| Product: |
Top 10 Singles |
| Date: |
25/03/08 (130 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Joyously Nostalgic (well, for me anyway)
Disadvantages: Well, there are slightly more than 10...please forgive me
Confession - Ok - here is where I fail with this category...My life is populated with songs that mean something to me, or remind me of certain points in my life (as with everyone, I'm sure) so, forgive me for not abiding by the '10 favourite songs' criteria. I had to name a few extra ones, not just 10 (and that's not even the full list).
I've read a few postings about 'favourite songs of all time' - and I find it funny how the vast majority tend to be, to me, typical and kinda obvious choices - that's not to say they aren't valid - just that it's a bit, well...obvious!
My choices are somewhat, slightly abstract, in the sense that I'm not sure if anyone will have heard of them or agree with me...but here goes - my TOP 10 (*cough - actually more than 10 - cough*) ALL TIME FAVOURITE SONGS - Here goes pop pickers...
1 >> IT TAKES MORE - Ms.Dynamite (Released in 2002. UK Chart position: #7. From the Album 'A Little Deeper'.)
"Now who gives a damn about the ice on your hand? If it's not to complex tell me how many africans died for the bagettes on your rolex"
Lyrical nirvana.
I first heard this song about half way through and started to roll my eyes, thinking, 'here we go, another rapper' then I started to listen to the lyrics and found myself getting hooked. Her lyrics are profound and very thought provoking. They are anti-violence and anti-gang culture. Plus I quite like the melody too - c'est bon!
2 >>UNINVITED - Alanis Morissette (Released in 1998. US Chart position: #1. From the 'City of Angels' soundtrack, also found on 'Alanis Morissette: The Collection'.)
"Like any uncharted territory, I must seem greatly intriguing"
Lyrical genius.
Again, I am huge fan of songs with good lyrics and I find Alanis Morisette to be no exception (check out the lyrics for 'Knees of my Bees' - cor blimey). I also LOVE LOVE LOVE songs with orchestras and inparticularly, a strong String section. This song has both those things. Its haunting and atmospheric to boot. I could listen to this song forever...ahhhhhh...
3>>MYSTERY OF INIQUITY - Lauryn Hill (Album track from 'MTV Unplugged No.2.0')
"How long will you sleep troubled by the thoughts that you keep? The idols you heap, causing the destruction you reap"
Lyrical inspiration.
This song is relativey unknown, it was recorded as part of her live 'MTV unplugged' album. Although you may have heard it without realising, the chorus is sampled in Kanye West's song, 'All falls down'. I really like her outlook on life - to just 'be' - if people want more than that from you, are they worth having around etc etc. It's a very nice, albeit heavily political song.
4>>BREATHE - Kylie Minogue (Released in 1998. UK Chart position: #14. From the album 'Impossible Princess')
"I'm looking in the space, this time, this void. I'm making my way through the muddy minutes. The pull is in my muscle, the ache is in my bones. It's hard to be alone."
Lyrical prozak.
I went through a period years ago, when I could just lay on my bed and listen to this song, and it would totally chill me out. I love it when songs have the ability to change your mood - this song does just that.
5>>NO SCRUBS - TLC (Released in 1999. UK Chart position: #3. From the album 'Fanmail')
"A scrub is a guy that thinks he's fly. He's also known as a Buster. Always thinks about what he wants and just sits on his big..."
Lyrical comedy.
I have so many amazing memories attached to this song. For my A-level art exam, we had 3 days to produce 'our art' and somehow - for no planned reason, I listened to this song on repeat the whole time (well it was the CD single, so there were maybe 2 other tracks there too) and somehow I didn't get sick of it. I still love it today - and everytime I hear it, I'm taken back to my 'exam' painting. I got an A, so it can't have had too much of a bad effect!
6>>DON'T TELL ME - Madonna (Released in 2000. UK Chart position: #4. From the album 'Music')
"Take the black off a crow, but don't tell me I have to go."
Lyrically deep.
It is essentially the intro that I love most about this track. It starts off as if it's being played on an old decripid record player that keeps skipping and jumping. I can tell you exactly where I was and what I was doing when I first heard this song - I was on a train home, having just bought her 'Music' album. I thought my walkman had packed in because it kept 'jumping', then I realised it was supposed to be like that. So my attention was brought fully to the song - I really enjoyed it. It's simple and melodic - yet incredibly poetic (IMHO) - I love it lots.
7>>SOMETHING - The Beatles (Released in 1969. UK Chart position: #4. From the album 'Abbey Road')
"Somewhere in her smile she knows that I don't need no other lover."
Lyrical Beauty.
I don't have to go into too much depth with this one. It's a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful song...
8>>STAY (I MISSED YOU) - Lisa Loeb & the Nine Stories (Released in 1994. UK Chart position: #6. From the 'Reality Bites' soundtrack, also on the album 'Tails')
"You said that I was naive, and I thought that I was strong. I thought, hey, I can leave, I can leave. But now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you."
Lyrical honesty.
To me, this song is dripping with memories of being a teenager. It was one those 'angsty' type songs that you would expect to find playing in the background of 'My So Called-Life' or 'Dawson's Creek'. For the memories and also the beautiful tune and confessional lyric, this song has to sit in my top 10.
9>>STEAL MY SUNSHINE - Len (Released in 1999. UK Chart postion: #8. From the album 'You Can't Stop the Bum Rush')
"Of course you can't become, if you only say what you would have done. So, I missed a million miles of fun."
Lyrical escapism.
Not really sure why, but this song always reminds me of driving around at Christmas in the freezing cold. Weirdly, this song is set on my alarm clock, so I wake up to it every morning, and I still love it. I don't know about you, but when I get woken up by a 'beep' or a 'buzz' from an alarm clock - I learn to loathe that sound and can't stand to hear it - too many associations with being woken up and miserable. However, I could listen to this song until the cows come (which would be a very long time, as I have no cows) and still enjoy listening to it, with no association with waking up. It's also from the soundtrack of the film 'Go', starring Katie Holmes and Scott Wolf (Party of 5).
10>>ADIA - Sarah McLachlan (Released in 1998. US Chart position: #3. From the album 'Surfacing')
"We are born innocent. Believe me Adia, we are still innocent. It's easy, we all falter, does it matter?"
Lyrically touching.
My friend from America first sent this to me when I was 17, and I still love it. The haunting lyrics and voice are simply wonderful. This is the song that first made me listen to other music of Sarah McLachlan, and that is pretty darn good too.
11>>JUST MISSED THE TRAIN - Kelly Clarkson (Album track from 'Thankful')
"So go on and sleep darlin, Why don't you pretend we were just a dream."
Lyrical hurting.
This is an album track, from the first American Idol's, debut album. It's such a beautiful, yet so sad song. It's a song about telling someone that their relationship is over - so abstracly, yet tenderly written. I love her voice too, a big talent here.
12>>MORE THAN A FEELING - Boston (Released in 1976. UK Chart Position: #22. From the album 'Boston')
"I looked out this morning and the sun was gone, turned on some music to start my day. I lost myself in a familiar song, I closed my eyes and I slipped away. It's more than a feeling, when I hear that old song they used to play."
Lyrically lifting.
Those lyrics totally sum up how I feel about this song, and indeed other songs in my top 10. Like 'Breathe', this song can totally change my mood. It lifts me up. From the slow melodic verse, building into the power ballard-esque chorus - this song makes me feel so happy.
13>>BLACK COFFEE - All Saints (Released in 2000. UK Chart Position: # 1. From the album 'Saints and Sinners')
"Wouldnt wanna be anywhere else but here. I wouldn't wanna change anything at all."
Lyrical smoothness.
I don't know what it is about this song, but there something about it that makes me feel great. Coincidentally, I noticed it has been added to a 'Singstar' playstation game - cracking choice.
14>>IT'S HARD TO MAKE A STAND - Sheryl Crow
(Released in 1997. UK Chart Position: #22. From the album 'Sheryl Crow')
"We got loud guitars and big suspicions. Great big guns and small ambitions. And we still argue over who is God."
Lyrically cathartic.
I love so many of Sheryl Crow's songs, but this one sticks out (I very nearly chose 'If it Makes You Happy'). The lyrics mainly stand out for me, but also the sweet melody and sing-along-ability of the chorus are great.
So there we go, that is my TOP 10 fav songs, in disguise, as it is a list of 14! Hopefully some of you will agree with my choices, if so let me know...if not, sorry, but I'll probably like your songs too. Other songs that didn't quite make it include Suzanna Vega's 'Luka', White Town's 'Your Woman' and Janet Jackson's 'Rhythm Nation'...ahhhh
I have just noticed, on reading through for final spell checks (etc), that I have used the word 'beautiful' many times to describe some of the songs. So, um, sorry about that, but they are beautiful...honestly...would I lie to you?
Thanks for reading :)
© MarcoG 2008
(similar version also on ciao)
Summary: A beautiful list of some beautiful songs. Beautiful!
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