White Light/White Heat: A Fan's Playlist For The Great Betty White

I hold this truth to be self-evident: Betty White is one of the greatest comic actresses of all-time. I have loved Betty White openly and utterly since I grew up watching her incredibly light touch as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I'm not sure how exactly how happy a homemaker Sue Ann Nivens really was, but I know that Betty White has always made me happier when I watch her.

Over the years, I've had a few chances to write for this great lady on a few TV shows like the Emmy Awards, and I just found out I may get another shot on the upcoming TV Land Awards. Just as you might wish, Betty White turns out to be a total delight to deal with and still very much at the top of her hilarious game.

Like many of her fans of all ages, I cannot wait to see Betty White host Saturday Night Live by public demand in May or later star on the upcoming TV Land series Hot In Cleveland. Until then, here's one lifelong fan's loving playlist for this enduring comedy icon who turns our world on with her own "White Light/White Heat" -- the one and only Betty White.

WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT - Velvet Underground
VIVA LA WHITE GIRL - Gym Class Heroes
SUE ANN - Antonio Carlos Jobim
WHITE HONEY - Graham Parker
ALONG CAME BETTY - Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
LIFE IS WHITE - Big Star
WHITE ROOM - Cream
INTO WHITE - Cat Stevens
WHITE LINES - Grandmaster Flash
WHITE BIRD - It's A Beautiful Day
BITTY BOPPY BETTY - Pink Martini
WHITE FLAG - Dido
A WHITER SHADE OF PALE - Procol Harum
WHITE LINE - Neil Young & Crazy Horse
BLACK TIE, WHITE NOISE - David Bowie
IT GIRL - Betty
RIDE A WHITE SWAN - T-Rex
2 WHITE ROSES - Jeff Bridges
WHITE AS SNOW - U2
WHITE WEDDING - Billy Idol
BLACK AND WHITE - The dB's
BLACK AND WHITE - Todd Rundgren
BLACK OR WHITE - Michael Jackson
THE WHITE QUEEN - Danny Elfman

Okay Bettyheads, what other great songs would you consider worthy of playing for our White Queen?

 

 

 

Follow David Wild on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Wildaboutmusic

Comments

[CPAwADD]

09:00 AM on 03/27/2010

Little Old Lady from Pasadena by Jan & Dean seems appropos.

[MsCanuck]

09:24 PM on 03/25/2010

Here's another one:

Lonesome Suzie - Songs from the Big Pink, The Band



Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB7L1BIDELc a good cause folks!

[MsCanuck]

09:13 PM on 03/25/2010

Suzanne - Leonard Cohen

[David Wild]

09:39 PM on 03/25/2010

What a song

[tnrc75]

05:10 PM on 03/25/2010

White Queen - Queen

[David Wild]

05:33 PM on 03/25/2010

I love how deep you people go?

[victorvelasco]

03:32 PM on 03/25/2010

"White Collar House" by The Epics.

[David Wild]

04:30 PM on 03/25/2010

I don't know that one, but it sounds good.
Will try and check it out.

Thanks

[ally cat]

02:05 PM on 03/25/2010

For Betty's knack of pulling off all types of humor:

Black Betty - Ram Jam

[Aramingo]

12:17 PM on 03/25/2010

How about "White Horse" by Laid Back
and "White Rabbit" by the Jefferson Airplane

Betty brings out the animal in me.

[David Wild]

12:38 PM on 03/25/2010

I believe she is a big animals advocate too

Thanks

[Rogo99]

12:16 PM on 03/25/2010

White, Discussion - Live
White Lexus - Mike Doughty
Anything by the Average White Band !

[David Wild]

12:38 PM on 03/25/2010

Like the band, she is WAY above Average of course

Thanks

[Sunflo]

07:52 AM on 03/25/2010

White Riot - The Clash
The Real Snow White -The Cure
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
My White Devil - Echo and the Bunnymen
White Lightning - Def Leppard (LOL, I loved them when I was still a tween!)
White Lightning and Wine - Heart
Pink on White Walls - Paul Weller
White Rhythm and blues - Linda Ronstadt

[David Wild]

09:27 AM on 03/25/2010

"White Riot" -- taken the right way -- is perfect.

Thanks

[Sunflo]

12:05 PM on 03/25/2010

LOL, yes of course!

[RobinSeattle]

06:06 PM on 03/25/2010

"White Lightning" George Jones

[David Wild]

09:52 AM on 03/26/2010

You're right of course.
I love a little early George Jones, or any George Jones at all.

[RobinSeattle]

02:02 AM on 03/25/2010

"A Touch of Gray" The Grateful Dead
"Make Me Smile" Chicago
"My Girl" The Temptations
"White Summer" Led Zeppelin
"White Wedding" Billy Idol
"White Poem" X. Japan
"White Girl" X
"White Christmas" Bing Crosby

Either that or we could hold a tribute show on White Day in Tokyo (yes, there is a holiday called that in Japan) featuring:

Bukka White
Buck White and the Down Home Folks
Znowhite
Tony Joe White
The White Stripes
Paul Whiteman
Clarence White and the Kentucky Colonels
Jack White

[David Wild]

02:16 AM on 03/25/2010

I know real Deadheads might differ, but I have always loved "Touch of Grey"

Thanks

[kapalabhati]

11:31 AM on 03/25/2010

Anyone who doesn't like "Touch of Grey", because they think they're "real" Deadheads aren't.
Some of the funniest lyrics around.

[Gasparilla]

12:38 AM on 03/25/2010

White on White. Oldie but goodie 60s hit by Danny Williams, his only top ten hit in the US.

[David Wild]

01:45 AM on 03/25/2010

You have stumped me -- I will have to check that one out.

[Gasparilla]

12:20 PM on 03/25/2010

The song is about a wedding, he's there and his former love is marrying someone else. A little shmaltzy but nicely sung. He was apparently much bigger in Britain. Kind of in the same way that a group like the Seekers was, although they had a few hits here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Williams_(musician)

[SoulM8dSunshine]

02:33 PM on 03/25/2010

You can give "White on White" a listen here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsjUJhu1Tyc

[tmf945]

05:05 PM on 03/24/2010

"Waiting for My Man"...somehow I think Betty would shake her ass to that

[ongomania]

04:07 PM on 03/24/2010

Met Betty White and David Susskind at a party held at Carmel's, Highland Inn during Spring Break (back in the day); Here's wishing Betty a happy springtime:

Spring Is Here -- Ella Fitzgerald
Suddenly It's Spring -- Lena Horne
I'll Remember April -- Sarah Vaughn
You Must Believe In Spring -- Tony Bennet
April Fools -- Aretha Franklin
Blossom -- James Taylor
Come Rain Or Come Shine -- Ray Charles

[David Wild]

04:54 PM on 03/24/2010

I love "Blossom" even though I don't think Betty White was on that show

[ongomania]

05:56 PM on 03/24/2010

I believe the tune is from his Sweet Baby James LP-- (tunes like “Sweet Baby James,” “Country Road,” “Fire and Rain,” “Blossom") I don't know anything about a TV show called 'Blossom' or if Betty White appeared in it--was the song licensed for the show?

[LMPE]

03:28 PM on 03/24/2010

"Happy Days" - I don't know who's the artist

Would you believe that I'd never heard of Betty White until she guest starred on "The Simpsons"?

[David Wild]

04:55 PM on 03/24/2010

You mean Pratt & McClaine?

[LMPE]

09:50 PM on 03/24/2010

I mean the theme song of the TV series "Happy Days".

[PatA]

02:30 PM on 03/24/2010

Joy To The World...Three Dog Night

Crazy Moma...J.J. Cale

You're Still the One.....?

[David Wild]

04:55 PM on 03/24/2010

All good by me