Good afternoon,
I've composed a (probably incomplete) playlist of songs that have been particularly relevant, or overplayed, whilst in the the mountains. They reflect variously the conditions of work, particular tasks, snowboarding and other random occurences that everyone can enjoy. This is my Alpine soundtrack so far:
1. Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli - Time to Say Goodbye
Apparently this came on in the Metro store, and a large number of staff, who were shopping there at the time, decided to join in. Excellent work by all accounts.
2. Weezer - Surf Wax America
The refrain "you take your car to work, I'll take my board" is particularly relevant, especially when I'm reflecting on all those people stuck in 9-5 jobs whilst I'm sat on a chairlift in the middle of the afternoon. Awesome.
3. Dolly Parton - Jolene
This is the famous salmon "terrine" song. Sung every Sunday without fail.
4. Justin Timberlake - SexyBack
Another recipe-based song. This time "SexyBack" is replaced by "Hasselback;" a way of preparing potatoes that involves a huge amount of hassle (possible etymological origin, or not). Sung on a Monday, but not joyfully.
5. Clancy Eccles - Fatty Fatty
No real reason for this, other than Clancy's love for a particularly overweight person. He loves said Fatty quite a lot, especially when certain criteria are fulfilled. Also the artist's name is excellent.
6. The Wombles - Remember You're a Womble
I have it on good authority that when you have to remind yourself you're a snowboarder (when your legs aren't quite working properly), then this song gets stuck in your head and remains there on every bouncy, moguly run for the rest of the day. It helps with legs suspension.
7. Kelly, Connors, Reynolds - Good Morning
From the soundtrack to "Singin' In the Rain." Simply from repeatedly saying it every day at breakfast as clients appear in the dining area.
8. TTC - Travailler
It's French, it refers to work, and is pretty funky. Gets stuck in my head regularly.
9. NTM - Tout n'est pas si facile
Once again, some French rap. I am often left thinking that everything is not so easy (or at least as easy as I'd hoped).
10. Ray Charles - I've Got a Woman
Played far too often by our New Year's guests. Great song though. In fact, whichever individual overplayed this also had incredibly similar musical tastes to me. Eclectic.
11. Puccini - Ave Maria
In Shawshank Redemption (spoiler alert!) Andy plays Ave Maria and feels momentarily free. I do that sometimes. Granted I've got a picture-postcard view to enjoy at the same time, but this song resonates in the same way when I'm unspeakably tired.
12. Ike & Tina Turner - It's Gonna Work Out Fine
Regularly enters my head when the latest minor disaster occurs during breakfast/tea/dinner. Generally all food issues can be solved given a little thought, a microwave and/or th knowledge the clients don't know what they're supposed to be getting anyway.
13. will.i.am - T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)
"You can go hard or you can go home." Preferably sung whilst making a super camp airplane impression after the "or." Pretty much THE anthem of the season.
14. Generation Goldman - Famille
Constantly played on LFM (the radio station). Quite amusing if you mishear the oft-mentioned title. Also catchy in a terrible soul-destroying way.
15. Men in Hats - Safety Dance
Don't know where this one came from, but it has plagued my thoughts for weeks. I have to play it most days just to exorcise it from my mind. An absolutely stonking track. Replace some of the lines with "take a look at my/your pants."
16. ZZ Top - La Grange
Lots of places around here are called La Grange, or something similar. Therefore the song appears in my headbox.
I think that'll suffice at present. If I think of any more, I'll keep you informed.
Obligatory picture of valley, this time including clouds
:
You've waited for such a long time, but if you listen carefully you can hear the conclusion a-coming. These are the songs I consider to be the greatest of all time. They have achieved this status through individual brilliance, moments of genius and general longevity of enjoyment. They are not particularly shocking or interesting. I will take them one at a time (like a stealthy ninja quitely working his way through a series of bodyguards towards his well-protected quarry), thus:
10. The Who - Baba O'Riley (5:09)
The electronic loop that suffuses the song whilst running contrary to its general rhythm is completely awesome. Although the concept of a "teenage wasteland" is not an immediately attractive proposition, it becomes a kind of glorious nostaglia when shouted. I like The Who. I like the epic sound of this song. I dare you to deny it. It also breaks down into an uncontrolled frivolous jig. Everyone loves jigging. Ask Jay-Z (perhaps).
9. U2 - Running to Stand Still (4:17)
Yeah Bono's a dick. Yeah, it's not very cool to like U2. Yeah, they're predominantly Irish, if not American. But this is a good song. It's fairly subtle (to a point) and features some subtle nuances. I particularly enjoy the way that U2 live simply show how amazing The Edge, his guitar and his reverb pedal actually are. This song doesn't feature the man with the coolest name in the world a huge amount, but I like it. It's not too much. Hardly a sensational endorsement, but there you go.
8. Ben Folds Five - Brick (4:42)
Probably my favourite song about abortion (unless any/all of the subsequent entries in this list are on the same subject). Brick is a good song. It ticks most boxes: still elicts emotion after many plays, has a fairly clever title, good music etc... I recently didn't go to a Ben Folds gig, although I could've done. That's possibly important somehow.
7. The Wedding Present - Brassneck (4:52)
As with most songs featuring the voice of David Gedge, the vocal track is muffled and the lyrics fairly impenetrable upon first listening. However, it's a real party track and amazing for jumping about amongst (predominantly middle-aged, bald and overweight) Weddoes fans. I like the way it breaks down, like it has finished, before enthralling your senses yet another time. The original video (although not really relevant, even though MTV wants you to think it is) is tuxedo-weird.
6. The Beatles - A Day In The Life (5:33)
At a very young age I decided to choose the best song ever, but went for one which would probably last me a good while. Now although I've got over the inevitable Beatles-loving period, and then the necessary anti-Beatles, they-were-overrated sentiment, I've kept the song in my top 10. It's still great. Everyone loves a story, especially if that's all it is.
5. Rilo Kiley - Does He Love You (5:14)
Love a bit of Rilo Kiley. Saw them at Academy 3 (Manchester) having listened to their stuff quite a lot, but only then figured out what this song was all about. Still can't listen to it without all the hairs on the nape of my neck rising in unison. Emotionally thrilling.
4. Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning (4:53)Another immense story from this folk god. Clearly works for me in a number of ways. Who doesn't love black motorbikes, red-headed girls, schadenfruede and fatal shotgun wounds? But, yeah, RT is an amazing lyricist and hat-wearer.
3. Radiohead - Creep (3:53)
Do I really need to explain why? They don't play it live, but it is very good. I probably like any number of their songs a huge amount more at any given time, but I'm going for a popular vote on this occasion. Have Radiohead ever done a bad song? Probably not.
2. Dire Straits - Tunnel of Love (8:15)
Mark Knopfler loves his huge twanging outros, we all know that, but this song is all about relationships, sex and life. It's amazing. Listen to it repeatedly to learn as much as you can about the above subjects. You will uncover a new layer of meaning every time you press play (or it loops 'round automatically).
1. Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies) (5:10)
All hail the greatest song that ever came into existence. Again my problem with this top ten songs is they seem fairly obvious to me, so I'm not very good at justifying their inclusion, or being particularly witty about how they're composed. Anyway, I'm sure this song is awesome, and the jewel in the crown of (not love) one of the greatest albums ever. I quite like that the top ten features both songs central to amazing albums, and "independent" songs.
This final denouement may have been fairly obvious and not very exciting, but it's done now. I hope it wasn't too much of an ordeal. Thank God it's over, and likely already out-of-date.
Wow! This is the beginning of the top 30 and, although we're dealing with tiny qualitative differences (much like when grading and certifying diamonds from Sierra Leone (song not included, for obvious reasons: badness)) at this stage, the songs are just getting better, man (band not included for obvious reasons: badness). I cannot wait for you to revel in the aural goodness emanating from the following lines of cold, hard, factual information.
30. Radiohead - Myxamatosis (3:57)
29. The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl (1:48)28. De La Soul - Eye Know (4:13) 27. The Cure - Boys Don't Cry (2:42)
26. Rilo Kiley - Portions For Foxes (4:45) 25. Pulp - Do You Remember The First Time? (4:22) 24. Sum 41 - Fat Lip (3:00)
23. Dire Straits - Romeo And Juliet (6:05) 22. The Who - 5.15 (Single version) (4:16)21. Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast (4:48)Yes, Myxamatosis is a better song than Just, if only because it includes an oblique reference to a song from the "Parallel Universe" epsiode of Red Dwarf as sung by Danny John Jules. Get used to it. Radiohead are awesome though, and mostly uplifting. All hail Radiohead.
The White Stripes are good, raw and (like The Wedding Present) loved by John Peel. He seemed to know a bit about music. I don't think I'll ever get bored of Portions for Foxes, even though I once had a fox in my house. It was rubbish. It went upstairs.
Originally I thought that, in Boys Don't Cry, the title of the song and constant refrain, was some kind of self-effacing suggestion that deep, personally-unfathomable emotion existed behind the public facade of our singer/storyteller. Not so. He pretty much explains that he will say anything, lying where necessary, to achieve his relationship goals. It is unmistakeably pragmatism which directs his actions above any particular sensitivity, perhaps hinting at a reluctance, or even inability, to engage with the relevant party in the illogical, emotive manner that they require.
The song itself could be viewed as a further contrivance on his behalf to mitigate his heinous actions. Despite suggesting that he's "been too unkind," by creating the song, the singer contradicts his own assertions that "it's too late:" although he states that he has exceeded "limits" of the relationship, the song itself proposes reconciliation through its very existence. Indeed, should his musical request for forgiveness succeed, he will further his exploitation of the relationship within the boundaries, manipulating the "limits" to accommodate his own interests, however selfish.
Listing a plethora of actions he would undergo to retain his love interest intimates an amoral emotionless response to the immediate prospect of losing them. His message appears to be that boys don’t (really understand why it’s necessary to) cry, but will if it benefits them.I'm not sure if I should try explaining all the other songs between 30 and 21. Surely it's obvious to the most cloth-eared simpleton that they appear on obvious merit. I will say however, that Romeo and Juliet is guitar twangery of the highest order, and that the way Mark Knopfler enunciates Ju-hu-li-hett is nothing short of genius. And no, I don't "know the movie song," but if it's half as good as this flawed love song, it'd get installed deep inside the Top 100, and of that I have no doubt (band not included for obvious reasons etc etc).
20. Roni Size - Brown Paper Bag (9:03)
19. Suzanne Vega - Marlene On The Wall (3:38)
18. Ray Charles - What'd I Say (Parts I & II) (6:26)
17. Ike & Tina Turner - Nutbush City Limits (5:29)
16. Ben Folds - Landed (4:28)
15. Richard Thompson - Beeswing (5:28)
14. Radiohead - 15 Steps (3:58)
13. Doors - Light My Fire (7:04)
12. The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays (3:48) 11. Passengers - Miss Sarajevo (5:40)
We're now reaching the accepted moment in all notable countdowns where we forget the entries listed beforehand and begin to hype the Top 10 mercilessly, like they're the Gods of the list. But let's not forget those wonderful songs just outside of the magic circle (thus not protected against the evil eye, or something):
Brown Paper Bag is the longest song in the list, beating Jamiroquai by a full 14 seconds and it will always stay close to my heart having brought Miles "Do Your Little Dance" Dugmore to the cusp of beat-induced insanity in the Academy.
Suzanne Vega's inclusion proves that I'm in touch with my feminine side, but the complete absence of Elton "no sense of proportion" John indicates that I stop some way short of lycra-mix drainpipe jeans, plunging-neckline long-sleeved t-shirt and plimsole-pump-wearing, card-bearing, flag-waving, epidermis-moisturising metrosexuality. Also, "Marlene" narrowly (and somewhat aptly) beat "Luka" for the Suzanne Vega song of choice.
Speaking of which.... If you go out the very limits of the city (along highway 19 which is well known for being badly lit and rarely travelled due to other, more direct, routes to Nutbush’s principal neighbours), you’re unlikely to be caught as you mercilessly, and with some personal relish, beat your wife.Richard Thompson is underused on this list, but is probably a hidden gem for most people. It's just good music. Quality lyrics. Beeswing (not a form of park playground furniture for Bees) is full of love, alcoholism, needless arguments and lifelong disappointment. It's lovely.
I Don't Like Mondays falls directly into the category of “Songs with Epic Piano Parts” (see also Barry Manilow – Could It Be Magic). It is a great song but, in being about an American high school tragedy, and making light of it, is probably a bit insensitive. However, if you are going to improve your own financial/social status through the tragedy of others, then taking a leaf out of Bob “Do You Know Who I Am? I’m Bob Geldof” Geldof’s book on profiteering is a good start. That aside, this song has almost as many reasons to recommend it as there are for hating, condemning and burning Bob Geldof. The popularity of the song probably primarily derives from the universal truth of not liking Mondays, rather than the lionizing of teenage angst (song not included for... is this getting boring yet?). So, presumably, a song about not liking (or indeed loathing) rude, self-aggrandizing, machiavellian bastards would be equally (if not more) successful. I especially appreciate the way Bob has, in his other chart-topping opportunist musical interpretation of human suffering, since attempted to write Midge Ure out of history like the conceited friend of prominent historian David Irving that some people wrongly assume he is.
I know Will Young murdered it, but ever since I carefully (and with some difficulty) programmed Light My Fire into my pre-MP3 mobile phone, and revelled in its awesome (and surprisingly accurate) ringtone homage at every call, I have been honoured to call it my friend. It's epic like Spartacus, as electronically dazzling as the first time you saw a Casio wristwatch/calculator, as intense as a mouthful of fizz-wizz, and as contemplative as been stoned out of your eyes on your student porch in a very run-down and borderline dangerous area on a hot sunny Tuesday afternoon. Then, after all the madness and instrumentalism has flowed for many minutes, washing over you like massive seaweed rich waves on a sandy beach, the defining tune comes back and cleans your palate with euphoria (like a thin sliver of ginger at a lengthy, psychadelic, sushi buffet). Love it.
Joy Division are one of two decent bands to come out of Manchester, possibly one of two decent things entirely. The song is over-used but still maintains kudos as an incomprehensible, nonsense-classic.
Miss Sarajevo brings some much-needed opera to the metaphorical table and it's got Pavarotti in it. He was a legend.
We're down to the TOP 10! Weep tears of joy now...
Actually don't. Wait patiently. But feel free to experience mild excitement through anticipation.
Wilkommen in more Top 100 fun. I plan to continue much in the same manner that I left off: counting down the (possible) best songs of all time. Also, we're halfway there, so the excitement increases exponentially. So, without further ado, top 50 represent:
50. The Postal Service - Such Great Heights (4:26)
49. Pulp - The Babysitter (4:59)
48. Arcade Fire - Intervention (4:19)
47. The XX - Infinity (5:13)
46. The Futureheads - Hounds Of Love (3:02)
45. Carlos Santana - Black Magic Woman (5:18) 44. Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence (4:16)
43. The Clash - Rock The Casbah (3:43)
42. Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Of (5:14)
41. Michael Jackson - PYT (Pretty Young Thing) (4:48) The Babysitter is a brilliant song, due to it's full on, eat your face, electronic hammer followed by peaceful Jarvis Cocker descriptive interludes. Further electronic beauty is provided by the transient trance intro of Such Great Heights, which reminds me of the out-of-sync loop which permeates Baba O'Riley by The Who. The XX had to be in here, and it's quite difficult to pick just one track from their eponymous album, but I have. Also, I like to think of the serpentine infinity symbol whilst listening to it: such a practice increases my enjoyment of the music by 7-13%.
Intervention is practically a shoe-in, who doesn't love this juggernaught of a track, with its climactic ending? Hounds of Love is yet another cover which outdoes the original. Not sure why Wuthering Heights didn't get into this list, but it seemed inappropriate. Is there any greater pleasure than shouting "fuck you I won't do what you tell me?"
No. There isn't.
Let's see what numbers 40-31 have in store:
40. The Jam - The Eton Rifles (3:28)
39. The Dears - Lost In The Plot (4:49)
38. Dead Kennedys - Holiday In Cambodia (3:44)
37. William Shatner - That's Me Trying (3:48)
36. Ben Folds - Protection (4:38)
35. Nirvana - Lithium (4:17)
34. Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK (3:31)
33. Jarvis Cocker - Running the World (3:23)
32. Saian Supa Crew - A Co-Mow (3:35)
31. Beastie Boys - Sabotage (2:59) Mmm, jam. The songs are getting shorter as we go further down the list, proving that attention spans are not what they used.... blah.
Cambodia was previously called "Preăh Réachéa Nachâk Kâmpŭchéa," so the name change significantly improved the catchiness of the Dead Kennedys classic. Seriously though, tourism is now the second greatest source of hard currency after the textile industry, so a holiday is probably quite a good idea, and one which will bring precious riel into the Cambodian economy. William Shatner is awesome, as anyone who's seen the cult classic Rocketman cover (which is everyone) will testify.No place in this list for Smells Like Teen Spirit (I'll spoil it for you now), because it's a bit boring. Also, when every R&B/Easy Listening Show Pony has covered it in a "quirky" fashion, it loses some of the blow-your-head-off-with-a-shotgun edginess (too soon?)
Jarvis' Running the World is nothing like Tears for Fears' re-written Everybody Wants to Rule the World containing, as it does, repeated use of the rude C-word. As I've already demonstrated, liberal reiteration of swear words practically guarantees a listing. Although, now I think about it, Tears for Fears are in some ways like the song, containing, as they do, a lot of C-words.
A Co-Mow is just awesome. It has this indian-ish, oriental-ish, arabic-ish high-pitched vocal loop which lends itself to healthly superimposed rapping, hollering and general whooping. Tout le monde say...
However, beating it into 31st place is Sabotage: the best rap song ever, including no rap whatsoever. Here we will rest awhile, until you're ready for more.
Right, some time ago I spent approximately one weekend compiling my Top 100 songs (as within my sphere of understanding) of all time (then). Clearly that time has passed and, although some songs remain true, many others do not. I've therefore taken my previously-published (therefore legally mine) list and tweaked it... hard! I've also shoved in some other stuff I'd been keeping to one side for a while. However, although the songs may change haphazardly, I will begin the awesome countdown of awesomeness in the original self-aggrandising pseudo-promotional fashion:
Take this everyone who isn't me! 100. Dead Prez & WTF?! - It's Bigger Than Hip Hop (2:35) 99. The Automatic - Raoul (3:53) 98. Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire (4:48) 97. The Police – King of Pain (4:57) 96. The White Stripes - My Doorbell (4:01) 95. Bob Marley & The Wailers - No Woman No Cry (4:04) 94. Pulp - Sunrise (6:02) 93. The National - Lit Up (2:55) 92. Jamiroquai - Just Another Story (8:49) 91. The Blues Brothers - Sweet Home Chicago (7:51) The top 10 are fairly eclectic. Starting off with the bass-filled bastardisation of Dead Prez's el classico. Yeah that's right, my top 100 has been dragged into the twenty-tens by its iPod v4. I enjoy that The Automatic constantly remind me that, after the media titillation of North-Eastern English slaughter, we can all simply return to our places of employment and largely forget about man's inhumanity to man. I don't think any list of the world's greatest music would be complete without Billy Joel's nonsense classic, or "not Stalingrad" as I like to call it. A few epics in there too, but that's why they're between 91 and 100: Sweet Home Chicago is probably 6 minutes longer than it needs to be but as a plot development device gains kudos, Just Another Story has a wonderful "nobody make a fucking move" moment, and Sunrise just sounds brilliantly euphoric towards the end. For the record: I got rid of the Smiths, because (a) they're awful, (b) Morrissey is awful, (c) they're probably the worst musical thing to originate in Manchester (which is sickeningly impressive), and (d) those songs which are not purely awful are murdered by Morrissey and The Smiths. I can remember the first time I heard My Doorbell... continuing... 90. Saïan Supa Crew - Abecedaire Des Cons (3:55) 89. Cinerama - Quick, Before It Melts (Extended Version) (5:02) 88. Woodpigeon - Piano Pieces for Adult Beginners (3:34) 87. Ray Charles - I've Got a Woman (2:54) 86. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain (4:29) 85. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (3:50) 84. The 45 King - The 900 Number (3:05) 83. MIA - Paper Planes 82. Saloon - There is a Light that Never Goes Out (4:44) 81. Japandroids - Wet Hair (3:14) I would not effectively finish such a music-judging endeavour without including some French rap, and Abecedaire Des Cons narrowly ousts Hold Up as the Saïan tune of choice. I have included the Woodpigeon song, 'cause it's fun. I believe in fun.Even if you think you don’t know the 900 number, you know the 900 number. It's like the roux to a delicious rap béchamel sauce, in that it acts as the base for so many songs. It’s also addictive, like online Mah Jongg, or crack. The strange thing is that, although it’s essentially a drum and trumpet loop, it doesn’t get boring and you’re inevitably disappointed when it suddenly, and rather unceremoniously, comes to an end. Perhaps that’s why it generally forms part of another song. Perhaps that’s why we can’t go to a restaurant and just order a bowl of roux. We’d just be full of wheat flour, drums, trumpets and fat. That aside, the song remains in the list.Talking about evolution, I enjoy MIA's general improvement on an otherwise-forgettable Clash song. It's like when Dizzee Rascal teamed up with Lily Allen, took a song from a children's musical and essentially sold out... but good. Another song which is better for someone else doing it is the (now defunct) Saloon version of "There is a Light...", as the terrible original "band" wrote it then murdered it (as now fully discussed above). Further notice must be made of the Layla-style breakdown at the end of Quick, Before It Melts, and how good Wet Hair is live, despite the band being rather underpopulated. Good songs. Good times. Onwards... 80. Low - Cue The Strings (3:30)
79. Commodores - Nightshift (4:20) 78. The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight (7:05) 77. Norman Blake - Man Of Constant Sorrow (4:29) 76. Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street (6:29) 75. Sum 41 - Still Waiting (2:38) 74. U2 - Who's Gonna RIDE Your WILD HORSES (5:16) 73. Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit (2:33) 72. Wu Tang Clan - I Can't Go To Sleep (Feat Isaac Hayes) (3:35) 71. Weezer - Surf Wax America (3:06) Couple of good film soundtrack hits there. The instrumental guitar wonderfulness from Oh, Brother Where Art Thou! at number 77 and White Rabbit from Platoon (genius psychadelic Alice in Wonderland freak out fun abounds). As with so many Motown songs, Nightshift just makes me feel good. Some Sum41 there too, as they are awesome, actually could've picked loads more of their songs, and haven't picked any Green Day at all in this list (controversial, or just narrow-minded, I'm not sure.) I liked Isaac Hayes before he became a Scientologist, or something....
I’m sure hundreds of millions of saxophones have been sold on the back of Baker Street, especially since every busker with a bendy trumpet seems to play it incessantly. However, general overplaying aside, the best thing about the hook is it has an almost redemptive quality, drawing on the low-key, and possibly downbeat, lyrics before suggesting a more carefree and meaningful future. Gerry Rafferty is saying that life is “like... whatever” but fuck it, listen to my loud saxophone! As a result, it’s pretty uplifting and arousing, like a musical wonderbra. And that’s pretty cool.
I quite like Weezer, but find it hard to come up with a stand-out track of choice. I like the idea of being called Jonas, being a farmer and not an Argentinian footballer, but may be dragging up old Guitar Hero successes rather than genuine musical appreciation. Now let's take it to the bridge... 70. Tori Amos - Professional Widow (4:32) 69. DJ Danger Mouse (Jay-Z & The Beatles) - 99 Problems (4:06) 68. Владимир Высоцкий - Кони привередливые (5:40)
67. Kate Rusby - The Cobbler's Daughter (2:39) 66. Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World (4:21) 65. Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running (3:29) 64. Mos Def - Got (3:29) 63. David Bowie - Life On Mars (3:52) 62. Cranberries - Ode to My Family (4:30) 61. Counting Crows - Mr. Jones (4:32) If you like Folk vignettes about unnecessary murder, you'll like Kate Rusby's ditty. I think this section is fairly self-explanatory containing, as it does, a few staples (Bowie, Crows) with some twists (Nirvana's live Bowie cover, and the DJ Dangermouse badboy, do you like... bass?) I also particularly like Vladimir Vysotsky's "Koni Privyeredlivye" which is about a horse and is the theme to some pretty impressive/angry/sad dancing in the film "White Nights." Tori Amos' gibberish tune could've been a lot higher in the list, but it's not. Up, up and away... 60. Squirrel Nut Zippers - Ghost of Stephen Foster (3:32) 59. Dizzee Rascal - Sirens (3:44) 58. Otis Redding - Hard To Handle (2:20) 57. Violent Femmes - Blister In The Sun (2:24) 56. Arcade Fire - No Cars Go (5:43) 55. Regina Spektor - Ode to Divorce (3:43) 54. Half Man Half Biscuit - For What is Chatteris... (2:05) 53. Radiohead - Just (3:52) 52. U2 - Bad (6:11) 51. James Brown - (Call Me) Super Bad (4:16) Look everyone, Radiohead! Too far down the list for Just, I hear you think (I do, I'm psychic, or Psyduck, one or the other). Sirens gets in 'cause, despite its antisocial message, the volume of the vocal track is varied towards the end, LIKE A SIREN! It's cool. Half Man Half Biscuit's pure whimsy earns them a top 60 place: there is a place called Chatteris, 'nough said. Arcade Fire pretty much infuse this list like a delicious caramel vein.
Regina Spektor's voice, music and general person are all pretty beautiful. I like Ode to Divorce. It's painfully lovely. Actually, practically any of her songs could go into this top 100, but I've tried to be restrained as I often listen to one repeatedly for a time, before moving onto another one.
James Brown tops this particular section through being very cool and making painfully high-pitched noises. Sometimes he feels so nice, he actually wants to kiss himself. Seriously. It also brings back excellent memories of Dusseldorf, "ripping up" a wicked bar, and subsequently being unable to speak at audible volumes for three days.
Here, and in classic soap-opera end of episode style, I'm going to stop. The second (more-important and, perhaps, more-thoughtfully chosen) part of the top 100 is yet to come. I'm very excited, like I was listening to the beginning of Luck & Neat's "Little Bit of Luck" before the beat kicked in, in Bon Bonnes, in the 1990s, and I was smashed off my face on alcopops, and I didn't know any better, and I was already pretty excited...
A Bientot
