"A GIRL LIKE YOU" EDWYN COLLINS (1994)

They call songs like “A Girl Like You” a one hit wonder because they arrive with such an explosion and then almost immediately the artists who made them disappear into obscurity. When “A Girl Like You” made its splash in Empire Records and on airwaves, it straddled two vastly different decades. The song fit perfectly on a soundtrack of some of the best modern rock tracks of the mid-90’s, but its style and soul transported you back to the 60’s.

“Now my hands are bleeding and my knees are raw 'cause now you've got me crawlin', crawlin' on the floor.”

"STARMAN" DAVID BOWIE (1972)

When people say rock & roll songs aren’t as good as they used to be, I think they’re referring to the high bar set by songs like “Starman”. Here was a track that played a perfect role on one of the decade’s most renowned concept albums, but also could stand on its own. “Starman” caught our ears off guard with its opening minor chord strums, which led us into the harmonic explosion of the chorus and one of classic rock’s finest string arrangements.

“There's a starman waiting in the sky. He'd like to come and meet us, but he thinks he'd blow our minds.”

"RABBIT HEART (RAISE IT UP)" FLORENCE + THE MACHINE (2009)

The vocal performance, tempo shifts and slippery meanderings of the harp make “Rabbit Heart” one of my all-time favorite Florence anthems. The band stormed onto the scene in a hurry with one of the best debut albums in years. “Rabbit Heart” was one of many tracks that made Lungs the amazing album it is, but it was the one song that gave us a peek into Florence’s mindset amidst the band’s newfound success.

“The looking glass so shiny and new. How quickly the glamor fades. I start spinning slipping out of time. Was that the wrong pill to take?”

"ENTRE NOUS" RUSH (1980)

Overshadowed by some of the band’s biggest classics, “Entre Nous” is a bit of a hidden gem inside Permanent Waves. And in many ways, it’s a microcosm of all that is Rush. There’s always been a special connection between the band and its fans, and “Entre Nous” recounts the strong connection that Neil Peart felt with their audience. It’s a song that has always resonated with me. And it’s a song that diehard fans hold dear, including Smashing Pumpkins’ frontman Billy Corgan.

“Just between us, I think it's time for us to realize the spaces in between leave room for you and I to grow.”

"YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON" THE SUPREMES (1967)

As I took my kids to a Halloween scavenger hunt with some families at Diana Ross Playground in Central Park, a thought occurred to me. It’s about time I paid a little homage to one of the all-time great female trios. Hearing “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” again, I’m reminded of the bravado and sass that was The Supremes. Years later, I wonder why I never drew the connection and spotted the obvious inspiration they forged for later acts, especially the 80’s girl group Bananarama.

“Set me free why don't cha babe.”

"PROTEST SONG" BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE (2017)

One of the steadiest music collectives over the past 15 years, Broken Social Scene continues to thrive on collaboration, passion for the music and good old democracy. Everyone in the band has a say, and everyone has room to create and explore. While a good chunk of the BSS catalog consists of their dreamy, mid-tempo tracks, I always gravitated toward the upbeat stuff. “Protest Song” is one of my favorites, with multiple guitar riffs and textures weaving in and out of the speakers.

“We're just the latest on the longest rank and file that's ever to exist.”

"EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD" TEARS FOR FEARS (1985)

This is TFF’s commentary on power, control and corruption. Penned in 1984, the lyrics resonate even more strongly in our current times and right now on Election Day. As a kid, I didn’t understand the themes, but I could hear them everywhere - on MTV, on the radio, in shopping malls, on my Sony cassette player. TFF belted out numerous great tracks during a powerful three-album stretch, and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” was their signature song.

“Help me to decide. Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure. Nothing ever lasts forever.”

"EPIC" FAITH NO MORE (1989)

Turn this one up real high. “Epic” kicked our asses and blew our minds. Faith No More had a cult classic in “We Care a Lot”, but “Epic” was the song that put them on the map. And where to pinpoint them on the music map, no one knew. They fused metal, hard rock, rap and funk. In “Epic” we hear elements of the Beastie Boys, of Anthrax, of Primus, of Rage Against the Machine. You can’t say enough about the killer guitar riffs, but my favorite part is the delicate piano finale.

“You want it all but you can't have it. It's in your face but you can't grab it.”

"FIGHT THE POWER (PARTS 1 & 2)" THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1975)

The Isley Brothers may be known more for smooth, soul-induced records. But with “Fight the Power”, they showed they were more than capable of flipping the switch. This was their foray into funk. Power grooves. Power lead vocals, sung in unison by Ron, Rudy and Kelly. And a powerful statement, sent and received. When asked why he uttered “bullshit” in the recording, Ron’s response was this: “because it needed to be said.”

“Time is truly wastin'. There's no guarantee. Smile's in the makin'. You gotta fight the powers that be.”

"EVERYDAY IS LIKE HALLOWEEN" MINISTRY (1984)

“Everyday is Like Halloween” is no “Ghostbusters” or “Thriller”. But like its title suggests, in some ways it became a more listenable track beyond October 31st. In high school and college, I caught small glimpses of the industrial rock scene. Ministry always seemed to be an anomaly because of its synth-pop roots. Its songs were just more melodic than the typical industrial, percussion-driven noise. And “Halloween” was industrial rock at its most accessible.

“Well I let their teeny minds think that they're dealing with someone who is over the brink. And I dress this way just to keep them at bay 'cause Halloween is everyday.”

"TWO WEEKS" GRIZZLY BEAR (2009)

Previously I’ve written about the striking connection between The Beach Boys and Animal Collective. But Grizzly Bear has its own fair share of resemblance to the 60’s psychedelic surf rock powerhouse. Mainly through its emphasis on 3-part and 4-part harmonies and falsetto vocal styles. This is probably most evident on “Two Weeks”, Grizzly Bear’s buoyant, yet somewhat dark ode to taking time off. The choral harmonies are a rare and beautiful thing.

“Save up all the days. A routine malaise.”

"STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER" THE BEATLES (1967)

“Strawberry Fields Forever” remains one of my all-time favorite Beatles songs. Maybe because it’s a bit less happy and on the nose compared to many of their hits. Sandwiched in between “Penny Lane” and “Hello, Goodbye”, it had this strangely attractive dissonance from the first listen, painting a picture of a physical space and an emotional state all in the same breath.

“Let me take you down 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields. Nothing is real. And nothing to get hung about.”

"GOLD SOUNDZ" PAVEMENT (1994)

Who knows what “Gold Soundz” is really about. It’s the enigmatic quality of this and many other Pavement songs that make them truly great. “Gold Soundz” is whatever you want it to be. It’s a turning point to some. It’s nostalgia to others. Still to a few, it’s an ode to their middle aged crisis. Maybe it’s all of the above. For me, it’s a great sounding song that cleared the path for other indie bands following in Pavement’s path.

“Is it a crisis or a boring change?”

"LA VALSE D'AMELIE" YANN TIERSEN (2001)

The story of Amelie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet discovering Yann Tiersen while in a car with one of his production assistants is a much more common theme than maybe we realize. Often times the music that we adore, the music that we fall in love with, the music that we put on our movie soundtracks or on our wedding playlists, they start with this sort of happenstance discovery. If Jeunet didn’t ride in that car that day, we wouldn’t have this masterful soundtrack that transported us back to Paris’ Bal-musette era with its glorious accordions, harpsichords and toy pianos.

"SO ALIVE" LOVE AND ROCKETS (1989)

Simple. Repetitive. And it worked. It was the summer of 1989 when “So Alive” came strutting on to the airwaves. This radio darling was accessible and infectious, but still a near perfect embodiment of the band’s unique sound and persona - which stretched across everything from album art to videos. In “So Alive”, Love and Rockets pulled off something rarely achieved in music: they sold out without selling out.

“Wish I could stop. Switch off the clock. Make it all happen for you.”

"LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH" STEPHEN STILLS (1970)

Countless movie soundtracks, cover versions and karaoke late nights later, “Love the One You’re With” lives on. A solo project as good as any, Stephen Stills was able to utilize Crosby and Nash for backing vocals, but still craft a song that was truly different from CSNY - both musically and thematically divergent. Steel drums. Congas. Organs. And those iconic harmonies. All coming together to construct one of the most well-known songs in history.

“Well there's a rose in the fisted glove. And the eagle flies with the dove.”

"SLEEP THE CLOCK AROUND" BELLE & SEBASTIAN (1998)

Belle & Sebastian’s better known tracks are the ones that paint portraits of some pretty eccentric characters, both real and fictitious. “Lazy Line Painter Jane”, “Seymour Stein”, “Piazza, New York Catcher”, “Judy and the Dream of Horses”, and the list goes on. But “Sleep the Clock Around” did a 180, penning an ode to the listener. I like how it took B&S’s signature 60’s nostalgic sound and smashed it together with a galactic, experimental mood.

“And the moment will come when composure returns. Put a face on the world, turn your back to the wall.”

"GREEN EYES AND A HEART OF GOLD" THE LONE BELLOW (2013)

Some of the most powerful bands in music history have been trios. Cream. Rush. The Police. Nirvana. Muse. And The Lone Bellow also has power. Big doses of vocal harmonies. Big doses of alt-country. A lot of sonic power coming from just three musicians. When I heard The Lone Bellow perform live as musical unknowns, they won us over with the energy, emotion and vigor of “Green Eyes”.

“Green eyes and a heart of gold. All the money’s gone and the house is cold. And it's alright.”

"SUSPICIOUS MINDS" ELVIS PRESLEY (1969)

Considered to be one of Elvis’ greatest songs, “Suspicious Minds” was a song that explored uncharted territory in 1969. Lyrically, it tackled themes of mistrust and dysfunctional relationships. Topics that you didn’t typically hear about on the radio. Musically, along with much of the Memphis album, it had a way of blending disparate genres like soul, rockabilly and country, and in a way only Elvis could do.

“We can't go on together with suspicious minds. And we can't build our dreams on suspicious minds.”

"GOOD TIMES ROLL" THE CARS (1978)

The Cars never seemed content with straight-up rock & roll. Always pushing the possibilities of guitars, pedals, synthesizers and anything that made sounds. “Good Times Roll” was their introduction to the music world, literally. The first track off the debut album, it exposed us and surprised us with epileptic guitar riffs, Ocasek’s somewhat creepy vocals and the foreshadowing of new wave synth pop.

“Let them leave you up in the air. Let them brush your rock and roll hair. Let the good times roll.”