A journey through my music collection

One of the popular memes going around the 'Net involves putting your media player on shuffle and discussing the first ten songs that come up. I've done it a few times on various forums (fora?) and website over the past few years, but not recently. A blog seems to perfect place to post such uselessness, so here goes.

1. Mason Williams - Classical Gas (added to my library June 2006)
Wonderful instrumental piece, very cleverly composed. Builds up to an impressive climax; the last minute or so must rank as one of the world's most recognisable tunes. 8/10

2. Fleetwood Mac - Tusk (added to my library October 2006)
I like the reggae beat, but if I'm honest, I tend to skew more towards the shinier, poppier side of Fleetwood Mac when I can. There's a cool drum solo, though. 6/10

3. Barenaked Ladies - The Ninjas (added to my library April 2008)
From their kids' album, Snacktime. It's one of the best tracks on that LP, with witty rhyming couplets ("The ninjas are deadly and silent, they're also unspeakably violent.. they speak Japanese, they do whatever they please, and sometimes they vacation in Ireland") and a catchy melody. 8/10

4. R.E.M. - Maps and Legends (added to my library June 2005)
One of the best tracks from Fables of the Reconstruction, an album that's grown on me considerably, this song pretty much sums up everything that's great about I.R.S.-era R.E.M. - Buck's arpeggio, an indistinct and incomprehensible Stipe vocal, and haunting Mills backing vocal. A nice driving, mid-tempo melody rounds out a fine song. 9/10

5. Barenaked Ladies - I'll Be That Girl (added to my library July 2006)
Another BNL track already? I'm not complaining - this is a career highlight. An irresistibly catchy, chant-along chorus masks a disturbing dark lyric ("if I had a gun, there'd be no tomorrow", anyone?) 9/10

6. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (Alternate Cut 3) (added to my library April 2008)
One of twelve versions of "Born" I have on my computer (what can I say? it's my favourite song), this version ranks somewhere in the middle of the pack. Not as polished as the later, and final cuts, but it does have a choir doing some backing vocals, which sound pretty awesome, and I wish they'd made it to the final cut. 9/10

7. Van Morrison - Cyprus Avenue (added to my library July 2008)
A solid track from the brilliant Astral Weeks, the near-acoustic opening gradually builds to something more powerful without losing its lilting melody. Van Morrison's vocals are on top form, too. 8/10

8. They Might Be Giants - Olive the Other Reindeer (added to my library March 2005)
One of the Giants' lesser tracks, it's simplistic and pretty forgettable, though it was the theme tune to the Matt Groening-developed Christmas special of the same name. 6/10

9. The Magnetic Fields - Boa Constrictor (added to my library December 2007)
From 69 Love Songs, this 58-second piece uses a nice metaphor ("your love is wrapped around my heart like a boa constrictor") but it's ultimately a time-filler. 6/10

10. Barenaked Ladies - Home (added to my library September 2006)
Them again?! Oh well.This is one of their best ballads, really sweet and restrained, and I love the heartfelt simplicity of the "that's when I knew that I was home" refrain. 10/10