Marion's "Top 50 Albums" List

Rolling Stone magazine recently published its updated "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list. I looked through the list, and read some of the specific choices submitted by a few of the voting critics. That was fun, so, lover of lists, music, and individual differences that I am, I was inspired to try and make a Top 50 albums list of my own. A perfect project for a pandemic, and though it seemed daunting, I know these things are never rigid and I can change it next week if I want to. I cheated by only allowing one album per artist/band. That helped a little. 

I almost didn't include a Beatles album, but in the end I replaced NEBRASKA by Bruce Springsteen with a Beatles album. I was scared of getting yelled at by Beatles fanatics, but I am prepared to take the punches from Springsteen fanatics. I picked The Beatles 1967-1970. That's the blue one, not the red one. Most of my favourite Beatles songs are on that compilation. 

There was no question that Steve Earle had to be on this list, but I had such a hard time deciding which album to choose. I really like SO YOU WANNA BE AN OUTLAW and GHOSTS OF WEST VIRGINIA, but they are so recent and I always think I should choose albums that have already stood the test of time. I love GUITAR TOWN as much as everyone else does, but I went with TRANSCENDENTAL BLUES because I love "Steve's Last Ramble" and "Galway Girl" so much.

Shortlisted artists who, sadly, got eliminated and deserve an honourable mention (because on a different day they might have made the cut) are: Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, Leonard Cohen, Guy Clark, Tom Zé, Bruce Springsteen, Brian Eno, Merle Haggard, Townes Van Zandt, Iggy Pop/The Stooges, Kris Kristofferson, Patti Smith, Flamin' Groovies, The Cramps, The Band, Los Lobos, Kleenex/LiLiPUT, Husker Dü, Sam Cooke, Iris Dement, Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Roxy Music, and The Sonics (I'm sure I'm forgetting some). My apologies to all of you because you deserve to be included.

I refused to drive myself crazy trying to rank my list in order of preference, so I will do it alphabetically. Enjoy.

Beatles- 1967-1970 (blue album)

Chuck Berry- THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION

Billy Bragg and Wilco- MERMAID AVENUE, Vol. 1

James Brown- STAR TIME

Buzzcocks- SINGLES GOING STEADY

Johnny Cash- COMPLETE SUN MASTERS

The Clash- THE CLASH

The Coasters- THE COASTERS

Elvis Costello and the Attractions- THIS YEAR'S MODEL

Creedence Clearwater Revival- WILLY AND THE POOR BOYS

Fats Domino- THE BEST OF FATS DOMINO

Bob Dylan- HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED

Steve Earle- TRANSCENDENTAL BLUES

Dave Edmunds- TRAX ON WAX 4

Joe Ely- HONKY TONK MASQUERADE

Flipper- ALBUM-GENERIC FLIPPER

Lefty Frizzell- A PROPER INTRODUCTION TO LEFTY FRIZZELL: SHINE SHAVE SHOWER

The Jam- ALL MOD CONS

George Jones- THE ESSENTIAL GEORGE JONES

The Kinks- THE KINKS ARE THE VILLAGE GREEN PRESERVATION SOCIETY

Jerry Lee Lewis- THE ESSENTIAL JERRY LEE LEWIS (THE SUN COLLECTION)

Little Richard- THE ESSENTIAL LITTLE RICHARD

Nick Lowe- LABOUR OF LUST

The Modern Lovers- THE MODERN LOVERS

Van Morrison- MOONDANCE

New York Dolls- TOO MUCH TOO SOON

Graham Parker and The Rumour- SQUEEZING OUT SPARKS

Gram Parsons- GRIEVOUS ANGEL

The Pogues- RUM, SODOMY, AND THE LASH

John Prine- JOHN PRINE

Bonnie Raitt- GIVE IT UP

The Ramones- LEAVE HOME

Tabu Ley Rochereau- THE VOICE OF LIGHTNESS, Vol. 2

The Rolling Stones- EXILE ON MAIN STREET

Sex Pistols- NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS

Stiff Little Fingers- INFLAMMABLE MATERIAL

Talking Heads- MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD

Television- MARQUEE MOON

Texas Tornados- TEXAS TORNADOS

Toots and the Maytals- THE VERY BEST OF TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS

The Troggs- VINTAGE YEARS

The Undertones- THE UNDERTONES

The Velvet Underground and Nico- THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO

Kitty Wells- THE ESSENTIAL RECORDINGS

Hank Williams- 40 GREATEST HITS

Lucinda Williams- CAR WHEELS ON A GRAVEL ROAD

X- UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN

X-Ray Spex- GERMFREE ADOLESCENTS

Neil Young- EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS NOWHERE

Warren Zevon- WARREN ZEVON

I even sell it.

I even sell my art! Art for sale.

I have been drawing!

I have been neglecting this blog for the past few years, but I'm ready to start paying attention to it again! While away, I've been drawing a lot. Here's a look at my stuff: My Art

Marion's Art: A Bunch of Other People.

Marion's Art: Film Directors.

I think I'm Satan and I didn't even know it.

I was walking along Ste. Catherine Street yesterday, going to get my eyebrows waxed. When I reached the salon, there was a man standing alone in the doorway next door. He looked at me then at the invisible person next to him, pointed directly at me and said, "LOOK AT HER!" He looked at me again then back at his invisible friend and added "SHE THINKS SHE'S SATAN!!!" I need to start getting my eyebrows waxed more frequently.

Three, no, two reasons why not to die...

A few years ago, I was driving to Vermont for the weekend. My older daughter and her friend were in the car, and so was my younger daughter. It was the middle of winter and my younger daughter, who was about six at the time, was looking forward to swimming in the indoor pool at the hotel. Though it was quite cold outside, the sun was strong and it was hot in the car. She was sitting directly in the sun in the back seat of the car squirming in discomfort. She said to us, "I can think of three reasons why I don't want to die today. One, I really want to go swimming today. Two, I don't want to get any closer to that sun than I have to, and three... wait, there are two reasons, not three."