Ed's
All-Time Favorite Songs
Last update
and revision: April 18, 2006
| Below
is a list of my all-time favorite songs. It is sorted
alphabetically, by song title. I first began this list, in a non-electronic format, in the mid '70s. In order for a song to make this list, it has to be a favorite of mine for at least ten consecutive years. This is why you don't see any songs from 1996 or later listed. Note: I have made one or two exceptions to this rule. (Hey, it's my rule... I figure I can break it if I want to.) From time to time, I revise this list, removing songs I feel are no longer worthy of being included, and adding others I feel should now belong. It is my goal to keep the number of songs on this list at 350 or less. (There are currently 348 songs listed.) Believe me, there are literally thousands of other songs I enjoy listening to, but I don't consider them an "all-time favorite" and thus are not listed below. Songs listed with an asterisk in the first column indicate this song is a top 50 favorite of mine. The last song I've added to this list of top 50 favorites is Meat Loaf's I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) from 1993, which became eligible just a few years ago. The year listed on the fourth column indicates the year the song made the Billboard Charts and the number in the fifth column is the highest position this song reached on the Billboard Charts. Most of this information I've retrieved from the wonderful site Lyrics World. An X in the final
column indicates this artist is a "one hit
wonder," meaning this was the only
top 40 hit this artist ever
had. It was interesting for me to discover there are more songs listed from 1975 than any other year. Also, and not too surprisingly for me to learn, The Eagles appear on the list the most, with a total of eight songs. Corrections
to this list, in regards to the actual song title, |
| 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover | Paul Simon | 1975 | 1 | ||
| 867-5309 / Jenny | Tommy Tutone | 1982 | 4 | X | |
| 99 Luftballoons / 99 Red Balloons | Nena | 1983 | 2 | X | |
| ABC | Jackson Five | 1970 | 1 | ||
| Addicted To Love | Robert Palmer | 1986 | 1 | X | |
| * | Afternoon Delight | Starland Vocal Band | 1976 | 1 | |
| Against All Odds | Phil Collins | 1984 | 1 | ||
| Against The Wind | Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band | 1980 | 5 | ||
| All Out Of Love | Air Supply | 1980 | 2 | ||
| Almost Paradise (Love Theme from Footloose) | Mike Reno & Ann Wilson | 1984 | 7 | X | |
| Always On My Mind | Willie Nelson | 1982 | 5 | ||
| American Girl | Tom Petty | ? | - | ||
| * | American Pie | Don Mclean | 1971 | 1 | |
| Angel Of The Morning | Juice Newton | 1981 | 4 | ||
| Angie Baby | Helen Reddy | 1974 | 1 | ||
| * | Another One Bites The Dust | Queen | 1980 | 1 | |
| Another Saturday Night | Cat Stevens | 1974 | 6 | ||
| At Seventeen | Janis Ian | 1975 | 3 | X | |
| Babe | Styx | 1979 | 1 | ||
| Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me | Mac Davis | 1972 | 1 | ||
| Bad Bad Leroy Brown | Jim Croce | 1973 | 1 | ||
| Bad Blood | Neil Sedaka | 1975 | 1 | ||
| Bad Moon Rising | Creedance Clearwater Revival | 1969 | 2 | ||
| Ballroom Blitz | Sweet | 1975 | 5 | ||
| Band On The Run | Paul McCartney and Wings | 1974 | 1 | ||
| Bang Shang A Lang | Archies | 1968 | 22 | ||
| Believe | Cher | 1999 | 1 | ||
| Believe It Or Not (Greatest American Hero Theme) | Joey Scarbury | 1981 | 2 | X | |
| * | Best Of My Love | Eagles | 1975 | 1 | |
| * | Beth | Kiss | 1976 | 7 | |
| * | Bette Davis Eyes | Kim Carnes | 1981 | 1 | |
| Bitch | Meredith Brooks | 1997 | 2 | X | |
| Black Water | Doobie Brothers | 1974 | 1 | ||
| * | Blinded By The Light | Manfred Man's Earthband | 1976 | 1 | |
| Blowin' In The Wind | Peter, Paul, and Mary | 1963 | 2 | ||
| Born In The U.S.A. | Bruce Springsteen | 1984 | 9 | ||
| Born To Run | Bruce Springsteen | 1975 | 23 | ||
| Boulevard | Jackson Browne | 1980 | 19 | ||
| * | Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) | Looking Glass | 1972 | 1 | |
| Brown Eyed Girl | Van Morrison | 1967 | 10 | ||
| California Girls | Beach Boys | 1965 | 3 | ||
| Call Me | Blondie | 1980 | 1 | ||
| Calypso | John Denver | 1975 | 2 | ||
| Candle In The Wind | Elton John | 1987 | 6 | ||
| Can't Fight This Feeling | REO Speedwagon | 1985 | 1 | ||
| * | Cat's In The Cradle | Harry Chapin | 1974 | 1 | |
| Centerfold | J. Geils Band | 1982 | 1 | ||
| Coat Of Many Colors | Dolly Parton | ? | - | ||
| Come Sail Away | Styx | 1977 | 8 | ||
| Convoy | C. W. McCall | 1975 | 1 | X | |
| Country Boy (You Got Your Feet In L.A.) | Glen Campbell | 1976 | 11 | ||
| * | Cover Of The Rolling Stone | Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show | 1973 | 6 | |
| Coward Of The County | Kenny Rogers | 1979 | 3 | ||
| Crazy Little Thing Called Love | Queen | 1980 | 1 | ||
| Da Doo Ron Ron | Shaun Cassidy | 1977 | 1 | ||
| Dancing Queen | ABBA | 1977 | 1 | ||
| Daniel | Elton John | 1973 | 2 | ||
| Danny's Song | Anne Murray | 1973 | 7 | ||
| * | Daydream Believer | Monkees | 1967 | 1 | |
| Dead Ringer For Love | Meat Loaf / Cher | ? | - | ||
| December 1963 (Oh What A Night) | Four Seasons | 1976 | 1 | ||
| * | Delta Dawn | Helen Reddy | 1973 | 1 | |
| Desperado | Eagles | ? | - | ||
| Devil Went Down To Georgia, The | Charlie Daniel's Band | 1979 | 3 | ||
| Diary | Bread | 1972 | 15 | ||
| Disco Duck | Rick Dees | 1976 | 1 | X | |
| Do Wah Diddy Diddy | Manfred Mann | 1966 | 1 | ||
| Do Ya Think I'm Sexy | Rod Stewart | 1978 | 1 | ||
| Doctor My Eyes | Jackson Browne | 1972 | 8 | ||
| Does Your Mother Know | ABBA | 1979 | 19 | ||
| * | Don't Go Breaking My Heart | Elton John / Kiki Dee | 1976 | 1 | |
| Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue | Cyrstal Gayle | 1977 | 2 | ||
| Don't Stand So Close To Me | Police | 1981 | 10 | ||
| Don't Stop Believin' | Journey | 1981 | 9 | ||
| Don't Worry Be Happy | Bobby McFerrin | 1988 | 1 | X | |
| Don't You Want Me | Human League | 1982 | 1 | ||
| Dream Weaver | Gary Wright | 1976 | 2 | ||
| Drift Away | Dobie Gray | 1973 | 5 | ||
| Dust In The Wind | Kansas | 1978 | 6 | ||
| Ebony and Ivory | Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder | 1982 | 1 | ||
| Endless Love | Diana Ross / Lionel Richie | 1981 | 1 | ||
| * | Escape (The Pina Colada Song) | Rupert Holmes | 1979 | 1 | |
| Eve Of Destruction | Barry McGuire | 1965 | 1 | X | |
| Every Woman In The World | Air Supply | 1981 | 5 | ||
| Everything I Own | Bread | 1972 | 5 | ||
| Eye Of The Tiger | Survivor | 1982 | 1 | ||
| Faith | George Michael | 1987 | 1 | ||
| Fast Car | Tracy Chapman | 1988 | 6 | ||
| Fat Bottomed Girls | Queen | 1978 | 24 | ||
| Father Figure | George Michael | 1988 | 1 | ||
| Flashdance - What A Feeling | Irene Cara | 1983 | 1 | ||
| Fly Away | John Denver / Olivia Newton-John | 1976 | 13 | ||
| Footloose | Kenny Loggins | 1984 | 1 | ||
| For Your Eyes Only | Sheena Easton | 1981 | 4 | ||
| Forever Young | Rod Stewart | 1988 | 12 | ||
| Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades | Timbuk 3 | 1986 | 19 | X | |
| * | Gambler, The | Kenny Rogers | 1978 | 16 | |
| Games People Play | Spinners | 1975 | 5 | ||
| Garden Party | Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band | 1972 | 6 | ||
| Ghostbusters | Ray Parker, Jr. | 1984 | 1 | ||
| Girls Just Want To Have Fun | Cyndi Lauper | 1983 | 2 | ||
| God Bless The U.S.A. | Lee Greenwood | 1991 | 30 | ||
| God Blessed Texas | Little Texas | ? | - | ||
| * | Good Girls Don't | Knack | 1979 | 11 | |
| Goodbye Stranger | Supertramp | 1979 | 15 | ||
| Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | Elton John | 1973 | 2 | ||
| Got My Mind Set On You | George Harrison | 1987 | 1 | ||
| Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves | Cher | 1971 | 1 | ||
| * | Have You Never Been Mellow | Olivia Newton-John | 1975 | 1 | |
| He Don't Love You (Like I Love You) | Tony Orlando and Dawn | 1975 | 1 | ||
| He Thinks He'll Keep Her | Mary Chapin Carpenter | ? | - | ||
| Heart Of Glass | Blondie | 1979 | 1 | ||
| Heart Of Rock & Roll, The | Huey Lewis & The News | 1984 | 6 | ||
| Heartache Tonight | Eagles | 1979 | 1 | ||
| Heat Wave | Linda Ronstadt | 1975 | 5 | ||
| Hey Jude | Beatles | 1968 | 1 | ||
| Hit Me With Your Best Shot | Pat Benatar | 1980 | 9 | ||
| Holding Out For A Hero | Bonnie Tyler | 1984 | 34 | ||
| * | Hollywood Nights | Bob Seger | 1978 | 12 | |
| Homeward Bound | Simon and Garfunkel | 1966 | 5 | ||
| Hot Blooded | Foreigner | 1978 | 3 | ||
| * | Hot Child In The City | Nick Gilder | 1978 | 1 | X |
| Hotel California | Eagles | 1977 | 1 | ||
| How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You | James Taylor | 1975 | 5 | ||
| I Am A Rock | Simon and Garfunkel | 1966 | 3 | ||
| I Am Woman | Helen Reddy | 1972 | 1 | ||
| I Believe In Music | B. J. Thomas | ? | - | ||
| I Don't Know How To Love Him | Helen Reddy | 1971 | 13 | ||
| I Got A Name | Jim Croce | 1973 | 10 | ||
| I Got You Babe | Sonny & Cher | 1965 | 1 | ||
| * | I Honestly Love You | Olivia Newton-John | 1974 | 1 | |
| I Love A Rainy Night | Eddie Rabbitt | 1980 | 1 | ||
| * | I Love L.A. | Randy Newman | ? | - | |
| I Only Want To Be With You | Bay City Rollers | 1976 | 12 | ||
| I Saw Her Standing There | Beatles | 1964 | 14 | ||
| I Think I Love You | Partridge Family | 1970 | 1 | ||
| I Think We're Alone Now | Tiffany | 1987 | 1 | ||
| I Want You To Want Me | Cheap Trick | 1979 | 7 | ||
| * | I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight | Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart | 1968 | 8 | |
| I Write The Songs | Barry Manilow | 1976 | 1 | ||
| * | I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) | Meat Loaf | 1993 | 1 | |
| I'd Really Love To See You Tonight |