Top 25 Songs of 2005: listed by and in order of play count -- not to be confused with the upcoming Top 25 Songs of 2005, released in 2005, nor the Top 25 Songs that made me cry in 2005, Top 25 Songs that I never heard in 2005 and Top 25 Songs according to others, in 2005.
These tunes were tallied by combining both the play counts from Last.fm and iTunes -- both of which are not entirely accurate since only about 75% of what I've listened to has been recorded in either of these charts, but I did the best I could.
Since I hate writing (hence the lack of content here), I will only be posting segments, beginning with 1-8. I know, it doesn't make sense -- everyone always counts down and reveals the best for last. Not me, I do everything backwards because that is the way I like to do it. And, well, because I hadn't anticipated I'd feel like quitting after writing about the 8th song.
1. Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!
I do believe this song was listened to, and sung, by me, more times than you can count the hairs on your back. I will never tire of the whispery and graceful lead vocals nor the exhilarating and climactic sounds produced by the backing choir. This song is easily one the best I've ever had the pleasure of being in love with.
2. Adem - Statued
Statued tugs, pulls, no – rips the heartstrings from my chest, ties them into undoable knots and cuts them apart with dull scissors. What was instantly rated as 5 stars, now is more often skipped over than consumed because it is simply too beautiful for my poor little emotional well-being to deal with. This song is forever attached to a single, precious, tender moment, one which I will never forget.
3. Khonnor - Megans Present
Khonner is great to listen to. This inexperienced musician, a teenager at the time, recorded this album in his parent's basement using only archaic (1990's) technology. He creatively mimics the scratchy sounds of old LPs and synth with blends of very delicate vocals (he sang in whispers while recording so that his parents would not hear him) and "accidentally" produced an underground hit. If you haven't heard it, it is a must have for any music lover's collection.
4. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel the Illinoise!
Oh the orchestra! Oh how the horns and the VIOLIN in that one part about 4:00 minutes into the song make my heart want to sing while hanging out of the sunroof in the middle of summer! OH how "I cried myself to sleep last night!" Another example of why Sufjan Stevens… "And the ghost of Carl, he approached my window" … and his musical team deserve a spot in my top 5 bands/musicians of ALL FREAKING TIME. Sorry Autumns – I might have to demote you. Cream of Wheat, Ferris Wheels, Frank Lloyd Wright!!! NO SONG HAS ALL THIS.
5. Andrew Bird - First Song
There is a lot of Andrew Bird to write about in this list. He makes me feel nice and I love to listen to the pretty whistles. Great tune, though how it got a higher play count than Sovay or Headsoak, I will never know.
6. Cat Power - Good Woman
One of about 10 Cat Power songs I find irresistible, while there are perhaps 20 I can't stand to listen to at all.
7. Clem Snide - Loneliness Finds Her Own Way
I've written about this song before, again I must mention the sweet, honest lyrics that remind me of similar, imperfect moments in my life: "… trying to kiss her I bloodied my nose." Clem Snide filled many empty places in my soul this year.
8. The Decemberists - On the Bus Mall
The Decemberists will forever hold a special place in my musical heart, not only because of the intensity and depth in Colin Meloy's storytelling, but because of our shared Portland, Oregon roots. "On the Bus Mall" is written explicitly about Portland, I know (at least that is how I interpret it, because I am the only one that is important here) -- I spent a lot of time being late for work, hanging out at Coffee People while I dried my rain-soaked clothes, waiting for the #9 to the East Side, in that very bus mall. The gentle strumming of the lead guitar somehow sounds like the rain falling on the red-bricked sidewalks of Old Town and down near the "… Colonnades of the Waterfront park," where all the gutter-punks, I mean nice homeless kids with heroin problems hang out. Ah, nostalgia.
These tunes were tallied by combining both the play counts from Last.fm and iTunes -- both of which are not entirely accurate since only about 75% of what I've listened to has been recorded in either of these charts, but I did the best I could.
Since I hate writing (hence the lack of content here), I will only be posting segments, beginning with 1-8. I know, it doesn't make sense -- everyone always counts down and reveals the best for last. Not me, I do everything backwards because that is the way I like to do it. And, well, because I hadn't anticipated I'd feel like quitting after writing about the 8th song.
1. Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!
I do believe this song was listened to, and sung, by me, more times than you can count the hairs on your back. I will never tire of the whispery and graceful lead vocals nor the exhilarating and climactic sounds produced by the backing choir. This song is easily one the best I've ever had the pleasure of being in love with.
2. Adem - Statued
Statued tugs, pulls, no – rips the heartstrings from my chest, ties them into undoable knots and cuts them apart with dull scissors. What was instantly rated as 5 stars, now is more often skipped over than consumed because it is simply too beautiful for my poor little emotional well-being to deal with. This song is forever attached to a single, precious, tender moment, one which I will never forget.
3. Khonnor - Megans Present
Khonner is great to listen to. This inexperienced musician, a teenager at the time, recorded this album in his parent's basement using only archaic (1990's) technology. He creatively mimics the scratchy sounds of old LPs and synth with blends of very delicate vocals (he sang in whispers while recording so that his parents would not hear him) and "accidentally" produced an underground hit. If you haven't heard it, it is a must have for any music lover's collection.
4. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel the Illinoise!
Oh the orchestra! Oh how the horns and the VIOLIN in that one part about 4:00 minutes into the song make my heart want to sing while hanging out of the sunroof in the middle of summer! OH how "I cried myself to sleep last night!" Another example of why Sufjan Stevens… "And the ghost of Carl, he approached my window" … and his musical team deserve a spot in my top 5 bands/musicians of ALL FREAKING TIME. Sorry Autumns – I might have to demote you. Cream of Wheat, Ferris Wheels, Frank Lloyd Wright!!! NO SONG HAS ALL THIS.
5. Andrew Bird - First Song
There is a lot of Andrew Bird to write about in this list. He makes me feel nice and I love to listen to the pretty whistles. Great tune, though how it got a higher play count than Sovay or Headsoak, I will never know.
6. Cat Power - Good Woman
One of about 10 Cat Power songs I find irresistible, while there are perhaps 20 I can't stand to listen to at all.
7. Clem Snide - Loneliness Finds Her Own Way
I've written about this song before, again I must mention the sweet, honest lyrics that remind me of similar, imperfect moments in my life: "… trying to kiss her I bloodied my nose." Clem Snide filled many empty places in my soul this year.
8. The Decemberists - On the Bus Mall
The Decemberists will forever hold a special place in my musical heart, not only because of the intensity and depth in Colin Meloy's storytelling, but because of our shared Portland, Oregon roots. "On the Bus Mall" is written explicitly about Portland, I know (at least that is how I interpret it, because I am the only one that is important here) -- I spent a lot of time being late for work, hanging out at Coffee People while I dried my rain-soaked clothes, waiting for the #9 to the East Side, in that very bus mall. The gentle strumming of the lead guitar somehow sounds like the rain falling on the red-bricked sidewalks of Old Town and down near the "… Colonnades of the Waterfront park," where all the gutter-punks, I mean nice homeless kids with heroin problems hang out. Ah, nostalgia.
