With The Great Songs series, my aim is simple: To offer up a different set of tunes as classic canon. Sometimes, the listmania that I suffer from is capitalized on by big mainstream outlets–everyone from Rolling Stone and Spin to VH1 and any number of cool British mags.

Critical consensus is a dangerous thing, so while you may see a couple songs on this list that pop up on other mainstream lists of important and classic rock tunes, most of theses choices will not be there.

Guided by Voices is a band that fits perfectly into the idea of The Great Songs. Every now and then a song comes around that is so perfect; so stunningly different in its simplicity that it makes you feel energized about the possibilities of rock music all over again. “Motor Away” is one of those songs.

Like classic hip hop and comic books? Then this post is for you! Flickr user kennykeil has spoofed some classic album covers using various comic book characters including Jean Grey, Spider-Man, Green Lantern Mogo, and Doctor Doom, among others. Check out the full gallery.

[via Techland]

If you are looking for big-guitar rock n’ roll teen anthems, it doesn’t get any better than the opening track of off Cheap Trick‘s 1978 album “Heaven Tonight.”

“Surrender” is my favorite anthem ever, hands down–which is weird, considering it has some of the most bizarre lyrics ever heard in a mainstream rock hit.

Read about and listen to two versions of Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” right here.

While everyone else in the rock underground were wearing paisley shirts and doing their best to imitate the English New Wave, The Replacements were getting drunk and singing about growing up, being confused, and being pissed off.

In 1984, they released “Let it Be” (the title chosen to get the goat of their manager, a big Beatles fan, and to prove that nothing is sacred) on a tiny Minneapolis indie label called Twin/Tone. It may not have seemed too important at the time, but now its regarded as one of the finest rock albums ever recorded. (Spin called it the 12th Greatest Record of All-Time.)

Written by Paul Westerberg, who always sang as if the weight of the world were on his shoulders (and he could give a fuck), “Unsatisfied” is simple, repetitive, loose, and perfect.

Read about and listen to The Great Songs: The Replacements – “Unsatisfied” here.

When I say Guns N’ Roses do you think bluegrass music? No? Well… This is the bluegrass band Iron Horse with their version of “Paradise City” from their Guns N’ Roses tribute album Take Me Home. Take a listen…

guns n roses bluegrass version of paradise city

While it’s well known that Scene-Stealers Eric and this site have a long history, you might not realize that the connection is actually older than the name “dadsbigplan” (let alone Transbudda). Eric, along with Bill McShane and the incomparable Nick Colby were pop Tri-Force that was Ultimate Fakebook, which just happened to be one of my all time favorite Kansas City/Lawrence/Manhattan bands. After 3 full-lengths and one EP Fakebook called it a day back in 2003, but after a handful of reunion shows over the last two years the boys decided it was high time to unleash their vault of demos, b-sides, and never-were’s unto the world. UFB made unabashedly fun pop-rock at a time when pop was nearly a dirty word (stupid 90′s), and if wall-to-wall infectious hooks laid atop songs unafraid to rock out with its uh, sock out are your thing, I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Tomorrow marks the launch of their new self-released Daydream Radio is Smiling Static, and I for one could not be more pleased. Check out their teaser:

Or head over to UFBROCKS.COM for a free download of the tune “Wallflower Zero”. I’ve heard a handful of the tracks, and there’s a lot of UFB love to be had therein. Now all that’s left for me to do is shake my monkey fists at Eric at the Scott Pilgrim screening tonight until he produces my vinyl copy….

Wow. Here’s an amazing mashup for “Come Again” from Uptime / Downtime, the latest album of The Kleptones, featuring everyone from The Beatles to The Beastie Boys set to an amazing set of dancing clips you’re sure to recognize (Singing in the Rain, West Side Story, Napoleon Dynamite, Mary Poppins, Footloose, She’s All That, Hair, Flashdance, Center Stage, Showgirls, Grease, some classic Fred and Ginger, and so much more).

Kleptones – Come Again (Beatles vs Rare Earth vs Beaties vs Daft Punk vs Cypress Hill vs Boston) Video

This is The Mynabirds peforming songs from their album What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood including “Numbers Don’t Lie,” “Let the Record Go,” and “What We Gained in the Fire” at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen in the NPR Music office. Have a listen.

NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert: The Mynabirds

Want to hear Adam West performing “Miranda” from Batmania: Songs Inspired By The Batman TV Series? Of course you do! Who in their right mind wouldn’t! Rumors are West used to perform the number (which includes references to the show) in complete costume. Now that’s something I wish I could have seen. Thanks to Chris Sims for bringing this forgotten gem to our attention!

Adam West – Miranda via Comics Alliance

A new generation of kids were probably turned onto this song when Jack Black sang it in “High Fidelity.” If you’re one of them, it’s time to check out The Master.

From the 1973 album of the same name, “Let’s Get it On” was inspired by Marvin Gaye‘s infatuation with a girl who had just graduated from high school.

In the ongoing Scene-Stealers series The Great Songs, Eric takes a look at the sexiest song ever recorded.

Listen to Marvin Gaye sing “Let’s Get it On” and read about its backstory/why its so badass right here.