An outtake from the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” cover shoot, courtesy Beatles.com – As a kid, I’d often listen to this album on repeat during long car rides (save for “Octopus’s Garden,” anyway, which I admit I skipped every time.)

To say that I am a music “fan” might be a bit of an understatement. When it comes to artists I fell in love with when I first truly discovered music at age 11, the full word “fanatic” is more appropriate. There was a point in my youth when I could hear a few notes from any song in the Beatles or Queen discographies and easily Name That Tune.

As an adult, I’ve settled into a more subtle appreciation of the bands that introduced me to audial bliss. Though I can no longer Name That Tune when it comes to the songs I don’t particularly like, I do still go through cycles where I will listen to no other artists for weeks. This is probably a little strange, given that my musical tastes are extremely varied now.

Last week, my friend and fellow blogger, Sheena Barnett, sent out a Facebook message to several musicians, acquaintances and friends asking us to name our favorite Beatles tracks.

I quickly realized that this was going to be difficult. Sure, I can name some songs I don’t like: There aren’t many that come to mind, so that makes it easy. But a favorite?

Immediately, a dozen tracks flooded into my head all at once.

So, I took a rather nerdy approach to select a “favorite.” Here’s what I told Sheena for her blog entry on the topic:

I’ve never been able to pick a favorite anything. When you ask me to name my favorite Beatles song, you might as well be asking which hair on my head I love the most. So, in order to participate in this fun survey, I had to get creative.

I opened Excel and listed about 40 songs that I love, any one of which being my “favorite” depending on my mood and the day’s events. I then entered a formula so that the program would pick a “favorite” for me.

I know, that’s one pretty clinical procedure for something as emotional as music, but there you have it.

So at this moment, my favorite song is… *drumroll* “Norwegian Wood.” I love this song for the melodies, the harmonies, and for George’s masterful use of the sitar. He takes the quintessentially Indian instrument and brings it forth to fit naturally with the Beatles’ music. Dislikes include that it’s about John’s fooling around on his first wife and that the main character (according to Paul) sets a woman’s flat on because she made him sleep in the bath, but those matters aside, it’s a very solid tune with a lot of soul behind it.

But most honestly, my favorite Beatles song tends to be whichever Beatles song I happen to be listening to at the moment.

Yes, I programmed an Excel spreadsheet to select a favorite Beatles tune for me. How else was I supposed to pick one?

Tell me about your relationships with music: Do you have favorite songs and artists, or do you find it as difficult as I do to choose? Which bands and performers really “speak” to you, and why?