mrschili at Blue Door was kind enough to credit me with the idea of listing 100 favorite songs. She outdid me, though, by getting her hundred together and posting them first. The idea came to me from my big brother Don, who, for reasons I forget, decided not to include any Beatles songs–I think it was a “thing” between him and some acquaintances down at ye olde bierstube. mrschili told me how to do a whole new page, so I’m gettin’ started (I had mentioned some selections in a few of my blog posts). As with her, these are in no pecking order, and the list could easily include others instead of some which made it. Truthfully, I’m not very good at lists. If versions of a given song by more than one artist belong on my list, they’ll be given only one number (is that cheating?). There’s a lot of instrumental music I like, but this list is all about songs, i.e., music & lyrics.
1. All Along the Watchtower. Bob Dylan wrote it, but Jimi Hendrix made it his own, and after all these years I still can’t hear his cover without getting a chill. I also want to mention the version by Michael Hedges here, it ain’t far behind the Hendrix version. Sadly, neither of these artists lived very long, and we can only extrapolate from their bodies of work what they might have given us had they survived longer. Early deaths seem all too common with musicians. Dave Matthews did a cool live version of this song, the video is on youtube.
2. Heart In Hand. This song was written by Matt Scannell and performed by Vertical Horizon. There are a few recorded versions available, including a live one on their album “Live Stages” which still kicks my butt. I’ve been lucky enough to see the band perform it live a few times, too. Now, a cynic might say this is an unfair choice since I know Matt, and really love him and his whole family, but trust me, I’m hard to please with music, and this song wouldn’t be here if it didn’t belong. I hear there may be, after a long hiatus, new Vertical Horizon music soon. Let’s hope so.
3. Angels of the Silences. Counting Crows just rocks the bejesus out of this number. I hear it and my heart starts to pumpin’. I like a number of their songs, and “Round Here” may show up down below. If it doesn’t, it should.
4. Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo. Rick Derringer, no, wait, Johnny Winter. Hold on here, Winter, definitely, maybe . . . Well, I guess it’s a tie. Derringer wrote it, as I recall. He also wrote “Hang on Sloopy,” so go figure. I definitely like me some rock ‘n roll. Got to get that circulation going.
5. A Summer Wind, A Cotton Dress. Richard Shindell, a modern folk singer, or a singer-songwriter, or whatever. I’d say I listen to a lot more of this genre (if it’s a genre) these days than real R&R. I’ve seen Shindell perform 3 or so times, most recently this summer with my big brother, in Fall River, MA. He did this song accompanying himself on the bouzouki (octave mandolin), and it was tres cool. I’d only heard the guitar version. He said he actually wrote it using a borrowed bouzouki. He said that when he flies he never tells the security folks it’s a bouzouki, always that it’s an octave mandolin. Those folks got no sense of humor.
6. Edge of Seventeen. Stevie Nicks. There’s just something about the insistent rhythm going on in the background of this song, all the way through, that makes my hair stand up. I’m not a Stevie Nicks junkie, by any stretch, but this little number just does it for me. Her “Stand Back” is right behind it in my estimation of her catalog.
7. When Will I. I was alone one night, watching TV, and some show with snippets from around the country showed this guy Monte Montgomery doing this song on Austin City Limits. Man, this cat can play that guitar. He plays amazing lead stuff on a beat-up old Alvarez-Yairi. I mean this guy can cook. I’ve got quite a bit of his stuff on my ‘pods, but this song still eats me up. His work is generally the classic guitar-bass-drums, and it sounds mighty good to me.
8. River. Joni Mitchell. Okay, here it comes. I have a real soft spot, maybe a fetish, for beautiful, lovely, rip your lungs out songs. “Songs to slit your wrists by” as I’ve heard it said. Beauty so strong you can’t stand it hardly. Most often, these will be by female artists, but that’s not a rule. This song has been covered many times, notably by Sara McLachlan, Linda Ronstadt, and even Sister Hazel. The voice Joni Mitchell had on her back when she released this song was just so exceptional. Anyway, I’ve never gotten over this song and I hope I never do. More tear-jerkers will show up below, believe me. Get out the handkerchiefs.
9. Red Rain. Peter Gabriel is a favorite artist, and this song, to me, epitomizes his music. That voice. The production. If you get a chance, watch his live concert DVDs.
10. Talk to Ya Later. The Tubes. How can you miss with a guy named Fee Waybill?
11. Gravel. Ani DiFranco. Unique guitar style, tight little band.
12. Desert Rose. Sting wailing with Cheb Mami (or however you spell his name). This is the pinnacle of Sting’s art for me.
13. Emotional Truth. Tom Cochrane. If you love sort of dark rock, this oughta fill the bill. The basso profundo background voices in some parts are just seriously tasty.
14. Crossroads. Cream, Clapton, live. Zowie.
15. Drown. Son Volt. More R&R.
16. This Whole World. Beach Boys/Brian Wilson. My favorite Beach Boy song. iTunes has both the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson versions. I prefer the former, but there’s little to quibble about. Brian Wilson, to me, was the Beach Boys. I don’t think I ever listen to another of their songs unless “Good Vibrations” pops up on the radio.
17. Chinatown. Thin Lizzie. We rockin’. Coulda just as easily have picked the wonderful “The Boys Are Back In Town.”
18. Cowgirl In The Sand. Neil Young’s body of work is so amazing. Some crap, but so much stuff I like. That rough, stylized, deceptively simple guitar style.
19. Blinded by the Light. The Manfred Mann studio version. Bruce Springsteen wrote this, I think. What a trip.
20. I Know You by Heart. Eva Cassidy. Handkerchiefs at the ready? This young woman could flat-out sing. Taken early by cancer. She also did a tremendous cover of Sting’s “Fields of Gold.”
21. Are You Ready. Pacific Gas & Electric. That rythym guitar choppin’ on the back beat, just too cool. Little gospel feel to this.
22. My Old School. A guitar lesson (or several) by Skunk Baxter tucked into this tasty Steely Dan number. At least I think it was Skunk, and not Denny Diaz (maybe it was both, what do I know?). I’m not a major Steely Dan fan, but I like this one.
23. So Are You To Me. Eastmountainsouth. This duo’s eponymous album was, said my brother, one of only a couple he’d ever heard worth listening to over and over all the way through; and we did. If you haven’t heard this, do so. Handkerchief again.
24. Mississippi Queen. Mountain. I can still recall when I first heard this song. That voice (Leslie West), that rock, mmmmm. The bassist, Felix Pappalardi has died or is very ill, I heard.
25. Boots of Spanish Leather. Martin Simpson’s cover of this Bob Dylan tune. Simpson is a British guitarist and singer. In one recent year he was voted the best folk performer in England, or some such thing. He really makes this song his own, and the guitar work is amazing in the arrangement.
26. 9 Crimes. Damien Rice. A tasty piece. CSI used it in teasers for the episode where Gil (the head guy) went away for a while. The song did not, as I recall, actually get played in the episode itself. I regret I don’t know the name of the female vocalist who makes this a duet, but she sings very well, and I think has now released an album of her own.
27. Thunder Road. Bruce Springsteen. The Boss has put out some wonderful music, but, for me, the album “Born to Run” was his masterpiece, and this song was his master stroke. My favorite version is the one off the album, full band arrangement and all. His live version is usually just piano and harmonica, I think, and it’s tasty too. Shortly after 9/11, when we were all still freshly heartbroken, they showed a bit of a memorial service for some fellow who died in the World Trade Center, and the music played was his favorite song, Thunder Road. I have to admit I lost it.
28. When Doves Cry. Prince. I still get a chill whenever I hear this.
29. Iko-Iko. I first heard this song performed by Doctor John (Mack Rebenack), but now prefer to listen to it by the Neville Brothers (as a sort of suite or medley with “Brother John is Gone”. I find it hard to be unhappy when I listen to this ditty. I always assume it’s a “traditional” song in the public domain, but I don’t really know. Zap Mama also does a good version, without the “Brother John.”
30. The Beauty of the Rain. Dar Williams. I’m a real fan of this lady, and have all or most of her music on my computers/iPods (maybe even one of those anachronistic CDs). I like a lot of her songs, but this one just resonates with me the most (at least right now).
31. Closer To Free. BoDeans. You know, “Everybody 1, everybody 2, everybody free . . .” I think this was on a TV show. Friends or something, some sitcom, so, naturally, I don’t know for sure which one because I don’t watch them. Irresistible little number for me.
32. Little Wing. Jimi Hendrix. The guitar intro to this song is a favorite with guitarists, and is just stone beautiful. The song itself don’t lag far behind. Someday I’ll expound (bloviate) on how many songs have great intros and then turn out to be useless.
33. Wishing Well. Bob Mould (who was, I believe, with the legendary Husker Du at one time, later with a band called Sugar, great rock song there, too, “If I Can’t Change Your Mind”). A little heavier than my usual fare, but so be it.
34. Willin’. Little Feat. Linda Ronstandt covered this, I think. Short little song, just kind of gets itself under my skin.
35. Follow You Down. Gin Blossoms. They had such a recognizable style, and a number of good songs. This one might have been in a sitcom like “Closer to Free” (or maybe instead of), how would I know?
36. Time Has Come Today. Chambers Brothers. I think this made its way into a Ford commercial, or was it beer, or an investment house? Anyway, I like it.
37. Awali. Pierre Bensusan. This is perhaps my most obscure pick. Pierre Bensusan is a guitarist of note, who sings on few song, mostly he records instrumental work (and I mean wonderful acoustic guitar soloes). This song, sung in French, is really nonsense words, according to Pierre. I went to France to attend one of his residential guitar seminars a few years ago. Stayed at his house. He’s sometimes referred to in France as a national treasure.
38. Kite Song. Rosie Thomas. We’re talking a couple of hankies here. She just has the most heart-achingly-beautiful voice, and songs to go with it. On another day I might have picked “Bicycle Tricycle,” “Farewell,” “One More Day,” or “Death Came and Got Me.” But today it’s Kite Song.
39. Something Beautiful. Great Big Sea. This band never really got the renown that it deserved, in my opinion, but they probably made a good living and enjoyed performing, so it’s okay. If you listen, try also “When I Am King,” and “Sally Ann.” Lots of good stuff. Fun cover of “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I feel fine).”
40. Walk Away Renee. Originally by the Left Banke, but when I hear it I hear Tommy Elskes’s version. Rickie Lee Jones did a fine job, too.
41. Don’t Dream It’s Over. Crowded House. These Finn brothers have put out such a great catalog of music.
42. The Boys of Summer. Don Henley. The repeating rythmic figure in this tune is just a grabber. I like his post-Eagles material quite a bit.
43. Doolin-Dalton/Desperado Reprise. I just love this bit of work. I don’t hate “Desperado” or “Doolin-Dalton”, but this reprise seems more musically worked out to me. If someone were to say, well, hell, just make this 43d choice a suite of the whole batch, I’d say, you know, maybe I should.
44. Lawyers, Guns and Money. Warren Zevon. Also left us too early. I coulda just as well, and might have on a different day, made this choice “Werewolves of London.”
45. Your Heart is for Breaking. Anne Heaton. If you haven’t heard of her, check her out.
46. Ohio. Over the Rhine. I didn’t realize when I first started listening to this group that Over the Rhine is a neighborhood/district in Cincinnati.
47. Two O’Clock in the Morning. This is done by Swati, I know basically nothing about this artist, the album is “small gods.”
48. Better. Regina Spektor. I think the version I have is a live one, probably found on iTunes. I’m not really familiar with her work otherwise.
49. I Will Remember You. Sara McLachlan. This song, as with “9 Crimes” was used as a teaser for “CSI.” Did not play during the actual episode where the Sara character left. I know this is a really sappy song, I don’t care.
50. Fields of Gold. Mr. Sting again. Eva Cassidy also sang the hell out of this song.
[Whew! Halfway There!]
51. You’re Still Standing There. Steve Earle. This guy just makes real “song”songs.
52. I’ll Say I’m Sorry Now. Shawn Colvin. This short piece comes at the end of one of her albums. A song of loss. Hanky.
53. Nothing More. Done by the British group Fotheringay, the late Sandy Denny singing. Often found under her name. This wonderful singer also left us much too soon.
54. Don’t Know Much. Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville. Often found under either name. I really like beautiful boy/girl duets (man/woman for those into political correctness). This is at or near the top of my list. As I recall, Ronstadt also did “Somewhere Out There” with James Ingram.
55. On The Nickel. Tom Waits. From the album “Heart Attack and Vine.” I have a place in my heart for sentimental songs song by rough-voiced men, and they don’t get much rougher than this guy’s (well, there’s Joe Cocker). Maybe it harks back to my father dying young, I don’t know. This song is actually in the form of a lullaby. Give it a listen.
56. Right Way to do the Wrong Thing. Cheryl Wheeler. This little folkie just keeps making wonderful songs.
57. Blue Ballet. Anne Bourne. I know little of this woman. I know of no other music from her. This is just a really haunting song.
58. Change. John Waite. Guy’s got a voice made for rock and roll.
59. Bleecker Street. Jonatha Brooke just nails the Paul Simon song. Simon has written a ton of great songs, but, over time, I find I don’t actually listen much to the performances of Simon & Garfunkel/Paul Simon much. I was married long ago, I met her on a blind date to a Simon & Garfunkel concert.
60. Fortunate Son. Creedence Clearwater Revival. May as well just say John Fogarty. Not much else in this catalog I listen to. This is a perfect rock ‘n roll “protest” song.
61. The House Carpenter. Traditional song (a Childe Ballade, I think) performed by Kelly Joe Phelps. I confess to not being much of a slide guitar lover (well, there is Ry Cooder), but this guy’s playing on this song just kills me. The album it’s on is “Shine Eyed Mr. Zen.” This song has been recorded many, many times, notable by such luminaries as Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and, more recently, by Nickel Creek. Mostly the song bores me, but no ol’ shine-eyed Kelly Joe.
62. All God’s Angels. Kate Rusby has to have one of the sweetest, most beautifully-accented voices to be heard today. She is a regular winner of best traditional (or some such thing) artist in the UK. This particular number is one of many she does which rend the heart. It also has the virtue of being a mixed duet (I cannot recall the male singer’s name just now). She writes tunes which you’d think, when you hear them, come from centuries ago (and she also performs a lot of traditional songs).
63. Are You Out There. Dar Williams again. Both studio and live versions are great.
64. My Back Pages. The Byrds doing this Dylan song. I always loved the Byrds, that Rickenbacker 12 string guitar, that odd little Roger McGuinn voice. He still tours as a solo act, plays the old Byrds songs and other stuff, and still is great. Michael Stanly does a cool version of this song as a sort of little suite/medley with the Byrds’ song “Goin’ Back.”
65. I Want You to Want Me. Cheap Trick live at Budokan. This . . . is rock and roll.
66. Oh Well. Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green era). This catchy little piece has been covered more times than one would expect, judging just from what iTunes has. I have this recollection of a studio version, but the Fleetwood Mac live versions are all I see, and they do the trick.
67. Under Pressure. David Bowie with Queen. Found on Classic Queen and Best of Bowie. This song hangs around in the back of my skull and pops up every so often demanding that I listen. It starts with that little vamp Vanilla Ice sampled for one of his worthless numbers. As we all know, Freddie Mercury left us all too soon, a recurring theme in this list, I fear.
68. La Grange. ZZ Top. So shoot me. How, how, how how . . .
69. Runaway. Del Shannon. Boy, I must be ancient.
70. Stand By Me. Ben E. King. Really old. I liked that little movie of the same name, based on Steven King’s story “The Body.”
71. Total Eclipse of the Heart. Bonnie Tyler. Didn’t I already admit above that I’m a sap? I vaguely recall this was written and/or produced by the same guy who does the same for Meatloaf. Has that same sort of thing going. Tori Amos does a live cover of this which isn’t bad, but it don’t rise above the original.
72. Winter. Tori Amos. This lady has a zillion songs. Some of them are good.
73. Reunion Hill. Richard Shindell again. So I’m a folkie. This is a terribly/wonderfully wistful song of a woman left behind by her husband going to war, never to return. Probably the Civil War.
74. The Road. Jackson Browne. I like a lot of his songs.
75. Jumpin’ Jack Flash. Johnny Winter just wailing on this Rolling Stones number, live on “Johnny Winter And Edgar Winter/Live”. Funny, over the years I’ve been excited at times by the Rolling Stones, some of their material just eats me up. But, you know, I never find myself listening to them. They got nothing on my computers or iPods. Anyway, somewhere in my brain that yell Johnny Winter starts out with in that hoarse voice “Rock and Rooooolll!” is burned in permanently.
76. Don’t Let Us Get Sick. Back with the late Warren Zevon again. Jill Sobule does a fine cover of this song. “Don’t let us get sick, don’t let us get old, don’t let us get stupid allright.”
77. Layla. Derek and the Dominoes. Eric Clapton and the late Duane Allman (I’m so tired of saying “the late,” why do so many die so young?). An anthem type song. I’ve heard it was for Patti Boyd, then married to George Harrison, later to Clapton, now, who knows?
78. Good Mother. Jann Arden. I’m not all that familiar with this, Canadian I think, artist. I just like this song.
79. Sooner or Later. Michael Tolcher. Not much to say about this guy either. Heck, I ain’t writing biographies here.
80. Ariel Ramirez. Richard Buckner. First heard this in a VW commercial.
81. Hide and Seek. Imogen Heap. Not usually into the electronically altered/voice synthesized stuff. But this works for me.
82. Out of the Blue. Ashley Chambliss. Album called “Naked Songs.”
83. Rocking in the Free World. Neil Young, rockin. Take the high-energy electric version, but don’t miss the acoustic one.
84. Howl at the Moon. Cheryl Wheeler again. A fine little ditty, I play it live sometimes.
85. Passionate Kisses. Mary Chapin Carpenter. I like her. I took my honey, on our first date, to see a wonderful piano bar guy in Fort Lauderdale (the name escapes me), he did just wonderful songs, and this was one of them. Lots of show tunes too, from Phantom, Miss Saigon, Blood Brothers. Ah, Tony Chance was his name. I mean this guy was good, no lounge singer here, no “New York, New York.”
86. Brother John is Gone/Herc-Jolly-John. Wild Magnolias. I know nothing about this band, but they just kick the shit out of this Iko-Iko sounding piece. I can’t sit still when this plays.
87. You Better You Bet. The Who. Funny thing is, I’m not a hot-blooded Who fan, but some of their music just won’t let go of me.
88. Chase the Buffalo. Pierce Pettis. This guy is a big favorite of mine, and I was lucky enough to see him perform once in a small venue. A singer/songwriter; a “folkie” if you will.
89. Carol. Chuck Berry. The man who invented rock and roll. Sure, there’s “Roll Over Beethoven”, and “Johnny B. Goode”, and on and on, but this is the song which still gets me.
90. Louisiana 1927. Randy Newman.
91. Mercy Street. Peter Gabriel. Again.
92. Nomad. Geoffrey Oryema. This may even be more obscure than my choice of “Awali” by Pierre Bensusan. Mr. Oryema is from, as I recall, Uganda, and his native language is Acholi. “Nomad” is in English. It was a tough call here, I almost stuck in “Market Day” which he does sing in Acholi. My one venture into “world music” perhaps.
93. Superman. Five for Fighting. See, all my music ain’t a thousand years old or from the folk catalog.
94. Drift Away. Dobie Gray. More recently covered by Uncle Kracker. A classic.
95. In Your Eyes. Peter Gabriel, yet again. Do not miss the live videos of this song on youtube.
96. Sweet Thing. Renee Stahl. I have no information on her, she sure sing nice.
97. Stay. Lisa Loeb.
98. Why Can’t This Be Love. Van Halen. I think is the first big hit with Sammy Hagar in the group. Anyway, it kicks my butt!
99. Like A Hurricane. Jay Farrar on this Neil Young rocker.
100. Going Down. J.J. Cale, album “Really.” Freddie King does a knockout version of this, too. Jeff Beck Group didn’t mess it up either. Something sort of stylized and laconic about the J.J. Cale version.
