Nightglow Window

The Three Greatest Songs Ever

I loved the Burt Bacharach Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid soundtrack when I was in Kindergarten. I listened to my brother's Beatles records with the headphones on through 3rd grade. I came alive with Peter Frampton and bombed the big jumps on my Schwinn Stingray with The Sweet's Fox On The Run stuck in my head.

I got the Knack and an Uncontrollable Urge with Devo in fifth grade -- even as Heart really had my heart. And, yes, I shared Bee Gees fever on nights that weren't even Saturday.

Then came The English Beat, Split Enz, The Go-Go's (come on, they ruled), Roxy Music, Kate Bush, The Furs (a forever important song), Joy Division, New Order and the rest.

Then there was that long, long time spent with the boys from Athens, GA. Still love 'em. And U2, too. How can you not love the soaring feeling of Gloria and the whole of The Joshua Tree. And oh my god was Bjork hot when she was with the Sugarcubes.

But my choice for the three greatest songs of all time doesn't include any of these bands. Nor any of the great music of the last 15 years (sorry, too lazy now to list them all.)

Nope, the three greatest songs of all time, the ones that have stuck with me the most -- in order -- are as follows. Go ahead, pick apart my choices, I dare ya.


The Cure -- Just Like Heaven
The perfection of the pop song.


The Police -- Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
When I first heard this on KNAC back in 1981 (That was pre 91x days kiddies), I knew that this was going to be a song I'd carry with me my whole life.


Train In Vain -- The Clash
The Clash's hidden pop song.