My 100 Favorite Charted Pop Songs: Take Me to the River

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”Pop” is a misnomer here, but this is the “hot 100” or popular songs chart (not “pop music” in the sense of Frank Sinatra or Perry Como, who have also graced this list). And what else goes with a Tex Ritter song but this? Huh??? Here’s today’s song that introduced me to one of my all-time favorite bands. Take Me to the River - Talking Heads Absolutely THE definitive cover of this Al Green song. This introduced me to Al Green and Talking Heads. And, after hearing the Heads do it, I wasn’t interested in anyone else’s version. (Seriously: Delbert McClinton covered it on The Jealous Kind, and I learned quickly to skip that song on that album. Another time, and I probably would have said it was a great version.) Let’s face it: no other version has that killer bass line from Tina Weymouth (whose birthday is tomorrow)!! This wasn’t a very big hit for the Heads (their biggest hit was “Burning Down the House” in 1983), but it did crack the top 30 and set my music world on its ear. Thanks. Take Me to the River Written by Al Green and Teenie Hodges Recorded by Talking Heads From More Songs About Buildings and Food, 1978 Peak chart position: #26 Today’s country song: “There’s a New Moon Over My Shoulder” And am I the biggest fool of them all: