Top 50 Songs of the Decade, #2 - "Seasons (Waiting on You)," Future Islands

There have been a lot of great and/or memorable musical performances on late night television over the years - Elvis Costello beginning one song and then storming into "Radio, Radio" in December 1977, Patti Smith delivering a shattering performance of "Gloria" in April 1976.  More recently, there were incredible performances from Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar on SNL, and Billie Eilish just last year.

But however you rank the greatest late night TV performances, this one certainly has to be near the top of the list:



I think this is what they mean when they talk about leaving it all on the stage.  What makes the performance particularly notable is Letterman's reaction to it.  He was nearing the home stretch of his legendary late night career by this point, and on most nights was so grumpy and/or disinterested that it was difficult to watch.  But his visible joy following Samuel T. Herring's performance was in itself a joy to watch.

And well earned that joy was.  This is a great song, plain and simple, and one of those songs that sounds as exciting and fresh on listen #100 (or 200, 500...) as it did on first listen. 

Top 50 Songs of the Decade, #2 - "Seasons (Waiting on You)," Future Islands.

Top 50 Songs of the Decade, #3 - "Slow Burn," Kacey Musgraves

I've commented on this phenomenon elsewhere, but every now and then, you hear a song for the first time and it just takes your breath away.  The chills run up your spine, and you just want to keep listening to the song over and over.  And when it's the first song on an album, sometimes it takes a while just to get to the second song.



"Slow Burn" is such a song.  When I heard it for the first time, I thought that Kacey Musgraves had captured the Holy Grail, creating a song that was not really country, not really pop, but transcended every category one could conceivably assign to it and reach a level that this artist - great as she has been over the course of three albums - had yet to achieve.

She will be around for a generation.  Let's just hope there is a music industry waiting for her when we emerge on the other side.

Top 50 Songs of the Decade, #3 - "Slow Burn," Kacey Musgraves.

Top 50 Songs of the Decade, #4 - "Ya Hey," Vampire Weekend

Usually the first thing that grabs me with a song is the music, but on this one it was these lyrics, near the end of the song:

Outside the tents
On the festival grounds
As the air began to cool
And the sun went down
My soul swooned as
I faintly heard the sound
Of you spinning "Israelites"
into "19th Nervous Breakdown"

A little explanation be in order.  First of all, I've loved both "Israelites" and "19th Nervous Breakdown" since I was about 9 years old.  Second, I love to experiment with transitions between songs - so hearing that snippet was like giving candy to a baby.



There is also something about the easy lilt of this song that is irresistible.  For me, at least.

Top 50 Songs of the Decade, #4 - "Ya Hey," Vampire Weekend.