top 20 songs

awhile ago i shared my all-time top 20 favorite songs on facebook. amazingly it still holds up and since many of you didn't see that original posting i thought i would put it here with some videos and descriptions. 

20. Super Rad - Aquabats

it's just so fun and silly. makes me feel like a kid. or at least like me as a teenager going through my aquabats phase. i love how funny their songs are. and this song is definitely super rad.

19. Caravan - Van Morrison

i love the feel of this song. so laid back. and his voice has so much character. plus i always think of that episode of WKRP where Johnny Fever is rocking out to this song in the booth. makes me feel like doing the same whenever i hear it.

18. Northern Sky - Nick Drake

this song is so beautiful and romantic. i often get an image of falling rose petals in my head when i hear it. and his voice is so lovely. gets me lost in a daydream everytime.

17. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1 - The Flaming Lips 

the melody and the lyrics just put a smile on my phase. a pretty and laid back song about a hero defeating human-eating robots? i love how nerdy it is! plus it makes me wanna have a puppy named Yoshimi one of these days.

16. Nuvogue - Thomas Dolby

so my dad used to get all these computer animation vhs tapes of a series called Mind's Eye. i think thomas dolby did the music to all of them. but this is my favorite song of his. makes me wanna dance with jazz hands!

15. Oh Mandy - The Spinto Band

i still remember falling in love with this cd when i first got it and listening to it constantly for at least 3 months straight. this song was by far my favorite on the album. it had such a unique sound. and it seemed like the perfect teenage love song.

14. Nur ein Wort - Wir sind Helden

this isn't quite the same version of the song i have on my computer but it's closer to it than the one i found on spotify when i put this playlist on my profile. don't quite know what it's about, but it's the cutest little german pop song ever.

13. Stink - John Lurie

yes this song is from the Get Shorty soundtrack. this video is weird because it has the short version and long version back to back. so just skip ahead to 2:26 so you can hear the awesome version. i actually danced to this when i was in high school. it was a modern point solo. good times.

12. Would you...? - Touch & Go

my favorite version of this song is from the Forces Of Nature soundtrack and has a much more salsa vibe than this. still very fun. makes me wanna dance. 

11. This Must Be the Place - Talking Heads

this song always makes me think of my family. not just because of the lyrics, but also because my parents played Talking Heads all the time when i was a kid. and we would watch a vhs of Stop Making Sense a lot too. whenever i hear this song everything seems right with the world.

10. And She Was - Talking Heads

my favorite Talking Heads song. i've seen this video since i was a child and love it. such great lyrics. whenever i hear it i like daydream that it was written about me and that i'm the one flying around in the clouds. makes me feel like i'm 4 years old.

  9. I Wanna Dance With Somebody - David Byrne

obviously, i love David Byrne. he's a freaking genius. i love what he did to this song. it's amazing. makes me wanna dance even more than the original. 

  8. Rock 'n' Roll With Me - David Bowie

favorite Bowie song. it's rocks and it's totally romantic. makes me wanna sway a lit lighter back and forth above my head. 

  7. If She Wants Me - Belle & Sebastian

favorite belle & sebastian song. such a lovely feel to it. so light and sweet. and quite a romantic chorus, if you ask me. yes, there is a theme here. i love love songs. deal with it. 

  6. The Coast - Paul Simon

my mom used to play a lot of Paul Simon when i was little. my favorite album was Rhythm of the Saints. so interesting, beautiful, and different. this song just makes me feel good. and i love the lyrics. "To prove that I love you Because I believe in you Summer skies, stars are falling All along the injured coast"

  5. Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan

first off, i did not make this video and i am aware of what the very first picture in the slideshow looks like. so... my parents played Steely Dan all the time when i was growing up. i heard them sooooooooooooooo much. when i sing along i don't just sing the lyrics, i sing all the instrumental parts and silly noises too. it's fun. this is my favorite album and favorite song. it's just damn good music. and i have always wanted to do an awesome jazz dance to it. something smooth and sexy.

  4. Concrete Sky - Beth Orton

 have such a strong emotional connection to this song. right after i moved out to new york when i was 19 i found this album and i listened to it almost every night. it really spoke to me. with all the stress and loneliness i was feeling, this was just what i needed. just the right mixture of melancholy and hope. 

  3. They'll Soon Discover - The Shins

this charming little Shins song is from the Sponge Bob Square Pants Soundtrack. its very silly and happy and makes me wanna lounge on the beach and drink sangria. but then, i wanna do that most days.

  2. Your Arms Around Me - Jens Lekman

i instantly fell in love with this song when i heard it. it was in the movie Whip It. but i highly recommend that if you like this song you go find more songs by this guy. he is a very talented musician from sweden with a lot of great songs you've never heard before. i would totally wanna play this song at my future wedding if it weren't for the "blood spraying on the kitchen sink" part. anybody know how to edit music?

  1. That Girl - Esthero

this song has been my number one since i heard it in high school. it totally expressed how i felt back then. like some sort of alien that didn't belong. i didn't understand my classmates and they didn't understand me. i still feel that way sometimes. but i've managed to find more people over the years who do understand me and vice versa. plus this song is so beautiful. who couldn't love it?