Being a man who owns about 500 compact discs, picking just 20 favorite songs is a difficult task. Heck, I’d be hard-pressed to pick my favorite 20 bands of all time. While I don’t believe I’ll get all of my favorite songs listed, I’m sure I’ll put a number of them down, so here goes:
Rudy Can’t Fail by the Clash - The Clash managed to churn out a ton of great songs, but this one is my favorite. You’ve got a good mix of Bo Diddley meets reggae here, and the whole thing is just fun in the coolest way possible. No wonder the Clash is considered one of the best punk bands of all time.
Dear Prudence by the Beatles - While the Beatles is my favorite band, this laid-back rocker from The White Album is one of those songs that made me want to learn how to play guitar. The harmonies, John Lennon’s pleading vocals and various bits of guitar-noodling are hard to resist.
Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones - Another one of those songs that made me want to learn how to play guitar. This one is centered around some’ooooh, ooooh’ backing vocals and four whole guitar chords. It’s all noise, distorted guitar riffs and lyrics about kids dancing around like Nazis(?!?!?!?!) Odd, but fun stuff.
Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly - Buddy Holly, for my money, was one of the greatest rock n’ roll artists the world has ever seen. His particular brand of’hillbilly music’(also known as rockabilly) was at it’s finest here. In addition to Holly’s clean guitar tone from his trademark Fender Telecaster, you’ve got his’catching’ vocals that come across just great.
Planet of Sound by the Pixies - Just a total mess of distorted guitars, swirling bits of guitar racket, a menacing bass line, Black Francis’ screeching vocals and weird lyrics about space travel. This is one to crank all the way up in the car while booming down the interstate at around 85 miles-per-hour.
God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols - Yes, the members of the Sex Pistols were good and angry, and what better way to express that than claiming the’fascist regime’ made the ol’ Queen a moron and that there’s no future for the youth of England? That tune still slaps you upside the head like a ton of bricks now.
Little Queenie by Chuck Berry - Well, considering Berry’s weird quirks about sex, perhaps it’s a bit disturbing to hear the man sing about a girl who’s’too cute to be a minute over seventeen.’ The song is still great, though, and is one of the ones that proves how great rockabilly can be.
Matchbox by Carl Perkins - Another great rockabilly tune from one of the absolute masters. While Elvis holds the title of King of Rock n’ Roll, I can’t help but think that Carl Perkins got robbed in the vote. This song is gritty, Southern as can be and full of enough bad boy imagery to choke a horse. Go, cat, go!
Hybrid Moments by the Misfits - While the recording quality was terrible and the track sounds like a vacuum cleaner was running in the background, Glen Danzig and company turned in a punk classic with this one. The music is simplistic and grating, but there’s also a sing-along chorus and enough guitar hooks to bring the listener right along.
She Divines Water by Camper van Beethoven - Back before’alternative’ music went commercial and could be heard down at the local mall, Camper van Beethoven was mixing up punk, country, 60s-flavored guitar rock and world music into a fantastic sound. This tune is very pleasant to hear, but just off-kilter enough to be worthwhile.
Street Fighting Man by the Rolling Stones - A blues-based number in which the Rolling Stones adopted a rather combative stance during the 1960s when everyone was all peaceful. One of the most fascinating and fierce tracks from teh 1960s.
Pride(In the Name of Love) by U2 - U2 celebrates the life and times of Martin Luther King in one of the most soaring and joyful songs ever recorded. This one turned me into a U2 fan, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that.
My War by Black Flag - Henry Rollins and company deliver an almost paranoid and very powerful shot here. Rolling sounds like he’s in pain while ranting against someone who betrayed him while Greg Ginn lays down some fire-eating guitar licks that absolutely sizzle. Black Flag, again, established its position in the Southern California hardcore punk scene with this one.
Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty - Petty merged his love of roots rock, pop sensibilities and fascination with all things Southern on this one. Amazing acoustic guitar riff here, and the lyrics are both nervous and peaceful. Amazing!
Chrome Plated Suicide by the Flaming Lips - While it sounds like a rip-off of’Sweet Child o’ Mine’ by Guns n’ Roses, the Flaming Lips pulled off a masterpiece with this one. Hell, the Flaming Lips have always been an amazing band, but this tune is just beautiful in a dark and hopeless kind of way.
Brassneck by the Wedding Present - This jangling, fast song just makes me nervous. Once again, David Gedge growls on about love gone bad as the band plays guitars too fast. I was hooked on this since the time I first heard Gedge growl, ’I just decided I don’t trrrrrust you anymore!’
Seven Year Ache by Roseanne Cash - That’s right, Johnny’s daughter pumps out a very strange country song that’s backed with some odd-ball synth stuff. This one is all about cheatin’ on spouses and the misery that brings.
Turn to Stone by Electric Light Orchestra - Well, it does sound a bit too much like disco, but this absolutely busy keyboards and lyrics about love gone never grow old.
Sex Machine by James Brown - One of those funk classics that just pounds away. Hearing Brown holler’get up-uh!’ over and over never grows old. This thing just moves along like a freight train.
Pacer by the Amps - Just smooth vocals from Kim Deal and grinding guitars that mesh in a sweet and tuneful mess. I don’t know what the hell this song is about, but it sure is soothing.
Shake Your Rump by the Beastie Boys - It was years ahead of its time in 1989, but this track was just full of hard beats, funk samples and wacky lyrics about getting’arrested at the Mardi Gras for jumpin’ on the float’ and other bits of silliness. And, it’s got the fiercest bass scratch I’ve ever heard. Nifty!
I still don’t feel like this list is complete as I could fill it with another 40 or so songs that I like as much as the ones above. That’s the thing about music - it’s really hard to say which songs are actually your favorite when you like a lot of stuff.