Marking yet another kooky new trend at work, Mamela is now breaking into the odd song at unexpected times during the day. Between Jewels, Mamela and me, we just need a fourth and a booking agent and we can quit our day jobs...not that this will be happening anytime soon.

Following a lively acappella version of "Been Around the World," we started discussing various songs and some genius (OK, it was me) posed the following question: Of all the songs in the history of music, can you isolate a top 20 list of songs that you simply couldn't live without? Sure, you could live without them, but you'd be miserable for their absence.

A daunting task, right? I compiled my list, as best as I could on the spur of the moment, but did so without hesitation. These are always the first songs I download on my media player at night, the songs I'd first load on an iPod if I owned one, the songs I've listened to so many times, I could work out the chord progressions on paper. These songs have a uniquely special place in my heart, bar none. It was a shame I had to limit it to 20.

Anyway, here are my top keepers:

"My Life Story" by Gladys Knight & the Pips
"Summer Soft" by Stevie Wonder
"I Don't Want to Go Home" by Southside Johnny
"You Don't Know Me" by Ray Charles
"Stardust" by Louis Armstrong
"Lovely Day" by Bill Withers
"Telephone Song" by Stevie Ray Vaughn
"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire
"Satisfaction" by Otis Redding
"Moody's Mood for Love" by George Benson
"You See the Trouble With Me" by Barry White
"Let's Stay Together" by Al Green
"Respect Yourself" by the Staple Singers
"Company" by Ricki Lee Jones
"I Want You Back" by The Jackson Five
"Tempted" by Squeeze
"Street Life" by The Crusaders
"What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye
"With a Little Help From my Friends" by Joe Cocker
"Down to the Nightclub" by Tower of Power

OK, don't make me beg. What's on your top 20 list?