Recordings That Send Shivers Up My Spine

As far back as I can recall, music has always played an integral part of my life. Being raised in a household with a piano-playing mother and uncle didn't hurt, either. My dad tried to warble a bit, but his best work was in the shower. For me music has done more than soothed me when down, it is something of which I cannot live without. If I had to lose one of my five senses, I would not relish the loss of my sense of hearing.

If I did, then I would no longer be able to hear the strains, the melodies, and the performances of the following list of recordings that are "Heaven" for my ears. In no particular order have I compiled this list of performances that get my heart pounding with every perfectly blended note. This is a tribute to the artists, the lyricists, the band members, and Thomas Edison, who made all this possible for all to enjoy.
1. Love is Like an Itchin' in My Heart/The Supremes
2. That's Life/Frank Sinatra
3. Send in the Clowns/Judy Collins
4. Summertime/cast from the Broadway Show
5. Love Shack/The B-52's
6. Stayin' Alive/The Bee Gees
7. Fanny (Be Tender With Your Heart)/The Bee Gees
8. Yesterday/The Beatles
9. I Want to Take You Higher/Sly and the Family Stone
10. You Make Me Feel (like a Natural Woman)/Aretha Franklin
11. Until You Come Back to Me (That's All I'm Gonna Do)-Aretha Franklin
12. Amazing Grace -Jessye Norman
13. I'm Every Woman-Chaka Khan
14. Superstition -Stevie Wonder
15. Do I Do -Stevie Wonder
16. As-Stevie Wonder
17. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds-The Beatles
18. Something-The Beatles
19. All You Need is Love-The Beatles
20. Over the Rainbow-Judy Garland
21. Crazy-Patsy Cline
22. What's Goin' On-Marvin Gaye
23. I Want You-Marvin Gaye
24. Old Time Rock & Roll-Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
25. Climb Every Mountain-from the Broadway musical "The Sound of Music"
26. New York, New York-Frank Sinatra
27. I Left My Heart in San Francisco-Tony Bennet
28. Fever-Peggy Lee
29. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas-anyone
30. The Christmas Song-Nat "King" Cole
31. This Christmas-Donny Hathaway
32. Theme from "Goldfinger"-Shirley Bassey
33. Johnny Angel-Shelley Fabares
34. Macarther Park-both the Richard Harris and Donna Summer renditions
35. Let's Stay Together-both versions by Al Green & Tina Turner, respectively
36. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy-The Andrews Sisters
37. Freak Out-Chic
38. Good Times-Chic
39. People-Barbara Streisand
40. Love Me Tender-Elvis Presley
41. I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas–Bing Crosby
42. Never Can Say Goodbye-The Jackson 5
43. Bennie and the Jets-Elton John
44. Nessun Dorma-Aretha Franklin
45. The Look of Love-Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, as well as Isaac Hayes's version
46. I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor
47. Rescue Me-Fontella Bass
48. Stormy Weather-Lena Horne
49. Never, Never Gonna Give You Up-Barry White
50. Freeway of Love-Aretha Franklin
51. Midnight at the Oasis-Maria Muldar
52. You Don't Bring Me Flowers-Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond
53. People-Barbara Streisand
54. Somewhere-Barbara Streisand
55. Sexual Healing-Marvin Gaye
56. 1999-Prince
57. When Doves Cry-Prince
58. Baby, I'm a Star-Prince
59. (Come on, Baby) Light My Fire-Jose Feliciano
60. Ode to Billy Joe-Bobbie Gentry
61. Ain't No Mountain High Enough-both the Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell and Diana Ross versions
62. Ebb Tide-Nancy Wilson
63. Shake Your Groove Thing-Peaches & Herb
64. Can You Feel What I'm Saying-Minnie Riperton
65. Get Down Tonight-KC & the Sunshine Band
66. Copacabana-Barry Manilow
67. Chuck-E's in Love-Rickie Lee Jones
68. Dancing Queen-ABBA
69. I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)-Alicia Bridges
70. Take a Bow-Madonna
71. Vogue-Madonna
72. When I Need You-Leo Sayer
73. Flashlight-Parliament
74. Knee Deep-Parliament
75. 1812 Overture-Arthur Fieldler and the Boston Pops
76. And I'm Telling You, I Ain't Goin'-Jennifer Holiday
77. Great Balls of Fire-Jerry Lee Lewis
78. Strange Fruit-Billie Holliday
79. The Man That Got Away-Judy Garland
80. You and I-Rick James
81. Haven't Got Time for the Pain-Carly Simon
82. I'm Coming Home-The Spinners
83. Nobody Does it Better (theme from "The Spy Who Loved Me")-Carly Simon
84. You're No Good-Linda Ronstadt
85. Don't Wanna Fall in Love-Jane Child
86. Notorious-Duran Duran
87. Let's Dance-David Bowie
88. I Can't Believe that You Love Me-Barry White
89. Boogie Wonderland-Earth, Wind & Fire & the Emotions
90. Got to be Real-Cheryl Lynn
91. Best of My Love-The Emotions
92. Don't Ask My Neighbors-The Emotions
93. Since I Fell for You (1971)-Laura Lee
94. Teach Me Tonight (1977)-Phoebe Snow
95. Ain't Understanding Mellow-Jerry Butler/Brenda Lee Eager
96. Anything for Your Love-Nancy Wilson
97. I Feel for You-Chaka Khan
98. Vertigo/Relight My Fire-Dan Hartman
99. Deja vu-Dionne Warwick and Isaac Hayes
100. I'm Not in Love-10cc
101. Smiling Faces Sometimes-The Temptations

Whew! It is obvious that I have a lot of free time on my hands. Rolling Stone, and all you other compilers of lists, eat your hearts out!