The prodigious Ramsey Lewis has a recording career stretching back to 1956 with 80 albums under his belt. Picking a favorite song amongst such a huge body of work is not an easy task. For me it’s a close call between the classic spiritual “Wade In The Water” and the Ramsey Lewis original “Les Fleur.” The latter is just so unique that it takes the number one spot in my book. This song is pure 60’s psychedelia fused with jazz on an orchestral scale. Fans of 90’s hip-hop will immediately recognize this from the sample heavy “Similak Child” by Black Sheep, where it was combined with Jefferson Airplane’s “Today” to great effect.

I’m counting stars, lying under
Watching you through my walls
All the lights have gone out

I know, you’re listening now
You’ve been spinning around
Turning slowly, orbiting round my house

And it’s a feeling I get
I know, you’re listening now
Warm me today, warm me today
Filter in my lonely room

Warm me today, warm me today
Look outside, the sun
It’s bursting through, bursting through
Oh it’s filling up this room

Now my fingers are cold
But I have touched you
You’re all I need to know

Don’t fade from me now
I know you’re listening somehow
All you can give, all you can give
Twisting by, it’s more than a lot

It’s all you can give, all you can give
Look outside, the sun is bursting through
Bursting through
Oh it’s filling up this room

Warm me today, warm me today
Look outside, the sun is bursting through
Bursting through
Oh it’s filling up this room