POOLEYBLOG's Top 100 Songs #30-21

30. This year -- The Mountain Goats

This is a song about triumph! And about being strong in the face of adversity! And about defiance! Yeah!

Best line: "I am gonna make it though this year if it kills me! I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me!"


29. Deep sea diving suit -- The Magnetic Fields
For whatever reason, I can't find this on youtube.  I've talked about the excellence of this song before on this blog.

Best line: "I never thought you'd turn on me 'cause your my best friend.  You say I never offered you a think in the end.  And now you wouldn't trust me with a grain of sand.  And I'm sorry, but how can I get to you, stuck in my 50-pound lead boots, stuck in my deep sea diving suit?"

28. Born in the USA -- Bruce Springsteen
Like "This land is your land", a lefty patriotic song. 

Best line: "Come back home to the refinery, hiring man says, 'Son, if it was up to me.' I go down to the VA man, he says, 'Son, don't you understand.' Born in the USA..."

27. Heaven -- John Legend
This is a really, really, really good R&B/soul song.  They still make those!

Best line: "Will you come back to me? Will you come back to me?" Those are some awesome back-up vocals!

26. All the way -- Frank Sinatra
This reached #2 on the Billboard charts -- "Jailhouse Rock" kept it from reaching #1. My favorite Frank song.

Best line: All of it. You need to get ALL THE WAY through it to truly appreciate it, HAHAHAHAHA. Pun.

25. I don't really love you anymore -- The Magnetic Fields
Remember in the early days of Facebook, when cleverly-named groups used to be a big deal? I used to be a member of one called "I'd move to Ecuador for Stephin Merritt." This is a great one.

Best line: "True I'd give my right arm to keep you safe from harm, and true for you I'd move to Ecuador. And I'd keep a little farm, chop wood to keep you warm.  But I don't really love you anymore."

24. I'm waiting for the day -- The Beach Boys
Another underrated Beach Boys track, this one from Pet Sounds. 

Best line: "I kissed your lips when your face looked sad, it made me think about him and that you still loved him so."

23. So far away -- Carole King
Ughhhh.  Music shouldn't be allowed to be simultaneously so great and so tragic.

Best line: "You're so far away.  Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore? It would be so fine to see your face at my door."

22. Tracks of my tears -- Linda Ronstadt/Smokey Robinson/Johnny Rivers

There have been so many good versions of this song.  My favorite is Linda's, followed by Smokey's and Johnny's tied. 

Best line: "I need you! (need you) Need you! (need you)"

21. Dock of the bay -- Otis Redding
Beautiful.  The Staples Singers did a worthwhile version too (can't find a link, however).

Best line: "Sittin' here restin' my bones, and this loneliness won't leave me alone."