Top 100 Favorite Songs: 60-51

#60: "How Can I Fall?" by Breathe (Album: All That Jazz, 1988)

I'm going to get roasted for this pick, but I couldn't care less. This is one of my most beloved love ballads. Highly melodic, with an emphasis on keyboards, the lead vocals are simply beautiful. A one-hit wonder for sure, but one that has stayed with me for three decades and counting.

#59: "Land of Confusion" by Genesis (Album: Invisible Touch, 1986)

Phil Collins has become such a moribund balladeer in the past 20 years that it's easy to forget that Genesis was a great rock band, and Collins was (and probably still is) a terrific drummer. This anti-Cold War protest song, whose bizarre and creepy video lambastes both Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher as bumbling warmongers, is my favorite example of what Collins used to be.

#58: "Fortress Around Your Heart" by Sting (Album: The Dream of the Blue Turtles, 1985)

Sting's first solo album took many different listens before it sunk in for me. I'm not a big fan of jazz, and his solo work was so unlike The Police (which I understand was the point). But once it clicked, this became one of my favorite albums, and this song is by far my favorite track from this landmark work.

#57: "Sunglasses at Night" by Corey Hart (Album: First Offense, 1983)

Seriously, is there a better archetype for Eighties pop tunes than this one? Eerie synthesizers, distorted guitars, and earnestly powerful vocals—Canadian singer Hart had a few other songs that charted after this one, but this is the song he'll always be remembered for.

#56: "Red Rain" by Peter Gabriel (Album: So, 1986)

Some albums are so masterful that it becomes difficult to separate tracks in terms of quality, and few instances fit this description better than Gabriel's So album. "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time" are standout singles for both song and video, but this opening track, far more subtle and understated than the bigger hits, has always had a more profound emotional effect upon me. I love this song.

#55: "Synchronicity II" by The Police (Album: Synchronicity, 1983)

A truly angry rock song, this is a venomous indictment of modern suburban/capitalist alienation, with the contrast of Sting's harsh-edged vocals contrasted against the emotional futility of the narrative in the lyrics. I never imagined in 1983 that adult life would align with this song in such a disappointing reality. I always thought the working class would revolt before life got this bad; I underestimated the sinister foresight of the ownership class. It turns out you CAN fool all of the people all of the time.

#54: "Why Can't I Be You?" by The Cure (Album: Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, 1987)

People who don't really know The Cure might dismiss them as a mopey, depressing band, and while much of their music can be darkly introspective, they also know how to create insanely upbeat melodies like this one. The Cure is far too innovative and artistically brilliant to be pigeon-holed into any particular category other than "genius."

#53: "It's the End of the World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M. (Album: Document, 1987)

Karaoke Level: Expert. Part of the fun of this happy little tune about the apocalypse was trying to suss out the lyrics without album liner notes (and years before the Internet made it too easy). My favorite part is Mike Mills singing "Time I had some time alone" in the background of the chorus; it's wickedly ironic and so understated. I don't think I can be accused of hyperbole when I say that R.E.M. is one of the greatest and most important bands in the history of rock music.

#52: "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen (Album: Born to Run, 1975)

Sometimes a song is so iconically associated with its artist that the greatness of the song itself can be overlooked. Sure, picking "Born to Run" is easy and obvious, but that's because it's still arguably The Boss's greatest song of all time. It's certainly far and away my favorite of his, and that's saying something about someone who rightly deserves the title of American Icon.

#51: "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones (Album: Beggars Banquet, 1968)

I watched with glee while your kings and queens

Fought for ten decades for the gods they made

I shouted out, "Who killed the Kennedys?"

When after all, it was you and me

…

Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name

But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game

Hell, yeah!

Top 100 Favorite Songs: 70-61

#70: "99 Luftballons" by Nena (Album: Nena, 1983)

One of the coolest parts about this song when it came out was that all the lyrics were in German. Not understanding the words is what made it stand out. As it turns out, the English-translation version is putrid. German only, please. Also used as an awesome part of the John Cusack movie Grosse Pointe Blank.

#69: "I Melt With You" by Modern English (Album: After the Snow, 1982)

This song was part of the climax of the Eighties drive-in flick Valley Girl (starring a young Nicolas Cage), and it turned out to be the breakout hit of a soundtrack filled with exceptional New Wave and alternative songs. Bad covers and cheesy commercials can't dilute the original impact of the song.

#68: "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush (Album: Hounds of Love, 1985)

The beauty and genius of Kate Bush is how weird and different she is. This song sounded like nothing else on radio or MTV at the time. The driving percussion, the strange synthesizer, her unique modern dance performance—all of it enhances the unique beauty of her voice. This is a good entry point for curious Kate Bush newbies.

#67: "42" by Coldplay (Album: Viva La Vida, 2008)

Two songs in one! Beginning like a slow ballad, it morphs into a driving techno beat that leads to Chris Martin's declaration of "You thought you might be a ghost." I love the whole album, but for me, this is the song that stands out at the top as my favorite.

#66: "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman (Album: Tracy Chapman, 1988)

My favorite part of the song is the contrast between the acoustic ballad of the verses combined with the addition of bass and drums in the chorus. It gives additional weight to the seriousness of the lyrics along with the plaintive and soulful beauty of Chapman's deep, rich voice.

#65: "I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd with Daft Punk (Album: Starboy, 2016)

The most recent song on my list, this is one of those songs that belongs on a playlist that includes Prince, Barry White, and Marvin Gaye (wink-wink, nudge-nudge, knowwhatimean?). The Weeknd is one of those rare contemporary singers who doesn't need his voice massively overproduced, and that R&B/Soul influence paired with the techno imagination of French duo Daft Punk made this song an instant classic for me the first time I heard it.

#64: "Photograph" by Def Leppard (Album: Pyromania, 1983)

Pyromania was a monster album, catapulting Def Leppard into the public consciousness from which they've worked hard to stay a part of. Eighties nostalgia keeps them touring, and even though their not the same lads from Sheffield that they were in this video, their music still moves audiences. "Photograph" is my second-favorite song from that album,...my favorite will surprise some of you.

#63: "Misery Business" by Paramore (Album: Riot!, 2007)

My musical exposure in the Oughts was almost exclusively contemporary Christian, so this band stands out as a rare example of modern Alt-Rock. This song was introduced to me through the Wii "Guitar Hero" game, but it quickly became a favorite and frequent listen on iTunes and eventually, my iPhone. The frantic speed of the beat combined with Hayley Williams' powerful vocals is what makes this song appealing to me.

#62: "Space Oddity" by David Bowie (Album: David Bowie, 1969)

The original Major Tom, Bowie is at the top of his time as fallen alien artist "Ziggy Stardust" in this masterful tune. This song is an absolute masterpiece, and I still don't think I've gotten over the fact that Bowie is gone.

#61: "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police (Album: Ghost in the Machine, 1981)

So much of what The Police did in their career was serious, and Sting has definitely taken himself VERY seriously since he embarked on his solo career, so it's fun to kick back and listen to a happy, reggae-influenced love song that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Top 100 Favorite Songs: 80-71

#80: "Death of a Bachelor" by Panic! at the Disco (Album: Death of a Bachelor, 2016)

One of the few songs on my list less than five years old, I love the range of Brendon Urie's voice as well as the mix of old school big band with contemporary pop mixes. This is the kind of music Frank Sinatra would be making if he had been born as a Millennial.

#79: "Wild Thing" by Tone-Loc (Album: Loc-ed After Dark, 1989)

This classic song, a clever but obvious double entendre for "making the beast with two backs," was actually written by "Bust A Move" rapper Young MC, who happily gave the vocals away to Tone Loc (nee Anthony Smith) when he heard Loc's gravelly vocal style.

#78: "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush (Album: The Sensual World, 1989)

First heard by me at the climax of John Hughes's film She's Having a Baby, this song led me to purchase her CD The Sensual World, which led directly to a lifetime of obsessive devotion to Kate and her music. This song is one of the most amazing showcases for her otherworldly voice.

#77: "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green (Album: Let's Stay Together, 1972)

This soul classic was repopularized by Quentin Tarentino on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack (how influential was that movie, anyway? Wow!), and it still resonates today, especially with the silky smoothness of Green's voice. Who wouldn't want to stay after this appeal?

#76: "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John (Album: Madman Across the Water, 1971)

Much of my affinity for this song is attached to an episode of the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, where a Russian man asked Bailey Quarters for help defecting the U.S. (he sweetly quoted the song to her), and the significant moment in Cameron Crowe's wonderful coming-of-age film Almost Famous when the young protagonist and the band he's writing about sing along on their tour bus. Oh, and before I forget, it's one of Elton John's most magnificent songs.

#75: "The Real Slim Shady" by Eminem (Album: The Marshall Mathers LP, 2000)

VIDEO NSFW!
While I'm not a fan of rap, I do find most of what Eminem does interesting and masterful from a linguistic point of view. His rhymes and rhythms are as complex, clever, and intricate as any poet ever attempted in a literary sense. I also think his sense of irony, combined with his intentional profanity, to be endlessly hilarious. Of all his songs, this one is my favorite.

#74: "Revolution" by The Beatles (Album: The Beatles (aka The White Album), 1968)

I agree with School of Rock's Dewey Finn (Jack Black) that the real purpose of rock 'n' roll is to "Stick it to the Man!" If that movement had a theme song, this would be it. The distorted guitar, the driving but funky beat, and the vocals switching from melodic to screaming—all these elements are four master musicians at the apex of their skill and talent.

#73: "Drive" by The Cars (Album: Heartbeat City, 1984)

I think it's interesting that my favorite song by The Cars is the one hit sung by late bassist Benjamin Orr rather than lead singer Rik Ocasek. On the other hand, Ocasek ended up marrying Eighties ubermodel Paulina Porizkova after they met on the set of this beautifully cinematic video, so I think that's a net positive for him. "Drive" is gorgeous because of its melancholy mood and tone.

#72: "New Year's Day" by U2 (Album: War, 1983)

So much of what made U2 so good (and so important), especially in their early years can be found in this song. The driving bass-and-drum rhythm team of Larry Mullins, Jr. and Adam Clayton, the Edge's screaming guitar solos and machine-gun staccato riffs, the political and spiritual lyrics, all overseen by Bono's plaintive and soaring vocals—from the first time I heard this song, it's not been simply a favorite; it's part of my soul.

#71: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana (Album: Nevermind, 1991)

Few songs can lay claim to actually changing an entire artistic movement, but this song effectively ended Eighties hair metal and ushered in the Grunge era in the early nineties. I still remember where I was and what I was doing the moment I first heard this song. I stopped everything and listened to every note. I had never heard anything like it before. Nothing since has ever been the same.

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!