The Library of Congress added 25 titles to the National Recording Registry, including Kenny Rogers’ 1978 hit, “The Gambler,” which was penned by Don Schlitz.
βThe song was not written about gambling, it was written with a very personal look at life,β said Kenny, according to the Library of Congress. βTo say Iβm proud is an understatement. It speaks very highly for Don Schlitzβs writing ability. I am very impressed and appreciative of this great award.β
βI actually wrote [the song] in my head,β said Don Schlitz. βTo have anyone listen to any of your songs and appreciate any of them is miraculous, is great. To have Kenny Rogers sing one of your songs is way over the moon.β
Other titles selected this year include Merle Travis’ 1946 album, Folk Songs of the Hills,” Arlo Guthrie’s 1967 single, βAliceβs Restaurant Massacree,β Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album, Rumours, The Temptations’ 1964 single, “My Girl,” and more.
The 25 titles were chosen based on their “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” importance. This year’s additions bring the Registry’s total to 500 titles.
Take a look at this year’s selections below.
- βDream Melody Intermezzo: Naughty Mariettaβ (single), Victor Herbert and his Orchestra (1911)
- Standing Rock Preservation Recordings, George Herzog and Members of the Yanktoni Tribe (1928)
- βLamento Borincanoβ (single), Canario y Su Grupo (1930)
- βSitting on Top of the Worldβ (single), Mississippi Sheiks (1930
- The Complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas (album), Artur Schnabel (1932-1935)
- βIf I Didnβt Careβ (single), The Ink Spots (1939)
- Proceedings of the United Nations Conference on International Organization (4/25/45-6/26/45)
- Folk Songs of the Hills (album), Merle Travis (1946)
- βHow I Got Overβ (single), Clara Ward and the Ward Singers (1950)
- β(Weβre Gonna) Rock Around the Clockβ (single), Bill Haley and His Comets (1954)
- Calypso (album), Harry Belafonte (1956)
- βI Left My Heart in San Franciscoβ (single), Tony Bennett (1962)
- βKing Biscuit Timeβ (radio), Sonny Boy Williamson II and others (1965)
- βMy Girlβ (single), The Temptations (1964)
- The Sound of Music (soundtrack), Various (1965)
- βAliceβs Restaurant Massacreeβ (single), Arlo Guthrie (1967)
- New Sounds in Electronic Music (album), Steve Reich, Richard Maxfield, Pauline Oliveros (1967)
- An Evening with Groucho (album), Groucho Marx (1972)
- Rumours (album), Fleetwood Mac (1977)
- βThe Gamblerβ (single), Kenny Rogers (1978)
- βLe Freakβ (single), Chic (1978)
- βFootlooseβ (single), Kenny Loggins (1984) remake released in 2011.
- Raising Hell (album), Run-DMC (1986)
- βRhythm Is Gonna Get Youβ (single), Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine (1987)
- Yo-Yo Ma Premieres: Β Concertos for Violoncello and Orchestra (album), Various (1996)
photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com