And funny you mention Bruce, because “Atlantic City” has kept popping up lately on my random playlists, and damn, that’s a great song. Of course it wasn’t eligible for this list, since it was released in 1982.

1) Over the Hills and Far Away- Al mentioned it as his favorite song, and it is probably my favorite song overall. But how do I keep it that way? By not listening to it. If it comes on the radio I rock out, but that’s it. I never play it myself, out of fear that it will lose its effect and then sadly I might even get a little sick of it. I need at least one song that will always rock so perfectly I get goose bumps.

2) If you can handle falsetto, go with Canned Heat’s ‘Going Up the Country.’ It was played live at Woodstock in 1969. If you want more, go with their ‘On the Road Again’ (it’s own song, not a cover of Woody Nelson).

3) Musta Got Lost by J. Geils Band. This band had two similar halves- a frat rock/blues 70’s side from which this song and another great ‘Give it to Me’ come, and the later frat rock/pop 80’s half which was also great giving us Freeze Frame, Centerfold, and the hilarious Love Stinks.

4) Living in the Past by Jethro Tull. Technically what I’m doing as I type, technically late 60’s I believe, but in the search for semi-forgotten hits, check this one out if your not familiar (but not if you don’t want it stuck in your head all day).

5) Get some Bruce in your life. Assuming you know the mega-hits like Born to Run, Born in the USA, etc., check out Badlands, Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, and Hungry Heart and other stuff that is by no means hiding from you, but may still have been missed. Don’t take it superficially either or you may find Glory Days cheesy. Try to follow him and look for lines like ‘it ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive’ (Badlands) that can express a desperation and self-doubt we all have but are so used to living with that we haven’t listened to it properly or even given it a voice. He’s Bruce for a reason, in his own category and still burning as he says.