The Top Songs of the Decade

MM II, I love Keane just as much as the next guy, but they are very emasculating songs.

 

If he wrote the Dido song, and not Dido, then it would be 1,000X more impressive.

That is the point I am getting at.

 

You know, my iPod shuffled to Stan when I was in the gym the other day, and a lot of these type of thoughts went through my head. The lyrics, the pacing, the way the song is presented ... especially the "I just drank a fifth of vodka, you dare me to drive?" part ... it's really a brilliant effort.

 

I thought you didn't listen to popular music.

 

If it is not on XMU or Alt Hits on Sirius as a new song, I probably won't hear it outside of an NBA game.

 

Here's my uneducated list. I reserve the right to change or disavow it.

1. Dead Meadow, "At Her Open Door" - If you put a gun to my head, I'd probably say the Stones are my favorite band and Let It Bleed my favorite album. This song is an apocalyptic-sounding mashup of all my favorite parts of that album (albeit with a weaker singer). The chaos and sense of doom of Gimme Shelter and Midnight Rambler, the sweet outro of Monkey Man, the slide guitar work of the title track. The last two minutes sound like a gathering storm. Just a monster song.

(I admit the video is terrible)
2. British Sea Power, "A Wooden Horse" - Does the loud-quiet dynamic just right without actually getting loud until the end. A recurring theme of this list is songs that build to a crescendo, and this one fits the bill with the steel drum climax at the end.

(A live version)
3. MGMT, "Kids" - Another common thread to the music I love is a sound and mood that I would best describe as "wistful". This song first came out in 2005, I heard it in 2006 and it made me nostalgic for a college trip I took in 2002. I slightly prefer the version from the Time To Pretend EP to the one on Oracular Spectacular - Dave Fridmann's "crank the drums way up" production detracts from the mood, although it helps "Time To Pretend" a lot.

4. Iron & Wine/Calexico, "History of Lovers" - A delightfully ambiguous story song with a great melody and incredible horns on the chorus. I've heard the song described as Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac with the Stax horns, and I think that fits pretty well.
Can't find a decent video of this one.
5. M. Ward, "Paul's Song" - Lyrics and delivery that swing between beautifully profound and cringe-inducing, but the melody just keeps twisting and turning and the Hawaiian-sounding guitar is absolutely perfect. Since I'm limiting myself to one song per artist, I'll throw in shoutouts to "Vincent O'Brien" and "Poor Boy, Minor Key" as well.

6. Band of Horses, "The General Specific" - Maybe my favorite vocal performance of the decade grafted to a nifty little shuffle. Killer, killer harmonies, and the piano riff at the end is stately and shambling at the same time.

7. Outkast, "Spaghetti Junction" - I described the Dead Meadow song as apocalyptic, and this song fits that bill in a more slick way. The horns, the slinky melody, the drums - it all just makes you feel like something is about to happen, particularly around the line "They come like black stallions in the night" when the rhythm drops out for a second.

8. The Beta Band, "Out-Side" - My god, what a drum sound. The drums just drive and groove the entire way. Bonus points for an awesome video.

9. Okkervil River, "A Girl in Port" - Another song that rides a slow build to a killer climax. The last minute and a half with the steel guitar and horns is sad and wonderful and uplifting all at once. It sounds like a Tex-Mex funeral.

10. Little Joy, "Don't Watch Me Dancing" - Another slow-simmering song that takes all the best parts of Nico-era Velvet Underground. An unassuming, sad, beautiful little shuffle.

Honorable mention, in no particular order: The Shins, "Sleeping Lessons" and "Gone For Good"; The Arcade Fire, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" and “Rebellion (Lies)”; Feist, "My Moon, My Man" and "1234"; John Prine, "Crazy as a Loon"; Grand National, "Talk Amongst Yourselves"; The Walkmen, "Louisiana" and "Four Provinces"; Spoon, "The Infinite Pet" and "Back to the Life"; Bright Eyes, "Classic Cars"; Travis, "Sing"; Wilco, "The Late Greats"; The New Pornographers, "Sing Me Spanish Techno"; Calexico, "All Systems Red"; Drive-By Truckers, "Decoration Day" and “Carl Perkins' Cadillac”; Plaid, "Squance"; Belle & Sebastian, "Dress Up In You"

 

"Beverly Hills" by Weezer belongs on the list somewhere.

 

I hadn't heard this ... good song.

 

Another fav of mine... Heck, maybe I should put all these in a post.

OK, here are eight as good as anything I have heard so far in the past 10 years...

I love the sound created by Sufjan Stevens with the horns and the keyboard.

Beta Band - Dry the Rain

The National - Mistaken for Stangers

Built to Spill - Conventional Widom

Aimee Mann - Save Me

Green Day - Jesus of Suburbia

The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations

U2 - Walk On

Interpol - Evil

 

BC, solid work with the links.

 

Some very good lists by MM II and Trey. I'm going to do mine later after I get home, though it'll be tough to narrow it down. I think I'm going to stick mostly with released singles, but I'll branch out for some personal favorites. I'm guessing Kreuzberg from Bloc Party will be in the top 10 despite the fact that it was never released as a single.

 

If anyone needs help remembering the big songs of the decade:

http://www.sporcle.com/games/bestsong_2000_2009.php

Got 119, but missed some really easy ones.