Ten Reasons Why... (Top 10 Singles)

Member Name: jennystevenson

Product:	Top 10 Singles
Date:	05/05/01 (98 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I love them

Disadvantages: You may laugh at them

OK, here goes, I shall reveal those songs that mean so much to me in anticipation of approving nods and tuts of dismay. Before I do, I'd just like to add that all these songs took a long time to pick from a huge list and they all mean something to me in one way or another. Whether it be school, parties, friendships or tough times, they stick in my head like superglue and they'll never lose their appeal to me. You know what I mean...don't you?

10:Stone Temple Pilots - Plush (1993)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ah, the early ninties, the days of grunge. Spawned from the US rock scene, many bands were thrown into the grunge cauldren, some survived, others just boiled away to nothing. Whilst many of them sounded similar, with negativity, paranoia and a distinct feeling of "everyone hates me life's not fair" style angst, out of the gloom came Plush. At last a happy tune! Even though I have no idea what the song is about, with lyrics such as "when the dogs begin to smell her", the music is uplifting, the drums energetic and the vocals are full of life.

The one thing that connects this song to the grunge scene is the trademark gravel voice of Scott Weiland (which explains why I get this band mixed up with Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains).

Lazy summer weekends, barbeques and drinks a plenty come flooding back into my mind whenever I hear this tune.

Taken from the album - Core
Best Lyric - "And I feel, so much depends on the weather. So is it raining in your bedroom?"

9:New Order - Blue Monday (1983)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ten years earlier, I was only 5 years old, but practically grew up listening to this thanks to my sister. This is where it started, this was the birth of a dance music generation (in my opinion) that still sounds strong even today. It appealed to so many fans of various genres, due to the Joy Division leftover m
oody vocals, deep drum rhythm and indie style bass melody.

It just has that special quality. It's the way it builds up from the beat at the start, adding the keyboards, then the moody bass. It doesn't really kick in until the vocals start and that's when I realise how good it is to listen to.

This reminds me of an embarrasing event. Dance class, first term in my first year of secondary school. My dance tutor made us do routines to this song with the theme of robots...I have no idea why, I think she was just being cruel.

So, dance class and venturing into the strange world of teenagers will always be associated to New Order. Doesn't it just make you want to crimp your hair and wear sweat bands? Perhaps not.

Taken from the album - Power, Lies and Corruption
Best Lyric - "Those who came before me. Lived through their vocations. From the past until completion. They'll turn away no more."

8:Garbage - Vow (1995)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RAR! No, I'm not a man hater, but if you've ever been annoyed by them, this is a theraputic tune to release your frustration without getting arrested. This was the first single from Garbage and it made a huge impact on me, it's such a powerful, aggressive song.

It's basically a tale of revenge and going to any length to do it. Boy is Shirley (lead singer) mad, I'd hate to get on the wrong side of her.

It makes me want to jump around the house like a lunatic, I just can't help it. Reminds me of the sixth form when I discovered men and all the troubles that came along with them. Don't worry, I won't bite.

Taken from the album - Garbage
Best Lyric - "I can't use what I can't abuse. And I can't stop when it comes to you."

7:Asian Dub Foundation - Black White (1998)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a lighter note, lis
ten to these talented chaps to lift your mood. Listen to the sitar intro and sampled ethnic chant, then this gem of a drum and bass/dub track kicks in. Pretty obvious from the title, this is a demonstration of uniting different races, but in no way is it cheesy or cliched. It takes the political stance from a fun, celebration of life angle.

Instead of computers and keyboards, this band play ther own instruments and very talented they are too, with the speedy bass and guitar lines. I first heard this whilst watching Glastonbury footage and I just wish I was there, you could sense the energy of the crowd and the band on stage. Instead, I was in university halls trying my hardest to be a stereotypical student.

Taken from the album - Rafi's Revenge
Best Lyric - "Building this community of sound, celebrating the unity we've found."

6:Eels - Novacaine for the soul (1997)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not one to listen to if you're feeling down, the Eels aren't exactly what you call a chirpy bunch. This song is very down on life, but the lyrics are something else and the tune is so catchy. Best described as indie rock, this choice is simple, nothing special about the guitars or vocals, it just blends perfectly into a thought provoking melancholic song.

It doesn't actually remind me of any time in my life, but it is one I go back to time and time again.

Taken from the album - Beautiful Freak
Best Lyric - "Guess who's living here, with the great undead. This paint-by-numbers life is f****** with my head."

5:Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime (1981)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If this isn't regarded as a classic, I give up. Although Talking Heads are classed as Psychedelic, they're far from this in their style. It's quite poppy, VERY optimistic and takes me back to the good old eighties. How can y
ou NOT like this tune? It oozes the qualities of feelgood music and always adds a bit of humour to my day, due to David Byrnes eccentric manner and unusual lyrics.

Taken from the album - Remain in Light
Best Lyric - "And you may ask yourself, What is that beautiful house? And you may ask yourself, Where does that highway go? And you may ask yourself, Am I right?...Am I wrong? And you may tell yourself
my God, what have I done?"

4:Lauryn Hill - Ex-Factor (1998)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This reminds me of my boyfriend who bought me the album. Not because he became my ex, but because he bought me the album after we'd been together for two years. Lauryn is one of the few artists around today who has the gift of that heartbreakingly classic soulful voice.

Yep, you guessed it, this is a song about an ex, but it's far removed from the aggression of the Garbage track. I'd describe it in more of a a sad, what when wrong kind of way. It's this combination of Lauryns voice and the lyrics that make this stand out from the million other R and B tracks out there. Someone who can rap and sing equally well gets a nod of approval from me.

Taken from the album - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Best Lyric - "Tell me who I have to be, to get some reciprocity. No one loves you more than me and no one ever will."

3:Supergrass - Late in the Day (1997)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thankfully, in my opinion, this is totally different to the original style of Supergrass. Moving away from the "kids who want to have fun" outlook, this is an introspective, mature song on a more serious note. It lures me in right from the start with its slow, quiet acoustic guitar intro and mellow vocals. The guitar solos are excellent without sounding cheesy or over the top, just enough to grab your attention halfway through the song and the piano melody
is simple yet fits perfectly to add to the mood.

This takes me back to when some of my best friends at university were leaving after their final year. A sad time, but I have this tune to remember them by and what a strange bunch they were.

I'd describe this as a slow ballad, best suited for sunday afternoons for those thoughful moments. Personally, I think this is the best Supergrass have done, I just hope they can come up with more like this.

Taken from the album - In it for the Money
Best Lyric - "I sleep on the road, dreaming of a sound, coming my way. So long, so long for me."

2:Mansun - Wide Open Space (1996)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is Mansuns finest moment, coming up with one of the best british tracks I've heard in years. It's indie through and through, but I see it as having more meaning than your average indie bands. The eerie two note guitar line leads the way to Paul Draper's (lead singer) whispery voice, kicking into an energetic sound that reminds me why I love music so much.

This is the first song I heard of Mansun and from then on they became my favourite band, necer failing to come up with something unique and interesting. Word has it that Paul wrote this when he was a teenager, proving that he has a talent for songwriting. I remember numerous times at club indie nights getting up and going mad to this song at the dismay of my friends.

Standing alone, this song probably won't make much sense, as on the album it forms part of a storyline based on the goings on of a few strange characters. If you've heard Mansun, this is probably the tune you'll associate them with, it's like their trademark. Now excuse me whilst I drool over Paul...

Taken from the album - Attack of the Grey Lantern
Best Lyric - "I'm in a wide open space, it's freezing. You'll never get to heaven with a smile on your
face from me."


1:Foo Fighters - Everlong (1997)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At one point, I had to stop myself from crying after hearing the acoustic version of this song (sad, I know). This is rocks answer to a love song, taking all the same elements but leaving out the cheese. From the start it rushes through you with fast paced drums.

I have to say, Dave Grohl is one talented musician. He somehow manages to make this song energetic and very rock orientated, but at the same time melancholic and romantic. It's full of passion and it makes me come over all funny. Another tune that I associate with my partner, it reminds me of when we first met and all that we've been through together. OK, I've stopped now, there's no need to feel sick!

It's an anthem through and through, sounding like nothing else I've heard. So thankyou Dave, you've given me a song I can hold onto and call it mine for the rest of my life. I'll never grow tired of this one.

Taken from the album - The Colour and the Shape
Best Lyric - "Breathe out so I can breathe you in, hold you in. And now I know you've always been, out of your head, out of my head I sang".

If you're still awake, thanks for taking the time to read this. I know this op is about as useful as a chocolate teapot, but I felt the urge to write down some of my favourites. I'll probably change my mind about some of them next week, but for now these will do just fine.

Summary: