Top 200 Favorite Songs, Part 2

(If you're just tuning in, I'm doing a rundown of my Top 200 Favorite Songs-see the bottom of the page for previous entries and welcome!)

I don't know why, but people usually are initially very surprised about me when I meet them.  For some reason I am one of those people who you don't figure out right away.  However, after a while, I feel like it becomes less "not surprising" and more "oh!...right, it's John, that makes sense."  One of the few things that genuinely, no matter how long you have known me for, shocks people though is when I say that Eminem is one of my current favorite acts.  I heart Eminem.  I don't get off on all of his lyrics and his behavior outside of the world of music is occasionally questionable, but I don't question the genius at work there.  Eminem was insanely popular when I was in high school, just at that age where I wasn't just mimicking the music that was loved by my older cousins, but instead was actually finding it myself, becoming a tastemaker.  Eminem was one of those people whom I could not get enough of-I would sit in my very cold basement because it was the only room that I could mouth the lyrics to the song without interruption, and I would stand up as a real Slim Shady.  Admittedly I am nothing near what you'd picture as someone from the 8-Mile, but in my heart I could be working at Burger King, spitting on your onion rings.  It's for this reason that Eminem is the Oscar-winning maestro amongst one of our next ten songs, as we continue our countdown of my 200 favorites:

190. "Islands in the Stream," Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers (1983)

True Story: This was the first video I ever watched on YouTube.  And I watched it a lot-to the point where I knew when to cheer when Dolly Parton came onto the stage and when she says "scuse me Kenny" while Dolly pinches his bottom (at least that's always been my theory).  This song is pure joy-I love both of them to pieces (though admittedly my love for Rogers may stem a bit from my love for my grandmother, who adores him...Dolly is all mine though).

189. "I Could Have Danced All Night," Julie Andrews (1956)

I'm aware that the Marni Nixon version is more famous, but in one of several specific choices I made during this write-up, I maintain that Julie Andrews did it best.  The way she maintains such a pristine, distinguished soprano-it's absolute bliss.  No one sings like Julie Andrews, and while I will always want her as Mary Poppins, Jack Warner was insane for not making her his Eliza (all due respect to Ms. Hepburn).

188. "Rocket Man," Elton John (1972)

Elton John may admittedly be kind of a pain in the ass in person-his diva-like behavior, particularly toward the likes of Madonna, is legendary.  However, so is his music, and I will bow down to anyone that comes up with something so majestic and who is self-aware enough to talk about how he isn't the "man you think I am at home."  Soaring, important, and wonderfully-felt pop.

187. "Killing Me Softly," The Fugees (1996)

I remember when this song wasn't available on single anymore, and I was absolutely devastated cause it wasn't in my collection yet.  So upset was I that I couldn't have the single, I had to BEG my parents to let me have the Parental Advisory-endorsed CD.  My parents finally acquiesced after they realized that we couldn't find the single anywhere, but had a neighbor who was older than me listen to the CD to see if there were any other songs I was allowed to listen to-there weren't, and so I, an obedient young man, just listened to this Roberta Flack ballad on repeat in my room (Number 8, and no, I didn't have to look it up some twenty years later).

186. "My Idaho Home," Ronee Blakley (1975)

If you haven't seen the movie Nashville, it's probably best to skip the above-clip and this write-up and go see one of my favorite films of all-time.  If you have seen it, you'll know that Ronee Blakley's character does something marvelous in the movie.  Barbara Jean is a singer that is constantly celebrated throughout the first hour or so of the film, much-lauded over, but we've seen so much bombast and terrible celebrations of "talent," we know to question the buzz.  And that's when Altman sticks it to you-Barbara Jean (and Ronee Blakley) is a marvelous singer, and worth the hype.  This was my favorite of her songs in the movie.

185. "All I Have to Do is Dream," The Everly Brothers (1958)

When I was probably nine or ten, I started to notice boys, particularly a boy named Matt in my school.  I remember hearing "All I Have to Do is Dream" for the first time and just being totally smitten, and I would imagine he would sing it to me.  This unfortunately never happened, but frequently whenever I feel myself developing a crush, I usually put on this beautifully-simple ballad to revel in the moment.

184. "True Love Ways," Buddy Holly (1960)

Written just four months before his untimely death, this is one of the most bittersweet songs I've ever heard.  Knowing that Buddy Holly wrote this for his bride, whom he became engaged with on their first date, and knowing he would just have a few moments with her before the Day the Music Died-it's haunting, and the song is a favorite at weddings.  I love the way it is so knowing, and perhaps occasionally a little sad ("sometimes we'll sigh, sometimes we'll cry"), but very personal.

183. "Mad World," Michael Andrews & Gary Jules (2001/2003)

If you're a child of the 1980's, this is a Tears for Fears song, but I didn't live in that era and for me "Mad World" is a song that was much darker, something stripped down and a little dire.  The song enjoyed a second resurgence when Adam Lambert rocked it out on American Idol (if you're wondering where you've heard it and can't place it, it's either there or Donnie Darko).  The song, potentially about futility or suicide or misunderstanding (depending on your mood), is majestic and questioning.

182. "Lose Yourself," Eminem (2002)

I will never forget the look of horror on Barbra Streisand's face when she didn't say Kander and Ebb or U2, but instead had to give an Oscar to the most famous bad boy in America (Em was too cool to actually show up for the ceremony).  This song is so thrilling, so full of life still thirteen years later it hasn't aged a day.  And yes, I could still rap the entire thing-I just checked.

181. "The Longest Time," Billy Joel (1984)

Yes, this wasn't written at the beginning, but in the middle of Joel's career, perhaps in an ode to his early doo-wop roots.  Like his longtime friend Elton John, Joel may have a notorious offstage persona, but he had an uncanny ability to create light and frothy pop music-this may be the best example of such a creation.  I saw him perform this live, and it was still delightful after all these years.

There you have it-what did you think?  Are these some of your favorites, and if so, which ones?  Do you have any nostalgia surrounding these songs?  If so, share your thoughts in the comments.

If you've missed any of the previous Top 200 Songs entries, click here: Part 1,