1. The Gypsy Rover – The Irish Rovers – A variation on "Gypsy Davies", an early 1800s Irish folk song, it tells the mythic story of a fine Irish Lady who left behind her family and heritage to follow a Gypsy. This version is all Irish lilt and a strong if soft male brogue. When I was a child (this is the first song I remember ever hearing), I had a prettier version with a woman lead singer – Grade: B+
2. Crayon – G-Dragon – Battling it out in my brain for the # 1 position in 2012, this puts the cray into crayon and is the one song I heard this year entirely of its times – Grade: A
3. Windy City – People Get Ready – Where performance art meets performance, I missed out on the band, filled with Yeasayers and Talking Heads session men, but this is a titanic piece of indie dance, a great song and I can't wait to see em on the 10th – Grade: A-
4. The Longest Time – Billy Joel – I often write how I don't feel nostalgia but this makes me miss a girl I dated in 2005. She loved the song and I used to sing it to her and make her laugh (I can't sing) – Grade: A
5. Ghetto – The-Dream And Big Sean – Two of my faves, not much of a song – Grade: B
6. I Do It – Big Sean – This is more like – Grade: A-
7. Waiting For Me – Cat Cosmai – Superb "The Longest Time" rewrite, Cosmai in great voice – Grade: A-
8. Master Of The House – Sacha Baron Cohen – Saved from "Seinfelds" hysterical take on the very meme like song – Grade: B+
9. She Said OK – Big Boi, Theophilius London – It sounds important but it isn't of course, it's new R&B – Grade: B-
10. Guns and Roses – T.I. – With Pink, a deadly serious take on romance with Pink nailing a soaring deeply romantic chorus – Grade: A_