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The 100 Greatest Songs of 1979 #1 “Comfortably Numb” Pink Floyd (1 Viewer)

timschochet said:
Oh what the hell. George Harrison’s top ten greatest songs: 

1. Something 

2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 

3. My Sweet Lord 

4. Here Comes the Sun 

5. Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) 

6. All Things Must Pass 

7. Blow Away 

8. Within You Without You 

9. Dark Horse 

10. What Is Life 
Click to expand...
If Harrison's Beatles are going to be included, I'd throw in some of his Wilburys too.

 
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26. The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” (from Sugarhill Gang) 

https://youtu.be/rKTUAESacQM

If this list was the 100 most important songs of 1979 “Rappers Delight” would be the easy #1. As it is I struggled not to place it even higher. 
This 14 minute epic, which as I hinted to earlier stole its rhythm section from Chic’s “Good Times”, introduced hip hop to Europe and Canada, though, strangely enough, not nearly as much to the United States. Personally I was unaware of the existence of this song until the mid 90s. 

 
timschochet said:
26. The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” (from Sugarhill Gang) 

https://youtu.be/rKTUAESacQM

If this list was the 100 most important songs of 1979 “Rappers Delight” would be the easy #1. As it is I struggled not to place it even higher. 
This 14 minute epic, which as I hinted to earlier stole its rhythm section from Chic’s “Good Times”, introduced hip hop to Europe and Canada, though, strangely enough, not nearly as much to the United States. Personally I was unaware of the existence of this song until the mid 90s. 
Click to expand...
This cassette was huge in Hicksville western PA in 1981.  

 
timschochet said:
26. The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” (from Sugarhill Gang) 

https://youtu.be/rKTUAESacQM

If this list was the 100 most important songs of 1979 “Rappers Delight” would be the easy #1. As it is I struggled not to place it even higher. 
This 14 minute epic, which as I hinted to earlier stole its rhythm section from Chic’s “Good Times”, introduced hip hop to Europe and Canada, though, strangely enough, not nearly as much to the United States. Personally I was unaware of the existence of this song until the mid 90s. 
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'm pretty surprised this wasn't top 10.

 
timschochet said:
26. The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” (from Sugarhill Gang) 

https://youtu.be/rKTUAESacQM

If this list was the 100 most important songs of 1979 “Rappers Delight” would be the easy #1. As it is I struggled not to place it even higher. 
This 14 minute epic, which as I hinted to earlier stole its rhythm section from Chic’s “Good Times”, introduced hip hop to Europe and Canada, though, strangely enough, not nearly as much to the United States. Personally I was unaware of the existence of this song until the mid 90s. 
Click to expand...
Partially stolen from GM Caz

 
Being a 3rd banana while being a first rate talent had to be tough as hell to deal with.  Beatles, solo, + TW, the guy created some amazing  music.

 
25. Rickie Lee Jones “Chuck E’s In Love” (from Rickie Lee Jones) 

https://youtu.be/V-0dfuChZw8

So according to her Wiki page, Rickie Lee Jones and Tom Waits were lovers (talk about a perfect couple) and were hanging out at a seedy Los Angeles motel (where else would you expect to find them?) when they befriended one Chuck E Weiss, a bedraggled poet (surely not more bedraggled than Rickie Lee and Tom?) who later fled the scene because he had fallen in love, causing Jones to write this song, her biggest hit ever which launched her career. 

In all seriousness tune has a lot of great instrumentation; I enjoy it’s changes in tempo and jazz elements. The accompanying musicians are all top notch, and Rickie’s voice, while eclectic, is superb. 

 
timschochet said:
25. Rickie Lee Jones “Chuck E’s In Love” (from Rickie Lee Jones)

In all seriousness tune has a lot of great instrumentation; I enjoy it’s changes in tempo and jazz elements. The accompanying musicians are all top notch, and Rickie’s voice, while eclectic, is superb. 
Click to expand...
Her sort of diction sounds like Waits speak-singing. 

 
Leroy Hoard said:
Being a 3rd banana while being a first rate talent had to be tough as hell to deal with.  Beatles, solo, + TW, the guy created some amazing  music.
Click to expand...
Someone really should do a ranking of the best of his post-Beatles output, along with that of the rest of the Beatles.

:shamelessplugforsoontobethread:

 
timschochet said:
25. Rickie Lee Jones “Chuck E’s In Love” (from Rickie Lee Jones) 

https://youtu.be/V-0dfuChZw8

So according to her Wiki page, Rickie Lee Jones and Tom Waits were lovers (talk about a perfect couple) and were hanging out at a seedy Los Angeles motel (where else would you expect to find them?) when they befriended one Chuck E Weiss, a bedraggled poet (surely not more bedraggled than Rickie Lee and Tom?) who later fled the scene because he had fallen in love, causing Jones to write this song, her biggest hit ever which launched her career. 

In all seriousness tune has a lot of great instrumentation; I enjoy it’s changes in tempo and jazz elements. The accompanying musicians are all top notch, and Rickie’s voice, while eclectic, is superb. 
Click to expand...
Totally forgot about this song and how much I loved it. 

 
timschochet said:
26. The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” (from Sugarhill Gang) 

https://youtu.be/rKTUAESacQM

If this list was the 100 most important songs of 1979 “Rappers Delight” would be the easy #1. As it is I struggled not to place it even higher. 
This 14 minute epic, which as I hinted to earlier stole its rhythm section from Chic’s “Good Times”, introduced hip hop to Europe and Canada, though, strangely enough, not nearly as much to the United States. Personally I was unaware of the existence of this song until the mid 90s. 
Click to expand...
Should be higher.  I memorized the lyrics to this delight in my freshman year of HS, '79.  In my mid 50s today and I still remember the entire song.  My short term memory isn't as good but this classic is still stuck in my head.  

And I still like hot butter on my breakfast toast.  

 
24. The Boomtown Rats “I Don’t Like Mondays” (from The Fine Art of Surfacing) 

https://youtu.be/SaHAvEEbQOE

Growing up as a teenager, the Boomtown Rats were my favorite band. Now, with the exception of this song and the mid 80s humanitarian efforts of Bob Geldof, they are largely forgotten. But The Fine Art of Surfacing, like the album before it, is excellent, filled with terrific pop tunes. 
The song is of course about a school shooting in San Diego. Forty years ago such shootings were rarer than they are today. What remains rare is that the shooter is a girl. 

 
23. The Police “Message in a Bottle” (from Regatta de Blanc) 

https://youtu.be/MbXWrmQW-OE

If this isn’t Sting’s best song it’s close to it. Rolling Stone likes it even better than I do, ranking it the #65 greatest rock song of all time. I can’t go THAT high; the lyrics, while memorable and catchy are a little too obvious. The ending line is filled with pathos but just a bit too predictable. 
That being said, it’s a magnificent song. The opening guitar riff is especially great. It doesn’t sound dated 40 years later. And while I also really like Sting’s slow acoustic version, I like the original better. 

 
Want to add that when I wrote that this might be Sting’s best song, I recall now that when I did my New Wave ranking, I actually had “Every Breath You Take” ranked higher. There’s no contradiction; I go back and forth. 

 
Eh, this isn’t even close to being the best Sting or Police song. Maybe if “sending out an S.O.S.” hadn’t been repeated 377 times at the end of the song, but since it was, it falls way down the list. 

 
timschochet said:
23. The Police “Message in a Bottle” (from Regatta de Blanc) 

https://youtu.be/MbXWrmQW-OE

If this isn’t Sting’s best song it’s close to it. Rolling Stone likes it even better than I do, ranking it the #65 greatest rock song of all time. I can’t go THAT high; the lyrics, while memorable and catchy are a little too obvious. The ending line is filled with pathos but just a bit too predictable. 
That being said, it’s a magnificent song. The opening guitar riff is especially great. It doesn’t sound dated 40 years later. And while I also really like Sting’s slow acoustic version, I like the original better. 
Click to expand...
Great song, but the SOS's do detract from it a bit.  

 
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22. Split Enz “I Got You” (from True Colours) 

https://youtu.be/xv6oOxn1axw

Neil Finn (who is currently a member of Fleetwood Mac)  has written some truly splendid pop songs over the years, for Split Enz, Crowded House, and as a solo artist. This is probably his most famous, and perhaps best song. It’s irresistibly catchy. 

 
timschochet said:
23. The Police “Message in a Bottle” (from Regatta de Blanc) 

https://youtu.be/MbXWrmQW-OE

If this isn’t Sting’s best song it’s close to it. Rolling Stone likes it even better than I do, ranking it the #65 greatest rock song of all time. I can’t go THAT high; the lyrics, while memorable and catchy are a little too obvious. The ending line is filled with pathos but just a bit too predictable. 
That being said, it’s a magnificent song. The opening guitar riff is especially great. It doesn’t sound dated 40 years later. And while I also really like Sting’s slow acoustic version, I like the original better. 
Click to expand...
@Bracie Smathers I'm assuming this will be the last Police entry on Tim's list, so I submit for your consideration Bring On The Night, Deathwish, Bed's Too Big Without You, and/or No Time This Time.

 
timschochet said:
22. Split Enz “I Got You” (from True Colours) 

https://youtu.be/xv6oOxn1axw

Neil Finn (who is currently a member of Fleetwood Mac)  has written some truly splendid pop songs over the years, for Split Enz, Crowded House, and as a solo artist. This is probably his most famous, and perhaps best song. It’s irresistibly catchy. 
Click to expand...
I'd put this up with just about anything from the year.

 
Gr00vus said:
@Bracie Smathers I'm assuming this will be the last Police entry on Tim's list, so I submit for your consideration Bring On The Night, Deathwish, Bed's Too Big Without You, and/or No Time This Time.
Click to expand...
I have my list of 100 and I have a side list of 22 songs that I 'think' Tim has. 

As you can imagine when has taken songs from my list I have to move a song from the list I 'think' he will take and rearrange my list. 

My list will go back to September of 78 as those tunes were still charting or beginning to chart in 79 so the very-top of my list are songs that do not qualify for Tim's list.  I also will use a few live tunes and will use at least one song from either an album or single released in 79 from an album or single that was from 78 or was an early release from 80.

79 is not nearly as deep as 71 was so I had to really dig however I have my list that won't be completely complete until Tim finishes his list because it is 'possible' that one or two songs could become available but Tim is picking off songs.  

 
timschochet said:
22. Split Enz “I Got You” (from True Colours) 

https://youtu.be/xv6oOxn1axw

Neil Finn (who is currently a member of Fleetwood Mac)  has written some truly splendid pop songs over the years, for Split Enz, Crowded House, and as a solo artist. This is probably his most famous, and perhaps best song. It’s irresistibly catchy. 
Click to expand...
I remember a friend of mine had the True Colours album. We would put it on the turntable and when a light shone on it, it would project a prism of shapes and colours.

Wiki says "wild, imaginative shapes and patterns covered the vinyl using a technique known as "laser-etching". When light hit the record, these designs would protrude and spin about the room. The album was the first to ever use this technique, originally designed to discourage the creation of counterfeit copies."

We made a lot of people Split Enz fans by showing them this prism "trick". Come for the prism, stay for the music.

I saw Crowded House on their 1st North American tour. Their self titled debut had recently come out and a lot of the audience wasn't familiar with the songs. They played the 1st few notes of "6 Months In A Leaky Boat" and the crowd went wild. They proceeded to play a set of Split Enz songs and the audience went nuts. They could do no wrong for the rest of the night.

 
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21. Supertramp “The Logical Song” (from Breakfast in America) 

https://youtu.be/low6Coqrw9Y

Rodger Hodgson’s most ambitious song attempts to make a STATEMENT on the level of “Blowin’ In the Wind” or “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”- and ultimately falls short. But the attempt is magnificent. His music hall stylings are more Ray Davies than Bob Dylan (and speaking of Davies, Roger Davies- no relation to Ray- singing fills on the second and third chorus add much to an already great tune.) 

So why does it fail? I dunno. Maybe the lack of nuance. I only know that Hodgson’s theme of student alienation and warnings of conformity are ultimately done slightly better in the same year by another British band, Pink Floyd. This just doesn’t reach that level. Still great though. 

 
timschochet said:
21. Supertramp “The Logical Song” (from Breakfast in America) 

https://youtu.be/low6Coqrw9Y

Rodger Hodgson’s most ambitious song attempts to make a STATEMENT on the level of “Blowin’ In the Wind” or “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”- and ultimately falls short. But the attempt is magnificent. His music hall stylings are more Ray Davies than Bob Dylan (and speaking of Davies, Roger Davies- no relation to Ray- singing fills on the second and third chorus add much to an already great tune.) 

So why does it fail? I dunno. Maybe the lack of nuance. I only know that Hodgson’s theme of student alienation and warnings of conformity are ultimately done slightly better in the same year by another British band, Pink Floyd. This just doesn’t reach that level. Still great though. 
Click to expand...
Of course you mean Rick Davies.

 
The Logical Song is a great song, but it's one I am burned out on and rarely seek out anymore.  I enjoyed the heck out of it when I saw it live for the first time in 2018 when I saw Hodgson, however. :cool:

 
20. The Cars “Let’s Go” (from Candy-O)

https://youtu.be/-gr4QhKt8XY

Written by Ric Ocasek, sung by Ben Orr, a near perfect pop song. Such great use of synthesizers. One thing I love about The Cars’ best songs: they end perfectly. 

I very much regret that I was unable to include some of the other great songs from this album: the title song, “Dangerous Type”, “It’s All I Can Do”, etc. I just ran out of room. Hopefully @Bracie Smathers will rectify this. 

 
timschochet said:
20. The Cars “Let’s Go” (from Candy-O)

https://youtu.be/-gr4QhKt8XY

Written by Ric Ocasek, sung by Ben Orr, a near perfect pop song. Such great use of synthesizers. One thing I love about The Cars’ best songs: they end perfectly. 

I very much regret that I was unable to include some of the other great songs from this album: the title song, “Dangerous Type”, “It’s All I Can Do”, etc. I just ran out of room. Hopefully @Bracie Smathers will rectify this. 
Click to expand...
Excellence.

 
timschochet said:
20. The Cars “Let’s Go” (from Candy-O)

https://youtu.be/-gr4QhKt8XY

Written by Ric Ocasek, sung by Ben Orr, a near perfect pop song. Such great use of synthesizers. One thing I love about The Cars’ best songs: they end perfectly. 

I very much regret that I was unable to include some of the other great songs from this album: the title song, “Dangerous Type”, “It’s All I Can Do”, etc. I just ran out of room. Hopefully @Bracie Smathers will rectify this. 
Click to expand...
"Dangerous Type" would have been my choice if only one came from this album, but can't go wrong with either "Let's Go" or the others you mentioned.

 
timschochet said:
20. The Cars “Let’s Go” (from Candy-O)

https://youtu.be/-gr4QhKt8XY

Written by Ric Ocasek, sung by Ben Orr, a near perfect pop song. Such great use of synthesizers. One thing I love about The Cars’ best songs: they end perfectly. 

I very much regret that I was unable to include some of the other great songs from this album: the title song, “Dangerous Type”, “It’s All I Can Do”, etc. I just ran out of room. Hopefully @Bracie Smathers will rectify this. 
Click to expand...
This song on a really good set of speakers is pure awesome. 

 
rockaction said:
So you can hear the synths? Egads, man.

;)
Click to expand...
Oh yeah and the drum work coming out of the chorus.

Had an older friend growing up in our group who was the guy with the first car, had amazing speaker setup. The kind where you hear driving down the street now and you do the old man fist shake at. We'd cram everyone in there to get around. This song is one that takes me back those summers. 

 
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