Top Ten Songs Meme

I was tagged, so….

I don’t think my top two favorite songs ever change.

1. The Boxer–Simon and Garfunkel
2. Thunder Road–Bruce Springsteen

As soon as I try to come up with the other eight, I’m tormented by songs I love from Fleetwood Mac, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin, R.E.M., Prince, Stevie Nicks, George Harrison, John Mellencamp, Carly Simon, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Elvis, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jimi Hendrix. Ultimately, I think the list changes depending on whether I’m thinking of music, lyrics, or personal associations.

And I’m afraid the eight I’m choosing from many favorites all give lie to the assertion that I’m thirty-five. Dammit.

3. Hey Jude–The Beatles
4. Good Vibrations–The Beach Boys
5. Boys of Summer–Don Henley
6. Sympathy for the Devil–The Rolling Stones
7. Subterranean Homesick Blues–Bob Dylan
8. Imagine–John Lennon
9. Hey, Hey, My, My (Into the Black)–Neil Young
10. Guilty–Randy Newman

16 thoughts on “Top Ten Songs Meme”

  1. if an anonymous stranger sent me a letter in the mail, saying, “hey, these are my favorite ten songs of all time,” without any other given detail in regard to their sex, gender, age, race, sexuality….

    i would assume them to be more about 45.

    thankfully, i know you just have great taste in music and appreciate bands and artists whose body of work may have been released before you were born.

  2. I remember how in my early twenties I saw that video of The Beach Boys on Ed Sullivan (I think) playing “Good Vibrations”. In a flash, it hit me how absolutely brilliant that song was, both in terms of writing and actually orchestration.

    Have you ever seen the documentary of The Rolling Stones working on “Sympathy for the Devil”? It’s really fascinating because it documents how the song changes over the course of them working on it. Like Keith Richards said, it goes from being sort of folky number to a mad samba.

    1. I have not seen that, but I’ll bet it’s good. I had a hard time choosing between “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Gimme Shelter,” another favorite.

      As for Brian Wilson–his music is brilliant, I think.

  3. I love all the songs you chose for one reason or another. I am so into the Beatles now, thanks to you, recommending some titles. The Beach Boys, I always loved since my father went to school with them in Cali. He’s a fan, for sure.

    Neil Young played that song at Mary Weather, when I was there, and I got to smoke a joint with him. He only used his guitar, too. It was amazing. Of course, I don’t do illegal drugs at all now that I am older…I leave that stuff to David. LOL

  4. Great top ten list — all of them are classic. Isn’t it amazing how few songs from the past 20 years make it to top ten lists. Saw Springsteen on 30 Minutes. OMG, he just turned! 58, so how old is S & G? Since I remember them when they were still Tom and Jerry, they must be as old as me

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