The 11 Best Songs By Ben Harper and...Someone Else

While most artists start off in a band and end up going solo as their career progresses, Ben Harper started out solo and is now creating new collaborations as his career evolves.  Each new partnership is different than the last and adds unique new layers to an already rich musical career.  As great as it to push the boundaries of music, it's appreciated to see an artist like Harper embrace the past.  I'm not a fan of gospel but loved his collaboration with the Blind Boys of Alabama.  And if that album turned a Jewish boy onto songs about Jesus...then he's doing something right.  This newest creative endeavor is with legendary blues harmonica player, Charlie Musselwhite.  Who was the last popular artist to include a harmonica solo on their record?  Exactly.

The 11 Best Songs By Ben Harper and...Someone Else:

1. Burn to Shine (Burn To Shine w/ the Innocent Criminals)
2. Up To You Now (White Lies For Dark Times w/ The Relentless7)
3. Alone (Burn To Shine w/ the Innocent Criminals)
4. Simmer and Shine (White Lies For Dark Times w/ The Relentless7)
5. Fight Outta You (Lifeline w/ the Innocent Criminals)
6. There Will Be A Light (There Will Be a Light w/ the Blind Boys of Alabama)
7. Lay There And Hate Me (White Lies For Dark Times w/ The Relentless7)
8. Take My Hand (There Will Be a Light w/ the Blind Boys of Alabama)
9. Show Me A Little Shame (Burn To Shine w/ the Innocent Criminals)
10. Church House Steps (There Will Be a Light w/ the Blind Boys of Alabama)
11. Put It On Me (Lifeline w/ the Innocent Criminals)

Buy Ben Harper and Charlie Musslewhite's new album, Get Up!...now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Ben Harper of the 90s

On another note from my car trip this weekend, I've been exploring the numerous XM/Sirius stations that come free with my new car for three months.  I noticed that there are about 25-30 rock stations but only about 5 pop stations.  With the constant media announcements that rock is dead, why would you have so many stations playing rock if no one wants to hear it?  This is just another of the long list of examples of the disconnect between what the record industry is pushing down our throats and what we actually want to listen to.  America crowds around the TV to watch American Idol and vote on their favorites...then as soon as it's over, they switch the channel to their favorite classic rock station.  I'm not suggesting there should be an American Rock Idol...the exact opposite actually.  You can't manufacture music.  It doesn't work.  There's a reason people return to rock music.  There's something real and authentic to it.  There's a real connection to it.        People love American Idol for the competition aspect...not the music.  If people truly love the singers...Clay Aiken would have been the next Michael Jackson...not the next Mike Reno.

Real musical artists have real careers.  Twenty years into his career, Ben Harper shows no signs of slowing down.  And he didn't need to win a popularity contest to be successful.

Here Are the 11 Best Songs By Ben Harper of the 90s:

1.  Another Lonely Day (Fight For Your Mind)

2.  Glory & Consequence (The Will To Live)

3.  Oppression (Fight For Your Mind)

4.  Widow of a Living Man (The Will To Live)

5.  Burn One Down (Fight For Your Mind)

6.  Jah Work (The Will To Live)

7.  Burn To Shine (Burn To Shine)

8.  By My Side (Fight For Your Mind)

9.  Will To Live (The Will To Live)

10.  Forever (Welcome To The Cruel World)

11.  God Fearing Man (Fight For Your Mind)

Buy Ben Harper's new album, Give Til It's Gone...now!!

The 11 Best Songs By Ben Harper

I think winning the NBA Finals may be the toughest sporting chanpionship of all professional sports. It's not just about be being the best physically...but being superior in all categories, inculding mental toughness and emotional endurance. The champion of the NBA finals will likely play more games in just the playoffs than an NFL Superbowl champion will play in its entire season. The NCAA's March Madness may be the most fun...but to be the Final Four Champ, you'll play less games than most NBA teams will play in their opening best of seven series. The MLB champs play more games in their season (but their season is actually shorter). And their playoffs are a series short of even holding a candle to the NBA. Only the NHL can compare. But as close as the NHL comes, they fall short because they "re-seed" the playoff teams after each round. Ensuring that the #1 seed will always have the lightest path.

So no matter how the cards fall in the playoffs, whoever wins the NBA finals, without a doubt, deserves it.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Ben Harper:

1. Another Lonely Day (Fight For Your Mind)
2. Jah Work (The Will To Live)
3. Glory and Consequence (The Will To Live)
4. Opression (Fight For Your Mind)
5. With My Own Two Hands (Diamonds On the Inside)
6. Burn One Down (Fight For Your Mind)
7. Don't Take That Attitude To Your Grave (Welcome to the Cruel World)
8. Excuse Me Mr. (Fight For Your Mind)
9. Diamonds on the Inside (Diamonds On the Inside)
10. Burn To Shine (Burn To Shine)
11. Mourning Yearning (Both Sides of the Gun)

Buy Ben Harper and the Relentless 7's new album, White Lies For Dark Times. Only $3.99...seriously, you can't beat that.

The Unknown: Ben Harper - It's Radioactive (Live)

The first time I ever saw Ben Harper play live was the first time I ever heard his music.  Back in college, I begged my connection at the label for passes to the show because I was more interested in seeing the opening act.  I think it might have Coolbone.  Remember those guys?  Yeah...no one does.  But until that point, I had honestly never given him a fair listen, and it was like he knew it too.  I was trying to get my friend to leave after the opening act but we decided to stay for one song.  That opening song was 17-minutes long.  It was an epic jam on the scale of Hendrix proportions.  If there was any more songs in Ben's set that night...it really didn't matter.  This one song was filled with so much energy and electricity, he could have ended his set right there and not one person would have been disappointed.  In fact, it was so fucking brilliant, I'm sure most of us would have forked over more cash just because we felt guilty.  But this wasn't the only song...there more...and as the momentum of the concert built, the intensity of the songs magnified with each note.  I wasn't a fan before the show...but the next day, I went out and bought all his albums.  It's hard to watch a musician this talented get shoved aside while the David Cooks, the Ciaras, and the Kelly Clarksons accolades, when most likely...they don't even know how to play the cowbell.  

Here's a live Ben Harper radio broadcast from 97 to give you a brief look at how amazing BH could be live.  And the missing tracks are just radio promos...don't worry...you're not missing anything.

Ben Harper - It's Radioactive (LIVE)

1.  Ground On Down/Star Spangled Banner

2.  Voodoo Child

3.  Don't Take That Attitude To Your Grave

4.  Excuse Me Mr.

5.  Gold To Me

6.  Sexual Healing

7.  Please Me Like You Want To

8.  Burn One Down/Jah Work

Buy Ben Harper and the Relentless 7's new album, White Lies For Dark Times

(only $3.99!!!!!)