Based on the MTV LIVE series, VH-1 Storytellers (2000) reveals how songs got written, recorded, and performed. If you’re curious about how these songs and artists came together, this CD supplies some of the answers. There’s also a VH-1 DVD series featuring these artists. Do you remember these songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | David Bowie– | China Girl | 4:41 |
| 2 | Stevie Nicks– | Edge Of Seventeen | 6:54 |
| 3 | The Pretenders– | Back On The Chain Gang | 4:06 |
| 4 | Counting Crows– | Rain King | 5:53 |
| 5 | Dave Matthews Band– | CrashGuitar – Tim ReynoldsGuitar – Tim Reynolds | 5:05 |
| 6 | Jewel– | Who Will Save Your Soul | 7:06 |
| 7 | Lisa Loeb– | Stay | 3:08 |
| 8 | John Popper– | Regarding Steven | 5:05 |
| 9 | James Taylor (2)– | Mexico | 3:05 |
| 10 | Sheryl Crow– | Strong EnoughVocals – Stevie NicksVocals – Stevie Nicks | 3:21 |
| 11 | Eurythmics– | Here Comes The Rain Again | 3:55 |
| 12 | Natalie Merchant– | Carnival | 5:31 |
| 13 | John Mellencamp*– | Jack & Diane | 5:56 |
| 14 | Elvis Costello– | Just A Memory | 3:57 |
| 15 | Bee Gees– | How Deep Is Your Love | 2:26 |
I know most of these songs. My favorites would be the ones by David Bowie, Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Eurythmics. The ones I dislike would be Lisa Loeb ( who has based a three decades career on just one song), Jewel, Counting Crows and James Taylor. The only ones I don’t know are the John Popper and Natalie Merchant songs, although I know who the singers are.
Steve, Lisa Loeb is still making her one hit, “Stay,” pay off for her by performing it in a GEICO commercial.
Familiar music, though I need never hear the Mellencamp nor BeeGees again (nor any Gibb music). One of Bowie’s weaker later hits.
Wasn’t the show on VH-1 first? MTV (including all its offshoots) was a real pain in the ass to deal with in terms of getting and providing scheduling information. The worst. Probably because they didn’t think their audience cared about schedules. More or less correctly.
Todd, you’re right. VH-1 STORYTELLERS was modeled after MTV LIVE and featured a different mix of performing artists.
I know all of the artists, but there are a couple of the songs I don’t remember. “Here Comes the Rain Again” and “Mexico” are probably my two favorite songs in the collection.
Deb, you picked two of the best songs on this VH-1 STORYTELLERS CD.
I remember just a few of the songs and the performers though two of my favourite female singers are included:
Sheryl Crow and Natalie Merchant – bought most of their LPs.
Wolf, Natalie Merchant left 10,000 MANIACS for a solo career. Sheryl Crow was a backup singer who managed to because a star.
Phil was crazy about Natalie Merchant (her voice at least) and because my kids were still around when these came out, I know more than usual.
Patti, my sister-in-law dismissed Natalie Merchant’s songs as “drug music.” I liked her when she sang with 10,000 MANIACS and bought her solo albums, too.
I loved their song “About the Weather,” and they did a good cover of Patti Smith’s “Because the Night” (although not as good as Patti’s or Springsteen’s versions). I didn’t care much for Merchant’s solo music—a little too twee for my tastes.
Deb, I prefer the songs Merchant did with 10,000 MANIACS rather than her solo work.
I also liked Natalies work with the maniacs and was disappointed when she left them.
Sheryl did some wonderful live performances. If I remember correctly she sang at Eric Clapton (did he really become such an a**hole?) crossroads festival.
Wolf, 10,000 MANIACS continued to be successful without Nathalie, but they generated no Top Ten hits. I love the Mary Ramsey and 10,000 MANIACS version of “Who Knows Where the Time Goes.”
Faves would be Bowie (saw him 3 times in concert), Stevie Nicks, The Pretenders, and the Bee Gees.
Is Lisa Loeb the same one that’s now doing the Geico commercial? I recognize the name from that but I don’t remember her song.
Beth, yes, that’s Lisa Loeb in that GEICO commercial. “Stay” was released in May 1994 as the lead single from the original movie soundtrack to Reality Bites.
You should have provided a little more information about the cd. Do they have the singers talking on the cd? Do they talk over the song, or before or after it? Or are the singers’ comments in the booklet? The time lengths — 3 to 7 minutes — don’t really indicate how it works.
Jeff, if you want all the detailed information on the songs, you need the DVDs. This CD includes a booklet that provides background to the songs. The songs themselves were recorded live.
VH1 Storytellers:
Episode Name Date
01 Ray Davies 06-02-1996
02 Jackson Browne 06-09-1996
03 Elvis Costello 06-16-1996
04 Lyle Lovett 06-23-1996
05 Sting 07-15-1996
06 The Black Crowes 08-27-1996
07 Melissa Etheridge 09-13-1996
08 Garth Brooks 10-20-1996
09 Bee Gees 11-25-1996
10 James Taylor 03-26-1997
11 Phil Collins 04-14-1997
12 Willie Nelson & Johnny Cash 05-12-1997
13 John Fogerty 06-06-1997
14 Counting Crows 08-12-1997
15 Billy Joel 09-01-1997
16 Elton John 09-19-1997
17 Paul Simon 10-20-1997
18 Sarah McLachlan with Paula Cole 01-29-1998
19 Shawn Colvin 03-27-1998
20 Rod Stewart 04-28-1998
21 Culture Club 05-02-1998
22 Bonnie Raitt 05-12-1998
23 Ringo Starr 05-13-1998
24 Hanson 06-27-1998
25 Stevie Nicks 08-18-1998
26 Sheryl Crow 08-20-1998
27 Natalie Merchant 09-14-1998
28 John Mellencamp 10-01-1998
29 Meat Loaf 10-05-1998
30 R.E.M. 10-23-1998
31 Tori Amos 10-24-1998
32 Tony Bennett and Backstreet Boys 10-25-1998
33 Dave Matthews Featuring Tim Reynolds 03-24-1999
34 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers 03-31-1999
35 Tom Waits 04-01-1999
36 Jewel 06-09-1999
37 The Pretenders 06-25-1999
38 Alanis Morissette 07-26-1999
45 Def Leppard 07-26-1999
46 David Bowie 08-23-1999
47 Lenny Kravitz 08-22-1999
48 Wyclef Jean And Friends 09-07-1999
49 Eurythmics 08-28-1999
50 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 02-18-2000
51 Steely Dan 02-01-2000
52 Don Henley 02-19-2000
53 Pete Townshend 04-26-2000
54 The Best of Storytellers 2000
55 Stone Temple Pilots 03-08-2000
56 Bon Jovi 09-22-2000
57 No Doubt 08-10-2000
58 Duran Duran 06-25-2000
59 The Smashing Pumpkins 08-24-2000
60 A tribute to The Doors 09-26-2000
61 Matchbox Twenty 06-01-2001
62 Travis 06-08-2001
63 Electric Light Orchestra 06-15-2001
64 Billy Idol 06-22-2001
65 Train & Fuel 09-07-2001
66 Goo Goo Dolls 06-02-2002
67 Robert Plant 07-14-2002
68 Green Day 06-05-2005
69 Bruce Springsteen 04-23-2005
70 Coldplay 06-08-2005
71 Dave Matthews Band 09-13-2005
72 Pearl Jam 07-01-2006
73 Dixie Chicks 10-28-2006
74 Jay-Z 11-08-2007
75 Mary J. Blige 02-25-2008
76 Snoop Dogg 03-31-2008
77 Kid Rock 11-27-2008
78 Kanye West 02-28-2009
79 ZZ Top 06-27-2009
80 Foo Fighters 11-27-2009
81 John Mayer 12-10-2009
82 Christina Aguilera 05-05-2010
83 Infant Sorrow 06-04-2010
84 T.I. 12-10-2010
85 Kings of Leon 05-13-2011
86 Cee-Lo Green 05-20-2011
87 Death Cab for Cutie 05-27-2011
88 My Morning Jacket 06-03-2011
89 Ray LaMontagne 06-10-2011
90 Maxwell 06-17-2011
91 Jill Scott 05-12-2012
92 Jason Mraz 06-01-2012
93 Norah Jones 06-08-2012
94 Grace Potter and the Nocturnals 06-15-2012
95 Taylor Swift 11-11-2012
96 Alicia Keys 11-12-2012
97 P!nk 11-13-2012
98 Ed Sheeran 01-24-2015
Nice list!
Of these 98 songs many are in my favorite group.
I just started looking up my favourite performers on youtube again – sometimes you find really exotic shows. I wish we had had these features many years ago. There’s so much brilliant material from all sources.
Wolf, I have to ration time on YOUTUBE or I’d be there all day!
I know some of them. Saw Stevie Nicks in concert with Don Henley and of course she did “Edge of Seventeen” – I was almost dizzy from the Whirling Stevies twirling around in front of us. Jimmy Buffett did a good cover of “Mexico” with a very similar arrangement. Of course I know the Bee Gees and Mellencamp (which, as I remember it, was a favorite of George’s) and The Pretenders and The Eurythmics. And I like Loeb’s GEICO ad.
Jeff, I don’t know how they did it, but Lisa Loeb doesn’t look like she’s aged a day in that GEICO commercial.
A second career in children’s music keeps one young. Good exercise regimens and the genes that have one looking pretty much the same from 20yo to 50yo (except for the ever-thinner hair and the fading scars, I have the latter) can help.
Todd, I try to work out at the Pool every chance I get. It’s improved my mobility…and well-being.
Do you have a Phillips CPAP? There’s a recall!
Bob, I have a Philips Dreamwear CPAP mask. My CPAP is a Resmed Airsense 10.