Favorite Number Songs #8 - "Take Five"
@teamfreak16 (43451)
Denver, Colorado
June 25, 2017 2:07pm CST
Thus far in my Favorite Number Songs series (numbers in the title spelled out,) we've had a legendary reggae group (Culture,) and a musician whose career is at least worthy of consideration for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Joe Jackson.) So for #8, we bring you a jazz legend: "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck. (By the way, @FourWalls is doing this same countdown, so be sure to check hers out as well!)
Here is all you have to know: Brubeck's 1959 tune, "Take Five," is the biggest selling jazz single in history.
Anyway, composed by saxophonist Paul Desmond, "Take Five" is probably the most instantly recognizable jazz song ever. While the tune initially did nothing, it was rereleased as a single in 1961, when it reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Take Five" has been covered a few times, notably by Al Jarreau, George Benson, Chet Atkins, Grover Washington, Jr., and Stevie Wonder.
Be sure to enjoy the video, a live performance featuring fantastic solo's from both Desmond, and pianist Brubeck.
(Info verified by Wikipedia)
7 people like this
7 responses
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
25 Jun 17
My first thought this is Brubeck's biggie and you spelled that out.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Jun 17
Kind of makes me wonder what changed during those two years for it to suddenly become a hit.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Jun 17
@FourWalls - That all makes perfect sense. Had to fill the Holly/Elvis void somehow.
2 people like this
@AliCanary (3043)
•
25 Jun 17
@FourWalls - I actually don't consider those two songs to be super diverse, as they are both folk ballads, really. Now give me AM radio in the 70s--disco, country, R&B, lyrical ballads, rock, funk, psychedelica, lite pop, you name it!
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (45004)
• Preston, England
25 Jun 17
it is such a great instrumental
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Jun 17
It is. Such brilliant sax play.
2 people like this
@AliCanary (3043)
•
25 Jun 17
I definitely knew it already, and I'm not even big into jazz (VERY big into blues, though; go figure).
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61103)
• United States
25 Jun 17
The song so good a candy bar was named after it!!!
The one jazz song "everybody" knows. And it's a doozy.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Jun 17
Yep. It's heard in TV commercials and such so much that most people should at least recognize it when they hear it.