Finishing off yesterday’s post with the Top 5.

5. Stone In Love – Journey (1981) – “Those crazy nights, I do remember in my youth, I do recall, those were the best times, most of all.” Okay so maybe not so crazy and likely equaled or surpassed for best times over the years but still a sucker for those reminiscing tunes that get better as you get older and good tunes never get old.

4. Turn To Stone – ELO (1977) – Dig how this one fades in from nothingness and keeps driving for about four more minutes. A cool mix of voice and tune with traditional and unique instrumentation as only the Electric Light Orchestra (and Jeff Lynne) could do. The call and response mix of lead vocal with harmony and/or strings is a winner.

3. Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits (1978) – I have no musical ability nor do I know any technical details of guitar hijinks. Nope, I rely directly on how it feels I guess for lack of a better description, kind of hard to put into words, but you know what I mean.  At any rate, Mark Knopfler’s work on this one feels really good. And always found a rock band singing a song about a rock band to be fun (see also Shooting Star, Jukebox Hero, Rock & Roll Band…)

2. The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy (1976) – Rock and roll at its finest. Ever remember the old “Name That Tune” show and the daring move of “I can name that tune in one note?” Got this one covered.  And you want lyrics? How about fighting, drinking, a jukebox, some crazy “cats” and one feisty “chick”? Folks, if I ever get around to narrowing down my Top 100 lifetime playlist, this one’s got a spot.

1. Killer Queen – Queen (1974) – First Queen cut I remember hearing on the radio, dug it ever since and can name that tune in one finger snap. Quirky, overblown, unique, distinctive in retrospect with so much more fun to come from this foursome. Still a winner over 40 years later as my six year old, Zac, makes requests for “dynamite with a laser beam.” Classic.

With that, another batch of trip tunes bites the dust. We’ll see what the next six weeks or so holds in store in terms of fishing trips to determine whether I wander off on this tangent again. Top 5 Update headed your way tomorrow and have another fishing report for next week detailing yesterday’s outing across The River. Talk to you later. Troy