Don’t you normally do a Top 40 for the year, Chris? Yes, I do. But you’re doing a Top 100 this time? Yes, I am. Are you mad? Also yes. I maybe won’t do it again after having to write about 100 songs, but hey, we can but try!
100:
I Ran – Boga
I got into Boga after hearing their fantastic Nowhere To Run cover that was used for the Baby Driver trailer. It made for crazily good promo for the film that definitely made me want to see it. In fact, here it is…
Anyway, we’re not here for that song today. After hearing that one for the first time I looked them up and found this cover of the Flock of Seagulls classic. In an age of seemingly endless slowed down covers of old up-tempo 80s tracks, this is truly one of the best I’ve heard! I guess it turns out, after having Nowhere To Run, they ran anyway. Ba. Dum. Tish.
99:
Out Of Touch – Hall & Oates
What a banger! Have you ever listened to the lyrics though. I mean, *really* listened to them.
Shake it up is all that we know
Using the bodies up as we go
I’m waking up to fantasy
The shades all around aren’t the colors we used to see
Broken ice still melts in the sun
And times that are broken can often be one again
We’re soul alone
And soul really matters to me
Take a look around
Erm, what? I like to think I have a pretty decent grasp on working out what lyrics are about, but sweet baby Jesus, what the hell is happening here, other than he clearly likes a bit of soul. Or maybe it’s sole and he has a foot fetish. Who are we to decide! Still a banger though! Incidentally, whilst we go through these songs, if you find yourself wondering why I’ve chosen to just include a video that is audio only and not the music video, it’s usually for one of three reasons. 1. The music video is utter gash. 2. The version of the song in the video isn’t the best version. or 3. It’s simply not available. In this case, it’s 2. The music video edit of the song has a weird bridge bit in the middle that I do not like. At least I think it does from memory. As usual, zero research! A staple of this site that you can count on.
98:
Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys
I, am at this point, quite drunk. I like this song. It’s very good. It’s probably their best work, aside from maybe I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor. I, Christopher, despite being an undefeated champion dancer, do not look good on a dancefloor. As afore mentioned, I am actually, a champion dancer. UNDEFEATED no less.
97:
Tell Her About It – Billy Joel
Thankfully, due to the fact that this song has a great video, you get to enjoy it. Taken from An Innocent Man… yadda yadda. You know I love this album! Not the last time we’ll hear from it either I’ll bet. DID I TELL YOU I FOUND IT IN A RECORD SHOP FOR FIVE ENLISH POUNDS! I was very happy about that.
96:
Somebody That I Used To Know – Gotye
Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool! I love this song. Or do I? Have I just been programmed to like it from a young age since it steals it’s basic rhythm from a nursery rhyme I’ve been hearing since I was born? It’s one of those things we’ll never know, I guess! I like the back and forth. I believe the female vocals were added to avoid the song sounding too bitter, which it totally could have. Kimbra has the perfect voice for the conflicting female voice. It’s almost a shame that this has become his biggest hit as it’s not his best work. Still brilliant though, and a great video! In case you’re wondering, Gotye is pronounced like you’re really happy someone has a pretentiously shit beard! GOATEE! YAY! Hope that helps you in the future.
95:
Edge Of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks
Just like the white winged dove, sings a song, sounds like she’s singing. Did we not already establish that the dove is singing? Just like the shirted Chris, cooks some steak, looks like he’s cooking. Is it not already implied?
94:
Every Time The Sun Comes Up – Sharon Van Etten
I love Sharon’s slow drawl. She has such a gorgeous voice. The video for this is very melancholy, but I really like it. It’s a clever one as it both fits the song and totally doesn’t, which is an impressive thing to carry off. I don’t, at this point, remember how I first heard this song. I may have mentioned it last year as I’m fairly sure it made the 2018 Top 40. I could go check, but again, that’d be research. NO!
93:
Say It Ain’t So – Weezer
Ahhh, god I love this song. It’s amazing that a song with such a sad theme can be so fucking great and carry a serious air of coolness about it. Still one of my fave ever solos, still one of the coolest songs ever, and still Weezers finest 4 minutes. I always want to group Weezer with the Pixies. I think it’s because of how timeless they are. Weezer less so than the Pixies, but they always sound like they could have come out 20 years ago or last week. It’s impressive.
92:
Runaway – Houston
First heard this as part of Danny Whatshistits Imaginate video, which, as I think I did last time, you can find below!
The song is a perfect slice of 80s Hair Rock that really could have been just recorded back then and kept secret from us all until recently, it’s that authentic. I say recently, it came out in like 2011, so 8 years ago now. I think the Danny video was 2013..ish. It’s a fucking tune, and a fucking great video.
91:
Speechless – Lady Gaga
I think we can all agree, that this is Lady Gaga’s best vocal performance. This is a good time to point out that when I say “I think we can all agree”, what I’m actually saying is “This is fact and I’m telling you”. Always a good idea to keep that translation at the forefront of your mind. Speechless was added onto The Fame by way of The Fame Monster, which was the extended version that dropped a year after the vanilla album. Not a fan of people doing that, but then this was so good I think we can all agree *wink* that we can forgive her. I suppose that the only flaw in this song is that, for someone who is speechless, so speechless, she doesn’t half bang on about it. *eyeroll*.