I have a short list of songs that seem to endure.

Ain't No Sunshine: Bill Withers (simple, pure)
Sue's Last Ride: Dirty Three (makes me cry, for whatever reason)
I am a Pilgrim: The Byrds
Shakedown: Nation of Ulysses (makes me remeber being 18, in all the good ways)
Blind Willie McTell: Broke Down Engine and Talkin To Myself, (both of which I think are about 40-50 years ahead of their time in phrasing and guitar playing)

Just thinking about these songs makes me want to go home and listen to music, -just sit on the floor in front of the stereo, surrounded by piles of records. Man, it's been a long time since i've done that.

Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:

SecondEdition wrote:2 stones - gimme shelter (genius)

This is perennially in my top 5, too, usually just behind "Walk Away Renee" and "I Want You Back."

amazing song.

anyway, I changed my mind.

1) van morrison - astral weeks OR john lennon - love
2) stones - gimme shelter
3) rod stewart (actually faces) - (I know) I'm losing you
4) beach boys - that's not me
5) james brown - it's a new day
6) swans - stay here
7) beatles - tomorrow never knows
8 ) black sabbath - into the void
9) sly stone - thank you for talkin' to me africa
10) al green - tired of being alone

...and that will change in the next five minutes too.

Killdozer - Gates of Heaven

Along with many others.

My gut reaction is Not Too Amused by Sebadoh.

The lights of cincinatti- scott walker

The Workplace by Jim O'Rourke.

there's tons of songs,
but the one that comes to my mind right now :
Along the banks of river | Tortoise[/list]

i think favorites keep changing. for right now -

loadking by rebreather

the second time through the lyrics the voice is so raw and powerfull you can feel the damage to earley's throat. if you listen to it and like it, i can't imagine anyone not mouthing/singing/screaming/daydreaming along with it every time.