#45 - 41
#45
"Black" - Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam completely revolutionized the alternative-rock power ballad. This is essentially what becomes of cavemen like hair metal power ballads when it's straightened out, removing the stereotypical power licks, and singing about somber withdrawal rather than gushy love. So in a sense, it's absolutely nothing like a power ballad. But whatever it is, Pearl Jam completely revolutionized it. This was there first of many emotionally angsty, crooning and crushing at the same time kind of songs. And their first is absolutely best. It starts out dim and pretty, but soon turns into a monster with a distant pianoline and crying guitars while Eddie Vedder gets his angst on. But this isn't psuedo-angst like in a lot of present day music. You can tell in his wailing vocals there's a depth of pain. This song absolutely touches me on that level. It's just an amazingly depressing song, yet so perfectly strung together that it stands the test of time. Pearl Jam's finest track they've ever released (Yeah, I said it.)
"I know some day, you'll have a beautiful life
I know you'll be a star, in somebody else's sky
But why
Why
Why can't it be
Why can't it be mine?"
#44
"Rapper's Delight" - Sugarhill Gang
C-l-a-s-s-i-c. It doesn't matter what type of music you listen to, you have to realize this is one of the most sacred and time-honored songs in rap history, or.. hell, even music history. It's the "Stairway to Heaven" of hip-hop. But even putting that aside, the song is absolutely groovy. The bumping bassline is seriously funky while the Gang starts flowing insanely well over it. I have yet to hear anyone--rock, hip-hop, or otherwise--sound so smooth. The entire song is insanely infectious, and even a comatose patient couldn't resist bopping their head to the beat. And while the music and vocals are well above par, even the substance is amazingly guided. Unlike today where all rap is about the po-po, and ho's, and bling-bling, this song contains lyrics about what hip-hop is really about: feeling the flow. But it digresses from there, which includes the last verse talking about eating over at a friend's house, but politely trying not to eat the disgusting looking food. Silly as it sounds, it still sounds like genius with the thumping bassline behind it. When I was a junior in high school, I made it a goal of mine to memorize all the words to it. I forget a few lines when I do it by myself, but nail it dead on when I have an accompanament. Flat out, best hip-hop song of all time.
#43
"Force Ten" - Rush
Masterful musicians score with this one. Rush has always been a band for musicians. But they attack this song with beautiful precision that you barely notice the scant structure that would elude the casual listener. If you're ever looking for a song to back an argument that Geddy Lee is one of the best bassists ever, this is a good one to start with. The bass chords he churns out at the intro and throughout the song are wild. The man is a god with the 4-string. The song revolves around the ambiance and cosmic display of the keyboards painting a surreal visual in front of the highspeed rock riff that Alex Lifeson drills out. Lee's vocals also strike gold, not immediately drawing into his plainly overused falsetto. He supresses his usual near-feminine vocals to give it a real prog-metalish form. Add on top of all that that Neil fucking Peart is playing drums, and you have a spec-fucking-tacular arena rock anthem. And frankly, it's one of Rush's most overlooked songs.
#42
"The Call of Ktulu" - Metallica
I'm left amazed every time I hear it. Maybe not so much as I was the first couple times, but still, I am left in awe. I remember being completely baffled at how they could even begin to write something this amazing. It's completely orchestraic, but sans the orchestra. Now that I myself am a writer, I can conceive how this was written. But that doesn't make it any less amazing. It's easily in the running for greatest rock instrumental ever. The misty intro erupts into a flurry of finger-plucking riffage. And when Kirk cranks out a massive solo, it completely fits with the dark mood, never showing off too much, and staying in the dire theme. The song repeats itself, but adds new elements every time through, so it doesn't get boring. It all leads up to the monstrous explosion at the 6:55 marker. The guitars bellow out a crushing riff while the drums blast out a massive tom-tom attack. It sounds very dark and villainous. A say your prayers-moment, if you will. The song calms down back into a repeat of the intro afterwards until it ritards to the brilliantly constructed dynamic crescendoing outro. As an instrumentalist, I take a lot of influence from this song. Absolute brilliance.
#41
"Would?" - Alice in Chains
Deep, dark, and disturbing. AiC was very good at that. The lonely dribble of the bassline cranked out by Mikey Inez sets off the despondant guitarline laid forth by Jerry Cantrell. Not to be overlooked is Sean Kinney who is all over his set, drilling on his toms one minute and rallying on his high hat the next. The lonely verse, sung by Jerry, seems calm next to the storm of the chorus, revealing Layne Staley's finest vocal performance on record. And Jerry's twiddling solo in between is very befitting. The song is arguably AiC's greatest. There is not a bad nanosecond to be heard. Beautiful in it's dark melody and twisted lyrics. It truly was a stepping stone in the world of hard rock. I can think of a couple examples where entire bands have been influenced, not only by AiC, but directly to this song. My LJ format, title, and Friends Page title are all still homage from this song. It's that good, it is.
"Into the flood again
Same old trip it was back then
So I made a big mistake
Try to see it once my way
Am I wrong?
Have I run too far to get home?
Have I gone...
And left you here alone?
If I would, could you?"
"Black" - Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam completely revolutionized the alternative-rock power ballad. This is essentially what becomes of cavemen like hair metal power ballads when it's straightened out, removing the stereotypical power licks, and singing about somber withdrawal rather than gushy love. So in a sense, it's absolutely nothing like a power ballad. But whatever it is, Pearl Jam completely revolutionized it. This was there first of many emotionally angsty, crooning and crushing at the same time kind of songs. And their first is absolutely best. It starts out dim and pretty, but soon turns into a monster with a distant pianoline and crying guitars while Eddie Vedder gets his angst on. But this isn't psuedo-angst like in a lot of present day music. You can tell in his wailing vocals there's a depth of pain. This song absolutely touches me on that level. It's just an amazingly depressing song, yet so perfectly strung together that it stands the test of time. Pearl Jam's finest track they've ever released (Yeah, I said it.)
"I know some day, you'll have a beautiful life
I know you'll be a star, in somebody else's sky
But why
Why
Why can't it be
Why can't it be mine?"
#44
"Rapper's Delight" - Sugarhill Gang
C-l-a-s-s-i-c. It doesn't matter what type of music you listen to, you have to realize this is one of the most sacred and time-honored songs in rap history, or.. hell, even music history. It's the "Stairway to Heaven" of hip-hop. But even putting that aside, the song is absolutely groovy. The bumping bassline is seriously funky while the Gang starts flowing insanely well over it. I have yet to hear anyone--rock, hip-hop, or otherwise--sound so smooth. The entire song is insanely infectious, and even a comatose patient couldn't resist bopping their head to the beat. And while the music and vocals are well above par, even the substance is amazingly guided. Unlike today where all rap is about the po-po, and ho's, and bling-bling, this song contains lyrics about what hip-hop is really about: feeling the flow. But it digresses from there, which includes the last verse talking about eating over at a friend's house, but politely trying not to eat the disgusting looking food. Silly as it sounds, it still sounds like genius with the thumping bassline behind it. When I was a junior in high school, I made it a goal of mine to memorize all the words to it. I forget a few lines when I do it by myself, but nail it dead on when I have an accompanament. Flat out, best hip-hop song of all time.
#43
"Force Ten" - Rush
Masterful musicians score with this one. Rush has always been a band for musicians. But they attack this song with beautiful precision that you barely notice the scant structure that would elude the casual listener. If you're ever looking for a song to back an argument that Geddy Lee is one of the best bassists ever, this is a good one to start with. The bass chords he churns out at the intro and throughout the song are wild. The man is a god with the 4-string. The song revolves around the ambiance and cosmic display of the keyboards painting a surreal visual in front of the highspeed rock riff that Alex Lifeson drills out. Lee's vocals also strike gold, not immediately drawing into his plainly overused falsetto. He supresses his usual near-feminine vocals to give it a real prog-metalish form. Add on top of all that that Neil fucking Peart is playing drums, and you have a spec-fucking-tacular arena rock anthem. And frankly, it's one of Rush's most overlooked songs.
#42
"The Call of Ktulu" - Metallica
I'm left amazed every time I hear it. Maybe not so much as I was the first couple times, but still, I am left in awe. I remember being completely baffled at how they could even begin to write something this amazing. It's completely orchestraic, but sans the orchestra. Now that I myself am a writer, I can conceive how this was written. But that doesn't make it any less amazing. It's easily in the running for greatest rock instrumental ever. The misty intro erupts into a flurry of finger-plucking riffage. And when Kirk cranks out a massive solo, it completely fits with the dark mood, never showing off too much, and staying in the dire theme. The song repeats itself, but adds new elements every time through, so it doesn't get boring. It all leads up to the monstrous explosion at the 6:55 marker. The guitars bellow out a crushing riff while the drums blast out a massive tom-tom attack. It sounds very dark and villainous. A say your prayers-moment, if you will. The song calms down back into a repeat of the intro afterwards until it ritards to the brilliantly constructed dynamic crescendoing outro. As an instrumentalist, I take a lot of influence from this song. Absolute brilliance.
#41
"Would?" - Alice in Chains
Deep, dark, and disturbing. AiC was very good at that. The lonely dribble of the bassline cranked out by Mikey Inez sets off the despondant guitarline laid forth by Jerry Cantrell. Not to be overlooked is Sean Kinney who is all over his set, drilling on his toms one minute and rallying on his high hat the next. The lonely verse, sung by Jerry, seems calm next to the storm of the chorus, revealing Layne Staley's finest vocal performance on record. And Jerry's twiddling solo in between is very befitting. The song is arguably AiC's greatest. There is not a bad nanosecond to be heard. Beautiful in it's dark melody and twisted lyrics. It truly was a stepping stone in the world of hard rock. I can think of a couple examples where entire bands have been influenced, not only by AiC, but directly to this song. My LJ format, title, and Friends Page title are all still homage from this song. It's that good, it is.
"Into the flood again
Same old trip it was back then
So I made a big mistake
Try to see it once my way
Am I wrong?
Have I run too far to get home?
Have I gone...
And left you here alone?
If I would, could you?"