Of the 1,074 songs across my weekly playlists of 2010, the previous post collected my favorite 107, or the top 10%.
This post narrows it down further to my top 1% of the year, or my top 11. Here they are, counted down to my very favorite song of 2010.
11. "Captain (The Mermaid)" by John Phillips
This odd but infectious song stuck with me throughout the end of the summer of 2010. I love the gospelly chorus, the odd maritime lyrics and the casual guitar and piano behind a subtle and confident vocal performance by John Phillips. It has the pop feel of one of his Mama & Papas hits but with a more idiosyncratic feel. It sounds like both a tall tale and a statement of purpose.
10. "Re-Up Intro" by Clipse
I first heard this a few years ago on a Clipse mixtape. This year I heard it again in slightly different form from an official release of outtakes and the like. This version lost some of the unnecessary sound effects to reveal just the fierce and funny lyrics over a punishing and spare beat. Whether they are "high like giraffe ass" or threatening to "suicide bomb ya like Mohaammded Atta", their overall lyrical assault is simply astonishing.
9. "Stimulus Outro" by Freeway & Jake One
Freeway is a bit of a journeyman rapper, although talented. His album Stimulus Package came out early this year and I really loved "Stimulus Outro", his funny and weirdly moving recitation of fan mail, of which he says "some send it physical, some send it email". Over a dreamy and sympathetic production from Jake One, he comments on the mail and even adopts a regional accent depending on which letter he is quoting. There are probably a lot of songs where the artist directly addresses their fans but this song stands as very unique.
8. "Ceremony (Original 7" single ver)" by New Order
This very early New Order single was recorded right after Ian Curtis died and Joy Division became New Order. It marries the brooding feel of the former band with the pop sensibility of the latter. I particularly like the original single version for the punchier guitars and murkier vocals. It's a very evocative song that still has mystery for me.
7. "Everything Means Nothing To Me" by Elliott Smith
I didn't pay too much attention to Elliott Smith's music when he was alive but I had some familiarity with his work. Last spring, I heard this song at a restaurant and it bowled me over. The haunting lyrics and spooky falsetto over a gorgeous, Beatles-esque arrangement make it a perfect, if deeply melancholic, pop song. I listened to this song as much as any in 2010 and feel like I heard it at just the right time, and that it changed meaning slightly as the year went on.
6. "What's Going Ahn (demo)" by Big Star
Alex Chilton passed away in 2010, and I listened to a lot of Big Star again. In late 2009 an amazing box set of their work was released which included acoustic demo versions of many of their best songs. This one is amazing in its finished form and even more striking in its unfinished form. I liked hearing him tinker with the lyrics between the two. This was another one that had special resonance for me in 2010.
5. "Spaceball Ricochet" by T. Rex
My love for T. Rex seems boundless the last couple years and I think I have to put, at least temporarily, this one at the very top of their catalog. It's hard to know what a "spaceball ricochet" is exactly but this song seems to sound like one. The lazy guitar strums, the background chorus, child-like but brilliant lyrics and of course Marc Bolan's singing make it perfect. Even the wordless grunts seem perfectly placed.
4. "Turns Me On" by Big Boi ft. Sleepy Brown & Joi
Big Boi's solo album was as good as any new album I heard last year. Other singles got more attention maybe but this was my absolute favorite. I love the laid-back feel and the melodic production with great singing by Sleepy Brown and Joi behind Big Boi's sly delivery. This song will remind me of 2010 for a long time.
3. "Your Daddy Loves You" by Gil Scott-Heron
His new album sent me scrambling through his back catalog. Before I had a chance to get to know a lot of his older work, I got to see Gil Scott-Heron perform this past spring. He played this song, written for his daughter, and dedicated it to his son who was in the audience. It was the first time I'd really heard it and was a great way to experience how simply powerful and moving it is. The album version here features amazing electric piano by Brian Jackson.
2. "And I Love Him (live)" by Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips as a singer straddled the lines of jazz, soul and blues and unfortunately lived the hard life suggested by the subject matter of all of those genres. Here, she tackles rock, in particular The Beatles' "And I Love Him", changed to "And I Love Him", as well as tacking on a bit of "Light My Fire" by The Doors at the end. The cocktail lounge arrangement actually works as her amazing vocal lifts the whole song up into an area of drama and beauty. I can't think of a song I heard in 2010 with better singing.
1. "Mind Games" by John Lennon
I've long been familiar with this song but rediscovered it this year. The title suggests something negative and the soaring arrangement bears more than a hint of sadness and resignation but the lyrics and Lennon's vocal performance, perhaps the best he ever recorded, bring the song into a realm of guarded hope: about love, the future, the world. He seems to acknowledge the naivete of his earlier positions but he is still defiantly hopeful and brave. This song carried me through 2010 like no other.
