rikibeth

Here's the idea: someone assigns you a letter of the alphabet, and you list 10 favorite songs starting with that letter, and talk about them a little.

Comment to this post and I'll assign you a letter.

eternaleponine gave me W.

Warbrain, Alkaline Trio

This is the song that got me listening to current music again -- track 3 on "Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1," and I said, "hey, this doesn't suck." It was enough to get me to go to the Bamboozle in '05 to see them and Flogging Molly. And the samplers I picked up there, and the CDs from bands I heard, along with

eternaleponine's encouragement, got me listening again, when I'd given up on it (local radio really does suck). It gave me back a piece of myself I hadn't realized how much I missed. So it's a good thing it starts with W so I can put it first in my favorites.

Welcome to the Black Parade, My Chemical Romance

If you didn't known this was going to be on here, you haven't been paying attention. This is a fantastic song -- old glam-rock Bowie, and Queen, and warp-speed punk guitar, and... if you haven't heard this, you need to get out from under your rock and LISTEN to it already. Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's bad, folks.

I do, still, in a couple of years, when it's not new any more, want to hear them end it with a quiet "Any way the wind blows" just as an acknowledgement. That'd be cool.

Winterborn, the Cruxshadows

Electronic dance music with Celtic fiddle. And highly intelligent lyrics. What more could you ask?

Why Can't I Be You?, the Cure

I love the Cure. And "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" will always be the quintessential Cure album for me. So this was an easy pick too.

Wild Mountain Thyme, trad., possibly Robert Burns, my favorite version is by Six Mile Bridge

A pretty, pretty song, loads of fun to sing, and I really like Maggie's high harmony line on the recording on "No Reason."

Werewolves of London, Warren Zevon

If I told you how many times I've stuck a Chinese restaurant called Lee Ho Fouk's into stories and gaming environments, I would have to hang my head in shame. I can sing the original down to the timing on the "huh!"s, but I also appreciate that the Grateful Dead used to cover it for Halloween shows.

Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd

Do I have to say anything about this one? Does anyone NOT know it? (Yes, you DO,

eternaleponine, even if what you know best is the Sparklehorse cover from the Lords of Dogtown soundtrack.) The guitar intro is the epitome of wistfulness.

Walk on the Wild Side, Lou Reed

It should tell you something that I had the costume concept of "Sugarplum Fairy came and hit the streets" from this song for about twenty years before I put it together. This would probably make it onto a list of all-time favorites without the letter, even.

With or Without You, U2

I have loved U2 since "New Year's Day" hit the charts back in early 1982 (or was it late 1981? Seventh grade), when all my classmates were still listening to Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. If "Wish You Were Here" is wistfulness, this one's pure yearning.

Won't Get Fooled Again, the Who

And one of the best rock anthems of all time. When WBCN did a Top 500 Rock Songs Ever countdown in 1986, this one was #2. They put "Born to Run" as #1. I was in the school theater costume shop, repairing puppets with the rest of the Puppets and Players class. I can still remember Andras Jones' howls of outrage because he thought this one should have been #1. I agreed with him then, and I still do.

Some songs that didn't make the top 10 were Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit," "Width of a Circle" by David Bowie, "Welcome to the Meat Market" by Trendy, "Wait for the Blackout," in no small part because I couldn't decide between the Damned's original and the Alkaline Trio cover, the Police's "Wrapped Around Your Finger" (because while it's one of my favorite videos, the song alone is just okay), Green Day's "Whatsername," and THE SONG IN THE NOW PLAYING, WHICH THIS PROGRAM REALLY GRABBED FROM MY PARTY SHUFFLE, NOT KIDDING.

Comment and get a letter!