My All-Time Top 300 Songs

 About 30 years ago, my friend Fritz Van Leaven hooked me on the idea of compiling (and then periodically updating) a list of my all-time 100 favorite songs.  I have long since given up trying to whittle that list down to a mere 100, so here's the closest I could come:  My All-Time Hot 300.

 

 

10-5-60--The Long Ryders

AIM LOW--Mary Lou Lord

ALL DAY AND ALL OF THE NIGHT--The Kinks

ALLISON ROAD--The Gin Blossoms

ALWAYS THE LAST TO KNOW--Fools Face

AMERICAN BEAT '84--The Fleshtones

ANIMAL FARM--The Kinks

ANOTHER SAD AND LONELY NIGHT--The Bobby Fuller Four

ANY WAY YOU WANT IT--The Dave Clark Five

APACHE--The Shadows

BABY BLUE--Badfinger

BABYSITTER--The Ramones

THE BALLAD OF EL GOODO--Big Star

BANANA SPLITS--The Dickies

BEACH BABY--The First Class

BEG, BORROW AND STEAL--The Rare Breed

BEST OF ME--The Hit Squad

BITTERSWEET--The Hoodoo Gurus

BLITZKRIEG BOP--The Ramones

THE BOAT THAT I ROW--Lulu

BOBBY'S GOTTA GET BACK TO BOSTON--Doug Derek and the Hoax

BOY MEETS GIRL--The Portugal Japan

BUT IF YOU'RE HAPPY--The Lyres

CALIFORNIA NIGHTS--Lesley Gore

CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU--Mad Monster Party

CARBONA NOT GLUE--The Ramones

CATCH US IF YOU CAN--The Dave Clark Five

CHERRY BABY--Starz

CHINESE ROCKS--The Heartbreakers

COULDN'T I JUST TELL YOU--Todd Rundgren

CRASH--The Primitives

CRYIN' SHAME--The Parties

DA-A-A-ANCE--The Lambrettas

DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY--The Motors

DANCING WITH JOEY RAMONE--Amy Rigby

DAY AFTER DAY--Badfinger

DAYS--The Kinks

DEATH OF A CLOWN--Dave Davies

DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH--The Vertebrats

DID YOU EVER--The Cichlids

DIE TRYING--New Math

DO ANYTHING YOU WANNA DO--The Flashcubes

DO THE FREDDIE--Freddie and the Dreamers

DO YOU WANNA DANCE?--The Ramones

DON'T LOOK BACK--The Remains

DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS--The Beau Brummels

THE DOOR INTO SUMMER--The Monkees

DOUBLE OUR NUMBERS--Parthenon Huxley

DRESDEN STATION--Rachael Gordon

DROP BY AND STAY--Rachael Gordon

ELEVATION--Television

EMPTY HANGERS--Anny Celsi

EVERY MINUTE--The Grip Weeds

EVERYONE'S A SUCKER--The Contrast

EVERYWHERE THAT I'M NOT--Translator

FAMOUS--Marmalade Souls

FEELS LIKE IT'S LOVE--Makin' Time

FIRE BRIGADE--The Move

FIRST PLANE HOME--The Flamin' Groovies

FIVE O'CLOCK WORLD--The Vogues

FIVE PERSONALITIES--The Richards

FOLLOW ME--Artful Dodger

FOOL I WAS--Sex Clark Five

FOOL OF LOVE--The Bobby Fuller Four

FOR A SMILE--The Fleshtones

FRENCHETTE--David Johansen

FRIDAY ON MY MIND--The Easybeats

GEORGIE--Helium Angel

GET YOUR OWN--Alice Peacock

THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT--Little Richard

GIRL DON'T TELL ME--The Beach Boys

GIRL, YOU'RE ON MY MIND--The Cynics

GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER CLOTHES--Bruce Springsteen

GIRLS TALK--Dave Edmunds

GLAD ALL OVER--The Dave Clark Five

GO ALL THE WAY--The Raspberries

GOD ONLY KNOWS--The Beach Boys

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN--The Sex Pistols

GOING DOWN TO LIVERPOOL--The Bangles

GOLDEN LIGHTS--Twinkle

GONE, GONE, GONE--The Everly Brothers

GOOD VIBRATIONS--The Beach Boys

GOODBYE GIRL--Squeeze

GOT TO HAVE YOU BACK--The Isley Brothers

GREEN HORNET THEME--Al Hirt

HAD TO BE ME--The Ohio Express

HAPPY--The Rolling Stones

A HARD DAY'S NIGHT--The Beatles

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TORN APART?--The Spongetones

HE'D BE A DIAMOND--The Bevis Frond

HE'S TAKIN' YOU TO THE MOVIES--The Now

HEART FULL OF SOUL--The Yardbirds

HEARTS IN HER EYES--The Searchers

HEARTS WILL BE BROKEN--The Records

HEAVEN TONIGHT--Hole

HELP YOU ANN--The Lyres

HELP!--The Beatles

HEY DEANIE--Shaun Cassidy

HIGHWAY LINES--Mannix

HIM OR ME--WHAT'S IT GONNA BE?--Paul Revere and the Raiders

HIS LAST SUMMER--The Barracudas

HISTORY NEVER REPEATS--Split Enz

HOLD TIGHT--Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich

I AIN'T MARCHING ANYMORE--Phil Ochs

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW--Johnny Nash

I CAN'T EXPLAIN--The Who

I CAN'T LET GO--The Hollies

I DON'T WANT TO GROW UP--The Ramones

I DON'T WANT TO SPOIL THE PARTY--The Beatles

I FOUGHT THE LAW--The Bobby Fuller Four

I GET AROUND--The Beach Boys

I HATE ROCK 'N' ROLL--Cockeyed Ghost

I LOVE YOU--The Heartbreakers

I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU--Dusty Springfield

I TELL NO LIES--The Shoutless

I WANNA BE WITH YOU--The Raspberries

I WANNA BE YOUR BOYFRIEND--The Rubinoos

I WISH IT COULD BE 1965 AGAIN--The Barracudas

I WON'T LET YOU LET ME GO--The Poptarts

I'LL BE YOUR MIRROR--The Velvet Underground

I'M GONNA BE STRONG--Gene Pitney

(I'M NOT YOUR) STEPPIN' STONE--The Monkees

(I'M) STRANDED--The Saints

IF I CAN'T CHANGE YOUR MIND--Sugar

IN THE CITY--The Jam

IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR--Wilson Pickett

IT DON'T COME EASY--Ringo Starr

IT'S ABOUT TIME--The Pandoras

IT'S COLD OUTSIDE--Stiv Bators

IT'S MY LIFE--The Animals

IT'S THE SAME OLD SONG--The Four Tops

JEALOUSY--The Poptarts

JINGLE JANGLE--The Archies

JOURNEY TO TYME--Kenny & the Kasuals

JUMPIN' JACK FLASH--The Rolling Stones

JUST LIKE ME--Paul Revere & the Raiders

KICKS--Paul Revere & the Raiders

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT--The Who

KIM THE WAITRESS--Material Issue

KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE--Styx

LAST THING ON MY MIND--The Finkers

THE LAST TIME [A CAPELLA]--Mr. Encrypto

LAUGH, LAUGH--The Beau Brummels

LEADER OF THE PACK--The Shangri-Las

LEFT IN THE DARK--The Vertebrats

LET'S SEE THE SUN--The Fleshtones

LIAR, LIAR--The Castaways

LICENSE TO KILL--The Ohms

LIES--The Knickerbockers

LIFE BEGINS AT THE HOP--XTC

LIFE ON MARS?--David Bowie

LIGHT OF DAY--Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

LITANY (LIFE GOES ON)--Guadalcanal Diary

LOOK OUT (HERE COMES TOMORROW)--The Monkees

LOOK THROUGH ANY WINDOW--The Hollies

LOVE HURTS--Nazareth

LOVE IN THE CITY--The Turtles

LOVE IS ONLY SLEEPING--The Monkees

LOVE IS PAIN--Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

LOVE TO LOVE--The Monkees

MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN--Screen Test

MAKING TIME--The Creation

MAN'S BEST FRIEND--Rachael Gordon

MAY MY HEART BE CAST INTO STONE--The Toys

MAYBE I'M AMAZED--Paul McCartney

A MILLION MILES AWAY--The Plimsouls

MISERLOU--Dick Dale & his Deltones

MR. ACARIUS--Arty Lenin

MTV--Hawaii Mud Bombers

MY BEFORE AND AFTER--Cotton Mather

(MY GIRL) MARYANNE--The Spongetones

MY WHOLE WORLD ENDED (THE MOMENT YOU LEFT ME)--The Spinners

MYBABYSHESALRIGHT--Scruffy The Cat

NEVER BE FRIENDS--The Stems

THE NIGHT BEFORE--The Beatles

NO MATTER WHAT--Badfinger

NO MATTER WHAT SHAPE (YOUR STOMACH'S IN)--The T-Bones

NO MILK TODAY--Herman's Hermits

NO PROMISE--The Flashcubes

NO REPLY--The Beatles

NORMAN GREEN--Club Wow

NOT FADE AWAY--The Rolling Stones

NOTHING BUT A HEARTACHE--The Flirtations

NOTHING REALLY MATTERS WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG--Screen Test

NOTHING TO SAY--Fools Face

NOW YOU KNOW--The Real Kids

NOWHERE LEFT TO TURN--The Tearaways

ON BROADWAY--The Drifters

ON MY RADIO--The Selecter

ONLY IN AMERICA--Jay & the Americans

OPHELIA--Shane Faubert

PAINT IT, BLACK--The Rolling Stones

PANIC IN DETROIT--David Bowie

PAYDAY--Cotton Mather

PERSONALITY CRISIS--The New York Dolls

PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY--The Monkees

PLEASE PLEASE ME--The Beatles

PORPOISE SONG (THEME FROM HEAD)--The Monkees

PRETTY VACANT--The Sex Pistols

PROMISED LAND--Chuck Berry

PULLING MUSSELS (FROM THE SHELL)--Squeeze

RAIN--The Beatles

RAMONES--Motorhead

REACH OUT I'LL BE THERE--The Four Tops

REBEL REBEL--David Bowie

RED WINE AND WHISKEY--Katrina & the Waves

ROCK AND ROLL ALL NITE--KISS

ROCK AND ROLL LOVE LETTER--The Bay City Rollers

ROCKAWAY BEACH--The Ramones

ROLLER COASTER--The Ides Of March

ROSEMARY--The Dickies

SAY GOODBYE TO HOLLYWOOD--Ronnie Spector & the E Street Band

(SAY NO TO) SATURDAY'S GIRL--The Human Switchboard

SAYING GOODBYE--The Muffs

SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME--The Well Wishers

SEE MY FRIENDS--The Kinks

SEPTEMBER GURLS--Big Star

SHAKE SOME ACTION--The Flamin' Groovies

SHE--The Monkees

SHE COULDN'T SAY NO--1.4.5.

SHE SAID SHE SAID--The Beatles

SHE SAID TO ME--The Cowsills

SHE SAY YEA--The Scruffs

SHE'S A FOOL--Lesley Gore

SHE'S LEAVING--The Flashcubes

SHEENA IS A PUNK ROCKER--The Ramones

SHELLY'S BOYFRIEND--Bonnie Hayes with The Wild Combo

SHOPPING FOR A DOG--Fear Of Strangers

SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE--The Catholic Girls

SHOUT IT OUT LOUD--KISS

SLOOP JOHN B--The Beach Boys

SOLITARY MAN--Neil Diamond

SOMEONE NEW--The Catholic Girls

SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE--The Barracudas

SORRY--The Easybeats

SORRY--The Smithereens

SOUL MAN--Sam & Dave

SOUND OF THE RADIO--Screen Test

ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE--Cocktail Slippers

STAND BY ME--Ben E. King

STARRY EYES--The Records

SUGAR SUGAR--Wilson Pickett

SUMMER BREEZE--The Isley Brothers

SUMMER COULDA LASTED FOREVER--Maura

SURRENDER--Cheap Trick

SWALLOW MY PRIDE--The Ramones

SWEETS FOR MY SWEET--The Searchers

SYRACUSE SUMMER--The Tearjerkers

TEAR ME APART--Suzi Quatro

THE TEARS OF A CLOWN--Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

TELL ME A STORY--The Natives

THANK YOU, GIRL--The Beatles

THAT THING YOU DO!--The Wonders

THERE SHE GOES--The La's

THERE SHE GOES AGAIN--The Velvet Underground

THEY RAN FOR THEIR LIVES--The Knickerbockers

THIS YEAR'S GONNA BE OUR YEAR--Eytan Mirsky

TILL THE END OF THE DAY--The Kinks

TIME WILL TELL--Holly Golightly

TIRED OF WAITING FOR YOU--The Kinks

TO SIR, WITH LOVE [MUSEUM OUTINGS MONTAGE]--Lulu

TOMORROW NIGHT--Shoes

TOO MUCH TALK--Paul Revere and the Raiders

THE TRAINS--The Nashville Ramblers

TRANS AM--The Skeletons

THE TRANSYLVANIA TWIST--Baron Daemon & the Vampires

TRUE LOVE WAYS--Buddy Holly

TWENTY FOUR HOURS FROM TULSA--Gene Pitney

UNCLE JOHN'S BAND--The Grateful Dead

VACATION--The Go-Go's

VANISHING GIRL--The Dukes Of Stratosphear

WALK AWAY RENEE--The Left Banke

WALK--DON'T RUN--The Ventures

WALKING OUT ON LOVE--Paul Collins

WALKING WITH A GHOST--Tegan & Sara

WATERLOO SUNSET--The Kinks

WE GOT THE BEAT--The Go-Go's

WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE--The Animals

WE'RE LIVING IN VIOLENT TIMES--The Barracudas

WHAT AM I DOING HANGIN' 'ROUND?--The Monkees

WHAT IS LIFE--George Harrison

(WHAT'S SO FUNNY 'BOUT) PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING--Elvis Costello & the Attractions

WHEN PATTI ROCKED--The Dave Rave Conspiracy

WHEN WE CLOSE OUR EYES--The Flashcubes

WHEN YOU FIND OUT--The Nerves

WHO WANNA DANCE NOW--The Charades

WHY--The Stallions

WIG WAM BAM--The Sweet

WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW--The Shirelles

WORDS--The Monkees

THE WORST THING I COULD DO--The Leonards

WOULDN'T YOU LIKE IT--The Bay City Rollers

YOU MUST BE A WITCH--The Lollipop Shoppe

YOU REALLY GOT ME--The Kinks

YOU TORE ME DOWN--The Flamin' Groovies

YOU WERE ON MY MIND--We Five

YOU WERE SO WARM--The Dwight Twilley Band

YOU WON'T BE SAD ANYMORE--The Lyres

YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME--The 13th Floor Elevators

YOU'VE GOT TO HIDE YOUR LOVE AWAY--The Beatles

A number of my favorite artists--for example, The Small Faces, Otis Redding, The Clash, The Ronettes, The Crystals, Slade, James Brown, The dB's, Mott The Hoople, T. Rex, Alice Cooper, The Runaways, and a very large group of others--are not represented at all on the above list.  I have a lot more than just 300 favorite songs!  But this is my Hot 300, and I'm sticking with it.

For today, anyway.