Audio By Carbonatix
Editor’s Note: An abridged version of this article appears in this week’s issue, featuring 100 Songs that Defined Arizona. In celebration of Arizona’s centennial, we’ve rounded up sound clips for (almost) everything featured in our list. Thanks to everyone who submitted song suggestions, all of our guest contributors (John Dixon, Howe Gelb, Kimber Lanning, Sara Cina, and more). Thanks for reading.
“Rejoice despite the fact this world will tear you to shreds/Rejoice because you’re trying your best.” — “Rejoice,” by Andrew Jackson Jihad
The goal of finding Arizona’s 100 greatest songs was hardly easy. We asked our readers to tell us what songs have defined Arizona over the past century. As we combed through e-mail submissions, one thing became clear: Arizona’s musical heritage is as diverse, fascinating, and complicated as the people who live here.
In addition to submissions, we dove into New Times archives, consulted historians, musicians, record collectors, scoured blogs, and slipped into YouTube rabbit holes to complete this list, focusing on artists you might’ve heard any given night in a dusty nightclub or bar.
Read on for entries 76-100, showcasing some of the best music of the last decade. See you in another 100!
2006: “Star Witness,” Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (Anti-)
2006: “This Really Happened,” Fathers Day, This Really Happened (Gilgongo)
2006: “Jeremiah, Stop Taking Bukowski So Seriously,” Peachcake, Now We Have Something to Celebrate (Western Tread)
2006: “Morning Over Midnight,” Fivespeed, Morning Over Midnight (Virgin)
2007: “Faces,” Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Scary Kids Scaring Kids (Immortal)
2007: “Rejoice,” Andrew Jackson Jihad, People Who Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World (Asian Man)
2007: “Sweet Talk,” Dear and the Headlights, Small Steps, Heavy Hooves (Equal Vision)
2008: “Stay,” French Quarter, French Quarter (Gilgongo)
2008: “Desert Music,” Drunken Immortals (self-released)
2008: “Skin from Skull,” Landmine Marathon (Rusted Eyes Awake)
2008: “Cannibal Queen,” Miniature Tigers, Tell It to the Volcano (Modern Art)
2009: “Girl, I Love You,” MC Magic, Magic City Pt. 2 (Nastyboy)
2009: “Phoenix Hambone,” Big Jay McNeely & The Rocket 88’s, AZ Bootin’ (Big Jay McNeely Masters)
2009: “Gravity,” Silver Medallion, single (self-released)
2009: “Push,” Random, The Call (self-released)
2010: “Arpayaso,” Treasure Mammal, The Chronicles of Sheriff Joe (Kingdom Mammalia)
2010: “Go Back to Mexico,” Willy Northpole, A Line in the Sand (New Times)
2010: “Back 2 AZ,” Mr. Miranada, A Line in the Sand (New Times)
2010: “The Buffalo and the Bird,” Courtney Marie Andrews, Painters Hands and the Seventh Son (River Jones Music)
2011: “Yo Solo Quiero,” Curse of the Pink Hearse, Meet the Curse of the Pink Hearse (Butt Shake)”>
2011: “Girl Not Gonna Leave,” What Laura Says, Talk (Sundawg)
2011: “Green Valley,” Puscifer, Conditions of My Parole (Puscifer)
2011: “Once, I Was a Mainsail,” Kinch, Incandenza (self-released)
2011: “Don’t Give Up on Us,” The Maine, Pioneer (Action Theory)
2012: “Ran,” Black Carl, The Fool (self-released)
