100 favorite songs of all time (Part 7)

This post is part of a series counting down my favorite songs of all time. Follow the links at the bottom of this post to read related posts.

70. Daniel Johnston – Living Life

I have always been a strong believer that skill is not a barometer for talent. A technically skilled musician does not necessarily make for a talented musician. Conversely, a talented musician can be technically unskilled. That’s the great revelation provided by punk rock, and that’s the story of Daniel Johnston. Johnston seems to have an understanding of basic elements of songwriting, but other skills like, uh, the ability to sing in key or play in time, are a little beyond him. Still, he’s capable of charming pop tunes like “Living Life,” a piano-driven McCartney-esque tune. It’s a rough-hewn song, but like Michelangelo’s unfinished sculptures, Johnston has chipped enough away to expose the beauty that lies beneath. The impetus to grasp the beauty belongs to the beholder.

69. Gang Starr – I’m the Man

I still can’t believe Guru died earlier this year. Next to OutKast, Gang Starr might be my favorite rap group ever. I had a tough time picking just one track. And to be honest, this song is actually fairly average for the first two-thirds of the track. Guru starts up with a decent verse, then passes the mic to Lil’ Dap from Group Home for a mediocre minute. But then it’s Jeru the Damaja’s turn and he absolutely slays it. DJ Premier also drops an amazing beat that quotes song #96 on this list, “II B.S.” by Charles Mingus. And then it’s over. Basically, the last minute of the song blew my mind when I was a kid. It still does.

68. The Shirelles – Baby It’s You

This Bacharach-David tune is just perfect pop. The Shirelles recorded the original version of this prime example of the Brill Building sound, but it’s been covered by a bunch of other bands since, including The Beatles. But to my ears, The Beatles cover is a little tepid when compared to the original. Slightly seductive but peppered with a pinch of sorrow, Shirley Owens delivers the tune with such ease that it sounds like she isn’t even trying. And the production is a solid flourish that manages to encapsulate the girl group sound better than any other tune, save for Phil Spector productions

67. Yo La Tengo – Stockholm Syndrome

Not to be confused with the Muse song or the Blink 182 classic of the same name, Yo La Tengo’s “Stockholm Syndrome” is a wistful little indie rock ditty that features one of my favorite guitar solos of all time. I really don’t care much about guitar solos, but Ira Kaplan lays out a beauty on this track. Kaplan is of the Neil Young school of guitar soloing, meaning that the playing is more about passion than technical precision. And I do find that inspiring. In fact, this is one of the few songs I can play on guitar. It might be the second song I learned to play. And yes, I kinda figured out how to play the solo, too.

66. Richard and Linda Thompson – I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

I had to get at least one song about the weekend on this list. It was either this or “Weekend” by The Dictators. Anyway, as an office shill, this song has more relevance now than say, prior to graduation from college. But I’ve always dug the song. Linda Thompson has one of those unforgettable, angelic voices. And even though she’s relatively restrained on this track, there’s a soaring quality to the tune. It’s a bit of a choogle, to be sure. But I get the tinglies every time the chorus fires up and the backup vocals kick in. Interestingly, I recently learned about Linda Thompson’s struggles with spasmodic dysphonia. It’s a tragedy that such an affliction should beset such a tremendous voice.

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