In the past several months, I've inundated readers with a smorgasbord of top ten music lists. So today, as a culmination of all the semester's lists, there will be a battle royale among the No. 1 songs from all previous Top Ten countdowns.
Fight for my love, my pretties!
The Top 10 - No. 1 Song Battle Royale
10. "Everybody Hurts," R.E.M. ("Top Ten Songs Reflective of MSU Football"): Wouldn't it be neat to be cruising down I-96, come to a traffic jam and see everyone get out of their cars and start wandering around? The answer is: No, it would suck and I would hurl a tire iron at their heads to get them back in their cars and start moving again.
9. "We're Not Gonna Take It," Twisted Sister ("Noise Songs"): The song has lost a little of its luster since the East Lansing noise ordinance violation fines have increased. Nevertheless, this ode to rebellion is still a mainstay on our No. 1 countdown.
8. "Super Mario Bros.," ("NES Songs"): It's not just typical songs that build the fabric of the music industry. Even cartoon themes, or, in this case, video-game songs can offer a fresh look at the music industry. Here, "Super Mario Bros." represents both the '80s and the video-game industry because of its Bowser-busting good time.
7. "A.M. Radio," Everclear ("Pick-Me Up Songs"): I usually shun songs that sample other songs (P. Diddy - I'm looking at you) because I fail to see the creativity involved. Yet, this song is fun, catchy and it does the trick when I'm in a sour mood.
6. "November Rain," Guns N' Roses ("Cool-Down Songs for Southern California"): A little too mellow to be placed higher in the list this time; nevertheless, it's a favorite of many and it has a wild video to boot. It also offered solace to our friends in SoCal when wildfires torched the landscape. Well, at least I like to think it did.
5. "Help!," The Beatles ("Scandal Songs"): Turn on any oldies station, and the chance this song will be played sometime within the hour is high. Its message is simpler than Jessica Simpson and everyone has, at one time, wanted to shout "Help! I need somebody."
4. "Ducktales," ("Cartoon Themes"): To be honest, it seems like "Ducktales" has made it in the paper more times than my name this semester, but I suppose you have to pay respect when it's due... again... and again... and again. They say three times is the charm.
3. "Rockin' Robin," Bobby Day or Michael Jackson ("Bird Songs"): The latest of the entries on this list to appear in the paper, "Rockin' Robin" beat out powerhouses such as "Disco Duck" and "The Chicken Dance." OK, so it didn't have stiff competition, but it still had a leg - or thigh - up on it.
2. "Rich Girl," Daryl Hall & John Oates ("Hall & Oates Songs"): It's a nice song to crank up after you have just dumped your girlfriend and wonder "Why are the pretty ones always so dumb?" And then you realize, "Hey, who would have thought cheating on her would have ticked her off?"
1. "Take the Money and Run," Steve Miller Band ("Money Songs"): It should come as no surprise, since money does make the world go 'round. It's also a great driving song, which makes it the Cadillac of 2003's No. 1 songs.
Kris Karol is The State News music reporter. Reach him at karolkri@msu.edu.
