A Countdown Decades in the Making

     I've decided to do something that will be both reckless and innocuous at the same time.  Starting next week, I will be doing a countdown of all the songs that were number one the week of my birthday.  Every day, on my Facebook page, I will be including a link or other posting of each song.  I will be going in descending order, so that the songs I like best will be closer to my actual fiftieth birthday.  Ouch.  However, I won't be telling anyone that I will be doing it.  I will just be posting random songs, mixed in with my regular posts.  I wonder what people will be thinking, if they never look at the link to my blog page.  Seriously, people will think I'm crazy by posting links to the worse songs these first few weeks.  Sure, they went to number one, but that doesn't mean that they held up well to the march of time.  If someone asks, I will tell them the reason, but only to those who ask.  I want the surprise to build.  Somewhere around the top ten, I will announce the reason, but not before then.  I got the idea from when I was posting songs/mix tape list to various friends on their birthdays.  Unfortunately, there aren't that many birthdays this time of year, or that many friends I feel confident enough to send them such things without ticking them off.  Anyway, I am currently sorting through my list of songs into four categories.  First, there are the songs that were just plain bad, but somehow reached number one.  I'm talking about one-hit wonders, flash-in-the-pan rappers, and artists from the 60s (or 50s) trying to make a last-ditch comeback.  Next, there are the songs that really weren't too bad, but they just didn't connect with me.  Mostly, these are the artists and genres that are outside my wheelhouse.  After that are the songs that were critical favorites, but I still didn't really like.  These are the songs that won awards or reached great milestones, but I still don't care about them.  Still, they deserve to be place high just on those accomplishments.  Finally, there are the songs I really, really, like.  Some might be good, but they might be bad.  These songs could be easily forgotten (actually, most of those are in the first group), but I am fortunate enough to have a pretty good variety of great songs to chose from.  I'm guessing about a third of the songs could be placed here.  This might make my job harder.  I'll mention something more closer to the actual end date, probably the entire list.  I will have to include an addendum for the song that is number one on my birthday next year.  Hopefully, I won't have to change the list too much.