1. Fratellis - FlatheadApple almost destroyed this song by using it in their commmercial that played in a near infinite loop that year but still, this is an almost perfect song. And the video? It doesn't suck. Three reasons why:
2. Wombats - Let's Dance to Joy Division
Any song that has Joy Division in the title gets bonus points but this song didn't need the help. And I have danced to Joy Division but it was not nearly as much fun as dancing to this song. Well, let me think about that. I was 20 years younger when I danced to Joy Division. And I wasn't dancing alone. And I probably had sex later. Um, why am I still typing?
3. Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict a Riot
I've been to a lot of concerts and never saw a crowd react like they did to the opening notes of this song. I can still see a thousand people jumping with their fists in the air and screaming "I predict a riot".
4. Polyphonic Spree - Hold Me Now
The song that got my cousin Emily (she was 14 at the time) to start listening to music other than R. Kelly and crap like that. She'd get in the car and ask "Where's the CD with Hold Me Now"? Apparently there's hope for this generation after all. Who knew?
5. MGMT - Time to Pretend
Lyrics matter less to me than the music but I love the lyrics of this song. What the hell, here they are:
I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life.
Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives.
I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and fuck with the stars.
You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars.
This is our decision, to live fast and die young.
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun.
Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do.
Get jobs in offices, and wake up for the morning commute.
Forget about our mothers and our friends
We're fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend
I'll miss the playgrounds and the animals and digging up worms
I'll miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world
I'll miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog and my home
Yeah, I'll miss the boredom and the freedom and the time spent alone.
There's really nothing, nothing we can do
Love must be forgotten, life can always start up anew.
The models will have children, we'll get a divorce
We'll find some more models, everything must run it's course.
We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end
We were fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend
I mean, who wouldn't want to live that life? Well, not the choking on your vomit part but marrying models, divorcing models, marrying more models? Sign me up.
6. Art Brut - Emily Kane
They share a pretty unique style with the Wombats, one I obviously like - it reminds me of the Ska sound of Madness. This is a great song and it's impossible to not sing along with it. And I love the idea of writing a song about someone you liked a long time ago. If I did this it would be a song about this girl:
Yes, that's me and yes, that's my hair. I believe this is the only photo that exists of me from the 80s. Get rid of this photo and it's like I didn't exist back then. Maybe that would be a good thing. (Somewhere an ex-girlfriend of mine is reading this and nodding her head)
7. Hot Hot Heat - Bandages
The song and band that started it all for me. I had just moved to Raleigh in 2003 and was flipping through stations when I heard this song. It was NC State's college station and I didn't listen to another station while I was there. I hadn't really gotten into college music since the early 90s and had no idea there was so much good music out there. I still listen to them online and in fact, here's the link: http://www.wknc.org/.
8. The Faint - Southern Belles in London Sing
And this is the song that got my cousin Nick (he was 15) to listen to music other than top 40. He heard this song and went out and bought the Faint's first two CDs. I was so proud. Just thinking about it makes me emotional...give me a sec here...ok, I'm good.
9. Interpol - Evil
I could have listed 10 Interpol songs in this list. My favorite band of the last 5 years. What's sad is someone gave me an Interpol CD when I was still in Denver and I thought "What is this crap?" A tip from me: if someone gives you "Turn on the Bright Lights" by Interpol, LISTEN TO IT. One thing though, what's with the creepy puppet in the video?
10. MIA - Paper Planes
One of the few songs on this list that crossed over and became a mainstream hit. Used in "Pineapple Express" and "Slumdog Millionaire", it uses "Straight to Hell" by the Clash as a starting point but ends up being a much better song. And by the way, "Slumdog Millionaire" is a great film - Danny Boyle has made his best movie and I recommend it. And hey, how hot is Freida Pinto?
While we're on the subject, my top 5 movies of the year:
5. I don't know...Cloverfield? Crappy year for movies.
4. The Dark Knight
3. Iron Man
2. Slumdog Millionaire
1. Wall-E
11. Tokyo Police Club - Tessellate
tes·sel·late (tes′ə lāt′; for adj., -lit, -lāt′) - to lay out, inlay, or pave in a mosaic pattern of small, square blocks.
In other words, I have no idea what this song is about. But like I said before, lyrics aren't a big deal to me and this song is a great example of this. I love this song - the way it flows, everything about it. Even if I don't know what it's saying. "We showed them what the backs of our hands is for". Showed who what the backs of our hands are for? I have no idea.
12. Stars - Your Ex-lover is Dead
If only this were true.
13. Walkmen - The Rat
Wow, that last comment was a little bitter. I'll make up for it with this song, another one that reminds me of an ex-girlfriend. What? She was furry and she liked cheese.
14. Hard Fi - Hard to Beat
Ok, no more comments about ex-girlfriends. Just a great song by an underrated band. "Cash Machine" almost made this list as well. See? No comments about ex-girlfriends. Besides, none of my ex-girlfriends were hard to beat. (My editor wants to remove that comment but he's not sure exactly what I mean by it. To be honest, neither am I.)
(Ed. I know exactly what he means by it but I'm letting this one slide.)
15. Modest Mouse - Ocean Breathes Salty
This may be a temporary place for this song. No band has grown on me like Modest Mouse. And their songs rotate to the top as I grow to appreciate them. First was "Float On" and then "Gravity Rides Everything". Next was "Never Ending Math Equation". Now it's "Ocean Breathes Salty". I think this is final but you know, "All Nite Diner" is a great song...
{Hey, 1985 Pete here - I can't take it anymore. I can't believe I turn into this fruity bastard. Here's a real man's list, the top songs from my time:
1. Def Leppard - Rock of Ages
2. Motley Crue - Shout at the Devil
3. Van Halen - Runnin' with the Devil
4. Rush - Tom Sawyer
5. Def Leppard - Photograph
Before I get to the rest, I just want to remind people why 1985 was AWESOME. Look at this:
Yep, that's Daisy Duke - I doubt 2008 has anything to match her. Do they even have girls on your fancy Internet? Hello? Bueller? Anyway, back to my awesome list...
6. Van Halen - Panama
7. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
8. Motley Crue - Looks that Kill
9....}
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sorry about that, 1985 Pete jumped in when I wasn't looking. Where's my editor when I need him? (Ed. I liked his list - I've actually heard of his songs.) Anyway, I knew it would be all Def Leppard, the Crue and...wait a second...Bonnie Tyler? Bonnie Tyler!? What the hell? What was number 9 going to be? Wham? Oh man, he is so embarrassing. Well, it could have been worse. He could have posted another picture. Let's just move on.
{Hey, Total Eclipse of the Heart rocked, man! When she said "turn around, bright eyes", it touched me. And it goes without saying: Best.Video.Ever. What happened to you, dude?}
What happened to me? I'll tell you what happened to me. In the winter of 1985 I drank my weight in alcohol and threw up a dozen times. Have fun with that. By the way, in your dorm's bathroom, the last stall on the right has a nice little shelf to rest your head on. One night you get the shelf and the toilet mixed up. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Back to the list...
16. She Wants Revenge - Out of Control
"Hi, this is Casey Kasem and here is this week's long distance dedication going out to the girl Pete met at the bar Mardi Gras in Aurora, CO, sometime in the summer of 1986. This song, Out of Control by She Wants Revenge, describes that night almost exactly. Or at least he thinks it does. He also thinks you looked like Kathy Ireland and he was a stallion. We know better but we'll send this song out to you anyway."
With her high heel against the wall
Kind of dancing, though not at all
She had stockings running up to her thighs
Snaps her fingers to keep the time
From the back of the room I saw her there
I said she wants to be alone and I shouldn't dare
But then she noticed me glance at her
I had no choice but to dance with her
The lights, they glow sideways and up and down
The beat takes you over and spins you round
Our hearts steady-beating, the sweat turns to cold
We're slaves to the DJ and out of control
I watched her feet move, her hips they sway
Does a hair flip then starts to say
Oh, my God, it's my favorite song
I pull her close and she sings along
We can't slow down even if we tried
If the record keeps spinning so will I
She likes disco and tastes like a tear
Tells me don't stop dancing and she's pulling me near
We've got nowhere to go, we've got nothing to prove
Instead of dancing alone, I should be dancing with you
This song is turning me on, the beat is doing me in
Or maybe it's only you, but either way, lets begin
{Finally, something I can look forward to.}
17. Dresden Dolls - Coin Operated Boy
A song that both of my cousins love and one that made me sort of uncomfortable in the car. It's a little weird when your 14 and 15 year old cousins are singing along to a song that's basically about a male sex doll. But you know, it's not the worst mistake I made. I actually took them to see a little movie called "The Girl Next Door":
(And yes, I'm mentioning this so I could post a picture of Elisha Cuthbert. Anybody have a problem with that?)
(Ed. No)
{Daisy who? I take it all back.}
Anyway, I saw the ads about the guy thinking a pornstar had moved in next door and assumed it would be some wacky misunderstanding but overall it would be a nice, clean picture. Uh, no. It was right about at this scene that I started to think "Oh, crap." My cousins and I haven't spoken of it since.
(Ed. I have no problem with you posting another Elisha picture. Oh wait, you didn't ask. Never mind.)
18. Shout Out Louds - Time Left for Love
They would be The Cure of the 2000s if The Cure weren't still going strong (see #23 below). I could talk about them more but I want to explain why I have the time to make this list. Last Tuesday was our final day of work before the holidays and during the day it had rained and then the temperature dropped and everything froze. I walk to work so I left about 5:30 and on the steps of my building was a sheet of ice. I hit the first step and both feet went up in the air and I landed on my right side and slid down the steps. I laid there thinking I had broken my hip.
{Your hip? You are so old.}
Shut up. Wow, he's annoying. Now I know why all those girls said no back in 1985. So, it took me about 40 minutes to get home, ice covered the sidewalks the entire way and I actually fell another two times. I went to bed and woke up the next day and could barely move.
{Old, old, old, old, old, old, old...}
I'm ignoring him. Walking was a struggle so I stayed in bed and started this list. It's four days later and I'm able to walk now but it still hurts and I have a really nice bruise. Good times.
19. Cut Copy - Going Nowhere
This song will always remind me of my dog Ty. He died two years ago but when I was in Raleigh I lived next to this huge field with woods around it. We walked that area at least twice a day as I listened to WKNC and Going Nowhere was one of the most played songs at that time. It reminds me of those walks and of Ty and that's a good thing...
20. Los Campesinos! - We are Beautiful, We are Doomed
This band and Tokyo Police Club have rocketed up my list of favorites. In fact, I'm thinking of flying to New York just to see them both in concert (Los Campesinos on 2-15 and Tokyo Police Club on 2-24). I always have a good time in New York and haven't been there in a while. Me and Emily in NYC:
{Dude, she's hot.}
Hey, shut up, she's your cousin. She's like a daughter to you.
{No, she's like a daughter to you. I don't even know her.}
(Ed. I'm definitely stepping in here. This can't end well.)
21. Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
Great song and Secret Machines consistently puts out great music. But I want to talk about a song that just missed the top 25, a song that redefined comedy on TV. Of course I'm talking about Day Man:
Day man
Fighter of the Night man
Champion of the sun
You’re a master of karate and friendship…for everyone
Day man, day man
Uhh ahhahh
Fighter of the Night man
Uhh ahhahh
Champion of the sun
Uhh ahhahh
Master of karate and friendship…for everyone
Day man, day man
Uhh ahhahh
Fighter of the Night man
Champion of the sun
This song actually led to my one moment of Internet fame, if you want to call it that: a letter in Stuart Mandel's college football column.
22. Rifles - Local Boy
Alright, we're getting near the end. I think it's gone really well so far, definitely my best post yet. (Ed. Best out of 2 posts total? Congratulations, Shakespeare.) But this has gone on a little long so I'll try to keep it short and wrap this thing up. Rifles=Awesome. Next.
23. The Cure - Freakshow
The only band to appear on both lists. And unless you count Morrissey and The Smiths, the only one to even come close (and Morrissey just missed this list with this and this). This wasn't a one song deal for the Cure either. 5 or 6 other songs easily could have been here. Pretty amazing.
24. Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch
At this point I think I could make this my first novel rather than a blog post. If you've made it his far then I have to ask, did you hurt your hip too? I mean I appreciate it but wow, there are a lot of words on this page. I didn't know I knew this many words.
25. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cheated Hearts
And here we are at number 25. There were a lot of contenders for this spot (though not this or this). But I couldn't leave the Yeah Yeah Yeahs out of this list.
The following bands got left out and I could easily justify any of them getting into the top 25:
White Stripes, Xiu Xiu, Hold Steady, New Pornographers, Of Montreal, Mates of State, Maximo Park, Franz Ferdinand, Death Cab for Cutie, Arcade Fire, Blonde Redhead, Bloc Party, Shins, Enon, Editors, Go! Team, Her Space Holiday, Les Savy Fav, Say Hi to Your Mom.
So that's it. Thanks for reading. I'm going to get out of here before 2009 Pete shows up. You just know that guy is going to be a jerk.
Oh, and before I go, one more for my editor...
(Ed. Thanks!)
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