November Set List

 November 2025

Set List

1.  Clocks

2.  4 Minutes

3.  Once In a Lifetime

4.  Serious

5.  Porcelain

6.  Don't Wanna Fight

7.  Blue on Black

8.  Black and Blue

9.  Kind of Blue (album)

10.  Taps

December Set List Announcement

Dear readers and passersby,

I am having major abdominal surgery on Wednesday, December 3rd that will impact the annual holiday season on Set List.

I will be offline Monday, December 1st to Friday, December 5th.  I hope to resume posting next weekend.

As you know, I always launch the first five days with product promotions.  For several years, I highlighted zZounds but sadly the partnership did not work out.  This year's plan was my new Avon business, including beauty, jewelry, fashion, men's products, and home decor.

I am very excited to be an Avon Ambassador and am eager to share my venture with you, so...

Should you be curious, explore my eStore.

Should you be interested, shop and enjoy!

Happy Holidays 😊

- Lauren 

Happy Thanksgiving

Dear readers and passersby,

From mine to yours, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.  May your holiday be filled with content happiness and family love...and delicious food!

Enjoy the day and long holiday weekend.

If we cannot meet up tomorrow on Set List, I will catch up on Saturday!

- Lauren

by Ray Charles - Crying Time

 

Released in February 1966

Genres considered - R&B, Soul, Country

No. 15 on Billboard Top LP's

No. 1 on Billboard's Top Selling R&B LP's

Review Scores -

AllMusic - 3/5 Stars

Record Mirror - 4/5 Stars

(Wikipedia)

Wannabe - Spice Girls (Live on SNL 1997)

Spice Girls - UK

Saturday Night Live

New York City

Set List Special Ed. - The White Stripes Signature

 The White Stripes - RRHOF Class of 2025

"Seven Nation Army"

Opening track & lead single from the duo's 4th album, Elephant (2003)

Released in February 2003

Genres considered - Blues Rock, Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Punk Blues

No. 76 on Billboard Hot 100

No. 1 on Billboard Modern Rock

No. 12 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock

No. 61 on Canadian Singles Chart

No. 7 on UK Singles Chart

No. 1 on UK Indie Chart

No. 6 on Scottish Singles Chart

No. 22 on Irish Singles Chart

No. 17 on Australian Singles Chart

No. 4 on Official German Charts

Critical acclaim

Grammy Award win (Best Rock Song)

Grammy Award nomination

MTV Video Music Award 

80th most successful song in Billboard's history (2023)

No. 8 on Q magazine's 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks (2005)

No. 21 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time (2008)

No. 36 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2021)

Certifications -

5x Gold in Germany

Platinum in Belgium & Denmark

2x Platinum in Italy, Spain, & the U.S.

4x Platinum in Australia & the UK

5x Platinum in New Zealand

9x Platinum in Canada

Diamond in France

(Wikipedia)

Set List Special Ed. - Soundgarden Signature

 Soundgarden - RRHOF Class of 2025

"Black Hole Sun"

3rd single from Soundgarden's fourth album, Superunknown (1994)

Released in May 1994

Genres considered - Psychedelic Rock, Grunge, Alternative Rock, Hard Rock

Over 3 million in sales worldwide

No. 1 on Billboard Album Rock Tracks

No. 2 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks

No. 1 on Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks

No. 1 in Iceland

Top 10 in Australia, Canada, France, and Ireland

Top 20 in the UK (Soundgarden's highest-charting single)

MTV Video Music Award

1 Grammy Award nomination/1 win

No. 368 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2021)

Personnel -

Chris Cornell - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

Ben Shepherd - Bass

Matt Cameron - Drums, Backing Vocals

Kim Thayil - Lead Guitar

Certifications -

Gold in Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Italy, & Spain

Platinum in the UK

3x Platinum in New Zealand

Set List Special Ed. - OutKast Signature

 OutKast - RRHOF Class of 2025

"Hey Ya!"

Second single from OutKast's 5th album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Released in August 2003

Genres considered - Pop, Electro, Funk, Neo-Soul

Widespread critical acclaim

No. 1 in the U.S., Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Norway, & Sweden

No. 3 on UK Singles 

Top 10 in Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, & Switzerland

No. 1 on Billboard Hot Digital Tracks

No. 13 on Billboard Adult Top 40

No. 16 on Billboard Alternative Songs

Considered one of the greatest songs of the 2000s

First song to reach one million downloads on Apple iTunes

2 Grammy Award nominations

1 Grammy Award win (Best Urban/Alternative Performance)

1 BET Award nomination/1 BET Award win

1 iHeartRadio Much Music Video Award nomination/win

2 MTV Europe Music Award wins (Best Song, Best Video)

1 MTV Video Music Award nomination

4 MTV Video Music Award wins

(Video of the Year, Best Hip-Hop Video, Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction)

2 MTV Video Music Awards Japan nominations

2 NAACP Image Award nominations/1 win

1 Soul Train Music Award win (Best Video of the Year)

No. 10 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2021)

Certifications -

Gold in Canada & New Zealand

Platinum in Denmark, Italy, Norway, Spain, & Sweden

2x Platinum in Germany

4x Platinum in the UK

11x Platinum in Australia

Diamond in the U.S.

(Wikipedia)

Set List Special Ed. - Joe Cocker Signature

 Joe Cocker - RRHOF Class of 2025

"You Are So Beautiful"

Credited to American songwriters, Billy Preston & Bruce Fisher

Released in 1974 on Billy Preston's album, The Kids & Me

Genres considered - Pop, Soul

Joe Cocker's version -

Featured on the 1974 album, I Can Stand a Little Rain

No. 5 in the U.S. (Joe Cocker's highest charting solo in the U.S.)

No. 4 on Canada's Top Singles Chart

Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (2016)

Certified Silver in the UK

Side notes -

- "With a Little Help from My Friends" - Version of The Beatles, No. 5 in the UK, live show staple

- "Up Where We Belong" - Best selling, No. 1 in the U.S., duet with Jennifer Warnes

(Wikipedia)

Set List Special Ed. -- Cyndi Lauper Signature

 Cyndi Lauper - RRHOF Class of 2025

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"

Written by Robert Hazard in 1979

Revised by Cyndi Lauper in 1983

Debut single from Cyndi Lauper's debut solo album, She's So Unusual (1983)

Genres considered - New Wave, Pop

Considered a feminist anthem

Promoted by a music video that won an MTV Video Music Award

Point of interest - "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" has since been covered by over 30 artists.

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" was Cyndi Lauper's breakthrough song and is considered a signature for her.

No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100

Rolling Stone's The 100 Top Music Videos - No. 22

VH1's 100 Greatest Videos - No. 39

2 Grammy Award nominations (1985)

Certifications -

Gold in France, Japan, & Portugal

Platinum in Denmark, Germany, & Italy 

2x Platinum in Canada & Spain

3x Platinum in Brazil & the UK

4x Platinum in New Zealand

6x Platinum in the U.S.

(Wikipedia)

Set List Special Ed. - Chubby Checker Signature

 Chubby Checker - RRHOF Class of 2025

"The Twist"

Written and originally released by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters in 1958 with moderate success (No. 28 on Billboard Hot 100, over one million copies sold)

Chubby Checker's cover version, 1960

- No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 (1960)

- No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 (1962)

- "biggest hit of the 1960s" (Billboard, 2014)

- No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100, All-Time Chart

(Wikipedia)

Set List Special Ed. - Bad Company Signature

 Bad Company - RRHOF Class of 2025

"Bad Company"

Song on the debut album, Bad Company (1974)

Genre considered - Hard Rock

"Bad Company's all-time best song" - Matt Wardlaw, Ultimate Classic Rock

"Bad Company's best song" - Malcolm Dome, Classic Rock 

"Bad Company's 4th best song" - Janey Roberts, Classic Rock History

Personnel

Paul Rodgers - Vocals, Piano

Mick Ralphs - Lead Guitar

Simon Kirke - Drums

Boz Burrell - Bass

(Wikipedia)

Nirvana - Nevermind Certified

 

2nd album

Major-label debut 

Genres considered - Grunge, Alternative Rock

Critical and commercial success

Launched Nirvana into worldwide superstardom

No. 1 on Billboard 200

3 Grammy Award nominations

Over 30 million copies sold worldwide

One of the best-selling albums of all time

Added to the National Recording Registry in 2004

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

No. 6 in 2020 & 2023

Of the three albums in Nirvana's discography, Nevermind is the most and highest certified.  This highlight is the primary focus of the post.

Certifications -

Gold in Finland

2x Gold in Mexico

Platinum in Austria, Brazil, Iceland, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, & Switzerland 

2x Platinum in Germany & Sweden 

3x Platinum in Argentina, Japan, Poland 

4x Platinum in Italy

5x Platinum in Australia

6x Platinum in Denmark 

7x Platinum in New Zealand

8x Platinum in Belgium

9x Platinum in the UK

13x Platinum in the U.S.

Diamond in Canada & France

(Wikipedia)

Infinity

 

4th album

Released in January 1978

First album with vocalist Steve Perry

Last album with drummer Aynsley Dunbar

Genres considered - Rock, Hard Rock

Top singles -

"Wheel in the Sky" - March 1978

"Feeling That Way/Anytime" - June 1978

"Lights" - August 1978

No. 21 on Billboard 200

No. 37 on Swedish Albums

No. 22 on Canada Top Albums/CDs

Review Scores -

AllMusic - 4/5 Stars

The Rolling Stone Album Guide - 2/5 Stars

Track List -

Side One -

1.  Lights

2.  Feeling That Way

3.  Anytime

4.  La Do Da

5.  Patiently

Side Two -

1.  Wheel in the Sky

2.  Somethin' to Hide

3.  Winds of March 

4.  Can Do

5.  Opened the Door

Personnel -

Steve Perry - Lead vocals

Neal Schon - Electric & Acoustic guitars

Gregg Rolie - Keyboards

Ross Valory - Bass

Aynsley Dunbar - Drums

Certified Gold in Canada

Certified 3x Platinum in the U.S.

(Wikipedia)

Journey (album)

Debut album

Released in April 1975

Genre considered - Progressive Rock

Emphasized the band's instrumental talent

No. 138 on Billboard 200

No. 72 on Japanese Albums

Review Scores -

AllMusic - 2/5 Stars

Rolling Stone - (Favorable)

Track List -

Side One -

1.  Of a Lifetime

2.  In the Morning Day

3.  Kohoutek (instrumental)

Side Two -

4.  To Play Some Music

5.  Topaz (instrumental)

6.  In My Lonely Feeling/Conversations

7.  Mystery Mountain

Personnel -

Gregg Rolie - Lead vocals, Keyboards

Neal Schon - Lead guitar, Vocals

George Tickner - Rhythm guitar

Ross Valory - Bass, Piano, Vocals

Aynsley Dunbar - Drums

(Wikipedia)

Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind (Live)

"Georgia on My Mind"

Behind the Scenes

- 1930 original song

- Written by Hoagy Carmichael & Stuart Gorrell

- Recorded by Hoagy Carmichael in 1930

- Most associated with Ray Charles

- Recorded by Charles for his 1960 album, The Genius Hits the Road

- Charles' version was named the Georgia state song in 1979

- Part of the Great American Songbook

- Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame twice

1993 - Ray Charles's 1960 version

2014 - Hoagy Carmichael's version

- The original version had no connection to Georgia.  Hoagy Carmichael was from Indiana.  Stuart Gorrell was from Indiana.  Members of Carmichael's orchestra, involved in the recording, were from the Midwest.

- Ray Charles was born in Georgia.

Charles' version -

- No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

- No. 24 on UK Singles Chart

- No. 47 in Belgium

- 44th Greatest Song of All Time, Rolling Stone (2003)

Later versions -

- Ella Fitzgerald, 1962

- The Hawks, 1964

- The Band, 1976

- Willie Nelson, 1978 (Grammy Award, 1979)

(Wikipedia)

Blues Highlights - by Ray Charles

 Ray Charles Robinson

"The Genius"

"Brother Ray"

September 23, 1930 - June 10, 2004

(Ray was blinded during childhood and so wore dark glasses.)

Pioneered soul music during the 1950s through a blend of blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, & gospel

"...I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley..." - Billy Joel

Ray Charles's career is extensive, long, and detailed.  Read more on Wikipedia.

Success history -

61 Top 40 singles on Billboard R&B 

33 Top 40 singles on Billboard Hot 100

8 Top 40 singles on Billboard Hot Country

17 Grammy Awards (5 posthumously)*

*Grammy Awards Dedication (2005)

1 Academy of Country Music Award

Golden Plate Award (Academy of Achievement)

1 Country Music Association Award

Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1987)

10 recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame

Honors -

Kennedy Center Honors

National Medal of Arts

Polar Music Prize

Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Award (1991)

Lifetime Musical Achievement - George and Ira Gershwin Award (1991)

Inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame (1979)

Inaugural inductee at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986)

Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (2022)

Inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame (2022)

No. 10 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time

No. 2 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time

No. 6 on Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers of All Time 

Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts, University of South Florida (1990)

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Morehouse College (2001)

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Dillard University (2003)

A Tribute to Ray Charles: In Performance at the White House (2016)

Ray Charles's legacy is as profound as his lengthy career honored in the most fitting of ways.  His personal life, however, might be seen as devastating to his pristine performances.  He was addicted to drugs, especially heroin, and women.  He married twice but had numerous affairs.  He fathered 12 children with ten different women, born between the years 1949 and 1987.  He was arrested numerous times for drug-related offenses.  His first arrest in 1955 actually led to continued use if not greater.  An arrest in 1964 led to a permanent decision to get help and quit.

I would love to conclude this post with a highlight of Ray Charles' discography but, in a rather peculiar sense, music essayist Robert Christgau will write best -

Charles' discography is a "monumental mess."  

AllMusic estimates roughly 60 original albums and over 200 compilation albums.  Robert Christgau estimates more.

(Wikipedia)

Ray Charles was not immune to the lows of the entertainment industry but his career was.  A lifetime achievement is forever honored.

Spice Girls - Wannabe (Official Music Video)

Released in Japan in June 1996

Released in the UK in July 1996

Both ahead of the Spice album release

Genre considered - Dance Pop

Female empowerment

Girl power philosophy

Heavily promoted 

Music video, radio airplay

Performances on television 

Interviews & Photo shoots for teen magazines

Point of intrigue - "'Wannabe" received mixed reviews from critics but was a commercial success with awards & significant sales certification.  

The song was No. 1 on UK Singles Chart, No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 in 21 other nations by the end of 1996.  By the end of 1997, "Wannabe" was No. 1 in 37 countries.

No. 1 on Eurochart Hot 100

No. 1 in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, & Switzerland.

No. 1 in Australia (debuted at No. 64)

No. 1 in New Zealand (debuted at No. 38)

No. 1 in Hong Kong & Israel 

Top 5 in Austria, the Czech Republic, & Italy

No. 20 on Billboard Hot Dance Club Play

No. 9 on Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales

UK Reviews

U.S. Reviews

Present-day reviews are mostly positive.

As of January 1998, "Wannabe" has sold over 1.8 million copies in the U.S.

As of November 2012, "Wannabe" has sold over 1.38 million copies in the UK.

Music video

Certifications -

Gold in Belgium, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, & Switzerland

Platinum in Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, U.S. 

2x Platinum in Australia

3x Platinum in New Zealand 

4x Platinum in the UK

Diamond in France

(Wikipedia)

Spice Girls - Spice

 

Debut album

Released in Japan in September 1996

Released in the UK in November 1996

Genres considered - Pop, Dance Pop, Teen Pop, R&B

Concept - Girl Power

Hype compared to Beatlemania - "Spicemania"

No. 1 on UK Albums Chart

(Re-entered at No. 94 in November 2018 & No. 84 in June 2019)

No. 6 on Billboard 200

Later No. 1 

No. 1 in Canada 

No. 1 in France

No. 7 in Japan 

Top-selling album of 1997 

19 million copies sold in over a year

23 million copies sold worldwide 

As of May 2017, 7.5 million in sales in the U.S.

As of November 2021, over 3 million in sales in the UK.

One of the best-selling albums of all time

"Say You'll Be There" & "2 Become 1" - No. 1 in 53 countries

"Who Do You Think You Are" - Top 20 in Europe, Australia, & New Zealand

"Mama" - Top 20 in Europe, Australia, & New Zealand

All were No. 1 on UK Singles Chart

Lyrical content

Review Scores -

AllMusic - 4.5/5 Stars

Entertainment Weekly - B+

The Guardian - 3/5 Stars

Los Angeles Times - 2/4 Stars

Music Week - 5/5 Stars

NME - 8/10

Pitchfork - 6.8/10

Rolling Stone - 1.5/5 Stars

The Rolling Stone Album Guide - 3/5 Stars

USA Today - 2/4 Stars 

Track List -

1.  Wannabe

2.  Say You'll Be There

3.  2 Become 1

4.  Love Thing

5.  Last Time Lover

6.  Mama

7.  Who Do You Think You Are

8.  Something Kinda Funny

9.  Naked

10.  If U Can't Dance

Certifications -

Gold in Mexico 

3x Gold in Germany 

Platinum in Austria, Finland, Hong Kong, & New Zealand

2x Platinum in Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Norway, Poland, Sweden, & Switzerland 

3x Platinum in Belgium & the Netherlands 

4x Platinum in Italy

6x Platinum in Australia & Denmark 

7x Platinum in the U.S.

10x Platinum in Spain & the UK

Diamond in Canada & France

(Wikipedia)