Acclaimed Music Top 5000 Songs

Zeeba Neighba

Zeeba Neighba

Staff member
Those following at our last locale remembers my slow journey through the site Acclaimedmusic.com of their top 6000 songs of all time (by whatever critic mashup they utilize). I posted (almost) the first 1000 (or shall I say the bottom thousand) there, and now continue the series for your viewing pleasure here ;) starting at 5000.
Stay tuned...
 
First playlist:
5000) "Memphis In the Meantime" by John Hiatt (1987)
4999) "Miss Modular" by Stereolab (1997)
4998) "The Monkey Time" by Major Lance (1963)
4997) "Clampdown" by The Clash (1979)
4996) "Let Your Backbone Slide" by Maestro Fresh Wes (1989)
4995) "My Life" by Mary J. Blige (1994)
4994) "Sea of Love" by The National (2013)
4993) "Tears of Rage" by The Band (1968)
4992) "You Love Us" by Manic Street Preachers (1991)
4991) "Join Our Club" by Saint Etienne (1992)
4990) "Tus Amigos" by Los Punsetes (2010)
4989) "Shake" by Otis Redding (1965)
4988) "Don't Come Around Here No More" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1985)
4987) "Town Without Pity" by Gene Pitney (1961)
4986) "Je vous emmerde" by Katherine (1999)
4985) "Night" by Benga and Coki (2008)
4984) "Summer Breeze" by The Isley Brothers (1973)
4983) "Life Is Sweet" by Chemical Brothers (1995)
4982) "Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need this Pressure On)" by Spandau Ballet (1981)
4981) "Taillights Fade" by Buffalo Tom (1992)
4980) "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" by The Dramatics (1971)
4979) "Away" by The Feelies (1988)
4978) "Moulty" by The Barbarians (1966)
4977) "I Don't Like" by Chief Keef feat. Lil Reese (2012)
4976) "Shake A Hand" by Faye Adams (1953)
4975) "Supplique pour erte enterre a la plague de Sete" by Georges Brassens (1966)
4974) "Take Me Out to The Ball Game" by The Haydn Quartet (1908)
4973) "Plus Me In" by Add N to (X) (2000)
4972) "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies (1983)
4971) "House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls" by The Weeknd (2011)
4970) "Signs" by Five Man Electric Band (1970)

Some thoughts:
1) No, not a classical string quartet, the Haydn Quartet was an early vocal ensemble that began as the Edison Quartet in the late 19th century. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was written in 1905 so this is one of the earliest recordings (and one of the earliest entries on the list). The popularity of this recording (billed under Billy Murray and the Haydn Quartet even though Murray doesn't sing on it) helped to cement this song into the American canon
2) "Moulty" is an odd choice here. Appearing on the Nuggets collection, it's more of an interesting piece of garage rock than a good one, with its tale of resilience chronicling the band's drummers loss of his arm (years before Def Leppard) a bit unusual
3) Love the Isley's take on "Summer Breeze (and really the whole 3+3 album) and thought it would appear higher. I wonder if the Seals & Croft original will be up higher - for years, I viewed it as the downside of 70s light rock, the Isley's version actually made me appreciate the original more (including the sublime guitar on the original)
4) Hey, remember when ShallowGal listened to the Nationals all the time ;) Do ya still love 'em, SG? I have to say, sadly, I just do not enjoy them. Ah...different strokes
5) Some nice soul/R&B gems here with Otis' "Shake", The Dramatics and "Monkey Time"
6) "Signs" recently came up with the wife in discussion - she heard the Five Man Electric Band's version not realizing that was an original. She had only heard Tesla's take on it - interestingly enough, I was unaware of the Tesla cover which actually hit top 10 in 1990. My comment: why would you cover that silly song? IMO, doesn't belong here and it better not be bumping off the list some other piece of 70s kitschy gold like "Afternoon Delight" or Rhinesone Cowboy"
 
Not only did Moulty ("you've got to haaaang on baaaaaybay!!!....MOULTY!) lose his arm, it was replaced with a pirate-style hook. Metal as fuck!
Glad to see the Clash there.
Surprised to see the lame (Worm: read "schmaltzy") cover of Seals & Crofts by the Isley Brothers, rather than the original.
"Institutionalized"? ALL MIKE WANTED WAS A PEPSI!!!!!!!
 
^
I'm taking care not to look ahead, but would guess Seals & Croft version makes it...there's some interesting covers down here in the deep end (like the Seu Jorge version of Bowie's "Life on Mars")
 
Good Petty song.

About Signs...it came out during that whole counter-culture and protest time, so I give it a pass on the schmaltz meter.
 
Next playlist:
4969) "Going to California" by Led Zeppelin (1971)
4968) "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry (2010)
4967) "You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything" by Faces (1974)
4966) "Don't Panic" by Coldplay (2000)
4965) "The Book of Love" by The Magnetic Fields (1999)
4964) "Lover Man" by Charlie Parker (1946)
4963) "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon (2008)
4962) "Kids In America" by Kim Wilde (1981)
4961) "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" by Aretha Franklin (1968)
4960) "Baby Scratch My Back" by Slim Harpo (1966)
4959) "Super Bon Bon" by Soul Coughing (1996)
4958) "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" by The Backstreet Boys (1997)
4957) "Portland, Oregon" by Loretta Lynn feat. Jack Black (2004)
4956) "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
4955) "You" by Gold Panda (2010)
4954) "Daysleeper" by R.E.M. (1998)
4953) "She" by Gram Parsons (1973)
4952) "The Dance" by Garth Brooks (1989)
4951) "Can I Have It Like That" by Pharrell Williams feat. Gwen Stefani (2005)
4950) "Musik non stop" by Kent (1999)
4949) "Bull in the Heather" by Sonic Youth (1994)
4948) "You're the First, The Last, My Everything" by Barry White (1974)
4947) "Mon homme" by Mistinguett (1916)
4946) "Remember Me" by Blue Boy (1997)
4945) "New Amsterdam" by Elvis Costello and the Attractions (1980)
4944) "Nothing Has Been Proved" by Dusty Springfield (1989)
4943) "Sunny" by Bobby Hebb (1966)
4942) "Hi-Five" by Angel Olsen (2014)
4941) "Nobody But Me" by The Human Beinz (1967)
4940) "Take Good Care of My Baby" by Bobby Vee (1961)
4939) "Rock-in Robin" by Bobby Day (1958)
4938) "Scooby Snacks" by Fun Lovin' Criminals (1996)
4937) "The Man that Got Away" by Judy Garland (1954)
4936) "Blood And Roses" by The Smithereens (1986)

Not many thoughts but what a list - songs all over the map but strangely I enjoyed it (even the seemingly jarring juxtaposition of, say,Led Zeppelin with Katie Perry. Some really good songs here too - and some nice surprises. Not sure I could have predicted Elvis Costello's "New Amsterdam" off of Get Happy. Ditto - the Smithereens but sure happy to see both (especially The Smithereens which is one of my high school gems that I still spin (though not sure how many others do).
Not many beefs though 4900s seem a bit low for "Rock-in Robin" and definitely for "Nobody But Me". If a garage track like "Moulty" makes the last list, a garage classic from the Human Beinz should score higher - coincidentally, watched Kill Bill vol. 1 today which uses this song in the fight scene with the Crazy 88s.
Trivia: "The Man that Got Away" is from Judy's version of A Star is Born - the second of three times it's been filmed. There's about to be a fourth version of the movie with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper...will see how that one turns out.
 
"Going to California" by Led Zeppelin (1971)

I'm not sure that I've ever told anybody about what this song means to me. But, in case you want to know, suffice it to say, " I'm here. Dammit."

"You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything" by Faces (1974); "The Book of Love" by The Magnetic Fields (1999)

Two songs that use the lyric "anything" to great advantage.

"Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls (1998)

Is this when City of Angels came out? Never mind; I don't really wanna know... It certainly fits the designation of schmaltz - the song and the movie.

"Rock-in Robin" by Bobby Day (1958)

I remember when I first heard this; I was a wee lad of five tender years. Honestly, it was probably later than that.
 
Zeeba Neighba said:
First playlist:

Some thoughts:

2) "Moulty" is an odd choice here. Appearing on the Nuggets collection, it's more of an interesting piece of garage rock than a good one, with its tale of resilience chronicling the band's drummers loss of his arm (years before Def Leppard) a bit unusual
Click to expand...

I kinda love "Moulty."
 
Next playlist:
4935) "So Says I" by The Shins (2003)
4934) "Willie the Pimp (Parts I & II)" by Frank Zappa (1969)
4933) "You Should Be Dancing" by Bee Gees (1976)
4932) "Apparently Nothing" by Young Disciples (1991)
4931) "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" by B.J. Thomas (1969)
4930) "Swim Good" by Frank Ocean (2011)
4929) "Love and Pain" by clor (2005)
4928) "Beautiful" by Snoop Dogg feat Pharrell Williams (2002)
4927) "Isn't It A Pity" by George Harrison (1970)
4926) "23" by Blonde Redhead (2007)
4925) "Reunion en la cumbre" by Los Planetas (2007)
4924) "Sister Morphine" by Marianne Faithful (1969)
4923) "The Ghetto" by Donny Hathaway (1969)
4922) "Get Myself Into It" by The Rapture (2006)
4921) "Mercy, Mercy" by Don Covay (1964)
4920) "22 Grand Job" by The Rakes (2004)
4919) "Jersey Girl" by Tom Waits (1980)
4918) "Replica" by Oneohtrix Point Never (2011)
4917) "I Can Help" by Billy Swan (1974)
4916) "Lemonade" by SOPHIE (2014)
4915) "You're Gonna Get Yours" by Public Enemy (1987)
4914) "North Country Boy" by The Charlatans (1997)
4913) "Say Yes" by Elliott Smith (1997)
4912) "Between the Sheets" by The Isley Brothers (1983)
4911) "Range Life" by Pavement (1994)
4910) "The Golden Age of Rock n Roll" by Mott the Hoople (1974)
4909) "This Masquerade" by George Benson (1976)
4908) "The Cedar Room" by Doves (1998)
4907) "Grown Ocean" by Fleet Foxes (2011)
4906) "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers (1977)
4905) "Mothership Reconnection" by Scott Grooves (1998)
4904) "Down Down" by Status Quo (1974)
4903) "Harley Davidson" by Bridget Bardot (1967)
4902) "Blackwater Side" by Annie Briggs (1971)
4901) "Stars" by Hum (1995)

1)As always quite the mix from the progressive jazz-rock of Zappa to Frank Ocean to the French actress Bridget Bardot purring (in French) about the vibrations on her bike making her hot.
2) Always there's a song or two that I haven't thought about in years - here for example is Mott the Hoople .
3) For me "Jersey Girl" will always be associated with Springsteen (though Waits wrote the song), but Waits' growl gives it a totally different flavor
4) Similarly, Marianne Faithful's original version of "Sister Morphine" (which she cowrote with Mick and Keith) has a very different vibe than the Sticky Fingers version
5) Speaking of the Stones, they covered "Mercy, Mercy". Here's Don Covay's original. It's generally felt (though sources are conflicting) that Hendrix contributed guitar to this one way back in 1964
6) Hey, Randy - a little George Benson comin' your way ;)
 
George Harrison! Thumbs up!
Billy Swan's "I can help". Great....now I am going to have that cascading guitar riff in my head the rest of the day. Thumbs down! (but a fun song, nevertheless).
 
Zeeba Neighba said:
Next playlist:
4924) "Sister Morphine" by Marianne Faithful (1969)
Similarly, Marianne Faithful's original version of "Sister Morphine" (which she cowrote with Mick and Keith) has a very different vibe than the Sticky Fingers version.
Click to expand...
I'm happy to see Marianne getting some much deserved love. But it's too bad that the small druggy slice of her career always seems to take priority over the rest of her huge and diverse catalog. Hmmm...maybe we need to do a "Great Artists" series on her here at MG.
 
I'm not a big fan, but I thought "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" by B.J. Thomas (1969) would be hugerer than your mom. I certainly heard it more than I care to think.

"You Should Be Dancing?" Sorry, I was once a Baptist and can't do that anymore, though the Presbyterian side of me likes to twerk a bit. I remember John Travolta cut a mean rug to this one.

I liked "Stars" by Hum. That's one vote right there.
 
Next playlist:
4900) "You and Me Song" by The Wannadies (1994)
4899) "Showdown" by Electric Light Orchestra (1973)
4898) "Entre dos tierras" by Heroes del Silencio (1990)
4897) "Papillon" by Editors (2009)
4896) "Run's House (What's it All About)" by Run D.M.C. (1988)
4895) "From Despair to Where" by Manic Street Preachers (1993)
4894) "Angel" by Aretha Franklin (1973)
4893) "The Race" by Yello (1988)
4892) "Heavy Metal Drummer" by Wilco (2002)
4891) "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot (1992)
4890) "The Titanic" by Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman (1925)
4889) "Jump 'n' Shout" by Basement Jaxx (1999)
4888) "There But For the Grace of God Go I" by Machine (1979)
4887) "La muralla verde" by Enanitos Verdes (1986)
4886) "Stinkfist" by Tool (1996)
4885) "The Moon" by The Microphones (2001)
4884) "Ice Cream" by Raekwon feat. Ghostface Killah, Cappadonna, & Method Man
4883) "The Weeping Song" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (1990)
4882) "Just an Illusion" by Imagination (1982)
4881) "Cocaine" by Eric Clapton (1977)
4880) "Slave to Love" by Bryan Ferry (1985)
4879) "La folle complainte" by Charles Trenet (1945)
4878) "A Lover's Question" by Clyde McPhatter (1958)
4877) "Stop Your Sobbing" by Pretenders (1979)
4876) "Michael" by Franz Ferdinand (2004)
4875) "Rumors" by Timex Social Club (1986)
4874) "Hip-Hop" by Dead Prez (1999)
4873) "The Dolphins" by Fred Neill (1967)
4872) "The Hand that Feeds" by Nine Inch Nails (2005)
4871) "Positive Education" by Slam (1993)
4870) "Banana Boat (Day-O)" by Harry Belafonte (1956)
4869) "Every Little Bit Hurts" by Brenda Holloway (1964)

Thoughts:
1) one day I shall commit time to learning the full poetic lyrics of "Baby Got Back"...as goofy as it is, this song entertains, makes me smile and probably belongs higher
2) Trivia about Brenda Holloway: she cowrote Blood, Sweat & Tears hit "You Make Me So Very Happy". "Every Little Bit Hurts" is a tremendous early Motown classic - love it and love the Clash's cover of the song (worth a listen if you've never heard it)
3) "Angel" was a top 20 hit for Aretha that never gets radio play today, and that's a damn shame
4) Franz Ferdinand and Nick Cave are two artists I have the folks at Music Gourmets to thank for introducing me too. Cave especially has become a favorite of mine in recent years.
5) The J.J. Cale original of "Cocaine" might actually appear higher up (Clapton's version is the hit, but personally I like Cale's version better). I don't think the Kinks original of "Stop Your Sobbing" will show up higher in the list but still darn good.
6) Though Clyde McPhatter would essentially have about 5 years of R& B success after leaving the Drifters (he would continue to record until his death at 39 in 1972 after years of battling alcohol and depression), his early solo stuff is filled with wonderful-sounding material. Great voice! I expect him to have one or two more on the list ("Treasure of Love"' has GOT to be there)
 
Thoughts from another cranium:

1) "The Titanic" by Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman (1925)


....because you just don't know what you just don't know.... :rolleyes:

2) "The Moon" by The Microphones (2001) - I never suspected for a moment that a song by The Microphones would make a list of the top 5K songs, even a list of the top 6K. But, boom, there it is. These songs are devoid of any of the usual hooks or bridges that comprise the construction of the usual suspects. They are of lo-fi quality, as a rule, but seem to speak to a part of me. Still, have no idea how one made this list, however.

3) "Banana Boat (Day-O)" by Harry Belafonte (1956) - I might have imagined that this would be higher.

Here's a trivia question to which I do not have the answer: Did "Day-O" appear first as a staple at MLB games, or first in the movie "Beetlejuice"? Get back to me on this one.
 
^
I am in agreement that I thought "Banana Boat" would appear higher.
My guess was that it was the resurgence of the song's popularity through "Beetlejuice" that came first, but I will try to research that question further for confirmation :)
 
Day-O was always on the list back in the day, at our family sing-a-longs. Dad was a huge Belafonte fan. :heart:
 
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