Getcha passports ready - the middle-aged dummies are going to the British Isles! Top 31 song countdown. (2 Viewers)

[Dr. Octopus]

So I’m now a Belle and Sebastian fan it seems. Second time one of their songs has pleasantly surprised me. Another Sunny Day may be my favorite find so far.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

So I’m now a Belle and Sebastian fan it seems. Second time one of their songs has pleasantly surprised me. Another Sunny Day may be my favorite find so far.

Like The Blues Are Still Blue, it’s also from The Life Pursuit.

That album does have a slightly different feel than their earlier releases. It’s probably my favorite B&S album from start to finish.

 

[Doug B]

Or did krista reveal at some point that, yeah, one of the Big Three bands did finish #1. And that was revealed before I submitted my entry to Val Saturday morning?

I’m not sure how many times to say the same thing but krista many times updated us that the Big Three were way way ahead - these updates came up until the very end.

I understand now.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Or did krista reveal at some point that, yeah, one of the Big Three bands did finish #1. And that was revealed before I submitted my entry to Val Saturday morning?

I’m not sure how many times to say the same thing but krista many times updated us that the Big Three were way way ahead - these updates came up until the very end.

I understand now.

Yeah sorry. What I said sounds short, but I wasn’t sure what you weren’t getting.
Basically it was a given that the “Big Three” were going to be 1-3 in some order.

I actually was surprised by it as well. I’m honestly most surprised by the Stones finishing there. Obviously I think they deserve it but based on what I’ve read over the years, a lot of people were not fans - a lot of it due to Mick’s vocals.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Them be fightin' words!!

When I was in junior high school if you were a boy you had to act like you hated Duran Duran - because of all the girls walking around with Duran Duran member buttons on their denim jackets.
I was a closet fan, listening to the Rio cassette on my Walkman while doing my household chores. I actually appreciate them more now then ever - partially because of this exercise.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

And from my idiots list, Fading Lights was a find for me. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it, probably because by then Genesis was putting out trash* like “Invisible Touch” and “I Can’t Dance”.

* sorry Genesis fans that celebrate the entire catalog

 

[KarmaPolice]

On the way back from her practice this morning I hear from the back seat "Dad, can we listen to Rio?"

I was tempted to say no to see if she'd hit me with a "are you ****ing kidding me?"

 

[zamboni]

On the way back from her practice this morning I hear from the back seat "Dad, can we listen to Rio?"

I was tempted to say no to see if she'd hit me with a "are you ****ing kidding me?"

Play her the isolated bass version and then duck.

 

[Doug B]

She revealed that “The Big Three” were running away with it, hence the term “The Big Three.” Link to one post stating as much.

Looking back ... I recall seeing this, but I didn't "file it away". I do remember the "lists #21-25" part, and probably figured we had plenty more lists to go and that wasn't necessarily where The Big Three would settle.

Thinking on it some more: krista having administered the U.S. exercise, she probably had a feel for how much of a lead was virtually insurmountable, even halfway through the result tabulation.

Like, I said though ... c'est la vie.

 

[jwb]

Them be fightin' words!!

When I was in junior high school if you were a boy you had to act like you hated Duran Duran - because of all the girls walking around with Duran Duran member buttons on their denim jackets.
I was a closet fan, listening to the Rio cassette on my Walkman while doing my household chores. I actually appreciate them more now then ever - partially because of this exercise.

Yea this was a thing for me too except it was high school. I guess prettymuch every 70's-90's kid had this to a degree - part of your identity was the music/genre you listened to. As a guy, you didn't like Duran Duran, Culture Club, Michael Jackson, etc. I distinctly remember my friend's older brother (like 25 or so compared to us at 16) say about Michael Jackson's Thriller... "you guys know it's good, you're just not man enough to admit it". He was a guy we looked up to, and it did resonate with me - made me realize the whole posturing thing was BS. Duran Duran (et al) started making appearances in my album/cassette collection.

My nieces and nephews now are all high school age, and we've talked about this - it doesn't seem to exist to the degree it did when I was in school. They are all much more open to genres without a ton of stereotyping.

 

[krista4]

She revealed that “The Big Three” were running away with it, hence the term “The Big Three.” Link to one post stating as much.

Looking back ... I recall seeing this, but I didn't "file it away". I do remember the "lists #21-25" part, and probably figured we had plenty more lists to go and that wasn't necessarily where The Big Three would settle.

Thinking on it some more: krista having administered the U.S. exercise, she probably had a feel for how much of a lead was virtually insurmountable, even halfway through the result tabulation.

Like, I said though ... c'est la vie.

It wasn’t just this one post. It was eleventy squillion posts. But I was just tying it into my usual “no one reads my posts” shtick and hope you didn’t think it was a dig at you. All in good fun!

 

[krista4]

New list should be posted around 9 PST today.

 

[worrierking]

Amusing story (at least to me). Worrierqueen and I are booked on an Alaskan cruise this June that originates in Vancouver. I didn't realize until yesterday that our passports expired in November. So this morning, I listened to the songs from yesterday that I didn't know (I like the Belle and Sebastian and Ash songs), while carefully filling out the passport renewal forms. I was in the line at the post office a few minutes ago to mail the forms in when it hit me. I was in this thread literally getting our passports ready and it completely passed me by. I guess nobody reads Krista's thread titles either.

 

[Chaos34]

It would be cool if some unsuspected band jumped into the big three.

 

[KarmaPolice]

It would be cool if some unsuspected band jumped into the big three.

Like George Michael?

 

[scorchy]

From the 5-pointers

Songs On My Original List of 75 that Missed the Cut

The Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen (DrOctopus)
Wonderwall – Oasis (Chaz McNulty)

Songs Not On That List But I Still Love Them

Pump It Up -- Elvis Costello (Pip’s Invitation)
Paranoid - Black Sabbath (simey)
Get Myself Arrested - Gomez (DrIanMalcolm) - I had totally forgotten about Gomez. I bought their first two CDs as imports at this great little store in Allentown, PA. Both excellent records.
Slide Away - Oasis (KarmaPolice)
Babylon - David Gray (landry’s hat)
Cruel Summer – Bananarama (Ditkaburgers) - one of my favorite pure pop songs of the 80s. Maybe it was the Karate Kid appearance.
Notorious - Duran Duran (Mrs. Eephus) - forever linked in my mind to Sparkle Motion.

New to Me Songs That I Liked A Bunch

Paris - The 1975 (Eephus)
Another Sunny Day – Belle and Sebastian (Hov34) - back in the day, I always found B&S to be a little too precious for my ears. This thread is changing my opinion.
Fizzy - Sleaford Mods (Oliver Humanzee) - There are few bands Mrs. Scorchy just can't abide me blasting through the speakers (Big Black, Wire, ####ed Up!). Yada yada yada, my experience with Sleaford Mods is limited b/c I'm asked to put on headphones.

Previously Lauded

The Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen (DrOctopus)
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve (rockaction)

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Slide Away was a late add, and not the original song I was targeting for an Oasis pick. There was a tie-in to another pick coming up to another selction that is a joint KP/Mrs KP pick. I listened to both of their first two albums, and this was the song that I kept playing over and over. It's from the debut, but I thought it sounded like a nice bridge between that one, and a bit of a preview of the sound that was going to come on Morning Glory. It also jogged a memory of liking it a lot in college and adding it to some mix tapes back in the day.

I'm not a huge Oasis fan and am not majorly into most of their radio songs; so I don't really know the non-radio songs. But I loved this -- might be better than anything I've heard from them with the possible exception of Don't Look Back in Anger.

 

[scorchy]

Yesterday was really an amazing bunch of songs. I always knew I was an Anglophile, but the immense chasm between this list and the American one so far (IMO, obvs) totally cements it. I was forced into the difficult decision to be way more discriminating in my round-by-round favorites post lest I end up with 2/3 of the songs from the round getting repeated on it. Also came to the realization that the wording of my categories keep me from listing songs that will be coming up among by own Top 31 (without spotlighting, of course). Oh well.

 

[scorchy]

5 Pointer Faves
@shuke : Goodbye to Romance - Ozzy - This was on my last 10 out, one of my favorite Ozzy tunes.

THANK YOU! I know it's a very un-Ozzy tune, but it just resonates with me. We'll meet in the end, brother.

Just for you, shuke, here's gen-x dreamgirl Lisa Loeb covering Goodbye to Romance.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

And from my idiots list, Fading Lights was a find for me. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it, probably because by then Genesis was putting out trash* like “Invisible Touch” and “I Can’t Dance”.

* sorry Genesis fans that celebrate the entire catalog

Oh, I get it. Other late-period Genesis songs that might intrigue you if you liked Fading Lights include Driving the Last Spike, Domino and Home by the Sea/Second Home by the Sea.

 

[krista4]

It would be cool if some unsuspected band jumped into the big three.

Sigh.

 

[zamboni]

5 Pointer Faves
@shuke : Goodbye to Romance - Ozzy - This was on my last 10 out, one of my favorite Ozzy tunes.

THANK YOU! I know it's a very un-Ozzy tune, but it just resonates with me. We'll meet in the end, brother.

Just for you, shuke, here's gen-x dreamgirl Lisa Loeb covering Goodbye to Romance.

That’s really good. Ozzy really should do a duet with her like he did with the aforementioned Lita Ford.

 

[krista4]

Amusing story (at least to me). Worrierqueen and I are booked on an Alaskan cruise this June that originates in Vancouver. I didn't realize until yesterday that our passports expired in November. So this morning, I listened to the songs from yesterday that I didn't know (I like the Belle and Sebastian and Ash songs), while carefully filling out the passport renewal forms. I was in the line at the post office a few minutes ago to mail the forms in when it hit me. I was in this thread literally getting our passports ready and it completely passed me by. I guess nobody reads Krista's thread titles either.

I this.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Home by the Sea/Second Home by the Sea.

I do actually like and listen to the self-titled album. Guess I stopped there.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

It would be cool if some unsuspected band jumped into the big three.

:fingers crossed:

 

[krista4]

Six-Point Selections:

Pip’s Invitation:

Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
(new artist)


New Binky the Doormat:

Conquistador - Procol Harum
(new song)


worrierking:

There's No Way Out Of Here - David Gilmour
(new artist)


titusbramble:

Take Me Out – Franz Ferdinand
(duplicate – third vote)


simey:

Time Of The Season - The Zombies
(new song)


Just Win Baby:

Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O’Connor
(new artist)


Don Quixote:

Rolling In The Deep - Adele
(new song)


MAC_32:

Last Train Home - Lostprophets
(new artist)


timschochet:

Leather Jacket - Mick Taylor
(new artist)


Yankee23Fan:

Starman – David Bowie
(new artist)


Hawks64:

Mistreated – Deep Purple
(new song)


jwb:

Smooth Operator - Sade
(new artist)


DrIanMalcolm:

Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson
(new song)


Dr. Octopus:

Someone Saved My Life Tonight - Elton John
(duplicate – second vote)


KarmaPolice:

Clearest Blue - CHVRCHES
(new artist)


shuke:

Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave - Dave Mason
(new artist)


Manster:

Sails - Elephant Tree
(new artist)


scorchy:

The Drugs Don't Work - The Verve
(new song)


Sullie:

Something About You - Level 42
(new artist)


Andy Dufresne:

Atmosphere - Joy Division
(new artist)


Mister CIA:

Time Has Told Me - Nick Drake
(new song)


Mrs. Rannous:

Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung
(new artist)


higgins:

See The World - Gomez
(new song)


The Dreaded Marco:

Dark Entries – Bauhaus
(new song)


simsarge:

Let Me Be There - Olivia Newton-John
(new song)


Mt. Man:

(Forever) Live And Die - Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
(new artist)


landrys hat:

I'll Get Along - Michael Kiwanuka
(new artist)


Westerberg:

Good Fortune - PJ Harvey
(new artist)


Eephus:

Stay With Me – Faces
(new song)


rockaction:

Complete Control – The Clash
(duplicate – second vote)


falguy:

White Flag – Dido
(new artist)


Hov34:

Valerie – Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse
(duplicate – second vote)


zamboni:

Day Is Done - Nick Drake
(new song)


Doug B:

Cities In Dust - Siouxsie and the Banshees
(new artist)


Ilov80s:

Latch – Disclosure feat. Sam Smith
(both new artists)


Val Rannous:

Uprising - Muse
(new song, but see below)


Chaos34:

Rain In The Summertime - The Alarm
(new artist)


Chaz McNulty:

Always On My Mind – Pet Shop Boys
(new song)


Zegras11:

Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
(new song)


AAABatteries:

Uprising – Muse
(duplicate – second vote today!)


Oliver Humanzee:

Suspect Device - Stiff Little Fingers
(duplicate – third vote in three days)


Mrs. Eephus:

Up The Junction – Squeeze
(new song)


ditkaburgers:

Dirty Harry – Gorillaz
(new artist)


cosjobs:

Driftin' – The Invaders
(new artist)


krista4:

Outdoor Miner – Wire
(new artist)

 

[krista4]

Five votes:
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

Four votes:
Son Of A Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield

Two votes:
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry

One vote:
She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
Tell Laura I Love Her - Ricky Valance
A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum
Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
Song 2 - Blur
Damaged Goods - Gang of Four
One Night In Bangkok - Murray Head
I Will Wait - Mumford & Sons
Time Of The Season - The Zombies
Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears for Fears
Wild Thing - Troggs
Bang A Gong (Get It On) - T. Rex
Freedom '90 - George Michael
You Got Another Thing Coming - Judas Priest

 

[krista4]

Special shout-outs for me today go to @Sullie 's Level 42 pick. I LOVED this song so much when it was out but hadn't thought out it in years. When I saw it on his list, I seriously considered switching something out of mine to make room for it.

My other shout-out goes to @higgins and "See The World" by Gomez. When his list came in, I told him that there was a song on there I was thrilled to see because I had been between that song and another from the same artist and went with the other. I almost had two Gomez songs on my list because I had such a hard time deciding. The one I chose is still to come.

And obviously shout-outs to the Nick Drake picks.

 

[krista4]

Yesterday was really an amazing bunch of songs. I always knew I was an Anglophile, but the immense chasm between this list and the American one so far (IMO, obvs) totally cements it. I was forced into the difficult decision to be way more discriminating in my round-by-round favorites post lest I end up with 2/3 of the songs from the round getting repeated on it. Also came to the realization that the wording of my categories keep me from listing songs that will be coming up among by own Top 31 (without spotlighting, of course). Oh well.

I'm with you. I'm loving these selections more, and even more so I find almost all of them listenable even if they aren't my favorites, which wasn't the case in the US countdown.

 

[timschochet]

Lots of new songs for me on this list. Can’t wait to listen to them.

Cities In Dust is a remarkable tune.

 

[Don Quixote]

I had this British Isles Venn diagram come across my Twitter. I feel like this could have been helpful a few weeks ago.

 

[timschochet]

Dance Hall Days is awful. Sorry.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Interesting mix. Awaiting Hawks' post so I can dig in.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Pip’s Invitation:

Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
(new artist)

As I told Krista when I submitted my list, this is a perfect power pop song that sounds like what Alex Chilton could have done in the late '70s if he had wanted to continue making power pop, which he did not.

I remember it fondly from the car radio and the early days of MTV. It is perfectly constructed in every way -- it sounds like Paul could have written this at the height of his power in the Beatles.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

which wasn't the case in the US countdown.

More female singers in the US countdown?

 

[Chaos34]

Slide Away was a late add, and not the original song I was targeting for an Oasis pick. There was a tie-in to another pick coming up to another selction that is a joint KP/Mrs KP pick. I listened to both of their first two albums, and this was the song that I kept playing over and over. It's from the debut, but I thought it sounded like a nice bridge between that one, and a bit of a preview of the sound that was going to come on Morning Glory. It also jogged a memory of liking it a lot in college and adding it to some mix tapes back in the day.

I'm not a huge Oasis fan and am not majorly into most of their radio songs; so I don't really know the non-radio songs. But I loved this -- might be better than anything I've heard from them with the possible exception of Don't Look Back in Anger.

It's my bad, but other than what I've heard on the radio I haven't paid attention. I did enjoy a big hit of theirs, but it wasn't in contention here.

Finished a long week yesterday and basically collapsed down a Pink Floyd hole last night after seeing the two picks. I watched a documentary, long interviews with Roger and David, then The Wall movie (for the ten dozenth time). Still blows me away. I think for someone like Krista who isn't into Floyd, the best way to experience Mother is from the movie. In that context (the one simey explained), it's a helluva a song. Edited quite a bit for the film, but it makes the album version... I dunno, heavy and beautiful.

On The Turning Away is the Floyd I've seen live a few times. I love a ton of the post-breakup music. Saw Roger do The Wall live too. Still jealous of Eephus seeing the orginal lineup. I'm not inclined to pick favorites except when FBGs makes me, and I doubt I've ever said this here, but this exercise made it pretty clear that Pink Floyd is my favorite band. It was unpossible to pick a song for this and as you will eventually see, I went chalky. In part because I suspected few would.

 

[Ilov80s]

Great bunch of tunes today

 

[Andy Dufresne]

ATMOSPHERE: THE STORY BEHIND JOY DIVISION’S SPINE-TINGLING CLASSIC

 

[krista4]

Pip’s Invitation:

Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
(new artist)

As I told Krista when I submitted my list, this is a perfect power pop song that sounds like what Alex Chilton could have done in the late '70s if he had wanted to continue making power pop, which he did not.

I remember it fondly from the car radio and the early days of MTV. It is perfectly constructed in every way -- it sounds like Paul could have written this at the height of his power in the Beatles.

Great description. I agree with all of this! Nick Lowe in general is underrated, for his own work and the work he wrote and/or produced for others. I'm sure many people know of his work with Elvis Costello (especially people who are trying to be cool), but I didn't realize until this exercise that he'd produced acts as varied as The Damned, Johnny Cash, Wreckless Eric, John Hiatt, and Mavericks.

 

[landrys hat]

scorchy:

The Drugs Don't Work - The Verve
(new song)

falguy:

White Flag – Dido
(new artist)

These two were on my next 5 out.

 

[Hawks64]

Six-Point Selections:

Pip’s Invitation:

Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
(new artist)


New Binky the Doormat:

Conquistador - Procol Harum
(new song)


worrierking:

There's No Way Out Of Here - David Gilmour
(new artist)


titusbramble:

Take Me Out – Franz Ferdinand
(duplicate – third vote)


simey:

Time Of The Season - The Zombies
(new song)


Just Win Baby:

Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O’Connor
(new artist)


Don Quixote:

Rolling In The Deep - Adele
(new song)


MAC_32:

Last Train Home - Lostprophets
(new artist)


timschochet:

Leather Jacket - Mick Taylor
(new artist)


Yankee23Fan:

Starman – David Bowie
(new artist)


Hawks64:

Mistreated – Deep Purple
(new song)


jwb:

Smooth Operator - Sade
(new artist)


DrIanMalcolm:

Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson
(new song)


Dr. Octopus:

Someone Saved My Life Tonight - Elton John
(duplicate – second vote)


KarmaPolice:

Clearest Blue - CHVRCHES
(new artist)


shuke:

Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave - Dave Mason
(new artist)


Manster:

Sails - Elephant Tree
(new artist)


scorchy:

The Drugs Don't Work - The Verve
(new song)


Sullie:

Something About You - Level 42
(new artist)


Andy Dufresne:

Atmosphere - Joy Division
(new artist)


Mister CIA:

Time Has Told Me - Nick Drake
(new song)


Mrs. Rannous:

Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung
(new artist)


higgins:

See The World - Gomez
(new song)


The Dreaded Marco:

Dark Entries – Bauhaus
(new song)


simsarge:

Let Me Be There - Olivia Newton-John
(new song)


Mt. Man:

(Forever) Live And Die - Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
(new artist)


landrys hat:

I'll Get Along - Michael Kiwanuka
(new artist)


Westerberg:

Good Fortune - PJ Harvey
(new artist)


Eephus:

Stay With Me – Faces
(new song)


rockaction:

Complete Control – The Clash
(duplicate – second vote)


falguy:

White Flag – Dido
(new artist)


Hov34:

Valerie – Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse
(duplicate – second vote)


zamboni:

Day Is Done - Nick Drake
(new song)


Doug B:

Cities In Dust - Siouxsie and the Banshees
(new artist)


Ilov80s:

Latch – Disclosure feat. Sam Smith
(both new artists)


Val Rannous:

Uprising - Muse
(new song, but see below)


Chaos34:

Rain In The Summertime - The Alarm
(new artist)


Chaz McNulty:

Always On My Mind – Pet Shop Boys
(new song)


Zegras11:

Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
(new song)


AAABatteries:

Uprising – Muse
(duplicate – second vote today!)


Oliver Humanzee:

Suspect Device - Stiff Little Fingers
(duplicate – third vote in three days)


Mrs. Eephus:

Up The Junction – Squeeze
(new song)


ditkaburgers:

Dirty Harry – Gorillaz
(new artist)


cosjobs:

Driftin' – The Invaders
(new artist)


krista4:

Outdoor Miner – Wire
(new artist)

Double tres list.
And we had a first today, I couldn't find two songs! Sorry @MAC_32 and @cosjobs Spotify did not have either of your picks.


ETA Apologies, but I will be heading out for the day so I won't be able to get Docs songs on the list till later tonight or tomorrow.

 

[timschochet]

Anyone who loves Nick Lowe (that includes me) ought to sample Ron Sexsmith. Great power pop that sounds a lot like Lowe.

 

[Chaos34]

Five votes:
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

Dern it.

Hey, I'm just getting started on yesterday's songs. Going from the bottom up to avoid another early morning Pip assault. I love that Keane song of yours. Poetry. I relate to it. I feel like I've heard it on BobFM (my driving to LA station), but didn't pay attention. So I count it as new to me. I could go on about "places only 'we' know" but I won't. There's a sad environmental concept built into a sad love song. Nice one.

 

[krista4]

Lest anyone be upset with scorchy for messing up their Bitter Sweet Symphony pick , I'll mention that The Verve actually has four different songs selected. Same with Dusty Springfield who was our other most popular choice for the Ace Award - she gets four songs as well.

 

[krista4]

Anyone who loves Nick Lowe (that includes me) ought to sample Ron Sexsmith. Great power pop that sounds a lot like Lowe.

Will probably be on my "catch-all" top 31 list (Canadian).

 

[Chaos34]

Pip’s Invitation:

Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
(new artist)

As I told Krista when I submitted my list, this is a perfect power pop song that sounds like what Alex Chilton could have done in the late '70s if he had wanted to continue making power pop, which he did not.

I remember it fondly from the car radio and the early days of MTV. It is perfectly constructed in every way -- it sounds like Paul could have written this at the height of his power in the Beatles.

Great description. I agree with all of this! Nick Lowe in general is underrated, for his own work and the work he wrote and/or produced for others. I'm sure many people know of his work with Elvis Costello (especially people who are trying to be cool), but I didn't realize until this exercise that he'd produced acts as varied as The Damned, Johnny Cash, Wreckless Eric, John Hiatt, and Mavericks.

I decided against Rockpile, Costello, Lowe AND Edmunds (who I love), because I didn't want to be perceived as trying to be edgy, cool and educated.

 

[zamboni]

falguy:

White Flag – Dido
(new artist)

Glad to see she also passed the language filter.

 

[zamboni]

Pip’s Invitation:

Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
(new artist)

As I told Krista when I submitted my list, this is a perfect power pop song that sounds like what Alex Chilton could have done in the late '70s if he had wanted to continue making power pop, which he did not.

I remember it fondly from the car radio and the early days of MTV. It is perfectly constructed in every way -- it sounds like Paul could have written this at the height of his power in the Beatles.

Great description. I agree with all of this! Nick Lowe in general is underrated, for his own work and the work he wrote and/or produced for others. I'm sure many people know of his work with Elvis Costello (especially people who are trying to be cool), but I didn't realize until this exercise that he'd produced acts as varied as The Damned, Johnny Cash, Wreckless Eric, John Hiatt, and Mavericks.

I decided against Rockpile, Costello, Lowe AND Edmunds (who I love), because I didn't want to be perceived as trying to be edgy, cool and educated.

That might put TripItUp over the edge.

 

[Ilov80s]

Lest anyone be upset with scorchy for messing up their Bitter Sweet Symphony pick , I'll mention that The Verve actually has four different songs selected. Same with Dusty Springfield who was our other most popular choice for the Ace Award - she gets four songs as well.

I will be honest, I don't think I have heard another Verve song. I am shocked there are 4. Something interesting. There are a few song guesses there that I've literally never heard of.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Lest anyone be upset with scorchy for messing up their Bitter Sweet Symphony pick , I'll mention that The Verve actually has four different songs selected. Same with Dusty Springfield who was our other most popular choice for the Ace Award - she gets four songs as well.

I will be honest, I don't think I have heard another Verve song. I am shocked there are 4. Something interesting. There are a few song guesses there that I've literally never heard of.

I was one of the 5 that guessed Bitter Sweet Symphony. I chose hastily just scrolling through my long list of 90 songs searching for possibles. After thinking about other Verve songs I was pretty sure The Drugs Don't Work would make a list or two. I love that song too.

Pretty sure I can guess the other 2 as well---both songs I like a lot.