The Best 100 Songs of 2000-2009: Part 5/10

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Penitentiary Philosophy (Erykah Badu): the first track from her underrated Mama’s Gun sees Badu’s foray into the ether of funky third-party consciousness. Whereas her previous work dealt with her rebirth, the new direction sought to tackle other stuff and it all started here. ()


There, There (Radiohead): not quite about the state of the environment but more the profit from it, There, There centers on human greed and our inability to just leave things alone. When Yorke warps his lo-fi vocals around the hallowed ending chorus (‘we are accidents/ waiting to happen’) you know doomsday approaches. No wonder Yorke reportedly got teary-eyed when the completed version was played for the first time. He was simply in awe of its brilliance too. ()



Mama, Won’t You Keep Them Castles in the Air and Burning?(Clap Your Hands Say Yeah ): the detached, cold sound of a star burning up in the estimation of others and the backlash wielded as a response. ()



One Armed Scissor (At The Drive-In): not directly evolved from Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust days but the loneliness of space exploration features heavily in this punk-pop romp. There are no hallowed days here though as this is a trip to the ether gone horribly awry and sequenced as such. Utterly devastating. ()



Notorious (Turbulence): a paean to Rasta beliefs and the King Haile Selassie but Turbulence straddles the line with an almost fanatical demonstration that would turn one into a disciple as well. ()



The Way I Am (Eminem): the most biting social commentary put on record this decade, Eminem unleashes his serious side and in the process we see the depression behind the bravura. When he lets loose, ‘…the always keep asking the same fucking question.’ one can hear the jadedness chilling in his voice. ()



Work It (Missy Elliott): ‘I’m not a prostitute/ but I can give you what you wants’, raps Missy and in the process straddles the line of heterosexual male fantasy. The age-old maxim of what a man wants/needs in a woman is funnily explored with her unpretentious style. ()



Go-go Gadget Gospel(Gnarls Barkley): booty-shaking in a can. ()



Handle Me(Robyn): if Bjork ever revisited conventional pop then it’d sound like this brilliant mess. ()



Never Let Me Down(Kanye West feat. Jay Z): Jay spins this wicked retrospection on its head like no other hip/hop joint this decade. ()