DBT #410 Top Songs of 2025 - Dave's Dozen
Here is the companion post to my Dave's Dozen Top Albums of 2025, here's the link to that:
Now other years I have approached my top songs differently, so this year I still used iTunes to sort out the most played, and then choose these twelve songs eliminating any songs from the top albums; it just seemed fair. Plus this gives me a better picture of the year given both playlists. Many of these songs also had more plays because they were on favorite playlists of mine. Starting in the left hand corner which was in random order picked by iTunes, let's have a listen:
1) Wild Cotton - Of a Feather
2025 will forever be tied with seeing Sara Morgan live for the first time when she and Kelly Hunt played in Madison at one cool as hell bar, Harmony Bar & Grill. It will be the year that the two also decided (and were allowed by Kelly's label) to form a duo named Of a Feather. I have a few videos from the night, but I did capture this song:
No Bandcamp links, and yes I had to venture back into Apple music to buy the song and the studio version sounds like this; and it was also featured in Licensed to Feel Edition 382
2) The Beautiful Waitress - Austin Lounge Lizards
Probably helped being in two playlists that got this song in my Dave's Dozen for the year. First it was in Working for a Living Edition 381, and then it quickly inspired Waitress Edition 383. Heck I love the song, and need more music from this group. Speaking of waitresses, last night Lori and I stopped out to Uno Venti a great pizza place in LaCrosse. It was at about 7:30 and they were obviously swamped earlier (they have a prime spot near two venues and people love to stop there before the show including us) and when we sat down it looked like only one waitress was left. I commented that it must have been busy and she said it was and of course like so many eating establishments they were short staffed. Then she said it was one of the worse nights she had, and was crying at one point because one table called her the worse waitress ever. Dang people are such assholes. She looked like she was still uncoiling from the stress, and was a wonderful waitress that both my wife and I thanked her. It was only a $45 bill, so a $15 tip felt right. I hope she survives in the trade, people who keep at that job are both saints and people you want to hug and love.
3) Babylon's Falling - Martin Gilmore
Martin album "Thea is a Light Blue" is also very good, but when I put this song in Up and Out Edition No. 362 it got more attention and plays.
4) Badger Boy in Blue - Valley Fox
I really like this old sounding story put out by a talented group I just got a glimpse part of them during Mile of Music. They made it into this little snippet video.
If you want to fast forward they are at 2:02.
Yes "Bear Dance" was my first album I bought from them, and this song also made a Monday Morning Song too.
5) Lighting in the Sun - Good Enough
It looks like I might have really loved the playlist Up and Out Edition No. 362 because it looks like there are FOUR songs from that playlist. Here is the second from a local group and written by a friend Dan Modaff.
6) Could Have Been The Wine - Lynn Crossett
Ha... I bet it could have been the playlist Wine It's Time Edition 366 that help earn this song a spot in the Dave's Dozen; but you know it was the inspiration for the playlist. I do need more of him in the library.
7) While the Sun is Standing Still - Kevin Neidig
The third song from the playlist Up and Out Edition No. 362. I met Kevin at SERFA.
8) The Ghost of Hobo Bill - Charlie Roth
Boy I love this song, and yes it did sneak into the Haunting series specifically Volume IV. (fancy Roman numerals eh?) I still have no idea why Charlie has this "Oh My Stars" album out on a Scotland label in Bandcamp but only other one he has out there feels like a demo album "Stepping Lightly" without a cover. Ha... I bought it anyway just to get it into the library.
Here's a great video of the song too:
9) Cotton Candy Sky - Admiral Radio
The fourth and final song from the playlist Up and Out Edition No. 362. We were lucky to catch this duo twice this year SERFA and Mile of Music. They are such a treat, I would travel a good four hours to catch one of their shows if they get back up near un.
Of course their teacher creativity pops up again in this cool video and it was shared in Edition no. 362
For this playlist, I'm going to include this live video; aren't they as sweet as apple butter!
10) The Maker - Willie Nelson
I replaced Willie's album Teatro this year in my library. I really don't know how I owned it and lost it; but with Daniel Lanois produced this gem. (I kind of collect albums that he produced too.) I played the CD upstairs for my wife and she also commented that this was one of his album gems with Emmylou on backup vocals. Oh yeah, I also did sneak into the Haunting series specifically Volume IV.
11) The Captain - Leonard Cohen
Our trip this year to Mile of Music I was lucky to hit a couple vinyl stores, and in one antique collection of stores I picked up a deal on Various Positions. It was on my list and it is an incredible vinyl from Leonard. No bad songs anywhere, and this song I was not as familiar with before the purchase. Right greatest hits never do an artist true justice. For those of you keeping track, these last two are most played and very old songs and have only my love associated with 2025; and this song was the only one that didn't show up in any other Dave's Basement Tracks post.
12) Kids - Kit Mayer & the Pack
This is truly a favorite from a local LaCrosse legend, and yes it was featured in a Monday Morning Song way back in Feb.
Yes I had a chance to get to Kit's album release show at The Muse Theater in LaCrosse, and I made sure I got a recording of this song for my Around Town Playlist.
Yes there is a One Click YouTube playlist to let pretend you are streaming this in Spotify. You know while I hate the platform, if a reader ever wanted to mirror my playlists in Spotify I would be flattered and not upset. (You would actually get a lot of free content to back it up from the blog.. ha)
Of course you should visit the companion Dave's Dozen Top Albums of 2025 and remember our motto Good Music has NO Expiration Date, so my past Year End lists are pretty cool too.
Next steps:
- Stop over to the Review page to my other most spinned and loved albums.
- Browse the rest of the blogs by stopping at this "Theme Page."
- Enjoy Tune Tuesday which brings you one song from a past blog post.
- See what other post have been most popular recently with our Stats Page.
- Find out who in the world thinks he has the authority to write this blog in the About.
- Let me answer why you won't find the playlists on Spotify here.
- Finally, the Mission page explains why there is no advertising cluttering the page.
If you use Facebook, we have a page "Like" us there and it will help you remember to read the next post
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