Weekend Listomania (Special United In Group Harmony Video Edition)

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental fille de joie appointment secretary Fah Lo Suee and I are off to Washington, D.C., and the house of conservative bow-tie model George Will, who will be auctioning off plates and silverware used by President-elect Obama at a dinner earlier in the week. I believe there will be alcoholic beverages served during the proceedings, so posting by moi will necessarily be somewhat fitful for a few days.

But until then, as always, here's a fun project for us all to contemplate:

BEST HARMONY VOCALS (BACKGROUND OR OTHERWISE) ON A POST-ELVIS SINGLE OR ALBUM TRACK !!!

Self-explanatory, I think, so no arbitrary rules this time. Extra points, however, if the example you pick features just one guy overdubbing himself. And BTW, I am quite insufferably pleased with myself that there are actually two songs on the list recorded in this decade.

Okay, here's my totally top of my head Top Eight:

8. Shoes -- Too Late



You knew this was going to make the cut, right?

7. Joan Osborne -- Hallelujah in the City



From her 2008 album with the guys from the Hooters, the same creative team that did Relish. A spine-tinglingly gorgeous song, I think, and the harmonies on the middle section strike me as what the Byrds would have sounded like if they were girls.

6. The Byrds -- I Come and Stand at Every Door



And speaking of The Byrds. Examples too numerous to mention, obviously, but this one -- to my mind, still the greatest anti-war song ever -- has always turned me to jelly. David Crosby has often said he was born to sing harmony, and lord, does he prove it here. He only chimes in on one line, at the very end, but when he does the song opens up almost psychedelically. (For another, similar, example of Crosby's absolute genius at this sort of thing, check out his one line contribution on "5D," from the same album.)

5. Fairport Convention -- Percy's Song



It starts acapella and then gets even more gorgeous as it goes along. Funny how so many Dylan covers have such great harmony, now that I think of it.

4. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles -- The Tracks of My Tears



As perfect a record as has ever been made.

3. The Beach Boys -- All I Wanna Do



Again, Beach Boys examples are too numerous to mention, but if you can hear the "My moon and stars shine nightly" part without the hairs on the back of your neck going bolt upright, seek medical attention. And is that the greatest echo/reverb you've ever heard? Yes, I think it is....

2. Fountains of Wayne -- Stacy's Mom



A band to which the phrase "Beatle-esque" has never been applied, of course.

And the number one Mormon Tabernacle Choir record by a pop artist or group is obviously, and I mean OBVIOUSLY...

1. The Beatles -- Because



The acapella version from Anthology. On top of being ridiculously talented in just about every other area imaginable, these motherfuckers were capable of the most gorgeous harmonies ever heard by sentient mammalian ears. Disgusting.

Awrighty then -- what or who would your choices be?