Personal 'Top 10' Songs - December 2007

These aren't what I would consider the top 10 of all time or anything - that would be an entirely different list. There are just mainstream type songs I enjoy for various reasons at this moment in time. I won't throw any obscure titles in here. I'll save those strictly for myself for the moment. My Zen Vision play lists are only meant to melt my head, for now.

1.) Sympathy for the Devil
Rolling Stones

Amazing introduction. I 'discovered' the stones via this song (on a mix tape I borrowed from a friend when I just started getting into music) about 20 years ago and I've loved it ever since. The lyrics strike me as a good mix of provocative and decadent, which is rare and cool as hell. Any song sung from the first person as Lucifer is good stuff. "So if you meet me have some courtesy, have some sympathy and some taste. Use all your well-learned politesse or Ill lay your soul to waste" - doesn't get much better.

2.) Hey man, nice shot
Filter

Another great introduction. This song was all over the radio the summer I relocated to a new city and spent a lot of that time driving around meeting new people and generally hanging out. You can youtube the clip showing the public suicide the song is referring to I'm sure.

3.) Fortunate Son
CCR

I'm not a big CCR fan, but this song is a must hear. I'm aware of the 60's generation being tied to it anthemically but all that aside it's just a great American rock tune.

4.) Karma Police
Radiohead

A little haunting, a little catchy, a little mindful. A great song.

5.) Dancing Nancies
Dave Matthews (band)

I really like the way this strong is constructed. Almost as much as the second song on this list. It's a bit of a thinker, but it doesn't feel contrived or forced which are always big turn offs for me.

6.) Nautical Disaster
The Tragically Hip

Creepy and important. For some reason those two ideas form what this song means to me. Easily my favorite 'Hip song and if you haven't heard it - you're missing something. I actually wrote a short story in high school inspired by the line 'As parasites might drink your blood' about a judgemental drinking fountain that was published in a teaching magazine. How's that for some odd personal history?

7.) Live and Let Die
Paul McCartney (not The Beatles)

This song is just cool. It was recorded the year I was born (never a bad thing unless it's that cursed Tie a yellow ribbon song) and it was the title track to a Bond flick soundtrack. No brainer here. It seems like it was a little before its time, which is also rarely a bad thing.

8.) I'm shipping up to Boston
Dropkick Murphys

If you haven't heard it, it won't matter what I write about it. If you're a hockey fan you've definitely heard it. Celtic Punk, who'd have thought.

9.) Muzik
Knoc-Turn'al feat. Samuel Christian

I hate rap (or hip hop or whatever label you slap on that crap), I really do. That talentless re-mixing, over sampling/taking credit for digitally hacking and messing with previous legitimate artist's work genre of music irks me at best generally. Every now and again though, I run across a song (yes, a song - I don't consider most rap 'songs' to be actual songs) that fuses actual music with a good beat and it's catchy enough to make it into a play list. Usually for a short time, but here it is.

10.) To be named later. This should be a decent song and it's been a long enough day that only trivially interesting songs (like #9) are rattling around in my head now.