80. Mean Street by Van Halen

"Mean Street" by Van Halen

Written by Van Halen (Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth, Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen)
Produced by Ted Templeman
Released on Fair Warning (April 29, 1981)
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Van Halen is one of my favorite bands. More specifically, Van Halen featuring David Lee Roth is one of my favorite bands. I own every album Van Halen released with David Lee Roth but none from their Sammy Hagar era. I have nothing against Sammy Hagar; Van Halen made some excellent music with Sammy Hagar. Sammy Hagar made some excellent music both as a solo artist and as a member of Montrose. Van Halen, however, at their best, were a fun band, and they were at their most fun when David Lee Roth was leading the way. They made fun music, put on fun shows, and made fun music videos.

That being said, I also love Van Halen at their best (fun or not), and despite Fair Warning being their least fun album ("Unchained" being the notable exception), and "Mean Street" being possibly their heaviest David Lee Roth song, it still manages to be my favorite Van Halen song. Ultimately "Mean Street" is Van Halen's best song, and that is enough.

As good as Van Halen was with David Lee Roth, I feel the need to say a few words about Sammy Hagar. There are a seemingly infinite number of comparisons that can be made between Sammy and DLR because of their respective times singing and writing lyrics for Van Halen. While some of those comparisons and arguments can be fun, ultimately both of their legacies have already been established.

DLR helped Van Halen rise to stardom and ultimately influenced everything that the hair metal era became in the 1980s. Every hair band's lead singer claimed they wanted to be Robert Plant, but they really wanted to be David Lee Roth. Every hair band's lead guitarist of that era claimed they wanted to be Jimmy Page, when really they just wanted to be Eddie Van Halen.

Sammy Hagar helped make one of the all time great rock records as the lead singer of the band Montrose. Montrose's self-titled debut album is spectacular. It has no bad tracks, and is highlighted by two exceptional Hagar compositions: "Bad Motor Scooter" and "Make it Last." His solo career was much more successful than DLR's. He is also another artist who sees a disproportionate amount of love in St. Louis. I'm not entirely sure why. It's possible that some St. Louisans thought his song "Red" was actually about the St. Louis Cardinals. Once again, I'm not trying to downgrade anything about Sammy Hagar, I'm just saying that I don't really know why St. Louis and KSHE 95 love Sammy Hagar as much as they do.

Regardless, both DLR and Sammy made significant contributions to the hard rock/heavy metal canon. I just happen to prefer Van Halen with David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar without Van Halen.

Van Halen will always remind me of growing up watching MTV. Van Halen and David Lee Roth were on all the time. There are quite a few videos that stuck with me through the years that I saw during the late 1980's. I don't really remember any band in that era having more than one iconic video except Van Halen, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. Sure, the Beastie Boys wanted us to "Fight For Your Right," Paula Abdul and a cartoon cat were reminding us that "Opposite's Attract," ZZ Top was obsessed with "Legs," George Michael had "Faith" (featuring some legs), Prince crawled around naked on the floor singing about "When Doves Cry," and Aerosmith were going down singing about "Love in an Elevator," but Van Halen and David Lee Roth were crushing all of them (with the possible exception of the aforementioned Michael and Madonna). Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher," "Panama," and "Jump," and DLR's "California Girls," "Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody," and "Just Like Paradise" were all iconic and memorable, and defined what MTV was all about. They also were super fun.

At that time, I'm pretty sure I didn't actually understand the difference between Van Halen and David Lee Roth. If you had asked me when I was 8 or 9 years old what my favorite Van Halen song was, I probably would have told you "Just Like Paradise." In fact, for years I thought the sequence featuring David Lee Roth riding a floating surfboard over the audience at a show was from the video for "Panama." When I went searching for it recently, I was shocked to learn that I had those videos mixed up.

The other confusing thing about that era was that people claimed that David Lee Roth wasn't in Van Halen anymore, and I had no idea who Sammy Hagar was because I hadn't seen any of his videos or  any videos of Van Halen featuring Sammy Hagar. It really was a confusing time. Van Halen finally broke through with Sammy Hagar on MTV when they released their video for "Right Now." That video was on all the time in 1991 and 1992, but up until that point it was all about David Lee Roth even though he hadn't been in the band since 1985.

On the last post, I mentioned how simple guitar riffs can be great. There is nothing simple about the opening guitar riff for "Mean Street." It is great because of its complexity. Eddie Van Halen is a master, and his mastery of the electric guitar is on full display throughout "Mean Street." The intro features classic Eddie Van Halen finger-tapping, but he takes them to another level with his deft use of harmonics and feedback. He also plays a blazing solo, and the main driving riff carries the song. This song is really owned by Eddie. DLR's lyrics are good and fit the tone of the music, but his lyrics really shine when he gets to have fun. All of this together, though, leads to one thing, this song is great, and I love it.

Right now, "Mean Street" by Van Halen is (probably) my 80th favorite song of all time.

81. Golden Country by REO Speedwagon

"Golden Country" by REO Speedwagon

Written by Gary Richrath
Produced by Paul Leka and Billy Rose II
Released on R.E.O./T.W.O (December 1972)
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You have to understand, I've spent most of my life living in St. Louis listening to KSHE 95. Liking REO Speedwagon wasn't a choice. It was forced upon me. It could not be helped. I will not apologize, but I felt like this needed to be said.

The weird thing about being from St. Louis is that based upon what gets played on the radio here, one would assume that REO had their greatest success in the 1970's. It turns out that they actually only really took off once Kevin Cronin took control of the band, shoved aside their arena rock roots, and transformed REO into a 80's era balladeers. I will change the radio station if they start playing "Can't Fight This Feeling" or "Keep On Loving You," but I will crank it up if they play "Golden Country" or "Like You Do" or "Keep Pushin'" or "Ridin' the Storm Out (live)." So basically if a radio station outside St. Louis plays them, I'm done, but here in St. Louis, I'm singing along.

I love REO Speedwagon in much the same way that I love St. Louis. I love REO because of their early music from the 1970's that rocks a little bit harder than their later work; the good stuff that others often ignore or never see. St. Louis is the same. People outside St. Louis often see crime and murder statistics, baseball fandom, midwestern stereotypes, and, in more recent years, images of riots and protests. St. Louis is those things, but it is not only those things. REO Speedwagon is bland ballads, but it's not only bland ballads.

My view of REO is defined by my exposure to them and how many memories are tied to their music. My view of St. Louis is defined less by the city itself and more by the connections I have made with the people. I have close family here. My best friend is here. I love my job because of the incredible people who work with me. I have friends who aren't really family, but really are family even though they aren't technically family. I have other great friends, good friends, fraternity brothers, and plenty of people I'm happy to see when our paths cross. St. Louis sometimes feels like a small town because of the number of times I'm out and happen to randomly run into someone I know.

St. Louis is a sprawling metropolis that wants to act like a big city, but feels a lot like a small town. I love it, maybe more than it deserves. I almost certainly love REO Speedwagon more than they deserve.

"Golden Country" is REO at their hardest and rocking-est. It's probably also the only political song they wrote. Its lyrics speak of the inequalities apparent in the world in 1972 and of those who live in power who have the freedom to ignore those problems and the lives destroyed as a result. "Golden Country" like most of the REO songs that I love was written by their lead guitarist, the late Gary Richrath. In "Golden Country" Richrath wrote a rocker starting with the chunky guitar riff that opens the track. Riffs don't need much to be great, as Richrath illustrates on "Golden Country." Sometimes they just need the right sound and the right execution. "Golden Country" follows a typical loud-quiet-loud format, complete with epic chorus and dynamic guitar solo. Like REO's midwestern roots, it's not flashy or innovative, but it is awesome.

Right now, "Golden Country" by REO Speedwagon is, probably, my 81st favorite song of all time.

82. Over the Hills and Far Away by Led Zeppelin

"Over the Hills and Far Away" by Led Zeppelin

Written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant
Produced by Jimmy Page
Released on Houses of the Holy (March 23, 1973)
Released as single on May 24, 1973
Peaked at #51 on Billboard Hot 100
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I have fallen in love with many songs over the years. Some I have fallen out of love with, and some I continue to love through it all. At some point I have been in love with each song on this list, and many others that didn't make it. I'm not sure that I'm still head over heels for all 100 anymore, but the songs here are all still special to me in some way.

That love can manifest itself in many ways. Many songs I love are simply songs that I am extremely happy to hear when they come on the radio. Once, when I was 10, I fell in love so hard with a song that I literally wore out the cassette tape single from listening to it so much ("Life Goes On" by Poison). Sometimes I have been embarrassed to share my love for a song (i.e. "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes) and have labeled those songs as guilty pleasures. Ultimately I have tried to come to terms with my love for music and who I am as a fan of music. I don't have guilty pleasure songs anymore. If I like it, I like it.

It became too tiring to try to be seen as someone who has "good" taste in music, or to be seen as someone who is "cool" because of the music they like. Music is too diverse and fractious anyway. While one group may think your music is cool, others will think it is terrible. Eventually it won't matter because you grow too old and can't understand modern music and young people (who are the only people that matter anyway) won't care about the fact that you liked a band before they were cool or loved a song that was super uncool. Love what you love and like what you like and let everyone else do the same.

"Over the Hills and Far Away" is the first Led Zeppelin song I fell in love with. I am not sure whether I am still in love with it, but it's still a great song. It's also the first of three Led Zeppelin songs on my top 100, which makes Led Zeppelin the most represented band on my top 100.

I don't know if Led Zeppelin are my favorite band of all time, but they certainly make the short list. I seriously considered having more Zeppelin songs on my top 100. There are at least 5 of their songs I strongly considered and a couple more that could have been in the conversation. The cuts were hard, but ultimately I stuck with three.

Here are a few of the reasons I initially fell in love with "Over the  Hills and Far Away" and why I still at least like this song (well, not really just like, if I'm being honest, I still very much like like this song):

1. I was first introduced to Led Zeppelin as being the godfathers of heavy metal. "Over the Hills and Far Away" starts out as anything but heavy. Here was a "heavy metal" band creating sweet, beautiful music. It went against my expectations in a glorious way.
2. The song also rocks hard. Zeppelin, probably better than any other band, were able to mix soft and hard, quiet and loud, subdued and powerful. It's why they are more than just a great heavy metal band. They are simply a great band.
3. The ending is really cool. The electric guitars are set aside again for the acoustic. It begins to fade out as so many other songs do, but then it comes back. I remember hearing that for the first time on the radio and thinking the DJ had screwed up, started the fade out too soon, and then brought it back up when they realized their mistake. But then it was the same again the next time. I don't know if it's the best way to end a song, but it was different and interesting and felt cool. Led Zeppelin didn't just writing great music, they produced great music.

Right now, "Over the Hills and Far Away" by Led Zeppelin is, probably, my 82nd favorite song of all time.

83. Hey Jude! by Wilson Pickett

"Hey Jude" by Wilson Pickett

Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Produced by Rick Hall and Tom Dowd
Released on Hey Jude (1969)
Released as single in 1968
Peaked at #23 on Billboard Hot 100
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Why is Wilson Pickett on this list and not the Beatles? Because Wilson Pickett knows how to scream. The coda (the na-na-na section) is the payoff. McCartney, in the original does his best, but Pickett pierces my soul.

When I first heard this on a compilation album of Duane Allman's work as a session musician, I just wanted know what Allman could do with a Beatles song. Allman's guitar work is great, but I was not fully prepared for the raw fire of Wilson Pickett's voice. It's like he's sweating and fighting for every note. He's a singer who leaves nothing in the tank. Everything is just out there. No filter; no holding back; just pure emotion.

Sometimes I feel like I can't really scream and yell because of singers like Wilson Pickett. What do I have to scream and yell about anyway? When he lets out his beautifully visceral wail, it's like he's screaming for all of us. Truly great art always comes from pain and heartache. McCartney saw the pain and heartache of a son estranged from his father and captured that in a brilliant song. I know nothing about Wilson Pickett's life. His voice tells me he's seen and felt a lot of pain and sadness. Where else can that come from?

His wail is from the heart and it is a gift. It is beautiful; it is painful; it is glorious.

Right now, "Hey Jude" by Wilson Pickett is (probably) my 83rd favorite song of all time.