# How many favorite songs do you have? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078 "2008-11-04T16:59:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/1 "2008-11-04T16:59:04Z")
My local NPR station is about to do a show wherein they make callers choose their one favorite song. Just one. I’ve been thinking about it every time the promos come on, and there is NO WAY I could choose one favorite song. I can’t even choose one favorite song from my favorite artist! If you really, really made me, I could probably get it down to 7. _Maybe_ 5, but no lower than that. I’ve got at least two Alison Krauss songs, a couple of hymns, and plenty of miscellany. How many favorite songs do you have? Could you get down to just one favorite song? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/2 "2008-11-04T17:03:16Z")
Yes. Lies by Stan Rogers is my all-time favorite. Perfect song. But yes, it would be easier to pick favorite\* in a particular genre\*. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/3 "2008-11-04T17:20:38Z")
Currently I stream either of these 2 radio stations from di.fm. Electro most of the time. I’ve streamed from this site over 6 years. I’m happy they’ve finally added the Electro channel a couple months ago. I don’t have a favorite song at the moment. Electro House [Listen](http://www.di.fm/wma/electro.asx) Chillout - [Listen](http://www.di.fm/wma/chillout.asx) ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/4 "2008-11-04T17:41:50Z")
Of course it’s absurd. That’s part of the fun. Default answer: “In My Life,” by the Beatles. It’s actually harder for me to try and quantify the number of my favorite songs than to just pick one. I’d guess it’s more than 20 and less than 50, though. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/5 "2008-11-05T00:04:42Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/6 "2008-11-05T00:14:22Z")
By definition, I have exactly one favorite song. Wouldn’t be able to tell you what it is though since it’s so hard to narrow down. I think I’ve listened to Paul Reviere by the Beastie Boys more than any other song throughout my lifetime. Since March 2006, when I first starting logging the songs via Last.fm, I’ve listened to Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker the most. The runner up would be Flowers On The Wall by the Statler Brothers. If I had to choose, it would probably be Flowers on the Wall since I can relate to it. There are so many other great songs out there though. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/7 "2008-11-05T00:24:28Z")
Just one. Rush - Natural Science. ---
**Author:** ![Emery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Emery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emery)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/8 "2008-11-05T00:38:04Z")
This is easy. Don’t Look Back - Boston. A fairly close second would be Hitch a Ride by Boston, with Desperado (the Clint Black version) coming in third. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/9 "2008-11-05T16:40:01Z")
Just over 400 according to my last.fm. There’s no way I’m picking just one. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/10 "2008-11-05T19:32:34Z")
Impossible. I’d have to choose strategically: gun to my head, favorite album? Kate Bush’s\* The Dreaming\*. First song I think of on that album? “The Dreaming.” Still, it’s not the first I’d put on a favorites disc . . . “Bohemian Rhapsody”? “Scary Monsters, Super Creeps”? “Big Electric Cat”? “Calling All Angels”? Nope, can’t do it: the titles are proliferating in my head beyond my capacity to keep up with them. ---
**Author:** ![Euryphaessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Euryphaessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euryphaessa)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/11 "2008-11-05T19:53:00Z")
Pearl Jam - In My Tree. That’s my very favorite, then there are a whole bunch of other songs tied for 2nd. The second favorites list changes, but In My Tree has been the constant favorite for about 4 years now. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/12 "2008-11-05T19:55:53Z")
Southern Cross - Crosby, Stills & Nash I’ve heard it hundreds of times and it’s still my favorite of all-time. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/13 "2008-11-06T01:56:57Z")
I only have one favorite song. At a time. Of course, that song can change from minute to minute, and perhaps even second to second. Current favorite song: _Our Song_ by Taylor Swift ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/14 "2008-11-06T02:01:45Z")
I couldn’t possibly only have one favorite song, but if ya made me choose anyway, I’d pick “Welcome to My Nightmare” by Alice Cooper. No surprises there. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/15 "2008-11-06T02:09:30Z")
Maybe five that I can listen to over and over and over again. Tiger Feet by Mud and Hardware Store by Weird Al are the first two that come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/16 "2008-11-06T02:26:01Z")
I have about 25-50 songs that I’d call my “favorite”. The list fluctuates in that those 25 may change places or something, or get bumped down into the top 50, but they’ll come back up. Right now the #1 spot is probably something by Steve Miller as it usually is. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/17 "2008-11-06T02:53:28Z")
I currently have 189 songs (out of 9803) in iTunes that I’ve given a 5-star rating to. Still, it’s surprisingly easy to come up with a top spot. For years, it’s been “[White Mice](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V7PomVtlz4)” by The Mo-Dettes. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/18 "2008-11-06T08:57:08Z")
I dunno - lately, I’ve come to realise that sometimes, there’s a song so perfect, so right, that it stays your favourite for life while every other song you like sort of orbits it jostling for second place. That years of fighting it and trying to be egalitarian was all just a sham. And _Love Will Tear Us Apart_ is that song for me. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/19 "2008-11-06T10:25:59Z")
“Louie, Louie” by the Kingsmen. The most perfect rock song ever written, played with panache. video - [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0V4NRBQ7as](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0V4NRBQ7as) (to be fair, the recorded version is better than the slowed down white bread performance, but hey, it’s hard to find video of these guys) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-favorite-songs-do-you-have/471078/20 "2008-11-06T16:46:11Z")
Aw, jeez, it’s impossible to say. Depends on my mood, what I just heard, what thought just popped into my head, etc. When I got an iPod, I thought I’d probably have a couple of hundred songs on it at the very most. I’ve now got over 1,100 and am always on the lookout for more! My playlists have grown to eight, with more than twenty songs on each. I love 'em all. If you held a gun to my head I could break it out by genre, I suppose, although I wince at how much I have to exclude: Contemporary Rock: “In Love With a Girl,” by Gavin DeGraw Classic Rock: “Mr. Blue Sky,” by ELO R&B: “Cold Day in Hell,” by Ike Turner Hip Hop/Rap: “California Love,” by Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur Soundtrack: “Dawn” from _Pride & Prejudice_, by Dario Marianelli Dance: “Bailamos,” by Enrique Iglesias Religious: “Strange Man,” by Dorothy Love Coates Classical: “The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba,” by Handel March: “Semper Fidelis,” by Sousa