My Top 5 Favorite Songs

A little while ago, when I first decided to start keeping lists to use for posts, I operated under the assumption that they would be top ten lists. But, as I gathered them, for each and every category, I had trouble coming up with even seven or eight. For this list, for example, I had a lot of possible songs, but only six which I felt really confident about.

That’s because, while I want to avoid using objective words like “best” or “greatest,” I do want to try to move beyond simply “songs I really like.” “Bohemian Like You” by The Dandy Warhols was in the possible category while I was planning out this list, but I ended up not including it here. While I really like it and have for a long time, I don’t think it has a specific “it” factor that I would look for in a song that I’d put on this list.

So I guess that’s my main criterion: an “it” factor. I’ll be sure to highlight what I think that is as I go through each song.

5. “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve

I’ve made a whole post about this song, so I won’t spend too much time repeating what I’ve already written there. The introduction, with that beautiful violin, slowly building up to an explosion of sound which can carry on for almost six minutes without getting boring, and the thoughtful lyrics which, though I’m sure they’re not intended to be, are very cathartic to me, combine perfectly here.

Sometimes, when you feel overwhelmed, you just want to lie down and stare at the ceiling for a while. If I’m in the mood to listen to music while doing this, “Bitter Sweet Symphony” is my go-to song.

The “it” factor: The violin part, the cathartic lyrics.

4. “Dancing Queen” by ABBA

I generally have trouble creating images in my mind. When I read a book, it’s hard for me to “see” the characters and the scenery. When I look back on memories of mine, I have to really focus to recreate them “visually,” if I’m even able to at all. What I don’t have any issues with is creating or remembering feelings and atmospheres. So while “Dancing Queen” might conjure up specific scenes in the heads of other people (a crowded club on a Friday night, perhaps with the lights down low), what comes across to me is an atmosphere, and it’s one that is so strong, yet soothing; one that I have no issue feeling, but a bit of trouble explaining.

The piano and violin play a role in this, especially during the verses. Agnetha and Anni-Frid’s lead vocals throughout the entire song also do a lot, as they feel muted in a way that doesn’t make them too overpowering, even during parts that are belted out. But I think the main factor is the choir-like backing vocals. They aren’t present throughout the entire song, but whenever they come in, they ground everything. They create an ambience that feels so warm, carefree, and comfortable. That’s really the only way that I can explain it.

The song being extremely catchy doesn’t hurt either.

The “it” factor: The backing vocals and the breezy, warm mood of the song.

3. “Catch The Wind” by Donovan

This is another song I’ve written about before. I mentioned in that post that it was probably my second favorite song, but I put it at number three on this list. In reality, I’d say it’s more of a “2b” to the next song’s “2a,” but honestly, they might be interchangeable for me.

In my post about it, I described it as having “a rhythmic, well-thought-out structure and poetic, yet relatable lyrics.” Like “Dancing Queen,” “Catch The Wind” also manages to produce a warm atmosphere whenever I listen to it, though it’s a softer kind. “Dancing Queen” feels more extroverted, while “Catch The Wind” feels more introverted, if that makes any sense at all.

I don’t want to repeat everything I wrote in my other post, so I’ll leave it at that.

The “it” factor: The fresh, poetic lyrics, and the way they flow.

2. “I’ve Just Seen A Face” by The Beatles

In a previous post of mine, I tried to go into detail with a justification for the fact that I like The Beatles’ early work better than their later work. This song, and the entire Help album, is a huge reason why. While Paul, George, Ringo, and John might not have been pushing limits with studio techniques and audio tricks, I’d argue that the songs from that album are genius in other ways.

In the case of “I’ve Just Seen A Face,” that “way” is the structure. Let’s look at the first verse:

I've just seen a face

I can't forget the time or place

Where we just met

She's just the girl for me

And I want all the world to see

We've met

If I hadn’t heard the song before and just read these lyrics, I honestly don’t think I’d be too impressed. A quick glance makes the song look like it follows an AAB AAB rhyme scheme (and a lazy one at that, as “met” rhymes with itself in the third and sixth lines). But when listening to it, the other rhymes (forget/met and girl/world) are clearer. The other verses don’t follow this pattern exactly, but they all contain a lot of rhymes that fit well into the parameters of the lyrics. The fast tempo of the song pairs perfectly with this and really conveys the giddiness and excitement Paul McCartney is trying to get across.

I can’t stress enough how well I think these factors work in the song and how much they elevate it.

The “it” factor: The lyrical structure mixed with the pace.

1. “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys

Of course. I’ve mentioned “Good Vibrations” on this blog more times than I can count. It still is, in my opinion, the best song ever. The vocal melodies, the “pocket symphony,” the ascending and descending melodies, the high quality of each part of the song, all of it is simply amazing. I’ll just link to my two other posts (the first and the second) on this topic and leave it at that.

The “it” factor: Pretty much everything.