Pedestrian At Best (Part One) (Patreon)

In my recent podcast discussion with the Great Peter Labuza (coming soon to an Internet near you), the prospect of writing about matters other than film was addressed. I mentioned how I doubted there were a great many outlets available for my musings on other artforms, let alone politics. But the fact is, I just don't have much of value to say in some areas, and certainly nothing that another writer couldn't say much, much better. I am envious of those polymaths like Noel Murray, who are equally adept at criticizing film, TV, and popular music. I just have a fairly narrow lane, I'm afraid.

And my taste in music is not too adventurous. Although I am very committed to experimental music in the classical category -- having a particular fondness for Iannis Xenakis, Edgard Varese, and Luigi Nono -- my popular music slate is sorely lacking. 

Periodically there are memes on Twitter, along the lines of "ONE LIKE  = ONE FAVORITE SONG / ALBUM / PERFORMANCE / ROADIE," et cetera. I don't think my pedestrian faves should clutter up anyone's timeline. But this post is the first half of a list of what I think -- THINK -- are my 100 favorite songs of all time. These fifty cover the first half of the alphabet, and are listed in the faux-alphabetical style of Apple Music, where first names take precedence. (I didn't feel like correcting this tic.)

This 50 is winnowed down from about 140 selections from A-M. The choices were tough. In some cases, I could have chosen other songs among my favorites that would have made my taste look better, more cosmopolitan and diverse. But I decided to be honest, in terms of which songs I seek out and never, ever skip.

So prepare to be disappointed! My musical scope is nothing like my cinephilia. It's really kind of a joke.

1. ADAM ANT - "Goody Two Shoes"

2. THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT - "Prime Time"

3. ALANIS MORRISETTE - "Hands Clean"

4. ANDREW BIRD - "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left"

5. ARCADE FIRE - "The Suburbs"

6. BATTLES - "Atlas"

7. BIG STAR - "Kangaroo"

8. BLACK SHEEP - "The Choice is Yours"

9. BLUMFELD - "2 oder 3 Dinge, die ich von Dir weiss"

10. BRIAN ENO - "Needle in the Camel's Eye"

11. CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND - "Tropical Hot Dog Night"

12. CAT POWER - "He War"

13. CHINA CRISIS - "Christian"

14. COMPULSION - "Delivery" (aka "Basket Case")

15. CORNELIUS - "Gum"

16. CRACKER - "Forever"

17. THE CURE - "The Caterpillar"

18. DAVID BOWIE - "Life On Mars?" (changed from "TVC15")

19. DEPECHE MODE - "Everything Counts"

20. DEVO - "Beautiful World"

21. ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS - "Night Rally" (changed from "Riot Act")

22. FALCO - "Der Kommissar"

23. FOO FIGHTERS - "Everlong"

24. THE FOUR TOPS - "Reach Out I'll Be There"

25. GARY NUMAN / TUBEWAY ARMY - "Are 'Friends' Electric?"

26. GLEN CAMPBELL - "Wichita Lineman"

27. HOLE - "Violet"

28. INXS - "Don't Change"

29. JAWBOX - "Savory"

30. JAY-Z - "D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)"

31. JEFF BUCKLEY - "Grace"

32. JOHN CARROLL BAND - "People Who Died"

33. JOANNA NEWSOM - "Anecdotes"

34. JOHN GRANT - "I Wanna Go to Marz"

35. JONI MITCHELL - "God Must Be a Boogie Man"

36. JUSTICE - "DVNO"

37. KATE BUSH - "Pull Out the Pin" 

38. KILLING JOKE - "Love Like Blood"

39. THE KNACK - "My Sharona"

40. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - "Losing My Edge"

41. LEONARD COHEN - "The Stranger Song"

42. LIZ PHAIR - "Animal Girl"

43. LL COOL J - "Going Back to Cali"

44. LOU REED & JOHN CALE - "Forever Changed"

45. M.I.A. - "Boyz"

46. M83 - "Midnight City"

47. MANIC STREET PREACHERS - "You Stole The Sun From My Heart"

48. MINUTEMEN - "Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing"

49. THE MODERN LOVERS - "Modern World"

50. MORRISSEY - "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful"

Part two coming after the waves of shame die down...