Top 5 Wilco Songs

This was bloody impossible, and huge apologies go out to "She's a Jar", "Poor Places" and "Airline to Heaven". This list is evidence of just how much you need to see Wilco live to truly get it. Saying that, I've seen them three times - twice they were phenomenal, but the last time they were frankly dull as dishwater - but then genius is never consistent I guess (I'm talking to you Ryan Adams). But when Wilco are good, they're unstoppable. Of course, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is their masterpiece, and for me, its a record up there in the clouds with Blue, Abbey Road and Love is Hell. But there is wonder to be found all the way from their post-Tupelo AM through to their eclectic latest offering The Whole Love.

1. Ashes of American Flags (originally from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, live on Ashes of American Flags 2009)

This video tells you everything you need to know about Wilco. The album version is excellent, but something about this live incarnation is just special. Watching this video was the first time in a long time that live footage has utterly captivated me. I also love the lyric "All my lies are only wishes. I know I would die if I could come back new..."

2. Sunken Treasure (originally from Being There, live on Sunken Treasure 2006)

Wilco and Jeff Tweedy are adept at taking songs you think you know and transforming them live into something utterly new. Here, Tweedy takes Sunken Treasure and turns it into a gorgeous harmonica laden (mmmmm harmonica) ballad, and suddenly all the words makes sense.

3. Via Chicago (Summerteeth 1999)

Lyrics don't get better than this: "I dreamed about killing you again last night, and it felt alright to me. Dying on the banks of Embarcadero skies, I sat and watched you bleed. Buried you alive in a fireworks display - raining down on me. Your cold hot blood ran away from me, to the sea."

4. A Shot in the Arm (originally from Summerteeth, live on Kicking Television 2005)

"Something in my veins - bloodier than blood!" So much fun live, as soon as those opening fuzzy notes arrive, you prepare to lose yourself in this songs exquisite melodies...and to sing along, of course - like you can hear the crowd doing in this recording.

5. Misunderstood (Originally from Being There, live on Kicking Television 2005)

When Wilco played this song in London a few years back, I nearly knocked out the person next to me during the "Nothing Nothing Nothing..." part. Nuff said.

Comments and debate welcome. Remember, the order is not important, but the songs are.