Welcome to the Top 100 Songs Since 1999. I know you’ve all been waiting for weeks and are excited to the point of falling out of your seats in anticipation. Well, here you are, folks. It’s here. I finally got my lazy *censored* into my seat and finished this. I’ve already presented the description and criteria, so you can all check that out if you feel like it.
Now, without further ado, I present to you #100-71 of the Top 100 Songs Since 1999…
100. Sonic Youth - Stones
Let’s kick off the list with some Sonic Youth, shall we? Sonic Youth is one of the most influential bands of our lifetimes, and although they haven’t achieved as much commercial success as their skill merits, that doesn’t take away from their greatness. “Stones” is one of the best from Sonic Youth’s 2004 album Sonic Nurse. The 7 minute song starts out with a nice drum intro and picks up from there. Since I couldn’t find a video clip I liked, the link takes you to their song on Napster, where you can listen to it there instead.
There may be nobody as in tune with the sound of nature than the folk-indiggae (Yes, that’s still a made up word) Afro-pop sensation that is Vampire Weekend. Their songs (including “A-Punk”) are extraordinarily simple, but yet they still manage to create a lasting effect on you. The band is very new (Their first album is just out), and it’s hard to imagine them evolving much over their careers, but it will be interesting to see if they do. For now, though, the light, energetic “A-Punk” will have to settle for 99th.
Look outside at the raincoats coming, say oh!
98. Bloc Party - Hunting For Witches
Remember when I said I’m aiming for objectivity? That stands out here. Welcome to my worst enemy: Bloc Party. I can’t stand them. However, I simply cannot look you in the face/icon and tell you this isn’t a deserving song on my Top 100 songs list. The song gives shape to the “witch hunt” in the Middle East for the instigators of the terror attacks that are, indeed, captivating the attentions of the American public. The song itself is even beginning growing on me. Perhaps one day I will become a Bloc Party fan. I doubt it. (Editor’s note: By the time I’ve finished this damn list, I’ve officially come to like this song.)
Desperate and misinformed
Fear will keep us all in place
97. Matchbox Twenty - How Far We've Come
To be honest, I can’t stand Matchbox Twenty. I suppose they sound decent depending on if you have the right taste in music, but I’ve never found a M20 song I’ve liked until the recent release of “How Far We’ve Come”. What attracted me to this song was its lyrical power and originality. It’s basically a calling to the human race saying that this is Judgment Day, the end of the world, and let’s see if we’ve made enough progress to stop it. Some surprisingly dark and thought provoking lyrics from the pinnacle of light rock. Unfortunately, the light rock aspect originally turns me off to the songs apparent meaning, but after a few listens, I got over that.
But I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
This song and band was actually suggested to me by a member of FanNation.com, Wallace. I heard it on a “Jukebox” blog of his and was instantly attached. To this day, I still know nothing else of the band outside of this one song, but it remains a point of interest to me. Wallace can pat himself on the back seeing his own influence on the list. The song itself seems to feature a man in an abusive relationship with a woman, except it’s the woman doing the abusing. Enjoy.
And she's got 15 ways to run around and make him cry
And he's got 15 ways to wander round and wonder why
95. My Morning Jacket - Golden
My Morning Jacket is a great example of modern weed smokin’ music. This is a great band to listen to when hanging out in a mellow environment, such as a long car/bus trip. Their melodic harmony puts you to sleep like a rock, while at the same time being very enjoyable. This particular song (their best in my opinion) holds a hint of country in it, but is very good.
We'll go through this thing together
And on heaven's golden shore we'll lay our heads
94. The Decemberists - July, July!
This song is my favorite of a very limited experience with The Decemberists. God knows what the hell The Decemberists are speaking of in this song. Apparently, it’s a very strange summer to them. Other than that, I have no other comment on this track, other than the fact that it’s very catchy. This is a track that can easily get in your head if you let it.
If My Morning Jacket is for the weed smokers, then Klaxons is for the hardcore drug users. This is nu rave at its finest, if you can say that. I’m not a big Klaxons fan personally, but I’m presenting the best song by a modern pioneer (well, a modern spearhead anyway) in rave music. The lyrics are a bit out there, but then, who cares? You’re not supposed to when you’re getting high. Oh well. I’ll leave this one to the drug addicts.
Light touch my hands, in a dream of Golden Skans, from now on
92. Gin Blossoms - Learning The Hard Way
Gin Blossoms is a band that blossomed in the 90s and is continuing their success into the new millennium. This is the first track off of their most recent album, Major Lodge Victory. Now, this is probably the only song on the entire list that holds extreme personal bias, as it’s not even the best song on the album. However, this song has personal history with me, and I find it the easiest to listen to of all Gin Blossoms’ songs. Therefore, “Learning The Hard Way” has cracked the top 91, instead of “Long Time Gone”, “Til I Hear It From You”, or “Hey Jealousy”.
91. Band Of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You
Can we get a break from the weed music?? Nope. I’m feeding you a healthy dosage of Band of Horses. Five months ago, if I had mentioned Band of Horses, you’d have had no idea of what I was talking about. Today, however, that may be a different story. They’re finally starting to receive some well deserved attention across the internet and beyond since the release of their new album, Cease To Begin. Their sound is similar to My Morning Jacket, except that they have all the rough edges rounded off. This track is one of the best of Cease To Begin.
Coldplay to me is overrated. Their songs are very simple and their lyrics are nothing more than average. Often times their songs drag on for minutes longer than they should, leaving to you have to check the time remaining on the song every 10 seconds. However, A Rush Of Blood To The Head was put together nicely by a collection of sub-average songs to make an incredibly depressing concept album (in my mind). This song is the final track on the album and represents the final twist on the character’s lifelong attempt to stabilize his relationship with his lover.
Come on, oh my star is fading
And I see no chance of release
And I know I’m dead on the surface
But I am screaming underneath
“Zookeeper’s Boy” is by far one of the top 3 most addicting songs on this list. The song has a sort of magical feel to it, using what sounds like synthesizer and bells. This, however, is far from the main attraction of a standard Mew performance. It is at the 0:25 mark that the song explodes into an orgasmic falsetto experience typical of French lead singer Jonas Bjerre (that’s “byair,” one syllable). After listening to “Zookeeper’s Boy”, it’s hard to help yourself from playing back the same 10 words over and over in your head for the next week, “Are you, my lady are you, my lady are you.” As if to add to the excitement even more, the song features some satisfying harmonizing vocals, as well. On the flip side, while they make a fairly clever comparison between zoo animals and patronizors, the lyrics are terribly weak, and the other instruments are significantly unremarkable. Make no mistake about it, without Bjerre’s voice, Mew is nothing.
You're tall just like a giraffe
You have to climb to find its head
But if there's a glitch
You're an ostrich
You've got your head in the sand
88. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Face Down
Yeah, I’ve heard this song enough times too. However, this is one of the few very mainstream tracks that have slipped onto the list. The song itself isn’t particularly original in regards to the actual music, but I think the lyrics portray a very positive message regarding abuse. That and only that launches The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus into the 88 slot.
87. Acceptance - So Contagious
Wow. Now that’s a weird video. Anywho…Acceptance was a very good band, and I was sad to see them break up. “So Contagious” seems to have become an anthem for teenage girls since its release. Its catchy sound and lover-boy lyrics may account for this. Either way, I like this song.
86. Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies
Flogging Molly is Irish heaven. It’s a medley of guitars and drums with fiddles, accordions, and the occasional banjo. Who can go wrong with that? And if you’ve read that, there’s no possible way you can resist watching this video. Flogging Molly tops all Irish rock bands in name and skill, and they show it with this song. I can only imagine how great this band is live. And as if to add to the excitement, it comes with a good video as well. Enjoy.
Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess
Singin' drunken lullabies
85. The Bravery - Unconditional
I’m halfway between liking and not liking The Bravery. On one hand, I find their music piercing and annoying. On the other, they are innovative and quite intriguing. It’s very difficult to describe such an unusual band. I suppose it’s somewhat like techno without the remix-style beat mixed with pop and indie. Sound confusing? You bet. As for the song, “Unconditional” is my favorite by The Bravery. It seems to be express frustration about the difficulty of life, and the singer makes it pretty clear that he “just wants love.”
I just want, I just want love
I just want, I just want love
I just want, I just want love
I just want, I just want love
Whether or not you know it by name, I can almost guarantee you’ve heard this song before. To me, this song doesn’t do much. The sound is catchy, but it goes on for the length of the song, and it gets tiring. The lyrics are incomprehensible (to me). The band in itself does not strike a chord with me either (no pun intended). There’s even a rumor going around that Kasabian doesn’t write their own songs. However, this is easily the best song by one of the best live bands in the underground music world.
Are you so far to the left that you object to the senseless killing of defenseless plants? Then State Radio is for you. This is probably the most liberal band that I’ve ever seen or heard before. Not that it’s a bad thing, seeing as how I’m probably a bit on the left side myself. It’s just that it gets annoying after listening to them for too long. “Camilo” is State Radio’s crowning achievement to date. The song tells the true story of a man, Camilo Mejia, a Mexican-American soldier who fought in Iraq. After coming back to the US for a stay, he refused to return to Iraq by being a conscientious observer and was thrown in jail for nearly a year by the US government. It is my understanding that he now tours the country speaking out against the war in Iraq. The lyrics to “Camilo” are as well done as any on this list and really get you to thinking. And as if that wasn’t sweet enough, State Radio is made up of Sox fans! Whoo!
And from another land's war torn corners
To a prison cell in my own
Punish me for not taking your orders
But don't lock me up for not leavin' my home
And now red oil is spillin' down on the street
And your eyes too big for the belly is weak
Will you not refuse this currency
Or is blood money just money to you
Creed fans, you’ll like Alter Bridge. Creed haters, you may also like Alter Bridge. That’s because Alter Bridge is the band no longer backing former Creed singer Scott Stapp. With Stapp gone, the new lead singer makes Alter Bridge much more tolerable than its predecessor. “Rise Today” is a song that, like its title suggests, encourages people to stand up and do something good in the world. With computers, TVs, and video games ravaging the youth of today (guilty), songs with this type of positive message are seen too few and far between.
Our time is running out
Hope we find a better way
Before we find we're left with nothing
81. Jack's Mannequin - Dark Blue
Jack’s Mannequin is the ultimate girl’s band. That’s not to say that they’re stuff is bad. I will shamelessly admit (as I’ll have to do a lot during this list) that I enjoy what I hear from them. “Dark Blue” stands out as their best song. Their lead singer has a great voice that I can only marvel at as he carries it from high to low to higher to highest. He is also a very good lyricist, as evidenced by this track. But what is the dark blue? Why, anything you want it to be. I believe it to be a metaphorical ocean that drowns him, but…interpretations for that are up for grabs.
Dark blue, dark blue
Have you ever been alone in a crowded room when I'm here with you
I said the world could be burning and burning down
80. Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
If you’ve ever had a song stuck in your head, you’ve probably had this one up there. “The Middle” may very well be the most addicting song out of these 100. We’ve all heard it a million times, and then a million times over again. Nevertheless, this guilty pleasure never gets old for me. The lyrics are pretty dumb, although they seem to indicate getting your chin up and partying when you feel down. They probably were only put there to flow well, which they do. There’s a whole lot of partying and topless women in the video (Sorry guys, bras are on).
79. Rocco DeLuca & The Burden - Mystified
Rocco DeLuca & The Burden is one of just four more underground indie bands remaining on this list and the last on this individual post. The band is a fairly mellow band with soothing harmonies and beats. This particular song, which I’ve found the most enjoyable even though it’s far from Rocco’s most famous, is a little odd. The lyrics indicate the singer feeling good about being recently rejected by the girl he wants. Now, I’ve never gotten a positive feeling from that before, but, whatever. It’s his life.
When my eyes hit the ground
That means I'm afraid to succeed
But it's a high to be down
Praying for this disease
78. Slightly Stoopid - Collie Man
I believe I’ve tabbed My Morning Jacket, Klaxons, and Band Of Horses as weed smoking/drug music. Well, Slightly Stoopid reigns over all of them. The very definition of relaxed and laid back, Slightly Stoopid could make Monk take a day off to go tanning at the beach. Their music is as stress relieving as therapy from a Swedish masseuse. The only problem when I’m listening to it is that right after “Slightly Stoopid” comes “Slipknot.” Man, that can be a wake up call sometimes. The song “Collie Man” itself is about the before mentioned weed. It’s a reminiscing of the singer’s dealer that used to bring him “sensi herb” (weed).
Hey mister collie man
Look, I didn't come to disturb
You best not be come round here
Unless you've got me sensi herb
First off, I’ll note the incredible digital editing done by the maker of the video clip for “I Summon You”. It’s mind bottling. Anyway, Spoon is a very talented band. Their album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga was one of the most acclaimed of 2007. While I can admit that their song writer is a musical genius, I haven’t been able to get into Spoon yet. “I Summon You” is one that I’m a big fan of, though.
Yeah you got the weight of the world coming down like a mother’s eye
76. Arctic Monkeys - A Certain Romance
I really, really…really can’t stand the Arctic Monkeys. For one, their dripping British accents are a little too much for me. As for the rest, their music sounds lame, their lyrics are sub-average, and their vocals are terrible. Fortunately, just like in the English language, there is always an exception to everything. “A Certain Romance” takes a political stand against the greed, gluttony, and pampered attitudes of Americans. While this is partially ignorance, it is also quite true in way too many instances. The aforementioned detriments to the Arctic Monkeys, though, take a lot away from the potential of this song.
And over there there's broken bones
There's only music so that there's new ringtones
And it don't take no Sherlock Holmes
To see it's a little different around here
75. Iron & Wine - Boy With A Coin
Iron & Wine (Sam Beam’s stage name) is a great artist. His utilization of innumerable different sounds are insane. “Boy With A Coin” is likely the most eerie song on the list. The thumping in the background gives you shivers. There have been many interpretations of the song, but mine is that in the first verse, the singer refers to commercialism that has corrupted men (who throughout past history have been the bread earners) and cause our modern world to be immersed in logos. The second verse refers to women’s struggles in giving birth, and the third verse displays the vision we all have of a perfect world. All three end with the most chilling line of the song.
When God left the ground to circle the world
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the closest thing you will ever hear to AC/DC that isn’t the real thing themselves. “Cold Hard B*tch”. Simply put, if you condemn this song, you better condemn Brian Johnson and Co., because this song invokes everything the classic hard rock band was about: Hard, simple, rocking guitar, screaming lyrics, thumping drums, sex, sex, and then a little bit more sex. This never-say-sleep, hard partying song may be veering away from the usual Jet, but they do a spotless job of imitating the rock gods of AC/DC.
Cold hard b*tch
Just a kiss on the lips
And I was on my knees
I'm waiting, give me
Cold hard b*tch
She was shakin' her hips
That's all that I need
73. Ben Folds - Fred Jones Part 2
God I love Ben Folds. His album Rockin’ The Suburbs blew me away by its expertise. Ben has shown throughout his career that he can be both very mature (such as in this song) and hilariously comical. Both of these aspects are displayed in topmost fashion in Rockin’ The Suburbs. One of the best tracks on the album was “Fred Jones Part 2”. The depressingly sad song is about a man who has worked loyally for 25 years at a newspaper and is fired with no fanfare whatsoever. As he reflects on his seemingly happy 25 years at the office, he ponders how the world will be the same without him as it was with him. This is a song that may be better sans video, but the video I did post does a nice little job of attempting to capture its emotion. Just pretend the guy in the video is 65, and not 25.
No one is left here that knows his first name
And life barrels on like a runaway train
Where the passengers change
They don't change anything
72. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication
Ah, Red Hot Chili Peppers. What would music do without them? Of course they can be annoying, but no band that comes to mind of right now has been more innovative to Generation Y music than Flea and Co. “Californication” is one of their best. Yes it’s overplayed, but the lyrics, contradictory to almost every other RHCP song ever made, are meaningful and well-written (Don’t worry, it still has its juvenile moments). The song, if you can’t figure it out yourself, is about the materialistic society of America, specifically in filthy rich societies such as Hollywood. The video is quite interesting. It looks like a video-game simulation. Oh, and the lead singer’s retarded dance moves that he busts out shirtless during every video he’s in makes me want to kill myself. See for yourself.
71. Queens Of The Stone Age - No One Knows
I’ll admit that I’m not a QOTSA fan. I’ve never been able to get into them. However, I can appreciate them. Songs like “3s & 7s”, “Little Sister”, and “No One Knows” have become huge hits for them. My favorite, obviously, is “No One Knows”. I see it as the only one of the three that doesn’t rely on a repeated catchy guitar riff to carry the song through its duration. Oh, hell, what am I talking about? Yes it does. Regardless, I find this one the most listenable (Wow, that’s actually a word). Lyrically, the song ventures into rules and limits that govern the world, as well as the problems and mental issues that result from them. Not much of a song in a lyrical respect, but a good one nonetheless.
And there you have it. The Top 100 Songs Since 1999, numbers 100-71. The next issue (#s 70-41) will be coming Saturday. Here’s an instant recap of #s 100-71 for the many of you who did not read the above:
100. Sonic Youth - Stones
99. Vampire Weekend – A-Punk
98. Bloc Party – Hunting For Witches
97. Matchbox Twenty – How Far We’ve Come
96. Belasco - Chloroform
95. My Morning Jacket - Golden
94. The Decemberists – July, July!
93. Klaxons – Golden Skans
92. Gin Blossoms – Learning The Hard Way
91. Band Of Horses – No One’s Gonna Love You
90. Coldplay - Amsterdam
89. Mew – The Zookeeper’s Boy
88. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – Face Down
87. Acceptance – So Contagious
86. Flogging Molly – Drunken Lullabies
85. The Bravery - Unconditional
84. Kasabian – Club Foot
83. State Radio – Camilo
82. Alter Bridge – Rise Today
81. Jack’s Mannequin – Dark Blue
80. Jimmy Eat World – The Middle
79. Rocco DeLuca & The Burden - Mystified
78. Slightly Stoopid – Collie Man
77. Spoon – I Summon You
76. Arctic Monkeys – A Certain Romance
75. Iron & Wine – Boy With A Coin
74. Jet – Cold Hard B*tch
73. Ben Folds – Fred Jones Part 2
72. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication
71. Queens Of The Stone Age – No One Knows
See you in two days.
Ariel Meredith
Cintia Dicker
Cheerleader of the Week
The 15 Most Influential Sports Agents
Comments (0) Add A Comment
Comment
Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.