicago-Chicago Transit Authority

  18. Eric Clapton-461 Ocean Boulevard

  19. Eric Clapton-Slowhand

  20. Marc Cohn-Marc Cohn

  21. Shawn Colvin-Fat City

  22. Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions

  23. Creedence Clearwater Revival-Cosmo’s Factory

  24. Crosby, Stills & Nash-Daylight Again

  25. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young-Deja Vu

  26. Christopher Cross-Christopher Cross

  27. Miles Davis- Bitches Brew

  28. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

  29. Dire Straits-Making Movies

  30. Doobie Brothers-Toulouse Street

  31. Eagles-The Long Run

  32. Electric Light Orchestra-Out Of The Blue

  33. Emerson, Lake & Palmer-Works Volume 1

  34. Melissa Etheridge-Brave And Crazy

  35. Donald Fagen-The New York Rock And Soul Review

  36. Donald Fagen-The Nightfly

  37. Fleetwood Mac-Rumours

  38. Foghat-Foghat

  39. Genesis-Invisible Touch

  40. Hall & Oates-Private Eyes

  41. George Harrison-All Things Must Pass

  42. Head East-Flat As A Pancake

  43. Heart-Dreamboat Annie

  44. John Hiatt-Slow Turning

  45. Hootie And The Blowfish-Cracked Rear View

  46. Bruce Hornsby & The Range-The Way It Is

  47. Indigo Girls-Nomads, Indians & Saints

  48. J. Giles Band-Bloodshot

  49. James Gang-Straight Shooter

  50. Jefferson Airplane-Red Octopus

  51. Billy Joel-The Stranger

  52. Elton John-Goodbye Yellowbrick Road

  53. Rickie Lee Jones-Rickie Lee Jones

  54. Kansas-Leftoverture

  55. Kiss-Dressed To Kill

  56. Mark Knopfler -Shangri La

  57. Alison Krauss-Forget About It

  58. Little River Band-First Under The Wire

  59. The Liz Barnez Band-Inkmarks On Pages

  60. Shelby Lynne-Just A Little Lovin’

  61. Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays-As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

  62. Steve Miller-Book Of Dreams

  63. Joni Mitchell-Hissing of Summer Lawns

  64. Van Morrison – Moondance

  65. New Riders Of The Purple Sage-The Adventures Of Panama Red

  66. Stevie Nicks-Bella Donna

  67. Tom Petty-Damn The Torpedoes

  68. Poco-Legend

  69. The Police-Zenyatta Mendatta

  70. Queen-The Works

  71. REO Speedwagon-Ridin’ The Storm Out

  72. Robbie Robertson-Robbie Robertson

  73. Linda Ronstadt-Simple Dreams

  74. Roxy Music -Avalon

  75. Rush-2112

  76. Sawmill Creek-Wild Western Windblown Band

  77. Bob Seger-Night Moves

  78. Paul Simon-Still Crazy After All These Years

  79. Bruce Springsteen-Born To Run

  80. Steely Dan-Aja

  81. Steely Dan - Gaucho

  82. Steely Dan-Two Against Nature

  83. Styx-Crystal Ball

  84. Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman

  85. Joss Stone-The Soul Sessions

  86. Supertramp- Crime of the Century

  87. Richard and Linda Thompson- Shoot Out The Lights

  88. Toto-Hydra

  89. Traffic-Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys

  90. Trooper-Knock ’Em Dead Kid

  91. Robin Trower-Bridge of Sighs

  92. The Wallflowers-Bringing Down The Horse

  93. Joe Walsh-The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get

  94. Wings-Band On The Run

  95. Wings-Venus And Mars

  96. The Wonderful Sounds of Female Vocals

  97. The Wonderful Sounds of Male Vocals

  98. Yes-Fragile

  99. Warren Zevon-Warren Zevon

  100. ZZ Top-Tres Hombres

 

This is just for fun. I found a ton of albums off the thread, listed at the top, that I had forgot about. Was hoping to find even more. If you want to participate, cool! If not, please don’t.

I’m by no means expecting everyone to add a list of 100 titles. I thought it was a blast, but did take some time.  I've also had a blast going back and relistening to a lot of these.  Man, I sure missed them.

Play if you want...

 

(This is by no means a final, definitive list. Probably hundreds of more albums await...)

128x128mofimadness
rpeluso
1,046 posts
 

the fact that you tylermunns have Watertown on your list is amazing!  Such a great record.  AND Mabel Joy (frisco, of course)

mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness OP
4,982 posts
 

@tylermunns...top notch list dude!  Very diverse.  Need to look up a few of your artists.

tylermunns
601 posts
 

@rpeluso Both of those OG LP’s probably cost me a combined $1.50.
I found an immaculate OG copy (well, warped, but no factor after a nice clamp) of Frisco Mabel Joy on the floor (not even in a carton or box, just on the floor) of a thrift store. I think they asked for 25 or 50 cents.
A few years later I found Watertown amongst the “Easy Listening” (I’m sorry, but that is such a dumb label 😆) section of a record store, the “Easy Listening” section being an entire wall, 10 ft tall, 15 ft wide.
Had plenty of time on my hands, so just started digging through miles of the stuff, most of the LPs covered with the kind of dust you “taste” as you keep digging.
A couple dozen Sinatra LPs in there, pulled out/inspected several, but was intrigued by Watertown. “Hmmm…what’s this one? 1970?…definitely a different type of artwork, presentation, ‘vibe’ from a typical Sinatra LP…ah, hell, let’s give this one a go…”
$1 later, I’m throwing that puppy on my turntable and standing in front of the speakers, mouth agape…”holy crap …this is a very special album.”
Over the past few years I keep coming back to it, and it’s emotional grip over me only seems to grow.
Just remarkable that he would say “yes” to a “concept album” (I’m not a fan of that term, but that’s pretty much what the album is) by Jake Holmes and Bob Gaudio in 1970, give the album absolutely everything he’s got, and somehow it comes off like a contemporaneous Lou Reed, Neil Young, or Scott Walker LP, yet somehow 100% Frank, and Frank somehow retains 100% of his dignity.
There’s not a shred of, “oh, poor guy, he’s trying to stay relevant.”
Not at all.
It’s just a unique, brilliantly written, brilliantly arranged, brilliantly performed, extremely sincere, empathetic, emotionally rich and flat-out gorgeous album.

Sometimes the Record-Buying Gods bless you.

mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness OP
4,982 posts
 

Qobuz has the 24/192 version of "Watertown".  I have quite a few Frank Sinatra albums, but must confess to not knowing about this one.  Thanks!

tylermunns
601 posts
 

@mofimadness Not sure how much you dig vinyl, but the OG can be had in EX condition real cheap. Haven’t heard the ‘22 remaster.  
I say this not so much as an analog disciple as much as a fan of…gosh, how do I put it…a particular…cinematic(?) quality the LP format of this LP presents, with it’s calculated Side A—>Side B format and remarkable album art.  
I also wouldn’t recommend reissues that tack on “Lady Day” as a bonus track.  
Even if it was a good song, it messes up the album, and I don’t think it’s a very good song anyway, personally.  
Just wanted to throw that out there.

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