Thursday, May 8, 2008

5 Songs from my Pantheon

I have a hard time 'ranking' my favorite songs, but I have them loosely placed in different strata, the highest of which I'll call the 'Pantheon.'
The first set from my 'Pantheon':

1. 'Come As You Are' - Nirvana. This one seems connected to my cerebral cortex. The album version is the best, with the power of the guitar solo and the ridiculous production of Butch Vig on full display.

2. 'Stairway to Heaven' - Led Zeppelin. It may be so popular its become a cliche, but its still one of my favorite songs. The transitions in the song are genius, and I can't help but 'air drum' before "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow..." (at 4:16).

Click below for next three.

3. 'Supernatural' - Live (MTV Unplugged). Live's cover of this Vic Chesnutt masterpiece is haunting and shows why Live is one of the most underrated bands. (scroll down on that link to listen)

4. 'All I Want is You' - U2. Quiet and loud, this epic showcases brilliant guitar from the Edge and Bono's voice at its best. The guitar solo is in the same category as Hendrix' All Along the Watchtower for me. Great use in Reality Bites.

5. 'Sweet Child O' Mine' - Guns 'N' Roses. Best opening riff ever? Maybe. But no question that this is one of the greatest songs from the 80's. Genius.

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