Best song of the past 25 years?

[anotheranon]

VH1's latest "greatest" list and a conversation elsewhere got me to thinking - what are the songs that really made an impact on my musical tastes (I hesitate to say "life" - it is JUST music, after all)?

Given that I've not kept up with the latest musical trends very well, I automatically think back to my teens/early 20s, when music really MATTERED to me, in a passionate, sanity-maintaning kind of way. These two spring immediately to mind:

Joy Division "Atmosphere" - hauntingly beautiful and so wonderfully somber, I'd listen to this one when I needed a really good cry. I still love JD's work, but it is so emotional it's difficult for me to listen to now. This is the one track I can think of that should never be remixed/covered/tampered with - it's breathless as it is.

808 State - "Pacific" - it wasn't love at first listen (more like 3rd or 4th), but this turned my musical landscape upside down my senior year of high school - good-bye goth, hello proto-raver! I had to wait 4 years to go to my first "proper" rave, but this music introduced me to the genre that has influenced my life in so many ways - found me good friends, encouraged me to travel, fed my need for adrenaline, fueled many a road-tripping weekend, and ultimately, led me to D. (ok, so maybe music did affect my life, after all!)

What about y'all?

Comments

Dr. No soundtrack

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Remastered, even (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000087DRV/qid=1055644748/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/103-7364671-7124619). I know it's not the single, but according to the reviews the disc has several versions of "Underneath the Mango Tree" (that track always sticks in my mind whenever I watch the movie!)

Also there are quite a few James Bond theme music comps out there, but most only include the beginning/ending title tracks. I still love Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger".

Re: Dr. No soundtrack

[semmie17.livejournal.com]

I know, and I've drooled over that CD for a long time, but I'm spoiled enough to admit that I just want that *one* song. My bad. :))