Recently, NPR's All Songs Considered had a post about the best side-one, track ones ever. So, of course, I had to make my own list:
Top Ten (in order):1) “Break on Through (To the Other Side),” The Doors by The Doors
2) “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Nevermind by Nirvana
3) “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
4) “Born in the U.S.A.,” Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
5) “London Calling,” London Calling by The Clash
6) “Guitar Town,” Guitar Town by Steve Earle
7) “The Girl from Ipanema,” Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz and João Gilberto
8) “A Love Supreme, Pt 1: Acknowledgment,” A Love Supreme by John Coltrane
9) “Second Hand News,” Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
10) “Nebraska,” Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen
Now, to make it even more interesting, here is my Top Ten Eponymous side-one, track-one (also in order):
1) “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
2) “Born in the U.S.A.,” Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
3) “London Calling,” London Calling by The Clash
4) “Guitar Town,” Guitar Town by Steve Earle
5) “Nebraska,” Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen
6) “What’s Goin’ On,” What’s Goin On by Marvin Gaye
7) “My Favorite Things,” My Favorite Things by John Coltrane
8) “White Light/White Heat,” White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground
9) “My Funny Valentine,” My Funny Valentine by Chet Baker
10) “Running on Empty,” Running on Empty by Jackson Browne
Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order):
“About a Girl,” MTV Unplugged in New York by Nirvana
“Alice’s Restaurant Massacre,” Alice’s Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie
“Better Get Hit in Yo’ Soul,” Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus
“Blinded by the Light,” Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. by Bruce Springsteen
“Blister in the Sun,” Violent Femmes by Violent Femmes
“Blue Rondo a la Turk,” Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
“Boyz-n-the-Hood,” N.W.A. and the Posse by N.W.A.
“Breaking the Law,” British Steel by Judas Priest
“Caring is Creepy,” Oh, Inverted World! By The Shins
“Come Together,” Abbey Road by The Beatles
“Debaser,” Doolittle by Pixies
“Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough,” Off the Wall by Michael Jackson
“Enter Sandman,” Metallica by Metallica
“Fire of Unknown Origin,” Fire of Unknown Origin by Blue Öyster Cult
“Folsom Prison Blues,” At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash
“Gimme Shelter,” Let it Bleed by The Rolling Stones
“Gloria,” Horses by Patti Smith
“Good Times, Bad Times,” Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin
“Hard Day’s Night,” Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles
“Head Like a Hole,” Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails
“Highway to Hell,” Highway to Hell by AC/DC
“Hotel California,” Hotel California by The Eagles
“King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1,” In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
“Let’s Go Crazy,” Purple Rain by Prince and the Revolution
“Like a Rolling Stone,” Highway 61 Revisted by Bob Dylan
“Lion’s Mane,” Creek Drank the Cradle by Iron & Wine
“Loser,” Mellow Gold by Beck
“Magical Mystery Tour,” Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles
“Mrs. Robinson,” Concert in Central Park by Simon & Garfunkel
“Peter Piper,” Raising Hell, by Run D.M.C.
“Phases and Stages (Theme)/Washing the Dishes,” Phases and Stages by Willie Nelson
“Pink Moon,” Pink Moon by Nick Drake
“Radio Free Europe,” Murmur by R.E.M.
“Rehab,” Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
“Roscoe,” The Trials of Van Occupanter by Midlake
“Say It (Over and Over Again),” Ballads by John Coltrane
"See No Evil," Television by Television
"Shotgun Willie," Shotgun Willie by Willie Nelson
“Speak to Me/Breathe,” Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
“So Far Away,” Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits
“So What,” Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
“Soul Man,” Soul Men by Sam & Dave
“Vicarious,” 10,000 Days by Tool
“Walt Whitman’s Niece,” Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg and Wilco
“Watermelon Man,” Takin’ Off by Herbie Hancock
“Welcome to the Jungle,” Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses
“Where the Streets Have no Name,” Joshua Tree by U2
“White Room,” Wheels of Fire by Cream
“Wouldn’t it be Nice,” Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
Anyone who follows college football knows that there are some serious shake-ups in the offing. In this case, it's not necessarily a good thing because television and money is trumping play-style, old alliances, and geographical concerns. So, here's my dream conference alignment that will never ever happen. (Automatic BCS qualifiers are marked with an asterisk, and note that there are fewer now--only 4, which leaves more chances for other conferences.)
