Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Top Songs of All Time??

(So, when you click on that title it takes you to a clip of High Fidelity. I tried to find the clip of when the journalist asks Rob on the phone what is top records are, but had to settle for the "side ones, track ones" discussion.)

So, a friend on Twitter today asked me what my top 10 songs of all time would be. And the truth is I don't really know. I think they'd be different tomorrow than today, and today they're probably different than yesterday. It depends on mood...and a whole crapload of other factors. What I also know is that I'm in a real state of flux in terms of listening and appreciation and all that right now (and have been for...a couple of years now), and that my favorite records are changing, or being added to...I am allowing for the possibility that new, wonderful things are out there waiting to be discovered, not only in the record store but in my own collection.

Having unloaded so many CDs in the last year or two has really allowed me to see the records I still have that deserve more attention. I am a hell of a lot prouder to show off my collection now than I ever have been, because I know that the stuff I have is worth owning. It has passed through some pretty rigorous sifting over the last 3-4 years. So I'm really looking forward to putting together a new list of top 100 songs some time soon. In the meantime, here's a list I made in 2008. It has issues, I know, but it should be posted here so that we can all compare when I make a new one:

A NOT EVEN REMOTELY DEFINITIVE, KIND OF JUST HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW (CIRCA 2008) LIST OF MY TOP 100 FAVORITE JAMS OF ALL TIME.

1. SOMETHING-THE BEATLES
2. WATERMELON IN EASTER HAY-FRANK ZAPPA
3. I SAW HER STANDING THERE-THE BEATLES
4. PURPLE TOUPEE-THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
5. TEN YEARS GONE-LED ZEPPELIN
6. NOWHERE MAN-THE BEATLES
7. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE-THE POLICE
8. IT’S TRICKY-RUN-D.M.C.
9. BLISS/BILLY BREATHES-PHISH
10. FIND THE RIVER-R.E.M.
11. BIRDHOUSE IN YOUR SOUL-THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
12. THE OCEAN-LED ZEPPELIN
13. IN MY LIFE-THE BEATLES
14. ONE LONG PAIR OF EYES-ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE EGYPTIANS
15. OH! DARLING-THE BEATLES
16. NOT THE SAME-BEN FOLDS
17. GOLDEN SLUMBERS/CARRY THAT WEIGHT/THE END-THE BEATLES
18. TAKE THE SKINHEADS BOWLING-CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN
19. THE DRINKING SONG-MOXY FRUVOUS
20. BREAK MY STRIDE-MATTHEW WILDER
21. BEST IMITATION OF MYSELF-BEN FOLDS FIVE
22. I FOUGHT THE LAW-THE CLASH
23. SUPERMAN-R.E.M.
24. SO WHAT’CHA WANT-BEASTIE BOYS
25. VIBRATING-ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE EGYPTIANS
26. INCA ROADS-FRANK ZAPPA
27. BOOK OF LOVE-MAGNETIC FIELDS
28. REBA-PHISH
29. A MILLION TEARS-K.C. CLIFFORD
30. FAKE PLASTIC TREES-RADIOHEAD
31. DEATH OR GLORY-THE CLASH
32. THE LUCKIEST-BEN FOLDS
33. JIG-SAW PUZZLE-THE ROLLING STONES
34. ALBERTO BALSALM-APHEX TWIN
35. ME MYSELF & I-DE LA SOUL
36. SO CRUEL-U2
37. EVAPORATED-BEN FOLDS FIVE
38. ACCIDENTALLY LIKE A MARTYR-WARREN ZEVON
39. MOTHER OF GOD-PATTY GRIFFIN
40. ORANGE CRUSH-R.E.M.
41. IMAGINE-JOHN LENNON
42. VISIONS OF JOHANNA-BOB DYLAN
43. THE WISH SONG-K.C. CLIFFORD
44. THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK-SIMON & GARFUNKEL
45. RAIN-THE BEATLES
46. THE END OF THE TOUR-THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
47. IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE)-R.E.M.
48. BRAIN DAMAGE/ECLIPSE-PINK FLOYD
49. WALLS (CIRCUS)-TOM PETTY
50. CHALK DUST TORTURE-PHISH
51. SIR DUKE-STEVIE WONDER
52. PEACHES EN REGALIA-FRANK ZAPPA
53. NOBODY’S FAULT BUT MINE-LED ZEPPELIN
54. GLASS-ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE EGYPTIANS
55. SWEETHEARTS-CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN
56. I AM A TREE-GUIDED BY VOICES
57. FORGIVENESS-PATTY GRIFFIN
58. MR. BROWNSTONE-GUNS N’ ROSES
59. STRAIGHT TO HELL-THE CLASH
60. SEARCHING FOR ANNIE-K.C. CLIFFORD
61. SHE SAID SHE SAID-THE BEATLES
62. THE BALLAD OF DOROTHY PARKER-PRINCE
63. SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT-ELTON JOHN
64. GOD ONLY KNOWS-THE BEACH BOYS
65. HEY NONNY NONNY-VIOLENT FEMMES
66. THE FRENCH INHALER (LIVE VERSION)-WARREN ZEVON
67. SHE’S AN ANGEL-THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
68. LEAVE-R.E.M.
69. SUCK MY KISS-RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
70. REGYPTIAN STRUT-FRANK ZAPPA
71. THE ENEMY-GUIDED BY VOICES
72. WHY DON’T WE DO IT IN THE ROAD?-THE BEATLES
73. WHITE KNUCKLES-ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS
74. PURPLE RAIN-PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION
75. (WHITE MAN) IN HAMMERSMITH PALAIS-THE CLASH
76. BABA O’RILEY-THE WHO
77. AMERICA-SIMON & GARFUNKEL
78. LINCTUS HOUSE-ROBYN HITCHCOCK
79. BLESSED RELIEF-FRANK ZAPPA
80. GOODBYE YELLOWBRICK ROAD-ELTON JOHN
81. A NEW CAREER IN A NEW TOWN-DAVID BOWIE
82. ALL THINGS MUST PASS-GEORGE HARRISON
83. IF I WAS YOUR GIRLFRIEND-PRINCE
84. TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP-THE ROMANTICS
85. FAITHFULLY-JOURNEY
86. POSSE’ ON BROADWAY-SIR MIX-A-LOT
87. UNDER PRESSURE-QUEEN & DAVID BOWIE
88. THREE DAYS-JANE’S ADDICTION
89. FISH HEADS-BARNES & BARNES
90. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME GET WHAT I WANT-THE SMITHS
91. SIGN O’ THE TIMES-PRINCE
92. WAKE UP TIME-TOM PETTY
93. DINOSAUR-KING CRIMSON
94. CHARMING-JONATHA BROOKE & THE STORY
95. THIS ONE-PAUL MCCARTNEY
96. SMOKIN’ BANANA PEELS-THE DEAD MILKMEN
97. (REACH OUT) I’LL BE THERE-THE FOUR TOPS
98. WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME-U2
99. PORK ROLL EGG & CHEESE-WEEN
100. SKATING AWAY ON THE THIN ICE OF THE NEW DAY-JETHRO TULL

4 comments:

kylie said...

i think Something is my favorite too! but its like you said, that will probably change tomorrow :) very nice list! lots of the same bands, which i totally understand, bc they are all great songs, but i sorta feel like it was made in 98ish rather than 08? haha! i don't think there's anything wrong with that tho! i really like this idea...i wish i could make a list but i doubt that will ever happen haha!

Michael Canter said...

I like the R.E.M. song - and I think next week I may post something similar. I would have to include some of the Beatles solo stuff and my favorite R.E.M. songs (Star Me Kitten, Pretty Persuasion and Ignoreland) -- great list. Maybe for end of the year you can do a 4-part show based on your top 100 - 25 songs each show, maybe? It's your call.

Mixtape Jones said...

Kylie: Yeah, I know there's not a lot on the list that was released in the 00's. I think it's just one of those things where most of the music that's made a really lasting impact on me I discovered while in high school or college, and that was the 90's. I will try and integrate some newer stuff when I make my new list!

Mike: It'd be good to do a bunch of shows based on a top 100. I already have a couple of special shows planned for the end of the year, one with favorite songs/albums that came out this year, and a holiday show as well, chock full of cool rock holiday songs. Already amassing what I can to make that happen.

JJC said...

it's impossible to do a top 100 - I hope I know when I'm going to die b/c it's something that I want to do right before I die- not to be morbid- but I feel like then and only then will I really be able to say what I feel are the top 100 songs I know of. I'm glad to see the Beatles well represented- they are my favorite band. There are so many gems that weren't #1 songs- Why don't we do it in the road is one of my favorites. I heard once that Frank Sinatra said "something" was the best song ever written.

Hope all is well with you all.