#40: "Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme) by John Williams (Album: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980)
Think about the past fifty years of film and consider what any of that would sound like without John Williams' music. Inconceivable. It's difficult to say what best—Jaws theme, Star Wars fanfare, Indiana Jones march—but for me, it's easy to pick which one is my favorite...it's the totally badass, kick-ass, coming to lightsaber your head off song.
#39: "Constant Craving" by k.d. lang (Album: Ingenue, 1992)
One of the most beautiful voices on earth, k.d. lang excels in practically every recording she's ever done. This album has the feel of an intimate concert in a small Paris bistro, and this song is far and away my favorite tune on the album.
#38: "A View to a Kill" by Duran Duran (Album: A View to a Kill, 1985)
Although the movie itself was terrible—Roger Moore's last bow as James Bond, and Christopher Walken playing a villain as if it were a comedy improv satire of Christopher Walken—this new wave title song from Eighties icons Duran Duran remains one of my favorite soundtrack songs, and it's also my favorite Duran Duran tune overall (although "Save a Prayer" and "Come Undone" are also worth mentioning.
#37: "The Mayor of Simpleton" by XTC (Album: Oranges and Lemons, 1989)
This is such a happy, upbeat tune about a man who knows he doesn't have much to offer but love, and isn't that a wonderful sentiment? The driving bass line in this song is simply amazing; it's almost like a second voice to Andy Partridge's lyrics. It's so rare to hear bass guitar featured so prominently, and it's one of this song's most endearing qualities.
#36: "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco (Album: Falco 3, 1985)
Don't give me any gas about this song, suckers...I was right there in 1985 when this hit, and it went all the way to #1 on the charts for a simple reason: German rap about Mozart freaking rules! Sure, musically speaking, it's just ridiculous, but that's part of why it works so well. Like Nena's hit "99 Luftballons," it only works in German.
#35: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 (Album: The Joshua Tree, 1987)
In a lot of ways, I consider the lyrics to this song part of my autobiography; the sense of seeking a higher meaning in life is part of what drives me in my career, my spiritual life, my relationships—what far too many people don't know about U2 is how their spiritual lives drive their music, and this song is one of the best expressions of their faith.
#34: "Crazy" by Icehouse (Album: Man of Colours, 1987)
A relatively obscure Eighties love song from Aussie band Icehouse, this song caught my attention from the first time I heard it (probably on MTV, which is how we got our new music in the Eighties). The vocals are impeccable, the three-chord guitar riff holds the song together, and the lyrics are typically unrealistically romantic for a pop power ballad. It's a perfect cheese appetizer.
#33: "Get Here" by Oleta Adams (Album: Circle of One, 1990)
God gifted us in this era with Oleta Adams' heavenly voice. Discovered in Kansas City by Tears for Fears, they brought her to national prominence with their album The Seeds of Love, which she capitalized upon with her own solo performances, punctuated by this extraordinary song.
#32: "Silent Lucidity" by Queensryche (Album: Empire, 1990)
Most people are unaware that this masterful song by Prog-Metal marvels Queensryche is about lucid dreaming—the difficult process of taking conscious control of the events and actions in one's dream (think Inception but in your own dream). I've done this a few times, and it's an amazing experience. This song almost always brings me to tears it's so beautiful...how many metal bands have the power to do that?
#31: "Third Symphony" by Aaron Copland (Album: Third Symphony, 1946)
I'm not sure if a four-movement symphony counts as a single song, but it's my countdown, so here it is. I discovered this piece in a college music appreciation course, and it's been my favorite classical music work ever since. The first movement sets the stage, the second movement is a frenetic marvel, the third quiet and pensive, and the fourth is like a revelation, with the declaration of the "Fanfare for the Common Man" (you've heard it, even if you don't know you have) eventually descending into chaos, only to explode into an epiphany of orchestral joy. Yeah, it's exactly like that!
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