SJ.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs TOP SONG ON PAGE 10

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

Not to worry, SoCalDude ... although a rather predictable vote, given your handle.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

Crap, crap, CRAP! Stupid work trip last week! Stupid 10-hour drive on Saturday! Stupid, er, Indianapolis 500 and Monaco GP on Sunday!

I forgot to submit my fucking votes for this!

Love Superdrag and the Raspberries making the countdown. Love the entire thread.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

A few more songs/artists who received single votes:

No. 193: PSYCHOKILLER -- The Talking Heads

One of the best songs by a band with one of the coolest names. David Byrne was well ahead of the curve on wearing the shoulder pads, too.

No. 192: MAGGIE MAY -- Rod Stewart

Rod belting out one of his best songs, before he turned to disco, broadway, USO tunes, etc.

No. 191: AUTOBAHN -- Kraftwerk

This song (and band) was influential as hell for much of the 1980s pop music that followed. Including ...

No. 190: MR. BRIGHTSIDE -- The Killers

... which would be a 2000s band channeling a 1980s band channeling ...

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

Thanks man.

I'll be sure to give a heads-up before a certain band makes its appearance somewhere in the top 50 ...

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

No. 189: HEROIN -- The Velvet Underground

Really, this might be one of the best songs of the entire 1960s.

Obviously, Lou Reed's a great songwriter (not so hot as a singer, but he does well enough) ... but the Velvets were more than just Lou. Great band, great song.

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No. 188: EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE -- The Police
No. 187: I WILL POSSESS YOUR HEART -- Death Cab for Cutie

Two songs about stalking, separated by one generation and about 25 years.

When Will Smith's kid samples Death Cab's song, the circle will be complete.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

No. 186: BAKER STREET -- Gerry Rafferty

The video features highlights of the song ... with Lisa Simpson. One the better "Simpsons" episodes.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

No. 185: PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT -- Meatloaf

Two things about this video clip:

1. Chosen because there's no need to see Meatloaf waddle around the stage singing it.

2. My favorite comment, directed toward the dude who put the thing together: "Really good. You're playing the girl too, right?"

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

No. 184: WHITE ROOM -- Cream
No. 183: PRETTY IN PINK -- The Psychedelic Furs
No. 182: ANARCHY IN THE U.K. -- The Sex Pistols

So ... of these three songs, two of them among the most famous rock songs of the 1960s and 70s, which video shall we pick?

That's right:

Chose the live version rather than the Molly Ringwald tribute. Pretty in Pink the song=good stuff. Pretty in Pink the movie=Ugh.

 

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No. 181: LIGHT MY FIRE -- The Doors

Here's their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. And no, Jim Morrison doesn't change the words "girl we couldn't get much higher." Instead, he absolutely shreds on vocals.

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

Hello, I'm Johnny Cash ...

No. 180: FOLSOM PRISON BLUES -- Johnny Cash

Only one of the best opening tracks on any album, any genre ...

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

OK, the final two songs with single votes for that artist (I'll explain in a bit):

No. 179: AMERICAN PIE -- Don McLean
No. 178: PARANOID -- Black Sabbath

We'll let the images do the talking for these two classics:



(I have this sheet music stashed somewhere near my guitar case, sans autograph)



For such a foreboding band, what a lame-ass album cover.

How would you like to be the guy who dressed up in his pajamas and bicycle helmet, wielded a plastic sword, and had his picture snapped by Ozzy and company?

Immortality, I guess ...

 

Re: SportsJournalists.com Memorial Day 300 rock songs COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY

A quick note about the method to this madness:

We had roughly 400 votes cast for more than 200 different artists. Although there's not a 786-way tie for first, as some guessed would happen, only six songs received three votes each. Twenty-three songs received two votes each.

So how to rank the rest?

I figured any artist getting one vote would be tied for "last" in our countdown. That's what we've listed so far.

After that, I'm going to artists with more than one song nominated. Beginning with one of the more surprising picks, from two different voters:

No. 177: GOODBYE STRANGER -- Supertramp (also receiving a vote: "Take the Long Way Home")

The video is of an old-fashioned stereo console spinning the "Breakfast in America" LP. Fitting, since both votes were from songs on that album.