Well, I'll keep mine here for now. We can make another thread later.
30 Of My Favorite Songs
1. Mission Drive: The Wonder Stuff. 1991
Taken from their 1991 album, “Never Loved Elvis”, this track is all about angst and energy.
The very understated intro hides the frenzy that is about to come. The perfect song.
2. Learning To Fly: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. 1991
Clean and economical, it rides the same 4 chords through the whole song.
Uplifting and inspiring. The summer road song.
3. From The Bench At Belvidere: The Boo Radleys. 1995
One off single from 1995. Pop in it’s purest form. Everything just works toward the same goal:
making you bob your head with the beat.
4. New Generation: Suede. 1994
Pounding with a beautiful guitar line, Brett Anderson bellows a great vocal melody right into a semi R&B prechorus.
A yearning bleeds through the chorus, as Bernard Butler goes mad through a crescendo guitar solo that give me goose bumps.
5. Hung Up: Paul Weller. 1993
Album closer from 1993’s “Wild Wood.” It’s the perfect example of everything Weller does well.
Tradition English rock, with just a hint of soul. The bridge and solo are spectacular.
6. You Left The Water Running: Otis Redding. 1966
The greatest singer in history, fusing R&B, Rock, and Country.
7. Baby Won’t Ya: MC5. 1971
Raunchy rock and roll. It kicks your ass, and makes you go back to have it kicked again.
I want to scream.
8. While I’ve Got It On My Mind: Johnny Cash. 1974
Johnny wants to get laid. Everyone is out of the house, except for him and his wife.
Johnny is gonna get laid.
9. Joining A Fanclub: Jellyfish. 1993
Put Kiss,, Queen, The Beatles, & Badfinger in a blender. You get Joining a Fanclub.
The coolest song in the universe.
10. Come Anytime: The Hoodoo Gurus. 1989
My favorite Australian rock band. A groovy pop-rock ditty you can dance to.
David Faulkner has a great voice, and he goes from low to high all over this song.
11. Jupiter And Teardrop: Grant Lee Buffalo. 1993
Starts with a bang, then settles into a fine acoustic ballad with explosive bursts of fury.
Grant Lee Philips tells a great story of desperate and tragic love.
12. A New Decade: The Verve. 1995
A total sonic assault. Slow build into the most amazing guitar screams I’ve ever heard.
The slow rhythm just stretches your speakers and lets the guitar magic spread like wildfire.
13. Naked Girl: The Velvet Teen. 2001
Driving and propulsive rhythms. An immediate chorus. A beautiful bridge with nice harmonies,
all the while fueled by a passion that sets the Velvet Teen apart.
14. Sweet Thing: Van Morrison. 1968
Lilting guitar, percussive bass, and Van Morrison singing a beautiful song about living life.
It’ll make you want to walk outside in summer sunshine and soar everything up.
15. Metal Guru: T. Rex. 1972
Joyous, stomping glam-rock sing-along. It’s melody and spirit are infectious.
16. Faraway: Supergrass. 1999
Gentle intro for a more introspective Supergrass tune. It launches into a groove that moves
with the lyric. And the lyric is great:
“I Love my girl, and she love me, I won’t find another to sail my seas.”
17. Life By The Drop: Stevie Ray Vaughn. 1989
acoustic and voice. That’s it. A story of redemption and friendship that’s all the more
poignant with Stevie’s voice and guitar telling it.
18. Powderfinger(Live): Neil Young & Crazy Horse. 1989
A powerful tale, played by a band that knows how to flex their muscle. A guitar solo as
a chorus shouldn’t be so inspirational, but it is.
19. Listen to the Music: The Doobie Brothers. 1972
All I really have to say about it: It makes me really, really happy.
20. Drive In Saturday: David Bowie. 1973
A soul ballad, Doo -Wop beat and back-up vocal. Bowie’s finest songwriting. It just soothes.
21. Come On Let’s Go- Ritchie Valens. 1958
A 50’s classic. What a back beat! It just defines Rock & Roll for me. 2 minutes of bliss.
22. I Can’t Help You Anymore: Aimee Mann. 2005
Starts as what appears to be a reminiscent ballad, but as the lyric gets more desperate
the music comes out to meet it. She manages to fit 4 songs worth of melody into 1 tune.
And it’s all heartbreaking.
23. I’ll Be The One: Badfinger. 1971
Bouncing pop tune with a fluid guitar line that borders on honkey tonk.
These guys knew how to sing in harmony, and there’s no shortage of it here.
24. Simmer Down: Bob Marley. 1963
Early Marley. Sounds like 50’s R&B, but with a rhythmic bounce and flair all it’s own.
His voice just fills you up, in a tune that’s guarantees to make your toe tap.
25. Left Of The Dial: The Replacements. 1985
Earnest, raw, raging. That about sums this one up.
26. Everyday People: Sly And The Family Stone. 1969
Another song that just makes me happy. Lots of Sly songs do that to me.
27. Have You Ever Seen The Rain?: Credence Clearwater Revival. 1970
A really simple song. It cuts right to the emotional feel of the lyric. There’s no BS in it.
I was torn between the original and REM’s cover, but I’ll go with the ache in Fogerty’s voice.
28. Tellin Stories: The Charlatans. 1997
In the history of rock, I don’t think any band has gotten better and better with each record like The Charlatans have.
This is miles away from Manchester. Acoustic guitars, calm rhythm, into bursts of Zeppelinesque guitar and drums.
It all leads into an outro for the ages.
29. A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall: Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians. 1989
I love their take on this Dylan tune. It’s total class.
Her voice is beautiful, and the band gives her enough room to allow the lyrics to
really shine through.
30. Thirteen: Big Star. 1972
The song and story are so delicate and beautiful you can’t help but get wrapped up in it.
Acoustic guitars and voice do more in this song than just about anything I’ve ever heard.
If you listen to this, you will be enchanted.
Email: Brau1@yahoo.com
Use the subject "30 of You Favorite Songs."