Author Allen M Werner

And I have officially made it to the Top 100 songs ever according to me. I started with number 1000. At 500, I shifted gears a bit.
Now at 100, I’m going to shift again.
I believe these 100 songs deserve a little more time and explanation so I will limit each post of the countdown to 5 songs and offer more insight into each of the songs, into the bands – and perhaps even my reasons for bringing the song up to these lofty heights.
I hope you enjoy this change.
I hope you enjoy the countdown.
Let’s get started.

Chicago-based Cheap Trick has never been one of my favorite bands although I have seen them live several times. They have always been an entertaining live act worth the price of admission.
Dream Police is the title track of their 4th album, released in 1979. It peaked at #26 in America on the singles charts.
The song is considered to be a perfect example of power pop. The pace is upbeat and cheerful while the lyrics are dark and focus on a person being haunted by nightmares that question personal morality. I love everything about this song.
Three songs by Cheap Trick have made it on my top 1000 list.

#100 – Dream Police
#268 – Wrong Side Of Love
#896 – Surrender

Creed is a hard rock / post-grunge band that became hugely popular during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Vocalist Scott Stapp is one of the best rock singers to ever grace the stage.
‘One Last Breath’ was the 3rd single off their 3rd album, Weathered, released in 2002.
For me, it’s one of those songs that the moment you hear that guitar intro, you know you aren’t turning the song off until it is over.
It is an emotional song and Scott’s voice draws the listener in to the haunting humanity of the lyrics with eerie skill. You can’t turn it off. You feel everything while listening to it. The band itself expressed having goosebumps in the studio when it was completed.
I think it is an inspirational anthem for anyone who has felt burdened by mistakes and sought comfort. And who hasn’t ever felt that way?
I never saw Creed live. Like Cheap Trick, there are three Creed songs in my top 1000.

#99 – One Last Breath
#190 – Don’t Stop Dancing
#395 – Higher

I think everyone has heard this song and pretty much everyone has seen the video with the bee girl. You must be living in a cave if you haven’t heard this song. It seems like a piece of American culture now, at least rock/pop culture. This song and this video were being played everywhere when it first came out.
‘No Rain’ is actually the second single off Blind Melon’s self-titled first album released in 1993. With all the attention it was given, it only reached #20 in America.
The song is another inspirational up-tempo selection that taps into a powerful human experience, the journey to find a place where you fit in and feel like you can be yourself without judgement and condemnation.
Who doesn’t love the moment when the little bee girl finds other bees to dance with?
Sadly, vocalist Shannon Hoon died from a drug overdose in 1995 at age 28. The band was never the same after that. They tried to find a replacement singer and did some performances after Shannon’s death, but they could never recapture the glory of that first album.
I never saw them live and this is the only song by them in my top 1000 songs.

I still remember the first time I listened to Living Colour’s debut album, Vivid, in 1988.
One of my friends had purchased the album and said we needed to hear it. He brought it to a Dungeons & Dragons / Pizza party session we were having. We put the album on, and we were all blown away and fell instantly in love with it. We probably listened to it a dozen times that day. And we probably all ran out and bought our own copy the next day.
I saw Living Colour live that year in support of Vivid at the Eagles Club in Milwaukee. It was my first and only time participating in a mosh pit. I’ve survived with nothing worse than a bloodied big toe from getting stepped on so many times. Oh, good times.
I have seen them live several times after that.
This song and this album are still staples of my music rotation.
Although the song is the first track on the album, The Cult of Personality was the second single. It reached #9 in America and won a Grammy as well as several other awards.
The lyrics focus on the charisma of leaders without dividing them by citations of being good or evil. They are all leaders that share the skill of persuasion over multitudes of people, convincing them to surrender their individualism for a herd mentality.
As I have said, I have seen them live several times. Seven of their songs made it onto my best 1000 songs ever. And there is still one more song of theirs I haven’t not yet revealed and placed higher. When this happens, I will put the # – ??? sign up.
For me, Cult of Personality is their 2nd best song.

# – ?????
#97 – The Cult of Personality
#205 – Glamour Boys
#296 – Middle Man
#339 – I Want To Know
#489 – Open Letter To A Landlord
#719 – Information Overload

I will try not to say too much about the album itself yet because the album, Allied Forces, Triumph’s 5th album, released in 1981, is one of the best rock albums ever made.
Ordinary Man is just one of several classic tracks from that amazing album – and more songs will be revealed later.
For now, Ordinary Man, stands at #96 but could have easily been higher. I’ve listened to this song a thousand times over and I will listen to it a thousand more times. It is that good. The energy, the vocals, the guitars, the lyrics, it all comes together in such perfection.
The song was never released as a single, but it got plenty of rotation on AOR stations despite that.
The lyrics challenge the listener to question the norms of society, to pushback against conformity, and to embrace one’s own uniqueness.
Triumph is one of my favorite all-time bands although I never got to see them live, one of my biggest regrets.
There are 21 songs by Triumph in my top 1000 favorite songs.
There are still 5 more Triumph songs to come.
Seriously, if you really want to hear some great rock music, go listen to Triumph, especially the songs on this list.
Any guesses at the five songs not yet selected?

# – ???
# – ???
# – ???
# – ???
# – ???
#96 – Ordinary Man
#111 – Fool For Your Love
#154 – Lay It On The Line
#184 – Allied Forces
#211 – Hold On
#319 – Somebody’s Out There
#345 – If Only
#366 – Follow Your Heart
#417 – On And On
#552 – Say Goodbye
#634 – Tears In The Rain
#700 – I Live For The Weekend
#773 – Let The Light
#786 – Hot Time
#846 – When The Lights Go Down
#899 – A World Of Fantasy

That’s it for now.
What do you think of these selections?
Are they worthy of the top 100?
Would any of these have been in your top 100 songs of all time?
I may yet post the next 5 later this weekend, if I have time.

96 – Triumph – Ordinary Man
97 – Living Colour – Cult of Personality
98 – Blind Melon – No Rain
99 – Creed – One Last Breath
100 – Cheap Trick – Dream Police

Best Songs Ever 101 – 110

Best Songs Ever 111 – 120

Best Songs Ever 121 – 130

Best Songs Ever 131 – 140

Best Songs Ever 141 to 150

Allen M Werner is the author of the epic dark fantasy series
The Crystal Crux