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NarrowFavorites in Music
I'm aware that I should have much more classical, jazz, blues, folk, funk, rap/hip-hop, world, classic rock, and popular music prior to 1955. It's a work in progress.
"A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, A-wop-bam-boom!"
- Little Richard
1. Blind Willie McTell - Columbia recording artist Bob Dylan
2. A Day in the Life - The Beatles
3. So What - Miles Davis
4. I've Just Seen a Face - The Beatles
5. Visions of Johanna - Bob Dylan
6. I Want You Back - Jackson 5
7. Chivalry - The Mekons
8. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
9. Desolation Row - Bob Dylan
10. Rock and Roll (whole album, UK version) - The Mekons
11. In Hammersmith Palais - The Clash
12. Redemption Song - Bob Marley
13. Rhapsody in Blue - George Gershwin
14. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning - Richard Thompson
15. Johnsburg, Illinois - Tom Waits
16. London Calling - The Clash
17. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams
18. Lions and Tigers - Sleater-Kinney
19. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
20. Bridge Over Troubled Water (whole album) - Simon & Garfunkel
Special unnumbered Top Twenty slot:
The Anthology of American Folk Music, as well as anything that John Prine, Billie Holiday, Howlin' Wolf, Patsy Cline, Robert Johnson,
Nina Simone, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Van Morrison ever sang...and more Miles Davis...and any other Dylan, Beatles, and Mekons song that isn't on the list.
And all of J.S. Bach.
Tied for 21st
* California Love - 2Pac w/ Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman
* I Had to Tell You - 13th Floor Elevators
* You're Gonna Miss Me - 13th Floor Elevators
* Blue Sky - The Allman Brothers Band
* Melissa - The Allman Brothers Band
* Midnight Rider - The Allman Brothers Band
* Fourth of July - Dave Alvin
* King of California - Dave Alvin
* Cornflake Girl - Tori Amos
* Une Annee Sans Lumiere - The Arcade Fire
* Relationship of Command (whole album) - At the Drive-In
* Diamonds and Rust - Joan Baez
* Atlantic City (cover of Bruce Springsteen song) - The Band
* The Shape I'm In - The Band
* The Weight - The Band
* God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
* Wouldn't it be Nice - The Beach Boys
* Across the Universe - The Beatles
* And Your Bird Can Sing - The Beatles
* Come Together - The Beatles
* Cry Baby Cry - The Beatles
* Dear Prudence - The Beatles
* Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
* For No One - The Beatles
* Good Morning Good Morning - The Beatles
* A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles
* Hey Bulldog - The Beatles
* Hey Jude - The Beatles
* I Feel Fine - The Beatles
* In My Life - The Beatles
* Lady Madonna - The Beatles
* Let it Be - The Beatles
* Long, Long, Long - The Beatles
* Money (That's What I Want) (cover of Barrett Strong song) - The Beatles
* Norwegian Wood - The Beatles
* Penny Lane - The Beatles
* Rain - The Beatles
* Sexy Sadie - The Beatles
* She Said She Said - The Beatles
* Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles
* Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles
* Two of Us - The Beatles
* While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles
* You Really Got a Hold on Me (cover of Smokey Robinson song) - The Beatles
* If She Wants Me - Belle & Sebastian
* In a Big Country - Big Country
* Thirteen b/w In the Street - Big Star
* Call Me - Blondie
* Outskirts (whole album) - Blue Rodeo
* Drums Along the Hudson (whole album) - The Bongos
* Cannonball - The Breeders
* When You Get to Asheville - Edie Brickell & Steve Martin
* Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell
* I Fell in Love (whole album) - Carlene Carter
* Red Tide - Neko Case
* Things That Scare Me - Neko Case
* At San Quentin (whole album) - Johnny Cash
* Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash
* Georgia on My Mind - Ray Charles
* Surrender - Cheap Trick
* The Call Up - The Clash
* Car Jammin' - The Clash
* Guns of Brixton - The Clash
* I Fought the Law - The Clash
* Janie Jones - The Clash
* Lost in the Supermarket - The Clash
* Somebody Got Murdered - The Clash
* Spanish Bombs - The Clash
* Straight to Hell - The Clash
* Train in Vain (Stand by Me) - The Clash
* Up in Heaven (Not Only Here) - The Clash
* She's Got You - Patsy Cline
* Someday, Someway - Marshall Crenshaw
* Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
* The Stranger Song - Leonard Cohen
* Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
* Giant Steps - John Coltrane
* A Love Supreme (whole album) - John Coltrane
* My Favorite Things - John Coltrane
* Nightshift - The Commodores
* A Change Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
* Wonderful World (not the Louis Armstrong Wonderful World) - Sam Cooke
* Beyond Belief - Elvis Costello
* Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello
* Watching the Detectives - Elvis Costello
* (What's So Funny) 'Bout Peace, Love & Understanding (cover of Nick Lowe song) - Elvis Costello
* A Tribute to Jack Johnson (whole album) - Miles Davis
* Eye Know - De La Soul
* Magic Number - De La Soul
* The Engine Driver - The Decemberists
* Let the Mystery Be - Iris DeMent
* Sweet is the Melody - Iris DeMent
* Layla - Derek and the Dominos
* All Along the Watchtower - Dylan original & Hendrix cover
* Boots of Spanish Leather - Bob Dylan
* Dark Eyes - Bob Dylan
* Don't Think Twice, It's All Right - Bob Dylan
* Every Grain of Sand - Bob Dylan
* Girl From the North Country - Bob Dylan
* A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall - Bob Dylan
* If You See Her, Say Hello - Bob Dylan
* I'm Not There (1956) - Bob Dylan
* It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - Bob Dylan
* Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues - Bob Dylan
* The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll - Bob Dylan
* Love Minus Zero / No Limit - Bob Dylan
* Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan
* Red River Shore - Bob Dylan
* Shelter from the Storm - Bob Dylan
* Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan
* Tangled Up in Blue - Bob Dylan
* Things Have Changed - Bob Dylan
* Tomorrow is a Long Time - Bob Dylan
* When the Ship Comes In - Bob Dylan
* I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory - Kathleen Edwards
* Can't Hardly Wait - Justin Townes Earle (cover of The Replacements song)
* Ft. Worth Blues - Steve Earle
* The Galway Girl - Steve Earle
* Telephone Road - Steve Earle
* When I Fall - Steve Earle
* Livin' Thing - Electric Light Orchestra
* St. Elmo's Fire - Brian Eno
* The True Wheel - Brian Eno
* On the Wings of a Nightingale - The Everly Brothers
* Ooh La La - The Faces
* Nottamun Town - Fairport Convention
* Tam Lin - Fairport Convention
* Don't Stop the Dance - Bryan Ferry
* Waitin' For a Superman - The Flaming Lips
* Do Right Woman, Do Right Man - Aretha Franklin
* Saginaw, Michigan - Lefty Frizzell
* At Home He's a Tourist - Gang of Four
* Natural's Not In It - Gang of Four
* I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
* Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye
* What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
* Mind Playin' Tricks on Me - The Geto Boys
* This Isn't It - Giant Drag
* After Awhile - Jimmie Dale Gilmore
* Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown - Jimmie Dale Gilmore
* Cattle and Cane - The Go-Betweens
* History Song - The Good, The Bad, and The Queen
* Blimps Go 90 - Guided by Voices
* I am a Scientist - Guided by Voices
* Silver Wings - Merle Haggard
* 24 Hour Party People - Happy Mondays
* Any Road - George Harrison
* Down By the Water - PJ Harvey
* Highway 61 Revisited (cover of Bob Dylan song) - PJ Harvey
* Rid of Me ("4-Track Demo" version) - PJ Harvey
* Biloxi - Ted Hawkins
* Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix
* The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix
* Live Through This (whole album) - Hole
* Malibu - Hole
* Words of Love - Buddy Holly
* The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (whole album) - various artists
* Here Comes the Highstepper - Ini Kamoze
* Memo From Turner - Mick Jagger
* Home Town - Joe Jackson
* It's Different for Girls - Joe Jackson
* Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson
* Tiny Dancer - Elton John
* The Lucky One - Freedy Johnston
* A Good Year for the Roses - George Jones
* The Grand Tour - George Jones
* The Race is On - George Jones
* Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
* Transmission - Joy Division
* Corpus Christi Bay - Robert Earl Keen
* So I Can Take My Rest - Robert Earl Keen
* Stand By Me - Ben E. King
* Victoria - The Kinks
* Tom Jones Levitation - Jon Langford
* There She Goes - The La's
* Achilles Last Stand - Led Zeppelin
* Dazed and Confused - Led Zeppelin
* Going to California - Led Zeppelin
* How Do You Sleep? - John Lennon
* Imagine - John Lennon
* Jealous Guy - John Lennon
* Plastic Ono Band (whole album) - John Lennon
* Rabbit Fur Coat (whole album) - Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins
* Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
* Talkin' to the Wino Too - David Lindley
* Tutti-Fruiti - Little Richard
* 15 Years in Indiana - Jack Logan
* Alone Again Or - Love
* All Men are Liars - Nick Lowe
* Coal Miner's Daughter - Loretta Lynn
* Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man - Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty
* Van Lear Rose (whole album) - Loretta Lynn
* A New England - Kirsty MacColl
* They Don't Know - Kirsty MacColl
* You're the One - Shane MacGowan
* Ray of Light - Madonna
* Gardenia - Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
* Ramp of Death - Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
* No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley
* Tear Drop - Massive Attack
* Biker Like an Icon - Paul McCartney
* Maybe I'm Amazed (live version) - Paul McCartney
* Both Sides, Now - Joni Mitchell
* Carey - Joni Mitchell
* A Case of You - Joni Mitchell
* The Hissing of Summer Lawns - Joni Mitchell
* River - Joni Mitchell
* Cast No Shadows - The Mekons
* Cowboy Boots - The Mekons
* The Curse - The Mekons
* Hello Cruel World - The Mekons
* I Have Been to Heaven and Back - The Mekons
* King Arthur - The Mekons
* The Olde Trip to Jerusalem - The Mekons
* Wild and Blue (cover of John Anderson song) - The Mekons
* You Wear it Well - The Mekons (cover of Rod Stewart song)
* Astral Weeks (whole album) - Van Morrison
* Cleaning Windows - Van Morrison
* Jackie Wilson Said - Van Morrison
* Rough God Goes Riding - Van Morrison
* Saint Dominic's Preview - Van Morrison
* American Tune - Willie Nelson (cover of Paul Simon song)
* Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain - Willie Nelson
* Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel
* The King of Carrot Flowers, Part One - Neutral Milk Hotel
* Louisiana 1927 - Randy Newman
* These Days - Nico
* Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
* The Last Day of Our Acquaintance - Sinéad O'Connor
* Take Me to Church - Sinéad O'Connor
* Trouble of the World - Sinéad O'Connor
* New Partner - Palace Music (Will Oldham)
* Jolene - Dolly Parton
* Shady Lane - Pavement
* Heart of Darkness - Pere Ubu
* Waiting For Mary - Pere Ubu
* Down South - Tom Petty
* American Girl - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
* Don't Come Around Here No More - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
* Free Fallin' - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
* 6' 1" - Liz Phair
* Here Comes Your Man - Pixies
* I Had to Tell You - Poi Dog Pondering (cover of Roky Erickson song)
* Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - The Police
* Synchronicity I (and II) - The Police
* The Passenger - Iggy Pop
* Blue Moon of Kentucky - Elvis Presley
* Back on the Chain Gang - The Pretenders
* Brass in Pocket - The Pretenders
* Don't Get Me Wrong - The Pretenders
* Middle of the Road - The Pretenders
* My City Was Gone - The Pretenders
* Little Red Corvette - Prince
* Purple Rain (whole album) - Prince
* Starfish and Coffee - Prince
* All the Best - John Prine
* Angle from Montgomery - John Prine
* How Lucky - John Prine
* I Remember Everything - John Prine
* In Spite of Ourselves - John Prine w/ Iris DeMint
* It's a Big Old Goofy World - John Prine
* Lake Marie - John Prine
* My Old Kentucky Home, Goodnight - John Prine (cover)
* Other Side of Town - John Prine
* Paradise - John Prine
* Picture Show - John Prine
* Way Back When - John Prine
* Let Down - Radiohead
* Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
* Fairytale in the Supermarket - The Raincoats
* Pinhead - Ramones
* Romeo Had Juliette - Lou Reed
* Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
* Losing My Religion - REM
* Man on the Moon - REM
* Nightswimming - REM
* Alex Chilton - The Replacements
* Can't Hardly Wait - The Replacements
* I'll Be You - The Replacements
* I Will Dare - The Replacements
* Skyway - The Replacements
* Roadrunner - Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers
* The Execution of All Things (whole album) - Rilo Kiley
* The Frug - Rilo Kiley
* A Man / Me / Then Jim - Rilo Kiley
* Portions for Foxes - Rilo Kiley
* Wires and Waves - Rilo Kiley
* 100 Yeas Ago - The Rolling Stones
* Beast of Burden - The Rolling Stones
* Dead Flowers - The Rolling Stones
* Factory Girl - The Rolling Stones
* Gimmie Shelter - The Rolling Stones
* Jumpin' Jack Flash - The Rolling Stones
* Miss You - The Rolling Stones
* Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones
* Rip This Joint - The Rolling Stones
* Shattered - The Rolling Stones
* She Smiled Sweetly - The Rolling Stones
* Sweet Black Angel - Rolling Stones
* Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones
* Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones
* Waiting on a Friend - The Rolling Stones
* You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones
* More Than This - Roxy Music
* Mineral Wells - Tom Russell
* Anarchy in the UK - The Sex Pistols
* Holidays in the Sun - The Sex Pistols
* Anchored Down in Anchorage - Michelle Shocked
* Jesus Was a Cross Maker - Judee Sill
* The Kiss - Judee Sill
* You're So Vain - Carly Simon
* Bleecker Street - Simon & Garfunkel
* Sounds of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel
* Baltimore (cover of Randy Newman song) - Nina Simone
* I Think It's Going to Rain Today (cover of Randy Newman song) - Nina Simone
* I Wish I Knew How it Would to Be Free - Nina Simone
* New World Coming - Nina Simone
* The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra
* Dance Song '97 - Sleater-Kinney
* Entertain - Sleater-Kinney
* Good Things - Sleater-Kinney
* Heart Attack - Sleater-Kinney
* I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone - Sleater-Kinney
* Method - Sleater-Kinney
* Modern Girl - Sleater-Kinney
* No Cities to Love - Sleater-Kinney
* One Beat - Sleater-Kinney
* A Quarter to Three - Sleater-Kinney
* Size of Our Love - Sleater-Kinney
* Start Together - Sleater-Kinney
* You're No Rock 'n' Roll Fun - Sleater-Kinney
* Miss Misery - Elliott Smith
* Waltz #2 - Elliott Smith
* Horses (whole album) - Patti Smith
* The Queen is Dead (whole album) - The Smiths
* I Kissed a Girl - Jill Sobule
* Rock Me to Sleep - Jill Sobule
* Hey Joni - Sonic Youth
* Karen Revisited - Sonic Youth
* Kool Thing - Sonic Youth
* Candy's Room - Bruce Springsteen
* New York - St. Vincent
* Ten Summoners's Tales (whole album) - Sting
* Money (That's What I Want) - Barrett Strong
* Motorcrash, back-to-back with Birthday - Sugarcubes
* You Can't Hurry Love - Supremes
* Love Story - Taylor Swift
* And She Was - Talking Heads
* Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) - Talking Heads
* The Lady Don't Mind - Talking Heads
* Life During Wartime - Talking Heads
* Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
* This Must be the Place (Naïve Melody) - Talking Heads
* Marquee Moon (whole album) - Television
* My Girl - The Temptations
* Whiskey in the Jar - Thin Lizzy
* Beeswing - Richard Thompson
* Persuasion - Richard Thompson (with Teddy Thompson)
* I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight - Richard & Linda Thompson
* Shoot Out the Lights (whole album) - Richard & Linda Thompson
* Rock Me to Sleep - Sally Timms (cover of Jill Sobule song)
* Let My Love Open the Door - Pete Townshend
* Rough Mix (whole album) - Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane
* Tulare Dust: A Songwriters' Tribute to Merle Haggard (whole album) - various artists
* Dreams - TV on the Radio
* Achtung Baby (whole album) - U2
* I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (live version from Rattle & Hum) - U2
* Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of - U2
* If I Needed You - Townes Van Zandt
* Pancho & Lefty - Townes Van Zandt
* Turning Japanese - The Vapors
* Texas Flood (whole album) - Stevie Ray Vaughan
* Nine Objects of Desire (whole album) - Suzanne Vega
* All Tomorrow's Parties - Velvet Underground
* Stephanie Says - Velvet Underground
* Sweet Jane - Velvet Underground
* The Drugs Don't Work - The Verve
* Be-Bop-a-Lula - Gene Vincent
* Jersey Girl - Tom Waits
* Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson (whole album) - various artists
* I Can See for Miles - The Who
* Live at Leeds (whole album) - The Who
* Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand - The Who
* Who Are You - The Who
* Philadelphia Story - The Wild Colonials
* Jambalaya - Hank Williams
* Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (whole album) - Lucinda Williams
* Side of the Road - Lucinda Williams
* Frying Pan - Victoria Williams
* Summer of Drugs - Victoria Williams
* This Moment - Victoria Williams
* Across the Alley from the Alamo - Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys
* Higher and Higher - Jackie Wilson
* Band on the Run (whole album...especially the song Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five) - Wings
* Listen to What the Man Said - Wings
* Venus & Mars (Reprise) - Wings
* Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
* Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
* I Wish - Stevie Wonder
* Master Blaster (Jammin') - Stevie Wonder
* Los Angeles - X
* Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
* Close to the Edge (whole album) - Yes
* Desperados Under the Eaves - Warren Zevon
* Mutineer - Warren Zevon
* Reconsider Me - Warren Zevon
* Searching For a Heart - Warren Zevon
The Early Years
So when I was a kiddie growing up in the sophisticated gulf coast metropolis of Jones Creek, Texas, these three were the first pop songs I was really aware of.
My older brother Charles gave me his 45 of Up on Cripple Creek; I used to spin it on my toy Close n' Play phonograph.
The other two songs were top of the pops circa 1970 on rock radio KILT-610 in houston. Just thought you might be interested.
* Up on Cripple Creek - The Band
* Take a Letter, Maria - RB Greaves
* Arizona - Mark Lindsay
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