1. Buffy Sainte-Marie | Must I Go Bound
She has a beautiful voice and she makes the song her own... She feels every word in a vulnerable vibrato. The song spoke to me when I was a heartbroken kid of fifteen.
2. Maurice Ravel | Boléro (Performed by London Symphony Orchestra, Conductor: Valery Gergiev)
I love the urgent brooding build and crescendo.
3. Richard Harris | MacArthur Park
Written and composed by Jimmy Webb. I love its detail, melody and epic sweep. It also has a very poignant lyric. It's the template for many Genesis ideas.
4. The Beatles | Eleanor Rigby
It has great Compassion and Understanding and a stunning string arrangement.
5. Kate Bush | The Man With The Child In His Eyes
Wonderful wistful quality overview of seeing The Man but The Child at the same time is a very perceptive lyric.
6. King Crimson | Epitaph
I think the lyric is timelessly important, and particularly in today's dangerous world. The Music is so powerful too, with great use of Mellotron.
7. Elbow | One Day Like This
I love the question and answer between vocal and instrumental. I find it very compelling.
8. Bob Dylan | Man In The Long Black Coat
I like the implied dance of Death which has a dark but compelling quality.
9. The Doors | Riders On The Storm
The somber vocal with the descending keyboard line go so well. The voice intones like a bell.
10. Yes | Cinema
I enjoy the fast rhythm contrasted with the legato (slow) melody line that snakes across it.
