High Fidelity game

This is going around the web, and I thought I would play along. Kind of a more involved version of the "soundtrack of my life" game. If you haven't seen High Fidelity, then you should.

Anyway.

Top Five Lyrics that Move Your Heart
1) Springsteen, Thunder Road
The screen door slams
Mary's dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch
As the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside
darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking
That maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty, but hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me

2) U2, When Love Comes to Town
When I woke up I was sleeping on the street
I felt the world was dancing and I was dirt beneath their feet
When I looked up I saw the Devil looking down
But my Lord he played the guitar the day love came to town
I was there when they crucified my Lord
I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword
I threw the dice when the pierced his side
But I've seen love conquer the great divide

3) Patty Griffin, One True Love
Let's take a ride to the seaside
We can go out swimming in the high tide
Just wear your shorts and your long hair
Don't forget the lawn chair
Everybody's gone to the movies
Everybody's gone and its groovy
They went to the one about the big war
I didn't, I'd seen it before

4) Mindy Smith, Come to Jesus
Worry not my daughters,
Worry not my sons
Child, when life don't seem worth livin'
Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms

5) Kasey Chambers, Like a River
You make me feel like a river
Like a water overflow
Wanna shout it out from the Mountain
Wanna sing it on the radio
I'll sell my soul like a sinner
If it means you'll never go

Top 5 Instrumentals
I don't really like that many instrumentals (or am having problems thinking of them) so will combine a few instrumentals with great licks or solos

1) Uncle Tupelo--Sandusky

2) Nickel Creek--Pastures New

3) Steve Earle--Mando intro to Copperhead Road (live album) I am trying to learn this one.

4) Pure Prairie League--intro lick to Amie

5) Whiskeytown--solo in Turn Around (Stranger's Almanac)

Top 5 Live Musical Experiences

1) Wilco. Of course, this is the most recent concert, but it clearly stands near the top of the list. Amazing show that incorporated dissonance and wonderful harmony.

2) Springsteen. Saw him once in Houston. Was really interesting to see someone who had honed his craft that well. His stage presence was great and he flat wore us out.

3) Steve Earle and Shawn Colvin. Not together, but both occurred at Austin City Limits Music Festival and so were only 1 hour sets. Earle put together a great set of his great music, mixing old and new and, like Springsteen, showed the way to put on a show. Colvin, who's albums are so-so, put on a heart grabbing show that included funny stories, amazing guitar work (just her, no band) and a duet with her niece. Cool.

4) Old 97s. Saw them at a bar in Austin and what a show! Not close to the depth of a performance that I saw in Wilco, but energy to spare. Rhett Miller is a joy to watch. The next day, btw, at the festival, Old 97s stepped into finish a tepid Johnny Cash tribute set, and set my hair on end with a great version of "Ring of Fire."

5) Alejandro Escovedo. Another guy that many have never heard, but this guy is an amazing artist who put on one of the most amazing shows I ever saw in a small OKC club. If you are interested, give his album Gravity a listen.


Top Five Artists You Think More People Should Listen To

1) Wilco. People who want creative music that challenges you should listen to this great band.

2) Scott Miller. Everytime I listen to his stuff, I am reminded how many people who listen to Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney and those two dopey guys--Montgomery Gentry--are missing really good music that is so much better than that crap.

3) Jack Ingram and Robert Earl Keen--ditto.

4) Ryan Adams--great artist with a wide variety of song styles

5) Kasey Chambers and Kathleen Edwards--country music for people who don't want crap.


Top Five Albums You Must Hear From Start to Finish

1)U2's Joshua Tree. Solid songs, but I think this one has to be heard as a single album and not broken up into a shuffle playlist.

2) Springsteen's Born to Run. Still one of the best all-time albums and needs to play all the way.

3) Emmylou Harris, The Ballad of Sally Rose. Probably a lot of Emmylou fans out there that missed this album, but it is one of my favorites. Telling a semi-autobiographical story about a young girl, the album has some great songs and homages to good country.

4) Both of the recent Wilco albums, (A Ghost is Borne, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot) are great from beginning to end. Yankee is best played in a setting, I think.

5) Lyle Lovett's Step Inside this House. This one is kind of cheating because it is actually a dual disk of covers. Lovett covers everyone from Robert Earl Keen to Townes Van Zandt and Eric Taylor. But they all work together and it is a fantastic album.

Top Five Musical Heroes
1) Steve Earle. I have said this before, but he writes great songs and I like his politics.

2) Emmylou. I can't think of anyone who has the longevity of this woman. One of the best harmonizers in the business, her own work is solid and she has been putting out albums since the early 70s. She is also involved in the movement against landmines.

3) Neil Young. He has had some really bad albums, but his willingness to take musical challenges still amazes me. The same guy who toured with Crosby Stills and Nash also toured with Perl Jam.

4) Ryan Adams. This "hero" tag is an interesting one. I am not sure that Adams is that impressive as a human being, but his musical ability and, like Young, to a degree, willingness to experiement with different sounds is impressive. And one of the most amazing voices in the industry.

5) U2. I think they have turned out a pretty impressive body of work.

A final musical note.

This took me a lot longer than I thought, and I am sure I would answer many of these differently in another couple of months, but that is part of what makes it fun. I was reminded again just how integral to my sanity this music is. I would love to read other people's answers to these questions.