The Top Ten Thread

[Avaitor]

I'm glad you liked that, but here's the real first 5.

Do you guys want me to just post the rest of the list? I don't think I really have it in me to write something like this up anymore.

[Foggle]

Go ahead.

[Avaitor]

35- Let's Go Crazy
34- Yesterday
33- Oh, Pretty Woman
32- Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough
31- Crocodile Rock
30- Let's Dance
29- Heart of Gold
28- Mrs. Robinson
27- A Hard Day's Night
26- I Will Always Love You
25- Need You Tonight
24- Last Train to Clarksville
23- Let's Get It On
22- Paint It Black
21- Call Me

I'll post the top 20 later. Thoughts?

[Spark Of Spirit]

As I read every title the songs flowed right into my brain again. Good picks!

[Avaitor]

Here's the top 20.

20- The Power of Love (fuck Celine Dion tho)
19- Beat It
18- House of the Rising Sun
17- Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
16- Waterfalls
15- (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay
14- Miss You
13- Sledgehammer
12- I Want to Hold Your Hand/She Loves You (yes, a tie)
11- Jack and Diane
10- Let's Stay Together
9- Smooth
8- Respect
7- Bridge Over Troubled Water
6- American Pie
5- When Doves Cry
4- I Heard It Through the Grapevine
3- Light My Fire
2- Good Vibrations
1- The Sound of Silence

[Avaitor]

Man, low comments on here. I might as well work on my next list.

[No-Personality]

Are those your favorite songs? Your votes for all-time best songs (singles)?

My list would probably be at least half Thin Lizzy and UFO.

UFO?

[Avaitor]

Are those your favorite songs? Your votes for all-time best songs (singles)?

Top 40 chart-toppers. On the Hot 100, mind you.

My list would probably be at least half Thin Lizzy and UFO.

UFO?

Strangers in the Night

[Spark Of Spirit]

It's a good list, but I could not like you for listing Smooth. Because now it's stuck in my head again.

[Avaitor]

I can't go into full detail like I used to in order to explain my remaining choices for my last list, but I can go into the basics for each of them, and I'm bored enough to do so:

35- Let's Go Crazy

In terms of musical cues and signatures, this song is pretty abnormal in its own right, but the craziest part? The opening. Which also works as perfect atmosphere, and sets up for one of Prince's best.

34- Yesterday

Some say this is when the Beatles smarted up, and became worthy of praise. Others say that they have always been laudable. Either way, this is a pretty perfect little pop song.

33- Oh, Pretty Woman

This one is easy to have been ruined for you, thanks to a particular movie and Sunny in Philly episode, but damn if it isn't catchy.

32- Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough

MJ's first great solo track. At least to top the charts, that is.

31- Crocodile Rock

Elton sells this bitter take on nostalgia based on the tone of his voice and keys. Easily among his finest.

30- Let's Dance

One word, three letters- SRV. 'Nuff said.

29- Heart of Gold

I'd argue that Neil Young has made plenty of stronger tracks, but this is his only one to top the charts, and it's a wonder., selling his trademark voice and lyrical shuffling as well as he usually can.

28- Mrs. Robinson

Unbelievably catchy. Made for one of the best movies ever made by one of the best songwriters ever made, and both will forever stand the test of time.

27- A Hard Day's Night

The opening chord sold millions, and the rest never let go. It's one of their best.

26- I Will Always Love You

This was a last-minute addition to my list, but a few listens of it made me realize just how strong Whitney's performance was. It has every right to be as beloved as it is.

25- Need You Tonight

I don't think anyone was able to sell sex and sincerity so equally well as Michael Hutchence. His time on here was brief, but with unforgettable music like this, he forever made his mark on this planet.

24- Last Train to Clarksville

One of the cornerstones of the 60's, everything you need to know about the decade is present in this one song by a band people thought didn't even play their own instruments.

23- Let's Get It On

Besides Hutchence, Marvin Gaye could do it all, like here, in the definitive baby making track.

22- Paint It Black

The reason we still talk about the Stones today, and why many preferred them to the other giant British band of the time, was prevalent in songs like this. Wonderful ambience combines perfectly with musical and lyrical anguish in one of their sharpest numbers.

21- Call Me

Not Maybe. Blondie did it best.

20- The Power of Love

The best song ever written for a movie, period. A bit of 80's cheese is always fun, and few did it as memorably as Huey did.

19- Beat It

It was really hard to choose between this and "Billie Jean", as both are insanely catchy and unforgettable. But I went with this, if only for Eddie.

18- House of the Rising Sun

The Animals arguably did the best take of this stable over anyone else, as it remains one of the best of the 60's.

17- Papa Was a Rollin' Stone

Funk. Aww yeah.

16- Waterfalls

The best of both worlds, in this case, R&B and rap, are put together in this demandingly relevant 90's gem, which help to make it hold up today as one of the best of its kind.

Seriously, I can't think of too many more gripping opening lines than "A lonely mother gazing out of her window staring at a son that she just can't touch". Bam. There you go.

15- (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay

Atmosphere unlike anything else, that would've been great if Otis was still here or not.

14- Miss You

A sell-out? Fuck that. No one did disco better than the Stones.

13- Sledgehammer

The video, the lyrics, the voice, the sax, the back-ups. Do I need to say any more?

12- I Want to Hold Your Hand/She Loves You

With these two classics, a couple of British lads took over the world in a way that no mere celebrity, before or after, could possibly comprehend to happen. And yes, these songs are still infectious.

11- Jack and Diane

There's nothing but hooks on this song. Not one, but two catchy riffs, a solitary little clap repeated throughout, a strong chorus, and one hell of a breakdown. All of this fits into one of the best songs written about growing up ever conceived.

10- Let's Stay Together

So undeniably smooth. speaking of...

9- Smooth

This is basically the biggest hit ever made, give or take "Twist and Shout". Rarely does something like this work when you combine one of the most respected guitarists of all time with the singer of a then mildly successful band, but this one definitely deserved its love here.

8- Respect

Aretha wasn't asking for respect, she was DEMANDING it. And she better have got it. With a voice like hers, how could she not? I mean seriously, she is the best.

7- Bridge Over Troubled Water

Paul needed Art, if nothing else, for this song. His voice just wouldn't have cut it if he did it himself, and thankfully this turned out as well as it did.

6- American Pie

Over here, this song is WAY overplayed. So my appreciation for it is a little smaller than it would be. But it's such a giant, that I can't knock it down too much.

5- When Doves Cry

This song kept the Boss's Born in the USA from dominating the summer of '84. God bless him for that. It's not my favorite from Purple Rain, but for all rights and purposes, I can't think of many stronger pop songs.

4- I Heard It Through the Grapevine

One of the first, and finest, psychedelic soul songs recorded, Gaye sells his paranoia and passion in here like second nature. Many other covers have tried the song at different angles, but I feel that only Creedence's comes close to matching the urgency.

3- Light My Fire

All it takes is one opening drum beat to open your mind to better. This or "Like a Rolling Stone", your call. You won't go wrong, either way.

2- Good Vibrations

I only have one Beach Boys song on here? Crazy, but hey, I could've picked something worse, right? There isn't a nanosecond of wasted recording on this track.

1- The Sound of Silence

Right from the beginning, I knew this was my #1. There are so few songs that can be literally considered as perfect, and this is one of them. The only way this wouldn't have topped my list was if like, Hallowed ever went this high on the charts.

All of these choices are obvious, very well-known songs, but they're all chart toppers. Of course they are.

[Kiddington]

I'm like one of the only people that never got tired of Smooth.

Hell, they even play it over the intercom at the store I work at least once a day (give or take), and I still like it. Really not a bad song at all.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Crocodile Rock is Elton's best song, in my opinion.

[No-Personality]

imabho: Bennie and the Jets > Crocodile Rock

[Avaitor]

I like them both!

[Lord Dalek]

Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting > Bennie and the Jets > Crocodile Rock