1. #41 - Dave Matthews Band
This is quite easily my favorite song of all time. It's actually remained devoid of interpretation for me just because it had such a powerful impact on me. I don't care what it says, or what it's about, listening to this song has a life-changing impact on me. I can't explain it.

2. Jesus on the Radio - Guster
For anyone who's ever seen Guster in concert over the last two years (I know you're out there!), you've seen this song at the end of their set. They come out with no microphones or amps, stand at the front of the stage and sing and play this song together. Standing in the front row right underneath them, the first time I saw this was so moving I put this song at #2.

3. Tunnel - Third Day
As both a Christian and fan of Christian Rock, Third Day is one of my favorite bands. I can't really pick amongst all their songs because they all have special meanings to me, but this one is my current favorite, so the Third Day memorial Third spot goes to it.

4. Scars - Papa Roach
It's hard for me to listen to this song and not think it describes me and my life perfectly.

5. The Brilliant Dance - Dashboard Confessional
This is one of the songs that motivated me to learn how to play guitar, and still probably my favorite one to play. Dashboard has such a unique sound, with the alternate tuning and extra heavy guitar strings, they've managed to bring new life to a very old instrument. This song, without any other instruments in it, exemplifies that sound. It's also an excellent recollection of losing your first love.

6. The General - Dispatch
Dispatch is a great story of an independent band that never signed with a label and still made it big. They'll always be one of my favorites. When I was in Afghanistan, this song was sort of our anti-anthem, because to us - what we were doing was what young men should be doing. It's more of a poem or short story then a song, very unique.

7. Say Goodbye - Dave Matthews Band
First of all, I could listen to Dave Matthews 24 hours a day and never get bored. I don't think I've gone a day in the past 13 years or so without hearing at least one Dave Matthews song save basic training and Ranger School. Second, one night stands with married women are a bad idea. Third, there hasn't been a song by anyone that gave me such a strong mental picture of what was going on while I listened to it. While I can't see myself actually doing this, I can picture myself in the situation perfectly just because he does such a great job describing what he's saying.

8. The Angry American - Toby Keith
This should be self-explanatory. I played this on my MP3 player when I crossed the border into Afghanistan. Regardless of its application or non-application to our present political climate, this song brilliantly captured American sentiment after 9/11.

9. Medicine - Guster
If you've ever gone through a hard time in your life and someone has come to help you just so they could be "the hero," then this song is for you. Or more specifically, for them.

10. 3x5 - John Mayer
After I got out of the Army, I went backpacking across South Africa in an attempt to find myself or something. Sitting on the summit of a mountain by myself, exhausted, watching the clouds roll over the valley and the rest of the Drakensberg range, this song came on my MP3 player. Some things are way too amazing to be put into photographs.

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