so since i did a list for books and another for movies, i figured i should do one for my first love: music. of the lists, this one's been the biggest bitch to compose. my library is vast, yall, and not all in one place, so given that i'm weeding the itunes account on my mother's desktop rather than on my laptop or the archives i've got from the laptop before or my disc collection... given that... these are what i think are the best songs ever written, with the performing artist following the title. also, please understand that of these three lists, this is the least concrete. also there were some three hundred songs on here. this one hurt me. i had to take off van halen and def leppard and acdc and jimi hendrix... it hurt, yall. and then clicking publish... i was actually nervous about that, and that's never happened.

almost gone. mary black.

anna begins. counting crows.

anna molly. incubus.

angel. sarah mclachlan.

at this moment. billy vera.
baker baker. tori amos.

bend and not break. dashboard confessional.

between the lines. sara bareilles.

the blower's daughter. damien rice.

breathe (two a.m.). anna nalick.

the chain. ingrid michaelson.

cheap wine. what made milwaukee famous.

the climb. miley cyrus.

a common disaster. cowboy junkies.

control. poe.

crash into me. dave matthews band.

desperado. the eagles.

the dog days are over. florence and the machine.

everybody knows. concrete blonde.

faithfully. journey.

fast car. tracy chapman.

fire away. chris stapleton.

fortress around your heart. sting.

the freshmen. the verve pipe.

gates of the country. black lab.

the god of wine. third eye blind.

hallelujah. jeff buckley.

hang. matchbox twenty.

happiness. abra moore.

hemorrhage. fuel.

here's a quarter. travis tritt.

hope for the hopeless. a fine frenzy.

i will always love you. whitney houston.

i'll lead you home. michael w. smith.

i'll stand by you. the pretenders.

i'm gonna be (five hundred miles). the proclaimers

i'm gonna love you through it. martina mcbride.

i'm sorry. adam wakefield.

innocent. our lady peace.

invisible city. the wallflowers.

judith. a perfect circle.

just give me a reason. pink and nate ruess.

just go. staind.

king of pain. the police.

leave the light on. beth hart.

let it be me. ray lamontagne.

like a friend. pulp.
like a stone. audioslave.

a little less conversation. elvis presley.

live to tell. madonna.

lonely boy. the black keys.
lose yourself. eminem.

me and bobby mcgee. janis joplin.

missing you. john waite.

must be dreaming. frou frou.

my immortal. evanescence.

name. goo goo dolls.

not even the trees. hootie and the blowfish.

nothing. the script.

nothing compares to you. sinead o'connor.

numb. linkin park.

on fire. switchfoot.

one. metallica.

one more try. george michael.

operation spirit (the tyranny of tradition). live.

paint it black. the rolling stones.

payphone. maroon five.

pour me. trick pony.

prince of darkness. indigo girls.

roads. portishead.

the rose. bette midler.

rumour has it. adele.

san francisco mabel joy. john denver.

say hello to heaven. temple of the dog.

the scientist. coldplay.

secret garden. bruce springsteen.
seen it all before. amos lee.

she talks to angels. the black crowes.

sleep to dream. fiona apple.

sometime around midnight. the airborne toxic event.

sometimes love just ain't enough. patty smyth and don henley.

the song remembers when. trisha yearwood.

stand inside your love. smashing pumpkins.

stay. lisa loeb.

sway. bic runga.

a thousand miles. vanessa carlton.

'til it happens to you. lady gaga.

underneath your clothes. shakira.

uninvited. alanis morrisette.

uptown funk. bruno mars.

vienna. the fray.

wander this world. jonny lang.

we belong. pat benatar.

when i look to the sky. train.

why go. pearl jam.

wild horses. the sundays.

with or without you. u2.

wolves. garth brooks.

you may be right. billy joel.

you raise me up. josh groban.

an eighties playlist: female vocalists

paula abdul. cold hearted.

pat benatar. we belong.

belinda carlisle. leave a light on.

tracy chapman. fast car.

tiffany. i think we're alone now.

taylor dayne. tell it to my heart.

debbie gibson. lost in your eyes.

janet jackson. what have you done for me lately.

cyndi lauper. time after time.

madonna. live to tell.

bette midler. the rose.

juice newton. angel of the morning.

cher. if i could turn back time.

tina turner. better be good to me.

bonnie tyler. total eclipse of the heart.

check out erin's list.

the oscars: original song

so there are some two dozen oscar categories. one that is typically the biggest disappointment to me is original song. not because of who wins but because the nominees are generally pathetic. sometimes it's like asking me to pick between two bowls of utterly contemptible food: snot-and-squash souffle or pissed-on pureed peas. other times it's like choosing between a plain and dry hamburger from mcdonald's and a whiskey river barbecue burger from red robin.

in eighty-three, the award could've gone to one of two works sung by barbra streisand in the film yentl, but instead the prize went to flashdance... what a feeling. i'm sorry. what???

the next year, i just called to say i love you from the woman in red won. okay. that's a pretty song. but then there's against all odds from the film by the same name, and that song still manages to give me chills. 

the year after that... say you, say me. that one's pretty, too. but separate lives is so much better.

take my breath away from top gun won in eighty-six. but maybe that one should've gone to somewhere out there from an american tail or glory of love from the karate kid, part two. but really, i'm not in love with any of those.

two thousand one. if i didn't have you from monsters, inc. no. that one should've gone to may it be from lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring.

and before you come at me with yes, but this is from the gal who was pissed off that lotr didn't get three best picture oscars. i can be unbiased, yall. two thousand three. into the west from return of the king won that year. it absolutely should NOT have done so. you will be my ain true love from cold mountain should have.

four. al otro lado del rio from the motorcyle diaries over learn to be lonely from phantom of the opera.

which brings me to the first of many years in which i LOATHE. EVERY. SINGLE. NOMINEE.

five. it's hard out there for a pimp from hustle and flow; in the deep from crash; travelin thru from transamerica. of all the films released that year, the academy felt that only three contained music worthy of an oscar, and THESE ARE THE SONGS? what the fuck. the next year, again the nominees are from three films, and three of those songs are in the same film. i need to wake up from an inconvenient truth won, when the award should've gone to listen from dreamgirls. the next year's another of only three nominees, two of which are from the same film; jai ho from slumdog millionaire won. 

ten. we belong together from toy story three. i prefer coming home from country strong.

eleven. man or muppet from the muppets beat the only other nominee, real in rio from rio. they both suck.

twelve. skyfall from the film by the same name won. everybody needs a best friend from ted should have.

thirteen. let it go from frozen won. happy from despicable me two should have.

fifteen. writing's on the wall from spectre won. that award should've gone to 'til it happens to you from the hunting ground. 

this year, the nominees are: audition (the fools who dream) and city of stars from la la land; can't stop the feeling from trolls; how far i'll go from moana; and the empty chair from jim: the james foley story. i'm guessing one from la la land will take the prize, but i don't much care who wins.

the best instances in which the academy got it right: streets of philadelphia from philadelphia; my heart will go on from titanic; lose yourself from eight mile.

a sixties playlist

the beatles. can't buy me love.

ray charles. hit the road jack.

the chiffons. one fine day.

patsy cline. i fall to pieces.

sam cooke. what a wonderful world.

creedence clearwater revival. fortunate son.

neil diamond. sweet caroline.

aretha franklin. respect.
jimi hendrix. voodoo chile.

jefferson airplane. white rabbit.

ben e. king. stand by me.

the mamas and the papas. california dreamin.

henry mancini. moon river.

the monkees. i'm a believer.

elvis presley. can't help falling in love.

otis redding. (sittin on) the dock of the bay.

the righteous brothers. you've lost that lovin feelin.

the rolling stones. paint it black.

the shirelles. will you love me tomorrow.

simon and garfunkel. the sound of silence.

nancy sinatra. these boots are made for walkin.

percy sledge. when a man loves a woman.

the temptations. my girl.

jackie wilson. (your love keeps lifting me) higher and higher.

the young rascals. good lovin.

check out erin's list.

a seventies playlist

acdc. highway to hell.

aerosmith. dream on.

the beatles. let it be.

boston. don't look back.

james brown. get up offa that thing.

the carpenters. top of the world.

creedence clearwater revival. up around the bend.

charlie daniels band. the devil went down to georgia.

john denver. annie's song.

neil diamond with barbra streisand. you don't bring me flowers.

the eagles. already gone.

fleetwood mac. go your own way.

gloria gaynor. i will survive.
janis joplin. me and bobby mcgee.

billy joel. she's always a woman.

elton john. don't let the sun go down on me.

barry manilow. mandy.

pink floyd. wish you were here.

queen. bohemian rhapsody.

simon and garfunkel. bridge over troubled water.

ike and tina turner. proud mary.

the who. won't get fooled again.

hank williams jr. family tradition.

stevie wonder. signed, sealed, delivered, i'm yours.

zz top. la grange.

check out erin's list.

an eighties playlist: male vocalists

bryan adams. summer of sixty-nine.

garth brooks. if tomorrow never comes.

peter cetera. glory of love.

phil collins. against all odds.

peter gabriel. in your eyes.

corey hart. never surrender.

don henley. boys of summer.

bruce hornsby. the way it is.

waylon jennings. theme from dukes of hazzard (good ol' boys).

billy joel. you may be right.

elton john. candle in the wind.

richard marx. right here waiting.

john cougar mellencamp. small town.

george michael. one more try.

prince. let's go crazy.

willie nelson. you were always on mind.

lionel richie. hello.

bruce springsteen. dancing in the dark.

george strait. all my exes live in texas.

sting. fortress around your heart.

randy travis. deeper than the holler.

stevie ray vaughan. pride and joy.

billy vera. at this moment.

john waite. missing you.

keith whitley. don't close your eyes.

duets (because i can)

peter cetera with cher. after all.

peter cetera with amy grant. next time i fall in love.

phil collins with marilyn martin. separate lives.

dan hill with vonda shepherd. can't we try.

bill medley with jennifer warnes. (i've had) the time of my life.

yeah. i know. my playlist is kind of sad. check out erin's. hers should cheer you right up.

tunes for tuesday

a few weeks ago, when erin called my attention to alyssa's back to blogging challenge, i was like, nah. i don't wanna play. this right here is probably the only post i'm going to contribute, and i'm doing it because i realized one of the prompts, upon further consideration, did kind of strike a chord: three (or however many you choose) songs that define your life and why.

while in high school, my younger brother was asked to write a paper about music and how it could soothe the savage beast. he wrote about how it helped me, and though i didn't particularly like being compared to a savage beast, there are far too many times the phrase has suited.

my father was a musician in high school and college. rockin' rick played the saxophone. he also played football. on friday nights he'd play four quarters, and then he'd march on that field during halftime in his pads and uniform. he was offered a full-ride scholarship to southern methodist university to study music, but he wanted to be with my mother, and she wanted to go to lamar university... they have hundreds and hundreds of albums. there was always music in my house as a child. i'd come home from school, and my mother'd be singing along to barbra streisand, jane olivor, johnny mathis, harry belafonte...

i can remember sitting at the kitchen table listening to olivor's songs while doing homework (probably because i'd not done an assignment and she was making me finish it to turn in for partial credit so i wouldn't fail a class). i remember sitting before a phonograph in their bedroom listening to belafonte sing the rose. she'd wanted me to hear his version. i was, and still am, partial to bette midler's, which is where we'll begin...

the rose. had to be bette midler's because i can sing. well. and i wanted to sing it as well as she. (because in the early days of my youth, before i learned of just how broken my body was... before my peers shattered my self-perception, i had confidence... i knew i was good, and i could.) i sang that one a LOT. on walks around my neighborhood, on the bus ride to school... during class, i was writing the lyrics. every day. i clung to those words, to the hope in them. they were a relentless prayer for me... when the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long, and you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong, just remember...

the wind beneath my wings. midler again. sue me. i love that woman's voice. it is, well... divine. i was always in the shadows. my parents', my brothers', my peers'. i never felt the sun on my face. i always walk a step behind, even now. i've heard my smile's amazing; it hides an astounding amount of pain. but my father... he's told me often of how i'm his hero. me. this man who's accomplished SO much in his life, has made such a name for himself, has established and nourished so many positive relationships with SO many people. he thinks the world of me. so i'd sing this one, too. i'd pray i could be this strong, that i could know i deserve his praise. this one, like the last, made me hope.

before you were born. toad the wet sprocket. off the fear album. this album i listened to often in the first year or two of its release. it's one of those few that i think are pretty damned solid, beginning to end. this song, though... its lyrics speak to me for several reasons. forty years ago or so, if a child was born with issues like those i had, doctors recommended that child be placed in an institution, which is exactly what was recommended to my parents. before you were born someone kicked in the door... there's no place for you here... stay back where you belong. my parents took me home. they found other doctors who did what they could to fix me... every time some issue surfaced, they'd find another... and another... so physically, i lived with reminders that i am flawed, like i'd been made of scraps. i'd go to school to face my peers... you are not wanted here... stay back where you belong... my self-image was obliterated by the time i'd entered high school. the only emotions i knew by this point were rage and despair. by the time i entered college, i was a poorly-constructed shell of a woman. the rage had fueled me in adolescence, but the fire was dying by then. at least, i thought it was. this song stirred the embers just enough to help get me through five more years of academia. goddamn the wounds that show how deep a word can cut. i'm always having to ask others how they see me now. have done so for the last two decades because in the first two decades so many sought to break me. so my reflection... there are just pieces of that shell now. fragments. i always feel guilty having to ask, pathetic. i know how it seems. how can it happen that every time you ask us this question, the answer seems like a lie. you know what we're saying, and you know what it means, and it's always sincere, god knows, but it never gets through to where you need. while some of the lyrics light a fire in me, still, the first and last verses can sometimes keep it contained.

whatever i fear. toad the wet sprocket again. there's almost nothing left, and you eat my kind for breakfast... i sicken myself so much... whatever i fear the most is whatever i see before me...

rhyme and reason. dave matthews band. i know these voices must be my soul... i've had enough, i've had enough of being alone... i got no place to go. i kept hearing people say depressed people choose depression, and for the longest time i'd thought i'd brought all this on myself, that it was caused by how i'd chosen to react to the traumatic experiences of my youth. a sort of mental self-harm over which i had complete control. so for me, the reference to needles in the song is metaphorical. and there's that part of me that just wants it over and done.

with or without you. u2. because this is how i feel about love... i can't have it, but i want it. i wait for it, even though i know i can't handle it when it's in my clumsy grasp. my hands clench things too tightly. there's too much hate in me... from all that fire and rage. i'm too open. too eager to share. too free with my stories. i give myself away too easily... and then, when it matters to be open and vulnerable... the walls i build are insurmountable. mama says i've got the go to hell look patented. see the stone set in your eyes... see the thorn twist in your side... 

i also like acrobat: you can swallow, or you can spit. you can throw it up, or choke on it... don't let the bastards grind you down... i know you'd hit out, if you only knew who to hit. and who's gonna ride your wild horses. 

closer to fine; secure yourself; kid fears; prince of darkness; blood and fire. indigo girls. darkness has a hunger that's insatiable, and lightness has a call that's hard to hear. i wrapped my fear around me like a blanket (closer to fine). i wrote a whole post about prince of darkness.

silent all these years; crucify; precious things; winter; hey jupiter; the doughnut song; baker baker. tori amos. every finger in the room is point at me. i wanna spit in their faces, then i get afraid of what that could bring. i got a bowling ball in my stomach, got a desert in my mouth. figures that my courage would choose to sell out now... i've been raising up my hands, drive another nail in. just what god needs. one more victim (crucify). basically the whole album little earthquakes needs to be in your collection if it's not already. that last song, though, baker baker. that one's my favorite. behind my eyes, i'm hiding... my heart's been hard to find. here... there must be something here.

place in this world; i'll lead you home; let me show you the way. michael w. smith. my crutches when i feel most defeated, when all seems lost.

the picky playlist

erin made a soundtrack for her life -- her hot one hundred -- using billboard's year-end lists. i'd originally done the same, but i didn't love the result, so i redid it. instead of using the year-end's selections, though, i'm using hot one hundred lists compiled each year (mostly) the week of my birth, only i don't love anything on the charts that week, so we'll start with the year after. and it's hard whittling it down to one hundred, yall. it hurt to cut some from the list.

seventy-four

la grange. zz top.

seventy-six

dream on. aerosmith.

bohemian rhapsody. queen.

seventy-seven

go your own way. fleetwood mac.

seventy-eight

you really got me. van halen.

mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys. waylon jennings and willie nelson.
we will rock you/we are the champions. queen.

seventy-nine

i will survive. gloria gaynor.

roxanne. the police.

eighty
lost in love. air supply.

the rose. bette midler.

eighty-one

don't stand so close to me. the police.

eighty-two

open arms. journey.

eighty-three

separate ways (worlds apart). journey.
should i stay or should i go now. the clash.

photograph. def leppard.

i melt with you. modern english.

eighty-four.

against all odds (take a look at me now). phil collins.

hold me now. thompson twins.

eighty-five.

crazy for you. madonna.
save a prayer. duran duran.

don't you (forget about me). simple minds.
everybody wants to rule the world. tears for fears.
the boys of summer. don henley.

eighty-six
kiss. prince.

why can't this be love. van halen.
your love. the outfield.

the power of love. jennifer rush. 

eighty-seven

livin' on a prayer. bon jovi.

with or without you. u2.

eighty-eight

hysteria. def leppard.

angel. aerosmith.

eighty-nine

one. metallica.

wind beneath my wings. bette midler.

ninety

nothing compares to you. sinead o'connor.

hold on. wilson phillips.

personal jesus. depeche mode.

i remember you. skid row.

ninety-one
get here. oleta adams.
where does my heart beat now. celine dion.

silent lucidity. queensryche.

she talks to angels. black crowes.

ninety-two

right now. van halen.

ninety-three

ordinary world. duran duran.

i will always love you. whitney houston.

ninety-four

streets of philadelphia. bruce springsteen.

ninety-six

name. goo goo dolls.

i got id. pearl jam.

caught a lite sneeze. tori amos.

high and dry. radiohead.

ninety-seven

foolish games/you were meant for me. jewel.

secret garden. bruce springsteen.
the freshmen. the verve pipe. 

silent all these years. tori amos.

ninety-eight

sweet surrender. sarah mclachlan.

given to fly. pearl jam.

ninety-nine

angel. sarah mclachlan.

back to good. matchbox twenty.
special. garbage.

two thousand

breathe. faith hill.

one.

yellow. coldplay.

pour me. trick pony.

two.
in the end. linkin park.

how you remind me. nickelback.

wherever you will go. the calling.

a thousand miles. vanessa carlton.

standing still. jewel.

three

i'm with you. avril lavigne.
unwell. matchbox twenty.

four
my immortal. evanescence.

numb. linkin park.

someday. nickelback.

you raise me up. josh groban.
when i look to the sky. train.

five

she will be loved. maroon five.

collide. howie day.

somewhere only we know. keane.

six

because of you. kelly clarkson.
photograph. nickelback.
over my head (cable car). the fray.
black horse and the cherry tree. kt tunstall.

seven

how to save a life. the fray.

eight

love song. sara bareilles.

nine

the climb. miley cyrus.
so what. pink.

ten

when i look at you. miley cyrus.

eleven

don't you wanna stay. jason aldean.

for the first time. the script.
arms. christina perri.

twelve

stronger (what doesn't kill you). kelly clarkson.

rumour has it. adele.
shake it out. florence and the machine.

lonely boy. the black keys.

thirteen

stay. rihanna featuring mikky ekko.

just give me a reason. pink and nate ruess.

fourteen

all of me. john legend.

say something. a great big world and christina aguilera.

brave. sara bareilles.

fifteen

shut up and dance with me. walk the moon.
shake it off. taylor swift.

believe. mumford and sons.

what songs comprise your hot one hundred?

tunes for tuesday: songs from the letter h

one. half of something else. the airborne toxic event. all at once.

two. hallelujah. jeff buckley. grace.

three. halo. depeche mode. violator.

four. happiness. abra moore. strangest places.

five. haunted. poe. haunted.

six. heartland. u2. rattle and hum.

seven. hellodrama. what made milwaukee famous. trying to never catch up.

eight. hells bells. acdc. back in black.

nine. hemorrhage (in my hands). fuel. something like human.

ten. here without you. three doors down.

eleven. here's a quarter (call someone who cares). travis tritt. it's all about to change.

twelve. heresy. nine inch nails. the downward spiral.

thirteen. hey daddy. korn. issues.

fourteen. hey jude. the beatles.

fifteen. hey jupiter. tori amos. boys for pele.

sixteen. hey ladies. the beastie boys. paul's boutique.

seventeen. hey pretty. poe. haunted.

eighteen. high and dry. radiohead.

nineteen. higher ground. red hot chili peppers.

twenty. hold me now. the thompson twins.

twenty-one. hold you in my arms. ray lamontagne. trouble.

twenty-two. hope for the hopeless. a fine frenzy. one cell in the sea.

twenty-three. the house is a'rockin. stevie ray vaughan.

twenty-four. how to save a life. the fray. how to save a life.

twenty-five. hysteria. def leppard. hysteria.

tunes for tuesday: songs that begin with the letter e

one. easy. fuel. something like human.

two. eat the rich. aerosmith. get a grip.
three. eclipsed. evans blue. the melody and the energetic nature of volume.

four. egg man. beastie boys. paul's boutique.

five. elephants. rachael yamagata. elephants... teeth sinking into heart.

six. ellis island. big head todd and the monsters. sister sweetly.

seven. elsewhere. sarah mclachlan. fumbling towards ecstasy.

eight. the emperor's new clothes. sinead o'connor. i do not want what i haven't got.

nine. empire. queensryche. empire.

ten. empty. ray lamontagne. till the sun turns black.

eleven. end of the world. cold. thirteen ways to bleed on stage.

twelve. enjoy the silence. depeche mode. violator.

thirteen. enough for now. the fray. the fray.

fourteen. enter sandman. metallica. metallica.

fifteen. epiphany. staind. break the cycle.

sixteen. eraser. nine inch nails. the downward spiral.

seventeen. even better than the real thing. u2. achtung baby.

eighteen. evenflow. pearl jam. ten.

nineteen. everlong. foo fighters. the colour and the shape.

twenty. every rose has its thorn. poison. open up and say... ahh.

twenty-one. everybody hurts. r.e.m. automatic for the people.

twenty-two. everybody knows. concrete blonde. pump up the volume soundtrack.

twenty-three. everybody wants to rule the world. tears for fears. songs from the big chair.

twenty-four. everything changes. staind. chapter v.

twenty-five. eyes of a stranger. queensryche. operation mindcrime.

tunes for tuesday: songs that begin with the letter m

one. malibu. hole. celebrity skin.

two. man with the hex. the atomic fireballs. torch this place.

three. map of the problematique. muse. black holes and revelations.

four. marshall mathers. eminem. the marshall mathers lp.

five. material girl. madonna. like a virgin.

six. maybe tomorrow. stereophonics. you gotta go there to come back.

seven. me wise magic. van halen. best of - volume one.

eight. meet virginia. train. train.

nine. meg white. ray lamontagne. gossip in the grain.

ten. melt with you. modern english. after the snow.

eleven. mercy. duffy. rockferry.

twelve. middle of the night. what made milwaukee famous. what doesn't kill us.

thirteen. the minnow and the trout. a fine frenzy. one cell in the sea.

fourteen. missing you. john waite. no brakes.

fifteen. missy. the airborne toxic event. the airborne toxic event.

sixteen. more than this. the cure. the x-files: the album.

seventeen. mother we just can't get enough. new radicals. maybe you've been brainwashed...

eighteen. mourning. tantric. tantric.

nineteen. mr. brownstone. guns n' roses. apetite for destruction.

twenty. mr. jones. counting crows. august and everything after.

twenty-one. mud. middlefinger. three martini lunch.

twenty-two. mudshovel. staind. dysfunction.

twenty-three. must be dreaming. frou frou. details.

twenty-four. mysterious ways. u2. achtung baby.

twenty-five. mysterons. portishead. dummy.