Where's the Tunes?

This year has been one for the history books for me, as well as most people throughout the world. Being reminded about a global pandemic on every television network, social media platform, and in every store front, can definitely take a toll on a person. My anxiety has dramatically increased in the last year, and am always working on new ways to cope with it. I have recently started meditating, working out, eating healthier, and going to sleep earlier. These habits have positively impacted how I live my life during a pandemic.

The number 1 thing that has helped me through the past year, is listening to some sweet Tunes! Music has gotten me through some of my toughest trials and hurdles, and will continue to be a major crutch in my life.

This will be a tough list to make, since there is an endless supply of catchy tracks, but I’m sure there will be a little something in here to brighten everyone’s mood. So where's the tunes? Right here are my top 20 tracks that got me through an interesting year, to say the least. Please enjoy.

20) Californication- Red Hot Chili Peppers- I am a really big RHCP’s fan and I really just love this song. I have finally mastered gotten pretty decent at playing this song, but am still nowhere near being able to sing and play. This is an awesome music video.

19) Bulls On Parade- Rage Against the Machine – With everything that has been thrown at us this year, a little Rage Against the Machine is everything I need to live in the moment and forget about the troubles going on. They have always been a go-to when I need to just let loose.

18) The Way You Used to Do- Queens of the Stone Age- This is something like Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age have never done before. It is written like a twenties swing type song, and makes me want to get up and dance whenever I hear it. The music video is just as fun as the song sounds.

17) Mr. Jones – The Black Crowes- front man Adam Duritz, wrote this song, after him and his friend were sitting in a bar, trying to get some beautiful women to recognize them. They joked about how it would be a lot easier if they were famous. Little did he know, this would be the song that got The Black Crowes famous, as it was their 1st single and biggest hit.

16) Losing My Religion- R.E.M.

Oh life, is bigger

It's bigger than you

And you are not me

The lengths that I will go to

The distance in your eyes

Oh no I've said too much

I set it up

These words are the beginning of a tale of unrequited love. be rough, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes. Mandolins make it sound better.

15) Wicked Game- Chris Issack - “I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you. And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you.” These lines sum up the rest of the song. It is the classic boy meets girl, boy loses girl, heart break story. You can watch one of the sexiest videos of all time here .

14) Ziggy Stardust- David Bowie- As you may have noticed by now, the songs on this list are not brand new, and are not in any chronological order whatsoever. They are just a bunch of great tunes I have listened to a lot over the past year. I have been playing a lot of guitar in my spare time, and this is one of the songs I am working on. The opening riff is one of my favourites. Bowie is a true genius.

13) Anastasia- Slash, Myles Kennedy- Anything these two do together is a master piece. Slash’s face melting guitar solos, accompanied by Myles Kennedy’s ear-piercing vocals, is a powerful force to be reckoned with.

12) When the Curtain Falls- Greta Van Fleet – Greta! These guys have some serious talent. Talk about pipes and loud clean guitar. They are the Zeppelin of our time.

11) Fairies Wear Boots- Black Sabbath- Sabbath has written countless awesome tunes, but this one definitely takes the cake for me. It has a 2-minute guitar solo called Jack the Stripper to start it off. It has a bass, it has a drum solo, and it has Ozzy belting out lyrics about LSD trips and fairies. What more can you ask for in a song?

10) Maggie May- Rod Stewart- I find this song hilarious, and very ironic. I was seeing a girl named Megan for a very brief time. Just before we started hanging out, I was learning this song on the guitar. I realized quickly she was using me, and funny enough this song is about a girl named Maggie using him. “I know I keep you amused, but I feel I'm being used. Oh, Maggie, I couldn't have tried anymore.”

Man, look at this guys mop. Outstanding.

9) Dear McCracken- Bug Hunter – The first time I heard this song I teared up. It definitely a deep track. It is about a man getting on an airplane, and reading an email drafted by another passenger. “There's a middle- aged women, on my right by the window. There’s no ring on her finger, maybe divorced or a widow. She’s drafting an email and from where I am seated, I can side eye that shit so of course I’m gonna read it.” These are some of the opening lines, and it progresses from there. Heart break isn’t something just for the young.

This is a generous, simple way to make a music video. It fits perfectly with the lyrics.

8) Sleeping Sickness- City and Colour - Although not a happy song whatsoever, Dallas Green and Gord Downie really hit the high notes. The lyrics and guitars are very catchy and upbeat, but they also have a dark side.

This isn't the best music video ever, but it is the best one with the legendary Gord Downie in it.

7) 38 Years Old- The Tragically Hip –The Tragically Hip is my favourite band of all time, no questions asked. I love them because each song is influenced by a piece of Canadian history. Them being Canadian isn’t the soul fact I love them, but because their music has meaning, and the band sounds very amazing together.

6)Night Moves- Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - “Workin, on our Night Moves.” The lyrics leave plenty to the ole imagination. This is a classic 70’s song about young love, in the summertime. What a banger!

We are now down to the Top 5:

5)Brian Wilson- The Barenaked Ladies- Steven Page of The Barenaked Ladies, wrote this song as a tribute to the life of The Beach Boys lead singer, Brian Wilson. The song references different aspects of Wilsons life: from playing his piano in a sandbox in his house, to mentioning Dr. Landy, his psychologist, to taking drives “just to check out the late-night record shop.”

4)Last Goodbye- Jeff Buckley- Well, I hate to say this is another song about heart break, but it is. I guess the best music comes from when people are at their worst.

This is our last goodbye

I hate to feel the love between us die

But it's over

Just hear this and then I'll go

You gave me more to live for

More than you'll ever know

Wow. I've got chills.

3)Sultans of Swing- Dire Straits – To me this is the best song ever written. I can never get tired of it. It’s fun, energetic, uplifting, and catchy. The song is about a band playing live music in a bar, and the crowd of people there. It is a classic tune.

2)You Can Call Me Al- Paul Simon- I cannot get enough of this song. It is funky, fast, and has a fantastic penny whistle solo. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the music video shows Paul Simon pretending to “perform” on several different instruments and a young Chevy Chase grooving and lip-syncing. You can watch it here.

And my #1 Song of the Year goes to....

1) Inside Looking Out- Grand Funk Railroad- This is by-far GFR’s heaviest and one of their longest songs recorded. It’s about a man’s love for the reefer and how that’s all he wants to do when he gets out of jail. How do you think he got in there? My guess would be from smokin’ the reefer.

Anyway, this is my list of my Top 20 songs that got me through 2020. I hope you were able to relate to a few of these, and maybe even discover some of your favourite songs of 2021. Reach out to me if you would like to know more of any of the bands listed, and also share your favourite songs with me. I am always on the lookout for new tunes! Where are the tunes???

Here's a playlist of these bangers on Spotify.

Good night and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here’s hoping for an awesome 2021! Be safe and all the best. If you would like to leave a little gift I would be very grateful. Maybe I can get myself some guitar lessons and become famous, then pretty girls will notice me. This is my 1st time writing any sort of blog or anything, and hopefully there will be many more to come in the New Year!