Lately I’ve been compiling a list of “perfect songs” in my head. I know this is controversial; I’ve been arguing with myself about it, but right now I have a short list of songs that I think are just perfect.

– Let Down – Radiohead
– Don’t Rain on my Parade – Babs from Funny Girl
– Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suite No 1 in G Major
– Maynonaise – The Smashing Pumpkins

Those of you that know me know there has to be at least one Smashing Pumpkins song on this list, but this is incredibly difficult. I want to say Drown, Mayonaise or Rocket – or maybe all three. Ok, Mayonaise is getting bumped up. (As you have already seen as you read this in the order it is on the page, not the order in which I wrote it.)

I know there has to be an Iron and Wine song on this list too, but reviewing my favorite I&W tracks would probably make me cry as this has been a long, difficult week. So I’ll have to think about that.

Honorable mentions/teetering on the brink
– Common People – Pulp
– 3rd Planet – Modest Mouse
– Come Together – The Beatles (recent addition, I’m still wrestling with this one)
– I kind of want to say I Still Miss Someone – Johnny Cash, but I feel like that one would get bumped from the list – so it’s here but not here

I can’t even begin to decide what Shins song should be on here, if any. According to last.fm I listen to more of them than any other band. (1. The Shins 2. Iron and Wine 3. The Beatles 4. Ani DiFranco 5. The Smashing Pumpkins 6. Dar Williams 7. Johnny Cash 8. Radiohead)

Just writing this post is stressing me out. I’ve been batting these around in my head for weeks, but putting them down on paper (well in pixels) feels so so final. I need to post this and think more. If I add any more now then I am ruining the organic process of discovering perfect songs.