Top 5ive

I’m a geek. These are my favorite songs about being a geek.

1. “In The Garage” by Weezer  - Weezer rocks about being in your geek cave in the garage - I’ve got the Dungeon Master’s Guide. I’ve got a 12-sided die. I’ve got Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler too waiting there for me.
2. “Ramble On” by Led Zeppelin - No, really, it’s geeky. There’s a whole bit about Lord of the Rings in there - Mine’s a tale that can’t be told, my freedom I hold dear
   How years ago in days of old when magic filled the air
   ‘twas in the darkest depths of Mordor, mm-I met a girl so fair
   but Gollum and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her
3. “Conventional Lover” by Speck - Because the games they play only have twenty-sided dice (they’re polyhedral!)
4. “I’m Rolling” by Soul Coughing - Besides the fact that you should listen to everything this band ever put out, there’s this choice lyric: I ride the fader and I ride it low
   I’m gonna slip into the field like Han Solo
5. “Anyone Else But You” by Mouldy Peaches - Up up down down left right left right B A start
   Just because we use cheats doesn’t mean we’re not smart

Let the arguing begin.

Because it’s been twenty years since Nevermind came out, which is just silly. What is this nonsense, space-time continuum?

1. “Lithium” on Nevermind. Because that bass line.
2. “About a Girl” on Bleach. Because I do.
3. “On a Plain” on Nevermind. Because I love myself better than you.
4. “Dumb” on In Utero. Because I think I’m just happy.
5. “Sliver” on Incesticide. Because Grandma take me home.

Twenty years. Holy what the frak.

In honor of the last film coming out (which was awesome by the way, go see it), here are my 5ive favorite spells from the Potterverse (books):

1. Wingardium Leviosa - duh.
2. Expecto Patronum - my patronus would be a wombat.
3. Tarantellegra - forces the target’s legs to do a crazy dance.
4. Waddiwasi - shoots a wad of chewing gum out of a keyhole, apparently.
5. Scourgify - cleans things - this would be so very useful.

In honor of the longest and darkest total lunar eclipse of the century, visible in Africa and Central Asia, here are the Top 5ive Songs About the Moon:

1. “The Killing Moon” by Echo and The Bunnymen
2. “Pink Moon” by Nick Drake
3. “Walking on the Moon” by The Police
4. “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival
5. “Climbing to the Moon” by The Eels

On this day in 1938, Action Comics #1 was released, and today’s Top 5ive is made with that in mind:

1. Superman (1978) - Richard Donner and Christopher Reeves started us off right.
2. Iron Man (2008) - This movie made me excited about superhero movies again. Okay, I was never not excited about superhero movies, but this movie made me less concerned about sharing that excitement in public.
3. The Incredibles (2004) - I keep hoping for sequels. And action figures. And TV shows.
4. Spider-Man 2 (2004) - Doc Ock and “Go get ‘em, Tiger.”
5. Unbreakable (2000) - Maybe Shyamalan’s best film, it’s a fantastic origin story. Another one where I wish I could get my hands on a sequel.

Given this summer, I’m quite sure this list would look completely different in five years. I was sorely tempted to put X-Men: First Class and Thor on there somewhere, but my little list-maker’s heart couldn’t stomach (my heart couldn’t stomach? what the hell?) breaking such a crucial list-making rule.

And, yes, I know. There aren’t any Nolan Batman movies on my list. And I love those movies. If I continued with the list, they’d be there along with Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim. But this is my list and these are my absolute favorites. The ones that are in regular rotation in my dvd player.

Ugh. Mondays.

1. “Monday” by Wilco - An addictive guitar riff sure to banish the Monday blues.
2. “Manic Monday” by The Bangles - Because duh.
3. “Monday Monday” by The Mamas and The Papas - Their trademark harmonies manage to sound sad and painful, which I think is what is trademark-able about them.
4. “Blue Monday” by New Order - Electro-synth-pop manages to make you dance even on a Monday.
5. “Monday Morning” by Fleetwood Mac - Because not all Mondays suck.

Suggest a Top 5ive list.

In honor of the Saturnalia taking place at my office tonight, here are my Top 5ive Songs About Alcohol

1. “Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)” - The Doors
2. “Knockin’ ‘Em Back” - Paul Westerberg
3. “Brass Monkey” - Beastie Boys
4. “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” - George Thorogood and The Destroyers
5. “Alcohol” - Barenaked Ladies

This was shockingly difficult. There are so many good booze songs out there. Which, you know, makes sense.

If I made this a Top 10 I’d round it out with:

• “Gin and Juice” - Snoop Dogg
• “Tequila” - The Champs
• “Red, Red Wine” - UB40
• “Demon Alcohol” - The Kinks
• “Friends in Low Places” - Garth Brooks

Party on!

It’s a rainy, stormy day here in Chicagoland, so here are my all-time Top 5ive Songs About Rain

1. “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors
2. “Rain” by Rusted Root
3. “Stormy Weather” by Lena Horne
4. “I’m Only Happy When It Rains” by Garbage
5. “Walk Between the Raindrops” by Steely Dan

Feel free to suggest a Top 5ive list about anything at all or submit your own

As suggested by fuckyeahmaxwelledison

1. “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” on Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones
2. “Get Back” on Let It Be by The Beatles
3. “Train in Vain” on London Calling by The Clash
4. “Terrapin Station” on the album of the same name by The Grateful Dead
5. “Rock’n’Roll High School” on Ramones Mania by The Ramones

This was a tough one! The first tracks on albums tend to leap into my brain but these…well it’s amazing how strong some last tracks are and how weak others are, even on amazing albums.

Rock on!