Jon Wilde at the Guardian throws down and challenges you to come up with your favorite 10 songs in 60 seconds, no pre-thought or cheating. I thought I’d give it a try.

Actually, this took me about 3.5 minutes, so I guess I lose; I simply couldn’t think quickly enough to get down 10 songs in 60 seconds. Also, I’m not sure this would be my final order or even final song list if I had a lot longer to think about it, but I’m not allowing any revisionism or second guessing.

All descriptions came after the original list was down and time was up.

10. Beatles “For No One” This has long been my favorite Beatles song: it’s a simple song with interesting instrumentation (piano/ harpsichord/ french horn) and a nice melody.

9. Horton Barker “Two Sisters” This is a field recording of an Anglo-American ballad from Tennessee (I believe). One thing about these hundreds-of-year-old tunes is that the melodies have been honed down to near perfection. This version of “Twa Sisters” has a lovely refrain and Horton Barker has a very pure voice.

8. Beirut “Postcards from Italy” I can’t help but smile when I hear this song. It’s the song that made people love this band, it’s the song that made me love this band.

7. Mark Kozelek “Bad Boy Boogie” (from Rock N Roll Singer) I’ve honestly never heard the AC/DC version, but Mark Kozelek makes this song amazing—a crushingly beautiful ballad.

6. Sigur Ros “Njosnavelin (Nothing Song)” I’d heard Sigur Ros before this song but I never really got them until I heard this song. I’m still not sure how I’m so enamored with vocals in a made up language.

5. Sufjan Stevens “Romulus” This is just amazing songwriting—putting in exactly all the right details with a compelling melody and good instrumentation.

4. Amelda Riddle “Bury Me Beneath the Willow” This is another field recording of melancholy ballad from the American South (see #9). Amelda Riddle is sort of an iconic voice for songs like this and the melody (like #9) seems like it couldn’t be better, while the story seems as melancholy as it can be without being cheesy.

3. Sam Cooke “Cupid” Sam Cooke’s voice is among my favorites ever and this is among my favorites of his songs. No one could sing the word “Cupid” better.

2. Bob Dylan “Girl from North Country” A classic sounding song with roots back to traditional British ballads (via Martin McCarthy’s version of Scarborough Faire). Great melody and a compelling story line.

1. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles “Tracks of My Tears” I heard this song again for the first time a couple years ago and I’ve been in love with it since. As I said then: “I don’t think I’ve heard another song from that era with as much tortured-soul emotion in it.” Smokey’s voice is a wail, a cry during this song.

For a limited time, I’ve put up all the songs as a zip file:

Download my top 10 (in 60 seconds) songs (rapidshare link with zip file)

Give it a try. What are your 10? You have 60 seconds starting…now.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 11th, 2007 at 7:53 pm Posted by adrian in SF bay area, blogs, lists, mixtape, mp3s, old-time, oldies, soul. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.