Bored and short on originality, I ripped off Rayner's latest blog post :

My 15 Favourite Songs (in no particular order)

15. Cherokee
This one's a jazz standard - I quite like Clifford Brown's interpretation on 'Study in Brown' - super fast. A simple, poignant melody rendered with a kind of bittersweet energy when traditionally interpreted in double-time.

14. Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits
I told myself I HAD to include some dire straits and it took a bit of thinking before I chose this over 'Portobello Belle'. I love this song for the empathy for the sordid state of humanity that's evident in Mark Knopfler's songwriting. And also the killer guitar solo.

13. Teen Town by Weather Report
Not much to say. It's brilliant.

12. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend by The Ramones
Nothing quite encapsulates the early Ramones aesthetic than this song. The blockish simplicity is completely purposeful - 'Hey little girl, I wanna be your boyfriend. Sweet little girl, I wanna be your boyfriend. Do you love me babe? What do you say?' No mucking about with abstracts here, and that is the middle class pathos that the Ramones captured so well.

11. Sir Psycho Sexy by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
I said before that Anthony Kiedis' songwriting took a downhill turn when he stopped writting about sex. This comes from way before that. His lyrics are unbelievably dirty but shakespearean in their wordplay. 'There's a devil in my dick, there's some demons in my semen'

10. Flamenco Sketches and Sanctuary by Miles Davis
Double entry because I'm afraid of running out of space. Miles plays the same way on both tracks but sounds completely different. His gift for arrangement is unparalleled. Flamenco sketches sounds almost primitive in its simple melody and ghostly harmonies, almost primevial - on the other hand, Sanctuary is urban, dense and complex, but possessed of the same wonder.

9. Sliver by Nirvana
Horrific, shocking angst and anger. When Cobain starts screaming 'Grandma take me home' the whole of my childhood comes falling down on my head like so many cinder blocks made out of teenage angst. He achieves this without singing about blood or darkness or night or cutting himself, for many bonus points.

8. Gigantic by The Pixies
Of course it's about sex - but like all good lyrics it references much more profound ideas - 'Gigantic / A big big love'. I love the simple chords and the sincere delivery.

7. Best of Both Worlds by Van Halen
Such a happy song, and such a guitar solo. I can't think of a reason to put this up here other than the happy feelings it fills me with. Props to the bassist I guess, for playing only one note throughout the whole song?

6. Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles
Mysterious, quiet and brilliantly arranged. A melody worthy of McCartney's extraordinary ability.

5. Crossroads and Walkin' Blues by Eric Clapton
Clapton is a master of the blues. When he plays, you feel it in your stomach. Unbelievable.

4. New York, New York by Frank Sinatra
This one's about the American Dream, and when he sings it, you believe it. 'These little town blues/are melting away/I'll make a brand new start of it, in old New York'

3. Son of Mr. Green Genes by Frank Zappa
I'm not very familiar with Zappa's oeuvre, but this one caught my attention from what I have.

2. Impressions by John Coltrane
More of the live version with Eric Dolphy than the album version, but hey. They're both great. Coltrane's intensity shows here, as well is his impeccable logic and his prismatic phrases. Dolphy burns with a more abrasive, atonal sort of intensity.

1. Slither by Velvet Revolver
Sure, disgusting corporate rock which probably doesn't mean anything but damn if it isn't catchy.



Hmm. I've left out a lot. Can't be helped I guess, but a few honorable mentions:

Raining Blood by Slayer
Could You Be the One by Husker Du
Opus Pocus by Jaco Pastorius
Love Foolosophy by Jamiroquai
Honeysuckle Rose by Jane Monheit
Take the 'A' Train by Duke Ellington
All Along the Watch Tower and Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
Una Muy Bonita by Ornette Coleman
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi by Radiohead
Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap

Ahh fuck it. It's impossible.

adam