Top 350 songs in 50 years of Music -- 180-151

180. Freewill – Rush. … Neil Peart is one of the best drummers of all time, but his song writing is under-valued. This might be one of his top efforts from “Permanent Waves,” which also includes “The Spirit of Radio” and an under-the-radar gem “Entre Nous.”

179. Can We Still be Friends – Todd Rundgren. … Perhaps the best breakup song of all time?

178. Love Grows – Edison Lighthouse. … One of my very early favorites in 1970 from a group that apparently never toured. “Love grows where my Rosemary goes, and nobody knows like me.”

177. Rocket Man – Elton John. … Elton’s early stuff was so damn good. This is from “Honky Chateau.”

176. Highway Song – Blackfoot. … One for the South. Jacksonville band was a hard-rocking one-hit wonder.

175. Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison. … Mercy! What a voice. What a song.

174. Northern Sky – Nick Drake. … Heard a song by Drake – no not that Drake -- on the “Garden State” soundtrack and it made me look into his library further before finding this beautiful tune, which I had unknowingly enjoyed at the end of “Serendipity.”

173. Mr. Jones – Counting Crows. … The second of three from the talented California band on the list is about wanting to become a star. The song, which graces their wonderful debut CD “August and Everything After,” made it to No. 1 in 1994.

172. Roll with the changes – REO Speedwagon. … This was released before REO became really commercial and popular, and it rocked more.

171. Jamie’s Cryin – Van Halen. … One of the warmup songs for Griswold High basketball during my varsity career, when I totaled 57 points – with a career-high eight vs. the hated Wheeler Lions.

170. Harvest Moon – Neil Young. … The title track from my favorite, easy-listening Neil album.

169. On the road again – Willie Nelson. … How can he not be in the Rock and Roll Hall of the Fame? One of the greatest, and most unique, voices of all time.

168. Rock and Roll Never Forgets – Bob Seger. … The real motor city madman (screw that other buffoon) put out a lot of great music and his best album was “Night Moves,” with this song in the leadoff spot.

167. Bad Moon Rising – Credence Clearwater Revival. … Oldie, but a goodie from 1969. John Fogerty wrote this classic about impending doom.

166. Everlong – Foo Fighters. … It’s tough to choose the best of many great records from this group. This stands out by a little bit, especially after David Letterman used it as background music for all-time highlights on the final show.

165. Gravity – John Mayer. … The performance of this song at Live Earth in Giants Stadium was soulful and epic. His whole effort that day was dazzling, including “Belief.”

164. Wild World – Maxi Priest. … Cat Stevens wrote the tune and performs it well, but I like Priest’s reggae version. Just a great piece of music, whoever sings it.

163. Don’t Stop Believen – Journey. … A good song turned into one that everyone added to their itunes after the final episode of “The Sopranos.”

162. Rosalita – Bruce Springsteen. … “Hold on tight, stay up all night, cause Rosie I’m coming on strong.”

161. Another Brick in the Wall – Pink Floyd. … Brings back memories of a surreal trip to NYC for the NIT semifinals in 1980 with my high school basketball team. Ralph Sampson and the immortal Jeff Lamp led Virginia to the title and I came home with two of my favorite all-time albums “The Wall,” and Tom Petty’s “Damn the Torpedoes.”

160. Take the Long Way Home – Supertramp. … A catchy tune from one of the 50 best albums every made -- “Breakfast in America.”

159. Radio Free Europe – REM. …. Probably the first song I heard from Michael Stipe and the boys and still one of their best.

158. Year of the Cat – Al Stewart. … This memorable pop song from the under-rated Stewart was a top-10 hit in 1976. “On a morning from a Bogart movie. In a country where they turn back time. You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre, contemplating a crime.”

157. It’s Too Late – Carole King. … “Tapestry” was one of the great albums of my early childhood. It “made the earth move.”

156. Roxanne – The Police. …  She don’t need the red light or to sell her body to the night. From their masterpiece of a first album, “Outlandos d’Amour.”

155. Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash. … That train keeps a rollin….down to San Antone. The man in black was tremendous. Considered “Boy Named Sue,” for the list as well.

154. Maybe I’m Amazed – Paul McCartney. … Song is at best when it is played live. Paul dedicated the tune to his former wife Linda.

153. Free Bird – Lynard Skynard. … A Classic tune that has become a punch line at times, somewhat unfairly. Not a fan of the band, but can’t discount this song’s power.

152. Somebody’s Baby – Jackson Browne. … Fits very nicely in the middle of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

151. Girl U Want – Devo.  … “Whip it” was the probably the most recognizable song by this red pot-wearing group, but this was their best tune – “She sends out an aroma of undefined love, it drips on down in a mist from above.”