Johnny Mercyside

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Noughtie: My 100 Favourite Songs of the Decade (Part 4)



To view part 1, click here.
To view part 2, click here.
To view part 3, click here.

Here we go, Part 4, counting down my favourite tracks of the last decade. Here’s from #70 to #61, I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Let’s go.

#70. “White and Nerdy” – Weird Al Yankovic
Released: 12/9/06
Album: Straight Outta Lynwood
Listings: Best Videos
Man, this song was a huge hit for Weird Al. It’s really put him back on the map, because as he had a cult fan base in the late eighties and nineties, he never really hit the mainstream music scene in around 20 years. Yet this song is his biggest hit to date, he’s been making music for around 30 years, so he’s been around. I’m happy for him as he’s a great artist, he’s a funny guy, he does funny parodies, he’s child friendly too, and the best thing, is that he is humble and respectful to the artists he does parodies about. He always asks if he is allowed to do parodies, and if they say no, he doesn’t touch their music. He’s a great human being, a very talented and funny man, and thoroughly deserves the respect he finally has, and more. Good luck in the future Al!

#69. “Diamonds and Guns” – Transplants
Released: 22/10/02
Album: Transplants
For the record, I don’t like Rancid. I don’t rate Tim Armstrong. I’m not really even that interested in the Transplants. But this song really was a cracker. It had a great piano hook, and I like the guitars. I also love the “Woo! Woo!” vocals. The rapping is decent too. It’s a really good track, and has been used in a few commercials for hair products, which is a bit odd, but it works really well.

#68. “Conquest” – The White Stripes
Released: 18/12/07
Album: Icky Thump
The White Stripes’ version of “Conquest” was a fantastic track. I never knew it was a cover version until recently mind. It’s my favourite single off “Icky Thump”, I like it more than the self titled track, and it just sounds really good. I don’t know what else to say really!

#67. “Dead Star” – Muse
Released: 17/6/02
Album: Hullabaloo Soundtack
This is one of the heaviest songs Muse have produced, musically. It’s a great, noisy track, and it’s a big favourite amongst Muse fans. I thoroughly enjoy it, despite its shortness. It’s got a great riff, but then again what do you expect when it’s Matt Bellamy?

#66. “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” – The Queens of the Stone Age
Released: 6/6/00
Album: Rated R
Listings: My Favourite Riffs
As I said in the riffs listing, this is just a brilliant track, guitar-wise. I love the main riff, I love the amazing yet short guitar solo roughly a third into the track. Even though it’s a very short track, and the lyrics are repetitive, the song is just amazing. I love it so much.

#65. “Shoot the Runner” – Kasabian
Released: 6/11/06
Album: Empire
When I heard “Empire”, the first single off the album with the same name, I wasn’t immensely impressed with the effort to be honest. It’s not one of my favourite Kasabian songs. However when this came out all concerns for the quality of Kasabian’s work decreasing went down the drain. This is a great track, very David Bowie/Marc Bolan inspired, he even references a David Bowie song in the track “I’m the king and, she’s my Queen Bitch”. It sounds great, and mixes the glam rock with Tom’s Leicester accented vocals, which is an odd yet successful experiment.

#64. “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” – Jet
Released: 25/8/03
Album: Get Born
Jet’s debut track has never been bettered by the band, but that’s not to say they are a bad band whatsoever. I like Jet. But this song is easily their biggest hit, and it’s one of the biggest songs of the decade (but more on that in the unbiased listing, yes it’s featured in that). I just think the song sounds great, it’s a proper modern Motown track, and it just gets you moving. It’s a proper feet tapper, and full credit to Jet for making this song.

#63. “Blood Sugar” – Pendulum
Released: 28/5/07
Album: Hold Your Colour
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we understand that you have come tonight to bare witness to the sound of drum and bass. We regret to announce that this is not the case as instead we come tonight to bring you the solid recreation of the end of the world… Okay, fuck it, I lied it is drum and bass, what you gonna do!?”
Great stuff. It’s one of the best introductions to a song you’ll ever hear I say.  You’re like “What? No drum and bass? No wai!” and then it’s “they lied, thank fuck for that!”. I’m only kidding, but still, it’s a brilliant dance track, one of my favourite by Pendulum, and the introduction makes the song in honesty.

#62. “Weapon of Choice” – Fatboy Slim
Released: 23/4/01
Album: Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
Listings: Best Videos
From one dance track to another now, with the more popular of the two being called in. Weapon of Choice was a very big hit, primarily for its phenomenal video. But the song very good too, it’s just a cool song, using many samples from different songs. I thoroughly enjoy listening to it, it’s by far Fatboy’s best track.

#61. “She Wants to Move” – N.E.R.D.
Released: 9/3/04
Album: Fly or Die
This is definitely a brilliant track. it’s a real funk/rap treat, I thoroughly enjoy listening to it, and Alesha Dixon is pretty damn hot in the video too. Pharell’s rock/rap band tend to have mixed results, but you have to give him credit for doing something not many people in RnB do, which is experiment with instruments, experiment with Rock. This is one of those experiments that were most certainly successful and it’s a great song.

And that’s a wrap for today. You want more? Well come back tomorrow and I’ll give you 10 more hard-hitting, songs of real quality (in my brilliant, and humble opinion, just joking). See you then I hope!

To view part 5, click here.
To view part 6, click here.
To view part 7, click here.
To view part 8, click here.
To view part 9, click here.
To view part 10, click here.

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