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

[Pip's Invitation]

Pip’s Invitation:

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - Elton John
(duplicate – fourth vote)

Back to long songs! But three other people drafted this too, so you can't give me all the grief on this one.

This suite combines pop, rock and prog into a triumphant achievement. Elton isn't thought of as a "magnum opus" kind of artist, but here he produces something that holds its own with the Stairway to Heavens and Freebirds of the world while retaining the melody and tunefulness of his best work. And it KICKS OFF his "magnum opus" album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

 

[zamboni]

Pip’s Invitation:

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - Elton John
(duplicate – fourth vote)

Back to long songs! But three other people drafted this too, so you can't give me all the grief on this one.

This suite combines pop, rock and prog into a triumphant achievement. Elton isn't thought of as a "magnum opus" kind of artist, but here he produces something that holds its own with the Stairway to Heavens and Freebirds of the world while retaining the melody and tunefulness of his best work. And it KICKS OFF his "magnum opus" album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

I'm not even a big Elton John fan, but this one has always been a towering gem and why I picked it earlier.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Pyromania was just the perfect evolution from the rather garage band, kind of 70's-ish sound (not that there's anything wrong with that) of their previous albums to the best sounds of the 80's.

Then it morphed into the pop sound of Hysteria. Which, again, wasn't bad for the time. But now in hindsight (hindsound?) sounds a bit, just a bit, of a sellout.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Dr. Octopus:

Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
(new song)

My last song revealed that wasn't previously selected.

 

[rockaction]

My last song revealed that wasn't previously selected.

Great song.

 

[krista4]

and every 80's "group" (guys and girls) liked Def Leppard - the jocks, the stoners, the nerds... we all loved Pyromania.

While it's hardly Beatlemania in scope, this song/band does have a similar "you kind of had to be there" aspect to understand how fresh and new Pyromania sounded.

Totally true of my experience with this record as well.

 

[Manster]

I looked it up. The founding members of AC/DC are Scottish. Brian Johnson is English. They had a Welsh dude on the Razors Edge album, which Thunderstruck is on.

Yep. No different than all the other groups eligible/not eligible for this draft. I just didn't know about the birth place of the Youngs, I thought of them as an Australian band

Yea, I just assumed Aussies as well..... I guess that's why should all do our own due diligence.

 

[Manster]

Pyromania was just the perfect evolution from the rather garage band, kind of 70's-ish sound (not that there's anything wrong with that) of their previous albums to the best sounds of the 80's.

Then it morphed into the pop sound of Hysteria. Which, again, wasn't bad for the time. But now in hindsight (hindsound?) sounds a bit, just a bit, of a sellout.

I'm pretty sure every person I knew growing up had Pyromania on cassette. Huge part of the soundtrack of my youth.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

@krista4 You listed Don Quixote's pick twice in today's post of selections. Just making sure one of them wasn't pasted over something that's now missing.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Pyromania was just the perfect evolution from the rather garage band, kind of 70's-ish sound (not that there's anything wrong with that) of their previous albums to the best sounds of the 80's.

Then it morphed into the pop sound of Hysteria. Which, again, wasn't bad for the time. But now in hindsight (hindsound?) sounds a bit, just a bit, of a sellout.

I'm pretty sure every person I knew growing up had Pyromania on cassette. Huge part of the soundtrack of my youth.

I did! And I'm not even particularly drawn to that genre. But I liked the songs from High 'N Dry that were played on MTV, and I liked the radio/MTV songs from Pyromania just as much, so Pyromania ended up being one of the first cassettes I bought with my own money.

They kind of lost me with Hysteria, though, except for the title track. I thought the production was too much.

 

[krista4]

@krista4 You listed Don Quixote's pick twice in today's post of selections. Just making sure one of them wasn't pasted over something that's now missing.

I just really liked his pick.

Don't know how that happened. Thanks for catching. Fixed.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Pyromania was just the perfect evolution from the rather garage band, kind of 70's-ish sound (not that there's anything wrong with that) of their previous albums to the best sounds of the 80's.

Then it morphed into the pop sound of Hysteria. Which, again, wasn't bad for the time. But now in hindsight (hindsound?) sounds a bit, just a bit, of a sellout.

I'm pretty sure every person I knew growing up had Pyromania on cassette. Huge part of the soundtrack of my youth.

I did! And I'm not even particularly drawn to that genre. But I liked the songs from High 'N Dry that were played on MTV, and I liked the radio/MTV songs from Pyromania just as much, so Pyromania ended up being one of the first cassettes I bought with my own money.

They kind of lost me with Hysteria, though, except for the title track. I thought the production was too much.

In this case you're absolutely correct.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Pyromania was just the perfect evolution from the rather garage band, kind of 70's-ish sound (not that there's anything wrong with that) of their previous albums to the best sounds of the 80's.

Then it morphed into the pop sound of Hysteria. Which, again, wasn't bad for the time. But now in hindsight (hindsound?) sounds a bit, just a bit, of a sellout.

I'm pretty sure every person I knew growing up had Pyromania on cassette. Huge part of the soundtrack of my youth.

I did! And I'm not even particularly drawn to that genre. But I liked the songs from High 'N Dry that were played on MTV, and I liked the radio/MTV songs from Pyromania just as much, so Pyromania ended up being one of the first cassettes I bought with my own money.

They kind of lost me with Hysteria, though, except for the title track. I thought the production was too much.

Same for me. I still have my vinyl copy of Pyromania. I also still have On Through the Night and High 'N Dry on cassette. I never bought anything after Pyromania, though.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Known-to-me favorites from #7, not including my own pick or Empty Pages, which is known to be on my list. I knew almost everything today that wasn't related to rizzling or kicking.

When the Levee Breaks -- Led Zeppelin (Simey)
Baba O'Riley -- The Who (Falguy)
Stairway to Heaven -- Led Zeppelin (Yankee23Fan)
Hey Jude -- The Beatles (Chaos34) -- my #15 Beatles
Let It Be -- The Beatles (Chaz) -- my #16 Beatles
What Is Life -- George Harrison (Binky)
The Seeker -- The Who (Manster)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road -- Elton John (AAABatteries)
Train in Vain (Stand by Me) -- The Clash (Just Win Baby and Mt. Man)
One Tree Hill -- U2 (Mister CIA) -- my #20 U2. People were very passionate about this song in JML's countdown.
Sweet Leaf -- Black Sabbath (Hawks64)
Thunderstruck -- AC/DC (Val Rannous)
The Ocean -- Led Zeppelin (Simsarge) -- I didn't have room for it in my Zep top 25 but it would have shown up soon after. My friend ranked it #18.
This Is Love -- PJ Harvey (MAC 32) -- IMO her best post-1995 song
SWLABR -- Cream (KarmaPolice)
I Wanna Be Adored -- The Stone Roses (Mrs. Eephus) -- most tracks on the first Stone Roses album are beloved, but four (including the "bonus track" Fools Gold) seem especially so. There's one of those that still hasn't surfaced and I hope we'll see it.
Jeepster -- T. Rex (Don Quixote)
Young Lust -- Pink Floyd (Doug B)

 

[Zegras11]

Pip’s Invitation:

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - Elton John
(duplicate – fourth vote)

Back to long songs! But three other people drafted this too, so you can't give me all the grief on this one.

This suite combines pop, rock and prog into a triumphant achievement. Elton isn't thought of as a "magnum opus" kind of artist, but here he produces something that holds its own with the Stairway to Heavens and Freebirds of the world while retaining the melody and tunefulness of his best work. And it KICKS OFF his "magnum opus" album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

It's great and it's even more awesome live

 

[zamboni]

Hawks64:

Sweet Leaf – Black Sabbath
(new song)

Love this tune. Some freshman kid on my college dorm floor earned this nickname when he coughed up a storm after smoking weed for the first time.

 

[Val Rannous]

Val Rannous:

Thunderstruck - AC/DC
(new artist)

... aaah ... didn't know the Young brothers were Scottish born. The rest of the personnel on The Razor's Edge were British.

Damn, As a big fan of the band pretty disappointed that I never looked through their entire catalog. I knew Rudd was not involved in some of their albums. Should have checked. Razor's Edge has one of my favorite Christmas tunes on it as well. Probably would have made my list.

Told you guys I was giddy. Big AC/DC fan here, and Thunderstruck is among my list for top favorites from them. Since I knew the Young brothers were originally transplanted to Australia from Glasgow, I decided to check the band for eligibility when I first started my list. Either of Bon Scott or Bryan Johnson were legal (1 Scotland, 1 England), so no problem there. The bass player started out as an Aussie, but changed to a Brit late in the Bon Scott period. But the drummer was an Aussie, so I bitched for a few minutes and marked them off, planning on not taking them. But just before I sent my list in, I was thinking "Wait a minute, the drummer in the video for Thunderstruck is some bald dude, not the usual guy - I wonder??? (checking....) Who hoo!!! Wales!!" I'm pretty sure the "Woo hoo!!!" bit was out loud, cause Mrs. R. asked from the next room what the heck was wrong with me.

For those of you who are fans and wanted to take them when we get around to a "rest of the world" draft, everything BUT The Razor's Edge will still be legal.

But I own them here!!

 

[falguy]

Spreadsheet is now current.

 

[falguy]

@krista4 You listed Don Quixote's pick twice in today's post of selections. Just making sure one of them wasn't pasted over something that's now missing.

I just really liked his pick.

Don't know how that happened. Thanks for catching. Fixed.

We both use the same QA person it seems .

Luckily you must have edited before I copied the info into the sheet because I had no duplicates.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Thunderstruck would have been in my top 10.

Dangnabit.

 

[falguy]

Thunderstruck would have been in my top 10.

Dangnabit.

If we had known that probably would have won the ace award (unless someone happens to like Money Talks better)

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I'm sure we'll see plenty of them in the catch-all

Yeah, sorry I wasn’t trying to complain- and I know it came off that way - it was more out of shock, but the rules are the rules.

I expected that we would see them in the catch-all, but in honesty it was for a different reason. I thought they were Australian not just formed there. So my main assumption was incorrect. I’m still not sure they belong on a general British music list but here they surely had eligibility.

We’re in heavy hitter territory. Excited to see the rest.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Thunderstruck would have been in my top 10.

Dangnabit.

If we had known that probably would have won the ace award (unless someone happens to like Money Talks better)

Ha, True.

 

[simey]

I like everything on playlist #7.

The only song I'll mention is One Tree Hill. I love driving to that song, and I have special memories attached to it.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

I listened to all the songs from today's playlist that I wasn't very (or at all) familiar with. And then listened to the entire playlist.

I can say that this is the first playlist that I've at least liked every single song---loved a majority of them. No skips on this one.

 

[DrIanMalcolm]

DrIanMalcolm:

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics
(new song)

I'm sorta surprised I was the first one to pluck this one out, when it only has the greatest keyboard riff this side of "Jump." What a damn earworm.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

So today I got tickets to see the Trey Anastasio Band at the Stone Pony Summer Stage and a ticket for the first day of the 2 day "Sea Hear Now" Music and Surfing Festival in Asbury Park. I will likely buy the second day at some point (had trouble today on their website) which has the Foo Fighters headlining but for now I just have Saturday with The Killers headlining with Nathaniel Ratliffe and the Night Sweats, Greta Van Fleet, Sheryl Crow, Royal Blood, Cory Wong, Living Color and other bands.
ETA: If I don't get tickets I can still fond places to hear the Foo Fighters pretty well.

 

[rockaction]

Foot Fighters

Loving the typo.

Cool show, though. Have fun.

 

[krista4]

Foot Fighters

Loving the typo.

Cool show, though. Have fun.

They sing that song, "Learn to Walk."

 

[krista4]

Heading out shortly to start pre-drinking before my dinner on Lumen Field. I remember going to this last year while we were in the midst of Eephus's food draft. RIP wikkid.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I saw Living Color open for the Stones in 1989, and Vernon Reid at a few different events not too long after, Good to see them still playing.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Foot Fighters

Loving the typo.

Cool show, though. Have fun.

They sing that song, "Learn to Walk."

You got that in before my edit.

 

[timschochet]

If AC/DC is eligible, then The Wiggles are eligible. And if I had known the Wiggles were eligible, I might have selected “Fruit Salad Yummy Yummy”:

Fruit Salad Yummy Yummy! (Original) 🍎🍌🍇🍉🍏 The Wiggles | Songs & Nursery Rhymes for Kids | OG Wiggles

Subscribe to our channel for more Wiggly videos: http://ab.co/WigglesYouTubeGreg, Jeff, Anthony and Murray Wiggle are joined by Paul the Cook to peel a banan...

youtu.be

 

[rockaction]

I saw Living Color open for the Stones in 1989, and Vernon Reid at a few different events not too long after, Good to see them still playing.

They got me into Bad Brains. That Time's Up album they put out of covers and unreleased tracks had "Sailin' On" on it. It was the first I'd heard of Bad Brains, and I liked the song enough to go buy some Bad Brains cassettes.

 

[Eephus]

I saw Living Color open for the Stones in 1989, and Vernon Reid at a few different events not too long after, Good to see them still playing.

We saw them headline a club date in December 1988. When Vivid started doing well, they returned to the same venue two months later and played two nights with Soundgarden opening. Didn't make that one

 

[Val Rannous]

Current standings for the Contest:

Person	Score	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Top	Song	Song By…
Manster	7	Def Leppard	Pink Floyd	Elton John	David Bowie	Depeche Mode	The Who	U2	The Beatles	Baba O'Riley	The Who
New Binky the Doormat	7	Elton John	David Bowie	The Who	Pink Floyd	U2	Def Leppard	Genesis	The Beatles	Baba O'Riley	The Who
Westerberg	7	David Bowie	The Who	Elton John	Van Morrison	Elvis Costello	Radiohead	Pink Floyd	The Beatles	Baba O'Riley	The Who
The Dreaded Marco	6	David Bowie	U2	The Who	The Kinks	Elton John	Black Sabbath	The Clash	The Beatles	Heroes	David Bowie
Just Win Baby	6	The Who	Pink Floyd	The Cure	U2	The Kinks	Elton John	David Bowie	The Beatles	Wish You Were Here	Pink Floyd
Pip's Invitation	6	Pink Floyd	The Who	David Bowie	Elton John	U2	The Cure	The Kinks	The Beatles	Wish You Were Here	Pink Floyd
MAC_32	6	U2	Pink Floyd	The Who	David Bowie	The Clash	Radiohead	The Cure	The Beatles	Maybe I'm Amazed	Paul McCartney
Uruk-Hai	5	David Bowie	Elton John	The Clash	The Who	The Kinks	The Animals	Dusty Springfield	The Beatles	Goodbye Yellow Brick Road	Elton John
Eephus	5	The Who	The Kinks	Pink Floyd	David Bowie	U2	Black Sabbath	Elton John	The Beatles	Wish You Were Here	Pink Floyd
Val Rannous	5	Pink Floyd	Ozzy Osbourne	The Kinks	David Bowie	U2	The Who	Elton John	The Beatles	Crazy Train	Ozzy Osbourne
Mrs. Rannous	5	The Kinks	Elton John	Jethro Tull	U2	The Who	The Eurythmics	Pink Floyd	Led Zeppelin	Baba O'Riley	The Who
DrianMalcolm	5	Elton John	David Bowie	Pink Floyd	The Who	Cream	Elvis Costello	Amy Winehouse	The Beatles	Son of a Preacher Man	Dusty Springfield
higgins	5	Pink Floyd	Radiohead	The Who	John Lennon	David Bowie	U2	Elton John	The Beatles	Wish You Were Here	Pink Floyd
Chaz McNulty	5	U2	Elton John	The Who	Pink Floyd	David Bowie	Radiohead	Coldplay	The Beatles	Tiny Dancer	Elton John
falguy	5	Elton John	Pink Floyd	U2	The Who	David Bowie	The Cult	The Cure	The Rolling Stones	Comfortably Numb	Pink Floyd
Dr. Octopus	5	The Who	Pink Floyd	U2	Elton John	The Cure	Van Morrison	Radiohead	The Beatles	Into the Mystic	Van Morrison
scorchy	4	Pink Floyd	David Bowie	Elton John	The Who	Radiohead	Van Morrison	The Kinks	The Beatles	Wish You Were Here	Pink Floyd
Don Quixote	4	David Bowie	The Kinks	The Who	Radiohead	Elton John	U2	Sex Pistols	The Rolling Stones	Waterloo Sunset	The Kinks
Doug B	4	U2	David Bowie	The Who	Pink Floyd	Oasis	The Kinks	Elton John	U2	Heroes	David Bowie
Hawks64	4	Iron Maiden	Ozzy Osbourne	Elton John	Pink Floyd	The Who	The Clash	Radiohead	The Beatles	Fame	David Bowie
AAABatteries	4	Van Morrison	The Kinks	Elton John	U2	David Bowie	Pink Floyd	Radiohead	The Beatles	Zombie	The Cranberries
Chaos34	4	U2	Pink Floyd	Elton John	David Bowie	The Who	Van Morrison	Radiohead	The Rolling Stones	Bitter Sweet Symphony	The Verve
Hov34	4	David Bowie	The Who	U2	Elton John	Pink Floyd	Arctic Monkeys	Yes	The Rolling Stones	Heroes	David Bowie
simey	4	Pink Floyd	Van Morrison	David Bowie	Iron Maiden	Elton John	The Cure	U2	Led Zeppelin	Bad	U2
jwb	3	Pink Floyd	Van Morrison	Elton John	David Bowie	U2	Yes	Iron Maiden	The Rolling Stones	Into the Mystic	Van Morrison
Karma Police	3	David Bowie	Pink Floyd	The Who	U2	Radiohead	Van Morrison	Cream	Led Zeppelin	Son of a Preacher Man	Dusty Springfield
cosjobs	2	The Who	Black Sabbath	Traffic	Elvis Costello	Fleetwood Mac	Jethro Tull	Van Morrison	The Rolling Stones	Low Spark of High Heeled Boys	Traffic

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

There IS a Prince version of NC2U.

I'm not a big Prince fan to begin with but... I thought it would be better. I would have liked to hear him sing it in the stripped down style that Sinead did.

reaction.

really? there's a Prince version?

just catching up today and saw this ...

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

By the way, who picked "Nothing Compares 2 U"?

That's been a week-long earworm, thank you very much.

She's so POP-u-lar.

Ghah.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

There IS a Prince version of NC2U.

I'm not a big Prince fan to begin with but... I thought it would be better. I would have liked to hear him sing it in the stripped down style that Sinead did.

reaction.

really? there's a Prince version?

just catching up today and saw this ...

What? Everyone knows he wrote it. But he never actually publicly performed it AFAIK.

 

[Ilov80s]

I didn’t expect to see Roger Waters making news for controversial statements made to the UN on Russia’s behalf being a headline I would ever read.

That has been an interesting development. I don't know how to remain apolitical talking about it, so I will cease.

Yeah I tried to make the statement as factual as possible and avoid any politicization.

I didn’t expect to see Roger Waters making news for controversial statements made to the UN on Russia’s behalf being a headline I would ever read.

In recent years some of the most highly respected artists in this thread have offered some very questionable political opinions:

Roger Waters
Van Morrison
Eric Clapton
Morrisey

I still love their music (well the first 3 anyhow) but man have they gotten weird.

I knew about the other 3, didn't know Waters had gone political. He seems like an odd choice for a person to address the UN over a Ukrainian-Russian conflict.

@rockaction I was getting concerned about the lack of Zombies in your selection

We knew it was coming, was just a matter of which song....and this is a major zag for me.

@rockaction I was getting concerned about the lack of Zombies in your selection

Here you go:

"Remember You" - The Zombies

This is an alternate track of the single from the movie Bunny Lake Is Missing, which featured The Zombies a little bit at one point in the film. "Remember You" is not one of their hits, really, but it moves in a waltz time perfectly agreeable for both the jazziness of the track and for actual dancing. I loved the song when I used to smoke quite a bit of weed in my twenties, and while I've personally played the song out a bit, it's still an outstanding track (IMO) by a criminally underrated band that didn't quite get the love they deserved until they had just about broken up ("Time Of The Season" hit after the band had had their season). It would have been easier and cooler to pick the slightly more ethereal "She's Not There" or one of their other early British Invasion hits, but I'm sticking with this one.

eta* The vocals in this one are better than the Bunny Lake Is Missing soundtrack song, which sees them straining at the higher end of things. They nailed this take. Lead singer Colin Blunstone, normally a hushed whisperer, extends to the end of his range here and it works. It also features a choppier drum beat. I like the more swinging element to this one.

I thought maybe you were a big Bunny Lake is Missing guy

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

RIP Burt Bacharach. Brilliant songwriter.

Aw man, that sucks.

The list of top-tier artists who worked with him and recorded his songs is massive.

there are a couple that I really love on the Elvis Costello "Look Now" album (a great one with Carole King too)

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Ok - like I said obviously not a big deal but as you can see by no one else picking them they are not really considered British.

Aaaaand we're back to Queen. I doubt anyone thinks they are Madagascaran. Madagacarish? Ah- Malagasy.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

every 80's "group" (guys and girls) liked Def Leppard - the jocks, the stoners, the nerds... we all loved Pyromania.

Did you consider them Righteous Dudes?

 

[Ilov80s]

Also the Gorillaz stance on toon rights.

It was pretty shocking to hear Noodle say that Judge Doom had the right idea.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

every 80's "group" (guys and girls) liked Def Leppard - the jocks, the stoners, the nerds... we all loved Pyromania.

Did you consider them Righteous Dudes?

Even my best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend who heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night liked the album.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Pip’s Invitation:

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - Elton John
(duplicate – fourth vote)

Back to long songs! But three other people drafted this too, so you can't give me all the grief on this one.

This suite combines pop, rock and prog into a triumphant achievement. Elton isn't thought of as a "magnum opus" kind of artist, but here he produces something that holds its own with the Stairway to Heavens and Freebirds of the world while retaining the melody and tunefulness of his best work. And it KICKS OFF his "magnum opus" album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

I'm not even a big Elton John fan, but this one has always been a towering gem and why I picked it earlier.

This song fought with Crazy Water for a spot on my list. A very close second for me.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Ok - like I said obviously not a big deal but as you can see by no one else picking them they are not really considered British.

Aaaaand we're back to Queen. I doubt anyone thinks they are Madagascaran. Madagacarish? Ah- Malagasy.

Sure - I don’t necessarily disagree. It is what it is now. I was reacting instead of responding.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I knew about the other 3, didn't know Waters had gone political. He seems like an odd choice for a person to address the UN over a Ukrainian-Russian conflict.

And Gilmour put out a song in support of Ukraine under the Pink Floyd name. They’re never gettIng back together.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I knew about the other 3, didn't know Waters had gone political. He seems like an odd choice for a person to address the UN over a Ukrainian-Russian conflict.

And Gilmour put out a pro Ukrainian song under the Pink Floyd name. They’re never gettIng back together.

I'm having Eagles flashbacks. And Styx, for that matter.

Taylor said it best.

 

[Manster]

Me thinks Depeche mode is gonna bite me in the arse in the contest.....what the bloody hell was I thinking? I guess I was thinking thered be more depeche mode fans in this thing