Top Ten Pop-Rocks

No, I haven't been watching High Fidelity. I just was thinking about a great song and thought it might be worth a minute or two to make a list of my ten favorite Pop/Rock songs ever written. However, I have neither the time nor the desiciveness to really compile a master list. So here are the songs I thought of off the top of my head:

I decided to go from gayest to least gay to steadily increase my street cred as a knowlegable musician:

#10 Alannah Myles: Black Velvet

God help me this song makes me crank up the radio and sing along. This may be the gayest song I love.



#9 Imogen Heap: Hide and Seek

One girl and a vo-coder somehow made one of the most dynamic "acapella" songs I've ever heard. She's cool.



#8 Nine Inch Nails: Ruiner

I get no love or props for the NIN. However, in my youth I fell in love with them and this song stuck with me. Enjoy the film as it is some stupid geek's video for Final Fantasy Bajillion.



#7 Journey: Seperate Ways

This song kicks ass from front to back. It's everything that's melodic and heavy about Journey. But -10 points for air-keyboard playing. Bad form.



#6 Toto: Hold the Line

And your little dog too! This may be the gayest looking band of the bunch (they look like fat lounge versions of Journey to be honest). But this song has a chorus to be reckoned with. A heavy riff with three part harmony as only Toto can provide.



#5 The Beach Boys: Good Vibrations

After Barbara Ann and Surfin USA, they put out this tune. Thanks to some drugs, the Manson family, and a Theremin, this song may be one of the best pop songs of the sixties.



#4 The Beatles: Heavy (I Want You)

This riff gets stuck in my head for days. But something about that original analog recording and the way it builds through static at the end always leaves me wanting more. And what says "I WANT YOU" like some angsty lesbians?



#3 Tool: Aenema

Yes this is a long-ass prog-rock tool epic. However, it may be some of the most petty and bitter of all of their lyrics. In one song it describes everything that sucks about them Californians and why the whole coast should fall into the ocean. "Fuck L. Ron Hubbard and fuck all his clones."




#2 Eric Clapton covering Bob Dylan: Don't Think Twice, It's Allright

This was Eric Clapton's contribution to the Bob Dylan's 50th Anniversary tribute concert. With the exception of the Dogs of War by Eddie Veddar, Clapton was above and beyond the best performance of the night. This also happens to be my favorite performance of his...ever!



#1 Led Zeppelin: Babe I'm Gonna Leave You

Before Chigaco had 25-6-4 and long before Green Day had Brain Stew, Led Zeppelin recording this, the heaviest rendition of those 5 classic notes. It's primal yet romantic. And what says romance like Spock battling Captain Kirk to the death for the love of a woman.



And honorable mention goes to Kansas:



Well, there you have it. I'm sure there are MUCH better songs out there. Feel free to remind me in some talk backage. I don't mind remeniscing. Until next time, here's a take on the most overplayed song in history: