No lengthy posts tonight, despite a backlog of time-sensitive topical bookmarks I should probably tackle, because I’m tired and I need a night off! But my colleague/workplace BFF started something of an office meme today, and I thought it might be worth posting.
“The idea,” says Gary, “is to jot down ten most bestest songs ever and find out what other people like so you can see if you like it yourself. Apparently this exercise builds understanding of other people (yuck – why?).”
I found an all-time Top Ten easier than it sounds: I have hundreds of favourite “songs of the moment” at any given time (four-star rated on my iTunes, fact fans!) but my all-time favourites (with five stars!) are few and far between. Although there are a couple of tracks I’m sad to see miss out, my ten favourite songs make me sound as cool as yer da:
10. The Hold Steady: How A Resurrection Really Feels
9. The Velvet Underground: Venus In Furs
8. REM: Country Feedback
7. Red House Painters: Have You Forgotten
6. Bob Dylan: Visions of Johanna
5. Violent Femmes: Kiss Off
4. Ryan Adams: Come Pick Me Up
3. Oasis: Wonderwall
2. The Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter
1. Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road
I’d be really keen to see your lists, and I promise I’ll even listen to everything. Post them or leave a link below!
Stereogum has the video for “The Wrestler”. Springsteen looks badass, but we’re in agreement here that Mickey Rourke could kick his ass. Five months til Dublin!
In other news, today I got the chance to guest edit the “non-political” Scottish Roundup. Let them know if you like it, and maybe they’ll ask me back!
I wondered if you’d challenge us to do this. Right when I’m in the middle of researching red pilcrows too. Well here goes (in no particular order):
A Camp – Frequent Flyer
Bobby “Blue” Bland – Tonight’s The Night (It’s Gonna Be Alright)
Sneaker Pimps – 6 Underground
The Verve – Bittersweet Symphony
Etta James – At Last
Oasis – Wonderwall
Soup Dragons – I’m Free
RHP – All Mixed Up
Anna Vissi – Everything
Charlie Daniels – The Devil Went Down to Georgia
Velvets, The Hold Steady and Springsteen are all exceptional choices <3
I’m going to attempt this now. See my LJ for results.
xxx
You are missing JAMC. For shame!
;p
My list is posted.
just know i wouldn’t do this for everyone, or anyone but you:
10. nas- “i gave you power”
9. elliott smith- “angeles”
8. radiohead- “no surprises”
7. silver jews- “random rules”
6. my bloody valentine- “only shallow”
5. the notorious b.i.g.- “kick in the door”
4. neutral milk hotel- “two-headed boy, part two”
3. wu-tang clan- “c.r.e.a.m.”
2. dionne warwick- “anyone who had a heart”
1. the mountain goats- “going to georgia”
My top ten, right now…
Counting Crows – Goodnight Elizabeth
Ryder, Mitch & The Detroit Wheels – Breakout
Janet Jackson feat Q Tip Got Til it’s Gone
Van Morrison – Bright side of the Road
Nick Drake – Pink Moon
The Stone Roses – 10 storey love song
Regina Spektor – Fidelty
The Smiths – How soon is now
The Stereophonics – Dakota
Marlena Shaw – California Soul
Oh God, off the top of my head and so wildly inaccurate:
1: Pearl Jam – Black
2: Mastodon – Hearts Alive
3: Marvin Gaye – Lets Get It On
4: Damien Rice – I Remember
5: Ryan Adams – Come Pick Me Up
6: Jeff Buckley – Grace
7: Deftones – Be Quiet And Drive
8: Tool – Eulogy
9: Aerosmith – Cryin (for memories rather than the song)
10: Clutch – The Mob Goes Wild
always a tough choice but here goes..
Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Secret Garden – Bruce Springsteen
Love Minus Zero/No Limit – Bob Dylan
Highway To Hell – ACDC
Feeling Good – Nina Simone
Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Weight – The Band
Excuse Me Mister – John Martyn version
Typical Situation – Dave Matthews Band
Free Fallin’ -Tom Petty
Well, that’s my Friday at work sorted…. this may take some time (although I have no doubt you will mock my list in any case!)
xx
i missed the part where you said you’d listen to everything. how i’d love to be a fly on your wall when you listen to wu-tang clan.
Off the top of my head, at this moment in time:
Bon Iver: re:stacks
Iron and Wine: Flightless Bird, American Mouth
The Who: The Rock
Whiskeytown: Revenge
REM: Tongue
Bishop Allen: Flight 180
Jens Lekman: You Are The Light (by which I travel into this and that)
Rufus Wainwright: Beautiful Child
Pete Townshend: Let My Love Open The Door
The Monkees: You Just May Be The One
Lol, missed about you listening too. Enjoy the Mastodon song, it’s 13 minutes of Prog-Metal goodness! (Honestly, I wont be offended if you skip that.)
Jules, where’s your list? Not that I’ve had the time to do the listening yet…
You’ll listen to everything? Ah, then I must.
I’m a drifter, fickle like so many others. And I lean heavily folk, when it comes down to favorites, though I dabble in other genres plenty as the mood fits. Covers, too, which are a cheat for such lists — they allow you to think of the original, but pick your performance.
So these are probably not a life-list, and they’re heavily weighted by the emotional tone of now. But these are today’s top ten, and they’ve been there for quite a while. Warning: sadness, mostly.
Jeffrey Foucault: Miles from the Lightning
Richard Shindell: On a Sea of Fleur De Lis
Eva Cassidy: American Tune (though the original comes close)
Death Cab For Cutie: I will follow you into the dark
The Weepies: World Spins Madly On
Amos Lee: Arms of a Woman
Kathryn Williams: Thirteen (orig. Big Star)
The Avett Brothers: Murder in the City
Shawn Colvin: Say A Little Prayer (orig. Greg Brown)
Patty Griffin: Forgiveness
Woah, is that ten already? Call me when you need a hundred. But listen to these first. Enjoy.
How hard is it to just pick ten songs? Just pick one song, now thats even harder. I hate it when people give me lists and lists of songs, what does that tell you about a person? That they too, like loads of songs.
Great. So gimmie just one?
Its one i agree with you on, The Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter, makes me jump up and down every single time i hear it
Oh lordy, I do love to make lists. Totally off the top of my head — could change at any moment.
10. Ryan Adams, “English Girls Approximately”
9. The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back”
8. Dean Martin, “The Door is Still Open (To My Heart)”
7. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, “Johnny Appleseed”
6. The Supremes, “Someday We’ll Be Together”
5. Sam Cooke, “Bring It On Home to Me”
4. Johnny Cash, “Daddy Sang Bass”
3. Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Free Bird”
2. Bruce Springsteen, “Born to Run”
1. The Clash, “The Card Cheat”
Wait I forgot Randy Newman’s “Sail Away.” …ten plus one! This is not easy.