My favorite songs

[Melville]

...because I'm procrastinating. I don't really know anything about music, so I'll forgo any commentary.

100. The Rolling Stones – Mother’s Little Helper
99. The Velvet Underground – Heroin
98. Chopin – Military Polonaise
97. Arcade Fire – Haiti
96. Yo La Tengo – Spec Bebop
95. Cat Stevens – The Wind (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_egwowW58Rg)
94. Portishead – Strangers [Live]
93. James Blackshaw – River of Heaven
92. Suicide – Cheree
91. Robert Johnson – Me & The Devil Blues
90. Buddy Holly – That’ll be the Day
89. Brahms – Hungarian Dance
88. Louis Armstrong – St. Louis Blues
87. Harry McClintock – Big Rock Candy Mountain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYGCpGzFWh0&feature=related)
86. Neil Diamond – I Am… I Said
85. Leonard Cohen – Everybody Knows
84. Devendra Bandart – This is the Way
83. The Avalanches – Frontier Psychiatrist (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8BWBn26bX0)
82. Jefferson Airplane – White Rabbit
81. Bonnie Prince Billy – Death to Everyone
80. Tom Waits – Singapore
79. The Flaming Lips – The Gash
78. Joy Division – Isolation
77. Donovan – Sunshine Superman
76. Bob Dylan – One More Cup of Coffee
75. Cat Stevens – Here Comes My Baby
74. John Lennon – My Mummy’s Dead
73. Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show – The Cover of the Rolling Stone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQSQJcs6ci8)
72. The Beatles – Yellow Submarine
71. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
70. Radiohead – Climbing Up the Walls
69. Serge Gainsbourg – Ballade de Melody Nelson
68. Lou Reed – This Magic Moment (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-VeYVUboXLI)
67. Ben Charest – Belleville Rendezvous (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8nYAoZkdSI)
66. Bob Dylan – Lay Lady Lay
65. Simon & Garfunkel – Bye Bye Love
64. Chopin – Minute Waltz
63. Cocteau Twins – Lorelei
62. Joy Division – She’s Lost Control
61. Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers – Lovesick Blues (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQezLV4yOug)
60. Bob Dylan – Love Sick
59. Strauss, Johann II – Tritsch Tratsch Polka
58. Neil Young – Harvest Moon
57. Elliot Smith – Needle in the Hay (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pyBB7y8fDU)
56. The Pixies – Alec Eiffel
55. Sunset Rubdown – Swimming
54. Amon Tobin – Sordid
53. DJ Shadow – Building Steam With a Grain of Salt
52. Brahms – Violin Concerto in D, Op. 77 – 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSjgGLK8_fs)
51. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising
50. Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata
49. The Who – A Quick One While He’s Away (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_2gUTGjeYI)
48. David Bowie – Heroes
47. Hilary Hahn - Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D Minor, V. Ciaccona
46. Yo La Tengo – Damage
45. Beethoven – Ode to Joy
44. The Trashmen – Surfin’ Bird (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8vHrq39JCI&NR=1)
43. Tommy James & The Shondells – Crimson & Clover (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1ur2iERBr0)
42. Tom Waits – Earth Died Screaming
41. Sunset Rubdown – They Took a Vote and Said No
40. T. Rex – Cosmic Dancer
39. Strauss, Johann II – Tales of Vienna Woods
38. The Statler Brothers – Flowers on the Wall
37. John Lennon – Instant Karma!
36. Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Ts4M3irWM)
35. The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil
34. Radiohead – Karma Police (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LeLAELIxKY)
33. Neil Young – Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)
32. Norman Blake – You Are My Sunshine
31. Portishead – Sour Times
30. Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood – Some Velvet Morning
29. My Bloody Valentine – Sometimes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvNnDf0L4Xo)
28. Stan Getz – The Girl from Ipanema
27. Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRlj5vjp3Ko)
26. Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
25. Nick Drake – Pink Moon
24. Janis Joplin – Me & Bobby McGee
23. Cocteau Twins – Ivo
22. Donovan – Hurdy Gurdy Man
21. My Bloody Valentine – Only Shallow
20. Bonnie Prince Billy – A Minor Place
19. Johnny Cash – I Walk the Line (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krVACUbciJE&feature=related)
18. Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDJDriHA6WI&feature=related)
17. Iggy Pop – The Passenger
16. The Clash – London Calling
15. Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone
14. The Beatles – I Am the Walrus
13. Van Morrison – TB Sheets
12. Suicide – Ghost Rider (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1woMEExMZXg)
11. Portishead – All Mine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vozNQX6Ye1A)
10. Radiohead – The National Anthem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0mtSjQvk3o)
9. Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D - 1. Toccata
8. Bob Dylan – Desolation Row (http://youtube.com/watch?v=etP3NEe7W_o)
7. The Doors – The End (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCUQtbZ3Tbs)
6. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart (http://youtube.com/watch?v=EbMnJT9SjQY)
5. Tom Waits – I Don’t Wanna Grow Up (http://youtube.com/watch?v=kzKiqk2iynY)
4. Roy Orbison – In Dreams (http://youtube.com/watch?v=5-DjluKLY14)
3. Nina Simone – Sinner Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfCCIbIapMw)
2. Johnny Cash – The Man Comes Around (http://youtube.com/watch?v=uEl2mC6DcOU)
1. The Velvet Underground – Venus in Furs (http://youtube.com/watch?v=AwzaifhSw2c)

[D_Davis]

Some cool choices.


I'll comment more later. It looks like we have more in common musically than we do cinematically.

[Melville]

It looks like we have more in common musically than we do cinematically.
That's not saying much. ;)

I look forward to your comments.

[MacGuffin]

Love

99. The Velvet Underground – Heroin
95. Cat Stevens – The Wind
90. Buddy Holly – That’ll be the Day
80. Tom Waits – Singapore
75. Cat Stevens – Here Comes My Baby
49. The Who – A Quick One While He’s Away
42. Tom Waits – Earth Died Screaming
41. Sunset Rubdown – They Took a Vote and Said No
35. The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil
29. My Bloody Valentine – Sometimes
27. Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire
22. Donovan – Hurdy Gurdy Man
21. My Bloody Valentine – Only Shallow
20. Bonnie Prince Billy – A Minor Place
18. Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey
16. The Clash – London Calling
15. Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone
4. Roy Orbison – In Dreams
2. Johnny Cash – The Man Comes Around
1. The Velvet Underground – Venus in Furs

Like

97. Arcade Fire – Haiti
96. Yo La Tengo – Spec Bebop
81. Bonnie Prince Billy – Death to Everyone
63. Cocteau Twins – Lorelei
55. Sunset Rubdown – Swimming
48. David Bowie – Heroes
46. Yo La Tengo – Damage
45. Beethoven – Ode to Joy
26. Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
19. Johnny Cash – I Walk the Line
17. Iggy Pop – The Passenger
7. The Doors – The End

Dislike

72. The Beatles – Yellow Submarine
57. Elliot Smith – Needle in the Hay
36. Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues
25. Nick Drake – Pink Moon

Hate

6. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart

Good list man. I should probably do something like this. Really nice stuff, and I honestly didn't know Hurdy Gurdy Man was Donovan.

[Sven]

Venus in Furs - *** - it's appeal is undeniably predicated on your ability to suffer Reed's sometimes atonal speech-singing (which I'm only half sold on) and the caterwauling violins. Not a perfect song in my book, but compelling for the Underground. I vastly prefer Sister Ray, which is where my love for them begins and ends, more or less.

[MacGuffin]

Venus in Furs - *** - it's appeal is undeniably predicated on your ability to suffer Reed's sometimes atonal speech-singing (which I'm only half sold on) and the caterwauling violins. Not a perfect song in my book, but compelling for the Underground. I vastly prefer Sister Ray, which is where my love for them begins and ends, more or less.

That's the only song you heard!?!

[Sven]

The Man Comes Around - **** - not a fan at all of old school Cash, but I definitely dig his I'm-about-to-die phase. This song in particular. Love that Dun-Dun-Dun that ushers in the chorus for the first time. Could do without the biblical bookends. Or at least the phonograph effect. A jaunty good tune.

[MacGuffin]

The Man Comes Around - **** - not a fan at all of old school Cash, but I definitely dig his I'm-about-to-die phase. This song in particular. Love that Dun-Dun-Dun that ushers in the chorus for the first time. Could do without the biblical bookends. Or at least the phonograph effect. A jaunty good tune.

Or the zombies.

[Sven]

Sinner Man - **** - This song has me rapt, and as lengthy as it is, never tires and never feels exhausting. Great choice.

[Melville]

Hate

6. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart

Good list man. I should probably do something like this. Really nice stuff, and I honestly didn't know Hurdy Gurdy Man was Donovan.
Oh, it's Donovan all over. Why the hate for Love Will Tear Us Apart?


Venus in Furs - *** - it's appeal is undeniably predicated on your ability to suffer Reed's sometimes atonal speech-singing (which I'm only half sold on) and the caterwauling violins. Not a perfect song in my book, but compelling for the Underground. I vastly prefer Sister Ray, which is where my love for them begins and ends, more or less.
I love how well Reed's speech-singing and the caterwauling violins work with the mood of the song. Sister Ray came in at around 110 on my list, before I decided to reduce the total to 100.


The Man Comes Around - **** - not a fan at all of old school Cash, but I definitely dig his I'm-about-to-die phase. This song in particular. Love that Dun-Dun-Dun that ushers in the chorus for the first time. Could do without the biblical bookends. Or at least the phonograph effect. A jaunty good tune.
Heh. I love the bookends and the phonograph effect.


If you write a capsule review for each of my choices, you will be mightily repped.

[Sven]

9. Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D - 1. Toccata - **** - absolutely beautiful. Playful and witty.

8. Bob Dylan – Desolation Row - ***1/2 - you can kind of get lost in it, can't you? Very good, even if I'm not a huge fan of Dylan's peculiar brand of lyricism. Still, he crafts a great melody with this song.

7. The Doors – The End - **1/2 - My least favorite song on that album. It's all about Twentieth Century Fox.

6. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart - ** - Meh.

5. Tom Waits – I Don’t Wanna Grow Up - *** - I'm not huge on Tom Waits's sing-songy stuff, but it's still Tom Waits doing his Tom Waitsy thing. Not terrible. I prefer Dirt in the Ground from the same album (Such a Scream is a blast, too).

4. Roy Orbison – In Dreams - *** - Just like Elvis, I'm not sold on this kind of rockabilly stuff. Still, not bad. I don't turn it off.

[MacGuffin]

Oh, it's Donovan all over. Why the hate for Love Will Tear Us Apart?

I guess it's just boring to me, and doesn't resonate on any emotional level. Not to mention the horrendous Nouvelle Vague did a cover of it, which comes to mind unfortunately every time the song is brought up.

[D_Davis]

That's not saying much. ;)


Right. That is to say, I don't actively loath most of the songs you've chosen.

:lol:

[Sven]

15. Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone - **** - Pretty untouchable. That introductory rush is the stuff of legends.

14. The Beatles – I Am the Walrus - **** - Are they saying "Everybody smoke pot", you think? Magical Mystery Tour is totally underrated. They create some very intriguing sounds in that one.

13. Van Morrison – TB Sheets - **** - for 10 minute long folk songs, I definitely prefer VM to BD. I love this era of the Van. Imaginative and without restraint.

12. Suicide – Ghost Rider - *** - Very cool, though I'm beginning to notice that you are attracted to repetition, which isn't so much my thing. Aside from Sister Ray, of course.

11. Portishead – All Mine - ***1/2 - Funky chill reggae, all trance-ified with a sexy, sexy vocal. Like it a lot.

10. Radiohead – The National Anthem - ** - Radiohead doing their thing. Which is alright, I guess, though this song doesn't seem particularly inspired. Too repetitive without that elevating mantra effect. My preferences: Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, Fake Plastic Trees, and The Bends.

[Sven]

I will finish this later, when I need to be distracted from my homework.

[Melville]

9. Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D - 1. Toccata - **** - absolutely beautiful. Playful and witty.
Yeah, I love the playfulness. The shifts between tonality and atonality are irresistible.


8. Bob Dylan – Desolation Row - ***1/2 - you can kind of get lost in it, can't you? Very good, even if I'm not a huge fan of Dylan's peculiar brand of lyricism. Still, he crafts a great melody with this song.
I think this song is the peak of his lyricism. The mad mix of ideas is spectacular.


7. The Doors – The End - **1/2 - My least favorite song on that album. It's all about Twentieth Century Fox.
Wacky. The End is a sprawling descent into madness. How can you turn down the invitation to join it at the back of the blue bus?


6. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart - ** - Meh.
Why does everybody seem to dislike this one? Admittedly I'm a sucker for melancholic romance, but even putting that aside, the song is damn catchy. I love the contrast between the poppy, glistening sound and the gloomy lyrics.


5. Tom Waits – I Don’t Wanna Grow Up - *** - I'm not huge on Tom Waits's sing-songy stuff, but it's still Tom Waits doing his Tom Waitsy thing. Not terrible. I prefer Dirt in the Ground from the same album (Such a Scream is a blast, too).
Again, it's the wonderful contrast that gets me here. I'm elated by Wait's gravelly voice singing about being frightened of growing up (especially with such cleverly idiosyncratic lyrics).


4. Roy Orbison – In Dreams - *** - Just like Elvis, I'm not sold on this kind of rockabilly stuff. Still, not bad. I don't turn it off.
Again, the melancholic romance is what does it for me. Also, I can't help permanently associating this song with one of the greatest moments in movie history.

[Melville]

13. Van Morrison – TB Sheets - **** - for 10 minute long folk songs, I definitely prefer VM to BD. I love this era of the Van. Imaginative and without restraint.
Yeah, the ear-splitting harmonica and Van Morrison gaspingly asking somebody to open up the window to let him breathe... definitely imaginative and without restraint.

And I love almost everything on Magical Mystery Tour.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

Venus in Furs is one of my very favorites as well.

[D_Davis]

Joy Division rules. Not as much as New Order, but still...

[Melville]

Joy Division rules. Not as much as New Order, but still...
Blue Monday almost made my list, but I can't say I love many other New Order songs.

[bac0n]

79. The Flaming Lips – The Gash Yay! Probably my favorite Lips song too.

77. Donovan – Sunshine SupermanMel Torme' actually does a killer cover of this song.

63. Cocteau Twins – Lorelei Probably my fave Cocteau Twins song too.

54. Amon Tobin – Sordid Can't complain about the Amon Tobin love, but if I had to pick a fave of his, I would go with Verbal off of Out From Out Where

53. DJ Shadow – Building Steam With a Grain of SaltI actually like Midnight in a Perfect World Better

44. The Trashmen – Surfin’ BirdThis song used to drive my wife's parents' cat Cooper CRAZY. Cooper HATED that song. Don't know why, but ya gotta give a song props for being able to get a cat to flip out like that. Me, I had an old 45 of this song I used to play on 33 for laughs. Ah, the break-down part just before he starts to say oo-mow-mow played at about half speed.... comedy gold right there.

5. Tom Waits – I Don’t Wanna Grow UpEasily my fave Tom Waits cover of a Ramones song. My fave part is when he goes HOO! After the line "I don't want a big ol' tomb on grant street!"

[Melville]

Easily my fave Tom Waits cover of a Ramones song.
I'm pretty sure it was the other way around. But, yeah, I love that "hoo!"

[MacGuffin]

By the way, I like that song Temptation by New Order. Here's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfRYGVWZilU) a cool video of them playing it.

[origami_mustache]

Cool list...I could never even attempt to assemble something like this.

[Duncan]

"A Minor Place" is your favorite Bonnie "Prince" Billy song? I always thought of it as an nice little intro the the album. The good stuff comes later. Pretty similar taste overall though. Love "Venus in Furs".

[Spinal]

10. Radiohead – The National Anthem

This is one of my favorite Radiohead songs as well. Can't get enough of it.

[Sven]

21. My Bloody Valentine – Only Shallow - ***1/2 - All the noise, noise, noise, noise! It's hard to think of Shields as a mega-perfectionist, because it all sounds so spontaneously noisy. I can't imagine working so hard to create such a sound (though this song is definitely not as confounding as some). Still, this song is pretty great. A wonderful combination of hard and soft. One of their better numbers.

20. Bonnie Prince Billy – A Minor Place - **1/2 - This guy depresses me. His sadness is way too blunt, his compositions way too amateurish. I guess people must like him for his lyricism, but to me he lacks verve. This song sounds nice, mostly, if a bit maudlin.

19. Johnny Cash – I Walk the Line - ** - As I said before, not a fan of this early Cash stuff. It's not awful, but it's all so homogenized. I can't discern this song from anything else he did. Maybe I've just heard it too much.

18. Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey - ** - It's so hard to hear the song underneath all the noise. I don't mind distortion, but it's laid on a little thick here.

17. Iggy Pop – The Passenger - ***1/2 - I like Iggy most when he's with The Stooges, but this song is nicely evocative. Kind of haunting.

16. The Clash – London Calling - **** - Gloomy and doomy, with attitude to spare. Has a similar guitar part as The Passenger, coincidentally (or perhaps not so coincidentally).

[Horbgorbler]

I must admit I did a surprised double-take upon noticing Emmett Miller. Very unexpected, but admirable, choice. Extra props for "Belleville Rendezvous" and singling out unquestionably the best F'lips and Iggy songs.

[Sven]

27. Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire - ** - See my comments for "I Walk the Line"

26. Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - *1/2 - Boo! Boooooooo! Vanilla indie. The scenario painted lacks sensibility.

25. Nick Drake – Pink Moon - **** - I love it when Nick sings in his higher register. So dulcet. So beautiful. My favorite song of his is Man in a Shed. And At the Chime of the City Clock.

24. Janis Joplin – Me & Bobby McGee - **** - Have you ever seen the Monterey Pop Festival film? Joplin has one of the most commanding stage presences that I've ever seen (if only I'd actually seen her on stage rather than just a filmic representation!). I love her voice, I love her body language, and I love Kris Kristoferson, who wrote this song, and his music.

23. Cocteau Twins – Ivo - *** - You know, it was just recently that I really recognized the Twins as a viable sonic force. I've come to quite enjoy their strange new agey melodiousness. This song is nice.

22. Donovan – Hurdy Gurdy Man - **** - Yes. Just... yes.

[Sven]

33. Neil Young – Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) - ***1/2 - Very unexpected selection for a Young representative, but I dig it. Rock and Roll will never die, baby!

32. Norman Blake – You Are My Sunshine - ***1/2 - Come on, now, I can't hate this. Bluegrass is divine.

31. Portishead – Sour Times - **** - Probably my favorite Portishead song. I love its use of the surfer guitar sound.

30. Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood – Some Velvet Morning - *** - Freaky and ominous, and I love Hazlewood's voice. Interesting choice.

29. My Bloody Valentine – Sometimes - *** - 'S okay.

28. Stan Getz – The Girl from Ipanema - ** - is this the version with Joao Gilberto? Not my favorite jazz standard, but I do like the Brazilian smoothness.

[Melville]

"A Minor Place" is your favorite Bonnie "Prince" Billy song? I always thought of it as an nice little intro the the album. The good stuff comes later.
I'd say it best characterizes his combination of earnestness and simpleness.


19. Johnny Cash – I Walk the Line - ** - As I said before, not a fan of this early Cash stuff. It's not awful, but it's all so homogenized. I can't discern this song from anything else he did. Maybe I've just heard it too much.
While I do prefer his American series to his early work, I think his early songs are mostly pretty distinct from one another.

18. Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey - ** - It's so hard to hear the song underneath all the noise. I don't mind distortion, but it's laid on a little thick here.
Embrace the noise.


26. Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - *1/2 - Boo! Boooooooo! Vanilla indie.
That's what I thought before I actually listened to the album. I love the forthright emotion, the haunting lyrics (which evoke a perfectly sensible mini-fable), the plaintive vocals, the piano laced into the powerful beat, the long buildup to the final crescendo of "woo-woo-woo-woo"s. It's great stuff.


28. Stan Getz – The Girl from Ipanema - ** - is this the version with Joao Gilberto?
Yes.

[Sven]

39. Strauss, Johann II – Tales of Vienna Woods - **** - Is this really a "song"? Besides picking on your choice of words, I've got no complaints about this one. Simultaneously soothing and jaunty.

38. The Statler Brothers – Flowers on the Wall - ***1/2 - Unfortunately I cannot listen to this song without thinking about Pulp Fiction. Which isn't necessarily bad, but it's just a random association that I would prefer to do without. Good song. Fun.

37. John Lennon – Instant Karma! - **** - If only all of the respective Beatles' post-Beatles music careers were as wonderful as this song. But then, maybe I like it so much because it sounds like The Beatles. I still prefer Harrison's solo career.

36. Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues - **1/2 - Eh.

35. The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil - **** - Very simple, but I love the way it mounts. And Jagger's wailing is sublime. I love the choo-choo train "Whoo! Whoo!"s

34. Radiohead – Karma Police - *** - A pretty good song, though it seems a little plain by Radiohead's standards.

[Sven]

46. Yo La Tengo – Damage - ** - I've never really been able to discern a unique voice with Yo La Tengo. All their stuff sounds like heavy slowness and been-there-done-that-itude.

45. Beethoven – Ode to Joy - **** - best played loud enough to melt your face.

44. The Trashmen – Surfin’ Bird - ??? - Why is this song on your list? Don't you have children? Why would you expose them to this? Or is it because of them that you like it?

43. Tommy James & The Shondells – Crimson & Clover - ***1/2 - Heh. Love this song.

42. Tom Waits – Earth Died Screaming - **** - I love the clickity-clacky percussion, and the deep thudding when he starts to wail "As the Earth died screamiiiing!" Classic Waits, which translates into: "awesome"

41. Sunset Rubdown – They Took a Vote and Said No - *** - What a weird song. I've never heard it before now. Can't say it was totally winning, but it's certainly intriguing.

40. T. Rex – Cosmic Dancer - **** - you expect me to have a bad thing to say about T. Rex? Have you ever heard any of their "Tyrannosaurus Rex"-era stuff? I highly recommend it if you haven't.

[Spinal]

46. Yo La Tengo – Damage - ** - I've never really been able to discern a unique voice with Yo La Tengo. All their stuff sounds like heavy slowness and been-there-done-that-itude.

Booooooooo!

[Sven]

53. DJ Shadow – Building Steam With a Grain of Salt - *** - A solid groove. I find that DJ Shadow is not as intriguing as I wish he was, but he's good for ambiance.

52. Brahms – Violin Concerto in D, Op. 73 – 3 - ***1/2 - Do you mean "Symphony Concerto in D"? Because I don't think that there's a Violin Concerto in D, Op. 73. At any rate, quality. Like most lasting classical music, great stuff to chill with.

51. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising - ***1/2 - I'm a Fortunate Son man myself, and I really love Out My Back Door as well, but this is a classic.

50. Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata - **** - Pure beauty.

49. The Who – A Quick One While He’s Away - *** - this, and other selections on the list, lead me to believe that you are enamored with the Rushmore soundtrack. This is a good song, but you should check out some mid-era Who. It's untouchable.

48. David Bowie – Heroes - ***1/2 - right album, wrong song. Check out Joe the Lion and The Secret Life of Arabia on that album. Two of the finest example of rock I've ever heard.

47. Hilary Hahn - Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D Minor, V. Ciaccona - *** - A little sparse for my tastes... I'm not enamored with the solo violin. But nice.

[Melville]

46. Yo La Tengo – Damage - ** - I've never really been able to discern a unique voice with Yo La Tengo. All their stuff sounds like heavy slowness and been-there-done-that-itude.
:crazy:
That whole album is the lushest thing I've ever heard.


44. The Trashmen – Surfin’ Bird - ??? - Why is this song on your list? Don't you have children? Why would you expose them to this? Or is it because of them that you like it?
I have no idea what you're talking about. Surfin' Bird rules. "Ooh-mow-mow" is the greatest lyric ever conceived.



52. Brahms – Violin Concerto in D, Op. 73 – 3 - ***1/2 - Do you mean "Symphony Concerto in D"? Because I don't think that there's a Violin Concerto in D, Op. 73. At any rate, quality. Like most lasting classical music, great stuff to chill with.
It should be Op. 77.


49. The Who – A Quick One While He’s Away - *** - this, and other selections on the list, lead me to believe that you are enamored with the Rushmore soundtrack. This is a good song, but you should check out some mid-era Who. It's untouchable.
Yes, I love the Rushmore soundtrack. But I'm not generally a fan of the Who.

[Qrazy]

93. James Blackshaw – River of Heaven
92. Suicide – Cheree
91. Robert Johnson – Me & The Devil Blues
87. Harry McClintock – Big Rock Candy Mountain
84. Devendra Bandart – This is the Way
81. Bonnie Prince Billy – Death to Everyone
77. Donovan – Sunshine Superman
73. Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show – The Cover of the Rolling Stone
69. Serge Gainsbourg – Ballade de Melody Nelson
67. Ben Charest – Belleville Rendezvous
61. Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers – Lovesick Blues
55. Sunset Rubdown – Swimming
54. Amon Tobin – Sordid
47. Hilary Hahn - Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D Minor, V. Ciaccona
44. The Trashmen – Surfin’ Bird
43. Tommy James & The Shondells – Crimson & Clover
41. Sunset Rubdown – They Took a Vote and Said No
40. T. Rex – Cosmic Dancer
38. The Statler Brothers – Flowers on the Wall
32. Norman Blake – You Are My Sunshine
22. Donovan – Hurdy Gurdy Man
20. Bonnie Prince Billy – A Minor Place
18. Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey
12. Suicide – Ghost Rider

Don't know these, support the rest to varying degrees... if it were my list would have more 'underground' hip-hop, electronic music (in the vein of DJ shadow and ambient) and Jazz... but both classic rock and indie rock seem to be fairly well represented.

[Qrazy]

53. DJ Shadow – Building Steam With a Grain of Salt - *** - A solid groove. I find that DJ Shadow is not as intriguing as I wish he was, but he's good for ambiance.


I can understand what you're trying to say here but the way you phrased it makes me feel a compulsive need to slap you. :)

[Spinal]

44. The Trashmen – Surfin’ Bird
43. Tommy James & The Shondells – Crimson & Clover
38. The Statler Brothers – Flowers on the Wall
22. Donovan – Hurdy Gurdy Man


Are you sure you don't know these? They're fairly ubiquitous.

[Qrazy]

Are you sure you don't know these? They're fairly ubiquitous.

Probably heard 'em (maybe heard a lot of the one's I said I don't know) but just don't recognize the artists/song names.

[D_Davis]

100. The Rolling Stones – Mother’s Little Helper - can't stand the Rolling Stones. One of my all time least favorite bands.
99. The Velvet Underground – Heroin - Awesome band and an awesome song.
96. Yo La Tengo – Spec Bebop - pretty cool. I used to really like these guys, but over the years I've grown less enthused by them.
95. Cat Stevens – The Wind - sweet. Cat Stevens is awesome.
94. Portishead – Strangers [Live] - don't like Portishead. Nobody loves her because she whines too much.
92. Suicide – Cheree - Martin Rev rules, and so does Suicide.
85. Leonard Cohen – Everybody Knows - Yes and yes.
80. Tom Waits – Singapore - Cool dude, and good song.
79. The Flaming Lips – The Gash - one of my favorites on the album. Great production and incredibly catchy.
78. Joy Division – Isolation - farking great track. I'll always prefer New Order, but their roots are strong.
76. Bob Dylan – One More Cup of Coffee - can't disagree with Dylan.
75. Cat Stevens – Here Comes My Baby - yes again.
72. The Beatles – Yellow Submarine - eh, okay. Not the biggest fan of The Beatles, or this song. Don't get me wrong, I totally respect them, and I totally love some of their stuff.
71. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - never been a big fan, but I respect him.
70. Radiohead – Climbing Up the Walls - I think I'm just too sick of this band to really care or listen to them any more. Got oversaturated whilst working at Tower Records for 4 years. Everyday I was drowning in head - Radiohead and Portishead. Ugh.
66. Bob Dylan – Lay Lady Lay - Great song.
63. Cocteau Twins – Lorelei - The C-Twins are awesome. I'm a 4AD "kid." I want my 4AD.
62. Joy Division – She’s Lost Control - See #78.
60. Bob Dylan – Love Sick - Bob Dylan + Daniel Lanois = uber-awesome. Lanois is the best producer working today, and here Dylan was at at the top of his game. The best Dylan album, and one of the best Lanois projects.
58. Neil Young – Harvest Moon - Incredible album and song.
57. Elliot Smith – Needle in the Hay - I can't stand Elliot Smith's music. I find it sonically uninteresting.
56. The Pixies – Alec Eiffel - The Pixies are one of the only 4AD bands I never loved. I like them, but they get on my nerves a bit.
53. DJ Shadow – Building Steam With a Grain of Salt - Good but not fantastic. I don't really get why he is considered one of the greats.
51. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising - Okay - no complaints.
48. David Bowie – Heroes - One of my favorite songs, too. Bowie + Eno = awesome.
46. Yo La Tengo – Damage - see #96
44. The Trashmen – Surfin’ Bird - I first heard this song on the Back to the Beach movie soundtrack, which also contained my first exposure to Fishbone and ska.
42. Tom Waits – Earth Died Screaming - see #80
40. T. Rex – Cosmic Dancer - I love T. Rex, but I don't love this song. I prefer their stuff more when it rocks - Futuristic Dragon FTW!
36. Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues - Is this the fast one or the slow one?
35. The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil - see #100
34. Radiohead – Karma Police - OK Computer is an awesome album, but I don't care for this track.
31. Portishead – Sour Times - See #94
30. Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood – Some Velvet Morning - Cool track. I liked it better when Slowdive covered it.
29. My Bloody Valentine – Sometimes - awesome. Shields' is incredible, as is the rest of the band.
27. Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire - Good song.
25. Nick Drake – Pink Moon - Love Nick Drake. We played his music at our wedding.
24. Janis Joplin – Me & Bobby McGee - I cannot stand Janis Joplin. She has one of my least favorite voices in all of musical history.
23. Cocteau Twins – Ivo - again, awesome.
21. My Bloody Valentine – Only Shallow - Yes sir!
20. Bonnie Prince Billy – A Minor Place - Don't like BPB. Never warmed up to his song writing.
19. Johnny Cash – I Walk the Line - meh.
18. Jesus and Mary Chain – Just Like Honey - Great track, great band, great album.
16. The Clash – London Calling - Never cared for The Clash. I did, however, love Big Audio Dynamite.
15. Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone - classic track
14. The Beatles – I Am the Walrus - One of my favorite Beatles songs. I also love the cover that Oingo Boingo did.
12. Suicide – Ghost Rider - sweet.
11. Portishead – All Mine - Man, so much Portishead.
10. Radiohead – The National Anthem - Okay, I guess.
8. Bob Dylan – Desolation Row - Good stuff.
7. The Doors – The End - never cared for the Doors.
6. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart - One of the all time great songs.
2. Johnny Cash – The Man Comes Around - Good song, great production.
1. The Velvet Underground – Venus in Furs - awesome band, awesome song.

[Spinal]

... can't stand the Rolling Stones. One of my all time least favorite bands.

...don't like Portishead. Nobody loves her because she whines too much.

... The Pixies are one of the only 4AD bands I never loved. I like them, but they get on my nerves a bit.

...I cannot stand Janis Joplin. She has one of my least favorite voices in all of musical history.


Are you about through?

[D_Davis]

Are you about through?

With what?

[Sven]

With what?

With the Janis hate. Please be done with it now.

[D_Davis]

With the Janis hate. Please be done with it now.

Can't, sorry.

When I think of something sonically unpleasant, her voice is in the top 10.

Good band though.

[Qrazy]

I semi agree with you on the pixies (D), at least the albums I've heard... Complete B-Sides, Doolittle, Bossanova... I love 3 or 4 of their singles but I find the full albums to be relatively weak.

But the Rolling Stones rock your face off.

[D_Davis]

I semi agree with you on the pixies (D), at least the albums I've heard... Complete B-Sides, Doolittle, Bossanova... I love 3 or 4 of their singles but I find the full albums to be relatively weak.


Yeah...

I don't dislike them, I just don't love them.

They always felt out of place to me on 4AD.

I saw them live and they totally rocked, I even smoked some cigarettes with Kim and Kelly in Austin - they bummed them off of me!

Totally cool.

I also saw Frank Black opening for The Ramones, and that, too, was awesome.

[Melville]

36. Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues - Is this the fast one or the slow one?
I have two different versions, but they both seem to be at the same tempo. The version on my list is the one on At Folsom Prison.


With what?
I think he's implying that you should stop the insanity.

[D_Davis]

I think he's implying that you should stop the insanity.

What insanity?

[Qrazy]

What insanity?

Your insanity.

[D_Davis]

Your insanity.

It's hard being an individual with a discerning and complex ear for music.

[Melville]

It's hard being an individual with a discerning and complex ear for music.
Are you suggesting that
Much madness is divinest sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkest madness?

[Sven]

61. Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers – Lovesick Blues - *** - I love this post-Tin-Pan-pre-cowboy stuff. Just the right balance between hokey and delightful.

60. Bob Dylan – Love Sick - ***1/2 - It's kind of hard for me to get through this song. It's so discomforting for the first half. As the song develops and the sound gets fuller and richer and more layered, it becomes quite brilliant.

59. Strauss, Johann II – Tritsch Tratsch Polka - **** - Sounds like something straight out of Looney Tunes. Love it.

58. Neil Young – Harvest Moon - **** - Gets those notes just right. There's something elating at play when that higher octave hits. I love Neil.

57. Elliot Smith – Needle in the Hay - [zero stars] - My distaste for Smith is boundless, I think. Some of his stuff is interestingly arranged (relatively), but this song is so not one of those.

56. The Pixies – Alec Eiffel - **** - I find that The Pixies are best listened to one song at a time. Their albums can be quite exhausting, which doesn't mean that I don't like a majority of their songs... I do. This happens to be one of them. My favorite song of theirs, hands down, is Debaser.

55. Sunset Rubdown – Swimming - **1/2 - Hmmm... I think these guys annoy me. Not sure. Will have to listen to more, but I kind of don't wanna.

54. Amon Tobin – Sordid - *** - I can dig it. A bit on the heavy side, but it's totally groovy.

[Melville]

I posted links (in the original post) to videos for some of the songs, mostly scenes from movies (lots of Lynch) and live performances, with a marionette performance of Desolation Row thrown in for good measure.