My Five!!

The Hindu's Saturday edition of Metro Plus features a column called My Five. It is a personal list of the five greatest tracks in popular music. Ever since this column started to feature I had always wanted to nail down my personal my five songs. So here it goes my five…

1. Metallica
Nothing Else Matters
Singer and guitarist James Hetfield wrote it to a former girlfriend, and it is widely rumored that it meant “no matter how far” (Metallica constantly toured), he was still "so close" with the heart. It was first released in 1991 on the self-titled album Metallica. Initially the response to this song was lukewarm, as Metallica fans were treated to some heavy metal thrashing in their prior albums. But as the song grew in them, this became one of the most powerful soul-stirring rock ballads of all-time. A Metallica signature song! Many rock stations still play it frequently.

2. Pink Floyd
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Written by Roger Waters, this song was a tribute to Syd Barret, who was instrumental in the construction of the band, Pink Floyd. Since his behavior was too erratic, he was soon shown the exit doors. Lines such as “Remember when you were young, You shone like the sun” and “You were caught on the crossfire Of childhood and stardom” took a direct rig at Syd’s unpredictable behavioral pattern. ‘Shine on…’ is a nine-part composition and was first performed on their 1974 French tour. With the trademark David Gilmour’s guitar genius and Roger Waters philosophical lyrics, this song is a treat to listen.

3. Guns n Roses
November Rain
A wonderful rock ballad written by lead singer Axl Rose for their 1991 album Use Your Illusion I. One of the longest songs from GNR which runs to 8 Mins and 55 Secs and it features a sweeping synthesized string backing arrangement. Slash sizzles with the guitar riggs, and this song is listed at number 6 in the "The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos" by Guitar World. November Rain had an extended run at the top of Billboard charts during the 90’s. The music video for this song, released in 1992, quickly became the most requested video on MTV and won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography.

4. Led Zeppelin
Stairway to Heaven
"Stairway to Heaven" continues to top radio lists of the greatest rock songs. A Led Zeppelin classic number, that oozes lyrical brilliance and mind-blowing composition by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant. Recorded for band's fourth studio album, Led Zeppelin IV, it quickly reached global acclaim and very much defined the rock music of the 70’s. It was voted #3 in 2000 by VH1 on their list of the 100 Greatest Rock Songs and in 2004; Rolling Stone magazine put it at #31 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

5. Nirvana
Smells Like Teen Spirit
A smash hit from the album Nevermind, this song had put Nirvana on the music map and announced the arrival of the prodigiously talented Kurt Cobain. The song begins with Cobain strumming the main riff, adding distortion when the rest of the band joins in and progresses to a pre-chorus, that is dominated by the phrase "Hello, hello, hello, how low?". Cobain yells the lyrics quite often and in the final verse Cobain screams the refrain “A Denial” repeatedly. A Nirvana special!! Rolling Stone magazine put it at #9 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Those that almost made it:
Bryan Adams - Please Forgive Me
Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean, Just Beat It
Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water
Eagles - Hotel California
Aerosmith - Dream On
Phil Collins - Another Day in Paradise
Scorpions -Winds of Change
Metallica - One, Enter Sandman, Unforgiven -2
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb, High Hopes