In Paul Gilbert's column in Premier Guitar this month, he lists some songs he learned for his Italian clinic tour. In it he urges his readers to pick 10 songs and learn them. I really think that's what I need to do. Instructional stuff really isn't doing it for me now because I don't see a purpose. It seems like learning songs would be the best way for me to learn/apply/improve. The 10 songs need to be somewhat challenging, but not SO challenging that I'll give up--so no Yngwie stuff. I'm excluding cowboy-chords-only stuff. I also have to like the song, otherwise I'll lose motivation. I'm mostly thinking out loud here.

Songs I already know:
"Walk, Don't Run"--The Ventures
"In My Dreams"--Dokken (I still can't do that ultra-fast run at the end of the solo)
"Livin' After Midnight"--Judas Priest
and the latest addition (and an unexpected one for most, I would guess)
"From the Beginning"--ELP (I don't do the long solo at the end because I don't have non-prescription pharmaceuticals, someday I may learn George Lynch's version from Dokken's cover)

Songs I began but never finished learning:
"Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love"--Van Halen (mainly needs lots of polish, but I haven't played it in forever)
"Paranoid"--Black Sabbath
"Iron Man"--Black Sabbath
"Breakin' the Chains"--Dokken
"Purple Haze"--Jimi Hendrix (I mainly know the intro and verses)
"Life by the Drop"--SRV (need to learn the intro)
"Mary Had a Little Lamb"--SRV (never even started on the solos)
"Perfectly Good Guitar"--John Hiatt
"Crazy Train"--Ozzy (never started the solo, fills need LOTS of work)
"Movin'"--Howlin' Wolf (main riff only)

Songs I'd like to learn and could reasonable hope to learn:
"The Thrill Is Gone"--B.B. King
"I Got My Mojo Working"--Muddy Waters
"Tooth and Nail"--Dokken

Songs I'd like to learn, but I'd need to get my shred on (or buy a "talent" pedal):
"Scuttle Buttin'"--SRV (you could put a lot of SRV songs here)
"Fear of the Dark"--Iron Maiden (ditto)
"Mr. Scary"--George Lynch (also ditto)
"Song of Yesterday"--Black Country Communion
"Unchained"--Van Halen (I can hack my way through the main riff)
The aforementioned Yngwie stuff

Sometimes I wish I didn't like blues and shred greats. I'm sure there are other songs that just aren't coming to mind right now.

If you count the four I already know, it would make sense to start by learning the rest of the ones I started learning: "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," "Paranoid," "Iron Man," "Breakin' the Chains," "Life by the Drop," "Perfectly Good Guitar." That'd give me ten total. I'll have to ponder it. Thoughts?