[Slowhand] Top 50 Challenge

[joeyjay at att.net]

Slowhanders,

Recently my brother challenged me to commit my top 50 favorite songs of all-time to CD and then it send it to him in decending order from 50 to 1. 

I thought this was a fun idea because it wasn't "name the 50 greatest songs of all time". 

It was simply, name the 50 songs that you really like for whatever reason.......I found this to be an interesting challenge.

Being a life-long collector, and a huge blues and straight-ahead, raw rock & roll afficinado, I immediately eliminated that music from consideration, because I love so many obscure bands and songs. Instead, I concentrated on more mainstream music that I've loved throughout the years. This was our starting point.

So starting from that standpoint, it was still extremely difficult to narrow down to 50 songs.

The Clapton songs that made my top 50 were;

1) Thats The Way God Planned It "Studio"
3) Crossroads "Live"
4) Go Back Home "Studio"
6) Presence Of The Lord "Live"
7) Holy Mother "Live"
8) While My Guitar Gently Weeps "Live with George Harrison"
12) Sunshine Of Your Love "Studio"
13) Eyesight To The Blind "Studio"
16) Layla "Studio" - there are so many great live versions that I just opted to go studio
17) Spoonful "Studio"
18) Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad "Live" (from the original D&D double live album)
20) Badge "Studio"
22) Born Under A Bad Sign "Studio"
24) White Room "Studio"
25) Love Minus Zero, No Limit "Live"
32) My Back Pages "Live"
33) Tales Of Brave Ulysses - "Studio"
45) I Think I Love You Too Much - "Live"

So 18 Clapton songs made my top 50 of all-time............

My complete top 50 was the following:

1) That's the Way God Planned It - Clapton, Billy Preston, George Harrison, Ginger Baker
2) Thunder Road - "Live" from the No Nukes Show (IMHO, one of the greatest songs ever penned....lyrically)
3) Crossroads - Cream Wheels of Fire
4) Go Back Home - Steven Stills, Eric Clapton
5) Politican - West, Bruce & Laing "Live"
6) Presence Of The Lord - Rainbow Concert with Pete Townsend, Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ron Wood, Jim Capaldi etc.
7) Holy Mother - Live from Birmngham, 1986
8) Imagine - Live (from super-rare live show......sounds like Lennon is actually in the room with you...extremely special version)
9) While My Guitar Gently Weeps - live with Clapton from Prince's Trust 1987
10) Let It Be - Beatles with noisy guitar solo by Harrison
11) Dream Of Milk and Honey - "Live' - Leslie West, Felix Pappalardi, Corky Laing, Steve Knight (Mountain)
12) Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream
13) Eyesight To The Blind - Clapton, Entwhistle, Kenny Jones
14) Blue Sky - Allman Brothers
15) Jessica - Allman Brothers
16) Layla - Derek and the Dominoes
17) Spoonful - Cream Studio
18) Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad - Derek and the Dominoes "Live'
19) Jersey Girl - Springsteen "Live"
20) Badge - Cream Studio 
21) Theme From An Imaginary Western - Mountain Studio
22) Little Wing - Clapton, David Sanborn, Sheryl Crow "Live"
23) Born Under A Bad Sign - Cream Studio
24) How Do You Sleep - John Lennon
25) White Room - Cream Studio
26) Love Minus Zero, No Limit - Clapton Live
27) Ramblin Man - Allman Brother
28) Instant Karma - John Lennon
29) Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney Studio
30) If I Should Fall Behind - Springsteen and band live in the studio (so good... its stunning)
31) Nantucket Sleighride - Mountain Studio
32) Hotel California - Eagles Studio
33) My Back Pages - Clapton, Petty, Neil Young, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roger McGuinn, Booker T & MG's Live
34) Tales Of Brave Ulysses - Cream Studio
35) I Found Out - John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner
36) Lonesome Town - McCartney, David Gilmour, Jon Lord Live (Incredible Vocals)
37) Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band Studio
38) New York City - John Lennon with Plastic Ono Band
39) Gettin' Out - J. Geils Blues Band long version Studio
40) Roadhouse Blues - Doors Live
41) Shake Ma Thing - Leslie West, Jack Bruce, Corky Laing Studio
42) Lady - Jeff Beck, Tim Bogart, Carmine Appice
43) One Way Out - Allman Brothers
44) Dear Mr. Fantasy - Steve Winwood, Traffic
45) I Think I Love You Too Much - Clapton, Knopfler Live
46) Look At You, Look At Me - Dave Mason Studio
47) Turn The Page - Bob Seger Live
48) Love Like A Man - Ten Years After - Long Version
49) One Last Cold Kiss - Leslie West, Felix Pappalardi, Corky Laing, Steve Knight, - Mountain Studio
50) Dyin' To Live - Edgar Winter Band 

In the process, my brother introduced me to a Great Southern (Dickey Betts) song called Bougainvilla. I was blown away by this song. I can't believe I never noticed it.

Anyway, my top 50 was just what I came up with in few days after being challenged to do so. It in no way insinuates "greatest" songs. Its just shit I like to listen to.

Have any of you ever done this exercise?

I thought it was challenging and fun.......

I'll burn my top 50 for the fist two who might show interest. Probably.....nobody will.....lol......and most of you will have all this stuff already.....

this kind of crap is so subjective.....I don't normally give into it.....but my brother insisted in a good way......

Cheers,
Jay