Favorite Songs: 5 - 1

Finally, after 3 months, 36 posts, 156 songs, we are down to the final five. But business to take care of first...

Comment from last post, from Heather, as no one else seems to read this...

"Can't argue with any of your choices (though the Elton john song is not one of my faves by him).

Love love love "A Letter to Elise." Who doesn't love that song?

Do you remember that "In Your Eyes" was our prom song? I don't hold that against the song though. Besides that song, they only played two other good songs at prom, a NIN song, and Beastie Boys. Such a waste of time. And is it sad I remember that? I say yes."

Yeah, over the years, the more I listen to Wish, the more I realize how much I dislike that album. Probably my least favorite Cure album. The only songs I even listen to off of it any more are "Apart" "Trust" "To Wish Impossible Things" and "A Letter To Elise." If it weren't for those 4 songs, that CD would probably just sit on the shelf collecting dust. (Well, OK, the other 2 singles, "Friday I'm In Love" and "High" were OK too, especially "High." And "Elise" would be the third single from that album, but gee, guess which one never got on the radio?)

As far as "In Your Eyes" being the prom song... I remember I was shocked when that was named the song for prom. Really thought it would be some hair band power ballad or some R&B crud. As far as prom itself... Didn't go. I was supposed to, even had a date, but slacked off too much and didn't buy tickets in time. From what I have heard, I didn't miss much.

OK, I'll shut up now.

And now, here they are, my own personal 5 favorite songs ever.

5. "Bad" by U2 (The Unforgettable Fire)
Back before The Joshua Tree came out, "Pride (In the Name Of Love)" was the shit when it came to U2 songs. "Bad," from the same album, blows "Pride" out of the water. Live versions of "Bad" are some of the most memorable performances U2 have done. In the film Rattle and Hum they use bits of "Ruby Tuesday" and "Sympathy For the Devil" at the end, and it ended up being one of the 3 best live performances in the film. On the Wide Awake In America video, the only song that outshone "Bad" was "Sunday Bloody Sunday." The most famous version, though, by far, was at Live Aid in 1985. Other than Queen blowing the crowd away with their awesome performance, U2's performance of "Bad" was pretty much the stand out performance of the entire day. Just phenomenal. Sorry, didn't realize I was rambling so much.
Line: "If I could, you know I would. If I could I would let it go."

Live Aid version: (Man that hair fuckin rules.)


Rattle and Hum version (My favorite, personally.)


4. "To Wish Impossible Things" by The Cure (Wish)
So yeah, my least favorite Cure album has two of my top ten songs. Go figure. This song and the upcoming song in the #2 spot express loss and pain and hope and love all at the same time better than any other songs I've ever heard. The first time I heard this song I was in my Painting 2 class in high school, working on the one painting I worked on that entire year. From then on, it was the only song I listened to when working in that room or on that painting. And yeah, it's been almost 17 years and I still haven't finished that painting.
Line: "And now the sun shines cold, and all the sky is grey. The stars are dimmed by clouds and tears, and all I wish is gone away."

Not the most exciting video ever, but the music's what matters anyway, right?


3. "I Wanna Go Home" by James (Hey Ma)
So, this album came out in 2008. Out of the other 24 songs in the top 25, none is more recent than 1997. That should kind of tell you how much I like this song. I don't even know what it is about it, either. I've just loved it from the first time I heard it. And not only is this song a favorite, but the album's moving up to the top of the list pretty damn quick too.
Line: "Kissing is forbidden, biting leaves marks. Sex is overrated, I need to dance."



2. "With Or Without You" by U2 (The Joshua Tree)
Like there is any explanation necessary. Please.
Line: "On a bed of nails she makes me wait."



And finally, we have arrived...

1. "Pictures Of You" by The Cure (Disintegration)
I used to get beat up in school for listening to The Cure. Like, literally beat up. A few years ago, this song was used in a commercial for Xerox or Kodak or something. Are you kidding me?
Anyway... Yeah, there has never been any doubt that this was going to top this list. The first Cure album I ever heard was Disintegration. At least, it's the first one I remember hearing, although Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me may have been first. At any rate, this is the first song I ever remember truly falling in love with. The first time I heard it I was completely blown away, and it started a love affair with this band that has lasted 20 years. I honestly think if I'd never heard this album, and especially this song, I would have ended up with an immensely different taste in music. Without question the greatest song I've ever heard.
Line: "If only I'd thought of the right words, I could have held on to your heart."

And yeah, this is the shortened single version. The album version's a tad over 7 minutes.


So there you have it. Thank you, Heather H., Heather R. and Matt, for reading this, since you are the only three people I know have read any of this list at all. Hope it kept you somewhat interested and more than a little entertained. I know I enjoyed writing it. I plan on doing a favorite albums list too. Hopefully I'll get everything compiled and sorted and start that one by the end of the month. Until then...

Favorite Songs: 10 - 6

So yeah, I really want to be done with this by this weekend, so I'm doing these five today, then the top 5 probably Saturday, no later than Sunday.
Down to the nitty gritty now, kids.

10. "A Letter To Elise" by The Cure (Wish)
So, yeah, 4 of the top 10 are Cure songs. They aren't my favorite band for nothing, people! I love the music in this song, and love the words even more.
Line: "But I let the dream go. All the promises broke, the make believe ran out."

Full version (Great video! ha)


Single version (Actual video. Cuts off before the end...)


9. "Something I Can Never Have" by Nine Inch Nails (Pretty Hate Machine)
As much as I like this album, this is the only Nine Inch Nails song on this entire list. It's the only song by them that I truly love. The simple piano, the synthesized strings, the not-really drums... And the overwhelming pain in Trent's voice. Stellar.
Line: Everywhere I look, you're all I see. Just a fading fucking reminder of who I used to be."



8. "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John (Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy)
Is that the greatest album title in history? Maybe not, but it's up there. I just absolutely love this song. Easily my favorite Elton John song, obviously, and one of my favorite songs ever, obviously... Sorry, this is one of the few songs on this list that I didn't have something pre-written for. I have sung it a few times at karaoke, but the first time was the best, and every successive time has gotten progressively worse, so I probably won't ever try it again. Too bad, too. It's fun to sing.
Anyway, about the song... Back in the day, I guess Elton John was actually unaware that he was gay. Bernie Taupin, the guy who helped write the vast majority of John's good pre-Disney music, pretty much sat him down and said, look, dude, wake the hell up. So Elton broke up with the chicklet he was engaged to, and this song is pretty much about the break up part of the relationship. Good shit.
Line: "I'm strangled by your haunted social scene, just a pawn out-played by a dominating queen."



7. "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel (So)
Is there anyone who doesn't relate this song with John Cusack and Say Anything...? When I was engaged to the ex, this was going to be the song we danced to at the wedding reception. Thank God that didn't happen, because now I can still enjoy this song.
Line: "Love, I get so lost sometimes."

(This version's good, but the version from the P.O.V. concert video is better. Just couldn't find it. And yes, that's Paula Cole with him. This tour was pretty much how she got her start, as her debut CD came out the following year.)


6. "Faith" by The Cure (Faith)
Easily the single most depressing song on this list. A complete cry for help, set to some beautiful atmospheric music. I used to listen to this song repeatedly for hours on end without getting sick of it, before Holley and I met. Glad I'm not that unhappy anymore.
Line: "Catch me if I fall, I'm losing hold. I can't just carry on this way."

(Another performance from the In Orange concert video. Such a great video.)

Favorite Songs: 15 - 11

Comment from the last post, from Heather:
"In My Life" was the song I danced to with my dad at my wedding. Love it. Interesting Beatles trivia as well.

One of these days I'll comment on the two posts prior to this one. Maybe before you get to the top 10?!

That's very cool that you danced to that song with your dad. Can't really remember what I danced to with my mom. Oh well.
And if you want to beat the deadline you imposed on yourself, you better get commenting. Ha ha. Of course, that would entail not locking yourself out of the house any more. Kidding. Ha.

And away we go. There are no happy songs left on this list. Just some somber sad shit. Because that's what I like best.

15. "Love Is Blindness" by U2 (Achtung Baby)
People have made the argument that Achtung Baby is a very religious album, and I can see that, to an extent. I'll get into that more when I do the albums list, don't feel like doing it right now. Anyway, this is one of those songs that just tugs on the old heart strings.
Line: "A dangerous idea that almost makes sense."

Pretty good fan made video. (There's no official one. Wasn't a single.)


14. "All I Want Is You" by U2 (Rattle and Hum)
I'm actually surprised there aren't more songs from this album on the list, since it and Achtung Baby are my 2nd and 3rd favorite U2 albums. (A.B. 2nd, R+H 3rd, for the record.) The album version of this song is a lot better than the single version, as it includes somewhere around 4 minutes of instrumental at the end, all violins, cellos, etc.
Line: "All the promises we break from the cradle to the grave, when all I want is you."



13. "Turn My Head" by Live (Secret Samadhi)
This song is just beyond great. "Lightning Crashes" may be Live's most popular song, but for me, this one's the best. If you know it, you know how kick ass it is. If you don't, well, here it is. Enjoy its greatness.
Line: "I've fallen down, drunk on your juices."



12. "Somebody" by Depeche Mode (Some Great Reward)
I wasn't really expecting this song to be this high on the list, because I really don't like much of the old Depeche Mode stuff, pre-Music For the Masses. But as I organized the list, I realized more and more that there are only a small number of songs that I like more than this. Kind of nice when you can surprise yourself on your own tastes like that.
Line: "And when I'm asleep, I want somebody who will put their arms around and kiss me tenderly."

(There is an actual video, but the live version is immensely better than the single version.)


11. "Fretless" by R.E.M. (Until the End Of the World Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
(Yep, I'm that big of a dork.)
This song is about loneliness, depression, anger... you know, all the fun emotions. It was originally recorded for Out Of Time, but got left off for whatever reason. Personally, I can think of three songs off that album that this could replace without even trying, and without even including "Losing My Religion."
Line: "Don't talk to me about being alone."



Top Ten, here we come...