on inspiration from missy, i have compiled my own top twenty songs of all time, meaning the top twenty most influential to my music development. (so not necessarily my most favorite, though some make that list too) i tried to stick with just one song, though i tend to be more of an entire album girl, so it was hard. if it was the entire album that influenced me, i just picked my favorite from it.

from the beginning:

1) forever in blue jeans -neil diamond: one of my earliest music memories was dancing around the house and singing to neil diamond records with my step-mother. i love neil diamond to this day. the man's got it going on, I saw him live last year and he brought tears to my eyes.

2) stairway to heaven -Led zeppelin: driving in the car with my mom and brother, in one of the rare occations when i won shot-gun, this song came on the radio and my brother informed me (in all seriousness) of the documented fact that this song has been proven to be the greatest song in of all time past, present, and future. and shit, that was good enough for me. many music influences came from my brother, older by five years.

3) It's the End of the World As We Know It (and I feel fine) -rem: i could (and writing this, i think i still can) recite every lyric. this was another passed down from my older brother, and another tape i had to buy again. most importantly, this song began my love affair with the southern rock

4) red hill mining town -u2: i was miss u2 in junior high. everyone else loved poison and def leopard, but not me. i was all all about u2 and rem. i could draw bono and the edge. i looooved larry mullen jr.

5) Friend of the Devil -grateful dead: i got a cd player for christmas, and five cd's with it. this album, with this song being my favorite, marked my slip into the abyss of hippy-rock, which, unfortunately, lasted most of high-school. and, incidentally was not a period in my life when i was very happy.

6) shelter from the storm -bob dylan: when i started to love bob dylan, like rub the desk love him, i began to realize what it meant to appreciate music, even though it was his lyrics and not the actual tune. i began also to disregard bands who failed to take advantage of the lyrical opportunities in songs. i thus got rid of all phish.

7) rhinoceros -smashing pumpkins: this album marked the true beginning of my ressurection from the hippy abyss.

8) i bleed -pixies: i remember sitting on an airplane heading home for thanksgiving my freshman year of college listening to this tape over and over and over again. i carted the tape around with me for the entire break, poped it in wherever there was a tapedeck. it marked the beginning of my indie rock era.

9) voodoo lady -ween: god, what a great album. i heard this song right around the time i started getting involved with my college radio station.

10) cuyahoga -rem: rem again. they were on the forefront of college rock, and set the precedent for what i would look for in that type of band

11) camarillo brillo -frank zappa: : frank zappa taught me how much i still had to learn about music.

12) electric relaxation -tribe called quest: this was the first time i thought hip-hop/rap could be great. while I had listened to digable planets and de la soul, etc and liked them, i was never moved. until this. they opened up this world to me, and while it never expanded too far beyond them, these guys produce amazing music

13) Randy Described Eternity -built to spill: ahhh built to spill. pick any song really

14) I'm Waiting for the Day -beach boys: when it became less about indie -poppy -catchy and more about musical brilliance and musical composition.

ok. 14. ill keep thinking, but this much has taken me all morning...