Finally, the last five. And I have a feeling a few people, in particular, will adore the top five.
The Year-End Crazy Ambition Presents:
The Top 40 Non-Singles of 2007!
[5] Nine Inch Nails - Zero-Sum
-- The closing track on Nine Inch Nails' groundbreaking album
Year Zero is also, pretty easily, one of its best, if not THE best. In the tradition of great Nails final tracks like "Hurt", "Suck" and "Right Where It Belongs", 'Zero-Sum" follows suit with a beast all its own, with one of the most memorable choruses, not just of this year, but maybe of this decade. The lyrics are quite great("May God have mercy on our dirty little hearts"), but the music is what truly makes it amazing, with a piano lurking beneath the surface for most of the song, until it takes over on the chorus. You know how I always talk about songs sending chills down my spine? This entire song sends chills down my spine. It is that incredible of a song. It is, to me, one of the best closing tracks of all time, and one of my favorite songs of the entire year, bar none.
[4] Nine Inch Nails - Me, I'm Not
-- At one time, this was my favorite song of the year, bar none. While it's not quite #1 now, it still holds up quite well as one of my favorite songs of the entire year. Quite the accomplishment, especially since it leaked ten months ago. What really gets me about this song is the chorus, where Trent does his best Fonzie impersonation(
), but it also sounds like Trent is about to lose his mind at any moment, and this song is the only thing keeping him from doing so. By the end, he just stops singing and lets the music end the road. "If I take it all back, someway, somehow, if I knew back then what I know right now!" You rule, Trent. You really do.
[3] Korn - Ever Be
-- First of all, if you couldn't tell, yes, the top five is all Korn and Nine Inch Nails. Damnit, they had, by far, the two best albums of the year, I had to give them props somehow. Anywho, here is another song that, at one time, was my favorite song of the year. Sensing a trend yet? Regardless, "Ever Be" is still, to me, the most epic track on their untitled album. I have found a bit to complain about when it comes to this song(the lyrics, mostly), but they don't take away the final two minutes, which may still be the best two minutes in any song this year. The first time Jonathan sings, "YOUUUUU WILL NEVER BE", it gets to me, but the second time is when I get lost in the song, only to return when the song ends. It happens to me EVERY. ****ING. TIME. I have been listening to this song for months now, and I still find myself being immersed in the song at the same exact moment. Now that's staying power.
[2] Korn - Starting Over
-- I agonized over the top two for quite a while. Do I go with a song that started off my favorite album of the year? Or do I go with the song that resonated with me more? In the end, I decided to relegate "Starting Over" to #2 for that same reason, but I'm not taking anything away from the song, by any means. This song, in one fell swoop, caused me to fall in love with the album. A much more subdued JD in the beginning of the track along with quite atmospheric music playing in the background alone is worthy of inclusion on this list, but there's way more to it than that. Its chorus is a thing of beauty, and the end of the song, in particular, stands out. I can remember the first time that I listened to this song, and how overcome I was, emotionally, at the 2:53 mark. Every single freaking time I listen to this song, at that exact moment, I have the same emotion that I did the first time I listened to the song. I find myself singing along with JD's anguished vocals every time, and every single time, it feels special. The entire untitled album of theirs is special, but this song, to me, is the most special of them all.
[1] Nine Inch Nails - In This Twilight
-- And so, we have reached #1, and it belongs, SURPRISE!...to the Nine Inch Nails and "In This Twilight". This song...I really don't know what to say. I'm afraid that what I could say will not do this absolutely incredible song justice, though I will try my best. I think that this song was my darker side of release at my lowest point. Now, before you say anything, I realize that this song has more to do with death than anything else, and that's definitely the meaning I get from it when I listen to the song, but I think that I could also apply this song to a deep, dark depression, and I also like to think that this song could be speaking of someone's suicide, who just wants to get away from all of his or her problems and get away from it all. Yes, this song does not paint a pretty picture, no matter what meaning you get from it, but it is also a beautifully made song, with some of my favorite Trent vocals within. I find this to be a song that really spoke to me in a time when nothing else seemed to be getting through to me, as well as a song that I have absolutely no qualms referring to as my #1 non-single of the year 2007.
And, finally, that's the end of that chapter. Next up is the Worst Songs list, along with two songs that were the "in-betweens", if you will. See you then.