Thanks for all of your inputs, I’m getting my list narrowed down and now I need your help sifting out the best songs from various bands and artists. I’m trying not to repeat artists. So what’s the best piece of work from each of the following? Please state your case.

Bruce Springsteen (Knee jerk is to just put “Born to Run” on the list and call it good, but come on, there’s over a quarter century of music after that. Anything off his “I’m not satisfied with being The Boss, I must be Woodie Guthrie” albums while be ignored with contempt.)

Eric Clapton (Keep it to his solo work. I know, doesn’t help much but…)

The Clash (London Calling? White Riot? Train in Vain? I’m So Bored with the U.S.A.?)

Elvis Costello (Love his initial work in the 70s and 80s. My gut tells me it should be “Radio Radio” but “Oliver’s Army” was almost 20 years ahead of its time.)

Elvis Presley (Devil in Disguise? Hound Dog? Heartbreak Hotel? Suspicious Minds? What song says “ELVIS” to you?)

Def Leppard (Shaddup. When they were good, they were VERY good. But what’s their best?)

Grateful Dead (My favorite Dead song is and always has been “Ripple,” long story that has nothing to do with Cher as a biker chick. But what’s their best song for this list? I’m leaning toward “China Cat Sunflower” but I can be persuaded.)

Green Day (Holiday. We Are the Waiting. Right now it’s between those two. Please no political rants on what’s wrong with “American Idiot,” I’m ignoring politics from now on, but that’s another post.)

Led Zepplin (I’m one of those guys that came late to the Zepplin altar. There’s too much there that I really love. Kashmir is one of those songs that just gets better the more you pay attention to it, but I can say that about most of IV also.)

Pink Floyd (For me, The Wall isn’t even in my library. Never got it. They tell me if I did acid I’d understand…shrug. Still, is it “Money” or something else?)

Santana (I still listen to Supernatural quite a bit, but ignoring his earlier work is criminal.)

Steely Dan (For those of you who froth and holler, “But they’re JAZZ!” umm, okay, whatever, take away my rock’n’roll shoes, but you narrow down their library to ONE good song. I’d be happy if I could narrow it down to a favorite album.)

The Ramones (Blitzkrieg Bop? Sheena is a Punk Rocker? Rock and Roll Radio?)

U2 (Again, I’m not sure what’s my favorite album, much less my favorite song. Some days it’s “Mysterious Ways” and others it’s “One.” Any live version of “Sunday Bloody Sunday” gets my heart going too. Talk me into something.)

ZZ Top (Legs? Sharp Dressed Man? La Grange? Which version of the Texas Shuffle do you prefer?)

As I’ve been working on this I realized that my criteria has narrowed simply out of neccessity. What this really is, is sort of a Rock Soundtrack to my life.