Favorite Cover Songs of 2021 - Songs 1-11

Here's the second half (or first half, depending on how you want to look at it) of my favorite 22 cover songs of 2021.

1. European Son by Matt Berninger (original by The Velvet Underground). 

"You made your wallpapers green

You want to make love to the scene

Your European son is gone

You'd better say so long

Your clowns bid you goodbye."

My favorite cover of the year - at least according to my ears and brain (my heart was with number two, which will become understandable when you read about and listen to it). This is an excellent example of what a cover can be - both reimagining the original and being true to it at the same time. The lyrics are admittedly not complex (the story behind it is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Son), but the sound, especially Matt's voice, the harmonica, and the horns, got into my head and wouldn't leave. Yes, that's an endorsement for Mr. Berninger's vocals over Lou Reed's (in this instance).

2. Champaign Corolla by Steve Earle and The Dukes (original by Justin Townes Earle). 

"I know every man think that he need

Some high tone woman

Something built for speed

But you can't trust a rich girl

No farther than you can throw her

Need a middle class queen

Riding by in a champagne Corolla."

Steve Earle and his band recorded an entire album of Justin Townes' songs shortly after the latter's death. Hence my heart going with this one as my favorite cover of the year. While the whole album is excellent, I chose this one over the others, turning JT's sly solo effort into a rollicking country stomp. I cannot bring myself to choose between the two performances.

3.  Sad But True by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (original by Metallica). 

"I'm your truth, telling lies

I'm your reason, alibis

I'm inside, open your eyes

I'm you

Sad but true."

You read that correctly. Metallica. I'm not by any stretch of the imagination a metal fan, so this is one of those that took me a while before I realized it was a cover. One of the comments on the cover's YouTube page is "there is an alternate reality where this is the original." Just so. And much preferred to the original as well, at least by this listener.

4. Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (original by Stevie Wonder).

"Oo wee baby, you set my soul on fire

That's why I know you're my heart's only desire

Ooo baby

Here I am

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours."

One of my all-time favorite songs. While Ms. Jones certainly did it justice, you simply can't top Stevie's "Heyyyy hey, oh yeah baby" at the top. And to her credit, she didn't really try to.

5. Train in Vain by Rostam (original by The Clash).

"Now I got a job

But it don't pay

I need new clothes

Need somewhere to stay

But without all of these things

I can do

But without your love

I won't make it through."

Another song everyone should know. While I've already expressed my admiration for Rostam's voice, it's hard not to hear this one sung by Mick Jones in your head (even when it's Rostam instead).

6. I'm Waiting for My Man by Matt Berninger (original by The Velvet Underground).

"Baby don't you holler 

Darlin' don't you bawl and shout

I'm feeling good 

You know I'm gonna work it on out

I'm feeling good 

I'm feeling oh so fine

Until tomorrow 

But that's just some other time

I'm waiting for my man."

Hard to top one of my favorite artists covering one of my favorite artists (except, of course, for the five songs above, which include one of my favorite artists covering one of my favorite artists ...). While I think most would admit that Matt's voice is better than Lou Reed's, the latter's is perfect for a song about a junkie waiting for his dealer. Two very different, and very excellent, versions of the same song. Final score: Matt 1, Lou 1.

7. Summer's End by Phoebe Bridgers (original by John Prine).

"The moon and stars hang out in bars just talking

I still love that picture of us walking

Just like that ol' house we thought was haunted

Summer's end came faster than we wanted."

Another example of one of my favorite artists covering another. Love and respect to Mr. Prine, but Phoebe's vocals rule.

8. Harvest Moon by Lord Huron (original by Neil Young).

"Because I'm still in love with you

I want to see you dance again

Because I'm still in love with you

On this harvest moon."

A lovely, Latin-tinged cover of a classic (and quiet) Neil Young song. Another one that one could say could, in a different dimension could have been the original. And another that I would say the original vocals can't be topped.

9. For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound) by Jaguar Son (original by Buffalo Springfield).

"Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when you're always afraid

Step out of line,

The man come and take you away."

Pretty much a perfect song for late 1966 (when the original was released) or August 2020 (when this cover was). As good as this version is, I give the nod to Stephen Stills' original vocals.

10. Waterfalls by Death Cab for Cutie (original by TLC).

"Don't go chasing waterfalls

Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to

I know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at all

But I think you're moving too fast."

Definitely a different feel to this version, as you would expect from a Death Cab take on a TLC song (and, of course, no rapping). Love Ben Gibbard and his voice, but not as much as T-Boz's on this song.

11. Manic Monday by Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day) (original by The Bangles, courtesy of songwriter Prince). 

"Have to catch an early train

Got to be to work by nine

And if I had an aeroplane

I still couldn't make it on time."

Call me tin-eared, shallow, whatever, I've always had a soft spot for '80's girl groups -- the GoGo's, Bananarama, and The Bangles. So Mr. Armstrong redoing a Bangles' song, with Susanna Hoffs on rhythm guitar and backing vocals? I couldn't resist. But I still prefer Ms. Hoffs' vocals on the original.

That's it for this year's covers. Stayed tuned for my favorite original songs of 2021.

Favorite Cover Songs of 2021 - Songs 12-22

The covers list is back after a year's hiatus, expanded to two separate posts. Most of the songs you will instantly recognize from past incarnations, others I didn't even know were covers until I delved a little deeper. All are, I believe, worthy of at least one listen. At the suggestion of a old friend, this time I'll let you know which version (and in particular, which vocals) I prefer - the original or the cover.

12. Drive by Soccer Mommy (original by The Cars).

"Who's gonna pay attention

To your dreams?

Who's gonna plug their ears

When you scream?"

A brilliant update of a classic '80's song. The original is truly a classic, but I prefer the cover both because of the lush production, and due to Sophia Regina Allison's (a.k.a., Soccer Mommy's) lovely voice.

13. Rescue Me by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (original by Fontella Bass). 

"Come on, baby, and rescue me

Come on, baby, and rescue me

'Cause I need you by my side

Can't you see that I'm lonely?"

No, not Aretha. Fontella Bass. And while her original is hard to top, I believe that Ms. Jones managed to do just that. Unlike my new song list the past few years, I feature multiple songs from one artist on this cover list. And, yes, that's a teaser for another from Sharon and the DKs in the next installment.

14. Under Control by Rostam (original by The Strokes).

"I don't want to change your mind,

I don't want to waste your time.

I just want to know you're alright.

I've got to know you're alright."

Instead of a "sounds like The Strokes" song that commonly appears on my other list, how about a Strokes cover instead? Much like "Drive" the production on this version is considerably more layered than the original. And despite my (frequent) profession to want to be like Julian Casablancas when I grow up, I prefer Rostam's vocals to his on this song.

15. That Funny Feeling by Phoebe Bridgers (original by Bo Burnham).

"Stunning 8K resolution meditation app

In honor of the revolution, it's half off at The Gap

Deadpool's self-awareness, loving parents, harmless fun

The backlash to the backlash to the thing that's just begun."

Not a '60's cover, or an '80's, or an aughts, but one of a song released in 2021. Hard to miss the COVID/social media dystopia feel to the lyrics, which seem spot on to me. As you might suspect, I prefer Phoebe's vocals to Bo's.

16. Rock and Roll All Nite by Green Day (original by Kiss). 

"You keep on sayin' you'll be mine for a while

You're lookin' fancy and I like your style.

You drive us wild, we'll drive you crazy."

This cover doesn't really "reinvent" the original. But I think that's the point. As someone who was a high school senior in Michigan in the Fall of 1975, this song was something of an anthem for me (since it was supposedly dedicated to the city of Detroit) and its nostalgia suits me just fine. I prefer Billie Joe Armstrong's vocals to Gene Simmons' (and this version's guitar solos are better too, I believe).

17. In Your Eyes by Ben Abraham (original by Peter Gabriel).

"Love ... I don't like to see so much pain

So much wasted

and this moment keeps slipping away

I get so tired

working so hard for our survival

I look to the time with you

to keep me awake and alive."

A nice, quite update from the original. But it's missing the angst or urgency of Peter's vocals.

18. Bittersweet Symphony by The Knocks (featuring Foster the People) (original by The Verve). 

"Well I've never prayed, but tonight I'm on my knees, yeah

I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah

I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now

But the airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now."

Everyone knows this one, right? I like the vocals in the original a little more, but prefer the tempo of the cover.

19. Fix You by Ben Harper and the Soweto Gospel Choir (original by Coldplay).

"When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need.

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse."

A prettier, but somehow less emotional, rendition of one of my favorite songs by The Band Everyone Loves to Hate. The addition of the choir leads me to declare this one better sung than the original.

20. I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Eddie Island (original by Death Cab for Cutie). 

"If Heaven and Hell decide

that they both are satisfied

Illuminate the 'No's'

on the Vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you

when your soul embarks

Then I'll follow you into the dark."

One of my all-time favorite love songs. Apparently, Mr. Island was on American Idol at some point in the past; wouldn't know it by me ... I like his rendition very much, but nonetheless give the nod to Ben Gibbard's plaintive vocals when comparing the two.

21. Fast Car by Jamila Woods (original by Tracy Chapman).

"So I remember we were driving, driving in your car

Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk

City lights lay out before us

And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder

And I-yI had a feeling that I belonged

I-yI had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone."

A pretty update to a great song. Still prefer Tracy Chapman's rendition, however.

22. Take Me Home, Country Roads by Whitney (featuring Waxahatchee) (original by John Denver).

"Almost heaven, West Virginia

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River

Life is old there, older than the trees

Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze."

A nice rendition - perhaps a bit more country than John's (or Mike Doughty's version, on my earlier list). But it's hard to improve on the original.

Stay tuned for my Top 11.

Favorite Songs of 2020 - Songs 1-11

We made it! The end of a horrible year, the end of what I hope you found was an entertaining and (even more than usual, I believe) eclectic list. Here's to hoping we all get to congregate at some point in the not too distant future, whether it be in the office, at church, at sporting events, or, more pertinent to this topic, at concerts. It can't come too soon!

1.  ICU (or I See You) by Phoebe Bridgers.

"I'll climb through the window again

But right now it feels good not to stand

Then I'll leave it wide open

Let the dystopian morning light pour in."

The most difficult part of this part of the list was choosing which lyrics to include for ICU. The entire song is chock full of insightful, and biting, commentary about love gone wrong. While admittedly Ms. Bridgers and her work have appeared on a lot of "best of" lists in 2020, fortunately for my contrarian nature most have been in acknowledgement of her songs "I Know the End" and "Kyoto" or for her outstanding album Punisher. ICU, however, has been enduringly my favorite since I first heard it early in 2020.

2.  Armageddon's Back In Town by Drive-by-Truckers.

"The die has been cast

Symbolism's so pronounced

That there's nothing left to wonder or explain

There'll be no healing

From the art of double-dealing

Armageddon's back in town again."

If you think its sounds like the boys from Athens (although apparently at least some of them live in Portland now) don't sound optimistic, it's because they're not. Also check out "Thoughts and Prayers" from their excellent album The Unraveling and "The New OK" from their follow-up effort of the same name later in the year. DBT may be bowed, but they are not broken.

3.  Bad Decisions by The Strokes.

"Oh, baby, I hang on everything you say

I wanna write down every word

But do me a favor, when you come close

When I look around, don't wanna see you

I don't take advice from fools

Never listening to you."

The list has often featured songs that I bill as that year's offering of "sounds like The Strokes." This year we have ... The Strokes sounding like a mashup of Billy Idol and Modern English. While Julian Casablancas doesn't sound like he's completely pleased with how he's aged, I still wanna be him when I grow up.

4.  Fastest Man Alive by Steve Earle.

"I'm the rumble with the thunder

I'm the bolt out of the blue

I'm the master of the stratosphere

A pilot tried and true

My name's Charles Elwood Yeager

And I've been everywhere

Paris, London, Timbuktu

And Dover, Delaware

Ended up in California

That's where I'm gonna die

I come from West Virginia

I'm the fastest man alive."

Sadly, West Virginia's favorite son died this year (and even more sadly, Steve Earle's son, Justin Townes Earle, did as well). But Steve got it right, Chuck died in California. And he also got it right that Chuck was the "master of the stratosphere, a pilot tried and true" along with being, in Tom Wolfe's words the "most righteous of all the possessors of the right stuff."

5.  AUATC by Bon Iver.

"Ate up all their cake

And they drank their own wine

They were always on the take (will you shed a little light on it?)

Well, you know the burden ain't of dust

The only path to love is touch

I know that all that ain't proper mounts to much."

AUATC = Ate Up All Their Cake. Yes, that's The Boss you hear helping out in the chorus. A protest song for our post-COVID, post-George Floyd, post-destruction of the middle class times.

6.  Fire by Waxahatchee.

"I take it for granted

If I could love you unconditionally

I could iron out the edges of the darkest sky

For some of us it ain't enough

It ain't enough."

My favorite song from Katie Crutchfield's (aka Waxahatchee) excellent album St. Cloud. I also recommend "Can't Do Much" and "Arkadelphia" from that stellar work, which is much quieter than Waxahatchee's earlier offerings.

7.  Shangri-La by EOB.

"Going back

I'm not going back

In the old house

We'll burn it to the ground."

EOB is Ed O'Brien of Radiohead fame. One song that's here more for the music than the lyrics.

8.  Surrender by Will Butler.

"I'm so tired now

I'm so tired of

Thinking of you

No, no, no, child

I wish you were outta my head."

As convincing as he can be, I don't think Will's winning this argument -- whether it's with the subject or (more likely) himself. Will's better known as a multi-instrumentalist and frenetic stage presence in Arcade Fire.

9.  Persona Non Grata by Bright Eyes.

"Getting dressed for a date

Put on Blue aftershave

Wore a kilt like a Celt

Hid the way that I felt."

The first album in nine years by Bright Eyes is full of angst and Connor Oberst's quivering vocals (and stellar lyrics like the ones above). List regulars will remember Mr. Oberst teaming with Ms. Bridgers last year in Better Oblivion Community Center, whose offerings included "Little Trouble" (which also made my Favorite Songs of the 2010's list). A bright, smart downer in a dismal year, and another song about love lost, a genre for which I have an unexplainable affinity.

10.  Different Light by Best Coast.

"Askin' myself all the time, what if this just goes away?

'Cause I have gotten used to lookin' forward to another day

Probably why I live my life in black and white and never grey

Who am I to judge if you still see things in a different light?"

Another song from the past year that has a strong late '90's-early aughts feel to it. I guess this is a plea for finding common ground? If so, I'm fine with that.

11.  Good Times by The Lone Bellow.

"Boy he's wrestled down his demons

Broke the fall of all his friends

Quotes the Bible and the Koran

Has the heart of fifteen men.

Never wonders what you're doing

Never needs the words to say

There's some good ones still trying

Let's no good time slip away."

Spotify tells me I listened to this song more than any other in 2020. Perhaps that's because it was released early in the year; just as likely it's because I love its optimism (I want to meet whomever it is it was written about, if he exists) that helped with the isolation of most of this year. Which, hopefully, will not be the norm for all of 2021.

Favorite Songs of 2020 - Songs 12-22

 "And the countdown rolls on ..."

12.  The Steps by Haim.

"And if you go left

And I go right

Hey, maybe that's just life sometimes."

Not exactly Coldplay territory, but judging from the number of YouTube hits for this video, once again I may be veering dangerously close to mainstream territory by including this song on my list. Check out their song "Don't Wanna" (written with list fav Rostam) while you're at it.

13.  Phase by Pinegrove.

"That night when I lifted my head up

And I was seeing what was trembling there

On the edge of my restless eyelid

On the tip of horizon's lash

On the lip of collapsing letter

In the lap of confusing moon

I'm reduced to an estranged illusion

I'm consumed by all the shit in my room."

The fourth consecutive year on the list for the band from New Jersey (including my favorite song of 2017, and third favorite of all the 2010's, Old Friends). The above lyrics are among my favorites this year, which is not surprising given my admiration for Evan Stephens Hall's songwriting. I also recommend to you Dotted Line and pretty much everything else from Pinegrove's latest album, Marigold.

14.  Alter Ego by Kaleo.

"You feel the rush in your head

This is the time to attend

There's nothin' holdin' you back

Now, go ahead."

A dollop of The Black Keys, a dash of AC/DC and voila! rocking magic from ... Iceland? Yep, like last year's entry from Junius Meyvant, Kaleo hail from the Land of Fire and Ice. Mjog gott!

15.  A Thousand Words by Jay Som.

"Remember to call me when you're feeling blue

Don't follow the rules, go on and speak your truth

I've got you playing on my team

With the kind of people who sweep you off your feet

Writing a thousand words."

A bit of a rocker by Melina Mae Duterte's (aka Jay Som) standards, an artist who lives the cliche and makes music largely in her bedroom. I love the crescendo outro.

16.  Strangers by Mt. Joy.

"I guess I'll have to fall in love with strangers

Go ride through New York City like I'm famous

And I did not want our love to be erased, but

Lord knows we chased it, love just rearranged us."

So, is her really over her? I think not. Hearing echoes of The Lumineers in this song, who, according to Seth Myers in the video, they were touring (or supposed to be touring) with. You know, before the world ground to a halt.

17.  Circle the Drain by Soccer Mommy.

"It's a feeling that boils in my brain

I would dial back the flame

But I'm not sure I'm able

I'm wobbling out on the wire

And the lights could go out

With the break of a cable."

It was inevitable, wasn't it, that a song by Soccer Mommy (aka Sophia Regina Allison) would appear on the list sooner or later? Although I'm sure this song was written pre-COVID, it certainly describes what a lot of us have been going through at various times this year.

18.  Who's Gonna Love Me Now by Cold War Kids.

"All those times when I imagined

What'd be like to have my freedom

Not be so uptight, live my best life

Oh, what a fool, I was only dreamin'."

A little Kings of Leon, a little White Stripes, a little Black Keys. I like how the Cold Ware Kids roll.

19.  Automatic by Houses and Dawn Golden.

"Another bleached out, black hole

with nothing to lose

Another paywall, shopping mall

coming for you."

This marks the third straight year Houses has had a song on the list. I guess that officially qualifies me as a fan.

20.  Come On Out by The Airborne Toxic Event.

"Black lungs, headlights

Heading off to the city tonight, out the

Front door, turn right

I was alone, alright, alright, alright."

One of those songs that I think says more with its music and "mood" than its lyrics. Those voices! That lead guitar!

21.  Wrestling by Cartalk.

"Dance around what I want to say

Clear performance in my mind

Star at hands like a saving grace

Are they gonna catch me alright?"

Likely the most obscure song on this year's list, if YouTube hits are the measuring stick. Another retro-sounding, catchy tune that seemed in vogue this year.

22.  Beautiful Anyway by Judah & the Lion.

"That's what makes this life so wonderfully awesome

and horribly awful

Yet somehow it's beautiful anyway."

The boys are back with another life-affirming anthem that we all really need. The video's pretty darn fun too.

Stay tuned for the top 11 songs!

Favorite Songs of 2020 - Songs 23-33

Well, here we are again. Most of us, anyway. While live music ground to a halt this year, as did most everything else, fortunately many artists utilized that "down" time to be incredibly productive and creative (including doing a lot of cover songs which, yeah, sorry, I didn't do a separate list for this year). Here's the start of my list of my favorite songs of 2020. And oh, by the way, 2020?, don't let the door hit you ...

23.  Care by beabadoobe.

"It's been a while since I've talked about it

Maybe it's time to cooperate

I need some help to forget about it

I don't want your sympathy

Stop saying you give a shit

'Cause you don't really

Care, care, care, yeah."

I'm pretty sure my comely wife first alerted me to the existence of Beatrice Laus, aka beabadoobe. Apropos of several "retro" artists further down this list, beabadoobee has a very late '90's, early aughts feel about them/her. Maybe a Go-Gos branch transported to 1998 and grafted onto a Goo Goo Dolls tree?

24.  Walking on a String by Matt Berninger (feat. Phoebe Bridgers).

"In a way, I can't escape it

You'll always worm you way back in

To my lonesome soul and take it

You've always had me

Walking on a string."

Phoebe's everywhere these days, whether teaming with various outstanding artists (Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, Conor Obrest in Better Oblivion Community Center, high on last year's list, or Mr. Berninger here), or on her own (more on that in a later installment of this list). Obviously I think she, and they, have excellent taste. A lovely song from the movie Between Two Ferns.

25.  Tiny Indoor Fireworks by Biffy Clyro.

"Looking for a new revolution

This one didn't get very far

I never want to spoil an illusion

Abracadabra."

I first because familiar with Biffy through their connection to Frightened Rabbit. This song makes me particularly glad that I did.

26.  The Surprise Knock by The New Pornographers.

"Drive off the map and take the long way round

Didn't know the score but we knew we were down

It won't be long until we grind the gears

But carry on, we're on to something here."

I've long been an admirer, but my memory (and Blogger) tell me that TNP have never made the list. That oversight has now been corrected.

27.  Reaching Out to You by Snow Patrol and the Saturday Songwriters.

"All of those nights before this

They're not like nights ahead

Inside there's space between us

Of things that won't need said."

A new song from an old favorite. I'm sure my kids would tell you they had more than their fair share of Snow Patrol in the aughts. And yet here they still are, hooky as ever.

28.  Orphans by Coldplay.

"Baba would go where the flowers grow

Almond and peach trees in bloom

And he would know just when and what to sow

So golden and opportune."

I feel no need to further try to defend my long-standing admiration of at least some of Coldplay's songs. And it seems as though a billion or so people agree (although none are apparently family members or friends).

29.  Pantomima by Greg Dulli.

"Waiting on a breeze

I'm waiting on a breeze

I'm waiting on the fever

That will bring me back alive."

Dulli is/was the driving force behind The Afghan Whigs. Driving describes this song accurately as well. The video is kind of cool but pretty artsy (Bob Fosse, anyone?). You can skip to 1:54 if you're only here for the music.

30.  By and By by Caamp.

"Driving through West Virginia

And I've seldom been thinner

With that chip on my shoulder

And this past year I got so much older."

I mean, how can I not put this on my list just based on that first stanza alone?

31.  Dressing America by TORRES.

"It's easier for you to insist

That I can't remember

Then to admit

That you can't forget."

My better half insists that she doesn't like this song much because it's a Frightened Rabbit rip-off. Perhaps that's why I like it ... Warning: the video is NSFW.

32.  Little Bit Sweet by The Wood Brothers.

"I look my lover straight in the eye

Stops the clock she looks in mine

Precious moment I'm holdin' on

Then she blinks

And the moment's gone

Then she blinks

The moment's gone."

A pretty little song about the vagaries of love and the passage of time.

33.  4 American Dollars by U.S. Girls.

"(You can do a lot with four American dollars)

No matter how much

You get to have

You will still die

And that's the only fact

You gotta have boots

If you wanna lift those bootstraps."

U.S Girls is (are?) Meg Remy, who now lives in Toronto but was born in Illinois. This song definitely falls into the "escape" category, which we all definitely need more than a little of this past year.

Stay tuned, boys and girls. My favorite 22 songs are yet to come!

Favorite Songs of the 2010's - Songs 1-25

I have to admit, I tinkered quite a bit with the top of this list, and even as I publish it am not convinced, that numbers two, three, or four in particular shouldn't be number one. But, hoping that you understand that the differences are minute and that while obviously I truly appreciate all of the songs on this list, I'm going to go with my heart. As with the last version, the * indicates artists I've seen in concert (in some cases multiple times).

1.  Swim Until You Can't See Land by Frightened Rabbit*.

"Up to my knees now, do I wade? Do I dive?
This sea has seen my like before, though it's my first and perhaps last time.
Let's call me a baptist, call this the drowning of the past.
She is there on the shoreline, throwing stones at my back."

I suppose those who follow the list won't be surprised by this choice. Hearing Frightened Rabbit for the first time (on the t.v. show "Chuck" - remember when we watched network t.v.? and it was good? and had great curated music?) in 2010 in many ways shaped my musical decade. While it might be easy to read "Swim" as yet another song where Scott Hutchison contemplated suicide, I find that, quite the opposite, it is a song of hope, as Scott the baptist cleanses himself of a relationship gone bad (while she throws stones at his back, of course). While Hutchison's passing was incredibly sad, I'm grateful that he lives on in music like this, my favorite song of 2010, and, as it turns out, the entire decade. Other FR songs on my list throughout the 2010's were "I Wish I Was Sober" (number five in 2016), "Holy" and "Late March, Death March" (seventh and twenty-eighth in 2013), "State Hospital" (number 12 in 2012), and "Nothing Like You" (number four, also in 2010).

2.  Young Fathers by Typhoon*.

"When you're young you're hot
You have your whole life before you
Everyone will adore
You'll grow up, you'll be an astronaut
(or anything you want)."

Typhoon's dawning of adulthood lament/cry for clarity has everything I love about a song - multi-percussionists, smart lyrics, group-shout choruses, and of course a horn section. Young Fathers was number one on my list in 2013, followed up by "Common Sentiments," which was eleventh in 2014. Also one of the best concerts I've ever seen. 

Typhoon at Cat's Cradle, March 2014 (photo by me)

3.  Old Friends by Pinegrove.

"My steps keep splitting my grief
Through these solipsistic moods
I should call my parents when I think of them
Should tell my friends when I love them."

Stripped down simplicity compared to Typhoon, Pinegrove's style is equally appealing - even to someone who is separated by many years from Gen Zers. Pinegrove has admirably soldiered on despite the social media uproar surrounding front man Evan Stephens Hall. And, in my opinion, we are all the better for it. The band from Jersey also appears on the list in 2019 ("Darkness" was 33), 2018 ("Easy Enough," number 14), and 2017 ("Then Again" was number 16, while Old Friends topped that year's list).

4.  Calamity Song by The Decemberists*.

"Hetty Green
Queen of supply-side bonhomie bone-drab
(If you know what I mean)
On the road
It's well-advised to follow your own path
In the year of the chewable Ambien tab."

If this were a list of my favorite artists of the decade, surely The Decemberists would be number one. But, alas, it's not. Calamity Song remains my favorite of the decade (it was number one in 2011) among all of those issued by our intrepid balladeers from the Northwest (although "Ben Franklin's Song" came pretty darn close). I usually like to include live versions of songs through the videos, but the above for Calamity Song so perfectly captures Colin Meloy's dark perspective and whimsical humor that I had to use it instead.  Joining Calamity Song in my catalogue of tunes were: "Down by the Water" (number 11 in 2011), "A Beginning Song" (number three in 2015), "Ben Franklin's Song" (number four in 2018), "Once in My Life" (number 11 in 2018), and "We All Die Young" (number 18 in 2018).

5.  Night Shift by Lucy Dacus.

"I feel no need to forgive, but I might as well
But let me kiss your lips, so I know how it felt
Pay for my coffee and leave before the sun goes down
Walk for hours in the dark feeling all hell."

Perhaps my all-time favorite breakup song because it starts as a lament (don't they all?) but ends with the "I think I'll be fine" sentiment conveyed by the lines: "In five years I hope the songs feel like covers; dedicated to new lovers." Along with Night Shift, my favorite song of 2018, my new "teacher's pet" (as one friend has described her) also had "Nonbeliever" (number 12 in 2018), "Forever Half Mast" (number 18 in 2019), and her cover of The Boss's "Dancing in the Dark" (number two cover song of 2019) on my lists.

6.  Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National*.

"I still owe money to the money to the money I owe
I never thought about love when I thought about home
I still owe money to the money to the money I owe
The floors are falling out from everybody I know."

Along with Sprawl II, the other song (not surprisingly also from 2010) that didn't make a list previously, Bloodbuzz Ohio is the perfect representation of The National's musicianship and Matt Berninger's great voice and inscrutable lyrics. Other songs by The National on my lists throughout the decade were "Quiet Light" (eighth in 2019), "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness" (ninth in 2017), "Humiliation" (second in 2013), and "Don't Swallow the Cap" (twenty-third in 2013).

7.  Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales by Car Seat Headrest*.

"It's too late to articulate it
That empty feeling
You share the same fate
As the people you hate."

Again, a song to which I can only vaguely relate, through Car Seat Headrest mastermind Will Toledo, to my ear, captures perfectly the angst of younger folk these days. Drunk Drivers was my second favorite song of 2016, and, since my top song that year is twenty-eighth on this list, that's a pretty good indication that it's grown in my estimation over the last few years (or I got that year's list really, really wrong).  CSH's "Bodys" was also number two on my list in 2018, and "Fill In The Blank" was number eight in 2016.

8.  Die Young by Sylvan Esso* (Echo Mountain Sessions version).

"I had it all planned out before you met me
Was gonna leave early and so swiftly
Maybe in a fire or crash off a ravine
People would weep, 'How tragic, so early.'"

A twisted love song, the studio version is very good, but the Echo Mountain version is sublime. My second favorite song in 2017.

9.  Chocolate by The 1975.

"Now we run, run away from the boys in the blue
And my car smells like chocolate
Hey now think about what to do
I think about what to say, I think about how to think
Pause it, play it, pause it play it, pause it."

The 1975 has had more popular songs since they announced their presence (to me anyway) with this one, my third favorite song of 2013, but it still remains my favorite. They also made the list in 2018 ("Give Yourself a Try" was twenty-eighth that year).

10.  All Your Favorite Bands by Dawes.

"Now I’m just waking up and
I’m not thinking clearly so don’t quote me.
With one eye open, I'm writing you this song
Ain’t it funny how some people pop into your head so easily
I haven’t seen you in there for so long."

One of the songs I believe I seriously under-appreciated when it first debuted, ranking it ninth in 2015. Now it's only one place down for the entire decade. Just a beautiful song about about fondly recalled lost love.

11. Sister Cities by Hop Along*.

"See the old man on the bridge?
He's hauling up a sagging net.
It's full of eels twisting through
The eye sockets of a horse's head
And this fiend has no family
So he will outlive you and me."

Not exactly the sweet sentiment of "All Your Favorite Bands," now is it? Regardless of how real life "Sister Cities" is or not, front woman Frances Quinlan's lyrics and singing can't help but grab our attention. It was my favorite song of 2015, followed by "Waitress" (number 15 in 2015), and "How Simple" (number 20 in 2018). 

12.  Getting Ready to Get Down by Josh Ritter*.

"And now you come back sayin' you know a little bit about
Every little thing they ever hoped you'd never figure out
The Red Sea, The Dead Sea, the Sermon on the Mount
If you wanna see a miracle, watch me get down!"

Even though she "didn't like him then [and] probably won't like him now," Josh is entitled to take a shot, isn't he? Ritter's quick wit and sly humor shine through in Getting Ready ... a sort-of updated "Footloose" without John Lithgow's incredibly bad southern-Oklahoma accent. This was my sixth favorite song in 2015 (which, as I previously noted, was apparently my favorite year of the decade as far as music goes),  joined by "Homecoming" (number 14 in 2016), Ritter's cover of Frightened Rabbit's "Old Old Fashioned" (seventh on my 2019 covers list), and "Old Black Magic" (number 13 in 2019).

13.  Bros by Wolf Alice.

"I tell you all the time
I'm not mad
You tell me all the time
I got plans."

A great song about friendship, remembrance, and how things can never be the same, but memories can. Number seven on my list in 2016.

14.  Until the Night Turns by Lord Huron*.

"I got a helluva view for the end of the world
I've got a bottle of booze and a beautiful girl.
If I'm a'­goin' to die I'm gonna go in style."

Lord Huron went from cowboy-tinged rock to alt noir during the decade. But of course my favorite song from the boys from the Mitten State was their apocalyptic "Until the Night Turns," my second favorite of 2015. Also on various lists: "Ancient Names (Part I)" (twenty-fifth in 2018), "Fool for Love" (twenty-third in 2015), "Time to Run" (fourth in 2013), and "The Man Who Lives Forever" (twenty-first in 2013).

15.  Let Me Down Easy by Gang of Youths.

"Honey, it’s no secret that I’ve been losing my way
In the weirdest of moments and the stupidest of ways
But hey, I’m still young and it’s gonna be okay
I got solipsism, baby, and I brought lemonade."

One of several artists on this list that I regret having not (yet) seen live. Let Me Down Easy was my third favorite song in 2018, and the boys from Down Under had another song farther down the list that year ("The Heart is a Muscle" was number 13), and in 2016 ("The Diving Bell" was number 31).

16.  Fast Talk by Houses.

"So if you’re guilty and you know it, put your hands up.
Cause karma’s just a different word for bad luck, and
What if death is just another pair of handcuffs.
Well then we’d better run."

I should probably be too old to appreciate Houses. But I do nonetheless. Fast Talk was number nine in 2018, while "Left Alone" was seventeenth last year.

17.  Living the Dream by Sturgill Simpson.

"That old man upstairs, he wears a crooked smile
Staring down at the chaos he created
Said son if you ain't having fun just wait a little while
Momma's gonna wash it all away
And she thinks Mercy's overrated."

My, my what's happened to our man Sturgill the past few years? He went from an obscure country singer to a full-on one man industry. While Living the Dream (number 16 in 2015) remains a favorite, based on the above lyrics if nothing else, check out his new effort ("Sound and Fury") as well, kind of Lynyrd Skynyrd meets ... I dunno, Led Zeppelin? "Mercury in Retrograde" (fifteenth last year) made the list from that excellent album.

18.  Pompeii by Bastille.

"But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like you've been here before?"

Pompeii has over half a billion views on YouTube. So much for my eschewing popular songs ... It was number five in 2013, followed by "Good Grief" (eleventh in 2016), and "Quarter Past Midnight" (32 in 2018).

19.  a million other things by pronoun.

"Remember the night?
Even though we were sad
That we cried so hard that we started to laugh
Cried so hard that we started to laugh."

pronoun has gone from mysterious artist dribbling out a few songs to full on alt presence in the past year. But this is still my preference from the artist otherwise known as Alyse Vellturo. a million other things was my seventh favorite song in 2017, followed by "everybody knows" from "i'll show you stronger" (number 16 in 2019).

20.  Cleopatra by The Lumineers.

"The only gifts from my Lord
Were a birth and a divorce.
But I've read this script and the costume fits,
So I'll play my part."

I read somewhere that Cleopatra is based on a conversation that The Lumineers' lead singer Wesley Shultz had with a taxi driver in the Republic of Georgia. It was number three on my list in 2016, followed by "Ophelia" (twenty-first that year), and following "Ho Hey" (fifth in 2012).

21.  Depreston by Courtney Barnett.

"Then I see the handrail in the shower
A collection of those canisters for coffee, tea and flour
And a photo of a young man in a van in Vietnam."

Ms. Barnett's observational lyrics, chronicling what appears to be but certainly is not the mundane, are most brilliantly demonstrated (in my estimation) in Depreston, my tenth favorite song of 2015.

22.  Someone New by Hozier.

"I wake at the first cringe of morning,
And my heart's already sinned.
How pure, how sweet a love, Aretha,
That you would pray for him."

"Take Me to Church" was a bigger hit, but the contrary Someone New was my favorite Hozier song of the decade. this was number 12 on my list in 2015; others from the Irish crooner (how's that for music journalism cliche?) were Take Me to Church (number 29 in 2014), and "Nobody" (number seven last year).

23.  Blown to Bits by Charly Bliss.

"Your mom in the yard
Your dad's favorite team
Poised to fail,
Then somehow suddenly win."

My favorite song of 2019. I'd love to see them, and particularly lead singer Eva Hendricks, live some day soon.

24.  Love Is Mystical by Cold War Kids.

"Oh, can't you hear the future is calling

For heaven's sake

It's either hell or high water

Let's get outta this place."

A Little Richard-esque piano and "Woo hoo ho" to boot? Oh yes. Love Is Mystical was my third favorite song of 2017.

25.  Little Trouble by Better Oblivion Community Center.

"Well, tell me, baby, what’s your biggest conceit?

Is it that you did it, or you did it with me?

I can't imagine what the problem could be

You found one song that you like, and you just play it on repeat."

Phoebe Bridgers is the only artist to appear on this list more than once, first solo with "Motion Sickness" and now with Conor Oberst as part of Better Oblivion Community Center. Little Trouble was my second favorite song in 2019.