Challenge Brings out the Best in my iPod.

I have a lot of music on my ipod. When I was single, all I really spent my money on was music, DVDs and food. I don't eat as much anymore now that I am married. I don't watch DVDs much because we have cable now and I spend more time with my wife watching whatever she decides to DVR that night. But I still listen to my ipod. A lot.

So, some of the students like to surf through the ipod to see what music is on there. It is a 30 gig and is basically full with over 6000 songs. But these students love to find music that I don't have. And then when they see that I don't have the new Flyleaf or Dave Matthews or whoever they absolutely let me have it. Apparently even with over 6000 songs I am lacking so much. My music collection is pathetic in their eyes. It is an old man's collection.

So in a conversation we had lately, I was challenged to find 20 old songs that every music collection should have to make it a complete collection. It had to be represented with most of the big acts of all time with a few wild cards. So, I set off on my task. In each case I didn't choose the biggest hit someone had. I chose my favorite song. Here is what I came up with:

Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
Move It On Over - Hank Williams
Get Rhythm - Johnny Cash
(Night Time) Is the Right Time - Ray Charles
Runaway - Del Shannon
I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
Can't You See That She's Mine - Dave Clark 5
It's Only Rock'n'Roll - The Rolling Stones
Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who
Marcella - The Beach Boys
More Than a Feeling - Boston
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love - Van Halen
London Calling - The Clash
Seventeen - The Sex Pistols
Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
When Love Comes to Town - U2 and BB King
I Love Rock'n'Roll - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Pop Singer - John Mellencamp

Honorable Mention: Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel, Glory Days by Bruce Sprinsteen, Am I Wrong by Keb Mo, Mannish Boy by Muddy Waters, Bama Lama Bama Loo by Little Richard, Lola by The Kinks, Mountain Dew by Grandpa Jones, Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford and Red, Red Wine by UB40.

I know you don't care. But there you go.