Space Travel's in My Blood (2006)

When your gravity fails and negativity don't pull you through, well, you can always come up with a list. I started counting down my 100 favorite songs on the radio this morning--my show's only 90 minutes long, so it'll take four or five weeks to finish. I got as far as #76 today, and will resume in three weeks' time (because the guy who normally alternates with me needed today off, he'll be in for the next couple of weeks). The last time I drew up a Top 100 was for the second issue of Radio On 15 years ago; I did a radio countdown on CIUT a couple of years before that. I was thoroughly gung-ho in both instances, but, in all honesty, the new one's mostly an excuse to fill up four weeks of programming. I used a couple of things to guide me: the mixworthy picks from the record inventory and, even more so, scanning the songlists of mix-CDs I've made for various people the last two years. There's hardly any overlap with the previous two lists. I don't think my tastes are necessarily becoming more conventional, but I am well on my way to turning into a doddering old folkie. I decided to start with new picks for Al Green and Gene Pitney, holders of the #1 spots on the Radio On ("It Hurts to Be in Love") and CIUT ("Let's Stay Together") Top 100s.

100. "I'm Still in Love With You," Al Green (1972)

99. "Last Chance to Turn Around," Gene Pitney (1965)

98. "Nothing Has Been Proved," Strings of Love (1990)

97. "The Kind of Boy You Can't Forget," Raindrops (1963)

96. "Echo's Answer," Broadcast (2000)

95. "No Regrets," Tom Rush (1968)

94. "Food," Chefs (1979)

93. "Friends," Bette Midler (1972)

92. "Perfume-V," Pavement (1992)

91. "You Showed Me," Turtles (1969)

90. "Bonita Applebum," Tribe Called Quest (1990)

89. "All the Young Dudes," Mott the Hoople (1972)

88. "Yes, I'm Ready," Barbara Mason (1965)

87. "Answering Machine," Replacements (1984)

86. "He's in Town," Rockin' Berries (1964)

85. "Draggin' the Line," Tommy James (1971)

84. "Ode to a Keyring," Monade (2003)

83. "Violets of Dawn," Eric Andersen (1966)

82. "Going Nowhere," Dumptruck (1987)

81. "Family Affair," Sly & the Family Stone (1971)

80. "Can't Get Used to Losing You," Andy Williams (1963)

79. "Forming," Germs (1977)

78. "On the Banks of the Owchita," John Fahey (1965)

77. "Ode to My Favorite Beer," Basehead (1991)

76. "On Your Way Out," Merry-Go-Round (1967)

75. "Perversion," Stereolab (1992)

74. "These Days," Nico (1968)

73. "See," Scrawl (1993)

72. "Eye Know," De La Soul (1989)

71. "Where Have All the Good Times Gone," Kinks (1965)

70. "Ce Matin La," Air (1998)

69. "El Watusi," Ray Barretto (1963)

68. "Nobody's Fault but My Own," Beck (1998)

67. "Split," Liliput (1980)

66. "Slurf Song," Michael Hurley (1976)

65. "What If?" Bongwater (1991)

64. "Making Time," Creation (1967)

63. "Beautiful Stranger," Madonna (1999)

62. "Out in the Dark," Lurkers (1979)

61. "I'm Into Somethin' Good," Earl-Jean (1964)

60. "Frontline," Pharcyde (2000)

59. "The True Wheel," Brian Eno (1975)

58. "Little Martha," Allman Brothers Band (1972)

57. "The Amerikan in Me," Avengers (1978)

56. "Sweet-Lovin' Man," Magnetic Fields (1999)

55. "Rang Tang Ding Dong (I Am the Japanese Sandman)," Cellos (1957)

54. "Anti-Pleasure Dissertation," Bikini Kill (1995)

53. "If You Really Love Me," Stevie Wonder (1971)

52. "No Looking," Raincoats (1980)

51. "He's a Whore," Cheap Trick (1977)

50. "Outta Control," 50 Cent w/Mobb Deep (2005)

49. "The Samurai in Autumn," Pet Shop Boys (2002)

48. "I'm So Glad," Cream (1966)

47. "What a Shambles," Bananarama (1984)

46. "Something in the Way She Moves," James Taylor (1968)

45. "Raised Eyebrows," Feelies (1980)

44. "It's Gonna Take a Miracle," Royalettes (1965)

43. "Carpe Diem," Fugs (1966)

42. "Stop Killing Me," Primitives (1987)

41. "Don't Look Away," Who (1966)

40. "Reality Used to Be a Friend of Mine," P.M. Dawn (1991)

39. "Here Comes My Baby," Cat Stevens (1967)

38. "Heroin," Velvet Underground (1967)

37. "How Can I Say Goodbye?" Barbara Lewis (1965)

36. "Drive Car Girl," Beat Happening (1988)

35. "Sway," Rolling Stones (1971)

34. "Not Me," Shoes (1978)

33. "The World Is a Ghetto," War (1972)

32. "Alabama Bound," Charlatans (1966)

31. "Roadrunner," Modern Lovers (1975)

30. "You're One," Imperial Teen (1996)

29. "Take a Giant Step," Monkees (1966)

28. "Getting Away With It," Electronic (1990)

27. "Mexico," Jefferson Airplane (1970)

26. "Motor Away," Guided by Voices (1995)

25. "Sugar Town," Nancy Sinatra (1966)

24. "Often I Wonder," Spikedrivers (1966)

23. "Tell Me What You See," Beatles (1965)

22. "A Rainy Night in Georgia," Brook Benton (1970)

21. "Sea Child," Hot Tuna (1972)

20. "Do It Right," Maureen Tucker (1989)

19. "I'll Keep It With Mine," Bob Dylan (1965)

18. "I Wanna Make You Happy," Margaret Mandolph (1965)

17. "Satellite," Yo La Tengo (1992)

16. "Wedding Bell Blues," 5th Dimension (1969)

15. "Kooks," David Bowie (1971)

14. "Divorce Song," Liz Phair (1993)

13. "Smiling Faces Sometimes," Undisputed Truth (1971)

12. "Colours," Donovan (1967)

11. "Dr. Baker," Beta Band (1998)

10. "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," Steely Dan (1974)

9. "Any Other Way," Posies (1990)

8. "She Don't Care About Time," Byrds (1965)

7. "Mannequin," Wire (1978)

6. "I Saw the Light," Todd Rundgren (1972)

5. "Books About UFOs," Husker Du (1985)

4. "Another Girl, Another Planet," Only Ones (1978)

3. "Take the Skinheads Bowling," Camper Van Beethoven (1986)

2. "Cinnamon Girl," Neil Young (1969)

1. "You Wear It Well," Rod Stewart (1972)