#434 Donna- Ritchie Valens

I had a girl/
Donna was her name.
Since she left me/
I’ve never been the same.

One of the things the things about this top 500 list that is different from Rolling Stones Top 500 list is the value of songs from the 1950s. So many of Rollng Stones songs from the 50s have aged poorly-even if we can appreciate their contribution to the history of rock. “Donna” is that much more impressive; it was written in 1958. It has aged well.

Donna Greatest Songs Meaning
Ritchie and Donna

Valens would die at 17, along with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. It is hard to imagine what his career would have been had he lived. As is, he is a worthy member of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame who died at 17. Crazy.

The power of “Donna” is that it is a love song about a guy who lost a girl. The melody is gorgeous in both the verse and bridge. This is another example of a song with a strong bridge that does not feel tacked on, but feels woven into the song and essential to the song. The lyrics feel simple- but not in a bad way.  I imagine if Donna heard this she would be receptive to a reconciliation!

Donna Lyrics

Oh, Donna, oh, Donna
Oh, Donna, oh, Donna

I had a girl
Donna was her name
Since she left me
I’ve never been the same
‘Cause I love my girl
Donna, where can you be?
Where can you be?

Now that you’re gone
I’m left all alone
All by myself
To wander and roam
‘Cause I love my girl
Donna, where can you be?
Where can you be?

Well, darlin’, now that you’re gone
I don’t know what I’ll do
All time and all my love for you

I had a girl
Donna was her name
Since she left me
I’ve never been the same
‘Cause I love my girl
Donna, where can you be?

Where can you be?
Oh, Donna, oh, Donna
Oh, Donna, oh, Donna
Oh

Songwriters: Ritchie Valens

#433 Just Give Me A Reason- Pink w/ Nate Ruess

I’m sorry I don’t understand/
Where all of this is coming from/
I thought that we were fine.

“Just Give Me A Reason” is about two people failing to communicate, thus creating problems in their relationship where there might not otherwise be any. The problems are caused by a seemingly insecure woman.

The girl thinks she hears her guy talking in his sleep about things that he doesn’t talk to her about. Her mind begins to run wild thinking about possible problems between them. Is he hiding something from her? Has he tired of her? He responds with the great line above.

Just Give Me a Reason Meaning
Pink

Luckily, the guy sounds pretty patient. He tells her it’s all in her mind and he feels confident in their love (“my dear we still have everything”). But her suspicions are now causing her to turn away from him. Then she asks him to give her a reason to keep trying in the relationship. She sounds a bit crazy. Or at the very least she catastrophes everything. He seems to remain steadfast. Perhaps we can all relate to both partners at some point or another.

Just Give Me A Reason Meaning
Nate Ruess

The vocals are great and the duet structure works well, as the two are having a conversation and it is appropriate that there be two voices. This song was written by Pink and Nate Ruess, the lead singer for Fun. Great melody, meaning and song structure.

Just Give Me A Reason Lyrics

Right from the start
You were a thief, you stole my heart
And I your willing victim
I let you see the parts of me, that weren’t all that pretty
And with every touch you fixed them
Now you’ve been talking in your sleep oh oh
Things you never say to me oh oh
Tell me that you’ve had enough
Of our love, our love

Just give me a reason, just a little bit’s enough
Just a second we’re not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
It’s in the stars, it’s been written in the scars on our hearts
We’re not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again

I’m sorry I don’t understand
Where all of this is coming from
I thought that we were fine (Oh we had everything)
Your head is running wild again
My dear we still have everythin’
And it’s all in your mind (Yeah but this is happenin’)
You’ve been havin’ real bad dreams oh oh
You used to lie so close to me oh oh
There’s nothing more than empty sheets between our love, our love
Oh our love, our love

Just give me a reason, just a little bit’s enough
Just a second we’re not broken just bent and we can learn to love again
I never stop, you’re still written in the scars on my heart
You’re not broken just bent and we can learn to love again

Oh tear ducts and rust
I’ll fix it for us
We’re collecting dust, but our love’s enough
You’re holding it in
You’re pouring a drink
No nothing is as bad as it seems
We’ll come clean

Just give me a reason just a little bit’s enough
Just a second we’re not broken just bent and we can learn to love again
It’s in the stars, it’s been written in the scars on our hearts
That we’re not broken just bent and we can learn to love again

Just give me a reason, just a little bit’s enough
Just a second we’re not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
It’s in the stars, it’s been written in the scars on our hearts
That we’re not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again

Oh we can learn to love again
Oh we can learn to love again oh oh
Oh that we’re not broken just bent and we can learn to love again

Songwriters: Alecia Moore / Jeff Bhasker / Nate Ruess

#432 The Look of Love- Dusty Springfield

The look of love/
Is saying so much more than/
Just words could every say.

“The Love of Love” is another Burt Bacharach classic, this time sung by the amazing Dusty Springfield. Springfield might have the sexiest voice of all time and it is best demonstrated on this song. There are a couple other singers in the running, but this song is an amazing demonstration.

The Look Of Love Meaning
Dusty Springfield

Notice the restraint with which she sings. No one does that like her.  She gets the proper credit she is due. Most would recognize five of her songs but only music geeks would recognize her name. She doesn’t have the name recognition of her peers like Aretha Franklin or maybe Patsy Cline.

This is a song as overtly about lust as you can imagine, and yet it was still a hit in pop music in the late 60s. Though, if you compare this to the rock of that period this is about on par. Nothing on the pop side was close to as sexual as this. Consider “Son of a Preacher Man, or Warwick’s “Walk on By”. This song was released in the seminal year of 1967 too, but we usually don’t think of it as a big year for pop, but a big year for rock. There was a lot going on in music that year.

The Look of Love Lyrics

The look of love
Is in your eyes
A look your smile
Can’t disguise

The look of love
Is saying so much more than
Just words could every say
And what my heart has heard
Well it takes my breath away

I can hardly wait to hold you
Feel my arms around you
How long I have waited
Waited just to love you
Now that I have found you

You’ve got the look of love
Is on your face
A look that time can’t erase

Be mine, tonight
Let this be just the start of
So many nights like this
Let’s take a lovers vow
And seal it with a kiss

I can hardly wait to hold you
Feel my arms around you
How long I have waited
Waited just to love you
Now that I have found you

Don’t ever go
Don’t ever go
I love you so

I can hardly wait to hold you
Feel my arms around you
How long I have waited
Waited just to love you
Now that I have found you

Don’t ever go
Don’t ever go
Don’t ever go

Songwriters: Burt Bacharach / Hal David