61. A Song For You by Leon Russell

"A Song For You" by Leon Russell

Written by Leon Russell
Produced by Leon Russell
Released on Leon Russell (March 23, 1970)
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Is this a perfect song? Yes.

Is this the perfect record or performance?

While I can understand how easy it is to answer "no" to that question, I have always valued vision and personality in my music. This song and its performance is incredibly personal, and Leon Russell is a visionary musician and songwriter. So I think there is an argument for answering yes to the second question. In some ways Russell's performance on this recording is perfect (from a certain point of view).

All that said, not everyone is going to enjoy Leon Russell's voice. For some it may even be so off-putting that it might hinder their willingness to agree with my answer to the first question. So let me ask that question again while you listen to Donny Hathaway sing this song or Ray Charles or this absolutely GOAT performance from Whitney Houston. (Or really, pick your favorite singer because they probably covered it too.)

So, is it a perfect song? You already know my answer.

Now, as much as I'd like to stay on topic and really dive into this amazing composition, searching up and listening to these other stellar vocalists has gotten me sidetracked. Listening to and watching that video of Whitney Houston singing "A Song For You" live reminded me of one thing of which I am absolutely convinced: Whitney Houston is, unequivocally, the greatest female pop vocalist of all time.

I'll just let that hang there for a minute.

Now I'm sure some of you reading this want to come at me with your Billie Holiday or Ella Fitzgerald or Aretha Franklin or Christina Aguilera or Adele or Edith Piaf arguments. Well I can tell you to leave them right at home where you found them. There is a long list of accomplished singers who can make a claim to being The Greatest of All Time (or GOAT for those already familiar with that abbreviation), but for me, Whitney will always be a step above. Maybe she's just a Jersey girl with a killer voice, but I think she's so much more. She has the pitch control of Ella, the soul of Aretha, and the pop sensibilities of Christina all wrapped up in one uniquely talented package. At her peak, no one else came close. Watch her performance of this song again. Watch her on Letterman just after her first album was released. Watch her not quite live performance of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. She was the perfect person for that performance, and she executed it in spectacular fashion. And as much as I hated it at the time, you cannot deny that Whitney's cover of the Dolly Parton classic "I Will Always Love You" is a pantheon level performance. No one did it better. So that's the basis for my argument in favor of Whitney being the GOAT. I will not be taking any questions.

Of course, it should be noted that I do feel the need to qualify Whitney as the greatest female pop vocalist of all time because the greatest pop vocalist of all time is Freddy Mercury. I can't find a way to justify an argument for anyone else to claim that mantle. I'm sure there is a strong argument in favor of Elvis, but Freddy took all the talent, versatility, and showmanship that made Elvis the King, and raised it to a higher level. No one else compares.

OK. Now that I've gotten all that off my chest, let's get back to the song at hand.

One of the aspects of this song that is so incredible is its self-awareness. This particular lyric illustrates what I mean:

But now I'm so much better
And if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody
Because my love is in there hiding

I love self-referential writing. Russell here is assuring his love that in addition to all the other mistakes he must apologize for, he also needs to apologize for not being able to adequately put his feelings into words. But a song's lyrics can't be the only way to convey love. There are plenty of instrumental songs and compositions that are unmistakably about love. Even without the lyrics, this song is a love song. Like love, it is sometimes sad while also always hopeful.

I was sad to hear of Leon Russell's passing in 2016. I was also disappointed that it wasn't a bigger deal. While he was more and did more than write one perfect song, I almost feel like this one song should be enough. So hopefully those of you reading this have either been reminded of this genius singer-songwriter, or maybe you are meeting him for the first time. Either way, enjoy it, and help his legacy live on a little longer.

Right now, "A Song For You" by Leon Russell is (probably) my 61st favorite song of all time.

62. Sabotage by Beastie Boys

"Sabotage" by Beastie Boys

Written by Beastie Boys (Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz)
Produced by Beastie Boys and Mario Caldato, Jr.
Released on Ill Communication (May 31, 1994)
Released as a single on January 28, 1994
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Warning: Explicit Lyrics

There aren't many things that scream "1990's!" as loudly as the music video for "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys. If someone asked me to describe what the 1990's were like, I might start by sharing this video. It is the definition of quintessential 1990's pop culture: it's camp and retro and features a rap-rock soundtrack. I spent most of my years in the 90's thinking retro and camp were unironically cool. During the 90's I spent money on and proudly wore Hawaiian shirts, low-rise boot-cut jeans, corduroy pants, and wide graphic ties. (If I'd ever actually bought a bowling shirt, I'd have thought myself the official king of the 90's.) Everything was baggy and ill-fitting. It's all we knew at the time. Retro and camp crept into the music landscape as well (particularly with the resurgence of swing), but rap and rock finally came together in a significant way then too. With their successes in the 1990s, Rage Against the Machine and Beastie Boys paved the way, for better or worse, for every 2000's era nu-metal band to have a DJ scratching records on all their songs.

The Beastie Boys are one of the first bands I remember liking, and "Fight for Your Right" is one of the first songs I remember falling in love with. As a very young child listening to top 40 radio, it was perfect. It spoke to youth. It sampled hard guitar licks, had a sing-a-long hook, and made you smile.

Every few years, a discussion about which Beasties Boys album is their best will come up. For me the answer will always be Ill Communication. I know that Licensed to Ill helped put rap music on the map. I also understand why many people (especially music critics) love to site Paul's Boutique as their best album. While it is fantastic and was a truly ground-breaking album at the time, because it didn't get nearly as much radio play as their other works, I never really got the chance to listen to and get familiar with that album. I also appreciate the Check Your Head album, but it was really just a stepping stone towards their musical peak: Ill Communication. My high opinion of Ill Communication almost certainly stems from two things: the first is that this album was released while I was starting to define for myself what kinds of music I enjoyed; and the second is that this band I had first loved listening to as a seven year old was now making more rock oriented music while I was diving head first into all things rock music.

As was seen in the rebooted Star Trek films, there aren't many songs that are better at getting you amped for going to battle (while also screwing up your enemy's communication systems) than this song. I also love the idea of it being labeled as classical music in the future, while also being referred to as "the beat and shouting" (which might be the best and simplest way to describe it). While the Beastie Boys at their core are a hip hop crew, they did start out playing punk rock in Brooklyn. That marriage of the visceral energy of punk and hip hop is what makes this song so great. I will always think of "Sabotage" as their best song and Ill Communication as their best album.

Right now, "Sabotage" by Beastie Boys is (probably) my 62nd favorite song of all time.

63. Vincent by Don McLean

"Vincent" by Don McLean

Written by Don McLean
Produced by Ed Freeman
Released on American Pie (October 24, 1971)
Released as a single on June 17, 1972
Peaked at #12 on Billboard Hot 100
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People say that "Vincent" by Don McLean is the most beautiful song in pop music history. That's why it's on the list. Who are these people? Well, there's me, and there's also a professional musician I was friends with back in the day, so yes, "people" do say this.

Why is the song with the most beautiful melody ever recorded not higher on the list? Well, melody isn't everything, and beauty isn't everything. Beautiful music and sweet melodies serve particular purposes. They can put the listener into a good mood, or they can calm the listener. They can make the listener smile. Sometimes they can help illicit strong feelings between two listeners. Beauty is a powerful thing, but music has other powers and magics too.

I don't always choose to listen to beautiful music. (People also say that.) When I do listen to beautiful music, this song will always find its way into the playlist.

If you ask me why this song is so beautiful, I'm not sure I could definitively say. Although I have a rudimentary understanding of music theory from my years playing jazz in high school and college, I don't often want to bother thinking about music theory when I'm enjoying music. I like to think that I like what I like. The Pandora music service once told me that I like songs that have minor keys and subtle harmonies. I thought that was interesting, but it didn't end up changing much about how I choose my music or interact with music.

Generally I treat music the way I treat art: I like it or I don't. When I visit an art museum, I tend to just take in what is around me. Sometimes I'll read a little about the art. Occasionally I'll take guided tours. Most often, though, it's just me and the artwork. I learned that, especially with abstract art, I get no enjoyment from trying to figure out the art. I choose instead to just look at it. If it speaks to me, great! Otherwise I move on to whatever's next. I'm sure there is, so-called, great art that I have seen and passed by, just like there is great music that I have heard and ignored or turned off. There are also songs and paintings that grow on me over time, just as there are others that I eventually grow tired of.

Everyone's definition of beauty is unique to them. We each have our own ideas of what we want to gain from listening to music or viewing artwork. We each seek out different kinds of emotions during those experiences. Some may value beauty above all else. Others thrive on discord and distortion. Others want the art and music to match and amplify their current mood, and some will use the experience to help alter their mood and outlook. Some people may just be happy with all of this safely in the background, only letting their unconscious mind feel and hear and see the beauty surrounding them while they go about their day. Others want to immerse themselves so fully into the art and music of their lives, that it drowns out everything else.

For me, I generally look for music that fits the mood I'm in or that will help me work through whatever I'm doing. If I need to get excited or keep working, I've got music for that. If I'm trying to relax or settle down, I've got music for that. I rarely just sit and listen to music anymore. Usually it's playing in the background, but sometimes I have to turn it off to better focus on what I'm doing. Other times I have to stop what I'm doing to listen to something beautiful or powerful or moving or sad.

So with all that in mind, I come back to this: I find "Vincent" by Don McLean to be more beautiful than any other song I have ever heard. Don McLean, in writing about Vincent Van Gogh, penned a masterpiece. It's sad and beautiful and sweet. His voice and guitar evoke everything that is magical and powerful about beauty, and that's enough.

Right now, "Vincent" by Don McLean is (probably) my 63rd favorite song of all time.

64. Come On Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners

"Come On Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners

Written by Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson, Billy Adams
Produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley
Released on Too-Rye-Ay (July 1982)
Released as a single June 25, 1982
Peaked at #1 on Billboard Hot 100
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I think I was 26 the first time I had to confront the idea of getting old. What were those circumstances and how do they relate to this song? Allow me to set the stage.

I knew during my final year in college that even though I was graduating with a degree in education, I was not ready to immediately jump into the classroom as a full time teacher. So instead of spending my final semester searching and applying for teaching positions, I arranged to work at one camp during the summer and another in the fall. My hope was that I could turn being a camp counselor into a year round thing for at least a few years before I figured out life, the universe, and everything.

So that's what I did. I continued to my summers in the Ozarks at the camp I had been attending for much of my youth. I then traveled to northern Michigan in the fall to work at another camp. It wasn't quite year round (the camp in Michigan had winter and spring camps as well, but there were significant gaps in between seasons), so the first couple of years, I would stay with my mom in St. Louis between seasons working at Sam's Club the first year, and as a substitute teacher the next year. I loved the camp work, but I was not making nearly enough money to get by, so after those first two years I decided to start focusing on finding a classroom teaching position.

That next fall, I was subbing almost everyday and starting to get to know some of the teachers in a couple of my local districts pretty well. In October, I essentially got two offers, one to take over for my old program director at the camp in Michigan, and the other was to be a full-time sub the rest of the year, putting me first in line to take over for a retiring teacher. I realized that I was not yet ready to give up the camp life, and the promotion would make it more financially viable, so I left my mom's apartment and moved to Michigan full-time (while still spending my summers in the Ozarks).

The next two and a half years were pretty awesome. I was making it work! But eventually all good things come to an end. It was starting to become evident that the only way to move up in the camp world was to move deeper into the office resulting in less time with the kids. More office work would also mean having to fundraise and ask donors for money. That didn't sound too fun; I'm not much of a salesman. So I decided to leave camp life behind and started applying for jobs in St. Louis.

Those camp years will always mean a great deal to me. Looking back, that version of myself felt a lot like peak-level Sam. I was really at my best working with the kids and running the staff in that environment. (Living in a National Lake Shore wasn't too bad either.)

So where does "Come On Eileen" play into this? Well, if you work as a camp counselor long enough, you start to work with your former campers. It's usually a cool experience, but it can lead to some awkwardness. As I got older, I was definitely feeling more disconnected from some of the younger staff, specifically at the summer camp in Missouri. I still enjoyed it, but most of my best friends had moved on with their lives.

At the summer camp, every session included a square dance followed by a "rock" dance. The rules for the rock dance were simple: the songs had to be clean and there were never any slow dances. The square dance was fun because at that point I was usually calling the dance. We did the "Virginia Reel," "Take a Little Peek," and "Nine Pin." We'd throw "Bingo" in the middle as a mixer, and in between the square and rock portions we would do the "Chicken Dance."

It should be noted that I can probably still call those dances to this day, so if anyone reading this wants to have a little square dance sometime, let me know!

So, after calling the square dance, and doing a little chicken dance action, my job as a counselor shifted to trying to encourage our less enthusiastic campers to try to have a little fun out on the dance floor. Like most middle school dances, circles would often form, and individuals would be cajoled into showing off some moves to their friends. It was cheesy and lame and, while not my favorite part of my job, it was still part of the job.

Well, at one point I was trying to dance (it doesn't feel right to call what I do on the dance floor dancing) with some of the other counselors and campers, and the counselor in charge of the music put on "Come On Eileen." While it might not be the most appropriate song for a camp dance if you really study the lyrics, it's still a super fun song with a good beat. I got super excited because this is one of my favorite songs from my youth. It's kind of cheesy and odd and poppy and not really a good representative of my overall musical tastes, but ultimately it's a song that I will always love because it makes me feel good anytime I hear it. (I could probably describe "Walking On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves the same way.)

So there I was at this silly camp dance getting all hyped over this song when one of my former campers who was now a junior counselor leans over to me and says, "I have no idea what this song is."

I had no idea how to respond. How could she have never heard this song before?

Well, she was probably about 8 years younger than me, and by the time she was listening to pop radio and watching MTV, most of the world had moved on from Dexys Midnight Runners' singular US hit. That was probably one of the first times in my life that I really thought of myself as being old. Sure I was only 25 or 26, but the fact that someone younger than me had never heard a song that practically everyone my age knew very well was a gut punch.

Music is both tribal and generational. Music from a particular time and place will quite literally get lost in the shuffle as people get older and new music finds its way into the hearts and ears of the next generation of young people.  Yes, there are songs that do cross generational and tribal lines, but those generally are exceptions, not the rule. I love a lot of music that is older than me, but there are also a lot of wildly popular songs from bygone eras that sound terrible to me. Even though I know how segmented musical tastes are, I still sometimes feel surprised when great music is not universally loved.

No song is loved by everyone. There never will be that perfect universally loved melody. There are too many backgrounds, opinions, and experiences that define every individual's musical tastes. There are also people who simply don't care about music. I'm not sure how that's possible, but it is.

Even acknowledging all of that, I find it strange to think that people exist who don't like "Jamming" by Bob Marley or "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson or "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes or "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks or "Crazy" by Patsy Cline or "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones or "Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2 or "Stardust" by Hoagy Carmichael or "Take Five" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet or "Changes" by 2Pac or "Nuthin But a 'G' Thang" by Dr. Dre or Beethoven's Ninth Symphony or Dvorak's New World Symphony or any other piece of transcendently beautiful music that exists in this world. Everyone in my tribe or my generation may love some of these songs and compositions, but eventually people and music and life move forward with or without you.

I cannot pretend that "Come On Eileen" should be universally loved. It's just the song that first taught me about the generational nature of music. And even though it is now forever tied to this moment that when I recognized my own sense of age and mortality, that's not enough to make me forget how much I love this song.

Right now, "Come On Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners is (probably) my 64th favorite song of all time.