50. Bad reputation – Joan Jett
One of the classic rebellion songs. I developed an affinity for this one when I became a “Freaks and Geeks” fan. I’m pretty sure it’s also in 10 Things I Hate About You.
Best line: “I don’t give a damn about my reputation. You’re living in the past it’s a new generation.”
49. The sun goes down and the world goes dancing – The Magnetic Fields
Stephin Merritt is great at capturing this kind of sentiment.
Best line: “Baby, it’s you. You know your eyes are awful blue. Maybe it’s more – maybe you’re all I ever waited for.”
48. Doo wop (that thing) – Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill is one tough lady. She’ d be a terrible person to run into accidently at a party in New York or something (I don’t know, it could happen!) because she intimidates the shit out of me.
Best line: "It's silly when girls sell their souls 'cause it's in."
47. Love me tender – Elvis Presley
I mean, it's just great. Elvis knew how to really perform a song, even when it was just in the recording studio. He sells it.
Best line: “Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfill. For my darling I love you, and I always will.”
46. Do you realize? – The Flaming Lips
I think this is one of those songs that has really touched a lot of people of my generation. A band called The Gentlemen of NUCO from Northwestern did a good version of this.
Best line: “Do you realize you have the most beautiful face? Do you realize we’re floating in space? Do you realize that happiness makes you cry? Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die?”
45. Love story – Taylor Swift
No seriously, this song is the shit. This is a well-engineered song.
Best line: “Pop rocks cheesy fries anchovies bowling train tickets plastic wrap dunderheads refrigeration”…wait that’s not how it goes?
44. Baby love – The Supremes
Diana Ross has got some loose nuts and bolts in her noggin, but the Supremes made a lot of incredible songs. Baby Love is my favorite, because I think it’s the most energetic and emotive.
Best line: “Tell me what did I do wrong to make you stay away so long?”
43. It ain’t me babe – Bob Dylan
(The Johnny Cash version is linked, because the Bob Dylan version is not available on youtube). Bob Dylan had a needy girlfriend, it seems. This is the result.
Best line: "Go melt back into the night. Everything inside is made of stone. There's nothing in here moving, and anyway I'm not alone." Harsh.
42. The book of love -- The Magnetic Fields
There’s a reason why this song is played at so many hip weddings – it’s one of the sweetest love songs ever (and it talks about wedding rings.) It’s also a love song about love and love songs, which is fun. Peter Gabriel did a notable cover of the song.
Best line: “The Book of Love is long and boring. No one can lift the damn thing.”
41. God only knows – The Beach Boys
From Pet Sounds, the only Beach Boys album the vast majority of humanity can name off the top of their heads. I kind of surprised myself when I only ranked this #41, because I have long loved it, but fear not -- the Beach Boys have several other songs that I love even more that you will find later in this list.
Best line: “I may not always love you, but long as there are stars above you you never need to doubt it. I’ll make you so sure about it – God only knows what I’d be without you.”
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