These Are Our Classics

Continuing on with my ode to the perfect album, I want to touch on those songs that are classics even though they might not be considered classics. Everyone has their favorite tracks on whatever album they listen to. Usually when albums are released they come with a plethra of singles and that is what serves are the representative of that album. Reasonable Doubt had "Can't Knock The Hustle", Ready To Die had "Big Poppa", Thug Motivation 101 had "Go Crazy". All amazing singles, but what about those songs that were equally good or better than people came to love but also came to forget. You know what I'm talking about, those tracks that when you hear them you go, "Whoa, that was my jam on that CD" or what I like to call the Forgotten Classics aka Under-Appreciated Tracks. These are the tracks that are outstanding.... Now you probably wonder what the hell do I mean by "outstanding"? These songs that I'm referring to either contain lyrical content/prowess that is above the content that the artist is known for or that the production of the song is perfectly put together and helps convey the message/idea that the artist is trying to convey. These are songs that you either played out because you loved them so much the first time and you are rediscovering how great they are or songs that you can listen to everyday because to you, they will never be over-played. Now, I'm not saying that there are singles that are released that don't do this, but I'm speaking to those songs that aren't released to the masses, and the only way one would hear these tracks is if they give the actual album a listen to.... and not just the radio. Perfect example, Eminem. The singles that Eminem releases half the time never truely represent what he really is all about. The first single is always some upbeat social satire of celebrity lifestyle, but if you actually took time to listen to an Eminem album, thats the least of what he is talking about. Eminem's intial singles don't show how talented he is, they don't showcase why he is easiest one of the best rappers alive. However, take a moment and listen to his albums, they are dark and brooding and contain some of the most creative lyrical flows ever crafted...even though he does has some missteps in which he goes on some wierd suicidal tangent, however that is not the topic of this discussion. While I have many songs that I can list, I'm only going to name a few, mainly because I'm working off a limited music supply due to that hard drive issue I wrote about earlier this month.

Forgotten Classics
Last Call - Kanye West - The College Dropout
Provider - N.E.R.D -In Search Of...
Be (Intro) - Common - Be
If I Ruled The World - Nas - It Was Written
To Zion - Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Marshal Mathers - Eminem - The Marshal Mathers LP
Faces In The Hall - Gym Class Heroes - The Papercut Chronicles
Tie My Hands - Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
Can't Let Go - Amerie - All I Have
I Know - Jay-Z - American Gangster

Now, these are songs that I find to be those forgotten classics. Those songs that when I hear randomly, I let ride out because something about them speaks to me. However, everyone has their own, but you should go back and listen to one of those songs that you find amazing to hear, even if you heard it 10 thousand times before.

Next excerpt: The Perfect Beat