This Summer when I was lamenting my Covid birthday celebration, I decided to make a music mix of my top 20 songs.  Typical for me, my list grew and grew.  It’s not really done, I am constantly thinking of songs that should have made the list. It was hard choosing a song or two for certain bands.

The first 5 are in order and mostly through 10, after that, they are just all time favorites.

Here they are with a total Nikki explanation for most of them:

1. Somebody’s Baby- this is my all time favorite song.  This will always up end up on my playlists. When I decided to make this list, I asked Lance what he thought my favorite would be.  It took 8 minutes, but he came up with it. He also came up with two other favorites.
2. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around- I love, love, love Tom Petty and this song with Stevie Nicks is just incredible. I’ve seen Tom Petty in concert, but one time Lance had a chance to get tickets and didn’t.  And guess who came onstage to sing this with him???  I still remind him of that and he still gets annoyed with me when I do.
3. Divorce Song- This song.  I could listen over and over. This entire album is so good, definitely a deserted island choice.
4. Kinda I Want To- NIN is another of my favorite bands and I saw them when they were just coming up when I was in college.  It was such a good show and probably the last time they played this song in concert.  It’s hard to explain why this is one of my favorites.
5. Never Said- Another Liz Phair.  I said this album was so good.
6. West End Girls- This was one of the songs I left off initially and it came on the radio after my birthday. I felt such guilt leaving it off my list because I love it so much.  I still bop around when I listen to it.
7. Jessie’s Girl- Yes, I love this Rick Springfield song.  I’m a sucker for a peppy song.
8. Designs On You- My all time favorite Old 97’s song. I now have two stories about it- and despite barely writing on this blog anymore, I’ve written about both these things.  I’ll share again: first, when I was pregnant with Mari I went to a show at the record store.  I asked them play the song that night at the show, and he did!  And called me out, and it was glorious. He also gave me tickets to the show because it was sold out.  Then for my birthday this year, Lance had Rhett Miller make a recording of it for me.
9. Don’t You Want Me- Isn’t this on everyone’s list my age?
10. Reservations- I can’t really explain why this Wilco song made my list except every Wilco song is pretty much my favorite.  I love this album. The last time I saw them (Fall 2019) they played this song, and these girls were talking and I wanted to scream at them.  When I told a friend who was at the same concert that story, he had the same experience.  Except he did turn around and tell those people to shut up. This friend of mine is my “in” to seeing a private show. It was tentative before Covid, and now, I’m just waiting and waiting for it to happen.
11. The Long and Winding Road- Two things- I am a total sucker for a love song, and I really like the Beatles.  Lance had no idea until I knew the words to all of the songs one long road trip.
12. So Alive- another long ago good memory for me.  I had so much fun in college and this just takes me back.
13. Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love- Van Halen was my first concert. 1984.  I definitely used to be a rocker. But this song, I love the back up singing best.
14. Say You Miss Me- ok, nobody has this on their list, but like I said, I’m a sucker.  This is probably my second favorite Wilco album. And this is the side with Misunderstood so the song ended up getting a lot of play and became a favorite.
15. Ten Minutes- The Get Up Kids are one of my absolute favorite bands and there was always some ordeal to see them in person.  Once I went alone and snuck in with some kids.  Another time, we paid the doorman to get inside.  It’s always a huge pain.  The last time, we actually purchased tickets like grownups.  This song- we played it before every game the year Texas won the National Championship. And I just remembered, this was the concert I wanted to see which is why I ended up emailing Lance in the first place the day we met-to ask for concert tickets.  He didn’t get me the tickets, but it worked out in the end.
16. Magic Power- this song reminds me of my brother because he introduced me to Triumph. I still listen to them and remember their awesome light shows in concert.
17. Shot in The Dark- This song made the list mainly because of the music video.  I mean, I love it, but the video is so good.  After watching the video over and over, the song became a favorite.  And yes, I stopped typing to watch the video again.
18. Blue Monday- This makes my heart so happy.  Paul and I both loved this song, it was sort of our song. And I was super jealous because he was going out and having fun and I wasn’t always with him.  But one night, he called me from the club and shouted, “listen” into the phone.  This song was playing. It’s one of the best memories I have of him, and he probably doesn’t think of it at all.  That happened 32 years ago.
19. Misty Mountain Hop- Like I said, I love a peppy song.  I also really like Led Zeppelin.
20. Tape Song- a newer song on my list.  No real reason, I just love it.
21. Just One Night- Not writing out the explanation on this one.
22. The Beautiful Ones- I had forgotten about this song until we watched the Prince concert this summer.  It’s just such a great song.
23. Lady- I love Lenny Kravitz.  Another one of those peppy songs I like.
24. Paul Revere- okay, it’s nothing special to like this song. Sometimes, I’m really simple.
25. My Best Friend’s Girl- It was hard choosing just one song from the Cars, but I think this made the cut because Alec also likes it so much.
26. Wish You Were Here- So long ago, I loved Pink Floyd and this song is it for me. My yoga instructor used to play it during class and it made the class even better.
27. Spiders- My kids hate this song.  They don’t get it.  But I don’t care.  I’ll probably make them play it at my funeral.
28. You Don’t Know Me- no reason or story behind this one.
29. Love Song- When I heard this song, I knew I would love it forever.
30. Somethin’ Hot- peppy Afghan Whigs. This was such a great concert.
31. New Boy- it was hard choosing a favorite from The Connells for me.  I loved this little band so much that I went to North Carolina to see them. The show was great; the trip not so much. I told the guy I was seriously dating I was in love with someone else.
32. The Politics of Pop- I saw this band at SXSW – I had never heard any of their music, but ended up loving them.  And meeting them.  And this song pretty much ends up on any playlist for me.
33. I’m A Loner Dottie, A Rebel- No explanation, I just really like this song.
34. I See The Light- Another band that it was hard for me to choose just one song.
35. See A Little Light- I love Bob Mould. He’s still so good in concert.
36. Swan Song- Girl gets screwed over song. I may have felt this one at one point.
37. Sabor A Mi- Sometimes Lance and I dance to this song.
38. She Wants To Move- Mason and I love Nerd.
39. Helpless- Short and sweet.
40. Sister Christian- This makes the list for two reasons-one, it’s just great and reminds me of the 80’s, and two, the scene from Boogie Nights.  One of the best movie scenes ever made.
41. #1 Crush- No special reason, I just love it.
42. Famous- This song makes me so sad.
43. Jukebox- Fun and peppy always makes me smile.
44. Heaven Help- This was the song Lance and I danced to at our wedding. Was perfect.  Still is.
45. The Logical Song- I already loved this song and then my kids heard it and played the air sax. We can’t listen without all being super obnoxious and happy about it.
46. What Girls Want- I loved this band during law school and this song is on all my workout mixes.
47. September- Another one that probably makes tons of lists.
48. Hey Girl- I used to listen to this over and over.
49. What Makes You Beautiful- Totally embarrassing, but I love this song.
50. Everybody- second totally embarrassing song.  This was in an ab track for body pump about 15 years ago and somehow it got stuck in my head.  Sometimes I still do abs to it.

And that’s it!

1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 15, 20, 36, 38, and 46 pretty much make any playlist I create.  I’m such a creature of  habit.

Recently, I’ve found a lot of new songs that I love. Those are what I mostly listen to these days. Maybe in ten years, I’ll be adding them to this list.