I'm constantly amazed at just how much music carries me away. Up, up, and away wrapped in a blanket of melodies I go. Whether it's a childhood Dire Straits flashback, or a more modern piece belonging to The Black Keys, each individual sound comes together to lift me up onto the shoulders of life.
I was reminded of this on a particularly busy but dull day at the office recently. There I was, at my desk avec laptop, ipod, headphones and itunes; secretly enjoying the fact that I was working in the middle of an open plan, subdued office, but also enjoying some choice hits from Nirvana's Nevermind album.
This then started me off wondering about what my top five favourite songs in all the world would be.
For me, this is a very tough challenge. I don't want my list to be faddy and filled with recent loves. I want some long term relationships in there too. I think the list should be made up of those songs that throw me up; making my soul soar with their beauty and musicality.
I think my music taste is fairly diverse. My ipod is the home to artists ranging from Amy Winehouse to Whitesnake; Ben Harper to Tchaikovsky. Maybe I'm not discerning enough, but I don't want to be too exclusive. I sometimes imagine the huge cocktail party that could be happening in my ipod with Cake making small talk with Jose Gonzalez; Cat Power fighting over canapes with Tricky; and The Hives and Courtney Love swapping fashion tips.
Anyway, back to the top five. I need to contemplate this for a while yet, and perhaps take contributions from the studio audience, but here's ten of the front runners who have come to mind thus far (in no particular order and please don't crucify me for terrible music taste. Exposing yourself like this feels a bit like one of those dreams when you've gone to work in just your pyjama bottoms):
1. 'Try a little tenderness' by Otis Redding
Others have tried it (remember 'The Commitments'?) but I still think Otis has the most soul. 'Sitting on a dock the dock of the bay' would be a close second for an Otis nomination, but I think this one has the edge. If by some miracle I ever actually end up being in the situation where I'm marrying someone, this song would be at the top of my 'first dance' nominations.
2. 'Heavenly day' by Patty Griffin
So beautiful I can listen to it again, and again, and I still never tire of it.
3. 'Teardrop' by Massive Attack
Gritty and elegant in one.
4. 'Lola' by The Kinks
There were a few Kinks' songs I could choose here, but I'm going with this one; maybe it's just the lyrics.
5.'Heartbeats' by Jose Gonzalez
When I first heard this version I fell in love with this guy after about three bars. His voice, the words and the guitar make my soul levitate and my heart pause.
6. 'Talk show host' by Radiohead
Pure artistry, and this (along with maybe 'High and Dry') is my pick off theirs.
7. 'True colours' by Cindy Lauper
Eva Cassidy does a beautiful version of this but Cindy gets the title on her rocking fashion sense and awesome hair in the video.
8. 'Hallelujah' by Jeff Buckley
Sad but sublime.
9. 'Let's dance to Joy Division' by The Wombats
This is a bit of a silly nomination but it never, ever fails to lift my spirits, and make me want to dance my way down the street after even the most hideous days at work.
10. 'Killing in the name of' by Rage against the machine
Exceptionally crafted angry music by a band that make me feel terribly old when I hear how long they've been around for now.
So there we have it. The problem is that already I can hear the beautiful voices (and melodies) of those who missed out. Surely I have to include Nirvana's 'Smells like teen spirit'? And for something feelgood, what about 'No rain' by Blind Melon? And I'm getting guilty that I've excluded Amy Winehouse....
3 comments:
Hey!! Hope you see this it's going back a bit. You've missed out Rickie Lee Jones' "Night Train". I don't believe it!!
Ok, I'll admit it, it's pretty good. See! This exercise is impossible. I'll always leave out someone who deserves 'top ten' status.
A difficult challenge. I have come to the conclusion that a “song” must be attempting to communicate something intelligible, though this is by no means limited to lyrical content. If it’s just meant to make me move, then it’s a track, and so is ruled ineligible (however loved it may be). All IMHO, and all on my pod, ergo excluding an extravagant number of potential listees – nevertheless…
A pair of classics:
Desperado – The Eagles – their crowning glory and saving grace
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd – an always-wise reminder to keep an eye on the course of one’s own life
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters – Elton John – could have chosen several early Reg numbers, but man-oh-mandolin do I love this one
A pair of soul nuggets:
On love… Never Tired Loving You – Nina Simone – the best of the ‘if the mountains fall…’ multitude
…and loss – Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer – Stevie Wonder – a closing line that kills
So ‘90s:
Fake Plastic Trees – Radiohead – the modern condition, and the best guitar-based climax there is
Hyperballad – Bjork – love and suicide: all good perspectival stuff
Ted, Just Admit It – Jane’s Addiction – prescient then and more true by the minute, and a premise I still find challenging
Young bucks:
Can’t Stop – Elbow – home and childhood, nostalgia and refuge
All the Wine – The National – my favourite verse – bombastic and wry, like rap isn’t
Bonus track:
Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day – Jethro Tull – “Do you ever get the feeling that the story’s too damn real and in the present tense? [jaunty flute belies pathos] Or that everybody’s on the stage and it seems like you’re the only person sitting in the audience?” – so I’m not a big one for lyrical subtlety, but c’mon, it’s jaunty flute folk philosophy – what’s not to love?
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