The 75 Best Songs of 2011
Nostalgia Alert! Jump back a decade and enjoy the best songs of 2011. They are headlined by a synthpop classic, a massive hit from a hot diva, pristine harmonies of a young band headed for greatness.
75. They Might Be Giants – “Can’t Keep Johnny Down”
They Might Be Giants aficionados might have guessed that co-leader John Linnell had a fondness for the Smiths when the band released their rarity “Save Your Life”, which sounds suspiciously like a Smiths style parody. “Can’t Keep Johnny Down” isn’t quite as literal a Smiths tribute Linnell sings in his own voice, not a fake English accent, and the bouncing keyboard melody is more TMBG than Morrissey but the song’s malcontent narrator, singing about imagined triumphs over imagined slights, hits a similarly sweet-and-sour tone. Then again, marrying catchy melodies to dark lyrics has always been their specialty; this instant classic proves it’s a talent undiminished by time.