Favorite 31 Songs by US Artists According to a Bunch of Middle-Aged Dummies (1 Viewer)

[falguy]

Zegras11:

Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan

Thanks for the shoutout @Pip's Invitation

Not a huge fan of Steely Dan as they have some songs I really detest, but we saw them at a local, outdoor venue about seven years and they just rocked Reelin' In The Years. They were so much better live.

My music catalog is so limited compared to almost all of you guys that do these all the time. Only knew 11 of the 31 posted. Really didn't listen to any new music from 1989-2005. Was too busy raising 3 kids, and running two businesses.

I thought the "Stand By Me Pick" here was really cool.

I bet you wanted to add this song

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I chose "Long Tall Sally" because it rocks. Little Richard ****ing rocks. That's that.

I do not hate Tom Petty nor the Eagles, but I've never purposefully put a song from either of them on (other than the Wilburys). I'm growing to appreciate Tom Petty more due to the love for him here, though.

Full Moon Fever (Petty solo) and Into the Great Wide Open (w/Heartbreakers) are the most Wilbury-ish of Petty's records because they were produced by Jeff Lynne. A Mind with a Heart of Its Own from the former is skiffle-riffic enough to have been a Wilburys thing if they'd wanted it to be.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

scorchy:

Lover I Don’t Have to Love – Bright Eyes

I always liked what I've hear from Conner but never really dove deeper - never heard this song before but it's fantastic. Love the orchestration.

I'm not sure what this says, but I love self-loathing songs, even though I don't generally hate myself.

I am the same. I think you’ll notice that as my playlist is revealed.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

How much work have I gotten done today? Let's just say I hate myself for loving music.

 

[krista4]

OH is going to write something about his song selection, but he had to go to work while he was in the middle of it. He did comment that "Alone Again Or" was his top choice for this round other than his own.

Squibby and I have listened to the songs we hadn't heard before and selected the Bright Eyes tune as our favorite, with the Funkadelic song as runner-up. It's likely I've heard both of these before, but since I don't remember, they qualify as "new to me." A benefit of aging!

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

scorchy:

Lover I Don’t Have to Love – Bright Eyes

I always liked what I've hear from Conner but never really dove deeper - never heard this song before but it's fantastic. Love the orchestration.

I'm not sure what this says, but I love self-loathing songs, even though I don't generally hate myself.

LIFTED is my favorite Oberst album out
of all his iterations.

 

[krista4]

I chose "Long Tall Sally" because it rocks. Little Richard ****ing rocks. That's that.

I do not hate Tom Petty nor the Eagles, but I've never purposefully put a song from either of them on (other than the Wilburys). I'm growing to appreciate Tom Petty more due to the love for him here, though.

Full Moon Fever (Petty solo) and Into the Great Wide Open (w/Heartbreakers) are the most Wilbury-ish of Petty's records because they were produced by Jeff Lynne. A Mind with a Heart of Its Own from the former is skiffle-riffic enough to have been a Wilburys thing if they'd wanted it to be.

Thanks! I will check them out...maybe when this is all over.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Squibby and I have listened to the songs

Was Cat's in the Cradle, Squib's favorite?

 

[Pip's Invitation]

OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY, HERE. WE. GO.

If you sent me links, I've included your link. If you didn't (which is fine), then I've inserted the first link that came up on YouTube. If you'd like a different version, please go ahead and post it.

I'll be presenting these in the same order for each number, which is generally the order in which I received lists.


Number 31:


krista4:

Long Tall Sally – Little Richard


Just Win Baby:

Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (1981), from Bella Donna – Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


simey:

Please Don't Bury Me - John Prine


scorchy:

Lover I Don’t Have to Love – Bright Eyes


neal cassady:

Anemone- The Brian Jonestown Massacre


Uruk-Hai:

Minnie The Moocher-Cab Calloway


Yankee23Fan:

O Come to the Altar - Elevation Worship


Manster:

Last Cup of Sorrow - Faith No More


shuke:

Oh Mandy - Spinto Band


rockaction:

ZZZ Top - Aesop Rock


Mrs. Rannous:

Magic - The Cars


New Binky the Doormat:

For The Love Of Money - The O'Jays


Pip’s Invitation:

Refugee -- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


Dr. Octopus:

Fly Me Courageous – Drivin N Cryin


Val Rannous:

Tonight is What it Means to be Young - Fire Inc.


Chaz McNulty:

Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin


Don Quixote:

Fanfare for the Common Man - Aaron Copland (New York Philharmonic conducted by Copland)


Sullie:

Ordinary Average Guy - Joe Walsh


jwb: (commentary to come)

Moonlight Feels Right – Starbuck


DrIanMalcolm:

What a Fool Believes, the Doobie Brothers


Hawks64:

To Be With You - Mr. Big


MAC_32:

Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival


falguy:

Stand By Me - Ben E. King


simsarge:

Nick Of Time - Bonnie Raitt


worrierking:

Methamphetamine - Son Volt


Eephus:

The Humpty Dance - Digital Underground


Hov34:

Float On - Modest Mouse


ditkaburgers:

I Hate Myself for Loving You - Joan Jett and The Blackhearts


AAABatteries:

Be My Baby - The Ronettes


landryshat:

(Not Just) Knee Deep - Funkadelic


Zegras11:

Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan


Ilov80s:

Baby Love - The Supremes


Oliver Humanzee:

Our Anniversary - Smog


The Dreaded Marco:

Alone Again Or - Love

Spotify playlist FBGs Top 31 by dummies - #31

Thanks! Is the Joe Walsh song not on Spotify? It's not on the playlist.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I chose "Long Tall Sally" because it rocks. Little Richard ****ing rocks. That's that.

Richard's singing so hard in this, it's wonder he lived past its session. I always kind of felt sorry for the band, because - even full of ringers and pros - they can barely keep up. I had a friend who was a man of few words say while we were listening to this (on 8-track): "Richard done gone off!". You can't rock harder than this song. To get something THIS kinky on the radio in the '50s should have earned all involved a Nobel Prize.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

scorchy:

Lover I Don’t Have to Love – Bright Eyes

I always liked what I've hear from Conner but never really dove deeper - never heard this song before but it's fantastic. Love the orchestration.

I'm not sure what this says, but I love self-loathing songs, even though I don't generally hate myself.

Ask Joan Jett ( or @ditkaburgers )

 

[Pip's Invitation]

He did comment that "Alone Again Or" was his top choice for this round other than his own.

 

[krista4]

Squibby and I have listened to the songs

Was Cat's in the Cradle, Squib's favorite?

He actually fell asleep midway through the listening party and is snoring up a storm.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

He did comment that "Alone Again Or" was his top choice for this round other than his own.

Call me crazy, but I like The Damned spaghetti western cover even more.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY, HERE. WE. GO.

If you sent me links, I've included your link. If you didn't (which is fine), then I've inserted the first link that came up on YouTube. If you'd like a different version, please go ahead and post it.

I'll be presenting these in the same order for each number, which is generally the order in which I received lists.


Number 31:

Besides my choice, Cats in the Cradle is probably my favorite here. It made my list and has a ton of personal sentimental value to me.

 

[falguy]

Of the many songs I did not know I'd say I like Please Don't Bury Me the most.

My 2 favorites (not including any songs that are actually in my list) would be Refugee and Reelin' in The years.

 

[landrys hat]

simey:

Please Don't Bury Me - John Prine


neal cassady:

Anemone- The Brian Jonestown Massacre


The Dreaded Marco:

Alone Again Or - Love

My favorites #31s

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Stevie Nicks

One of her songs with Fleetwood Mac would have made my list - but they have a few stupid non-Americans in that band.

I considered her song on the Streets of Fire soundtrack. It's called "Sorcerer" and she sings backup in this version.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Actually...while I will admit that I don't know all the songs at 31, I know a decent amount of them - it's a nice playlist onto itself.

 

[rockaction]

Alone Again Or - Love

Another one I have and forgot about that surely would have made it!

Ooof on my part.

This is awesome, though. Never expected to see Drivin' and Cryin' from my senior year of high school, but there it is, all in clothed in its resplendent glory.

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

Tom Petty takes and early lead.

It will be very unfortunate if he wins...I feel the same way about him as the rest of the board feels about the Eagles

Really? I’m not sure we can be friends.

LOL

Doc's reaction.

 

[DrIanMalcolm]

I had to go with What a Fool Believes at my #31, for a few reasons:

• That iconic keyboard opening that everyone wanted to emulate in the late 70s/early 80s
• The way it just comes to that crescendo in the chorus, but that it's not a repeated chorus exactly, it kind of dips and flows in and out of that song
• Story songs are exceedingly tough ones to write, I think, and make them work (sort of like "Every Picture Tells a Story").
• I mean, Michael McDonald.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

A note about landry's Funkadelic selection. Most of Funkadelic's Warner Brothers material is not on Spotify because of the many legal/financial mistakes George Clinton made over the years. This includes the original 15-minute album version of (Not Just) Knee Deep. What's on the playlist is a Digital Underground reworking, which is awesome as well, but may not be what landry actually drafted.

 

[DrIanMalcolm]

Just Win Baby:

Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (1981), from Bella Donna – Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

This one was easy for me, because Tom Petty is one my top 5 favorite artists of all time, and Stevie Nicks is one of my wife's top 5 favorite artists of all time.

Per Wikipedia, the song was originally recorded for Petty's album Hard Promises, but the producers felt the song came from a female point of view and it was left unreleased until it was agreed to be put on the Bella Donna album instead. So it was released as the first single from Nick's first solo album, which was her highest charting solo album.

Somwhat surprising to me, it was the highest charting single for both Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Tom Petty has more songs with individual moments I love than any other artist, even if he's not my favorite artist. This one has a couple of them, along with Refugee, with that big opening guitar riff, of course.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Chaz McNulty:

Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin

Great song that could have made my list, but while it was always a "sad" song that made me well up, now I couldn't listen to it without wanting to jump off a bridge.

For me, it's not sad, but rather maudlin. I can't stand that stuff.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

all in clothed in its resplendent glory.

IIRC they had an album called Flyin' the Flannel, but their commerical prospects nosedived after the grunge explosion. Isn't it ironic?

 

[AAABatteries]

How much work have I gotten done today? Let's just say I hate myself for loving music.

Yer So Bad

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

really strong start guys ...wow!

tons of goodness - and this is gonna stir up lots of great memories and ones I had kind of forgotten like Love's "Alone Again Or" ...and I'm really into the whole Spanish-y thing normally

 

[Uruk-Hai]

A note about landry's Funkadelic selection. Most of Funkadelic's Warner Brothers material is not on Spotify because of the many legal/financial mistakes George Clinton made over the years. This includes the original 15-minute album version of (Not Just) Knee Deep. What's on the playlist is a Digital Underground reworking, which is awesome as well, but may not be what landry actually drafted.

Dumb question: Is the radio edit from '79 on Spotify? I don't have an account there anymore.

I had read somewhere recently that George has settled some of this stuff, but there were no specifics in the article.

 

[landrys hat]

A note about landry's Funkadelic selection. Most of Funkadelic's Warner Brothers material is not on Spotify because of the many legal/financial mistakes George Clinton made over the years. This includes the original 15-minute album version of (Not Just) Knee Deep. What's on the playlist is a Digital Underground reworking, which is awesome as well, but may not be what landry actually drafted.

I forgot their stuff isn't on Spotify. Here is link to full version.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

A note about landry's Funkadelic selection. Most of Funkadelic's Warner Brothers material is not on Spotify because of the many legal/financial mistakes George Clinton made over the years. This includes the original 15-minute album version of (Not Just) Knee Deep. What's on the playlist is a Digital Underground reworking, which is awesome as well, but may not be what landry actually drafted.

Dumb question: Is the radio edit from '79 on Spotify? I don't have an account there anymore.

I had read somewhere recently that George has settled some of this stuff, but there were no specifics in the article.

There's something credited to The Clinton Administration, but I haven't listened to know if it's the single version of the original.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

A note about landry's Funkadelic selection. Most of Funkadelic's Warner Brothers material is not on Spotify because of the many legal/financial mistakes George Clinton made over the years. This includes the original 15-minute album version of (Not Just) Knee Deep. What's on the playlist is a Digital Underground reworking, which is awesome as well, but may not be what landry actually drafted.

I forgot their stuff isn't on Spotify. Here is link to full version.

Thanks. Only the Warners stuff (Hardcore Jollies and onward) was missing. Their earlier albums on Westbound are there and have been.

 

[scorchy]

He did comment that "Alone Again Or" was his top choice for this round other than his own.

Call me crazy, but I like The Damned spaghetti western cover even more.

I heard the Damned version before I had ever heard of Love.

 

[krista4]

Squibby's reaction to today's playlist.

(Be sure to have sound on.)

 

[Pip's Invitation]

He did comment that "Alone Again Or" was his top choice for this round other than his own.

Call me crazy, but I like The Damned spaghetti western cover even more.

I heard the Damned version before I had ever heard of Love.

This doesn't surprise me at all given what I know about your musical tastes.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

There's a decent chance The George Clinton Problem may raise its head again, though I think there's a cheat code for one tune.

 

[Hawks64]

OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY, HERE. WE. GO.

If you sent me links, I've included your link. If you didn't (which is fine), then I've inserted the first link that came up on YouTube. If you'd like a different version, please go ahead and post it.

I'll be presenting these in the same order for each number, which is generally the order in which I received lists.


Number 31:


krista4:

Long Tall Sally – Little Richard


Just Win Baby:

Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (1981), from Bella Donna – Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


simey:

Please Don't Bury Me - John Prine


scorchy:

Lover I Don’t Have to Love – Bright Eyes


neal cassady:

Anemone- The Brian Jonestown Massacre


Uruk-Hai:

Minnie The Moocher-Cab Calloway


Yankee23Fan:

O Come to the Altar - Elevation Worship


Manster:

Last Cup of Sorrow - Faith No More


shuke:

Oh Mandy - Spinto Band


rockaction:

ZZZ Top - Aesop Rock


Mrs. Rannous:

Magic - The Cars


New Binky the Doormat:

For The Love Of Money - The O'Jays


Pip’s Invitation:

Refugee -- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


Dr. Octopus:

Fly Me Courageous – Drivin N Cryin


Val Rannous:

Tonight is What it Means to be Young - Fire Inc.


Chaz McNulty:

Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin


Don Quixote:

Fanfare for the Common Man - Aaron Copland (New York Philharmonic conducted by Copland)


Sullie:

Ordinary Average Guy - Joe Walsh


jwb: (commentary to come)

Moonlight Feels Right – Starbuck


DrIanMalcolm:

What a Fool Believes, the Doobie Brothers


Hawks64:

To Be With You - Mr. Big


MAC_32:

Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival


falguy:

Stand By Me - Ben E. King


simsarge:

Nick Of Time - Bonnie Raitt


worrierking:

Methamphetamine - Son Volt


Eephus:

The Humpty Dance - Digital Underground


Hov34:

Float On - Modest Mouse


ditkaburgers:

I Hate Myself for Loving You - Joan Jett and The Blackhearts


AAABatteries:

Be My Baby - The Ronettes


landryshat:

(Not Just) Knee Deep - Funkadelic


Zegras11:

Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan


Ilov80s:

Baby Love - The Supremes


Oliver Humanzee:

Our Anniversary - Smog


The Dreaded Marco:

Alone Again Or - Love

Spotify playlist FBGs Top 31 by dummies - #31

Thanks! Is the Joe Walsh song not on Spotify? It's not on the playlist.

It is now Totally missed that..and not purposely, I do like Joe Walsh quite a bit.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

There's a decent chance The George Clinton Problem may raise its head again, though I think there's a cheat code for one tune.

There is. I used it in Genrepalooza 4 and Krista used it in the Pick a Pair draft.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

There's a decent chance The George Clinton Problem may raise its head again, though I think there's a cheat code for one tune.

We'd have a hell of a time on Spotify if we tried this exercise with Canadians due to the lack of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Manster:

Last Cup of Sorrow - Faith No More

This is my favorite of today's songs that I hadn't heard before. I love the sonic stew it created.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

A note about landry's Funkadelic selection. Most of Funkadelic's Warner Brothers material is not on Spotify because of the many legal/financial mistakes George Clinton made over the years. This includes the original 15-minute album version of (Not Just) Knee Deep. What's on the playlist is a Digital Underground reworking, which is awesome as well, but may not be what landry actually drafted.

Sounds to me like Digital Underground just pulled into a tie with Tom Petty.

 

[krista4]

Not to be a downer, but I so miss wikkid in a thread like this.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

A note about landry's Funkadelic selection. Most of Funkadelic's Warner Brothers material is not on Spotify because of the many legal/financial mistakes George Clinton made over the years. This includes the original 15-minute album version of (Not Just) Knee Deep. What's on the playlist is a Digital Underground reworking, which is awesome as well, but may not be what landry actually drafted.

Sounds to me like Digital Underground just pulled into a tie with Tom Petty.

Just like we all predicted.

 

[Doug B]

Time’s up, huh? I kept thinking we had until tomorrow, but I see that today is the 13th.

If you get me something by tomorrow, I’ll include you and will just “catch up” on your #31. But yeah, the deadline has never changed.

@krista4 , my list is done. Would getting you links for just the first few songs (the bottom few, 1-5 points, 27th-31st place) suffice for today and I can get you the links for the rest later?

I can collect all 31 links before sending the list, it'll just take a bit.

 

[krista4]

Time’s up, huh? I kept thinking we had until tomorrow, but I see that today is the 13th.

If you get me something by tomorrow, I’ll include you and will just “catch up” on your #31. But yeah, the deadline has never changed.

@krista4 , my list is done. Would getting you links for just the first few songs (the bottom few, 1-5 points, 27th-31st place) suffice for today and I can get you the links for the rest later?

I can collect all 31 links before sending the list, it'll just take a bit.

Please send the full list now and whatever links you have. No rush on the links. You don't even have to send them at all (many didn't), but great if you want to.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

There's a decent chance The George Clinton Problem may raise its head again, though I think there's a cheat code for one tune.

We'd have a hell of a time on Spotify if we tried this exercise with Canadians due to the lack of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.

Is BTO on there? If so, I'd be good.

 

[zamboni]

The Dreaded Marco:

Alone Again Or - Love

This was in my top 31 had I finished my list.

 

[rockaction]

Not to be a downer, but I so miss wikkid in a thread like this

Don't worry. Very natural. It's unspoken, yet a lot of us do miss him. I think of him often. So you have company in the shared memory of our loss.

 

[Doug B]

Please send the full list now and whatever links you have. No rush on the links. You don't even have to send them at all (many didn't), but great if you want to.

It's in! Thank you for giving me the extra day.

Are everyone's #31s released in the thread already? If so, I can drop my own #31 here.

 

[Doug B]

OHBOYOHBOYOHBOYOHBOY, HERE. WE. GO.

If you sent me links, I've included your link. If you didn't (which is fine), then I've inserted the first link that came up on YouTube. If you'd like a different version, please go ahead and post it.

I'll be presenting these in the same order for each number, which is generally the order in which I received lists.


Number 31:


krista4:

Long Tall Sally – Little Richard


Just Win Baby:

Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (1981), from Bella Donna – Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


simey:

Please Don't Bury Me - John Prine


scorchy:

Lover I Don’t Have to Love – Bright Eyes


neal cassady:

Anemone- The Brian Jonestown Massacre


Uruk-Hai:

Minnie The Moocher-Cab Calloway


Yankee23Fan:

O Come to the Altar - Elevation Worship


Manster:

Last Cup of Sorrow - Faith No More


shuke:

Oh Mandy - Spinto Band


rockaction:

ZZZ Top - Aesop Rock


Mrs. Rannous:

Magic - The Cars


New Binky the Doormat:

For The Love Of Money - The O'Jays


Pip’s Invitation:

Refugee -- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


Dr. Octopus:

Fly Me Courageous – Drivin N Cryin


Val Rannous:

Tonight is What it Means to be Young - Fire Inc.


Chaz McNulty:

Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin


Don Quixote:

Fanfare for the Common Man - Aaron Copland (New York Philharmonic conducted by Copland)


Sullie:

Ordinary Average Guy - Joe Walsh


jwb: (commentary to come)

Moonlight Feels Right – Starbuck


DrIanMalcolm:

What a Fool Believes, the Doobie Brothers


Hawks64:

To Be With You - Mr. Big


MAC_32:

Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival


falguy:

Stand By Me - Ben E. King


simsarge:

Nick Of Time - Bonnie Raitt


worrierking:

Methamphetamine - Son Volt


Eephus:

The Humpty Dance - Digital Underground


Hov34:

Float On - Modest Mouse


ditkaburgers:

I Hate Myself for Loving You - Joan Jett and The Blackhearts


AAABatteries:

Be My Baby - The Ronettes


landryshat:

(Not Just) Knee Deep - Funkadelic


Zegras11:

Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan


Ilov80s:

Baby Love - The Supremes


Oliver Humanzee:

Our Anniversary - Smog


The Dreaded Marco:

Alone Again Or - Love

Number 31

Doug B:

'Southern Nights' - Allen Toussaint

'Southern Nights' is kind of special for locals ... and I think people who are only familiar with Glen Campbell's cover will get a lot out of the songwriter's personal version. Decades went by before Toussaint released 'Southern Nights' live -- not until the 2013 album Songbook. The performance is from an intimate 2009 show at a place called Joe's Pub in, I think, New York. There is a lengthy (but worth it!) spoken word section about two minutes into the song, with Toussaint's piano accompanying his words the whole time through.