Sunday, January 5, 2014

Redemption (1a)

Ok. so this was harder than i thought. But first, before i list out my 25 (sorry, i ended up with 26, because it was hard enough to get down from the 150 with which i started) favorite singles of all time (or at least what i think of as singles), i have to list out a couple bonus tracks that provided my essential single education.


  • Rose Garden-Lynn Anderson (no idea why i love/loved this song, but i did and i still do)
  • Sing-Carpenters (make it simple to last your whole life long--second grade music class)
  • Both Sides Now-Joni Mitchell (we sang this in music class in first grade, even had to print out the lyrics in class, i still really don't know clouds.  at all.)
  • Joy to the World-Three Dog Night (my performance solo in the back seat of our red car, i belted out that "Jeremiah was a bull frog, he was a good friend of mine" at full volume, shocking my parents and annoying my older brother and sister to no end. win and win. can't necessarily say i remember if i remembered any of the other lyrics, but i had that bull frog part down pat)


  1. Pop Muzik-M (naturally, my manifesto and a perfect song.  do you read me?  loud and clear.)
  2. We Can Get Together-Icehouse (i recorded this from the radio on a little cassette player to share with Shelley Christianson-my fellow top 40 fan--before catchecism.  I don't think she was too impressed.  but i still am)
  3. Easy Come, Easy Go-Grant (could have been cattle and cane, streets of your town, right here, trapeze boy or practically anything, but this one gives me the most goosebumps per surface area)
  4. Undercover Angel-Alan O’Day (alllll-right)
  5. D.W. Suite-Lindsey Buckingham (if we go,, go insane, we will all go together)
  6. Video Killed the Radio Star-The Buggles (oh, oh, oh oh oh)
  7. Bloodbuzz, Ohio-The National (abel, mr. november, apartment song, fake empire; there are so many, but this is the one i go back to the most)
  8. Speed of Sound-Chris Bell (i liked it better when this was just my little secret song, but i guess it's nice to hear it unexpectedly, so let the masses enjoy)
  9. Beds are Burning-Midnight Oil
  10. Sir Duke-Stevie Wonder (music is a world within its self, with a language we all understand)
  11. Cars and Girls-Prefab Sprout (something hurt more, much more than cars and girls)
  12. Perfect-Fairground Attraction
  13. Follow You All Over the World-Marti Jones
  14. The Whole of the Moon-Waterboys (I saw the crescent, you saw the whole of the moon)
  15. Blue and Grey Shirt-AMC (so why didn't you call?)
  16. Running Up the Hill-Kate Bush
  17. Hey, Jack Kerouac-10,000 Maniacs (have the boys all grown up, there beauty faded)
  18. Biggest Fool of All-Cock Robin
  19. Never in my Life-Babyface (pretty hokey and maudlin i know, and nobody else knows it.but they were from Eau Claire and it was such an ear worm for me)
  20. Everyday, I write the Book-Elvis Costello (even in a perfect world, where everyone was equal, i'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel)
  21. Bring on the Dancing Horses-Echo and the Bunnymen
  22. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want-the Smiths
  23. True Faith-New Order
  24. Throw Your Arm Around Me-Hunters and Collectors
  25. Better Be Home Soon-Crowded House
  26. Brother Sport-Animal Collective (open up your throat)

*I reserve the right to add/subtract to the this list as whim and weather strike me.



3 comments:

  1. Reservation noted, expected and encouraged. This is amazing. I don't even know a couple of these. So illuminating!

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  2. Superhard (I had to leave off "Philadelphia Freedom" and I included one additional song, just in case number 23 is ineligible)
    1. "Perfect Kiss," New Order
    2. "Drop the Pilot," Joan Armatrading
    3. "Twisted Tenderness," Electronic
    4. "Oblivious," Aztec Camera
    5. "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)", David Bowie
    6. "Is Your Love Strong Enough?," Bryan Ferry
    7. "Harborcoat," REM
    8. "The Boss," Diana Ross
    9. "Johnny and Mary," Robert Palmer
    10. "Knocks Me Off My Feet," Stevie Wonder
    11. "When Your Heart Is Weak," Cock Robin
    12. "Love Grows," Edison Lighthouse
    13. "Seven Year Ache," Rosanne Cash
    14. "The Came You," Spinners/Dionne Warwicke
    15. "Rebellion (Lies)," Arcade Fire
    16. "Lost It," Boz Scaggs
    17. "Original Sin," INXS
    18. "Fake Empire," The National
    19. "You Win Again," Bee Gees
    20. "Smokin' from Shootin'," My Morning Jacket
    21. "The Whole of the Moon," Waterboys
    22. "Runaway," Kanye West
    23. "Cast Your Fate to the Wind," Vince Guaraldi
    24. "Boogie Oogie Oogie," A Taste of Honey
    25. "Weak in the Presence of Beauty," Floy Joy
    (as needed: "I Got You," Split Enz)

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