Play List

Recently, a friend of mine issued a challenge to me and a few friends. Come up with a list of ten songs you consider essential. Ten songs you couldn't live without. He stressed that we were to put our favourites, not what we thought others would necessarily like. He gave us about three days to submit our lists.

Hardest thing I've done in a long time. I agonized. I lost sleep. I'm still questioning some of my choices. I've spent more time rehashing the list than I have some of my relationships.

My list (not, it should be said, in order of preference):

1) The Whole of the Moon ( The Waterboys)  - reminds me of when I first moved to Halifax, even though it was first released before that. Not sure why; I think my friends and I were in a Waterboys phase at the time. I think the lyrics are beautiful. "Brigadoon" just doesn't get enough shout outs in pop songs.

2) Where the Streets Have No Name ( U2) - it was hard to pick one U2 song. But I love jangly guitars. I love Bono. And the awesome video just makes me smile.

3) I’ll Be ( Edwin McCain) - I think this is one of the best love songs ever. None of that silly hearts and flowers and romantic treacle. It could also be that he had long hair in the video; lord knows I had a rather lengthy phase when it came to long-haired men.

4) Don't You...( Simple Minds) - this was my graduating year’s prom song. And it’s in the Breakfast Club. Enough said.

5) Tiny Dancer ( Elton John - though the Ben Folds version is very good) - I want to be a seamstress for the band. I took a bit of heat for this one; I think it might seem clichéd to some. But I don't care. It's featured in one of my favourite scenes in "Almost Famous", one of my favourite movies. Singing along to this when Elton played it at his concert a while back was pure joy. Except perhaps for the people around me.

6) Moon on the Rain ( Fairground Attraction)  - was there ever a better lyric than “I’ve got your photograph/ the one that you signed/ tucked in my pocket all tattered by time"?  Terrific song from a criminally underappreciated U.K. band. Eddi Reader's was one of the best voices of the late 80s. Likely still is.

7) Every Breath You Take ( The Police)  - seeing Sting sing this live in concert was one of those moments I almost couldn't believe I was having.  I loved the Police dearly when I was a teenager. I was reasonably certain at the time that I would marry Stewart Copeland. Rolling Stone said he was the fifth greatest drummer of all time. Not in my books, baby.

8) When Doves Cry (Prince) – my Mom wouldn’t let me go see “Purple Rain”. She thought he was a pervert. I remember dancing to this song at the Kingston arena, probably grade nine. I still love him; my mother will now concede "he's kind of weird, but I like him". About time, Mom. I think she warmed up to him when she realized they were starting to share a similar fashion sense.

9) Sex on Fire ( Kings of Leon) – Caleb Followill has one of the best voices in rock, and it's at its sexiest on this song. That catch in his voice, the yearning? C'mon - when he sings "the head while I'm driving", if you don't want to be in a car with him right then, you're dead inside.

10) By Your Side ( Sade) - Such a sexy song.She has the most elegant and timeless voice. Just hearing her makes me want a glass of red wine. Or Scotch, which is weird, because I can't stand Scotch.

I can't say these are my ten absolute favourite songs ever, but they always make me happy, and they always make me sing along. There were songs I love that didn't quite make the list: "Wonderwall" by Oasis, "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure, "Spirit of '76" by The Alarm, "Need You Tonight" by INXS, "Don't Go" by the wonderful Hothouse Flowers. And I feel bad about your exclusion, Crowded House. I really wanted to up my hip quotient by throwing in some more recent stuff, but I had to go for longevity. So did my friends, apparently - there were songs by REM, and the Hip, and Public Enemy, and Pearl Jam, and classics by Neil Young and The Beatles. Luckily, or perhaps sadly, no one had "I Wanna Sex You Up" by Color Me Badd on their list. 

It was a great exercise, and a great walk through the jukebox in my head. And if you're standing next to me the next time one of these songs comes on, let me apologize to your eardrums in advance.