If I’m going to share my top ten best songs of all time, here are the ground rules. I won’t include classics like Stairway to Heaven and Free Bird. The songs will be a mix of popular and obscure. And, record sales and billboard charts don’t matter. Finally, this list can be different a week from now. So, it is a snapshot in time.
Spirit of Radio – Rush
The opening guitar licks are inspiring. Rush has a lot of great songs, and I would put Tom Sawyer very close behind this song. But, this song just stops me in my tracks when I hear it. I kind of listened to Rush when I was younger, but this song made me a lifelong fan of Rush.
After the Gold Rush – Neil Young
Here is a funny nugget. I sang along to this song on the radio when I was younger and I had no idea what the name of the song was. So, I bought the Neil Young Decade album and the song was on the record. The cool thing was that I could sing along because my voice was slightly worse than Young’s voice. I’m not a huge Neil Young fan anymore, but this is probably his best work.
Lonely Days – Bee Gees
This is the song that made me a huge fan of the Bee Gees. Our family moved when I was in second grade and my father drove me to my new school every morning. And, this song came on the radio every morning. The chorus is so good. And, I love the transition between slow and fast. It’s funny because you mostly only hear about the Bee Gees as a disco band. But, this song is better than their disco songs.
Hallo Spaceboy – David Bowie
This David Bowie song is not a mainstream hit, but it is a perfect blend of 1970’s rock and 1980’s pop music. The Pet Shop Boys played along with Bowie on this one, and they brought that West End Girls vibe. This video on YouTube explains this choice. The dramatic singing, screeching guitars and drumming clinic bring this song to life in a way you have never seen.
Suite Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby, Stills and Nash
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have been in a group with a guitar player singing this song. It’s just fun to sing. And, the ending is so catchy (doo doo doo doo doo doot doot doo doo doo). Crosby, Stills and Nash sing such great harmony on this song. I mean they do on almost all of their songs, but this one is special. Every time I hear it, it sticks in my head for hours.
(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long – Chicago
This is the song that turned me on to the band Chicago. I absolutely love the eerie beginning. And, then it has a transition to a faster song a little later. It’s a highlight of Terry Kath’s tenure with Chicago before he sadly passed away. For a band known for brass instruments, this was their best effort among a ton of great songs.
Run Like Hell – Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd has a ton of great songs that I could have picked from. But, do any of those songs have a guitar introduction like this song? This is lead guitarist David Gilmour at his absolute best. And, the complementary singing of Gilmour and bandmate Roger Waters flows so well. The song is edgy and chaotic. But, it’s memorable and you’ll be singing it to yourself for hours after hearing it.
Thunderstruck – AC/DC
I’ll be honest, I was never a big fan of AC/DC. Until I heard this song. The opening guitar sequence is incredible. I wonder how they can make their guitars play that way for such an extended period. I love the vocals. It sounds like a muffled scream, but it stays with the music. And, the drums are a great piece of this song. AC/DC has so many great songs, but this one is special.
Supper’s Ready – Genesis
This classic by Genesis might just be my favorite song of all time. It runs around 25 minutes long, but it’s broken up into seven distinct sections. It kind of bounces between slow and fast parts. This song comes from the days of Peter Gabriel, so the lyrics are genius and the singing and instrumentation are top notch. I particularly enjoy the ending as the crescendo brings the seven sections together. Although I enjoy Gabriel’s singing, I enjoy the instrumental pieces of this song even more. You will struggle to find a better way to spend 25 minutes.
Fool’s Overture – Supertramp
I happened onto this song by pure chance. When I was young, I really liked Supertramp’s songs like Take the Long Way Home. So, I went out and bought the live album named Paris. I would listen to music as I fell asleep, and this album quickly became my favorite. Mostly because of this song. Once again, the song is divided into sections. The lyrics cover the second world war and Winston Churchill. And, I love history. The build up to the end of the song is a masterpiece. It’s too bad more people aren’t familiar with it.