My 100 Favourite Songs, Annotated.

The Christmas present no one asked for - my life, wrapped!

Merry post-Christmas, everybody! It’s the only time of year when I day-drink, preempting a weird energy and enthusiasm, and the annual Getting In Touch With My Emotions ceremony.

What better time to complete a task that’s been on my to-do list for most of the year.

You know I love a good list. What you may not know is that I keep a live list of my 100 favourite songs, maintaining a strict one-in-one-out policy so as never to lackadaisically allow over-listened to items, passing fads, or drunk misjudgments.

The only criterion is: does this continue to produce a deep stirring in my soul? YES!

Tracks are featured in no particular order but are genred, subsectioned and sub-subsectioned (for your pleasure). The list, as it stands, is ordered as follows:

Rock

• Old Rock[/’n’Roll] (‘50s to ‘70s)

  • My Parents’ Music

  • Folk?

• New Rock (‘80s onwards)

  • My Sister’s Music

  • Punk?

• Metal

  • Weirdo Funk Metal?

  • NuMetal

Classical

Pop/Chart

• Boyband

• Acceptable “Indie”

Electronic

• DnB

  • Dubstep

• Breaks

  • Big Beat

• Trance

• Garage

• Undefinable Electronica (IDM? Glitch Hop? Trap?)

Genuinely Miscellaneous

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Let’s begin!

Rock

Old Rock [/’n’Roll] (‘50s to ‘70s)

My Parents’ Music

Setting the tone for this list, my parents delivered Tiny Elizabeth’s musical education via ‘50s-’70s themed mixtapes on car journeys. Heavy trends were harmonies, sharp n’ crispy drums, and funny or intriguing lyrics.

(1) Jack’s Good - The Krew Kats

This gives a good intro to Dad’s taste; the B-side to another banger, Samovar, a guitar instrumental based on an old Russian military tune, he says.

(2) Oh Well - Fleetwood Mac

(3) The Chain - Fleetwood Mac

My two favourites from the Peter Green and Buckingham/Nicks line-ups, respectively.

(4) One Vision - Queen

When I was a kid I thought maybe everyone in the world could just listen to this and choose to live in harmony at some point. (Ha!)

(5) I'm Alive - The Hollies

(6) Look Through Any Window - The Hollies

I used to think The Hollies were bigger than The Beatles (and so double the size of Jesus.) My parents played The Hollies: 20 Golden Greats a lot, which featured plenty I could take or leave about being on a carousel and carrying one’s brother (who ain’t heavy). But there were some absolute bangers ^^^

When I started writing, Dad casually mentioned that he too wrote, as a hobby. The piece he showed me was about his memories of us as children, singing along to Look Through Any Window in the car as a family, and the tape breaking half way through.