A Taste:

Van Morrison, Tower of Power, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Band

“How do you pick your favorite song if you’re a song lover,” asks Paul Ben-Victor with a smile. “I have 19,000 favorite songs [Laughs]!”

Nevertheless, the star of In Plain Sight managed to whittle that 19,000 down for this exclusive playlist feature.

Paul’s created some very memorable characters on everything from Entourage and The Wire to The Invisible Man and John From Cincinnati. He comes alive on screen with undeniable presence and a sharp sense of humor. His role as In Plain Sight’s WITSEC chief Stan McQueen is one of his most vibrant though.

So in between running witness protection on In Plain Sight, Paul found the time to open up his iTunes and gave us exclusive look inside. Check out his playlist below.

Paul Ben-Victor’s Playlist:

1. Van Morrison — “I’ve Been Working”

“‘I’ve Been Working’ is a great song. It’s got a real bad R&B riff! I’m seeing Van Morrison this week at The Orpheum fourth row center. To me, he’s one of the gods. I spent my last paycheck on these tickets [Laughs]. It’s insane what these things cost! Even though tickets to see legends like Van Morrison may cost an arm and a leg, they’re priceless in a sense. It’s like a painting by Van Gogh or Picasso. If the artists dies, you still live with the painting forever. You have these guys’ recordings, but you have to see them live and you’ve got to see it up close too! A great live performance feeds my soul. There’s nothing like it.”

2. John Martin — “May You Never”

“This is a beautiful song. He was an obscure folk singer from England, but you’ll dig this!”

3. Bruce Hornsby & Ricky Skaggs — “Come On Out”

“Hornsby and Skaggs did a country album together. Check out this song, ‘Come On Out.’ It’s a real badass, cowboy song. The track basically says, ‘Come on out motherfucker, I’m going to kill your ass’ [Laughs].”

4. Angelique Kidjo — “Babaloa”

“She’s an African singer, and her stuff is fucking awesome. This is a real festive, celebratory song.”

5. Average White Band — “Cut the Cake”

“They’re my boys! ‘Cut the Cake’ is one of my favorite songs.”

6. Stevie Wonder — “Did I Hear You Say You Love Me”

“I had to put a Stevie Wonder song on here. My favorite album was Hotter Than July. The first track, ‘Did I Hear You Say You Love Me,’ was big for us in the ’80s. It’s got this ramp-up in the beginning that’s amazing. It’s really fun to kickoff a party with.”

7. The Band — “Unfaithful Servant”

“There are tons of amazing songs by The Band, but this is one of my favorites. It’s a beautiful bluesy ballad.”

8. Bob Dylan — “Tangled Up In Blue”

“Anytime I head out on a road trip to go skiing or snowboarding, I pop in Blood On the Tracks. ‘Tangled Up In Blue’ is the first track, and it’s fucking amazing. It’s a classic road track. Dylan was in my house early on. I knew those songs and records as a little kid. I grew up with Van Morrison, The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.”

9. Bruce Springsteen — “Thunder Road”

“This is another great road song!”

10. James Taylor — “You Can Close Your Eyes”

“I’m a huge James Taylor fan. I grew up listening to him.”

11. Paul McCartney — “Mother Nature’s Son”

“I had to pick a Beatles song, but I’m particularly a fan of Paul McCartney. I feel like he’s singing about me in some way. It’s about youth and coming of age. There’s a beautiful melody to it.”

12. Marc Cohn — “The Things We’ve Handed Down”

“He did ‘Walkin In Memphis.’ I got really into a couple of his albums. There’s one song called ‘The Things We’ve Handed Down.’ It’s a beautiful song if you ever have a kid. It’s about the generations, and he’s talking about this unborn child. It’s so heartfelt.”

13. The Rolling Stones — “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’”

“I had to pick one Stones song. I saw The Stones do this a few years ago, and Ron Wood was wasted [Laughs]. I was there with a friend of mine who is a concierge at the hotel where he was staying. That’s where we got the tickets. During the show, Wood was all over the place smoking and kicking Mick in the ass! My friend goes, ‘Oh my God, you’re not going to believe this. I sent a crate of vodka up to his room this morning, and from what I heard, he drank most of it!’ I got it from the horse’s mouth that he was completely fucked up because she sent the booze up there [Laughs]. However, Ron played that solo incredibly. He stuck a cigarette in the head stock of the guitar, and it was inspired. It was even better than the album. I was impressed.”

14. Jimi Hendrix — “The Wind Cries Mary”

“I had to throw in a Hendrix song, and this is my favorite. Where did that come from? It’s incredible.”

15. Led Zeppelin — “Black Country Woman”

“I was a drummer as a kid, and now I’ve got a cool Roland electric kit. Bonham played a fucking great syncopated kick drum on this song. It’s so good! I had to put a Zeppelin song on there! Page was in the moment and inventive.”

16. Nick Drake — “Know”

“His music has come around more lately, but he committed suicide in his 20s. He was a buddy of John Martin’s. Nick Drake is more distant and melancholy though. Like Joni Mitchell, he created voicings and chords. They’re using him in commercials.”

17. Thunderclap Newman — “Wild Country”

“I knew these guys because my brother brought their music into the house when I was nine. This song is really raw rock. They had a great drummer.”

18. The Tower of Power — “(To Say the Least) You’re the Most”

“They’re my favorite band of all-time. They’re the bomb!”

19. Jackson Browne — “Under the Falling Sky”

20. Joni Mitchell — “Coyote”

21. Frank Sinatra

“The man’s got soul. I love early Frank Sinatra. He’s always good; he’s just the man.”

—Rick Florino
05.11.09

Photo By: Fernando Escovar