I’m still not sure what this list is supposed to encompass: the best, the most influential, the most evocative of said decade, the inspired choices that make the panel look clever (perhaps the most accurate in terms of intent, if not the effect).

Here are my lists, with reasoning/excuses/pathetic, self-important musings listed beneath each decade:

1960s

Satisfaction/Rolling Stones
I’ll Be there/Four Tops
She Loves You/Beatles
Blowing in the Wind/Dylan
California Dreamin’/Mamas and Papas

While it’s a fool’s game to come up with a list of the 50 best songs of the 20th century, it takes an astounding combination of idiocy and idealism to try to take a decade like the 1960s and make five picks. Working on the formula then that you need 1 Beatles, 1 Rolling Stones, 1 Motown, 1 Dylan and a pickem’. You could substitute a Byrds song for the Mamas and Papas or even a Beach Boys song (Good Vibrations—damn, that should be there) and the list would work.

Brian, for the record, I’m okay with ‘In My Life’ as one of the top 5; very sweet, with strings, and is a good middle ground between their early doo-way, scream-inducing appearances on American TV and later, more complex and to me, more interesting ditties. I included She Loves You because it is probably more ‘important’ but would never include it in my own list of favourites. Ditto Satisfaction, which I’d add to another list entitled “Songs I don’t need to ever hear again in my lifetime” (there are more than 5 so I’ll post at a later date).

1970s
God Save the Queen/The Sex Pistols
Goodbye Stranger/Supertramp
Heart of Gold/Neil Young
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road/Elton John
Stairway to Heaven/Led Zeppelin

Even though the Clash produced far superior music than the Sex Pistols, I’m thinking that Jian et al will give more weight to the contribution of the Sex Pistols. The Supertramp is a stretch but works for me so I’m picking it. Brian, I also had Queen's Bo/Rap but figured that was the one they'd be embarassed to include. I also contemplated James Taylor, Carole King, and Carly Simon but after shuddering for five minutes straight, decided it would be best for my health to leave them off; I suspect they may include a Carole King song but if it's 'Anticipation' I may have to go ballistic.

Am going back and forth on the 80s list. Will gauge the response to these before posting. If lauded, I will do something ballsy. If derided, I’ll do something ballsy. If ignored (most likely scenario), I’ll simply forget about the blog for a week or so.