My Top Ten Favorite Album/CDs

How hard is this to do? What music means to me is impossible to capture by words. With that said, my attempt to create my "Top Ten" list of favorite albums/CDs will probably most serve as a reminder to me, what the soundtrack of my life has been. Surely, there have been certain songs (Top Ten Song List soon to follow) but this is the definitive, bench-mark albums/CDs for my life. These are the must-have full length efforts that if I were deserted on an island, I would chose to have with me. These are the CDs, that when listened to, changed and continue to change my life.



1. Aretha Franklin's "Sparkle"
2. Stevie Wonder's "Song In The Key of Life"
3. Sheila E's "The Glamorous Life"
4. Janet Jackson's "Control"
5. Michael Jackson's "Dangerous"
6. Prince "Sign O' The Times"
7. Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet"
8. George Michael's "Faith"
9. Sandra St. Victor's "Mack Diva Saves The World"
10. Alanis Morrisette's "Jagged Little Pill"

1. Aretha Franklin's "Sparkle" - I truly should say Aretha Franklin and Curtis Mayfield's Sparkle because Curtis Mayfield wrote the HELL out some songs and Aretha Franklin kills everyone of 'em. The best 30 seconds of recorded singing EVER to me is the background singers (Cissy Houston included) on song 1 - the title track "Sparkle" - towards the very end of the song with Aretha's untouchable hollars of adlibs. It's one of those moments in recorded music history that the industry should have shut down for at least a year in honor of what Aretha and the collective delivered. This woman's voice has yet to be touched and is one of our National Treasures. Sure, she has delived too much music to choose from that could end up on this list (any Aretha Franklin's Greatest Hits "pre-1980" and Aretha's "A Rose Is Still A Rose" included) however, "Sparkle" is my definitive all time favorite album ever.