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Van the man
Song of the Day: After James Carr's soul classic, let's turn down down an unusually upbeat route written by by the Belfast legend for his 1979 album Into The Music, which includes a lyric inspired by it
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James Carr
Song of the Day: Following Nick Cave's Jubilee Street, let's continue down the magnificent but murky musical road with this 1967 soul classic by the Mississippi-born singer from album You Got My Mind Messed Up
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Mattiel
Song of the Day: Today's entry comes from the the singer-songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia, who is a designer by day and a performer by night, and here her rock-pop-soul songs reflect this, making multiple reference to colours
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Reggie Watts. A performer of infinite jest.
Song of the Day: Following Childish Gambino's laceration of American history and culture, let's move into loopier acerbic perspective with the comedian, rapper and singer from his 2010 album Why Shit So Crazy?
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Eartha Kitt in Las Vegas in the 1950s
Song of the Day: One flower-based song, three great voices doing their versions, all intense, intimate and intoxicating. Let's drink all of them in, interpreting this song written by James Shelton in 1950
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The Foundations
Song of the Day: After yesterday's Les Fleur by Minnie Riperton, we turned to another uplifting flower song by the great British ethnic-mix Motown-style band who were active between 1967 and 1971
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Minnie Riperton in 1971
Song of the Day: After our previous Manchester late-80s dance tracks, when flower power returned with a new chemical twist, we hark back to another petal-infused and influential song by the vocalist linked to our previous Rotary Connection selection
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Bill Withers
Song of the Day: Moving on to a sublime black-hole-where-the-sun-was song by the American artist from 1971's Just As I Am, and written when making toilet seats for 747 aeroplanes, but given a gold when when it was a hit
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Anyone got a backscratcher for The Supremes?
Song of the Day: Continuing the 'Love is Like" theme from yesterday, something to refresh the musical palate with a thumping classic from Diana Ross and co, penned by the timeless Holland-Dozier-Holland
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Ken Dodd's first of 19 chart hits was this tender tenor number in 1960
Song of the Day: What a perfect day, alongside hailing the tickling stick and five-hour shows, to say that the sadly departed comedian was also a huge 1960s pop star – and his first hit reveals a surprisingly beautiful tenor voice
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Aretha Franklin, of course
Song of the Day: Continuing our woman-man perspective mini-theme, a sublime moment from among the greatest of all voices with a song to stir anyone's emotions
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Millicent Fawcett campaigns for the vote in London's Hyde Park
Song of the Day: Two very contrasting songs to celebrate the centenary of the first legal step into women's suffrage in Britain - the Representation of People Act 1918 - followed by the eventually ratification across the US in 1920.
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Maybe nine can win? Fabulous family band The Sylvers
Song of the Day: After yesterday's Ty Segall/Hot Chocolate cover comparison, more material playing on the topic of who or may not be the winner in a relationship from the brilliant hip hop and jazz producer and the 70s funk and soul family group
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Elizabeth Fraser singing Teardrop on tour with Massive Attack in 2006
Song of the Day: After yesterday's Amy Winehouse, tears of another taste from another enthralling voice – Elizabeth Fraser formerly of the Cocteau Twins
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Amy Winehouse
Song of the Day: The voice, the lyrics and the timing – tears don't get much more moving than this – a double from the much missed singer who had many downs, but undoubtedly hit the heights with her Back to Black album of 2006
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The Moody Blues in 1965
Song of the Day: As time goes on, this heartbreak song grows in meaning as we say farewell to more and more pop and rock stars, and there's none better than to pay tribute the recently departed Moody Blues frontman Ray Thomas
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Rick Hall with Wilson Pickett and the great Muscle Shoals guitarist Jimmy Johnson
Song of the Day: Today's song could be one of many masterpieces, because it's really a tribute to its writer, the recently departed Rick Hall, who founded the magical musical well known as Fame Studios at 603 East Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, Alabama
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The Spinners, also known as he Detroit Spinners, not to be confused with the skiffle and folk group from Liverpool
Song of the Day: As relatives and lovers continue their post-Christmas journeys to and from their homes in hazardous weather, two versions of another classic that might help the journey
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The Four Tops: Levi Stubbs, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton
Song of the Day: A Motown classic from 1966, and the follow-up to Reach Out I'll Be There from the Reach Out album. Also written by Holland- Dozier-Holland, there are strong musical similarities, especially in the chorus, but this song is all about heartbreak
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Beyoncé's Crazy In Love, but where does the inspiration come from, other than Jay-Z?
Song of the Day: You ready? Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh, no, no. An uncharacteristically commercial behemoth to be appearing on SOTD, and while it's hard to resist a song that is so undeniably catchy and brilliant, passionate pop, where does the inspiration, and indeed music, come from?
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