Top 100 Favorite Songs: 90-81

#90: "Left of Center" by Suzanne Vega (Album: Pretty in Pink Soundtrack, 1986)

My favorite song by Suzanne Vega, this is also my favorite song from one of the best soundtrack albums from the Eighties; Pretty in Pink is filled with a plethora of alternative gems.

#89: "Sunny Came Home" by Shawn Colvin (Album: A Few Small Repairs, 1996)

Some of the best songs are the ones that tell a complete and coherent story, and Shawn Colvin's folk-tinged ballad about a girl's revenge via arson is not only compelling, but her lovely voice makes it resonate with depths of emotion.

#88: "Hysteria" by Def Leppard (Album: Hysteria, 1987)

Throughout the late Eighties and early Nineties, this was easily my favorite song of all time. While other, more mature selections have pushed this song toward the bottom of my list, it's still a source of nostalgiac happiness for me.

#87: "Major Tom (Coming Home)" by Peter Schilling (Album: Error in the System, 1982)

German vocalist Peter Schilling picks up the story of David Bowie's doomed astronaut Major Tom where "Space Oddity" left off and brings him back home in a New Wave techno classic. This song is a maximum volume sing-along for me: 4...3...2...1...

#86: Time (Clock of the Heart) by Culture Club (Album: Kissing to be Clever, 1982)

This has been my favorite Culture Club song since my first listen to their debut album, and having seen Boy George and the remaining members of the band last fall, it's still just as wonderful as ever. I especially love the use of the bell chimes in the last chorus; it's such a beautiful touch. Say what you will about BG, but the man can flat-out sing.

#85: "Take On Me" by a-ha (Album: Hunting High and Low, 1985)

An infectiously catchy synth melody, impossibly high lyrical vocals (you know you tried to hit those high notes as you sang along), and still one of the most eye-popping videos ever made make this Scandinavian band's biggest U.S. hit an all-time classic.

#84: "She-Bop" by Cyndi Lauper (Album: She's So Unusual, 1983)

The best song ever about female masturbation (yes, I'm including Divinyls "I Touch Myself"), I'm still not sure how this song ever got any radio or MTV airplay, especially when the subject matter became part of the discussion. My initial omission of this song was so egregious I removed "You Can't Hurry Love" by Phil Collins out of the #90 spot (I love his version of the song, especially the syncopated backbeat) and moved Cyndi to this spot. Consider Phil part of the HM list now.

#83: "Love Shack" by The B-52s (Album: Cosmic Thing, 1989)

The ubiquitous party anthem of the early Nineties, if you can't sing and dance along with this one, you should probably check your pulse and blood pressure.

#82: "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds (Album: Rockin' the Suburbs, 2001)

I sang this song to my wife, Amy, at our remarriage ceremony last October. I can't do justice to Folds' voice, but the sentiment of the lyrics is spot-on for our continuing journey through life together. Many thanks to Steve Lewis for introducing me to this beautiful love song.

#81: "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay (Album: Viva La Vida, 2008)

Another contribution to my collection from Steve Lewis, this is the title track for the album of the same name. I wrote most of the second half of my most recent novel with this album playing in the background, so it's like it's a part of my identity now. Anyone who thinks they don't like Coldplay (like I used to...) should listen to this album; it will change your mind.

Top 100 Favorite Songs: 100-91

100. “My Sharona”—The Knack (Album: Get The Knack, 1979)

That infections drum-and-bass beat sets the tone, and the earworm chorus is almost ubiquitous, but it's the guitar solo, so good you can't believe it—almost like it belongs to another song, that makes this song an all-time classic.

99. “American Pie”—Don McLean (Album: American Pie, 1971)

Is there anyone alive who can't sing along with this chorus? I've had every word of this song memorized since I was aged in single digits. This song about "The Day the Music Died" will never die.

98. “Here’s Where the Story Ends”—The Sundays (Album: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, 1990)

A favorite of mine to write with on the stereo, this British alternative band is distinguished by the innocent-sounding but wisdom-wielding vocals of lead singer Harriet Wheeler. I particularly like that she keeps her British accent as she sings.

97. “Am I Wrong”—Love Spit Love (Album: Love Spit Love, 1992)

Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler formed this group in the mid-nineties; I'm a fan of the Furs and Butler's rich baritone. I feel like they might have had more success with a better name for the band. I never get tired of this song.

96. “California Love”—Tupac w/ Dr. Dre (Album: All Eyez on Me, 1996)

That beat! OMG that beat! I can never get enough of that wicked beat, not to mention Dr. Dre's lyrically tricky raps. The essence of cool drips from every note of this song.

95. “Buddy Holly”—Weezer (Album: Weezer, 1994)

Weezer is one of the most divisive bands when it comes to musical opinions, but I think most people would agree that this song is simply amazing, as is their seamless integration into a Happy Days episode. The Fonz approves!

94. “Allentown”—Billy Joel (Album: The Nylon Curtain, 1982)

A prescient protest song about how unions and the working class are getting royally screwed by the company owners, Joel's combination of anger and sadness perfectly captures how I've felt about capitalism for the past thirty years.

93. “Private Eyes”—Hall & Oates (Album: Private Eyes, 1981)

This song came out when I was in junior high, and oh my goodness, how we all went bananas for the syncopated rhythm and sing-and-clap-along chorus. To date, my favorite H&O tune of them all.

92. “Bust a Move”—Young MC (Album: Stone Cold Rhymin', 1989)

My kids didn't believe me last year when I claimed I could karaoke this song word for word. I wish they had made a cash wager...but since it's my kids, I would have had to loan them the money to pay off. Too many people don't remember how much fun Eighties rap could be.

91. “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”—Cyndi Lauper (Album: She's So Unusual, 1983)

I have professed by eternal love for all things Cyndi Lauper many times before in this blogspace, so it's fitting that the song that catapulted her to the top of American pop culture rounds out the first ten. Despite being at the bottom of this chart, these are all songs I deeply love, and have for years.

Top 100 Favorite Songs: Introduction and Honorable Mentions

Summer vacation. I've spent most of my life either going to school or teaching at one, and those are still two of the most wonderful words in the English language. In kindergarten through tenth grade, it meant playing baseball, swimming, riding my bike to the movies or the library, and vacations in St. Louis. After I turned 16, it meant sleeping late every day and summer jobs. Today, it means teaching online and being free to plan more time with family and friends.

And in each instance, it meant music. Listening to my dad's record player, making mix tapes from 45 singles and 12-inch albums, driving around with the windows down and the stereo turned all the way up...music is the universal soundtrack of our American lives.

At the college where I teach, we have ten more days of classes until finals week, then twelve glorious weeks of summer vacation. In anticipation of this much-anticipated event, I'll be spending the next ten weekdays, from April 29 through May 10 (no weekends!), blogging my 100 favorite songs of all-time, ten at a time each day.

This is in response to the challenge from my Blog Club comrade Steve Lewis, who has been making these amazingly intricate and difficult-to-compose lists for many years now. I've spend the past month sifting through online and physical music collections, collecting about 150 songs, then paring them down and ranking them all the way to the top.

I've never really considered more than my top ten in the past. Several songs on my list used to be in my top ten, but they've fallen considerably through the years. Some former favorites didn't even make the cut. Most of the music is from my youth, the seventies, eighties, and nineties. A few are more recent, and some of them might even surprise you.

Almost every song has a story attached, and for the top 100, I'll give you a snippet of why I love the song, why it resonates with me, and why you should listen (it will include a YouTube link for that very purpose). Before we get started with my initial ten selections, I wanted to list the 20 songs that didn't quite make the cut but still matter enough to me to include in this blog series. These will only get a single sentence of explanation, but these Honorable Mentions deserve to be part of my list. I hope you'll join me for this walk through my musical memories.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (#101-#120)

101. “All Through the Night”—Cyndi Lauper 

One of my favorite tracks from her debut album

 

102. “Centerfold”—J. Geils Band

The video, racy for its time, now seems quaintly innocent

 

103. “Mickey”—Toni Basil

That rachety percussion beat gets me every time

 

104. “Mr. Roboto”—Styx

One of the most amazing introductions of any song

 

105. “Safety Dance”—Men Without Hats

 Sheer, silly, synthesizer-driven fun

106. “Never Let Me Down Again”—Depeche Mode

A chilling song from their masterpiece album Music for the Masses

 

107. “All I Want”—Toad the Wet Sprocket

Still one of my favorite CDs from the Nineties

 

108. “Somebody to Love”—Queen

I also love George Michael's version at the Freddy Mercury tribute concert

 

109. “Peace, Love, and Understanding”— Elvis Costello

One of the often-overlooked geniuses of Eighties alternative music

 

110. “All Along the Watchtower”—Jimi Hendrix

My love for the Battlestar: Galactica reboot drove my affinity for this song

 

111. “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”—Charlie Daniels Band

I'm not much for country music, but does anyone not think this is a great song?

 

112. “One”—Metallica

I never paid any attention to the speed metal masters until this bleak rocker hit MTV

 

113. “Rainbow Connection”—Kermit the Frog

Don't laugh—go listen to it and you'll find yourself singing along!

 

114. “Hot for Teacher”—Van Halen

Teachers who looked like this would have done wonders for high school attendance...

 

115. “Basket Case”—Green Day

This song demands that you turn it up and shout along with them

 

116. “Something About You”—Level 42

One of my favorite one-hit wonders from the Eighties

 

117. “Funny You Should Ask”—Front Bottoms

An indie band that my son Scott turned me on to...this is my favorite of theirs

 

118. “Every Day I Write the Book”—Elvis Costello

Most of his songs tell a great story; this is no exception

 

119. “Car Radio”—twenty one pilots

Another contribution from Scott; this song must be played at maximum volume

 

120. “Stricken”—Disturbed

Awesome metal tune I first heard on Guitar Hero video game—I also like that in the video, the drummer plays Pearl drums with Sabian cymbals...just like me!

Ten Great Valentine Movies #1—"When Harry Met Sally"

What It's About:
Harry Burns meets Sally Albright after they both graduate from the University of Chicago; they share a ride back to New York City. Along the way, we learn that Sally is naive, idealistic, and has not yet had great sex (Sheldon doesn't count). Harry, on the other hand, is shallow and misogynistic, and he lives by the theory that men and women can't be friends because the sex always gets in the way. They meet again five years later on a flight, where they once again strike up a conversation in which he offends her in about sixteen different ways. Five more years later, they meet in a New York bookstore and strike up a genuine friendship, with no sex in the way. Until sex gets in the way. Then they're not friends. Then he chases her down on New Year's Eve to deliver the best romantic line in a movie since Casablanca: "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." Cue the music!

Why It's Worth Watching:
Please. It's the best romantic comedy of the modern era, and it's right up there on the Mount Rushmore of movie romances. It's certainly in the conversation for the best movie of Rob Reiner's career (not to mention probably Nora Ephron's funniest and most insightful script). Billy Crystal (Harry) and Meg Ryan (Sally) are pitch-perfect in every way, and they are matched scene-for-scene with best friends Jess (Bruno Kirby..."You made a woman meow?") and Marie (Carrie Fisher, who steals every scene, naturally). Paired up with a Harry Connick, Jr. jazz soundtrack that reflects the wit and sophistication of the film, this is the perfect Valentine movie.

What's in it for Her:

What's in it for Him:

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Ten Great Valentine Movies #2—"say anything..."

What It's About:
Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) is a high school graduate with no real direction, other than the certainty that he doesn't want to "buy, sell, or process anything" as a career. Diane Court (Ione Skye) is the high school valedictorian on her way to study in England on a prestigious fellowship. She agrees to go out with him to an epic annual graduation party, and their summer romance proceeds from there. Her relationship with her father, whom she chose to live with after her parents divorced, complicates matters. He doesn't like Lloyd because he sees him as mediocre, someone whose only ambition is kickboxing and spending as much time with Diane as possible. Diane's father (John Mahoney) is also under investigation for his management of the nursing home that he owns, which puts further pressure on Diane in terms of her future. How will it all end? If you haven't seen this gem of a movie, which Entertainment Weekly selected as the Best Romantic Movie since the mid-1980s, then take this Valentine's Day to watch it; you (probably) won't be disappointed.

Why It's Worth Watching:
First of all, it's a reversal of the typical rom-com trope. Diane is the one who has it all together, the drive, the ambition, the direction, the bright future. Lloyd is her supporting character; all he wants to do is provide her with love and support so she can succeed. As he tells her father, "I want to be with your daughter. I'm GOOD at it!" Lloyd's love is true but also honest; Diane is, in the words of Lloyd's best friend Cory (played brilliantly by Lili Taylor), "a brain trapped in the body of a game show hostess." But he's so sweet to her in so many small ways, you get to experience Diane falling in love with him as the film progresses. Without spoiling some important details, ...say anything sets up some plot lines that you expect to go one way, but then the exact opposite happens, and it's so surprising and refreshing.

Writer and director Cameron Crowe puts in so many careful details, like the graduation party, which looks and feels exactly the way a high school kegger actually was (not the comic John Hughes version), that you're eager to see where this story is going to take you. It's eminently quotable in a hundred different ways. Add to that the brilliant soundtrack, scored by Heart's Nancy Wilson (Crowe's wife), featuring an eclectic mix of late-eighties tracks as well as the most iconic boombox lift in movie history—there's hardly any amount of praise that I cannot laud upon this film.

What in it for Her:
As I said, Diane is not merely the female romantic interest to Lloyd; she's the character with the most to gain and the most to lose. There are dozens of reasons why she shouldn't fall for Lloyd; she even mentions some of them to him out loud, and they become the rationale for their mid-movie breakup (romantic movies always have a breakup, after all). It's refreshing to see the female half of a romance movie relationship be her own person instead of simply an accessory to the male lead. Ione Skye makes teenage ambition mixed with apprehension seem all the more real with her performance, showing both strength and uncertainty in equal portions.

What in it for Him:
John Cusack is, for me, the ultimate movie bro. Throughout his career, all of his roles have seemed so relatable to myself and my own life experiences. I should mention another teen romance movie he starred in, The Sure Thing, which was Rob Reiner's directorial debut, which I considered for this list as well (it's great, watch it as a bonus!). This movie will bring back memories of high school loves both fond and foul for most guys. Best dude moment: pining for Diane after their breakup, he asks his guy friends for advice, none of which is useful. Then he asks them to justify their advice...just watch:

Ten Great Valentine Movies #3—"Dan in Real Life"

What It's About:
Dan (Steve Carell) is a local newspaper advice columnist "Dan in Real Life" who's attracted attention from a national syndicate that wants to meet him and his family. He is a widower with three daughters, two of whom are teenagers who treat him with open contempt at every opportunity. Dan takes his kids to his family's annual vacation at his parents' beach house in New England. On the way there, he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche) at a book store, where they talk, browse books, drink coffee, and realize that they are perfect for each other. There's one problem, however. She's dating his brother Mitch (Dane Cook), who brings her to the family vacation. Hijinks and dump truck loads of unrequited love ensue. Things become uncomfortable for Dan and Marie, then really uncomfortable for the rest of the family when they can no longer deny their attraction for each other. Dan's girls take a few minutes off from acting hateful toward their father to give him good advice, which he follows to a predictable but nonetheless wonderful ending.

Why It's Worth Watching:
Steve Carell is much more enjoyable in dramatic roles than comedic, in my opinion, and although this movie generates laughs, Dan himself is a sad and lonely widower who has given up hope for another love and lived for his daughters. He's so winning in every scene, but none more than when he sings Pete Townsend's "Let My Love Open the Door" and almost destroys his family (watch it, and you'll understand). Juliette Binoche is predictably luminous, absolutely beautiful in a way that few other actresses are, but warm, funny, silly, and sexy all at the same time. Dane Cook channels is natural BroDude/Douchebag persona for effective use as the charming but shiftless Mitch. The rest of the family is on point as well, especially Diane Wiest and John Mahoney as the parents. Anyone else who is part of a large family (Ever seen my holiday pictures? Bring a wide-angle lens, please!) will relate to the chaotic dynamic of love and drama that characterizes the weekend.

What's in it for Her:
Because I'm not a woman, I'm not entirely sure about this angle, but Marie likes Mitch; he's funny and simple, and because he's good-looking and sexy, they have a good time. But Dan is clearly the man she's supposed to be with, so what do you do when you meet Mr. Right but you're already dating Mr. Right Now? The fact that they're brothers further complicates matters for Marie, who is such a kind and gentle soul that she's willing to sacrifice her own happiness rather than cause pain to Dan and Mitch's family. She one of the more winning female characters in romantic movies because of her lack of selfishness, and that's so appealing. I also think women tend to be more sacrificing than men, so I'm guessing that women can identify with her feelings as well.

What's in it for Him:
This is a grown-up romantic comedy that deals with some serious issues, so it's appeal is really to a more mature male sensibility. What would it feel like to lose the love of your life too soon? It's something most of us would rather not consider, but we see Dan dealing with the reality of it. It's also got a real appeal for fathers of daughters; there is a point where they all go from "Daddy's little girl" to these eye-rolling, breath-huffing, sarcastic little women who treat you like the victim of severe head trauma. I'm happy to say that they grow out of it, but boy, those teenage years are trying. On the more positive side, it's easy to see why Dan would fall in love with Marie—who wouldn't?—but watching him try to keep on the straight-and-narrow for the sake of his brother and daughters—and failing hilariously—makes him all the more human and relatable.

Ten Great Valentine Movies #4—"Pretty Woman"

What It's About:
Edward (Richard Gere), a billionaire sociopath devoid of normal human emotion, gets lost in Hollywood and pays Vivian (Julia Roberts), a streetwalking prostitute, to give him directions back to his hotel. He pays her for the whole night, leading to one of her best lines: "I appreciate this whole seduction thing you've got going on here, but let me give you a little tip...I'm a sure thing." He decides to offer her $3,000 to spend the week with him as his "companion," eye candy for a series of business meetings. After a week of great sex with someone who's genuinely not impressed with his wealth and power, Edward's cold heart thaws out. He decides not to screw over the elderly CEO he was previously planning to ruin (Ralph Bellamy), fires his scumbag lawyer (Jason Alexander at his slimiest), and professes his love for Vivian.

Why It's Worth Watching:
Seriously, do I need to explain this? Are there any lifeforms on the planet who haven't already seen this movie? It's #21 on AFI's Top 100 Romances, directed by the late, great Garry Marshall, and features Richard Gere looking like a silver fox with Julia Roberts looking like...well, a young Julia Roberts. All sarcasm aside, this is Cinderella for grown-ups, a love story with a cynical edge that nonetheless ends up with a happy reunion (one the original screenplay eschewed for a more bitter and realistic resolution). Sharp supporting roles by Laura San Giacomo as Vivian's street-smart hooker mentor and Hector Elizondo as the hotel manager add to the overall wit and charm.

What's in it for Her:
Of course, no woman dreams of growing up and becoming a prostitute, but the dream of a rich, handsome, charming man sweeping her off her feet is the stuff of fairy tales and soap operas. But it's more than that; Vivian finds herself along the way, and she gains an inner strength that she didn't have before, one that enables her to walk away from her callgirl life and insist that Edward give her the whole fairy tale, happily ever after and all, or nothing at all. That, and it is oh, so delicious to watch her tell off those snooty bitches in that Beverly Hills boutique that wouldn't wait on her.

What's in it for Him:
There's a country song called "Trashy Women" that hits at the root of the appeal for men; part of the appeal of strippers and hookers, other than the obvious, is the idea that she may be faking it for everyone else, but if she really knew me, I'd be the guy. It's not true, of course, but the "hooker with the heart of gold" trope is found throughout countless movies for a reason. There's a bit of a white knight in many men, and this is the ultimate indulgence of that little fantasy.