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READER POLL: Are You Free to Take it Easy and Get Outta This Place While the Good Times Roll?

As the Memorial Day holiday (and, as tradition holds, summer vacation, generally) approaches, it’s time once again to pick the best song(s) about retirement. And this year’s playlist includes some updates.

Different is not exactly “different” for this list, which we’ve done for several years now. Consider that last year the top five were:

Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow – Fleetwood Mac
Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes – Jimmy Buffett
We Gotta Get Out of This Place – The Animals
When I’m 64 – The Beatles
Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson

The year before that, it was:

Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
Already Gone – Eagles
A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles
The Best is Yet to Come – Frank Sinatra

And the year before that? Well, we had a completely different top five:

We Gotta Get Out of This Place – The Animals
Too Much Time on My Hands – Styx
I Can’t Hold Back – Survivor
Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf
Too Late to Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose

The 2018 Playlist

Now admittedly, ours is a unique approach to these picks – because you don’t just pick one thing from a list – you pick your favorite between two songs presented, then another two, then another two – for as long as you care to. But this “cage match” approach does tend to reward staying power.

Which brings us to this year’s top picks. Hhere are the bottom five of the top 10:

10. Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf
9. Should I Stay or Should I Go? ª The Clash
8. Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
7. Money, Money, Money – Abba
6. Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay ª Otis Redding

Looking at the top 5, there was an interesting mix of songs that celebrated retirement – and at least one that provides a somewhat cautionary note:

5. You Can't Always Get What You Want – Rolling Stones
4. I’m Free – The Who
3. Take It Easy – The Eagles
2. Good Times Roll – The Cars

But the top song this year was one that staged a bit of a comeback – from last year, anyway…

1. We Gotta Get Out of This Place – The Animals

Speaking of getting out of here…thanks to everyone who participated in this week’s NAPA Net reader poll – and for helping us all have something running through our heads the rest of the day.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

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