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| "20 Favorites," from 2002 |
This time around, I've expanded my list to my 25 favorites. Many of my top favorites will never change, but the order has shifted a little in the top 5 over the past few years. Expanding the list size gives me a chance to give extra props to selections that I could have easily overlooked had my selection been more limited. The list is really a selection of my favorite "rock" songs, because it would be kind of difficult to work favorites like Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7, "William Butler Yeats Visits Lincoln Park and Escapes Unscathed" by Phil Ochs, or Billy Bragg's rendition of "The Internationale" into a predominantly metal, punk and pop collection
So, for what it's worth, here are numbers 25 through 21 of my "25 Favorites."
25: "Lose this Skin" by The Clash (from the 1980 album Sandanista!) lyrics
I discovered Sandanista! Late in my high school years and I have always thought of it as The Clash's most outstanding effort. The album was an early political education for me, for sure. It might seem kind of strange that the only song by The Clash to make it into my top 25 list features a front man other than Joe Strummer, but Tymon Dogg is just great on this track. "Lose this Skin" never fails to lighten my mood, because even though the lyrics are a little dark, they seem to speak a bit on self-empowerment and struggling on when things are tough. Joe Strummer, who is one of my all-time heroes, will make it into the countdown later.
24: "The Road I Must Travel" by The Nightwatchman (from the 2007 album One Man Revolution) lyrics | video
Tom Morello is one of my favorite artists and activists. He would certainly be in good company with the likes of Woody Guthrie and Phil Ochs. The first time I saw the video to this song, it brought tears to my eyes. The second time the video came on, I brought the kids over to the television and we danced and sang along. "The Road I Must Travel" is now a mainstay on our long road trips. You haven't heard this song until you hear belted out from the lungs of a three year-old little girl.
23: "Crazy Train" (Live) by Ozzy Osbourne with Randy Rhoads (from the 1987 album Tribute) lyrics
This is the only Ozzy song in my "25 Favorites" list, but it is not the only Randy Rhoads song in the list. I think some folks might quibble over whether or "Crazy Train" is really the best example of Randy's work, but the solo is pretty remarkable – actually better than the studio version, I think – and the vocals seem to have a lot more emotion than the studio version. I like the fact that the solo is not overly complex or flowery but it has just enough twists and turns to make it truly special. And what a riff! Absolutely one of the best metal riffs of all time! My kids go absolutely nuts when I crank this song. Horns up!
22: "Rush" by Big Audio Dynamite (from the 1991 album The Globe) lyrics | video
I have loved Big Audio Dynamite since I first heard the song "E=MC²" back in 1985. That was long before I knew anything about Mick Jones or The Clash. The Globe is probably Big Audio Dynamite's biggest-selling album, but it's actually not my favorite albums by them. That distinction goes to the wonderfully eclectic Tighten Up, Vol. 88. Starting in 1990, I bought most of Big Audio Dynamite's albums in one format or another, but it was amazingly 2003 or so by the time I picked up The Globe. I had caught bits and pieces of the song "Rush" from time to time over the years, but I still remember the day I bought The Globe very well, because I went straight out of the record store and put the CD on in my car right away. I turned it way up and I remember thinking, "Wow. I have never really heard this song until now. " I remember thinking that the song had so much going on and that it fit together so well. In the weeks following the arrival of Baby Z., K. And I would listen to the songs "Rush" and "The Globe" every day when I drove her to and from school. Great, great times.
21: "Venom" by Venom (from the bonus disc of the 1996 album Cast in Stone) lyrics
It was pretty exciting when the Kiss reunion was announced back in 1996, but in my mind, the Venom reunion in 1996 or 1997 was just as big of a deal. I first discovered Venom in 1989 – more on that in a later entry on this list – and metal was never the same for me after that. Cast in Stone was a tremendous effort as Venom's "comeback" album and even though the reunion was short-lived, the original trio put forth some solid new material. But probably the best part of Cast in Stone was the bonus disc in which the band re-record some classics. "Venom" is the final song on the bonus disc and I had never heard the song until I got the Cast in Stone album. From what I understand, Venom closed their shows with this song in the early days and at the end of the song, they would completely trash their entire stage set. It kind of sounds like they do the same at the end of the studio version. "Venom" is unlike a lot of Venom's classics in that it is a slow, grinding tune instead of a Black Metal shred-fest. It has that HUGE Venom sound complete with growling vocals by Cronos and a wailing, shrieking Mantas guitar solo. This song really gets me going! Hail Venom!
More to come!
