Twenty Songs That Define Your Life

[Powderfinger]

This is impossible. But here is a sample of songs that have enduringly given me pause:

 

Fool Yourself - Little Feat

Watching the Wheels - John Lennon

All Things Must Pass - George Harrison

My Morning Song - The Black Crowes

Desolation Row - Bob Dylan

And You and I - Yes

Close to the Edge - Yes

Supper's Ready - Genesis

Borrowed Tune - Neil Young

Love in Mind - Neil Young

Bowie/Queen - Under Pressure

Moonlight Mile - The Rolling Stones

Love Reign O'er Me - The Who

Saint Dominic's Preview - Van Morrison

Bad - U2

To Live is to Fly - Townes Van Zandt

Anymore for Anymore - Ronnie Lane

Backstreets - Springsteen

Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel

Brockwell Park - Red House Painters

[Lost In Xanadu]

I can add a couple more to my real list...

 

Time - Pink Floyd (great suggestion BigBob)

My Life - Billy Joel

Maggie May - Rod Stewart

Don't Look Back - Boston

Help! - Beatles

[Narps]

Lets see if I can get to 20...

In The End (live)

Lakeside Park (live)

Cinderella Man

Xanadu

Lessons

And You And I (live) Yes

Awaken Yes

Close To The Edge Yes

Madrigal Yes

Lady Styx

Dust In The Wind Kansas

Cats In The Cradle Harry Chapin

Close To You The Carpenters

Epitaph Judas Priest

Overdose AC/DC

Its A Long Way To The Top (if you wanna rock and roll) AC/DC

Mother Mary (live) UFO

Natural Thing (live) UFO

Go Your Own Way Fleetwood Mac

There is lots more but I will go with these for now...

 

Great list, Narpski! I couldn’t help but notice you posted at 12:34… that’s one of my favorite times, just because of the sequence of the numbers. :P

I thought you would like that... :)

[ThatLightInYourEyes]

Okay, this is going to take a LONG while to construct. And it's not even a ranked list either:

 

1.) Far Cry -:rush:

 

2.) Finding My Way -:rush:

 

3.) Vital Signs -:rush:

 

4.) Wise Up -Aimee Mann

 

5.) Looking For The Next Best Thing -Warren Zevon

 

6.) I Go To Extremes -Billy Joel

 

7.) Life In Vain -Daniel Johnston

 

8.) Beginning To See The Light -The Velvet Underground

 

9.) Beware Of Darkness -George Harrison

 

10.) Wish Them Well -:rush:

 

11.) Freewill -:rush:

 

12.) Changes In Latitudes -Jimmy Buffett

 

13.) The End Of The Innocence -Don Henley

 

14.) The Logical Song -Supertramp

 

15.) Still Crazy After All These Years -Paul Simon

 

16.) Driven -:rush:

 

17.) I'm So Tired -The Beatles

 

18.) We Call Upon The Author -Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds

 

19.) First World Problems -"Weird Al" Yankovic

 

20.) Can't Keep It In -Cat Stevens

 

There. I doubt it's the kind of stuff most people would pick, but I'm just a total freak that way. :P

[Moonlit Dreamer]

There. I doubt it's the kind of stuff most people would pick, but I'm just a total freak that way. :P

 

I like your list! :)

[Rutlefan]

From Rush: Xanadu, The Trees, La Villa, Red Barchetta.

 

Rounding out the top 20:

 

Over the Hills and Far Away and Kashmir -- LZ

Wish You Were Here -- Pink Floyd

Seasons of Wither -- Aerosmith

How Soon is Now -- The Smiths

Procession -- New Order

All We Ever Wanted -- Bauhaus

Twist -- Tones of Tail

The 15th and Map Ref 41N 39W -- Wire

Soon -- My Bloody Valentine

Rye Whiskey -- Nick Cave

Lounge Act -- Nirvana

Night Friends -- The Church

Airbag and I Might Be Wrong -- Radiohead

Waltz #1 -- Elliott Smith

 

If I'd included The Beatles, The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society, or The Best of Leonard Cohen, half my list would have been taken so I left them out of it.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Rutlefan

[Narps]

Okay, this is going to take a LONG while to construct. And it's not even a ranked list either:

 

1.) Far Cry -:rush:

 

2.) Finding My Way -:rush:

 

3.) Vital Signs -:rush:

 

4.) Wise Up -Aimee Mann

 

5.) Looking For The Next Best Thing -Warren Zevon

 

6.) I Go To Extremes -Billy Joel

 

7.) Life In Vain -Daniel Johnston

 

8.) Beginning To See The Light -The Velvet Underground

 

9.) Beware Of Darkness -George Harrison

 

10.) Wish Them Well -:rush:

 

11.) Freewill -:rush:

 

12.) Changes In Latitudes -Jimmy Buffett

 

13.) The End Of The Innocence -Don Henley

 

14.) The Logical Song -Supertramp

 

15.) Still Crazy After All These Years -Paul Simon

 

16.) Driven -:rush:

 

17.) I'm So Tired -The Beatles

 

18.) We Call Upon The Author -Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds

 

19.) First World Problems -"Weird Al" Yankovic

 

20.) Can't Keep It In -Cat Stevens

 

There. I doubt it's the kind of stuff most people would pick, but I'm just a total freak that way. :P

But in a good way... :)

[ReRushed]

"Strawberry Fields Forever" by The Beatles

"Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies

"Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears

"I Am a Rock" by Simon & Garfunkel

"Loser" by Beck

"Subdivisions" by Rush

"Thirteen" by Big Star

"Pilgrimage" by R.E.M.

"I Believe" by Buzzcocks

"The Whole of the Moon" by The Waterboys

"Nonalignment Pact" by Pere Ubu

"Anthem" by Rush

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" by Elvis Costello & The Attractions

"New Sensations" by Lou Reed

"All Things Must Pass" by George Harrison

"Watching the Wheels" by John Lennon

"Positively 4th Street" by Bob Dylan

"Just a Shadow" by Big Country

"I'll Come Running" by Brian Eno

"All Apologies" by Nirvana

[Rutlefan]

I could have added Alex Chilton's Sister Lovers (aka Big Star's Third) to the list of albums not allowed to play as they'd take over the sandbox. Also, I overlooked this one as it is a one-hit wonder for me from the band (good band, just not great), yet this was my favorite song for a year. Didn't hurt that a half-Japanese babe with orange hair sang it. Didn't hurt at all. Still love it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7cqkpy4QrQ

Edited August 29, 2014 by Rutlefan

[Blue J]

I could have added Alex Chilton's Sister Lovers (aka Big Star's Third) to the list of albums not allowed to play as they'd take over the sandbox. Also, I overlooked this one as it is a one-hit wonder for me from the band (good band, just not great), yet this was my favorite song for a year. Didn't hurt that a half-Japanese babe with orange hair sang it. Didn't hurt at all. Still love it.

 

I love Big Star!

 

But I like the first two albums better than Third.

[Rutlefan]

^ Oh they're great for sure, and by most standards I'd admit they're "better," and when I'm in the mood for tight power pop they're more my choice, but I love the dark pathos and early Velvet Underground weirdness of Sister Lovers. Kangaroo still amazes me; like Venus in Furs or Tomorrow Never Knows.

 

Edit: Do you have Chris Bell's I am the Cosmos? Love that too. Lot of sadness around that band.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Rutlefan

[Powderfinger]

I could have added Alex Chilton's Sister Lovers (aka Big Star's Third) to the list of albums not allowed to play as they'd take over the sandbox. Also, I overlooked this one as it is a one-hit wonder for me from the band (good band, just not great), yet this was my favorite song for a year. Didn't hurt that a half-Japanese babe with orange hair sang it. Didn't hurt at all. Still love it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7cqkpy4QrQ

 

I was a serious Lush enthusiast. And yes, I used to crush on Miki Berenyi. But I'll be the first to admit, Lush just isn't as good as Rush.

[ReRushed]

^ Oh they're great for sure, and by most standards I'd admit they're "better," and when I'm in the mood for tight power pop they're more my choice, but I love the dark pathos and early Velvet Underground weirdness of Sister Lovers. Kangaroo still amazes me; like Venus in Furs or Tomorrow Never Knows.

 

Edit: Do you have Chris Bell's I am the Cosmos? Love that too. Lot of sadness around that band.

The recent documentary about Big Star is fabulous. You're correct, there's much sadness surrounding Big Star. Hell, they should have been HUGE. An all-time great band. Bell and Chilton's talents deserved so much more recognition then they actually received. But, there's always the music.

Edited August 29, 2014 by ReRushed

[Blue J]

^ Oh they're great for sure, and by most standards I'd admit they're "better," and when I'm in the mood for tight power pop they're more my choice, but I love the dark pathos and early Velvet Underground weirdness of Sister Lovers. Kangaroo still amazes me; like Venus in Furs or Tomorrow Never Knows.

 

Edit: Do you have Chris Bell's I am the Cosmos? Love that too. Lot of sadness around that band.

 

Agreed, I can see that. Sister Lovers to me just isn't as cohesive an album. There are some brilliant songs on it, but the album as a whole has always sounded more like a collection of out takes all thrown together. And that may be because there was a...a fair amount of disarray among the band members by that time, let's say. I just listened to it about a month ago, for the first time in a long time.

 

I do not have that Chris Bell album, no. (Sounds like I have some treasure hunting to do).

[ReRushed]

^ Oh they're great for sure, and by most standards I'd admit they're "better," and when I'm in the mood for tight power pop they're more my choice, but I love the dark pathos and early Velvet Underground weirdness of Sister Lovers. Kangaroo still amazes me; like Venus in Furs or Tomorrow Never Knows.

 

Edit: Do you have Chris Bell's I am the Cosmos? Love that too. Lot of sadness around that band.

 

Agreed, I can see that. Sister Lovers to me just isn't as cohesive an album. There are some brilliant songs on it, but the album as a whole has always sounded more like a collection of out takes all thrown together. And that may be because there was a...a fair amount of disarray among the band members by that time, let's say. I just listened to it about a month ago, for the first time in a long time.

 

I do not have that Chris Bell album, no. (Sounds like I have some treasure hunting to do).

It's basically an Alex Chilton solo album. And remember, there are several versions and track listings and names for the album. Any version is a great and challenging listen.

[Rutlefan]

^ Yeah, Sister Lovers/Big Star's Third not only never had an official name, it never had an official track order. I have three different releases, each with three very different track orders. My favorite is the JEM release that starts with Jesus Christ and ends with Thank You Friends. Odd as I don't even see that one listed among the several on the Wikipedia page. Anyway, I understand that the album sat unreleased in any form for a couple years after being recorded. Maybe not completely accurate, I don't know, but in any event, it certainly was not given birth as a cohesive album; it's about as far from that as can be. It really is a collection of somewhat disparate songs documenting a really black period in Alex Chilton's life (I guess). Edited August 29, 2014 by Rutlefan

[custom55]

I'm sure there are 20 songs if I gave it some thought but here...

 

Yes - South Side of the Sky ( this song was playing first time in high school that I got REALLY high on pot ) ... man, that song sounded soooo good !!!

Chicago - Saturday in the Park ( the reference can be found written under my high school senior picture. we used to meet every Sat in the park to start our night of partying )

The Who - My Generation from Live at Leeds ( the song that I've played the most )

The Rolling Stones - Last Time ( first song I learned to play on the guitar )

The Beatles - I Wanna Hold Your Hand ( first 45 I bought after seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan )

Rush - The Weapon ( played that song from the GUP video, over and over and over )

AC/DC - Who Made Who ( first CD I bought and played on a CD player for the first time )

Pink Floyd - Echos ( first PF song I ever heard )

Led Zep - TSRTS ( BLEW ME AWAY when I saw them play this live at MSG 1973 --- I was mesmerized )

 

 

U2 - Bad ( sent chills up my spine when I saw them perform this song on Live Aid 1985 )... and it still does. that guitar !!!

 

http://youtu.be/2zIW8qDPhos

Edited August 29, 2014 by custom55

[Blue J]

I have ten down, but I'm totally hung up on the second ten, to make twenty.

 

This is tough! Not because it's only twenty, but because I have to limit it to twenty.

 

Great thread, though.

[HemispheresserehpsimeH]

5. Kimbra - Cameo Lover

4. John Williams - Finale & End Credits (From Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade)

3. Rush - Xanadu (This song truly started my love for Rush)

2. Tom Waits - Bottom Of The World

1. Billy Joel - The Stranger

 

I had 20 listed, but I honestly want to just put five for now. These five have significantly influenced my tastes in music over the years.

 

Here are some of the others that I had, but don't wish to rank:

 

Todd Rundgren - Hello It's Me

Todd Rundgren - Real Man

The Offspring - Have You Ever

Rush - Subdivisions

Rush - Marathon

Tom Waits - Downtown Train

Opeth - Hessian Peel

Darkseed - Forever Darkness

Queens Of The Stone Age - Suture Up Your Future

Mastodon - The Sparrow

Dream Theater - Wait For Sleep

Michael Jackson - Human Nature

Metallica - The Unforgiven

[Moonlit Dreamer]

Thank you so much for your lists, everyone! :)

[Blue J]

Joni Mitchell- All I Want

 

The first song on the first Joni album I ever heard. Lyrically, musically, in every way, it's perfect. It was the first time I ever heard it, and still is even today.

 

Black Crowes- Wiser Time

 

This is one of a few songs on this list that literally saved my life. "And on a good day- I know it's not every day- we can part the seas. Even on a bad day...glory beyond our dreams."

 

Grateful Dead- Ripple

 

"Reach out your hand, if your cup be empty- if your cup is full, may it be again. Let it be known, there is a fountain that was not made by the hands of men." Another life-saver.

 

Yes- Yesterday and Today

 

I had heard certain Yes songs in the past, and wasn't totally taken with them, but when I heard this, I became convinced that Jon Anderson does, in fact, have the voice of an angel. Absolutely astonishing.

 

Genesis- Time Table

 

"A time when honor meant much more to a man than life." Stupendous, classic in every way. Life altering and life-affirming, for me.

 

Ray LaMontagne- Be Here Now

 

My introduction to all of Ray's music; the first song I ever heard of his. And totally unique to everything else he's done. Again, lyrically and musically...just perfect.

 

Genesis- More Fool Me

 

An ultimately positive statement in the face of hard times, regarding a relationship. "...I'm sure it will work out all right."

 

Rush- Force Ten

 

This song drop-kicked me into wanting to live again, after my brother was killed.

 

Rush- La Villa Strangiato

 

What can I say? This song just kicks my butt! It always has. Earth-shattering; the ultimate in musical virtuosity, in my book.

 

Guided By Voices- Drinker's Peace

 

"My life is dirt, but you seem to make it cleaner; reduce my felony to a misdemeanor." Haha...this actually is a plaintive love song from an alcoholic.

 

Grateful Dead- Wharf Rat

 

Another alcoholic life affirmer, but incredibly sad at the same time. "I'll get up and fly away..."

 

Velvet Underground- Femme Fatale

 

This song just occurred to me for the first time in a long time, while compiling this list. Takes me back to a distinct memory of a distinct day during my college years.

 

Yes- And You and I

 

Again...not until I was shown the wisdom and beauty of Yes...

 

Allman Brothers Band- Ain't Wastin' Time No More

 

Another perfect butt-kicker that helped me get back on my feet after my brother's death.

 

Gene Clark- Polly

 

So much longing, so much beauty.

 

Tom Rush- Lost My Driving Wheel

 

Ditto.

 

Rolling Stones-No Expectations

 

"Take me to the airport, and put me on a plane...I've got no expectations to pass through here again." Great lyrics, great story...a traveling song.

 

Badfinger- Glad and Sorry

 

"Thank you kindly, for thinking of me. If I'm not smiling...I'm just thinking." Amazing song.

 

Rick Wakeman- Guinevere

 

The crown jewel of a found treasure (because I just happened to find it)...finding this just blew me away.

 

Steven Wilson- The Raven That Refused to Sing

 

Another piece of wisdom and beauty that I was guided to...so many layers, so many different meanings. The best kind of story-telling that a song can do.

Edited September 1, 2014 by Blue J

[Moonlit Dreamer]

Blue J:

 

Absolutely a beautiful list, with beautiful descriptions. Thank you for taking the time to put everything together; I love it!

Edited September 1, 2014 by Intermolecular Reality

[Rutlefan]

Yeah, good list. "And You and I" and "Ripple" could have been on my list also -- each song still makes me stop everything I'm doing and just listen -- and I'm not even that into either band (I did go through a classic Yes phase when young though).

[Maverick]

Okay, time to take a stab at this.

 

1) Beethoven - 9th Symphony: Yes, the whole thing. This piece was my gateway to Beethoven, and Beethoven was my gateway into the rest of Classical Music. While Movements 1-3 are all amazing and beautiful, it is the 4th Movement and the mighty Ode to Joy that really seal everything together.

 

2) Bach - Air for the G String: Beautifully simply, and simply beautiful. You can hear the music shimmer.

 

3) Yes - Yours Is No Disgrace: The first song they wrote together for The Yes Album. It announced who they were becoming, and introduced the world to Steve Howe's amazing eclectic technique.

 

4) Yes - Starship Trooper: Also from The Yes Album, the first song in Yes' catalog to feature a subdivision or parts. Life Seeker was all new with wonderful lyrics and beautiful guitar lines. Disillusion was lyrics from a previous Yes song called Dear Father. Steve asked if instead of rock like chords, he could play a Chet Atkins style acoustic bit, and it worked so well. Wurm was a magical three chord sequence Howe had used with a previous group on a song called The Ghost of Nether Street. But he figured those songs would never be released, so he borrowed from himself. This song gave rise to a Yes faction called Troopers, which is where I would put my Yes fandom if pressed to do so.

 

5) Yes - Heart of the Sunrise (Yessongs): And amazing and beautiful song that is only made better by this live version.

 

6) Yes - Close to the Edge: Yes perfects the mini symphony with four parts. The church organ break in I Get Up, I Get down still kills me every time.

 

7) Yes - Perpetual Change (Yessongs): The best live solo of Steve Howe at the end of this song. The drum solo is pretty weak, but I can suffer through it for finish off the song.

 

8) Yes - To Be Over: Beautiful song, but what really makes it shine is Howe's monumental guitar break in the middle, beginning with the pedal steel and continuing through the beautiful fury and flurry of note from his Telecaster. The keyboard solo Moraz provides near the end is wonderful, too, dripping with emotion and beauty.

 

9) Rush - 2112: Rush's last stand (or so they thought) after the Down the Tubes Tour. A perfect Progressive Hard Rock mini symphony.

 

10) Rush - Hemispheres: More cohesive as a single piece of music than 2112. The lyrics are right out of a teenage nerd's dreams with Greek mythology mixing with spaceships and black holes.

 

11) Rush - La Villa Strangiato: Just what every young guitar player needs, a balls to the wall instrumental whose structure is easy enough to play to be able to fudge your way through the entire song, but whose nuances are so well done, it will constantly stretch your limits and make you a better play each time you attempt it.

 

12) Genesis - In The Cage Medley + Afterglow (Three Sides Live): Sixteen minutes of some of the best live recorded Progressive Rock music ever. Tony Banks nearly makes you forget about Wakeman, Emerson, Downes, and Moraz.

 

13) SRV - Voodoo Child - Not many songs inspired me to change my guitar playing style. This was one. Seven minutes of blues rock guitar fury from the master.

 

14) Jimi Hendrix - Bold as Love: Perfect example of the style known as Hendrix chords (not to be confused with The Hendrix Chord of E7#9 from Purple Haze.) And the coda still gets me dizzy.

 

15) The Beatles - Abbey Road Side 2: Yes, the whole thing. Got a bunch of short ideas or songs without ends? Just mash them up together and you, too, might be able to accomplish something amazing like this. But you'd better have some awesome anchors, like You Never Give Me Your Money, She Came In Through the Bathroom Window, Carry That Weight, and In The End.

 

16) Brian Setzer - Blue Moon of Kentucky: What I wouldn't give to know the chords he uses on this song. I know, there are videos, and I have ears. He just uses so many!

 

17) Riverside - Hybrid Times: Perfect end to their Progressive Metal album Anno Domini High Definition.

 

18) Opeth - Hex Omega: Great, great song from Watershed. Love everything about it, but especially the drumming during the verses.

 

19) Danny Gatton - Sun Medley: Total rockabilly tour de force. A masterclass for any guitarist.

 

20) Danny Gatton - 88 Elmira Street: Another rockabilly twang fest from the greatest guitar player you've never heard of.

[Moonlit Dreamer]

Wonderful list, Dr. Cooper. :)

 

The church organ break in I Get Up, I Get down still kills me every time.

 

Ah yes, me too. There’s something about the combination of the emotion in Jon’s angelic voice and the intensity of the organ that is just, absolutely breathtaking… it sends shivers all the way down to my soul (if that makes sense ).