The Top 155 Songs by American Artists According to 5 Middle-Aged Idiots (2 Viewers)

[Uruk-Hai]

Oh, I wrote a brief thing to @Uruk-Hai about the Public Enemy production but never clicked "Post reply" or what have you. The album was produced and engineered by Rick Rubin, but the final say on the how the songs sounded went to Hank Shocklee of the production/engineering team the Bomb Squad. Chuck D has been quoted as calling Hank the "Phil Spector of" rap, so they think that it sounds good, apparently.

I think you might be right, though I'd have to listen to it again with fresh ears.

I just did. That incessant horn is a really bad sampling choice. The beat and Chuck D's voice are enough. Not sure if it's "tinny" or if it's the horn blowing throughout the track, but it does sound a bit off. It's probably why I never particularly cared for this song in particular.

Agreed. I thought I may be missing something since my knowledge of hip-hop is woefully inadequate to question it too much. I like the bones of the song, just not all of the sound effects (Parliament could go overboard with that stuff, too).

 

[rockaction]

I thought I may be missing something since my knowledge of hip-hop is woefully inadequate to question it too much.

Trust your ear. It's a good one, and is rooted in the vernacular of what early rap/hip hop was sampling and all about.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

13

Dr. Octopus:

Summer Wind – Frank Sinatra


Jeb:

Gratitude – Beastie Boys


Scooter:

Son of a Son of a Sailor - Jimmy Buffet


Doug:
Jack and Diane – John Cougar Mellencamp

Chap:

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine – Lou Rawls

 

[Uruk-Hai]

13

Dr. Octopus:

Summer Wind – Frank Sinatra


Jeb:

Gratitude – Beastie Boys


Scooter:

Son of a Son of a Sailor - Jimmy Buffet


Doug:
Jack and Diane – John Cougar Mellencamp

Chap:

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine – Lou Rawls

Doc, can you do me a favor? If Jeb & I are ever going to be in the same bar with a jukebox, can you let me know ahead of time so I can get there early and put $500 into it before he gets ahold of it?

1. "Summer Wind". The song itself is a standard, with good reason. It's one of those that will make singers want to cover it as long as people are singing. They've all got a tough uphill climb, though, because Sinatra's version is definitive.

2. "You'll Never Find...". Speaking of "definitive", this record is one I'd give aliens if asked how good mid-70s pop music could be. Rawls was all kinds of cool, across multiple media. His Budweiser ads were classics in an extremely competitive, star-studded field.

3. "Son Of A Son Of A Sailor". This and "Come Monday" are my two favorite of Buffet's biggest radio hits. For all of his shtick, he could write and perform really good, introspective songs. Brilliant (& lucky) businessman, too.

4. "Jack & Diane". Mellencamp perfected his Stones-via-Indiana sound with this one. I wouldn't miss it if I never heard it again, but I also like when I do.

5. "Gratitude". Shrug.

 

[AAABatteries]

God I love Frank - dude just oozed cool. I totally understand he's not everybody's cup of tea but he's #1 on my list of artists I would want to hang with.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I don't listen to much Sinatra or similar music but Summer Wind is incredible and wins this round for me. You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine is a close second -- one of the best examples of Philly Soul (done by a guy from Chicago).

I like Gratitude and Jack and Diane but neither is in my top tier of songs from the respective artists.

Jimmy Buffett is a good businessman.

 

[rockaction]

Gratitude wouldn't even sniff my top ten for Beastie Boys songs, never mind the top ten of the greatest American hits of all time. To each their own. Yes, I used the plural "they." Deal with me, grumpy grammarians of yore!

 

[rockaction]

Beastie Boys Top Eleven up through Ill Communication and no further. In no particular order

1. Jesse James
2. Pass The Mic
3. So Whatcha Want
4. Rhymin' and Stealin'
5. No Sleep Till Brooklyn
6. Sure Shot
7. Hey Ladies
8. B-Boy Bouillabaisse
9. Shake Your Rump
10. High Plains Drifter
11. Root Down

 

[rockaction]

I'm rolling down the hill, snowballing, getting bigger
An explosion in the chamber, the hammer from the trigger
I seen him get stabbed, I watched the blood spill out
He had more cuts than my man Chuck Chillout

Pretty fierce verse from the Beasties, if you ask me. This used to be my number one from them until I played it out a bit my freshman year of college.

 

[AAABatteries]

I don't listen to much Sinatra or similar music but Summer Wind is incredible and wins this round for me. You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine is a close second -- one of the best examples of Philly Soul (done by a guy from Chicago).

I like Gratitude and Jack and Diane but neither is in my top tier of songs from the respective artists.

Jimmy Buffett is a good businessman.

 

[simey]

My favorite from round 13:

13. Summer Wind

Runner up: Son of a Son of a Sailor

 

[Joe Schmo]

God I love Frank - dude just oozed cool. I totally understand he's not everybody's cup of tea but he's #1 on my list of artists I would want to hang with.

Abso-freaking-lutley! Coolest cat ever to tread the planks. One of my alltime favorites by him is his version of Blues in the Night: https://youtu.be/H6Uakf7Fjek

When he sings " a woman's a two face, a worrisome thing that'll lead you to sing the blues, in the night" its plain old smooooth. Makes me wanna put on a trilby and gray flannel suit and just strut around ****-of-the-walk style.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

God I love Frank - dude just oozed cool. I totally understand he's not everybody's cup of tea but he's #1 on my list of artists I would want to hang with.

Abso-freaking-lutley! Coolest cat ever to tread the planks. One of my alltime favorites by him is his version of Blues in the Night: https://youtu.be/H6Uakf7Fjek

When he sings " a woman's a two face, a worrisome thing that'll lead you to sing the blues, in the night" its plain old smooooth. Makes me wanna put on a trilby and gray flannel suit and just strut around ****-of-the-walk style.

I always wanted a Frank Sinatra style hat but never thought I could pull off the look. Then one day at the mall there was this little kid being pushed around in a stroller. That kid was wearing my hat.

 

[Eephus]

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine – Lou Rawls

One of my karaoke jams

 

[Eephus]

God I love Frank - dude just oozed cool. I totally understand he's not everybody's cup of tea but he's #1 on my list of artists I would want to hang with.

The Battery Pack

 

[Pip's Invitation]

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine – Lou Rawls

One of my karaoke jams

One of my roommates from back in the day would always do either this or Friends in Low Places.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

28


Dr. Octopus:

Dreaming - Blondie

Since its release, "Dreaming" has seen critical acclaim from music writers. Stewart Mason of AllMusic praised Stein's guitarwork and Burke's drumming on the song, writing of the latter, "It's an amazing performance, possibly the most over-the-top effort by a rock & roll drummer in the entire 1970s, and a must to hear.”

Jeb:

Runnin’ with the Devil – Van Halen

"Runnin' with the Devil" is a song by the American hard rock band Van Halen. Released as the second single from the band's 1978 eponymous debut album. The song lyrics were inspired by the funk band Ohio Players 1974 song "Runnin' from the Devil". In 2009, "Runnin' with the Devil" was named the 9th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1. Chuck Klosterman of Vulture ranked it the eighth-best Van Halen song, praising the staccato bass playing as well as David Lee Roth's vocal performance.

Scooter:

Lean on Me – Bill Withers

Bill Withers' childhood in the coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, was the inspiration for "Lean on Me", which he wrote after he had moved to Los Angeles and found himself missing the strong community ethic of his hometown. He had lived in a decrepit house in the poor section of his town.

Doug:

She’s Gone – Hall & Oates

Daryl Hall, according to some reports, has called it the best song he and John Oates wrote together. Both performers were undergoing romantic problems at the time the song was written. A 1985 article in Rolling Stone said the song was about Hall's divorce from wife Bryna Lublin, while VH1's Behind the Music episode on the duo showed Oates explaining it was about a girlfriend that stood him up on New Year's Eve.

Chap:

Brick House - Commodores

Lionel Richie stated that the song's title is a play on the expression "built like a brick ****house," referring to a strongly built woman.

I just realized: If Talking Heads aren’t eligible, post-1977 Blondie shouldn’t be either. Bassist Nigel Harrison is English.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

28


Dr. Octopus:

Dreaming - Blondie

Since its release, "Dreaming" has seen critical acclaim from music writers. Stewart Mason of AllMusic praised Stein's guitarwork and Burke's drumming on the song, writing of the latter, "It's an amazing performance, possibly the most over-the-top effort by a rock & roll drummer in the entire 1970s, and a must to hear.”

Jeb:

Runnin’ with the Devil – Van Halen

"Runnin' with the Devil" is a song by the American hard rock band Van Halen. Released as the second single from the band's 1978 eponymous debut album. The song lyrics were inspired by the funk band Ohio Players 1974 song "Runnin' from the Devil". In 2009, "Runnin' with the Devil" was named the 9th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1. Chuck Klosterman of Vulture ranked it the eighth-best Van Halen song, praising the staccato bass playing as well as David Lee Roth's vocal performance.

Scooter:

Lean on Me – Bill Withers

Bill Withers' childhood in the coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, was the inspiration for "Lean on Me", which he wrote after he had moved to Los Angeles and found himself missing the strong community ethic of his hometown. He had lived in a decrepit house in the poor section of his town.

Doug:

She’s Gone – Hall & Oates

Daryl Hall, according to some reports, has called it the best song he and John Oates wrote together. Both performers were undergoing romantic problems at the time the song was written. A 1985 article in Rolling Stone said the song was about Hall's divorce from wife Bryna Lublin, while VH1's Behind the Music episode on the duo showed Oates explaining it was about a girlfriend that stood him up on New Year's Eve.

Chap:

Brick House - Commodores

Lionel Richie stated that the song's title is a play on the expression "built like a brick ****house," referring to a strongly built woman.

I just realized: If Talking Heads aren’t eligible, post-1977 Blondie shouldn’t be either. Bassist Nigel Harrison is English.

Oops - I will likely have to replace that. Did not realize that.
Also technically the Jimi Hendrix Experience shouldn’t be allowed but I think the solo artist rule applies there. Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell weren’t putting asses in the seats.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

12


Dr. Octopus:

Ripple – Grateful Dead

Robert Hunter wrote this song in 1970 in London on the same afternoon he wrote "Brokedown Palace" and "To Lay Me Down" (reputedly drinking half a bottle of retsina in the process. The song debuted August 18, 1970 at Fillmore West in San Francisco. Jerry Garcia wrote the music to this song.

Jeb:

Up on the Sun – Meat Puppets

Musically, Up on the Sun departed slightly from the country-influenced sound of its immediate predecessor, being more based in what Mark Deming described as "sunburned psychedelia". Jon Dolan called the record an "insanely idyllic" work of "post-punk pastoralism".

Scooter:

I Need a Lover – John Cougar Mellencamp

On his inspiration for writing "I Need a Lover", Mellencamp said: "The song's about a friend of mine who goes to Concordia College. When that song was written, he was pretty sad. He was . . . livin’ in his bedroom. I told him, ‘You got to get the hell out of the house!’ He’d say, ‘Man, if I only had a girl, she’d make me forget my problems.’ I just said, ‘Well . . . ’"

Doug:

L.A. Woman – The Doors

Band guitarist Robby Krieger has numerous times cited "L.A. Woman" as the "quintessential Doors song" It was labelled the 40th best classic-rock song by the New York radio station Q104,3.

Chap:

Angel of the Morning – Juice Newton

In 1981, Newton's video for "Angel of the Morning" was the first country-music video to air on MTV, and the 40th video to air on the channel overall. Newton was the third female solo artist to be featured on MTV's first air date (after videos by Pat Benatar and Carly Simon).

 

[rockaction]

There's "L.A. Woman"!

And "Ripple" is a cool track.

Juice Newton was sure FM easy listening back then. I can remember the song from my youth.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

12


Dr. Octopus:

Ripple – Grateful Dead

Robert Hunter wrote this song in 1970 in London on the same afternoon he wrote "Brokedown Palace" and "To Lay Me Down" (reputedly drinking half a bottle of retsina in the process. The song debuted August 18, 1970 at Fillmore West in San Francisco. Jerry Garcia wrote the music to this song.

Jeb:

Up on the Sun – Meat Puppets

Musically, Up on the Sun departed slightly from the country-influenced sound of its immediate predecessor, being more based in what Mark Deming described as "sunburned psychedelia". Jon Dolan called the record an "insanely idyllic" work of "post-punk pastoralism".

Scooter:

I Need a Lover – John Cougar Mellencamp

On his inspiration for writing "I Need a Lover", Mellencamp said: "The song's about a friend of mine who goes to Concordia College. When that song was written, he was pretty sad. He was . . . livin’ in his bedroom. I told him, ‘You got to get the hell out of the house!’ He’d say, ‘Man, if I only had a girl, she’d make me forget my problems.’ I just said, ‘Well . . . ’"

Doug:

L.A. Woman – The Doors

Band guitarist Robby Krieger has numerous times cited "L.A. Woman" as the "quintessential Doors song" It was labelled the 40th best classic-rock song by the New York radio station Q104,3.

Chap:

Angel of the Morning – Juice Newton

In 1981, Newton's video for "Angel of the Morning" was the first country-music video to air on MTV, and the 40th video to air on the channel overall. Newton was the third female solo artist to be featured on MTV's first air date (after videos by Pat Benatar and Carly Simon).

This one's hard for me to sort. I don't love any of these, but I don't dislike any of them either. There's very little distance between #1 & #5 for me.

1. "LA Woman". It's strange - this song seems both too long and too short to me. That probably says more about me than it does the record, and I don't think I'll look into the issue any more closely than that.

2. "Angel Of The Morning". What ever happen to her? She was red hot for like a year, then fell off of the face of the Earth. This one's very slick and is produced within an inch of its life (did Quincy Jones do it?), but it's performed well. Side by side, I like this version better than Merrilee Rush's original - though, by 1981, it wasn't the scandal that Rush's version was when it came out.

3. "Up On The Sun". I don't think I've ever heard this before today. I like it. Not crazy about the singer's voice, but I like that churning guitar.

4. "Ripple". Not a Dead fan, but this would probably be in a Top 5 if forced to make one.

5. "I Need A Lover". It's fine for a Johnny Cougar song, though the intro is about twice as long as it needs to be. As I said above, I could flip this list upside down and be just as happy with it.

 

[simey]

My favorite from round 12:

12. Ripple

Runner Up: L.A. Woman

 

[scorchy]

Jimmy Buffett is a good businessman.

When my son was 10 or so, we were in Grand Cayman on spring break and drove by the Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville resort. He (my son, not JB) must have missed the Jimmy part, and said "Next time, can we stay at the Warren Buffet hotel." So yes, Jimmy Buffett is a good businessman, but not as good as Warren. More importantly, the fact that my 10 year old knew Warren but not Jimmy is a proud parenting moment, as evidenced by me posting about it 8 years later.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

These are all interesting selections.

My vote goes to Up on the Sun, which is my #1 Meat Puppets and has a gloriously hazy vibe that I adore.

LA Woman is second. It’s a scorcher.

The intro is the best part of I Need a Lover. My tastes in 70s production/arrangements are much different from Uruk’s.

Angel of the Morning is fine but not something I’d consider for a list like this.

Not a fan of the Dead but you could do worse than Ripple.

Still no Bob Dylan, huh?

 

[Uruk-Hai]

My tastes in 70s production/arrangements are much different from Uruk’s.

Keeps the world spinning, my friend

 

[scorchy]

Because the good doctor has made it clear that this is favorite and not best (you hear that Pip), I have to go with the Juice. I still have the Angel of the Morning and Queen of Hearts 45's from my youth. Love the production on Angel... and Juice's vocal is majestic.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Because the good doctor has made it clear that this is favorite and not best (you hear that Pip), I have to go with the Juice. I still have the Angel of the Morning and Queen of Hearts 45's from my youth. Love the production on Angel... and Juice's vocal is majestic.

She was really good. I liked the record chosen better than "Queen Of Hearts", but at least the latter was different - especially coming from a country artist in the early 80s. Looking at her Wiki page, she had more pop hits than I remembered when I commented earlier.

 

[plinko]

I'm going with Juice here as well.

1. Juice
2. LA Woman, not in my top ten for Doors. If Billy Idol can pull it off it's probably ****ty
3. Ripple. And I'm seeing the Dead & Co again next year. +1 to all the weird stuff. Is this about Fred Sanford?
4. I Need A Lover. My top Johnny C song has not appeared.
5. Meat Puppets, I must not have listened to this one high enough.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

11


Dr. Octopus:

Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen

"Thunder Road" is a 1975 song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, that became the opening track on his breakthrough album Born to Run. One of the artist's most popular songs, while never released as a single, "Thunder Road" is ranked as one of Springsteen's greatest songs and one of the top rock songs in history. It is No. 111 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, and also the 103rd best ranked song on critics' all-time lists according to Acclaimed Music.

Jeb:

Funk #49 – The James Gang

"Funk #49" is 3:54 in length, though it only has two verses. Much of the song is instrumental, drawing from Joe Walsh's guitar, Dale Peters' bass work, and Jim Fox's drumming. The lyrics focus on a wild girlfriend the singer cannot tame. Most of the song is a vehicle for Walsh's guitar performance. The song got its title as a sequel to "Funk #48", a song from Yer' Album, their first LP.

Scooter:

Tin Man - America

"Tin Man" is a 1974 song by the pop rock band America. It was written by band member Dewey Bunnell and produced by George Martin, who also plays the piano part on the recorded version. The song was included on the band's album Holiday, also from 1974.

Doug:

You Might Think – The Cars

"You Might Think" is a song by American rock band The Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). The track was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Mutt Lange and the Cars, with Ocasek also providing the lead vocals.

Chap:

Boogie Wonderland – Earth, Wind & Fire

Rose Riggins of Gannett wrote "Boogie Wonderland is the hit. But it is more than just an average pop song. The song is an exploration is of times spent at house parties and at discos, when you wanted to be disco queen or king and the spotlight just wouldn't focus on you. You wonder why and look into the mirror and it says, Uh, Uh, baby it don't work you dance to shake the hurt. Like so many of EWFs hits, Boogie Wonderland, is bolstered by the blazing horns that have become the groups trademark.

 

[simey]

Favorite from round 11:

11. Funk #49

Runner Up: Thunder Road

I like Boogie Wonderland a lot, but there are other songs by them I like even more. I saw a great Earth Wind and Fire cover band a couple weeks ago. It was a fun trip down memory lane. They had so many good songs.

I love The Cars, but there is a part in You Might Think where it sounds to me like Ric has cotton mouth.

I like Tin Man too.

I've liked most of the songs posted through this whole thing.

 

[DocHolliday]

Going with Bruce this round. For whatever reason I was never much of a Bruce fan until a couple of months ago but have been listen to his tunes a lot recently. He is a much better song writer than I thought and his lyrics can be really top notch.

The Cars is the runner up. Just fun music.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Going with Bruce this round. For whatever reason I was never much of a Bruce fan until a couple of months ago but have been listen to his tunes a lot recently. He is a much better song writer than I thought and his lyrics can be really top notch.

The Cars is the runner up. Just fun music.

The screen door slams, Mary's dress sways
Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside, darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty, but hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me

You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers, throw roses in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain for a savior to rise from these streets
Well now I'm no hero, that's understood
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey what else can we do now
Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair
Well the night's busting open, these two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back, heaven's waiting down on the tracks

Oh oh come take my hand
Riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh oh oh oh Thunder Road, oh Thunder Road, oh Thunder Road
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey I know it's late, we can make it if we run
Oh oh oh oh Thunder Road, sit tight, take hold, Thunder Road

Well I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk
And my car's out back if you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The door's open but the ride it ain't free
And I know you're lonely for words that I ain't spoken
Tonight we'll be free, all the promises will be broken
There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away
They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets
They scream your name at night in the street
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet
And in the lonely cool before dawn
You hear their engines roaring on
But when you get to the porch they're gone on the wind, so Mary climb in
It's a town full of losers, I'm pulling out of here to win

 

[plinko]

1. You Might Think
Great artist, song, album. First great non-Michael Jackson music video. Cotton mouth shmotton mouth.

2. Funk 49
Joe Walsh has about half dozen or so crushers like this. Dude rules.

3. Boogie Wonderland
Where are my roller skates

4. Thunder Road
My Bruce phase may never come. This gets on my nerves with the jumpy piano and extra breathy vocals

5. Tin Man
I remember this song even from when I was a little kid, and I was always kinda wtf on it
Horse With No Name was #1 when I was born (also a nothingburger to my ears)
Their best song is probably yet to be dropped here

 

[simey]

1. You Might Think
Great artist, song, album. First great non-Michael Jackson music video. Cotton mouth shmotton mouth.

I like the song, but when he says "but you kept it going till the sun fell down, you kept it, going," I hear cotton mouth.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

11


Dr. Octopus:

Thunder Road – Bruce Springsteen

"Thunder Road" is a 1975 song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, that became the opening track on his breakthrough album Born to Run. One of the artist's most popular songs, while never released as a single, "Thunder Road" is ranked as one of Springsteen's greatest songs and one of the top rock songs in history. It is No. 111 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, and also the 103rd best ranked song on critics' all-time lists according to Acclaimed Music.

Jeb:

Funk #49 – The James Gang

"Funk #49" is 3:54 in length, though it only has two verses. Much of the song is instrumental, drawing from Joe Walsh's guitar, Dale Peters' bass work, and Jim Fox's drumming. The lyrics focus on a wild girlfriend the singer cannot tame. Most of the song is a vehicle for Walsh's guitar performance. The song got its title as a sequel to "Funk #48", a song from Yer' Album, their first LP.

Scooter:

Tin Man - America

"Tin Man" is a 1974 song by the pop rock band America. It was written by band member Dewey Bunnell and produced by George Martin, who also plays the piano part on the recorded version. The song was included on the band's album Holiday, also from 1974.

Doug:

You Might Think – The Cars

"You Might Think" is a song by American rock band The Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). The track was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Mutt Lange and the Cars, with Ocasek also providing the lead vocals.

Chap:

Boogie Wonderland – Earth, Wind & Fire

Rose Riggins of Gannett wrote "Boogie Wonderland is the hit. But it is more than just an average pop song. The song is an exploration is of times spent at house parties and at discos, when you wanted to be disco queen or king and the spotlight just wouldn't focus on you. You wonder why and look into the mirror and it says, Uh, Uh, baby it don't work you dance to shake the hurt. Like so many of EWFs hits, Boogie Wonderland, is bolstered by the blazing horns that have become the groups trademark.

Hey, Jeb. Guess what?

1. "Funk #49". Even Walsh's sad songs are funny as hell. This thing freaking rocks.

2. "Boogie Wonderland". There's almost too many hooks in here but, fortunately, we're in good hands. Everyone's at the top of their games on this one. That's The Emotions ("Best Of My Love" et al...) providing the female vocals.

3. "Tin Man". I like all of America's radio hits except "Horse With No Name". This one isn't my favorite, but it's pretty good.

4. "Thunder Road". Bruce, you're not quite there yet on verbal economy. This is among the best of his early recordings, but he hadn't found his balance yet.

5. "You Might Think". Love, love The Cars. Of all of their hits, this is probably my least favorite. I don't know why exactly. It's not a departure from what I love about them (maybe that's the problem). Anyway, it's still a fine record.

 

[plinko]

1. You Might Think
Great artist, song, album. First great non-Michael Jackson music video. Cotton mouth shmotton mouth.

I like the song, but when he says "but you kept it going till the sun fell down, you kept it, going," I hear cotton mouth.

Should have had Ben sing em all

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Tough round.

Most people in my demographic would vote Bruce, but I’ve never cared for him much. Too much groaning on this one.

I’m giving this round to Tin Man, which is in my top 2 America songs (A Horse with No Name is not) and is a fantastic musical composition with incredible harmonies. The production of George Martin is perfect.

Funk 49 gets second place. It’s a hell of a stomper.

Boogie Wonderland is third. It’s not in my top 10 EWF, but that’s really just a testament to the incredible depth of their catalog. It’s infectious throughout and has great vocal interplay between White/Bailey and the Emotions.

I love the Cars, but mainly for their pre-Heartbeat City material. You Might Think is a decent song but it doesn’t compare to their best early work. I do not think it’s their most un-Cars-like hit. That honor belongs to Drive from the same album.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I should add that the best part of You Might Think is the synth squiggles on the “you know it’s hard” part, played by Greg Hawkes, who was a personal friend of Wikkid’s.

 

[lardonastick]

Love Thunder Road, especially the '75 version from Hammersmith.

Really good round.

 

[scorchy]

3. Boogie Wonderland
Where are my roller skates

Bingo. EWF is my #1 with a bullet.

 

[DocHolliday]

Going with Bruce this round. For whatever reason I was never much of a Bruce fan until a couple of months ago but have been listen to his tunes a lot recently. He is a much better song writer than I thought and his lyrics can be really top notch.

The Cars is the runner up. Just fun music.

The screen door slams, Mary's dress sways
Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside, darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty, but hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me

You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers, throw roses in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain for a savior to rise from these streets
Well now I'm no hero, that's understood
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey what else can we do now
Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair
Well the night's busting open, these two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back, heaven's waiting down on the tracks

Oh oh come take my hand
Riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh oh oh oh Thunder Road, oh Thunder Road, oh Thunder Road
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey I know it's late, we can make it if we run
Oh oh oh oh Thunder Road, sit tight, take hold, Thunder Road

Well I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk
And my car's out back if you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The door's open but the ride it ain't free
And I know you're lonely for words that I ain't spoken
Tonight we'll be free, all the promises will be broken
There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away
They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets
They scream your name at night in the street
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet
And in the lonely cool before dawn
You hear their engines roaring on
But when you get to the porch they're gone on the wind, so Mary climb in
It's a town full of losers, I'm pulling out of here to win

Yea. Those are quality lyrics. The River is also strong. Born in the USA actually contains better lyrics than I remember from when it was released and I wrote the song off due to the video.

 

[DocHolliday]

3. Boogie Wonderland
Where are my roller skates

Bingo. EWF is my #1 with a bullet.

Great song.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

10

Dr. Octopus:

Hurricane – Bob Dylan

"Hurricane" is a protest song by Bob Dylan co-written with Jacques Levy and released on the 1976 album Desire. It was also released as a single in November 1975. The song is about the imprisonment of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. It compiles acts of racism and profiling against Carter, which Dylan describes as leading to a false trial and conviction.

Jeb:

Barracuda - Heart

Ann Wilson revealed in interviews that the song was about Heart's anger towards Mushroom Records, who as a publicity stunt released a made-up story of an incestuous affair involving Ann and her sister Nancy Wilson. The song particularly focuses on Ann's rage towards a male radio promoter who came up to her after a concert asking how her "lover" was. She initially thought he was talking about her boyfriend, band manager Michael Fisher. After he revealed he was talking about her sister Nancy, Ann became outraged, went back to her hotel room, and wrote the original lyrics of the song.

Scooter:

Theme From New York, New York – Frank Sinatra

The song has been embraced as a celebration of New York City, and is often heard at New York City social events, such as weddings and bar mitzvahs. Many sports teams in New York City have played this song in their arenas/stadiums, but the New York Yankees are the most prominent example. It has been played over the loudspeakers at both the original and current Yankee Stadiums at the end of every Yankee home game since July 1980. Originally, Sinatra's version was played after a Yankees win, and the Minnelli version after a loss. However, due to a complaint from Minnelli, the Sinatra version is now heard regardless of the game's outcome.

Doug:

The Boxer – Simon & Garfunkel

The song has only one drumbeat, and played during the 'lie-la-lie' refrain. The session drummer Hal Blaine created the heavily reverberated drum sound with the help of producer Roy Halee, who found a spot for the drums in front of an elevator in the Columbia offices. The recording of the drum was recorded as the song was being played live by the musicians. Blaine would pound the drums at the end of the "Lie la lie" vocals that were playing in his headphones, and at one point, an elderly security guard got a big surprise when he came out of the elevator and was startled by Blaine's thunderous drums.

Chap:

You’re No Good – Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt began performing "You're No Good" to close her live shows in early 1973, after her band member Kenny Edwards suggested it to her. She first included it in her setlist while opening for Neil Young. Ronstadt gave an early televised performance of "You're No Good" on an episode of The Midnight Special, broadcast December 21, 1973.

 

[krista4]

Finally a good round! I’m clearly in the minority in thinking the last three rounds sucked. My surprise winner from those 15 songs was Jeb with Funk #49. But this round is solid top to bottom.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Very strong round. I've been clamoring for Dylan so I have to give the nod to him. Hurricane is a monstrous feat. But everything here is top-notch.

This live version of You're No Good is absolutely amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEWosGN7Eis

 

[simey]

My favorite from round 10:

10. The Boxer

Runner Up: Hurricane and You're No Good - tie

 

[scorchy]

Yep, great round. Deciding factor for me is how absolutely stunning Linda Ronstadt sounds on my stereo.

 

[DocHolliday]

Really like all the songs this round which is a first. I’ don’t like many Dylan tunes but Hurricane is outstanding for dozens of reasons and wins the round for me.
Ronstadt and the Wilson sisters are certainly bright spots in this round and would tie for the second spot.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Do I have nothing to do because my wife and son are off doing a service project with their homeschool group? Yes.

Am I filling the time by ranking every song revealed so far against each other in one big list? Yes.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

My ranking of your rankings so far is complete.

My top 10 is all Doc Oc and Doug except for two songs from Chap(!). But there are 9 rounds left for everyone else to make their way in.

Two songs are far, far below everything else for me, and I keep going back and forth on which should be dead last. They are both from Chap. Yes, I even like the Waits song better than these (though it helps that it's from his first album, which is his only one that I can abide.)

It's a testament to your tastes that it takes a very long time to get to "songs I am meh on" and an extremely long time to get to "songs I actively dislike."

Eligible artists that haven't appeared yet that I hold in very high esteem:

Alice in Chains
The Beach Boys/Brian Wilson
Beck
Chuck Berry
The Flaming Lips
Husker Du/Sugar/Bob Mould
Nirvana
Parliament/Funkadelic/George Clinton
Ween (not that I expect to see them, they're an acquired taste)
Wilco/Uncle Tupelo