Every one of these songs means something to me. Whether it's a lyric, a harmony, a chord change or a memory attached to it, these 18 songs all deserve to be in my Top 100 for one reason or another. Yet as wonderful as I think they are, there are still others I love more.
This list is flawed. The songs are just about perfect. But as expected, and as predicted by some of you, this task is daunting and will no doubt haunt me. What have I missed? Can I really include (insert song title) and not (insert song title)?
That said, here are the bottom 150, sequenced in optimum playing order, not by rank.
I Got You- Split Enz
The memory is very specific. After mulitple Sheepshead Bay summers of hard rock and heavy metal, my cousin hears a song that he can't place. He sings the chorus over and over--"I don't know why sometimes I get frightened." We head over to Zig Zag Records on Avenue U and figure out it's Split Enz. This track was a breath of fresh air after drowning in Black Sabbath and Rush and all these years later, sounds as perfect as a pop song should be.
Here Comes My Girl- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
This comes very close to being my single favorite Petty tune, but one other just beats it out. The opening drum hit, that boomerang guitar that sounds like it was shot out of a pistol, the anticipation as he tallks his way through the verses and then that mellifluous chorus make this one of the best structured songs in rock and roll.
Nothing Rhymed- Gilbert O'Sullivan
I first heard this on a Tom Jones record and loved it. I had "Alone Again (Naturally)" on a 45, because the whole world did. But no one was buying Gilbert albums, until I realized this track was on it. A great lyric and a killer delivery.
Every Kinda People- Robert Palmer
A joyful and brilliant arrangement, with an infectious melody to boot, written by Free bassist Andy Fraser, though the excellent bass line on the track is played by Funk Brother Bob Babbitt.
In A Sentimental Mood- Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
The first six notes of this song's melody are almost identical to the first six notes of "Someone To Watch Over Me," and whenever I hear it, it takes a few seconds for me to realize it's the Ellington tune. It's hard to find a melody as beautiful and as evocative.
Her Town, Too- James Taylor & J.D. Souther
This one is all about the low harmony. Stunning. Lyrics ain't bad either.
"Some of them his friends, some of them her friends, some of them understand."
Someday- Steve Earle
I can relate to nothing specific in this song, and yet of course, I can relate to all of it. A big chorus and a great arrangement. My band The Hard Copies played this one regularly and I'm still not sick of it.
Pinball Wizard- The Who
I struggled with including this one. I like the song, but "of all time?" It's here because I think the intro is the single most exciting beginning in all of rock and roll. Go Pete!
Bell Bottom Blues- Derek & The Dominoes
"Do you want to see me crawl across the floor to you? Do you want to hear me beg you to take me back? I'd gladly do it." The only thing that would be more personal than this song would be Eric Clapton just sobbing for five minutes. Thankfully, this track is more than that. (The Hard Copies pulled this one off, too.) Great playing, great harmonies, a classic rock classic.
Amie- Pure Prairie League
Pure AM bliss. This was always a fave, but it hit new heights when I was driving along Route 66 with three buddies, singing along in near-perfect harmony. Can never hear it again without thinking about that car ride.
It'll Take A Long Time- Sandy Denny
That the whole world isn't bowing at the feet of Sandy Denny is a great musical mystery. This is one of many Denny vocals that render me useless. Gorgeous.
Sing It!- Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball & Tracy Nelson
Written by the late great David Egan, this song perfectly captures the good vibes and often impossible to explain feeling I get when I am in New Orleans. "Sing it one more time like that, sing it with me please don't make me sing alone. Sing it one more time like that, sing these troubles off my back, sing it one more time like that before you go!"
I Walk In My Sleep- Berna-Dean
Berna Dean didn't record much, but thanks to New Orleans legend Dave Bartholomew, this absolutely perfect record is enough. The vocal performance is lightning captured in a bottle.
My Baby's Taking Me Home- Sparks
This is surely going to ruffle some feathers, but this song is Mael genius. It's relentless. It's dramatic. It may be short on lyrics, but I can't think of too many songs that are as effective at driving something home. Brilliant.
Go Or Go Ahead- Rufus Wainwright
Breathtaking! I know many have a hard time with Rufus Wainwright's voice, but I am not one of them. This track is Gershwin, Elton John and Queen all wrapped up in one emotional powerhouse of a record. It never fails to move me.
Throw Your Arms Around Me- Crowded House
Written by Mark Seymour and originally recorded by his band Hunters & Collectors, I first heard it by Crowded House with Jules Shear singing harmony on MTV's Unplugged. It is one of my favorite love songs and it's hard to beat those Jules Shear harmonies.
Don't Stop Me Now- Queen
If you asked me 20 years ago for my 25 favorite Queen songs, this would not be on that list. As a matter of fact, I didn't even like it when I first heard it on "Jazz" in 1978. But in the wake of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the new found appreciation for Freddie Mercury and his never-ending desire for more of everything, I hear this song differently. It makes me both happy to hear Freddie take it all on, and sad to think it inevitably caught up to him. An anthem of sorts and a new Queen favorite.
Aja- Steely Dan
Steve Gadd! That is all.
21 comments:
"Dauntin" doesn't even begin to describe the task you've taken upon yourself. Not only the list but a little blurb on each song is way beyond anything I'd ever be able to undertake. My hats off to you. As with all list like this everyone is going tp have a different reaction. I was pleased to see "Go or Go Ahead" and "Every Kinda People" on the list but looked like a confused dog when I read some of the others. Some are kind of obvious like "Aja" and "I Got You". "Don't Stop Me Now" not so much. Some I'm not familiar with and will have to get acquainted. Above all it's fun to go through and listen to some old friends, make new ones and also ask the question "what does he see in this one?" Kudos!
@cmealha,
I think the best way to understand my choices is to again read my original post. If I kept the list to greatest "songs" it would be 50 Dylan songs, 50 Lennon/McCartney," etc.
If I kept it to greatest "records" it would be 100 Motown singles, etc.
The blurbs help, I hope, explain why the song is there, i.e. "Don't Stop Me Now."
Half a dozen (or so) songs I've never heard before -- and of those, it got me to request the Rufus from the library to hear the whole album.
I still need to figure out if I have the time to do this with the same criteria you used. Feels like it would be a months-long project, so I (we) certainly appreciate the effort.
Great version of Bell Bottom Blues: https://youtu.be/fZNL0wvIj78
Never was a Queen fan, but when Don't Stop Me Now came out, I decided that they were capable of goodness, and I actually awaited it every day around lunchtime on the local rock station (ah, the days before music on demand.....). My question is: Is that a song other Queen fans don't care for so much?
Do much to your efforts here, my small Queen collection has grown to 14 songs (not including Under Pressure, which is one of my three favorite pop singles of the 1980s).
C in California
Good for you on the PPL pick. A great song fer sure.
Sing It! was a great record with nothing but fine performances. Tracy Nelson's In Tears is another stand-out on that record.
@ C In Caifornia,
I can only speak for my small group of Queen fanatics, but "Jazz" was a major disappointment after "News of The World," and "NOTW" was a major disappointment after "Day At The Races." So there was little on "Jazz" that moved us and "Don't Stop Me Now," at the time, felt just a bit too campy (corny?). "Don't stop me, don't stop me, don't stop me, ooh ooh ooh" seemed better suited for a Peter Allen album. But time heals.
That song represents so much more these days and somedays I can't get enough of it.
Petty's Here Comes My Girl is one of my all time favorites. Not just by him. By anyone. I still get goosebumps when I listen to it.
Sal, By saying "What does he see in this one" my intent was to address the fact that you ARE telling us, although I failed miserably. ;-)
Sal, great work here. I'm not sure I'd be narrow down my choices to just 150 songs. I started a playlist for my kids called "Dad's Greatest Hits" and began to fill it up. Turns out Dad has too many hits for just one playlist.
Aja is one of those songs that sometimes I hear and think I don't every really need to put it on again, and then other times, it's so fantastic that I need to hit repeat a couple of times.
Agree with the comments on the Petty song. There's another song on that album that I would rate a little higher. Let's see if it makes your list!
Bill
That's a bold statement about Pinball Wizard, but after thinking about it I don't know that I can argue with it.
It's amazing, and a crime, that so many are oblivious to Sandy Denny.
Looks like another great collection - can't wait to dig in.
Thanks again for doing this!
Randy
P.S. just heard David Crosby passed.
Zip of today's list will be up tomorrow.
This is lots of fun, esp your commentary on why these tracks are on your list. Thx!
Sal, do you have a link to your top 100, the ones that DID make the cut? I'd love to take a look at it please.
Rick,
I'm not there yet.
Ah, got it. I thought maybe I'd missed it.
Remember seeing crowded house live on MTV perfroming throw your arms around me and was blown away and taped it with mic on the speaker. Good to see Gilbert O'Sullivan on your list. Rock on mate.
So, I didn't think I could do it. But after 5 harrowing days when I started with 800 songs -- got down to 350 on a second pass. Then down to 230 with some hard cuts. And, finally, after a day of pulling my hair out and listening to dozens of songs back-to-back and sorting my list of songs every which way to compare them -- I got down to 150 (with an actual top 10).
I wanted to actually do this before you posted any more so I wasn't influenced by anybody but myself.
Can I play along? If so, what's the best way? When you are all done? When you put up some, I put up some? (Or just keep my mouth shut and bask in the glory of an impossible task completed?)
(Really, I hate myself in so many ways for this list. Going from 230 to 150 was harder than I would have guessed....)
Shriner,
You can leave your list as comments at any time. Or, you can wait until I post my next set- 101-117-a week from tomorrow, and you can list your bottom 50 then.
Cool. That'll give me time to sort out the bottom 50 and maybe figure out a "why I chose this" note.
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