I've been cleaning out my email inboxes most of the day and I came across something I thought I'd post. 2 years ago, the operating partner of my firm proposed a contest: if iTunes came to us and wanted our "Celebrity" top 10 songs, what would make our list?

This is mine:

In no particular order:

*** "Three Days" by Jane's Addiction
As a sheltered high school youth, I developed an obsession with Dave Navarro and his bands: Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction. It's incredibly layered and over 10 minutes long with some great Navarro solos and I used to just envelope myself in this song daily. Years later, I would finally see Navarro and original Jane's drummer Stephen Perkins play with their new (crappy) band The Panic Channel. I was close enough that Navarro kissed my hand during the show and afterwards Perkins took my friend and I on the tour bus to hang out. Over the next few days, I really began to think about how my life had changed since I became aware of Navarro and, in essence, he became aware of me (if only for a moment). 10 years ago, I never could have conceived of the moments and experiences that would take me from a directionless lump in Galveston, Texas to the world-traveled, Berkeley-educated chick partying in San Francisco on 6/6/06. It was an event that renewed my faith in myself and the things that I dream about, even if it seems silly, shallow and/or impossible. A week later, I got my second tattoo so I wouldn't forget. A few weeks later, Navarro split with Carmen Electra, but I swear I had nothing to do with it.

*** "Strangers" by Portishead.
For the past 5 years, people have been telling me that I'd love Portishead and about six months ago, I finally checked them out... I don't listen to many new bands, but they are new(est) to me band that I listen to constantly.

*** "Quisiera Ser" by Alejandro Sanz.
The only guy I've ever met off of MySpace is an incredibly hot fanged-Dutchman named Phillippe. Yes. He has fangs. Imagine Brad Pitt from "Interview with the Vampire" but with Brad's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" buzz cut. I met up with him when I traveled to Barcelona and on my last day there, we had lunch, shared gelato and wandered the streets of Barcelona and stopped off at this English-language used bookstore owned by this crazy American hippie. It was there that I found a copy of Sanz's "El Alma al Aire" CD for € 0.60. The CD is cheesy pop, which sucks musically, but its a great way to practice Spanish pronunciation.

*** "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails
My all time favorite NIN song (and I'm not ashamed to admit it). Trent's voice makes this one of the hottest songs EVER, not to mention Marilyn Manson came up with the infamous chorus (Manson's Reznor-produced album "Antichrist Superstar" is one of my "If you were marooned on an island..." albums). I will always love the video image of Reznor rotating in mid-air.

***"Dirty Harry" by Gorillaz
"Demon Days" is one of the most solid albums I've heard in recent years. I've played "Dirty Harry" to death, but it will always be special to me because in some Ally-McBeal-sian way, I would love this to be my theme song. Like, I'd love to be cool enought that I enter a room and this song begins to play...

*** "Girls Girls Girls" covered by Richard Cheese.
Richard Cheese does incredibly fun lounge/jazz covers of (uncensored) rock and rap songs. It's some of the best background music ever created ("Apertif for Destruction" is a good album to start with). While I do prefer other songs he's covered ("Rock the Casbah," "Personal Jesus" and "Gin and Juice" for example ) I picked this song because I'm currently reading "The Dirt," a bio on Motley Crue.

*** "Citizen Erased" by MUSE
When I went to Rome for my 25th birthday I met Dave the Aussie (who moved to Rome to study violin making). His favorite band was MUSE and since he was planning to fly to another country just to see these guys play, I figured they were worth checking out. Singer Matt Bellamy is a ridiculously talented rock guitarist and classically trained pianist, which is rare to find expressed on one album, let alone in the same song...or simultaneously by the same guy! One of the richest sounding rock trios you can find, that totally deliver in concert. I've seen them 3 times and if I didn't despise moshing-rock crowds, I'd be seeing them next month. Skip "Showbiz" and check out any of their other albums.

*** "If I Fell" live version covered by Maroon 5.
The Beatles are one of my all-time faves and I'm definitely a fan of the film "A Hard Days Night," however, Maroon 5 did an amazing cover and it makes my list. I first saw Maroon 5 open for Nikka Costa in early 2002 and became a huge fan. I annoyed family and friends about them for 2 years...until they became media darlings...then MTV and commercial radio annoyed people for me. When I was in Scotland, their 1.22.03 Acoustic was released and as a devoted fan, I immediately bought it. The gem of that album is "If I Fell" which isn't so much a band cover as it is a vehicle for singer Adam Levine to do what he does best...

*** "Pagan Poetry" by Bjork
Favorite song by this Icelandic pixie. She gets props for the banned video which is a fascinating contrast to the songs imagery of motherhood. Really great to listen to if I'm in a semi-down mood and just wanna space out.

*** "The End" by The Doors Really, do I need to say anything?

Songs Omitted: Street Spirit (Fade out) by Radiohead; "Sweet Jane" version by Cowboy Junkies

Here is what the Judge had to say about my list:
In second place: What can we say—the judges believe that D’s playlist would set records if actually sold on itunes. To be sure, if the music alone didn’t draw them in, D’s vivid descriptions of the songs’ meanings to her would. Dave Navarro, the Dutchman named Phillippe, a reference to Ally McBeal, this playlist has it all—even an artist named Richard Cheese. D, well done.

I won a $25 gift card to iTunes (which I later used upgrade my iTouch's software). ;-)

Now it's two years later... I'll have to think about what would make my top ten nowadays...