Obsessive Compulsive Music List #1

Ever since Megan gave me the i-Pod, I've been slowly converting my music collection into mp3 files. The process has allowed me to reflect on the music I love and I've been making "best of" lists (i.e. best albums of the 90's, best hip-hop songs etc..) Well it's time to commit some of these onto paper, or at least onto webspace.

These lists are obviously subjective and are meant for discussion. I am interested in seeing what other people think and I'm looking forward to publishing other people's lists and comments.

I'm going to start with a general topic:

The 10 Greatest Rock Songs (according to myk)

• "Strawberry Fields Forever" by the Beatles (1967) It's really the Beatles heavily influenced by The Beach Boys Pet Sounds. However, the Fab Four outdid their American counterparts in the psychedelic pop song department. It starts as a simple ballad, then it slows down and becomes hazy and dream-like, even a bit terrifying, near the end. John Lennon's vocals demonstrate why he's my favorite rock singer. He combines a simple, poignant melody with enough syncopation to make the song interesting but still accessible. I also love the conversational lyrics.

• "Respect" by Aretha Franklin (1967) This song would make two "best-of" lists. It's both the ultimate riot grrl song and the greatest cover of all time. Franklin broadens the meaning of the Otis Redding song to include themes of race and gender, not by changing any of the lyrics, but by the power of her voice and presence.

• "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" by Jimi Hendrix (1968) Guitar virtuosity has always been linked to rock and roll (not always to good effect). Jimi Hendrix does it right here. A precise riff, chaotic solos, and bold rhythm guitar playing make this song a complete package. He also distills great hard rock down to its most basic form, mainly blues you can bang your head to.

• "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye (1973) Remember, rock and roll was originally slang for sex and this is the greatest of the "I want to have sex with you"-style songs. It's the most visceral song of its genre partly due to it's raw, live-sounding production (listen to those drums), but mostly because of Gaye's earnest crooning.

• "Love Will Tear Us Apart Again" by Joy Division (1979) This song is full of contradictions. It's both passionate and bizarre. It has a simple, poppy melody, but the production buries the voice into the background. Ian Curtis's vocals are both affectionate and idiosyncratic. As a result, this song is the blueprint for great indie rock: music that is simultaneously beautiful and challenging.

• "Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads (1980) This is a pop song? What is that nervous guy rambling on about? Is it suburban dissatisfaction, Taoist philosophy or both? Is the music polyrhythmic African funk? This is the formula for the most catchy, most dance-able pop anthem? I guess so.

• "La-Di-Da-Di" by Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh (1985) In the early days of hip-hop, those not boasting were telling funny stories. This song is the greatest of the bunch. Yes, it's humerous, but a little twisted and dark. Slick Rick has a smooth delivery whether he's rapping or singing. He makes his rhymes serve the story and not the other way around.

• "With or Without You" by U2 (1987) I know I just threw my indie rock credibility out the window, but bear with me here. Rock-and-roll and the crescendo go hand in hand. Who doesn't love a song that starts soft and ends loud? I've seen you bopping to Zepplin's "Stairway to Heaven," Metallica's "One" and Jane's Addiction's "Three Days." In this one, U2 bee-lines from whisper to scream in under 3 1/2 minutes. They don't even have to step on an effects pedal either.

• "Debaser" by The Pixies (1989) I want my list to have the guise of objectivity, but I can't avoid putting this one on the list. I've thought about songs with simple, bold, memorable riffs like the "Satisfaction" or "Jumpin' Jack Flash." I've considered songs that just plain rocked, you know, rocked liked "Search and Destroy" or "Holiday in the Sun." I've even looked at "Smell's Like Teen Spirit" for its stop/start dynamics. However, "Debaser" is the only one I could think of that does all of those things and more. It wraps those elements into a concise pop song. I love the lyrics; the kind that invite you to sing along with them. And its length, at under three minutes, it is more dramatic than any band's seven minute song, and short enough to make you want to immediately press rewind and hear it again.

• "Scenario" by A Tribe Called Quest (1991) There are so many hip-hop songs in which MC's trade the mic ala "Rapper's Delight." This one is my favorite, because it's just plain fun. It's fun to rap/sing along with and fun to jump to. The icing, of course, is the wild Busta Rhymes verse that closes the song