1. Queen - “I Want To Break Free”

Queen was better when they really rocked (see “Stone Cold Crazy”), but despite the rather keyboard-laden foundation of this tune, it doesn’t detract from the reality that Freddie Mercury, God love ‘im, was a great singer/frontman.

2. Rush - “Freewill”

This is shaping up as Friday Random Ten: Classic Rock Edition. One of the most libertarian songs from the most libertarian lyricists, Neil Peart. See also: “Tom Sawyer”.

3. Eminem - “Mockingbird”

He’s good. Hate him if you want, but he’s good. I prefer his chopping-up-his-mother-and-urinating-on-her-dismembered-pieces stuff to this lovey-dovey tune. But still, he’s good.

4. Laurie Lewis - “The Refugee”

One of those where-the-hell-did-this-come-from? tunes. I have no idea who Laurie Lewis is. Let’s see if allmusic.com can help:

“Laurie Lewis learned to play the violin as a child in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a teenager in the 1960s, she immersed herself in the city’s thriving folk scene and fell in love with the innovative bluegrass of Flatt & Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, and especially Doc Watson. She won numerous fiddling contests during the 1970s and was in and out of assorted area combos. Together with friend Kathy Kallick, Lewis co-founded the pioneering bluegrass group Good Ol’ Persons in 1975 and remained with the popular group until 1979.”

That doesn’t even come close to explaining how I have this song. It’s kinda a pretty bluegrassy tune, though.

5. OutKast - “Kim & Cookie (Interlude)”

And I quote…

Anncr: And now, kim and cookie.
Cookie: Ring-Ring
Kim: say hello cookie!
Cookie: hello
Kim: girl i got somethin to tell ya
Cookie: spill it girl spill it
kim: remember ol boi, at the club…
cookie: from last night?
kim: last night!
cookie: wassup
Kim: went home with the mothafucka, now i’m thinkin i’m feelin’ to goddamn get my ass to’ up!
background singers: to’ up!
kim: but girl
cookie: what.
kim: dick so short
background singers: short!
kim: came quick, he got his, i ain’t get mines. i’m like fuck!
background singers: fuck!
kim: you know you talkin’ all this goddamn shit and he ain’t shit!
cookie: girl you done got you a mothafuckin minute man!
kim: a minute mothafuckin man
background singers: mothafuckin minute man!
kim: but it’s all good you hear me? cause before i goddamn left this
mothafucka, i hit this mothafucka up for erythang you hear me! i’m talkin bout wallet, i’m talkin bout credit cards, money. and you what i was gona hit him up for his goddamn pistol but i ain’t know how many mothafuckn bodies he had on that mothafucka you feel me!
background singers: i feel ya!
cookie: well it’s allllllll goooooood!
BREAK!

Moving. Truly.

6. Johnny Cash - “Sing It Pretty, Sue”

I couldn’t see myself marrying a celebrity (nor could I see a celebrity marrying me), but after watching “Walk The Line”, I thought “Y’know, I could totally go for that Reese Witherspoon. And Kelly Clarkson. Definitely Kelly Clarkson. I mean, jeez, I watched a 1/2 hour Proactiv infomercial with her in it. That’s gotta mean something, right? Right? OK, inner monologue, here’s where you stop. Thanks.”

7. Smashing Pumpkins - “Hummer”

Huh huh.

“Hummer”.

Heheh.

8. Cake - “Walk On By”

Haven’t heard much from these guys lately. And if their website’s “news” page is any indication, they’re too busy up on their eco-political soapbox to y’know, actually make music. That said, the bit about coffee drinking reducing the risk of cirrhosis is nice to hear. Pardon me, I have to go pour my third cup o’ the mornin’.

9. Cake - “Alpha Beta Parking Lot”

Haven’t heard much from these guys lately. And if their website’s “news” page is any indication, they’re too busy up on their eco-political soapbox to y’know, actually make music. That said, the bit about coffee drinking reducing the risk of cirrhosis is nice to hear. Pardon me, I have to go pour my 8th cup o’ the mornin’.

10. Bob Dylan - “I Shall Be Free”

Paste Music/Magazine recently released their top 100 living songwriters, and to no one’s surprise at all, Dylan was number 1. There were some pleasant surprises making the list, including Andre3000/Big Boi, Nick Cave, Public Enemy.

The Athens, GA connection was well-represented with Drive-By Truckers, Vic Chessnutt, Bill Mallonee (Vigilantes of Love), and some guys named Stipe, Berry, Buck, and Mills.

But alas, Paste. I would be remiss to not mention a glaring omission to your list (not only to your list, but to your reader-submitted top-100 as well. An omission so mind-blowing that I can only assume that since the list is of the greatest living songwriters, you figured he’d be dead before the issue went to print. Don’t underestimate an Irishman, Paste.

I’m speaking of course, of Shane MacGowan. The immortal, the irrepresible, the intellectually stimulating, Shane MacGowan.

Shame, Paste. Shame, shame, shame.

This Top Ten’s for you, Shane.