Immediately whisks me back to the Christmas morning I unwrapped by Nintendo Entertainment System and came face-to-face with this chubby Italian plumber and his identical, green-clad brother for the first time. An unmitigated classic!
96. "Take Me Home" (Phil Collins)
If I didn't lose you when I included Extreme and ABBA on this list, I may lose you now. Guess what? I don't care. 100 Songs I Love is not about proving to the thousands of people who visit this site on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times throughout the day, how hip and cool I am. No! It is about sharing with you, my friends and loyal readers, the music that means so much to me, and, yeah, Phil Collins has written some of that music. If that makes me lame, then call me Lamerick Von Lameypants the Third. But not to my face please. I'm a very sensitive man.
97. "Story of An Artist" (Daniel Johnston)
A simple, yet beautiful, song written and performed by a true American original. If you're not familiar with the music of Daniel Johnston, familiarize yourself. Now.
98. "Definition" (Black Star)
I'm fairly certain there has never been, nor will there ever be, a hip-hop team-up as electrifying as Mos Def and Talib Kweli of Black Star. If I'm wrong, feel free to let me know, but I don't expect many arguments.
99. "Everyday Is Like Sunday" (Morrissey)
My favorite Morrissey song. There you go.
Remember when...: This song--well, a tiny part of this song anyway--was used in commercials for the NFL some time ago. I remember thinking it was weird, but as a huge fan of both Morrissey and American football, I kinda dug it.
100. "Baba O'Riley" (The Who)
When asked in the past--either by random strangers, bosom buddies or Facebook surveys of ill repute--what my #1 favorite song of all time is, I've usually responded with a, "What? You want me to pick one song of the millions upon millions that have been written since the dawn of man and deem it my very favorite? What are you, some kind of brain-fevered fool?" to which they've answered, usually through a veil of tears, "I just...sob...wanted to know...sob, sob...what kind of music...sob, sob, sob...you like...you didn't...sob...have to...sob...be so mean...sob, sob, HONK!*" to which I finally answer, "Oh. I love "Baba O'Riley by The Who. If I had to pick a favorite tune, that's probably it. Have you tried the spinach dip? It's pretty great?**" So, any list of songs I love would be wholly incomplete if I failed to include this anthem to fieldwork or teenagers or whatever the hell they're talking about. It rocks!
Well, there they were, 100 songs that I love. Of course, hundreds of songs didn't make the list, but that doesn't mean I don't love them in a way. I could probably keep this up, if I wanted to, and I kind of do, so, I think 100 Songs I Love is going to become a regular feature, one that, I think, is destined for greatness and then, inevitably, destined to be ignored by me and dropped for an indefinite amount of time (see What the WTF?!!, Sunday Bloody Sunday, 5 Lamest..., Stop Already, etc). But, hey, it'll be fun while it lasts.
Also, starting next year (i.e. any time after tomorrow), GEP will bring you it's next list of 100 somethings that I, your humble editor-and-chief, Matt Lawson, loves. Who knows what it might be? I do. It'll be the 100 Characters I Love. How's that for build up? You're right, it was terrible. Anyway, 100 Characters I Love starts in 2011 along with new features and a brand-spanking new podcast (!!!!!!!!!!) that will stick around longer than the other ones. Promise.
Visit every day. Comment often. Tell your friends. See you in 2011.
*Said questioner is blowing his/her nose, hence the "HONK!"
**This usually happens when I am at some kind of friendly get-together, like a house warming party or a church potluck dinner.
