The Top of the Top (1-250)

Wrapping up my exercise in hubris, here's the top third of my list of Top 750 Songs. 

After having posted my two previous installments (251-500 and 501-750), I've already come up with at least 5 songs that I should have included but . . . such is life.  I'm sure I'll think of a dozen more in the coming weeks.  No big deal.  It's the nature of the beast.

I will say this up front, although many similar lists may contain my #3 pick, "Baby, I Need Your Loving" by The Four Tops, I will grant you that no one will rank it as high as I have.  Rolling Stone ranks it at number 400.  Others may omit it altogether.  I understand.  I just think that it's a work of art, fueled by the desperation and pain in Levi Stubbs's voice and the relentless drive of the Motown house band.  (Viva Benny Benjamin and James Jamerson!)

As with the other postings, my ranking is on the far left and Rolling Stone magazine's ranking is shown in the next column (NA = not applicable, i.e., not included in RS list).

Enjoy it or ignore it.  Comments are always welcome and appreciated.

1	2	Satisfaction	The Rolling Stones
2	1	Like a Rolling Stone	Bob Dylan
3	400	Baby I Need Your Loving	Four Tops
4	7	Johnny B. Goode	Chuck Berry
5	27	Layla	Derek and The Dominos
6	21	Born to Run	Bruce Springsteen
7	31	Stairway to Heaven	Led Zeppelin
8	182	Hey Ya!	OutKast
9	109	Little Red Corvette	Prince
10	NA	You're Gonna Miss Me	The 13th Floor Elevators
11	35	Light My Fire	The Doors
12	54	Louie Louie	The Kingsmen
13	15	London Calling	The Clash
14	6	Good Vibrations	The Beach Boys
15	372	The Letter	The Box Tops
16	34	You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'	The Righteous Brothers
17	211	Gloria	Them
18	349	Baba O'Riley	The Who
19	17	Purple Haze	The Jimi Hendrix Experience
20	48	Bridge Over Troubled Water	Simon and Garfunkel
21	198	Sweet Child O' Mine	Guns N' Roses
22	68	Tangled Up in Blue	Bob Dylan
23	18	Maybellene	Chuck Berry
24	39	That'll Be the Day	Buddy Holly and The Crickets
25	29	Help!	The Beatles
26	37	No Woman, No Cry	Bob Marley and The Wailers
27	NA	Night Moves	Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
28	9	Smells Like Teen Spirit	Nirvana
29	131	Maggie May	Rod Stewart
30	50	The Tracks of My Tears	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
31	16	I Want to Hold Your Hand	The Beatles
32	30	I Walk the Line	Johnny Cash
33	42	Waterloo Sunset	The Kinks
34	61	Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On	Jerry Lee Lewis
35	33	River Deep, Mountain High	Ike and Tina Turner
36	197	Peggy Sue	Buddy Holly
37	193	Free Bird	Lynyrd Skynyrd
38	10	What'd I Say	Ray Charles
39	177	I Fought The Law	The Bobby Fuller Four
40	158	I Only Have Eyes for You	The Flamingos
41	399	Just My Imagination	The Temptations
42	NA	Pancho & Lefty	Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard
43	22	Be My Baby	The Ronettes
44	NA	It's Too Late	Carole King
45	62	Bo Diddley	Bo Diddley
46	NA	Caravan	Van Morrison
47	41	The Weight	The Band
48	45	Heartbreak Hotel	Elvis Presley
49	NA	Levi Stubbs Tears	Billy Bragg
50	74	Summertime Blues	Eddie Cochran
51	38	Gimme Shelter	The Rolling Stones
52	NA	7 and 7 Is	Love
53	96	Great Balls of Fire	Jerry Lee Lewis
54	150	Cathy's Clown	The Everly Brothers
55	NA	Do Ya	The Move
56	71	Papa's Got a Brand New Bag	James Brown
57	NA	Cypress Avenue	Van Morrison
58	90	In the Still of the Night	The Five Satins
59	NA	Powderfinger	Neil Young
60	NA	Kiko and the Lavendar Moon	Los Lobos
61	NA	My Whole World Ended	David Ruffin
62	181	Love Will Tear Us Apart	Joy Division
63	NA	Choice of Colors	The Impressions
64	353	Piece of My Heart	Big Brother and the Holding Company
65	191	Stayin' Alive	Bee Gees
66	NA	Born on the Bayou	Creedence Clearwater Revival
67	137	Your Song	Elton John
68	87	Ring of Fire	Johnny Cash
69	125	Jumpin' Jack Flash	The Rolling Stones
70	134	Won't Get Fooled Again	The Who
71	298	Train in Vain	The Clash
72	67	Jailhouse Rock	Elvis Presley
73	110	Brown Eyed Girl	Van Morrison
74	114	Up on the Roof	The Drifters
75	58	Billie Jean	Michael Jackson
76	NA	Paradise	John Prine
77	154	A Hard Day's Night	The Beatles
78	141	Kashmir	Led Zeppelin
79	279	Somebody to Love	Jefferson Airplane
80	122	Stand By Me	Ben E. King
81	389	Radio Free Europe	R.E.M.
82	NA	You've Really Got a Hold on Me	Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
83	483	White Rabbit	Jefferson Airplane
84	NA	I'll Never Forget You	Noisettes
85	NA	(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame	Elvis Presley
86	NA	You Shook Me All Night Long	AC/DC
87	NA	Beyond the Sea	Bobby Darin
88	333	Good Lovin'	The (Young) Rascals
89	140	I Saw Her Standing There	The Beatles
90	135	In the Midnight Hour	Wilson Pickett
91	218	Do You Believe in Magic	The Lovin' Spoonful
92	157	The Sound of Silence	Simon and Garfunkel
93	489	Under the Boardwalk	The Drifters
94	88	My Girl	The Temptations
95	344	Beat It	Michael Jackson
96	495	Brown Sugar	The Rolling Stones
97	133	Who Do You Love?	Bo Diddley
98	NA	Riders on the Storm	The Doors
99	NA	Under My Wheels	Alice Cooper
100	252	Chain of Fools	Aretha Franklin
101	361	All Shook Up	Elvis Presley
102	NA	Groovin'	The (Young) Rascals
103	NA	White Lines (Don't Do It)	Grandmaster Melle Mel and The Furious Five
104	NA	Someday, Someway	Marshall Crenshaw
105	NA	A Train Lady	Mink DeVille
106	NA	Stoned Soul Picnic	The 5th Dimension
107	NA	I'm on Fire	Dwight Twilley Band
108	301	Street Fighting Man	The Rolling Stones
109	113	That's All Right Mama	Elvis Presley
110	195	Wichita Lineman	Glen Campbell
111	155	Rave On	Buddy Holly
112	215	1999	Prince
113	123	The House of the Rising Sun	The Animals
114	NA	The Passenger	Iggy Pop
115	267	He's a Rebel	The Crystals
116	480	Sabotage	Beastie Boys
117	151	Eight Miles High	The Byrds
118	NA	Lola	The Kinks
119	196	There Goes My Baby	The Drifters
120	93	I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For	U2
121	85	Crazy	Patsy Cline
122	63	For What It's Worth	Buffalo Springfield
123	108	Not Fade Away	Buddy Holly and The Crickets
124	189	I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)	Aretha Franklin
125	56	Anarchy in the U.K	Sex Pistols
126	199	Maybe	The Chantels
127	NA	I Got a Line on You	Spirit
128	NA	Fourth of July	Dave Alvin
129	145	I Wanna be Sedated	Ramones
130	231	Moondance	Van Morrison
131	77	Mystery Train	Elvis Presley
132	156	Proud Mary	Creedence Clearwater Revival
133	127	Shake, Rattle & Roll	Big Joe Turner
134	243	The Wanderer	Dion
135	NA	Along Comes Mary	The Association
136	354	La Bamba	Ritchie Valens
137	51	The Message	Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five
138	NA	Return to Sender	Elvis Presley
139	363	Watching the Detectives	Elvis Costello and the Attractions
140	NA	I Only Want to Be With You	Dusty Springfield
141	NA	Here Comes the Night	Them
142	453	Pressure Drop	Toots and the Maytals
143	274	Roadrunner	The Modern Lovers
144	NA	Mr. Lee	The Bobbettes
145	NA	You Wear It Well	Rod Stewart
146	NA	Kicks	Paul Revere & The Raiders
147	234	Only The Lonely	Roy Orbison
148	NA	When You Walk in the Room	Jackie DeShannon
149	449	Come Go With Me	The Del-Vikings
150	437	(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais	The Clash
151	401	Summer in the City	The Lovin' Spoonful
152	152	Earth Angel	The Penguins
153	NA	American Woman	The Guess Who
154	NA	Book of Rules	The Heptones
155	445	I Wanna Be Your Dog	The Stooges
156	NA	Alex Chilton	The Replacements
157	NA	Copperhead Road	Steve Earle
158	NA	Heat Wave	Martha and The Vandellas
159	NA	Sky Pilot	Eric Burdon & The Animals
160	NA	Don't Ask Me Questions	Graham Parker & The Rumour
161	120	Go Your Own Way	Fleetwood Mac
162	205	Come Together	The Beatles
163	184	Save The Last Dance For Me	The Drifters
164	NA	Sally Go 'Round the Roses	The Jaynettes
165	200	Don't Be Cruel	Elvis Presley
166	364	Bad Moon Rising	Creedence Clearwater Revival
167	NA	I Can See Clearly Now	Johnny Nash
168	216	Rockin' in the Free World	Neil Young
169	NA	Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress	The Hollies
170	NA	Wild in the Streets	Garland Jeffreys
171	217	Your Cheatin' Heart	Hank Williams
172	NA	Jump Around	House of Pain
173	NA	Surf City	Jan & Dean
174	86	Thunder Road	Bruce Springsteen
175	NA	Down on Me	Big Brother and the Holding Company
176	NA	Break on Through	The Doors
177	NA	Set Me Free (Rosa Lee)	Los Lobos
178	474	Into the Mystic	Van Morrison
179	153	Foxy Lady	The Jimi Hendrix Experience
180	452	Come As You Are	Nirvana
181	NA	Every Day is Like Sunday	Morrissey
182	NA	Shake Some Action	Flaming Groovies
183	438	Ain't That a Shame	Fats Domino
184	173	Dream On	Aerosmith
185	NA	Ooh La La	The Faces
186	149	Lust for Life	Iggy Pop
187	5	Respect	Aretha Franklin
188	NA	Radio Radio	Elvis Costello and the Attractions
189	NA	The Last Time	The Rolling Stones
190	11	My Generation	The Who
191	350	The Harder They Come	Jimmy Cliff
192	NA	Viva Las Vegas	Elvis Presley
193	NA	Midnight Rider	Allman Brothers Band
194	64	She Loves You	The Beatles
195	60	Let's Stay Together	Al Green
196	224	Oh, Pretty Woman	Roy Orbison
197	47	All Along the Watchtower	The Jimi Hendrix Experience
198	NA	Tell Me	The Rolling Stones
199	26	(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay	Otis Redding
200	280	Born in the U.S.A.	Bruce Springsteen
201	335	For Your Precious Love	Jerry Butler and the Impressions
202	82	Blueberry Hill	Fats Domino
203	3	Imagine	John Lennon
204	167	Fast Car	Tracy Chapman
205	316	What's Love Got to Do With It	Tina Turner
206	NA	I Love You, Goodbye	Thomas Dolby
207	4	What's Going On	Marvin Gaye
208	NA	Da Doo Ron Ron	The Crystals
209	89	California Dreamin'	The Mamas and the Papas
210	NA	I Can't Stand the Rain	Ann Peebles
211	238	Everyday	Buddy Holly and the Crickets
212	97	Roll Over Beethoven	Chuck Berry
213	NA	Suzy Q	Dale Hawkins
214	70	Walk On By	Dionne Warwick
215	NA	Girls Just Wanna Have Fun	Cyndi Lauper
216	NA	Wishin' and Hopin'	Dusty Springfield
217	55	Long Tall Sally	Little Richard
218	NA	Cinnamon Girl	Neil Young
219	130	Born to Be Wild	Steppenwolf
220	106	The Boxer	Simon and Garfunkel
221	NA	Speedoo	The Cadillacs
222	NA	Gypsy Woman	The Impressions
223	159	(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock	Bill Haley and His Comets
224	99	Fortunate Son	Creedence Clearwater Revival
225	NA	Ain't Even Done With the Night	John Cougar
226	NA	Venus of Avenue D	Mink DeVille
227	NA	Horses	Patti Smith Group
228	126	Will You Love Me Tomorrow	The Shirelles
229	388	Pride (In the Name of Love)	U2
230	NA	Wild Night	Van Morrison
231	79	Mr. Tambourine Man	The Byrds
232	314	Why Do Fools Fall in Love	Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
233	340	Subterranean Homesick Blues	Bob Dylan
234	NA	Save It For Later	The English Beat
235	457	The Twist	Chubby Checker
236	235	We Gotta Get Out of This Place	The Animals
237	222	Walk Away Renee	The Left Banke
238	NA	Train Kept a-Rollin'	Johnny Burnette & The RocknRoll Trio
239	43	Tutti-Frutti	Little Richard
240	206	Positively 4th Street	Bob Dylan
241	299	Tired of Being Alone	Al Green
242	NA	Land of 1000 Dances	Cannibal & The Headhunters
243	NA	Mountain of Love	Claude King
244	NA	Don't Make Me Over	Dionne Warwick
245	247	Gimme Some Lovin	The Spencer Davis Group
246	NA	Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me	Warren Zevon
247	52	When Doves Cry	Prince
248	111	I've Been Loving You Too Long (to Stop Now)	Otis Redding
249	NA	Darling Be Home Soon	The Lovin' Spoonful
250	NA	Can't Hardly Wait	The Replacements