TheBig3

1. Neil Young - Crime in the City (Sixty to Zero Part 1)
Freedom

From what might be Young's only great album from the 80's (freedom), this track is a mood builder with its subtle acoustic playing and its amazing and jazzy sax solo there in the middle. I'd imagine it reflects the inner city corruption that was rampant in the 1980's and as only few can, Neil makes it beautiful.

"The artist looked at the producer The producer sat back He said, What we have got here Is a perfect track But we don't have a vocal And we don't have a song If we could get these things accomplished Nothin' else could go wrong. So he balanced the ashtray As he picked up the phone And said, Send me a songwriter Who's drifted far from home And make sure that he's hungry Make sure he's alone Send me a cheeseburger And a new Rolling Stone."

2. Three Days - Jane's Addiction
Ritual De lo Habitual

With what might be one of the most intriguing bass lines I've heard in some time, Jane's taps their inner epic narrative with foolish lyrics and drawn out wanking reminiscent of a latter day Zeppeling. Topping out at almost 11 minutes I feel its one of the more important tracks that seemingly most people aren't aware of.

"True hunting is over. No herds to follow. Without game, men prey on each other. The family weakens by the bite we swallow... True leaders gone, Of land and people. We choose no kin but adopted strangers. The family weakens by the length we travel..."

3. My Morning Jacket - What a Wonderful Man
Z

This track just reminds me of kids playing in sprinklers, with sloppy piano and an off key falsetto refrain, it seems to capture the very essence of carefree and insouciant.

"From The Driver's Seat In The Dark. He Popped A Tape In The Dash Of His Car. And When The Singer Started To Scream. I Knew Exactly What He Meant."

4. Instinct Blues - The White Stripes
Get Behind Me Satan

This is probably one of their least well constructed tracks, but then again the Stripes always liked playing it off the cuff. The lyrics are redundant and theres almost no plot but the real true beauty comes in the dissonant blues leads jack takes in the middle of those half-hearted words, and there in the bent notes of a low-grade guitar made in the 1950's, he makes up for everyone else who never had enough heart to begin with.

Yeah, I just want you to get with it 'cause everyone that's under your shoe And every bird and bug in the jungle, too And everything in the ocean blue They just happen to know exactly what to do So why don't you? Yeah, why don't you?

5. Burma Shave - Tom Waits
Foreign Affair

Off one of his (deservedly) largely ignored albums, this song stands as a diamond in the ruff. Capturing the longing for the dreams beyond the borders of small town ennui, Waits paints a large picture with the smallest images where in a pair of sunglasses becomes an alternate reality that never was.

"hell marysville ain't nothing but a wide spot in the road some night my heart pounds just like thunder i don't know why it don't explode cause everyone in this stinking town has got one foot in the grave and i'd rather take my chances out in burma shave"

6. Funky Drummer - James Brown
Into the Jungle Groove

One of Brown's jazzier and longer tracks, Funky Drummer gets its name when, mid song, Brown decides that the drummer is so funky he's going to give the drummer his own solo. Only "you don't have to do no soloin' brotha, just keep whatcha gat. Don't turn it loose cause its a mutha'." And on browns count, you can hear the world of rap being born.

[Its James Brown, theres like 8 words and a whole lotta screaming, just go listen]

7. 10,000 Days (Wings Part 2) - Tool
10,000 Days

This is one of those songs that I think even tool fans will say "what the hell?" more Atmospheric build up crashing down at the end with Maynards pretentious lyrics peeking out there at the end. But one of the better moves that prog turns out regularly is the association of lyrics with music, which was influenced heavily by classical and came across in the early religious songs. As his mother ascends to heaven, the music builds and builds, and only comes back down when James speaks for himself.

"You're the only one who can hold your head up high, Shake your fist at the gates saying, "I have come home now! Fetch me the spirit, the son and the father, Tell them their pillar of faith has ascended."

8. Sweet Virginia - The Rolling Stones
Exile on Main St.

This is the sound track to sitting on your front porch and getting drunk. No questions asked, you're not as cool as this song.

"Thank you for your wine, california Thank you for your sweet and bitter fruits Yes, Ive got the desert in my toenail And hid the speed inside my shoe But come on come on down sweet virginia Come on honey child I beg of you Come on come on down you got it in you Got to scrape that **** right off your shoes"

9. Telling Stories - Tracy Chapman
Telling Stories

What initially drew me to this song was the organ playing in the background. It was subtle but in that subtlety it did everything it could to help the song. And this was indicative of all of Chapman's works. Never show boating, and always there for the sake of the power of words and music. When juxtaposed with Eric Clapton at a benefit concert on "Give me one reason". it was never more glorified when slow hand tried to be the flashy blues man he always was and Tracy just played it strait.

"There is fiction in the space between The lines on your page of memories Write it down but it doesnt mean You're not just telling stories There is fiction in the space between You and me"

10. Life During Wartime - Talking Heads
Fear of Music

You can almost hear the fear and exhilaration of Byrne as he rides around the general cities and countryside engaging in acts only morale in states of war. But as only a real genius would be able to, in the under current Byrne shows the sorrow and the longing for a real life of women and music that seems too far away to ever reach.

"You oughta know not to stand by the window somebody might see you up there I got some groceries, some peant butter, to last a couple of days But I ain't got no speakers, ain't got no heaphones, ain't got no records to play"

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