5 essential pop/rock songs (jazz is another list):
"Crybaby" - Utopia
The ultimate power pop song with a vocal harmony at the chorus so perfect that it threatens to split the universe.
"Mother, We Just Can't Get Enough" - New Radicals
The last-word (among many attempts) in re-working the perfect funk/rock ideal - "Sympathy For The Devil". For me, this easily surpasses the original Stones' song, which says a ton.
"No More Casual Sex" - Kid Creole
A finely sculpted dance song with an irresistable trumpet fanfare that resonates every time I hear it - and a truly hilarious lyric.
"I Know I'm Not Wrong" - Fleetwood Mac/Lindsey Buckingham
My favorite song from "Tusk", LB's "F*ck You" to his legion of pop fans. I love both the music and the lyric, but prefer his solo re-work to the original.
"The Christians and The Pagans" - Dar Williams
A tremendous lyric combining a very cleverly constructed and moving message of tolerance with keen observations of family at the holidays. Gets me every time.
Although, if you ask me tomorrow, 5 others might make the cut.
Marty