Zoomerang96's Music Challenge: 30 Of Your Favorite Songs

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Zoomerang96 said:

26. Pink Floyd - Jugband Blues

And the sea...isn't greeeeeeeeen...and IIIIIIIiiii...love the queeeen...and what exactlyyy iiis a dreaaaaam...and what exactlyyyyy iiiis a 7OKE. c + a minor, repeat...

Great choice! :up: Actually, all of aSoS is gorgeous!
 
indeed...another example of a song completely losing itself, only to come back together in time for the end.

it's so good, i'm almost convinced i wrote the song myself. :sexywink:
 
and thanks for posting your list cori. i'd be lieing if i said i knew a lot about the artists you listed, though.

nice work, nevertheless. :up:
 
corianderstem said:
2. Tori Amos – “Real Men”

I waffled on this one, wanting to either choose this track or her completely creepy cover of Eminem’s “ ’97 Bonnie and Clyde.” I used to be a big Tori fan, but her last few albums have done absolutely nothing for me. I’d never heard Joe Jackson’s original version of this song, but after falling in love with Tori’s cover, I sought it out and was surprised at how different the two versions were. With all due respect to Mr. Jackson, I like Tori’s version better.

17. M.I.A. – “10 Dollar”

I bought into the hype on this one. I never thought this sort of thing would be up my alley, but I completely love her “Arular” album. This is my favorite track on the album, a chipper little ditty about child prostitution.

:up: :up:
 
Zoomerang96 said:
and thanks for posting your list cori. i'd be lieing if i said i knew a lot about the artists you listed, though.

nice work, nevertheless. :up:

Thanks. You can thank me later for leaving off Kelly Clarkson's "Since You Been Gone." :wink:
 
Zoomerang96 said:
42. Stars - Elevator Love Letter

My office glows...all night long, it's a nuclear show and the stars are gone.

36. Arcade Fire - Rebellion

Easy song to point out as being one of the best of the last two years.

21. Stars - Ageless Beauty

Another great video...full on rock shit. Really optimistic too, good vibe.

11. The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work

if heaven calls, i'm coming too...

3. Broken Social Scene - Lover's Spit (w/Feist)

Either version is great, but I have a soft spot for female singers like Leslie Feist. And on top of that, the ambience at the end of this song make this one of my favourite songs of all time.

fabulous!!! :heart:
 
What a great thread. I am happy to see a lot of my favorite songs are on every single one of your lists in some way or another. However most of my favs are on bear's list. :shifty:

This thread is a reminder that I have to dig some cd's out and switch up my collection in my car right now.

oh and Ryan Adams cover of Wonderwall is one of my favorites, I too fell in love with his version the second I heard it. :heart:
 
Ok, I've given it a shot. These are not my 30 favorite songs of all time. Rather, they are 30 OF my favorite songs of all time. My list is far more mainstream than some of the ones that have been posted thus far. That said, I have still tried to populate my list with stuff that might be new to some of you anyway. These are not in order, just 30 of my favorites. Here goes:



1.Alan Parsons Project - Old And Wise

This is a beautiful, morbid song about a man who is about to die, and who is looking back on his life with some regrets.

2.Billy Joel - The Stranger

Classic and catchy as hell.

3.Billy Joel - Movin' Out(Anthony's Song)

Classic and catchy as hell. The Whole 'Stranger' album is just brilliant.

4.Depeche Mode - One Caress

Great song from DM's 'Songs Of Faith And Devotion' album...about a drug habit/death/girl, depending on how you interpret it. Slow, brooding, gorgeous, nice string arrangements.

5.Eric Clapton - Bell Bottom Blues

This song shows why Eric Clapton is great. The contrast between the bridge and chorus is interesting, because the bridge is relatively upbeat, but then chorus is sort of sorrowful and reflective - "I don't want to fade a-waaaay". A classic.

6.Guns'N'Roses - Patience

This song might be overlooked, being on the b-side of their 'Lies' EP, sandwiched in between the huge 'Appetite For Destruction' and the epic implosion-inducing 'Use Your Illusions', but it is nontheless on the best songs Axl, Slash and co. ever penned. It is a beautiful, catchy ballad, with Axl singing in an uncharacteristically subdued manner, and Slash playing only on an acoustic guitar. Good stuff.

7.John Lennon - Oh My Love
This is a short, but heartwrenching ballad from his solo record, 'Imagine'. In the shadow of such heavyweights from the same record, like the title track and 'Jealous Guy', this song about finding a love so profound that it changes the way you see and feel about everything, could very possibly make grown men cry.

8.Hanson - Man From Milwaukee
Yes, Hanson. Don't laugh. This is a wacky, catchy, sometimes amusing song from the trio that brought you mmmBop. It's not quite as cheese as mmmBop though. Give this a chance. Don't write it off just because it's Hanson.

9.Jane's Addiction - Everybody's Friend
I love this. Very simple but effective song about the fact that you can never please everybody and that sometimes there is no absolute right or wrong.

10.John Williams - Jurassic Park Theme
This is classic John Williams. There are two basic parts to it, a quite part and a more in-your-face part. The beauty of it is that it not only fit the movie perfectly, accentuating the achievement of genetically engineering dinasuars, but that it could affectively accentuate any big achievement - case in point, it is commonly used as background music when NBA teams raise championship banners or retire players' jerseys.

11.Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Very simple, but very eeiry, very haunting song here. Curtis's vocals seem distant and emotionless, and that effect works well with the lyrics and music - which is very atmospheric and soundscap-y - to effectively convery the message of the song. It is in fact Curtis's very lack of emotion in this song that so accurately illustrates the numbness of being in a relationship for so long that you've drifted apart. I'd like to add that 'Donnie Darko' was a perfect choice of movie to use this song in.

12.Lit - Lovely Day

Nothing much to say about this song, other than that it manages to be very, very catchy without sounding like everything else on the Radio. By no means an all-time great, but worth giving a listen to for sure. 'Such a lovely day, but it's nothing more than ordinary...'

13.Madonna - Frozen

The best song from what I think is Madonna's best record ever, 'Ray Of Light'. It's a ballad and it's a little long but it sounds like few things you've heard before. A great piece of music about how wasting your time with hate and grudges is a good way to make sure you never love again. 1998 was a great year.

14.Metallica - Anesthesia(Pulling Teeth)

Taken from their debut record, 'Kill 'Em All', this is a lesser-known(to non-Metallica diehards) song, but a bloody great one. It's an instrumental, and it illustrates why Metallica went downhill after bassist Cliff Burton passed away. The song is basically a four-minute bass solo with some drums added in halfway through. Old-school Metallica rules.

15.Pet Shop Boys - Can You Forgive Her

If you haven't heard anything off their 'Very' album, you should. This is why I've included what I think are some of their best songs on my list. I think this one of the few singles from this record.

16.Pet Shop Boys - To Speak Is A Sin

Again, from 'Very'. Slower than 'Can You Forgive Her', but beautiful. I wish I could describe these two songs better, but I don't know that much about PSB on a conversational level - I just know that their music is interesting and that I like it a LOT.

17.Pink Floyd - On The Turning Away

This is late, post-Waters, post glory-years Floyd. For this reason, this song is often overlooked. It was taken from 'Momentary Lapse Of Reason' - which was essentially a David Gilmour solo record - and is easily the best song on the record imo. Great melody in the verses(there isn't really a traditional chorus), and mean-yet-catchy guitar solos at the end. :drool:

18.Radiohead - Cuttooth

Ah, we reach Radiohead. Out of four RH songs on my list, only one came from an LP, and this isn't it. This is from the 'Knives Out' EP/Single and it is one RH's most chilling, haunting, creepy numbers ever. It is kind of amazing that they've such a chilling, haunting, creepy song out the repetition of just four or so notes. But that's just how good RH is. The latter parts of this song are perhaps the scariest vocals Thom Yorke ever recorded. Incidentally, I've found that, with a 6 second crossfade, this song segues quite awesomely into U2's 'Mofo'.

19.Radiohead - How Can You Be Sure

Taken from the 'Fake Plastic Trees' single, this is one of RH's more poppy songs. Light years away from the sonic experimentation that would take place on OKC and Kid A, this song is a just a guitar and Yorke's vocals for the most part. This is the kind of song where you'll find yourself humming it at some point during the day, but you won't for the life of you be able to remember what damn song it is that is making you incapable of concentrating on anything. This song has the honor of falling in the sparsely populated category of 'Radiohead songs that actually don't depress you in one way or another'.

20.Radiohead - True Love Waits

Taken from the 'I Might Be Wrong' live EP, this is a beautiful song that appears to be literally just an acoustic guitar and Thom's vocals. I don't think there is a studio version of this song, but I'm not sure I want one because I'm not sure it could ever live up to this brilliant live version. Really beautiful.

21.Radiohead - How To Disappear Completely

Bear had this in his list, and with good reason. The only of the four RH tracks here to come from an album. Haunting, mournful, and beautiful. Perhaps the least emotionally detatched song on Kid A.

22.Saint-Saens - Carnival Of The Animals

A short twenty minute classical piece, which is actually a series of short pieces, each one depicting a different animal. Fun, interesting, and just plain GOOD.


23.Semisonic - Singing In My Sleep

I think this is superior to the megahit 'Closing Time', off the same record, 'Feeling Strangely Fine'. It is catchy, somewhat sonically intereseting, and is just a great pop song as far as I'm concerned. This also contains some of my favorite lyrics about a 'Capulet on a balcony in my head'. We can all relate to the feeling of chasing an ideal, a Juliet(or Romeo) that might not exist.

24.Stevie Wonder - Overjoyed

Candidate for 'Best Stevie Wonder Song Post-Glory-Years'. It's just a love song, but what really makes it stand out for me is the beautiful chorus melody and Stevie's vocal delivery of that melody. One of Stevie's best vocal performances imo, really.

25.Tarkan - Dudu

Yes, the song is called Dudu. No, it's not talking about that dudu. Can we be adults now? :wink: Tarken is a superstar in Turkey, not exactly so well-known in the States. I am familiar with him because I myself am half-Turkish(mother is Turkish) and I have been there seven times in my life. The most recent of those visits was in 2003, this song was a single at the time, and it played every, I mean EVERY, two minutes, no matter WHERE you went in the city. You won't be able to understand anything he says in this song because it's all in Turksih, but it's catchy as all hell and was a huge hit over there.

26.Third Eye Blind - The Background

You hear 'Semi-Charmed Life' on the radio and you think you have 3EB's number. But on the very same record as the aforementioned hit is this darker, lesser known, very uncheesy, brooding gem of a song with a subtle but groovy guitar riff and one of those choruses that takes its time getting there but in the end the road to the payoff made the payoff better. This is about losing someone important to you, be it through death or breakup or whatever, and the fact that wherever you go and whatever you do, that person is with you in the figurative background.

27.Third Eye Blind - Slow Motion(Unedited Version)

This song was intended for their 'Blue' album in 1999. Long story short, record company thought the lyrics hit too close to him regarding certain events that were recent at the time(Columbine), and so the song ended up on the album as in instrumental. The original version with vocals surfaced on the internet. This is what frontman Stephen Jenkins said about it: "That song is a protest song. It's an irony. 'Slow Motion' is about how we revel in amorality, it is supposed to be seductive, it's almost like an opiate. It is intent on drawing you in. I'm sure I'll get a lot of shit for it. I'm sure nobody's going to get any sense about it at all. But I like it, I get it".

28.Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Learning To Fly

I am a huge Chicago Bulls fan, and theme song for the 1991 championship video 'Learning To Fly' was this. That was the first time I ever heard this song. This is just a great song. It can/could be about so many things - drugs, religion - but in the end it's about the fact that you never know where you'll end up in life but that you're not alone in the not knowing. I'm sure most of you already know this one.

29.Tori Amos - Spark

One of Tori's best. Beautiful. LOVE it. :drool:

30.The Beatles - The End/Abbey Road Side B Medley

I wasn't going to include the Beatles on my list for the same reason nobody is including any U2 on their lists, but I had to include this one for its significance. It is 'The End' of the Beatles. Each member gets a little solo, and then it ends with the vocals/lyrics that I, and I'm sure many others, are eternally unable to dissociate from 'The Chris Farley' show skit on SNL:

[skit]
Chris Farley: Right. I think we.. I think we got time for one more question. Uh.. remember when you were in The Beatles? And, um, you did that album Abbey Road, and at the very end of the song, it would.. the song goes, "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"? You.. you remember that?

Paul McCartney: Yes.

Chris Farley: Uh.. is that true?

Paul McCartney: Yes, Chris. In my experience, it is. I find, the more you give, the more you get.

Chris Farley [ ecstatic, starts to point at Paul and mouth "AWESOME!" ]
[/skit]

Awesome, indeed. Such a shame a comedic genius like Farley left us so soon. Anyway, this song is the conclusion of the Abbey Road Side B medley(You Never Give Me Your Money to The End), which I consider to be one of the great achievements in modern pop music.

That's about it. I'll upload them in the next day or two.
 
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Zoomerang96 said:

1. Radiohead - Airbag

The greatest song of all time, in my opinion. Especially live...oddly enough, Radiohead played this song better in 1997 and 98 than they do these days. They even admit it, which is why they rarely play it anymore. Everything I've ever liked about how 7onny plays guitar, he showcases in this song. From raunchy over-the-top guitar, to solo's, to flat out sexing the guitar sideways. The best there ever was, and will ever be.

I have yet to hear a live version of this song :sad:

I don't suppose you, er, have one you could upload?! :)
 
namkcuR said:
[B

15.Pet Shop Boys - Can You Forgive Her

If you haven't heard anything off their 'Very' album, you should. This is why I've included what I think are some of their best songs on my list. I think this one of the few singles from this record.

23.Semisonic - Singing In My Sleep

I think this is superior to the megahit 'Closing Time', off the same record, 'Feeling Strangely Fine'. It is catchy, somewhat sonically intereseting, and is just a great pop song as far as I'm concerned. This also contains some of my favorite lyrics about a 'Capulet on a balcony in my head'. We can all relate to the feeling of chasing an ideal, a Juliet(or Romeo) that might not exist.

24.Stevie Wonder - Overjoyed

Candidate for 'Best Stevie Wonder Song Post-Glory-Years'. It's just a love song, but what really makes it stand out for me is the beautiful chorus melody and Stevie's vocal delivery of that melody. One of Stevie's best vocal performances imo, really.

29.Tori Amos - Spark

One of Tori's best. Beautiful. LOVE it. :drool:

[/B]

Wow! I've always had a big ol' soft spot for the Pet Shop Boys "Very" record. It's just packed with great songs.

Another Semisonic fan! Whoot!

That Stevie Wonder song is simply gorgeous. Love the soaring melody line.

Also one of my favorite Tori songs. Love the line, "You thought that you were the bomb, yeah, well so did I."

Acrobatman, if you're looking to hear some of the songs, check the posts again - see if they say "email me to hear any of these."
 
Glad to see Tori on some of these lists-- I'm still trying to pick my favorite. My list is now 26 and growing. I've been so focused on more recent music that it's hard to go back and remember older favs.

AcrobatMan...I'd be happy to send you some Wilco (my list will have several songs). I always welcome the opportunity to turn people on to them.

3. Angie Aparo – “Spaceship”

I don’t know anything about this guy, except that he’s from Memphis and should put out another album. This song showed up on a mix CD I got some years ago. I liked the song, but didn’t think to search out an album by him. When I finally got around to doing so, I kicked myself for not doing it sooner. Great voice, great melody, great song. He had a second album of cover songs that was pretty hit or miss, but I’d love to hear him put something else out.

Did you get this from HeartlandGirl by chance? (I miss her :sad: ) I got it on a mix from her and it's a great feel-good song but it's the only thing by him I've heard.
 
joyfulgirl said:
Did you get this from HeartlandGirl by chance? (I miss her :sad: ) I got it on a mix from her and it's a great feel-good song but it's the only thing by him I've heard.

No, it was from a mailingl ist not U2-related. :wink:

If you like that song, I highly recommend the rest of the album, called "The American." The whole thing is really good.

Do you know that Faith Hill ballad "Cry" that came out a few years ago? Angie Aparo wrote it, and does the original version on this album. Unsurprisingly, his version is better.
 
corianderstem said:


Do you know that Faith Hill ballad "Cry" that came out a few years ago? Angie Aparo wrote it, and does the original version on this album. Unsurprisingly, his version is better.

Wow. Who knew!
 
I know! I did a total double-take when I first heard the song. "Why is he singing a Faith Hill song?" :lol:
 
No-one would like my 30. :angry: But maybe I'll post it later anyway. :happy:
 
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Great thread... :up: to all posters until now

I'd post my list but my contribution would be none because everyone would know that 30 songs...
 
Aw what the hell, here it goes. I've probably got the most commercial list so far, but oh well. These aren't my 30 favorite of all time, just 30 that jumped out at me while I was looking through my iTunes.

1. Audioslave – Shadow On The Sun

When he's on, Chris Cornell has one of the coolest voices around. He's most definitely on here. The slow build up throughout the song is great, and the chorus is probably my favorite of any Audioslave song. It's a shame their newer album didn't offer any song close to the greatness of this one (although #1 Zero is fantastic.)

2. The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever

This song is a trip the entire way through. Beautiful stuff. Lennon sounds as if he's asleep the entire way through. "Living is easy with eyes closed", indeed. The trippy last half minute is one of the most surreal bits of music they put together.

3. Beck – Paper Tiger

The strings! They turn this song into something special, elevating it and perfectly bouncing off Beck's lazy vocals.

4. Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues

A quick one, but a good one. It's impossible to listen to this song and not think of Dylan flipping those flashcards. Dylan packs a lot of words into 2+ minutes of music, and every bit of it sounds great.

5. Bright Eyes – I Believe In Symmetry

From the 'Digital Ash' record, this song really hits its stride about the 2:06 mark. Everything afterwards is fantastic. Epic and gorgeous, the real centerpiece of the record.

6. Bruce Springsteen – Streets of Philadelphia

One of my favorite songs from the Boss. Subdued, quiet, and over before you know it, this song feels perfect for a rainy nighttime drive.

7. Coldplay – Talk (Demo Version)

Everything I hoped X&Y would be. Far superior to the album version, with lyrics that actually aren't completely asinine. Doesn't explode like the album version, but it feels like the song was never supposed to in the first place. It's a song that wasn't meant to (attempt to) pound stadiums. This is what it should have actually sounded like. This is the direction the album should have taken.

8. Coldplay – Sleeping Sun

A b-side from the recently released Talk single. Acoustic guitars over a bouncing bass line, and a real departure from anything they've done. If this is the direction they take on their next album, I won't be disappointed.

9. Counting Crows – A Murder Of One

Off their first (and best) record. It displays all the potential they had before they started recording songs for Shrek and shit like that. The end of the song is gorgeous, with Duritz repeating the same stanza over and over again until the song blooms and the music kicks back in with repeated cries of "Change, change, change".

10. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son

Another song that's way too short. Gotta love Fogerty's vocals, and it's just a plain great tune. Vintage CCR.

11. The Cure – Lullaby

Teasing, primping, and haunting little tune. Something out of Robert Smith's nightmare. It's genius, but sometimes I've become uncomfortable listening to it. Shows how a great melody can be made into a disturbing thing.

12. Damien Rice – Eskimo

The story in this song is the lush opera that makes up the end. Beautiful way to end the record, despite the fact that there are two bonus tracks hidden much later in the track.

13. Death Cab For Cutie – Passenger Seat

The bookend to Transatlanticism's title track, Passenger Seat is a sweet and simple track, with Gibbard's voice following a gorgeous piano part for the duration. One of my very favorites from Death Cab.

14. Elton John – Your Song

Is this cliche? Probably. But it's just too damn good. Bernie wrote some great lyrics hear, and the music suits them perfectly. It's probably really sappy, but this song always reminds me of someone special, as I'm sure it does for anyone else who listens to it.

15. Foo Fighters – In Your Honor

This record was pretty hit or miss, but this first song hits and hits hard. If you saw the Foos this year, you'll realize what a monster this song is. They used it to open their sets, and Dave's screams are fantastic. Love how the song completely stops midway through before erupting.

16. Faultline – Wild Horses (featuring Joseph Arthur)

The UK's answer to Moby enlists Joseph Arthur to cover the Stones classic, and Arthur's voice makes it a winner. He sounds completely tortured and shows why he is one of the most exciting artists out there right now. One of my favorite covers ever.

17. Incubus – Aqueous Transmission

I don't know what the instrument is, but it makes the tune. Oriental sounding meditation music, and the ultimate chill out soundtrack. Don't doubt it until you've heard it.

18. Interpol – Untitled

Opener of “Turn On The Bright Lights”. Feels like the soundtrack to a scuba dive. Very few vocals in the song, which is a great thing. Great way to open the record.

19. Iron & Wine – Woman King

Iron & Wine is absolutely incredible. Sam Beam is a fantastic songwriter. This song is a swampy romp accented by Sam’s hushed vocals. Very interesting instrumentation throughout. It’s a really great track. Acoustic solo midway through is :drool:

20. Jimmy Eat World – 23

Here’s where I’m going to lose a lot of people. This is off the Futures record and is a huge achievement for Jimmy Eat World. A beautiful, sad, and sprawling song. It’s seven and a half minutes of plain gorgeous music. They really outdid themselves here. I love Jimmy Eat World, but never really took them too seriously until this song. The rest of the record is fantastic, too.

21. John Mayer – Wheel

Bluesy goodness from a guy who can really pull it off. Most people only hear “Your Body Is A Wonderland” or “No Such Thing” and think the guy is commercial, boring pop. He’s really much deeper than that, and this song proves it. Great guitar parts in a quiet, pensive tune.

22. Joseph Arthur – Termite Song

Everything I love about Joseph Arthur rolled into one nine-minute romp. It’s a slow march, and it remains that way the whole song through. Like I said earlier, Arthur is one of the most exciting artists around, and this song proves it with his quiet, lovely vocals over a lightly plucked acoustic guitar and some gorgeous background noises I still can’t quite put my finger on.

23. Led Zeppelin – Tangerine

Love the guitar part and the way the drums kick in on the chorus. A real laid back song, and a personal Zeppelin favorite.

24. Nick Drake – Fly

As with a lot of people, I first heard this tune in ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ right after Richie leaves the hospital after his suicide attempt. I have always loved his guitar playing, and this song has a beautiful part. The strings in the background add a lot. Drake’s voice can always make you feel exactly like he does.

25. Norah Jones – Turn Me On

I really adore Norah Jones, and this is one of my favorites she’s done. It’s a real lovers’ song, the sort of thing just made for a sensual slow dance. It’s one of those songs that can just make you smile no matter what mood you’re in.

26. Pete Yorn – Strange Condition

There’s a few other hardcore Pete fans round these parts, and this is the song that totally sold me on him. It’s pretty basic, but that doesn’t make it any less brilliant. Yorn’s voice aches throughout the entire song. Love it.

27. Radiohead – Climbing Up The Walls

I’m sure I don’t need to explain this to anyone. Creepy stuff, and one of the most atmospheric songs I’ve ever heard. My favorite Radiohead tune along with Idioteque.

28. Sigur Ros – Untitled 8

The final track on the ( ) record. If you’ve heard it, you probably know where I’m going with this. The drums are the real story on this track, especially on the latter half of the song. Primal and raw, one of my favorite moments in Sigur Ros’ entire catalogue.

29. The White Stripes – Death Letter (Live)

One of their live standards, and for good reason. The studio version from De Stijl is pretty tame, but the track really finds itself live. Jack White plays like a man possessed, channeling the spirit of Son House and going off with reckless abandon.

30. Wilco – Jesus Etc.

Remains one of my favorite Wilco tunes. The chorus alone makes it worth mentioning. I guess you could say it has kind of a lounge feel to it. Great lyrics throughout, but you should expect that from Jeff Tweedy at this point.
 
inmyplace13 said:
20. Jimmy Eat World – 23

Here’s where I’m going to lose a lot of people. This is off the Futures record and is a huge achievement for Jimmy Eat World. A beautiful, sad, and sprawling song. It’s seven and a half minutes of plain gorgeous music. They really outdid themselves here. I love Jimmy Eat World, but never really took them too seriously until this song. The rest of the record is fantastic, too.
to be honest, i would have been one of the people you lost by listing this song.

except that i absolutely love it.

:up:
 
Ok, here are some of my favorite songs, in alphabetical order. Email me if you want something (although I have never ysi'd before I guess now's a good time to figure it out). I don't know if I'll have time to upload everything and some of these all of you probably have anyway, so on a request basis might work best for now.

joyfulgirl60@gmail.com

-----------------------

1. Around the World (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
I love how much fun I have, and how dumb I sound, singing along.

2. A Case of You - Joni Mitchell
I especially love Tori Amos' cover but I don't have a good copy of it.

3. a sorta fairytale – Tori Amos
When I first heard it I thought it was a bit too adult contemporary for my tastes. So it surprises me that it has become a favorite. I still find myself hitting the repeat button in the car nearly every time I hear it. It’s like comfort food.

4. Begin the Begin – R.E.M.
An early R.E.M. favorite that has withstood the test of time. It just rocks.

5. Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve
I should be tired of it by now. But I’m not.

6. Black Dollar Bills – Hope of the States
Haunting, epic, apocalyptic.

7. Blue – Lucinda Williams
I keep putting this on mixes for people who don’t even like country music and it tends to end up as the favorite. I used to see Lucinda in NYC as everyone’s opening act. Here she blossoms into the alt.country diva she was born to be.

8. Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism
The passion, the imagery…

9. Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis
A perfect pop song.

10. Grace – Jeff Buckley
I was fortunate to see him live a number of times. “Lover You Should Have Come Over” was always the song that brought the house down (much better live) but “Grace” remains my favorite from the record. It’s that note he holds. You know the one.

11. How to Disappear Completely – Radiohead
Transports me beyond time and space.

12. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart – Wilco
“I wanna hold you in the Bible-black pre-dawn, you’re quite a quiet domino, bury me now…” Pure poetry, falling apart into beautiful noise.

13. I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan) – The Band
No other version comes close.

14. iieee – Tori Amos
The Choirgirl Hotel marked a departure for Tori, from a girl and her piano to more experimental songs. I like the organ, her signature soaring vocals, the lyrics (“we scream in cathedrals, why can’t it be beautiful?”) and the startling head-banging madness in the middle.

15. Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
A favorite for a long, long time.

16. It’s a Wonderful Life – Sparklehorse
Zoomerang’s list reminded me how much I love this little song.

17. Jack-Ass – Beck
Makes me smile. I love the groove.

18. Jersey Girl – Tom Waits
Achingly gorgeous song from one of my favorite songwriters.

19. Jòga - Björk
It’s all about the strings and the “emotional landscapes…”

20. King of Carrot Flowers – Neutral Milk Hotel
At first listen, a funny little song…but it has a strange poignancy that crept up on me one day.

21. Let Down - Radiohead
I could have picked any song from Ok Computer except for "Electioneering" and "Fitter Happier." It's like Sophie's Choice really so I just went with "don't get sentimental, it always ends up drivel..."

22. Lovers Spit – Broken Social Scene
I first heard this in an episode of Queer as Folk. It took me awhile to hunt it down since I didn’t see the credits roll but I found it through everyone here singing BSS’s praises. It’s just delicious (no pun intended).

23. Misguided Angel – Cowboy Junkies
The Trinity Sessions is a masterpiece and one of my favorite records. A gorgeous song—the accordion, harmonica, mandolin, the mood, the classic country theme, and you can almost hear feet keeping the beat on the wood floors of the church it was recorded live in.

24. The National Anthem – Radiohead
A glorious cacophony.

25. Reservations - Wilco
Tender, honest, plus everything Zoomerang has said about it.

26. Rise – Azure Ray
It’s just…special.

27. Santa Maria – The Frames
More falling apart into a distorted sonic frenzy.

28. Special Needs – Placebo
A perfect rock song.

29. Tangled up in Blue - Bob Dylan
I listened to it over and over and over and over in high school until I learned the words and I still know every one.
:nerd:

30. Teardrop – Massive Attack
Just listen, you’ll like it. I promise.

31. Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen
I don’t really have to tell you, do I?

32. To Wish Impossible Things – The Cure
Not for the emotionally fragile. Hide the razor blades.

33. You’re Gonna Make me Lonesome When You Go – Bob Dylan
A sweet, simple song.

34. Viðrar vel til loftárása – Sigur Rós
The piano, the crescendo into a joyful reverie followed by—you guessed it—the collapse (have you seen a theme emerge here?).

35. Weather With You – Crowded House
Open the sunroof, crank up the volume, hit the highway, and sing really loud.

-----------------------

36. Everything in its Right Place - Radiohead
A friend just called and I read him my list. He was horrified that I had not included this one. "But it's your favorite Radiohead song! I think of you everytime I hear it!" I just didn't want to have 3 songs from the same record especially when I love all of their records. It's hard not to include like 10 Radiohead songs.
 
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MacPhistoPT said:
Great thread... :up: to all posters until now

I'd post my list but my contribution would be none because everyone would know that 30 songs...

I think the point is to talk about what you love, not to play "I'm more obscure than you are." :wink:

Post your list! :hyper:
 
(not in order)

(1) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On.
Pure soul.

(2) Bruce Springsteen - Atlantic City.
Nebraska is my favourite Bruce album and I think this is the best song on it.

(3) Bruce Springsteen - Highway Patrolman.
The second best song on Bruce's best album.

(4) The Pogues - Misty Morning, Albert Bridge.
This really shows the genius of Shane - but he also had a fine band behind him.

(5) The Pogues - A Rainy Night in Soho.
Another of my favourite Pogues' songs.

(6) Paul Brady - The Island.
Possibly to really appreciate this song you would have had to have lived in Ireland in the depressed era of the early 1980s.

(7) Gram Parsons - Return of the Grevious Angel.
Keith Richards looked up to him as an idol. That's good enough for me.

(8) Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris - Love Hurts.
The collaboration works very well here.

(9) Glen Campbell - By the time I get to Phoenix.
I think Glen Campbell was never 'fashionable' but I do like this song, and a number of his others.

(10) The Jam - Going Underground.
This would probably be my favorite Jam song.

(11) The Jam - Eton Rifles.
Another great song from England's best.

(12) Suede - The Wild Ones.
Their first album was patchy, but they really delivered on their promise with the second album, especially this song.

(13) The Stone Roses - Made of Stone.
One of the more melancholic songs on their first album but I think it works really well.

(14) The Stone Roses - This is the One.
The loud, brash, confident sound of Madchester.

(15) REM - Perfect Circle.
On their first album and to me I ranks with the best they ever did.

(16) REM - Drive.
This is my favourite from Automatic.

(17) Bob Dylan - Stuck outside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.
A great and I think underrated Dylan song.

(18) Bob Dylan - Ballad of a Thin Man.
Goes without saying.

(19) The Band - I Shall be Released.
Fine cover of the Dylan original.

(20) The Byrds - Mr Tambourine Man.
Bob Dylan's original is fine but I prefer this version.

(21) The Beatles - Come Together.
Well I had to include one Beatles' song.

(22) The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset.
Ray Davies is a great song-writer.

(23) Morrissey - Everyday is like Sunday.
Has there after been a better song about the particular sense of ennui engendered by seaside towns in the winter ? If so I haven't heard it!

(24) The Smiths - Girlfriend in a Coma.
This would be my favourite Smiths' song.

(25) Prince - Sign o' the Times.
Proves that the 1980's weren't that bad for music after all.

(26) Prince - I could never take the place of your man.
If you ever went to a nightclub in the early 90's you probably remember this one.

(27) Madonna - Papa don't Preach.
This is a really fine piece of song writing.

(28) Pulp - Common People.
I remember the first time I ever heard it. I think that's often the mark of a great song.

(29) Oasis - Some Might Say.
Their best song, I think.

(30) Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music - Same Old Scene.
Decadent and brilliant.

Well that's it. Will see about posting links at a later date.
 
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financeguy said:


(2) Bruce Springsteen - Atlantic City. Nebraska is my favourite Bruce album and I think this is the best song on it.

(8) Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris - Love Hurts. The collaboration works very well here.

(15) REM - Perfect Circle. On their first album and to me I ranks with the best they ever did.


:drool:
 
joyfulgirl said:
7. Blue – Lucinda Williams
I keep putting this on mixes for people who don’t even like country music and it tends to end up as the favorite. I used to see Lucinda in NYC as everyone’s opening act. Here she blossoms into the alt.country diva she was born to be.

This is in my top 10 as well. I have a similar experience with this song when I include it in mix CDs. It becomes addictive for the listener and they always ask me about it.

Great choice! :up:

I'll have to compile my own. Keep it up guys and gals, I've already sampled most of these on iTunes. :D
 
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financeguy said:


(26) Prince - I could never take the place of your man.
If you ever went to a nightclub in the early 90's you probably remember this one.


This is such an awesome song.
 
by no means my Top 30, just 30 of my favs that I've been loving lately. I guess it's sort of commercial compared to the others...and I'll try my best with the descriptions.

1. Distopian Dream Girl- Built to Sill
The whole "There's Nothing Wrong With Love" album is really fun, and this song is especially catchy.

2. Country Feedback- REM
One of my favorite songs off Out of Time.

3. I Summon You- Spoon
A really beautiful song, the first time I heard it, it seemed like a classic song that I'd known forever.

4. Lost Cause- Beck
I'm probably in the minority thinking Sea Change was his best album. Anyway this is my favorite song off that one, it's simple and melancholic and very relatable for whatever reason.

5. Buckets of Rain- Bob Dylan
One of the best songs he ever wrote, period. and a perfect closer to blood on the tracks, it seems to sum up the whole album..."all you can do is do what you must"

6. Little Bombs- Aimee Mann
Her voice is so expressive imo, and so are her lyrics. Probably my personal favorite from her new album.

7. Last Train- Arlo Guthrie
I was debating between including this one, or City of New Orleans, but figured more people may not have heard this one. He's such a great singer and songwriter, and this song is a perfect sad folk song. Like the reference to "man of constant sorrow."

8. Beginning to See the Light- Velvet Underground
Their self-titled is one of my favorite albums of all time, and this song is so addictive. It's impossible not to sing along :wink:

9. Let it Be- Joan Baez
Possibly comes close to the original in my opinion.

10. Say it Ain't So- Weezer
I think it's my teenage angst kicking in or something, but I love screaming along to this song.

11. Jesus, etc- Wilco
I admit I'm not a hardcore Wilco fan, but ever since I got this song I've been listening to it constantly. The delicate vocals and instrumentation are great.

12. Cortez the Killer- Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse
Beautiful song, one of the verses near the end gets me all teared up sometimes. "And they carried them to the flatland/But they died along the way/And they built up with their bare hands/What we still can't do today"

13. Saint Simon- The Shins
Slowly becoming my favorite song on Chutes Too Narrow. As with most of the Shins songs, the lyrics are really fun and rhythmic and make sense in some strange way.

14. Daffodil Lament- The Cranberries
The best song they ever did. Her vocals can be a bit over the top sometimes, but they are perfect for this song. Love how the song changes toward the end.

15. The List- Metric
Great song from a great album

16. Oh, Atlanta- Alison Krauss
Anyone who thinks they hate country (me a few months ago) should listen to her. There's something about her voice and this song has some good instrumentation too.

17. Nothing Compares 2 U- Sinead O'Connor
Prince is damn good songwriter, and she has a really nice voice. I listen to this song way more than I should.

18. Think for Yourself- The Beatles
Rubber Soul is the best album they ever did, it's a fact.

19. Madame George- Van Morrison
One of the best songs ever written...I can't even describe it. His voice, and the subtle acoustic guitar, the bass guitar, the strings coming in. So so beautiful...If anyone hasn't heard it please let me ysi it for you.

20. Samba Pa Ti- Santana
As always there's a ton of emotion in his guitar playing, this is one of my favorites.

21. Gravity Rides Everything- Modest Mouse
Best song off the Moon and Antarctica.

22. Pixies- Caribou
Very catchy and a cool song

23. In the Backseat- Arcade Fire
One of my favorite album closers ever, very atmospheric, beautiful vocals. I don't know how to describe this song, but it's great.

24. Presence of the Lord- Blind Faith
His vocals are very "pure" on this song, and the guitar is awesome. "I have finally found a way to live/Just like I never could before/And I know I don't have much to give/But I can open any door"

25. Stand By Me- Marvin Gaye
Awesome soulful classic song (obviously).

26. Oh Well, Okay- Elliot Smith
Sad, mellow, beautiful...like most of XO pretty much. I could be wrong but I think this was one of the last albums he put out before he killed himself.

27. Alone, Together- The Strokes
cos the Strokes are so much fun to listen to

28. Omission- John Frusciante
I actually really like his solo stuff, and this is one of his best ones. It's almost upbeat in a strange way, very melodic.

29. Crazy Love- Van Morrison (version with Bob Dylan)
It's a good song, but I could probably name 5 others I like more off of Moondance. But this version that I found is a simple acoustic rendition, with Bob Dylan sharing vocals and it is now one of my top played tracks. Such a sweet, simple, gorgeous song.

30. Like a Rolling Stone- Jimi Hendrix
If you didn't already think I have shitty music taste, you will now...but I prefer this version to the original (and I also prefer Dylan's version of All Along the Watchtower for that matter). Can't explain it, but I do. *runs away

like I said a lot of these you've probably heard before, but I'll upload any that anyone wants
runningtostandstill@mail.com
 
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