What came first, the music or the misery?

So, with the weather finally starting to show signs of spring, I’ve spent a few nights hanging out on my porch.  Since Laura and I are easily entertained, we come up with geeky exercises in list-making.  It’s for this reason I firmly believe I would be fine on a desert island, occupied for hours on end with the useless information rattling around my head.

Needless to say, one of these conversations sparked the following list:  top 10 favorite albums.   Just a few disclaimers before I start.  I’ve tried to recreate my original list, but I didn’t take notes (obviously, because THAT would be dorky).  Some items came to me later.  Also, I’ve decided to limit it to actual albums, no greatest hits or soundtracks.

1. Van Morrison – Moondance (1970).  Hands down, probably my favorite of all time.  I mean, “Into the Mystic” alone might earn its place on the list.  If I ever have a wedding, this will undoubtably be played as my first dance.  But the entire album is amazing.  It’s mellow without being depressing, fun without being trendy, sexy without being explicit.  It’s the perfect music to slow dance to in the backyard on a warm summer night.
2. Meat Loaf – Bat out of Hell (1977). I grew up listening to this album.  My dad would always play it on our way to the cabin and to this day, I still have to recreate that tradition when I go.  Then of course, as I grew older, there is the other tradition of acting out “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” at various weddings after copious amounts of liquor.  Still, it provides some of my best memories with Jeffrey.
3. The Rolling Stones – Let It Bleed (1969).  If it weren’t for my self-imposed rules, I probably would have listed Forty Licks as my favorite here.  But this album wins for having the two best Stones songs of all time, “Gimme Shelter” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”  I know that anybody who has any taste in music says it’s got to be the Beatles, but I’ve always preferred The Stones.  Sue me.  I never claimed to be a musical connoisseur.
4. Dave Matthews Band – Crash (1996). This album WAS high school.  And college.  I’ll never forget my first Dave concert (out of about a dozen or so in my more foolish years).  During “Dancing Nancies,” Dave sang look up at the sky…and I looked behind me at 40,000 people throwing their hands up against a purple twilit sky.  Amazing.
5. Cat Stevens – Tea for the Tillerman (1970).  As a teenager, I think I was always a little more fascinated with my dad’s old music, but this album was one of my mom’s that I fell in love with and haven’t stopped loving since.  Before he got all weird and changed his name, Cat Stevens wrote some pretty awesome songs, and a bunch of them are on this album.
6. Damien Rice – O (2002). I have Ken to thank for introducing me to this guy.  I’ve loved all his albums, but decided to include his first because it was the one I originally loved.  And any album that includes the line, we all seem to need the help of someone else to mend that shelf of too many books, read me your favorite line, had me from the beginning.
7. Counting Crows – August and Everything  After (1993). One of the very first CDs I owned, it’s probably the saddest album on my list.  But I love it.  It provided a backdrop for many a teen agnst moment.  Now, it just makes me feel happy to be grown up.  Besides, who can hear “Mr. Jones” and not smile?
8. Gustav Holst – The Planets Suite Op. 32 (1916). Now, I don’t know anything about classical music, but I love every part of this piece.  I can even identify the different movements.  I’ve seen it performed.  And the “Jupiter” section always makes me cry.  There’s just something so profound about it; I think it must be what happiness sounds like.
9. Muse – Showbiz (1999). Considering I love every single song I’ve ever heard by Muse, I had a hard time picking one album.  I decided to go with their first and leave it at that.  They have been subject to the whole Twilight phenomenon, but that is hardly their fault.  They are actually much cooler than that tweenie association would suggest.  At least I hope so, otherwise my taste is worse than I’d imagined.
10. Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977).  If you love Fleetwood Mac, this has to be the quintessential album.  I think this is the incarnation of the band that has most of the members that are considered to be the best.   But who can really keep up with their drama?  The 2004 re-release also has a bunch of bonus tracks that make this album even better, including a live version of Stevie Nicks singing “Silver Springs,” which I know is a bad song, but I love anyway.

Honorable mentions (including those pesky greatest hits and soundtracks I wouldn’t allow):

• The Killers – Sam’s Town (2006)
• The Rolling Stones – Forty Licks (2002)
• Carole King – Tapestry (1971)
• The Big Chill Soundtrack (1983)
• Queen – Classic Queen (1992)
• Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
• E.S. Posthumus – Unearthed (2001)
• “Once More with Feeling” Soundtrack (BtVS) (2001)
• Regina Spektor – Begin to Hope (2006)