21-30

21 Brimful of Asha - Cornershop
Famously the song with the 'bosom' line. Cornershop started off as an ultra-alternative bedroom band, limited release 7-inch records that the gang at seeing ears records lapped up like crazy. This song was a move to the mainstream. Frankly, it was much better than the stuff on the limited release 7-inch records. I know. I have several.

22 Brown Eyed Girl -Van Morrison
Old Grumpy Bum. How can someone so dour write words so soft? Like the Hummingbirds below, this is the sort of song you want to listen to on a warm day, maybe in a car with windows wound down, playing loud with you and a mate singing the tra-la-las at the top of your lungs.

23 Bye Bye Badman - The Stone Roses
I wasn't around when punk broke like a big fat fart over the stodge of prog-rock - well I was. In 1978 I was in Mr Burford's year 3 class and bit oblivious to punk, although I did have a tartan skirt. Not a lot of punks in eastern suburbs Adelaide. But ten years on and things were again starting to get a bit boring.

BAM! Madchester

and at the forefront was the Stone Roses divine, debut, eponymous album. The album with 'the best song of all time' on constant loop. It's a tough job to pick my favourite Stone Roses song, but I've tried to have bands in this list once only, so this is it. Like Okervill River's Black this has such dark lyrics in such an up tempo song. Fools Gold comes in at number 2, but really it could have been any of them.

24 Bye Bye Pride - The Go-Betweens
To not love the Go-Betweens is about as un-Australian as it's possible to get. Amanda whats-her-name's clarinet in this makes it so memorable. But I also love the lyrics. Amanda Brown, I just googled it.

25 Cannonball - The Breeders
When the Pixies broke up we all wanted to die. Then Kim Deal and her twin sister whose name escapes me formed the Breeders. And it was like the Pixies, but different, and just as good, but different. Particularly the weird sound effects and heavy rhythm, but maybe that's because of the highly developed ego of the bass player.

26 Caravan of Love - The Housemartins
Socialist Christians? I should think nothing is guaranteed to make you into a socialist like living in Thatcher's England. What amazes me is that it turned out one of these guys is Fatboy Slim.



27 Cigarettes Will Kill You - Ben Lee
When Ben Lee was a lad he used to spend time hanging out in lounge rooms with Evan Dando from the Lemonheads playing dirty, nasty guitar music. Then he hit those difficult teenage years, when most people grow their hair and wear t-shirts with rude words on them. However young Ben cut his hair, moved to America and shacked up with Claire Danes. Strange.

And mostly his music went seriously downhill. I understand that the lads from the Chaser did a skit about him last night. And why are they always the 'lads' from the Chaser. Apparently they're also in the poo for doing a skit about Michael Jackson, but is there a comedian on earth who hasn't done a skit about Michael Jackson? If so they're not trying hard enough. But I digress.

This is a good song. I like it.

28 Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners
Raggle Taggle before there was Raggle Taggle. Strangely I think they also did a version of Jackie Wilson Said, also performed by the divine Mr Grumpy Trousers mentioned above.

29 Common People - Pulp
This is another dancehall fave. It has an interesting narrative for what is intrinsically a throw away pop song. Then again Neil Tennant once said the snappy pop tracks are the ones that will be remembered through time, because they're the ones that stick in your head. Always reminds me of being in smoky, poorly lit London bars, that always seem to have the loos up a perilously steep flight of stairs, unsuitable for the over-imbibed.

30 Connection - Elastica
Who will Justine end up dating? Will it be Damon Blur or that guy from Kingmaker (I quite liked Kingmaker. Have a couple of their albums. I may be the only person on earth who did on both counts). Of course for avid readers of the NME in 1993 she ended up with Damon, before he left her to leave someone else to end up with that French chick. Elastica burst onto the Camden scene and disappeared nearly as quickly. This record actually has a B-side that is probably better than this song, but that thumping base line makes you swing your hips in an oh-so particular way!