Monday, August 24, 2015

Top 350 songs in my 50 years in Music -- 150-121


150. The End of the Innocence – Don Henley. … “O’ beautiful, for spacious skies, but now those skies are threatening, they’re beating plowshares into swords for this tired old man (Reagan) we elected king.”

149. Back in the USSR – The Beatles. … Apparently it was written in honor of Chuck Berry’s “Back in the USA” and as a bit of a parody of “California Girls,” by the Beach Boys to lead off “The White Album.” “The Ukraine girls really knock you out, they leave the west behind.” Damn right!

148. You can’t hurry love – Phil Collins. … Yeah, it’s a Supremes song that was written in Motown, but Phil does such a great cover on a tremendous album called, “Hello, I must be going.”

147. Baby Blue – Badfinger. … It’s amazing how well this song worked in the brilliant final scene of “Breaking Bad.” … “Guess I got, what I deserved….”

146. You can’t always get what you want – The Rolling Stones. … “You can try sometimes, but you might well find, you get what you need.”

145. Rebel Rebel – David Bowie. … “Hot tramp, I love you so.” What a lyric. Ziggy Stardust sings it.

144. Heat Wave – Linda Ronstadt. … Many said after seeing The Eagles documentary, “Man, Linda Ronstadt rocked.” Linda and “that voice” covered this one, originally sung by Martha and the Vandellas.

143. Bait and Switch – The Shins. … My favorite song from 2012. About a man who wants to take a break from dating, but can’t resist spending time with a beauty that, it turns out, is nuts. “I’m just a simple man, cursed with an honest heart, why’d she go and tear it all apart?”

142. Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers. … Very, very worthy of his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. I know, I know, I know, I know the man has a tremendous voice.

141. Dancing in the Dark – Bruce Springsteen. … Had the whole Tampa Bay area dancing – and Courteney Cox somewhere – during his most recent concert at the Florida State Fairgrounds.


140. Nothing Else Matters – Metallica. … “Open mind for a different view,” is what we all should strive to do. A rock ballad from an intelligent metal band.

139. You shook me all night long – AC/DC. … “Back in Black” is such a tremendous album and this is the most recognizable song from it.

138. True – Spandau Ballet. … English band produced one of the best pop ballads of all time, which has become a guilty pleasure for millions of music fans. Reached No. 4 on the U.S. charts in 1983.

137. Limelight – Rush. … “All the world’s indeed a stage, and we are merely players, performers and portrayers, each another’s audience, outside the gilded cage.” Powerful song.

136. Surrender – Cheap Trick. … Under-rated band, fronted by local Floridian Robin Zander, had many great songs. This was the most memorable. “Mommy’s alright, Daddy’s alright, they just seem a little weird.” Isn’t that the truth. J

135. Little Wing – Jimi Hendrix. … “When I’m sad she comes to me, with a thousand smiles she gives to me free.”  Sting covered it and did the song justice.

134. Better Be Home Soon – Crowded House. … Their performance of this at Live Earth in Australia was absolutely brilliant. “It would cause me pain, if we were to end it. But I could start again, you can depend on it.”

133. Smooth – Santana. … Carlos is the man and this was probably his biggest hit, with Rob Thomas on the vocals.

132. Rikki Don’t Lose that Number – Steely Dan. … You don’t want to call nobody else. “Send it off in a letter to yourself.” Classic from the 70s.

131. All you need is love – The Beatles. … For sentiment and meaning, this should probably be top 10.


130. Godzilla – Blue Oyster Cult. … Another hard-rocking warmup song for Griswold High School basketball when I used to dunk (well, ok, couldn’t get a technical, lay it in stylishly). “Oh No, there goes Tokyo, Go, Go Godzilla.”

129. Roundabout – Yes. … A progressive rock tour de force. Jon Anderson and Steve Howe co-wrote the song, which is 8:29 in its longest version.

128. Revolution – The Beatles. … The New England Revolution used to play this song after their games in Foxborough early on and I remember hearing it loud and clear as I left the press box or sprinted to my car to beat the traffic.

127. Little Red Corvette – Prince. … One of the first videos I ever saw on MTV. This song and “Kiss” are his best in my book. “But it was Saturday night, I guess that makes it alright, and you say baby, I don’t got enough gas.”

126. Moondance – Van Morrison. … A very unique voice with an easy-listening song you can’t ever turn off.

125. Tailspin – The Jayhawks. … The country rock band from Minnesota has a lot of interesting tunes and isn’t coached by Bill Self. This one came from their 2003 CD “Rainy Day Music.”

124. For Everyman – Jackson Browne. … Some very under-rated guitar work on this incredible tune. JB apparently wrote the song after spending time with Crosby, Stills & Nash, hearing all about their “escapist vision.”

123. Lights – Journey. … Steve Perry and the boys were better, in my opinion, before they became commercially successful in the 80s. This one, along with “Wheel in the Sky” and “Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin” came in the late 70s.

122. She Was Hot – The Rolling Stones. … Loved their version of this song in the movie, “Shine a Light.” “She was hot, in a melting snow.”

121. Peaceful Easy Feeling – The Eagles. … I will certainly have this song playing in the car if I ever drive up and down the coast of the Hotel California.



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