Favorite 31 Songs by US Artists According to a Bunch of Middle-Aged Dummies (4 Viewers)

[Uruk-Hai]

In 1978 Funkadelic released a song called “Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock.” They had already provided the definitive answer to that question with this song 7 years earlier.

When I first heard it in college, I went

It remains one of my go-to “energy” tunes to this day.

I have seen this performed live by Audioslave (!).

I actually had a well-respected member of this board tell me a few years ago that "Who Says......" wasn't a rock song. Should have thrown "Super Stupid" at that poster.

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

In 1978 Funkadelic released a song called “Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock.” They had already provided the definitive answer to that question with this song 7 years earlier.

When I first heard it in college, I went

It remains one of my go-to “energy” tunes to this day.

I have seen this performed live by Audioslave (!).

I actually had a well-respected member of this board tell me a few years ago that "Who Says......" wasn't a rock song. Should have thrown "Super Stupid" at that poster.

reaction

 

[Pip's Invitation]

My song choice today is pure fun. That's the difference between "greatest" song and "favorite" song right there. It's a blast and makes me turn it up and dance. Plus I had to have something on the list involving my #1 lady musician crush, Aimee Mann.

I believe we have discussed our love for this album before. I came to it via my fandom of Ted Leo. My favorite from it is The Inevitable Shove.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Just Win Baby:

Moving in Stereo (1978), from The Cars - The Cars

Board rules don't permit me to discuss one of the reasons why I like this song. But I am glad to see, after heavy representation from Heartbeat City, the last two Cars songs listed have been from their first album, one of my favorites from the late 70s.

 

[krista4]

My song choice today is pure fun. That's the difference between "greatest" song and "favorite" song right there. It's a blast and makes me turn it up and dance. Plus I had to have something on the list involving my #1 lady musician crush, Aimee Mann.

I believe we have discussed our love for this album before. I came to it via my fandom of Ted Leo. My favorite from it is The Inevitable Shove.

Love that one. My other favorite is "Hummingbird,"

 

[Leroy Hoard]

falguy:

Bat Out of Hell - Meat Loaf

Has the distinction of being the longest song on my list. 8+ minutes of greatness. A timeless rock song IMO. Not to mention the notes he hits at the end.

I remember this one getting a lot of votes for best debut song (1st song off 1st album). Also in the running for first song that was never really surpassed by the artist.

My silver and bronze go to Moving in Stereo & Rock Lobster, both mainstays on the mix tape circuit.

There were probably more of my favorites on this list than any other.

 

[Hawks64]

Today not only is MAC in a battle over Eminem songs, but he's also in a "(feat. xxxx Dogg)" battle with the Dr. Dre song above his.

I tried to wish into existence...

Just noticed, too, that @MAC_32 is in another double-up battle tomorrow!

I hope it includes an autograph for my brother, written on a starter cap

...but it was not meant to be...

Yankee23Fan:

Lose Yourself - Eminem

Hawks64:

Still D.R.E. - Dr Dre (feat. Snoop Dogg)

This is not meant to take away from the above 2 songs either. They're both great tracks and when Krista teased last night I kinda thought Lose Yourself may be the one put up. I held onto hope the BEST Eminem track would make it because I painfully left it off...this is 'favorite' after all...and I refused to veer from my self imposed one song per artist rule. This may play spoiler for someone else (sorry!), but as much as I enjoy Stan it's not the Eminem track I listen to all the time.

MAC_32:

Shake That – Eminem (feat. Nate Dogg)

It's this trash. Why? Well, it along with another track that will make its way to my 31 eventually was released when I was in my early 20's. In my early 20's I was brash and gravitated towards music about sex, fights, and just generally all things inflated ego. While a large chunk of it didn't successfully complete the passing of time test this one still does. Any time I'm out running and that opening riff hits? For about 4 1/2 minutes I am 22 year old MAC again:

Three to the one, from the one to the three
I met a bad ***** last night in the D
Let me tell you how I made her leave with me
Conversation and Hennessy
I've been to the mother****in' mountain top
Heard mother****ers talk, seen 'em drop
If I ain't got a weapon I'mma pick up a rock
And when I bust yo *** I'm gon' continue to rock
Get your *** off the wall, with your two left feet
It's real easy just follow the beat
Don't let that fine girl pass you by
Look real close cause strobe lights lie

Well Stan isn't even eligible . Dido was born in the UK IIRC.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Just Win Baby:

Moving in Stereo (1978), from The Cars - The Cars

Board rules don't permit me to discuss one of the reasons why I like this song. But I am glad to see, after heavy representation from Heartbeat City, the last two Cars songs listed have been from their first album, one of my favorites from the late 70s.

Kevin Kline definitely outkicked his coverage.

 

[MAC_32]

Well Stan isn't even eligible . Dido was born in the UK IIRC.

Had I known this sooner I'd have gotten more time than I care to admit of my life back.

 

[Doug B]

Just Win Baby:
Moving in Stereo (1978), from The Cars - The Cars

neal cassady:
Living For The City - Stevie Wonder

Mrs. Rannous:
Don't Come Around Here No More - Tom Petty

Pip’s Invitation:
Super Stupid -- Funkadelic

These are all rock solid pulls.

I think that if Tony Iommi had ever had to skip a bunch of shows for some reason, Eddie Hazel could've filled in and Black Sabbath wouldn't have missed a beat.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Known-to-me favorites from today:

I Feel the Earth Move -- Carole King (Simsarge)
Living for the City -- Stevie Wonder (Neal Cassady)
God Only Knows -- The Beach Boys (Binky)
Moving in Stereo -- The Cars (Just Win Baby)
Let's Go -- The Cars (Hov34)
Rock Lobster -- The B-52s (Doc Oc)
White Rabbit -- Jefferson Airplane (jwb)
Fell in Love with a Girl -- The White Stripes (Ilov80s)
Milwaukee -- The Both (Krista4)
Handshake Drugs -- Wilco (Landryshat)

One of the most spectacular individual performances I've seen* is what Nels Cline did to Handshake Drugs when I saw Wilco in 2006 in Sayreville, NJ. He completely destroyed the room and it was only the second song of the night. The live version on Kicking Television is really good too.

* -- #1 will always be Neil Young's performance of Cortez the Killer, specifically the final guitar solo, the first time I saw him in 1991.

 

[MAC_32]

scorchy:

Mayonaise – Smashing Pumpkins


ditkaburgers:

Sweetness - Jimmy Eat World


Ilov80s:

Fell in Love with a Girl - The White Stripes

Looks like I'm going to lose the battle with time to shuffle before at least tonight, but I wanted to highlight all 3 of these not obvious additions. Golf clap for all 3 of you

 

[Hawks64]

My favorites of #24
@krista4 – Milwaukee by The Both - New to me, really enjoyed this one, very fun tune.
@Yankee23Fan – Lose Yourself by Eminem - Almost made my list, one of my favorites of Em
@Pip's Invitation – Super Stupid by Funkadelic - Another new to me, love the funk-inspired rock in this one. Not entirely funk, not entirely rock. Awesome tune.
@Sullie – Heaven’s Trail by Tesla - big fan of Tesla, I could do an entire hair band/metal Top 31. These guys would 100% be in it.
@MAC_32 Shake That by Eminem ft Nate Dogg - Love most of Em does, while this isn't top 5 for me it's top 10.
@AAABatteries – Touch of Grey by Grateful Dead - One my favorite Dead tunes. It's more nostalgic for me than the best of their stuff, pretty sure this was the first tune of theirs that I heard.

 

[krista4]

Since I chose "God Only Knows" as my favorite in a prior round, I'll go with others instead. Living for the City, duh. And though I already love Mama Tried, I look forward to listening to it differently based on Uruk's post. The Funkadelic and Tennessee Ernie Ford songs are probably known to me, but since I can't place them by title I'm putting them in the "new-to-me" listening party. First time those two artists have been mentioned together in the same sentence? Special shout-out to Sheep Go to Heaven, which I always really liked and was happy to listen to all the way through when I was looking up the links.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Since I chose "God Only Knows" as my favorite in a prior round, I'll go with others instead. Living for the City, duh. And though I already love Mama Tried, I look forward to listening to it differently based on Uruk's post. The Funkadelic and Tennessee Ernie Ford songs are probably known to me, but since I can't place them by title I'm putting them in the "new-to-me" listening party. First time those two artists have been mentioned together in the same sentence? Special shout-out to Sheep Go to Heaven, which I always really liked and was happy to listen to all the way through when I was looking up the links.

Yeah. I’m enjoying the CAKE love.

Rock ‘n Roll Lifestyle was on my long list.

 

[krista4]

Need a name for when two people rank a song at exactly the same spot. "Bingo" seems too boring. (And "Ringo Bingo" was used in Zegras's countdown.)

We have two different songs tomorrow that have two votes each. To be expected in the upper reaches (Classic Binky: nether regions) of the lists, but unusual down in the lower rankings where a lot of people are taking lesser-known favorites. One of the artists with a [Bingo] will be making their first appearance, while the other has shown up a bit already.

Also need a name for when three people rank a song at exactly the same spot, as we'll have a few of those later, too.

 

[falguy]

Need a name for when two people rank a song at exactly the same spot. "Bingo" seems too boring. (And "Ringo Bingo" was used in Zegras's countdown.)

We have two different songs tomorrow that have two votes each. To be expected in the upper reaches (Classic Binky: nether regions) of the lists, but unusual down in the lower rankings where a lot of people artope taking lesser-known favorites. One of the artists with a [Bingo] will be making their first appearance, while the other has shown up a bit already.

Also need a name for when three people rank a song at exactly the same spot, as we'll have a few of those later, too.

Too bad it's not a baseball forum it would be easy.
Double play
Triple play

Still fits I suppose

 

[Pip's Invitation]

worrierking:

Taneytown - Steve Earle

This sounds like
<------ that guy.

I upvote.

 

[Sullie]

Need a name for when two people rank a song at exactly the same spot. "Bingo" seems too boring. (And "Ringo Bingo" was used in Zegras's countdown.)

We have two different songs tomorrow that have two votes each. To be expected in the upper reaches (Classic Binky: nether regions) of the lists, but unusual down in the lower rankings where a lot of people are taking lesser-known favorites. One of the artists with a [Bingo] will be making their first appearance, while the other has shown up a bit already.

Also need a name for when three people rank a song at exactly the same spot, as we'll have a few of those later, too.

2 times - Deja vote or Double Tap if anyone's a Zombieland fan
3 times - Thrice as nice or Triple sec
4 times - Quadrophenia

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I have no idea what to call the bingoes, but I know @DrIanMalcolm and I have one way up higher (Binky: lower) on the list.

 

[jwb]

Faves this round

@Pip's Invitation - Super Stupid -- Funkadelic. I love this album. I got some Funk coming later on I think.

@AAABatteries - Touch of Grey - Grateful Dead. Some of my deadhead friends somewhat scoffed at this one because it became a hit, but heck, every band needs a hit. This is a great song.

@Oliver Humanzee - I'm Not Crying, Karl - The Karl Hendricks Rock Band. This was new to me. A pretty noisy and chaotic 8 minutes. I really liked it.

@Hov34 - Let's Go - The Cars. My cars song comes later, and it was almost this one.

@Dr. Octopus - Rock Lobster – The B-52s. I wish I found room for the B-52's. Such a great party band. Fantastic song.

@Yankee23Fan - Lose Yourself - Eminem. I always gave rap a pass. It took Eminem to make me notice it more, and I've somewhat come around to appreciating it more. No rap made my list but I do like this song a lot.

@Zegras11 - Mental Hopscotch - Missing Persons. New to me. I've heard of Missing Persons but never really dove in. This was fun.

 

[Sullie]

@AAABatteries - Touch of Grey - Grateful Dead. Some of my deadhead friends somewhat scoffed at this one because it became a hit, but heck, every band needs a hit. This is a great song.

Agree - love the heck out of that song, especially as it hits closer and closer to home.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Zegras11:

Mental Hopscotch - Missing Persons

I thought this one was new to me, but upon listening to it, I remember it from the 80s. And I don't think I've heard it since then.

I was always fascinated by Missing Persons. One of the most technically accomplished drummers in the world forms a band to play a genre that doesn't have anything to do with technical accomplishment in the slightest, fronted by his wife who has some sort of futuristic aerobic instructor shtick.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Oliver Humanzee:

I'm Not Crying, Karl - The Karl Hendricks Rock Band

This also sounds like
<------ that guy.

I upvote.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Eephus will be relieved to know that the longest song on my list is "only" 12 minutes. Most of my faves that go REALLY long are British or Canadian.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Zegras11:

Mental Hopscotch - Missing Persons

I thought this one was new to me, but upon listening to it, I remember it from the 80s. And I don't think I've heard it since then.

I was always fascinated by Missing Persons. One of the most technically accomplished drummers in the world forms a band to play a genre that doesn't have anything to do with technical accomplishment in the slightest, fronted by his wife who has some sort of futuristic aerobic instructor shtick.

The 80s were odd.

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

Zegras11:

Mental Hopscotch - Missing Persons

I thought this one was new to me, but upon listening to it, I remember it from the 80s. And I don't think I've heard it since then.

I was always fascinated by Missing Persons. One of the most technically accomplished drummers in the world forms a band to play a genre that doesn't have anything to do with technical accomplishment in the slightest, fronted by his wife who has some sort of futuristic aerobic instructor shtick.

The 80s were odd.

wut??

 

[Zegras11]

Zegras11:

Mental Hopscotch - Missing Persons

I thought this one was new to me, but upon listening to it, I remember it from the 80s. And I don't think I've heard it since then.

I was always fascinated by Missing Persons. One of the most technically accomplished drummers in the world forms a band to play a genre that doesn't have anything to do with technical accomplishment in the slightest, fronted by his wife who has some sort of futuristic aerobic instructor shtick.

I painted homes my last two summers in college and all of my first year out. Needed a lot of high energy music on my new Sony Walkman to get the jobs done fast.
Petty, Joe Jackson, The Pretenders, The Plimsouls, Go Go's and a few others got the job done.

 

[Zegras11]

Zegras11:

Mental Hopscotch - Missing Persons

I thought this one was new to me, but upon listening to it, I remember it from the 80s. And I don't think I've heard it since then.

I was always fascinated by Missing Persons. One of the most technically accomplished drummers in the world forms a band to play a genre that doesn't have anything to do with technical accomplishment in the slightest, fronted by his wife who has some sort of futuristic aerobic instructor shtick.

The 80s were odd.

wut??

And them too!!

 

[scorchy]

Too many great songs today, and I actually knew most of them, so need to go with a change up. Since the oldest song on my list was from 1984, gonna split into pre- and post-. Also gotta leave off God Only Knows b/c it's already won a gold medal from me.

Pre:

Gold: Livin' for the CIty (Neal)
Silver: At Last (Don Q)
Bronze: Moving in Stereo (Just Win Baby)

Post:

Gold: Still DRE (Hawks)
Silver: Staring at the Sun (Marco)
Bronze: I Against I (Eephus)

 

[scorchy]

Uruk-Hai:

Mama Tried - Merle Haggard

Like most people walking the Earth (though you wouldn't know it by conventional political narratives), Merle was full of contradictions. He was an ornery populist/patriotic/conservative who became best buds with Willie Nelson. "Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die" indeed.

Musically, he was a great songwriter and singer. And, in the 60s, he had one the best mainstream country bands in that genre's history: The Strangers. They were ace musicians and bluesy as hell.

The guitar work on "Mama Tried" is stunning and timeless, jangling like proto-REM. The vocal chorus sounds almost - dare I say it? - Motown-ish. And Haggard's singing is at the top of its game. The lyrics are his most well-known.

If you follow the youtube link krista posted, it's an album cover picture. Based on that photo alone, I don't think Merle was the only one in the bunch having a brush with turning 21 in prison, doing life without parole. Those are some mean-looking dudes, sisters and brothers.

I grew up listening to classic country - it was all that was ever played at my house, my parents car, etc. Other kids hated carpooling to Little League games and I got made fun of for being a hick on the school bus: I hated country music and getting my first boom-box at 9 or 10 so I could listen to Top 40 radio was a life-saver. I probably came back around some time in my late 20s right when critics were reconsidering Waylon/Willie/Merle. Now I have all my dads old country records and love poring over gems from Dottie West, Porter Wagoner, and the like. I drove my wife crazy by spending like 5 hours at the Country Music Hall of Fame on our last visit to Nashville.

I guess that's my long way of saying, thanks for throwing out some Merle.

 

[rockaction]

Life is very odd. Being a ninth grader who was into hair metal and seeing KIx on the list the other day, that Tesla riff came into my head. It's one of the more traditional yet memorable blues riffs I can think of. Just pure awesome. So awesome that Danzig stole it or copped the trad riff for his "Twist of Cain" song in '88 or so, which actually sounds just as sinister as when Tesla does it. As I got older, Tesla's stuck in my head more. Nice work.

@Sullie, you scratched the itch. Thanks.

You know I'm on a slick trip
I'm always ready to
kick ***
Up on the stage I'm in a rage
yes I'm having the time of my life...
Yes, what a sweet sweet life it is

 

[rockaction]

It's also odd how even within a band, musical appreciation can differ. Eephus's selection of Bad Brains is inspired, but I would never have thought to select "I Against I," which is when they started to cross over to metal as much as being inspired by punk. Released in the (historically speaking and relatively so) dead and barren punk scene in '86, Bad Brains would fully crossover to the "crossover" genre in '88 or '89, with Quickness, which is a fine album that actually received MTV airplay on Headbanger's Ball. Anyway, I love the song and love seeing it on the list.

Headbanger day for me I guess.

Eephus's daughter, ditkaburgers, picked my gold medal song of the day in Jimmy Eat World's "Sweetness," which I've loved from the moment I first heard it. That was a great album in the aughts, and I own it on record, I just forgot about it. Same with Bad Brains. :(

Second in the ring of honor/fire has to be the White Stripes.

She said Bobby says it's fine he don't consider it cheating

Tom Petty's video for the song of his selected today is awesome. It was my formative video on MTV.

"Lose Yourself" was certainly a song that cemented my love of rap/hip-hop back in the early, early aughts. Eminem totally changed the way rappers use syllables and internal rhyme (which he copped from Big Daddy Kane) in the entire genre of that particular form of music. That's something else to say about somebody's impact on a significant cultural art (which happens to be a billion dollar industry). Game changed. Period.

 

[Doug B]

I was always fascinated by Missing Persons. One of the most technically accomplished drummers in the world forms a band to play a genre that doesn't have anything to do with technical accomplishment in the slightest, fronted by his wife who has some sort of futuristic aerobic instructor shtick.

@Zegras11 's post about seeing Missing Persons live made me wonder: Did Terry Bozzio feature drum solos in the Missing Persons live sets, or did they kind of avoid that kind of noodling?

 

[krista4]

It's also odd how even within a band, musical appreciation can differ. Eephus's selection of Bad Brains is inspired, but I would never have thought to select "I Against I," which is when they started to cross over to metal as much as being inspired by punk. Released in the (historically speaking and relatively so) dead and barren punk scene in '86, Bad Brains would fully crossover to the "crossover" genre in '88 or '89, with Quickness, which is a fine album that actually received MTV airplay on Headbanger's Ball. Anyway, I love the song and love seeing it on the list.

Headbanger day for me I guess.

Eephus's daughter, ditkaburgers, picked my gold medal song of the day in Jimmy Eat World's "Sweetness," which I've loved from the moment I first heard it. That was a great album in the aughts, and I own it on record, I just forgot about it. Same with Bad Brains. :(

Second in the ring of honor/fire has to be the White Stripes.

She said Bobby says it's fine he don't consider it cheating

Tom Petty's video for the song of his selected today is awesome as was my formative video on MTV.

"Lose Yourself" was certainly a song that cemented my love of rap/hip-hop back in the early, early aughts. Eminem totally changed the way rappers use syllables and internal rhyme (which he copped from Big Daddy Kane) in the entire genre of that particular form of music. That's something else to say about somebody's impact on a significant cultural art (which happens to be a billion dollar industry). Game changed. Period.

I told OH last night that a Bad Brains song was coming up today (he loves them), and he guessed about 7-8 other ones before I told him which one. He murmured approvingly at the selection when I mentioned it, but maybe they don't have an "obvious" pick?

 

[scorchy]

I told OH last night that a Bad Brains song was coming up today (he loves them), and he guessed about 7-8 other ones before I told him which one. He murmured approvingly at the selection when I mentioned it, but maybe they don't have an "obvious" pick?

Banned in DC probably the most obvious. Hope I'm not spotlighting.

 

[landrys hat]

Handshake Drugs -- Wilco (Landryshat)

One of the most spectacular individual performances I've seen* is what Nels Cline did to Handshake Drugs when I saw Wilco in 2006 in Sayreville, NJ. He completely destroyed the room and it was only the second song of the night. The live version on Kicking Television is really good too.

* -- #1 will always be Neil Young's performance of Cortez the Killer, specifically the final guitar solo, the first time I saw him in 1991.

My go to version is this one from the Ashes of American Flags DVD. love Jeff's guitar in addition to Nels.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Board rules don't permit me to discuss one of the reasons why I like this song

Political reasons?

 

[Hawks64]

Board rules don't permit me to discuss one of the reasons why I like this song

Political reasons?

That or that's someone's daughter would be my guess?

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Board rules don't permit me to discuss one of the reasons why I like this song

Political reasons?

Define political.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Board rules don't permit me to discuss one of the reasons why I like this song

Political reasons?

Define political.

I don’t think I’m allowed to. At best, it’s frowned upon.

 

[KarmaPolice]

List of 22 submitted. Partially for a couple of backups if needed because I missed something. There is only 2 I couldn't verify all the members scrounging on wikipedia and other places.

Partially hoping that since I was fast with the list, followed her preference for the links, and provided links that I'd be in her good graces and all 22 would make it in.

 

[Zegras11]

I was always fascinated by Missing Persons. One of the most technically accomplished drummers in the world forms a band to play a genre that doesn't have anything to do with technical accomplishment in the slightest, fronted by his wife who has some sort of futuristic aerobic instructor shtick.

@Zegras11 's post about seeing Missing Persons live made me wonder: Did Terry Bozzio feature drum solos in the Missing Persons live sets, or did they kind of avoid that kind of noodling?

I was too wasted to recall any detail like that.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Can I post my 9 also-rans tonight, or is that spotlighting?

 

[krista4]

List of 22 submitted. Partially for a couple of backups if needed because I missed something. There is only 2 I couldn't verify all the members scrounging on wikipedia and other places.

Partially hoping that since I was fast with the list, followed her preference for the links, and provided links that I'd be in her good graces and all 22 would make it in.

And sadly, I'm one song in and already found an ineligible. :(

 

[krista4]

Can I post my 9 also-rans tonight, or is that spotlighting?

No, it's fine to post. A lot of us did a "last five out" of our 31, so that would be similar.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Can I post my 9 also-rans tonight, or is that spotlighting?

I don't think spotlighting is possible in this format.

 

[rockaction]

He murmured approvingly at the selection when I mentioned it, but maybe they don't have an "obvious" pick?

They probably don't. I might have gone with their earlier punk or ska songs rather than the crossover/later stuff, but that's just me. I think when you have a band as interestingly diverse as them, there are different ebbs and flows to their career that some people will find more valuable than others, even intra-band. That's rare for a punk band, not to mention that punk bands usually have a quick apex and then subsequent decline (or, more likely, they break up). You usually don't talk about "stages" of a punk band's life.

 

[Val Rannous]

Really good stuff today - I'm pretty sure nobody's surprised I love the selection of Bat out of Hell. Also really liked Touch of Grey, Fell in Love with a Girl, White Rabbit, and of course more Petty.

 

[Val Rannous]

Charity Contest standings after #24's:

New Binky the Doormat 26
Falguy 19
Ilov80s 19
Just Win Baby 19
Pip's Invitation 15
jwb 11
The Dreaded Marco 10
AAABatteries 8
Don Quixote 8
Dr. Octopus 8
DrianMalcom 8
Hov34 8
Neal Cassady 8
Uruk-Hai 8
Mrs. Rannous 5
Chaz McNulty 2
Val Rannous 2