First, however, let’s take a trip down Memory Lane for those who were away from the blog during the holidays. Here’s what you’ve missed from my 50 faves of the year:
https://delawareliberal.net//2014/12/25/bulos-fave-songs-of-2014-s-50-41/
https://delawareliberal.net//2014/12/26/bulos-fave-songs-of-2014-s-40-31/
https://delawareliberal.net//2014/12/27/bulos-fave-tunes-of-2014-s-30-21/
https://delawareliberal.net//2014/12/28/bulos-fave-tunes-of-2014-s-20-11/
One more thing. My youngest daughter insists that one of the songs in my Top 50 was released in 2012. Guess what it is and win a free drink from Yours Truly at the next Drinking Liberally get-together.
Countdown time.
Drum roll, please:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itAOGRiYRLI
And now, THE TOP 10!!!!! (as you can tell, I’m much given to understatement):
10. Best performance by an insect in a video this year:
9.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMuo7GFXa0k
8.
7.
![Robert Ellis - Chemical Plant - [Audio Stream]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/v8-Lx_oW2q0/hqdefault.jpg)
6.
5.
4. Country meets psilocybin.
3. Great writer, great performer, kickin’ band, he should be a lot more famous.
2. Why this version over all other versions? Two words: Mavis Staples. Two more words: Pure joy.
1. I had long since settled on this as my #1 song of the year before American Songwriter chose it as theirs. But they explain why better than I could:
“Alynda Lee Segarra takes more than 100 years of murder ballads to task on this standout from Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Small Town Heroes, calling out anyone who has sung along with “Delia’s Gone” or “Banks of the Ohio” or “Knoxville Girl.” “The Body Electric” is a bold reminder of the misogyny latent in those songs, which typically get a pass because they represent the prejudices of an earlier time. Her subject, however, isn’t merely violence against women. Instead, she questions the use of any kind of violence: “Tell me what’s a man with a rifle in his hand gonna do for a world that’s just dying slow.” Her voice sounds slow and burdened, as though the song’s topicality in 2014 is a sad reminder of the state of the union”:
