Middle Aged Dummies!! Artists #1's have been posted!! (1 Viewer)

[simey]

I like everything on this playlist. 13 thoughts on some 13s.

That Wasn't Me - This is great, and I think those backup vocals give it a bit of a gospel feel.
Tin Pan Alley -
The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory - I'm a sucka for piano driven songs.
Untitled #1 - A natural tranquilizer.
I Burn Today - A nice slice of Americana.
A Hazy Shade of Winter - S&Gs original version has that 60s sound and I love it.
Catch The Sun - This is good. I love its pace and how it glides along.
Razor Face - I love hearing young Elton sing.
I see Monsters - I think the music goes well with the lyrics he is singing, and his vocals sound great.
Another Star - Party at Stevie's place.
I Turn My Camera On - I dig it.
No Excuses - One of my favorites by them.
Sequestered in Memphis - This song is fun.

 

[rockaction]

I made a comment in one of the early rounds that Decembrists sounded like if TMBG did a more normal song.

I read your comments so I probably subliminally picked up on it and regurgitated the thought as my own. Good to hear somebody else hears or thinks it.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

New-to-me songs from #13 that I dug:

Jesusalda
That Wasn't Me
Trailer Trash
Tin Pan Alley
Untitled #1 (Vaka)
Better Man (Taylor's Version)
Down in the Sewer
I See Monsters
Promoter (of Earthbound Cause)
Crumble
Seven Spanish Angels
I Turn My Camera On
You're Everywhere
Razor Face

 

[shuke]

13s favorites

That Wasn't Me
Goldheart Mountain etc etc by And You Will etc etc
Real Love
I Burn Today
Crumble
No Excuses - soundtrack of college years
Clint Eastwood - This band isn't really my thing, but I dig this. Also, when I played it, both my kids ran into the room "You're listening to Gorillaz?!?!?!"
Catch The Sun - not only my favorite Doves song, but probably a top 100 song of all time of any artist.
Kick It Out - overplayed or not, still a classic
Razor Face

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

The fool site lost my place in the folder, so I'll be winging it.

SLADE

Round 18 Dapple Rose is by Lea and Powell.

"Dapple Rose" features lyrics from Powell about an elderly horse. Recalling the inspiration behind the song, Powell recalled in 2009: "I've always had a fondness for horses and where I lived with my parents there were some fields over the back and there were always gypsies camping there. They used to have these horses and donkeys and they always looked dead to me. They were not looked after which was sad."

Round 15 Mad Dog Cole is the only instrumental on my list. It is by Hill, Holder, Lea, and Powell.

Round 20 My Oh My has two versions. (The other will show up later.) This version is an early cut with different lyrics and feel. I love it.

Round 19 Cum On Feel The Noize has a nice live version available. So much for Quiet Riot.

And Round 13 Still the Same is a tender love ballad. Also a favorite.

 

[Raging weasel]

Knew 10 of the 13's and recognized Clint Eastwood when I heard it.
Some favs in playlist order.
That Wasn't Me- best so far
Synchronicity 1- prefer 2 but this is good too
Mama- not a Phil Collins guy but always liked this other than the weird laugh part
Tin Pan Alley- love this, probably my 2nd fav by him
Real Love - reminds me of the Pixies
Clint Eastwood - always really liked this song but didn't know the name or artist - thanks!
Invaders Must Die/Dark Entries - these bands don't usually do anything for me but this was a nice flowing combo
Razor Face- been years since I've heard this, great song

 

[Dr. Octopus]

recognized Clint Eastwood when I heard it.

same for me - although I'm not sure if the "chorus" (non rap part) is sampled from another song I've heard or if its recognizable to me from hearing this song before.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Everytime we get a new Frank Black song I lament all the time I've spent not listening to him over the years.

 

[scorchy]

The Hold Steady “Realistic” Dream Setlist Song 19: Sequestered in Memphis

In barlight, she looked alright
In daylight, she looked desparate

Album: Stay Positive (song 2 of 5)

Year: 2008

# of Times Seen Live: 36 of 38 shows

The Story: Best song ever about being questioned by the cops about a girl you hooked up with?

Live Notes: Another THS song that brings out a lot of schtick. Nothing that Mrs. Scorchy enjoys more at a show than mimicking the air-quotes that Craig always throws out when he sings “I went there ‘on business.’”

 

[KarmaPolice]

There's a rule that the runners of the draft and creators of the playlists automatically get their choice of artists for part 2, right??!

 

[scorchy]

The 13s was my favorite playlist so far. Lots of great songs to highlight but not eloquent enough to think up something interesting/unique to write about all of them:

Brandi Carlile/That Wasn’t Me and Decemberists/Billy Liar: I didn't go back and relisten to the 18 previous songs by each to verify, but these were my favorites by them of an already great bunch of tunes.
Modest Mouse/Trailer Trash: My 2nd favorite MM song. We'll see if my #1 shows up soon.
Green Day/Are We The Waiting
Chicago/In the Country: This one wowed me from the get go.
Slade/Still the Same: Going into this, my very limited (like 4-song) knowledge of Slade led me to believe they were very same-sy. Very bad assumption on my part.
Phish/First Tube: The first few notes made me break out in a smile. I wondered if I would feel the same once the vocals kicked in, but for better or worse, never happened and I loved it the whole way through.
Dinosaur Jr./Crumble: See entry above for Modest Mouse, except my favorite Dino song is already off the board.
Alice in Chains/No Excuses
Gorillaz/Clint Eastwood: First time I heard this, we had just moved into our new house in NJ and had on MTV while unpacking the bedroom. Stopped me in my tracks. Bought the CD that evening.
Ray Charles/Seven Spanish Angels: I'm not sure a duet could get any better than this.
Doves/Catch the Sun: My favorite Doves song. Thought that would be a chalk pick but Spotify has it decently down the list for # of listens.
Spoon/I Turn My Camera On: Jzilla/Plinko and I hiked the Inca trail 8-years ago. For some reason, this was one of our theme songs (along with a Brian Johnson AC/DC track that I can't recall). Maybe it's because we were always taking photos.
Bauhaus/Dark Entries: Ranked it #6 all-time on my post-punk countdown a few years back. Peter monologuing while the band shouts "DARK ENTRIES" absolutely kills.

Just a few more from the earlier rounds regarding bands I haven't said much about:

Genesis/Turn it On Again: Didn't know this by title, but my older brother had a dub of the album (Steve Miller on the other side) and he would crank this song with the windows down in his yellow 6.6L Trans Am when driving me to baseball practice when I was 8 years old. "Jungle Love" was the banger from the Steve Miller side of the cassette.
Blur/Parklife: Will never not be team Oasis but really like this one. So very British.
Daft Punk/Digital Love: this one makes me happy too.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

There's a rule that the runners of the draft and creators of the playlists automatically get their choice of artists for part 2, right??!

sounds fair.

 

[rockaction]

Friends of the MAD countdown ELO were heard in the automotive waiting area today. I forget the song, but it's the one I commented on earlier in the thread.

Friends of the MAD countdown The Hold Steady and Modest Mouse have been going through my head all day, sometimes singing "A surf rock band..." audibly to myself this early morning and following it up with "How am I supposed to know that you're high if you won't let me touch you?" which I did not sing audibly and which actually has to be the biggest non-sequitur in a song. Like, ever. Why do you need to know if she's high, man? Sounds like a lame excuse to touch somebody.

C'mon, baby, I just need to know if you're high.

 

[scorchy]

"How am I supposed to know that you're high if you won't let me touch you?" which I did not sing audibly and which actually has to be the biggest non-sequitur in a song. Like, ever. Why do you need to know if she's high, man? Sounds like a lame excuse to touch somebody.

Are we human, or are we dancer?

 

[zamboni]

13. No Excuses (off Jar of Flies, 1994)

It's okay
Had a bad day
Hands are bruised from
Breaking rocks all day

(Official Video) Alice In Chains - No Excuses
(Unplugged) Alice In Chains - No Excuses

Loved this song from back in the day.

Also love this great acoustic cover by Mike Masse, the "Africa" YouTube guy.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

JML’s Reimagined rankings
Part 3 - Brandi Carlile 31-21 re-ranked

Drafter @JB Breakfast Club

Every songs gets 3 full listens, more if I feel its going somewhere and i need to persist. If I havent given it 3 listens, its because something really annoyed me. That will show up in the comments

Prior Knowledge of artist
None. Zip. Bubkus.
Not surprising if shes on the country side of things, well alternate country, folk rock etc.

Expectations
With no prior knowledge of artist a quick scan tells me she is a country artist. Oh boy, a genre i really struggle with. Blues is one I struggle with more. Seems her music doesnt really travel either, except one song that i assume is still to come. Havent heard it from memory. I honestly expect to struggle to enjoy this. Lets see how i get on.

My Reimagined Rankings
31 - O Holy Night
Not sure about everyone else but I really struggle to enjoy Christmas music in July.

30 - Redesigning Women
This is the kind of song I imagine when I talk about having issues with Country

29 - Carried Me With U
Starting to get better, but not translating to enjoyment

28 - The Things I regret
First song that I started to get a vibe from, so we are getting there

27 - Fall Apart Again
Pleasant enough, but not making me pay attention yet

26 - My Song
This is a song where i can appreciate the craft of songwriting involved, even if the song doesnt resonate the artistry involved does

25 - Hard Way Home
This is where things pick up. Enjoyed this one

24 - Mama Werewolf
This is another amazingly well written song with great structure. I liked this one too

23 - A Beautiful Noise
Always good to hear Alicia Keys and the voices work well together. Great stuff

22 - Mainstream Kid
Love the fire and passion in delivery here. Works great

21 - Dreams
I really loved this one. Im pretty sure this would rate top 10 for this artist with me, but we will see.
If it doesnt i will be pleasantly surprised.

Comments to date
I enjoyed the music here a lot more than i thought i would, especially my 25-21. My #21 would be favorite song I have heard to date from the 3 lists. There is real craft in the songwriting and performance. Someone has been to the Diane Warren School of crafting hooks. Contrary to initial expectations I think Im going to enjoy this list a whole lot more than expectations. We will see.

Next up the Po lice

 

[Zegras11]

#12's PLAYLIST

		#12-
Todd Rundgren	New Binky the Doormat	I Saw The Light Todd Rundgren - I Saw The Light (Lyrics Below) (HQ) I Saw The Light from Something/Anything?LYRICS:It was late last nightI was feeling something wasn't rightThere was not another soul in sightOnly you, only yo... www.youtube.com
Jorge Ben Jor	Don Quixote	A Banda do Zé Pretinho - YouTube Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen. youtu.be
Brandi Carlile	JB Breakfast Club	Wherever is Your Heart - Firewatcher's Daughter Wherever is Your Heart Brandi Carlile · Song · 2015 open.spotify.com
The Police	Zegras11	Demolition Man Demolition Man The Police · Song · 1981 open.spotify.com
Modest Mouse	The Dreaded Marco	Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive/Negative) Modest Mouse - Whenever You Breathe Out, I Breathe In (Positive/Negative) Part 11 www.youtube.com
Genesis	Yo Mama	I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) - 2007 Stereo Mix Genesis · Song · 1973 open.spotify.com
Stevie Ray Vaughan	Sullie	Lenny (Live at the El Mocambo) Stevie Ray Vaughan - Lenny (Live at the El Mocambo) "Lenny (Live at the El Mocambo)" by Stevie Ray VaughanStevie Ray Vaughan was a legendary blues guitarist and singer from Texas, known for his soulful playing... www.youtube.com
The Decemberists	kupcho1	The Legionnaire's Lament The Legionnaire's Lament The Decemberists · Song · 2002 open.spotify.com The Decemberists - The Legionnaire's Lament (from Castaways & Cutouts) Get the album on iTunes: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/castaways-and-cutouts/313362160?mt=1&app=music&at=1000l3gn"The Legionnaire's Lament" from the ... youtu.be
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead	plinko	So Divided So Divided (2006) So Divided ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead · Song · 2006 open.spotify.com
The Kinks	Galileo	Apeman (1970 - Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part 1) Apeman - 2014 Remastered Version The Kinks · Song · 2014 open.spotify.com
Rush	higgins	Analog Kid Rush- The Analog Kid w/ Lyrics Rush's Analog Kid from their 1982 album Signals.Release date: September 1982Lyrics at: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rush/theanalogkid.htmlLyrics:A hot and ... www.youtube.com
Sigur Rós	Scoresman	Svefn-g-englar (Sleepwalkers) - Ágætis byrjun - 1999 Svefn-g-englar Song · Sigur Rós · 1999 open.spotify.com
Donald Fagen	Charlie Steiner	Time Out of Mind Time Out Of Mind Artist: Steely DanClassics from www.session42.com#session42 www.youtube.com
Green Day	MAC_32	Welcome To Paradise Welcome to Paradise Green Day · Song · 1994 open.spotify.com
Big Thief	Ilov80s	Change Change Big Thief · Song · 2022 open.spotify.com
Daft Punk	rockaction	High Life Daft Punk - High Life (Official Video) Official Music Video for “High Life”, taken from “Discovery” available on all platforms: https://daftpunk.lnk.to/DiscoverySubscribe to the official Daft Pun... youtu.be
Taylor Swift	Jpalmer	Nothing New Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers · Song · 2021 open.spotify.com
Elliott Smith	Tuffnutt	Happiness Happiness/The Gondola Man Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupHappiness/The Gondola Man · Elliott SmithFigure 8℗ A Geffen Records Release; ℗ 2000 UMG Recordings, Inc.Released ... www.youtube.com
Chicago	Pip's Invitation	Loneliness Is Just a Word Loneliness is Just a Word - 2002 Remaster Chicago · Song · 1971 open.spotify.com
The Stranglers	John Maddens Lunchbox	Hanging Around The Stranglers - Hanging Around (1977) (stereo) m.youtube.com
Ryan Adams	Dr. Octopus	Stay With Me Stay With Me Ryan Adams · Song · 2014 open.spotify.com
Stevie Wonder	Uruk-Hai	As Stevie Wonder - As 1976 - Songs in the Key of LifeNathan Watts - Bass, HandclapsDean Parks - GuitarHerbie Hancock - Keyboards, HandclapsGreg Brown - DrumsAll Other Instruments ... www.youtube.com
Slade	Mrs. Rannous	That's What Friends Are For Slade - That's What Friends Are For (Official Visualizer) The Official Visualizer for 'That's What Friends Are For' by Slade.Purchase 'Cum on Feel the Hitz': https://slade.lnk.to/bestofd2Taken from Slade's first hit... www.youtube.com
Phish	shuke	Bathtub Gin Bathtub Gin Song · Phish · 1990 open.spotify.com
Electgric Light Orchestra (ELO)	jwb	Can't Get It Out of My Head Can't Get It out of My Head Song · Electric Light Orchestra · 1974 open.spotify.com
Frank Black	Mister CIA	Headache Frank Black - Headache Subscribe to 4AD here: http://bit.ly/2TLt1l7 Released on Monday 9th May 1994, Frank Black's 'Headache' came from his second 4AD solo album, 'Teenager of the ... www.youtube.com
Clutch	Raging Weasel	Immortal Immortal Clutch · Song · 2001 open.spotify.com
Dinosaur Jr.	KarmaPolice	Pond Song Dinosaur Jr - Pond Song www.youtube.com
Warren Zevon	worrierking	Keep Me in Your Heart Keep Me in Your Heart Warren Zevon · Song · 2003 open.spotify.com Zevon got the diagnosis of mesothelioma and instantly went into self-promotion mode. It was one last chance to leave a legacy and some inheritance for his kids. So, he made an album about his upcoming end. It comes dangerously close to maudlin and cheap on numerous occasions and then he throws in lines like the one about the buttons on your blouse. Instant tears. Best Lyrics: Sometimes when you're doing simple things around the house Maybe you'll think of me and smile You know I'm tied to you like the buttons on your blouse Keep me in your heart for a while
Alice in Chains	Mt. Man	Sea of Sorrow Sea Of Sorrow Alice In Chains · Song · 1990 open.spotify.com
Queen	snellman	Crazy Little Thing Called Love Crazy Little Thing Called Love Queen · Song · 1980 open.spotify.com
AC/DC	falguy	High Voltage High Voltage - Live at the Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland - April 1978 AC/DC · Song · 1978 open.spotify.com
The Hold Stead	scorchy	Banging Camp Banging Camp The Hold Steady · Song · 2005 open.spotify.com
Damon Albarn	Eephus	The Good, the Bad & the Queen --- Green Fields The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Green Fields The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Green Fields www.youtube.com
Ray Charles	simey	Ray Charles & Count Basie - Every Saturday night www.youtube.com Every Saturday Night Ray Charles · Song · 2006 open.spotify.com
Doves	landrys hat	Satellites Satellites Doves · Song · 2002 open.spotify.com
Spoon	Hov34	Inside Out SPOON - "Inside Out" "Inside Out" (Official Audio)Video edited by Mau Morgó. Photos by Todd Baxter.THEY WANT MY SOUL, the new album from SPOON, is in stores on August 5th. If you... www.youtube.com
Foo Fighters	Just Win Baby	This Is A Call This Is a Call Song · Foo Fighters · 1995 open.spotify.com
Simon & Garfunkel	zamboni	"Keep the Customer Satisfied" Simon & Garfunkel - Keep The Customer Satisfied Written by Paul on his alck of inspiration, it is absed on how he feared his music was not as popular and that he couldn't pleas ehis own "customers". So, le... www.youtube.com
Bruce Springsteen	DrIanMalcolm	She's the One She's the One (Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London '75) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performing "She's The One" from Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London '75Listen to Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Ban... www.youtube.com
The Prodigy	titusbramble	Charly (Trip Into Drum and Bass Version) Charly - Trip Into Drum and Bass Version The Prodigy · Song · 1992 open.spotify.com
Bauhaus	otb_lifer	In The Flat Field In the Flat Field Bauhaus · Song · 1980 open.spotify.com
Heart	Doug B	Little Queen Little Queen Heart · Song · 1977 open.spotify.com
The Tragically Hip	Northern Voice	Fifty Mission Cap Fifty-Mission Cap The Tragically Hip · Song · 1992 open.spotify.com
deadmau5	zazale	Maths - Original Mix Maths - Original Mix deadmau5 · Song · 2012 open.spotify.com
Elton John	timschochet	This Song Has No Title This Song Has No Title (Live At Hammersmith Odeon / 1973) Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupThis Song Has No Title (Live At Hammersmith Odeon / 1973) · Elton JohnGoodbye Yellow Brick Road℗ 2014 BBC Worldwi... www.youtube.com

 

[Scoresman]

12 - Sigur Ros- Svefn-g-englar (Sleepwalkers) - Ágætis byrjun

The first song off their second album, this is most older fans’ first experience with the band. A haunting piece with a short exploding climax near the end.

The band describes this song as sounding like it’s underwater or even in utero which was also inspiration for the albums cover. See my avatar.

 

[kupcho1]

The Decemberists
#12 The Legionnaire's Lament

I found an interesting discussion of the Decemberists in Pitchfork (circa 2003), particularly given the discussion w/r/t TMBG. To wit:

If Jeff Mangum had never been born, Colin Meloy could have assumed Jeff Mangum's current status as indie rock's consummate pop songwriter freak. Which, of course, would mean some other wild-eyed kid from Montana would have had to be Colin Meloy. The Real Meloy, in this Trading Places-themed Twilight Zone, would have filled in for Mangum's nasal warble and given the world the sweet gift of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea with his band Neutral Milk Hotel, while New Guy would front a band named, say, The Decemberists, who would shamelessly mine the sparkly folk-fuzz (sans-fuzz) of that most lauded of Elephant 6 bands. The Decemberists would be a tad poppier, and maybe a tad sweeter than their key influence, but fronted by a voice so close to Mangum's that few could tell the difference. Some say this may even have actually happened. Some say it's happening right now.

So Pitchfork, at least in 2003, was hearing Neutral Milk Hotel.
OK, I can see it.

The Legionnaire's Lament finds the gang in their "musical theater" groove. Colin Meloy can really paint a picture, but you'll need to bust out your dictionary to parse the lyrics (e.g., charabanc, fecundity, bagatelles).

I tried to just include my favorite verse, but alas.

I'm a legionnaire
Camel in disrepair
Hoping for a frigid heir to come passing by
I am on reprieve
Lacking my joie de virve
Missing my gay Paris
In this desert dry

And I wrote my girl
Told her I would not return
Terribly taken a turn
For the worse now I fear

It's been a year or more
Since they shipped me to this foreign shore
Fighting in a foreign war
So far away from my home

If only summer rain would fall
On the houses and the boulevards
And the side walk bagatelles it's like a dream
With the roar of cars
And the lulling of the cafe bars,
The sweetly sleeping sweeping of the Seine.
Lord I don't know if I'll ever be back again.

La la la la dam
La la la low

Medicating in the sun
Pinched doses of laudanum
Longing for the old fecundity of my homeland
Curses to this mirage
A bottle of ancient Shiraz
A smattering of distant applause
Is ringing in my poor ears

On the old left bank
My baby in a charabanc
Riding up the width and length
Of the Champs Elysees

If only summer rain would fall
On the houses and the boulevard
And the side walk bagatelles it's like a dream
With the roar of cars
And the lulling of the cafe bars
The sweetly sleeping sweeping of the Seine
Lord I don't know if I'll ever be back again

[repeat]

 

[kupcho1]

Just previewing the playlist tonight. I've got a long drive to/from golf tomorrow where I can give it my (almost) undivided attention.
Did note that there are some all-time favorites for a few artists on there.

 

[Mt. Man]

12. Sea of Sorrow (off Facelift, 1990)

You opened fire
And your mark was true
You opened fire
Aim my smilin' skull at you

(Official Video) Alice In Chains - Sea Of Sorrow
(Live Version) Alice In Chains - Sea Of Sorrow

Back to the Moore (and the Live Facelift concert video) for the live version. It’s hard to resist that performance, plus it doesn’t cut it short like both ‘official’ videos do for whatever reason. Anyway, the start definitely gets sludge-y, the heavier riff joined by Layne’s powerful voice. This one’s a rocker, hard-charged and energetic throughout.

But you don’t give a song this title without reason, right? It’s about a real-life woman that Cantrell met. A relationship that started hopeful but proves sour, even toxic. The pain eventually so much that he goes his own way, leaving her in (what he imagines is) a sea of sorrow. Though with the implication that she’s not really that upset about it.

Next on the countdown, good night. Also, a horn warning for krista4. But only on the album version.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

12. Loneliness Is Just a Word

https://open.spotify.com/track/3ZQTHxmiQn56gWyTslmcF2?si=85c5fddc7f284fff

Album: Chicago III (1971)
Writer: Robert Lamm
Lead vocals: Terry Kath
Released as a single? No

Here it is, the song I predict @krista4 will like. This is based on Birds being one of her favorites from my Neil Young countdown and her being a big fan of Leonard Cohen and Nick Drake. What this song has in common with that material is that it is compellingly sung and has exquisite lyrics dealing with loneliness, in this case caused by a breakup. She will hear the initial horn blasts and say, "Oh no, Pip, what are you thinking? DO YOU NOT READ MY POSTS?" But starting at 0:13 -- and running only a little more than 2 minutes longer than that -- we get a brisk but restrained organ-driven arrangement which is the perfect backdrop for Terry Kath's incredible interpretation of Robert Lamm's gut-wrenching lyrics. The bolded lines get me every time.
You don't know how bad it's been
Since you been gone
Let me tell you how bad it's been
Since you been gone
People speak but I don't hear
Things all around seem so unclear
I don't know
What will become of the love you turned off?
What will become of the need you turned off?
Loneliness is just a word
So I've been told
Loneliness becomes a world
That's very cold
People stare but they don't see
All of the hurt that's inside of me
I don't know
At Carnegie Hall bonus track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSGBuAzoO5I. Yes, they actually left some songs from the Carnegie Hall run off the original quadruple album. Interestingly, the lyrics in this version are changed a bit, and a variation of the bolded lines appear early in the song.

At #11, another statement of purpose from the debut album.

 

[MAC_32]

Also, a horn warning for krista4. But only on the album version.

Are you doing strictly Alice in Chains or side projects too?

 

[Galileo]

#12 Apeman (1970 - Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part 1)

Apeman - 2014 Remastered Version

The Kinks · Song · 2014

open.spotify.com

Another Kinks song about the desire to escape to a simpler way of life and leave behind all the troubles of modern society. This song came a couple years before Supersonic Rocket Ship (#15 on my list), but it carries the same basic message and brings a similar musical vibe reminiscent of island life with its reggae/calypso-esque style. Life may suck, but the music is fun! This tune hit #45 on the US charts, but got to #5 in the UK. I tell you this because surprisingly it was the 14th and last Kinks song to ever crack the top ten in the UK. Remember, this was released in 1970!

I think I'm sophisticated 'cause I'm living my life
Like a good homo sapiens
But all around me everybody's multiplying
And they're walking round like flies man
So I'm no better than the animals sitting
In the cages in the zoo, man
'Cause compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees
I am an apeman

I think I'm so educated and I'm so civilized
'Cause I'm a strict vegetarian
But with the over-population and inflation and starvation
And the crazy politicians
I don't feel safe in this world no more
I don't want to die in a nuclear war
I want to sail away to a distant shore and make like an apeman

I'm an apeman, I'm an ape, apeman, oh I'm an apeman
I'm a King Kong man, I'm a voodoo man, oh I'm an apeman
'Cause compared to the sun that sits in the sky
Compared to the clouds as they roll by
Compared to the bugs and the spiders and flies I am an apeman

In man's evolution he's created the city and the motor traffic rumble
But give me half a chance and I'd be taking off my clothes
And living in the jungle
'Cause the only time that I feel at ease
Is swinging up and down in a coconut tree
Oh what a life of luxury to be like an apeman

I'm an apeman, I'm an ape, apeman, oh I'm an apeman
I'm a King Kong man, I'm a voodoo man, oh I'm an apeman
I look out the window but I can't see the sky
The air pollution is a-fogging up my eyes
I want to get out of this city alive and make like an apeman

Oh come on and love me, be my apeman girl
And we'll be so happy in my apeman world

I'm an apeman, I'm an ape, apeman, oh I'm an apeman
I'm a King Kong man, I'm a voodoo man, oh I'm an apeman
I'll be your Tarzan, you'll be my Jane
I'll keep you warm and you'll keep me sane
We'll sit in the trees and eat bananas all day, just like an apeman

I'm an apeman, I'm an ape, apeman, oh I'm an apeman
I'm a King Kong man, I'm a voodoo man, oh I'm an apeman
I don't feel safe in this world no more
I don't want to die in a nuclear war
I want to sail away to a distant shore and make like an apeman

 

[Mt. Man]

Are you doing strictly Alice in Chains or side projects too?

Just AIC.

 

[MAC_32]

Are you doing strictly Alice in Chains or side projects too?

Just AIC.

Got ya, then consider this a plug for Cut you in by Jerry. Your horns comment instantly made me think of it. Maybe even krista will enjoy it!

 

[Eephus]

Damon Albarn song #13

Gorillaz - "Clint Eastwood" from Gorillaz (2001)

"Clint Eastwood" was the debut single from Gorillaz. It pretty much nails the template for future Gorillaz songs right from the get go: a guest rapper (Del the Funky Homosapien in this case) does the vers and Albarn/2-D gets a sing-along chorus. The backing track has some Spaghetti Western, a bit of The Clash with some Augustus Pablo in Damon's melodica line.

It's arguably the most important song in Albarn's career. Blur was huge at the time but Albarn spinning off a virtual cartoon band came out of left field. "Clint Eastwood" turned out to be a massive hit, on par with the biggest records of his other band. The initial success of Gorillaz may have hastened the first breakup of Blur but it positioned Albarn for the new century.

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/track/7yMiX7n9SBvadzox8T5jzT

Weird little commentary video with Gorillaz bass player Murdoc spouting off some nonsense.

Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood (Commentary Edition)

Join Murdoc Niccals in re-living Clint Eastwood in this full length commentary edition. Which video would you like to hear Murdoc re-live next?Listen to Gori...

www.youtube.com

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Random thoughts on some of the #12s that I know:

I Saw the Light is one of Todd's biggest hits and signature songs. It is the lead track and first single from Something/Anything? and sets the tone for the effortlessly infectious pop of most of it. In middle school I thought this was a Carole King song.
Demolition Man is skronky in places and gliding in others. It sounds like few other Police songs. The Grace Jones cover is a completely different take on it, fascinating for different reasons.
I Know What I Like (in Your Wardrobe) was the first Genesis "pop" song in some ways. It was much more melody-forward than anything they had done up to that point (1973), and was their first song to get much radio play in the US (albeit on the FM stations).
So Divided is epic, and probably the best song from the album of the same name.
Apeman is a lot of fun. Thanks to Ray's accent you thought he was saying the F word on the radio.
Analog Kid has incredible bass playing. The "you move me" part is one of Rush's best melodies. The guitar being kind of low in the mix was a sign of what was to come for the rest of the '80s.
I remember hearing Time out of Mind on the radio when I was a kid. I had NO idea what "chase the dragon" and the other heroin imagery was all about. I just liked it as a tune.
Welcome to Paradise is a ripper, and encapsulates a lot of what's fun about Green Day.
As is gorgeous. But it does evoke weird feelings for me because it was one of my first wife's favorite songs.
Bathub Gin is one of those Phish songs I like better in concert than on record, but others may feel differently. In less than a week in the summer of 2000 I witnessed two legendary versions, this one for the jamming and another one 5 days later (which is not on YouTube, WTF?) because it was played in a rainstorm and you could tell the band was feeding off all the soaked people on the lawn (including myself).
Can't Get It Out of My Head was ELO's first US top 10 single and many American listeners' first exposure to them. It marked a leap forward for Jeff Lynne as a pop songwriter, and he would soon become one of the '70s most reliable hitmakers.
I remember Headache on "modern rock" radio in the '90s. I liked it better than what I had heard from the Pixies, and still do.
Keep Me in Your Heart
Crazy Little Thing Called Love -- Based on what had come before, I would not have expected Queen to tackle rockabilly, but they hit this one out of the park.
This Is a Call was the first Foo song I ever heard and I was amazed that we had had a great songwriter hiding in plain sight.
Little Queen may be the closest Heart ever got to funk. At least the rhythm section did. The guitars are mostly still in Zeppelin territory and Ann is still doing Ann things.
Elton John and Bernie Taupin were so prolific in the first half of the '70s that they were writing songs faster than they could come up with names for them.

 

[Eephus]

Thanks for the kind words. We're heading to New Mexico next week to be with Neil and his wife. To be honest, the trip is probably as much for our benefit as it is for his but we've been planning to go down there for a while and there's no time like the present.

He's been off-duty this week as the state police have stepped in to give the local force time to grieve. Officer Ferguson's funeral was today so it'll be back to work before we get there. He says he'll probably be confined to administrative duties until the investigation is completed which is fine by me.

 

[Eephus]

New Blur album tonight

 

[Don Quixote]

Jorge Ben Jor

Don Quixote

A Banda do Zé Pretinho - YouTube Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen. youtu.be

As I’ve mentioned, Jorge Ben’s music moved with the times a bit. This one was released in 1978, and I can only really describe it as “disco samba.” I have no idea what it is about — similar to what rock has said on some of the Daft Punk songs, “just dance.”

This is the most recent release of his that I have in my 31. He released a bunch more, particularly in the 80s, but this is from the album commonly regarded as his last great one.

My next one up will go back to his debut album, the samba classic Samba Esquema Novo.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

plinko

So Divided So Divided (2006)

As I listen to this for the first time in years, I recall how I was robbed from seeing it live. My third and final TOD show came a few weeks after So Divided was released. Perfect time to showcase the best material from it, right? But they played a very similar set to the one I had seen two years before, and could only be bothered to play (learn?) one song from So Divided (Stand in Silence). This was the show that ended with Conrad Keely smashing his guitar at the end of Relative Ways. And he wasn't showboating, he was genuinely pissed. He had ranted during the set that the band's bus had broken down on the way to the venue and they hadn't had time to get drunk before going on.

 

[Charlie Steiner]

12. Time Out of Mind is the first song to appear on my list from the album Gaucho.

Finally, a blatant, can't-miss reference to drugs.

I've never taken "hard drugs" myself, so I can't comment intelligently about how well the song conveys the experience, but I will say I enjoy it very much anyway.

On a more serious note, the album containing this song was Steely Dan's last one for two decades, took two years to complete and was fraught with issues, including Walter Becker's spiraling drug abuse, and to make matters worse, he was hit by a car and spent six months recovering from those injuries. During that time, Fagen pretty much went full Kubrick and didn't reign in his 'attention to detail', employing over 40 different musicians to record hours of material that he would then mix and match to find just the right combination. As one example, Mark Knoepfler of Dire Straits was recruited to contribute his guitar sound to this song, and of several hours of material he recorded for them, about 40 seconds' worth made it onto the final version of this song.

Son you better be ready for love
On this glory day
This is your chance to believe
What I've got to say

Keep your eyes on the sky
Put a dollar in the kitty
Don't the moon look pretty

Tonight when I chase the dragon
The water will change to cherry wine
And the silver will turn to gold
Time out of mind

I am holding the mystical stone
It's direct from Lasa
Where people are rolling in the snow
Far from the world we know

Children we have it right here
It's the light in my eyes
It's perfection and grace
It's the smile on my face

Tonight when I chase the dragon
The water will change to cherry wine
And the silver will turn to gold
Time out of mind

Children we have it right here
It's the light in my eyes
It's perfection and grace
It's the smile on my face

Tonight when I chase the dragon
the water will change to cherry wine
And the silver will turn to gold
Time out of mind

 

[JB Breakfast Club]

I recognize the Todd Rundgren song from "A Very Murray Christmas!" A delightful diddy.

 

[Yo Mama]

Genesis #12 - I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)

Album - Selling England by the Pound
Year - 1973

The first real “single” for Genesis - upbeat, approachable, and wrapping itself up in a tidy 4 minutes (the last on my list this short). It was created based on a jam session the band once had, and was another Beatles-inspired tune.

It’s a bout a simple guy who mows lawns and enjoys his life and doesn’t care what his snooty neighbors say. Cuckoo to you!

 

[Tau837]

Foo Fighters

Just Win Baby

This Is A Call This Is a Call Song · Foo Fighters · 1995 open.spotify.com

This is the first song I chose from Foo Fighters, the Foos' 1st studio album, which was nominated for the 1996 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. The album has been described as follows:

Foo Fighters is the debut studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters... Dave Grohl wrote and recorded the entire album himself, with the assistance of producer Barrett Jones at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington, in 1994. He said that he recorded the album just for fun, describing it as a cathartic experience to recover from the suicide of Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain.

After Grohl completed the recordings, he chose the name "Foo Fighters" for the project to hide his identity, and passed cassette copies of the sessions to personal friends. When the tapes attracted record label interest, Grohl signed with Capitol and recruited a full band to perform the songs live. The album was promoted through extensive tours and six singles, two of which were accompanied by music videos.

Upon its release, Foo Fighters earned positive reviews, praising its songwriting and performances, and was also a commercial success, becoming the band's second-best-selling album in the United States. It also peaked within the top five of charts of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dave Grohl said about the song:

"The chorus says 'This is a call to all my past resignation'. It's just sort of like a little wave to all the people I ever played music with, people I've been friends with, all my relationships, my family. It's a hello, and in a way a thank you."

"'This Is A Call' just seemed like a nice way to open the album, y'know, 'This is a call to all my past resignations...' I felt like I had nothing to lose, and I didn't necessarily want to be the drummer of Nirvana for the rest of my life without Nirvana. I thought I should try something I'd never done before and I'd never stood up in front of a band and been the lead singer, which was ****ing horrifying and still is!"

In 2020, Kerrang ranked the top 20 all-time Foo Fighters songs and ranked This Is a Call #9. This is their writeup:

Foo Fighters’ first single proper is also arguably the ultimate distillation of what they’re about. Marrying power pop melody to a barroom beat and some downright grungy six-strings, This Is A Call set the template for virtually everything that would follow. The lyrics about Ritalin, balloons, pretty fingernails and bartering cysts and mollusks are full of much of the same subverted childish wonder as Nirvana classics like Polly, but when Dave declares ‘This is a call to all my past resignations’, it lands with more propulsive hope than pained introversion. A quarter-century on, it remains a potent call to arms for the Foos’ ever-enduring fanbase.

In 2023, Consequence of Sound ranked what they characterized as all 156 Foo Fighters songs up to that point, ranking This Is a Call #4. Here is their writeup:

Although rawer than anything that came after it, the first widely heard Foo Fighters song established Grohl’s preferred aesthetic: vague yet relatable lyrics and stadium-sized hooks. The words are nothing more than a series of positive non sequiturs to Grohl’s friends and former bandmates (“fingernails are pretty!” “Them balloons are pretty big!”), but that doesn’t matter. “This Is a Call” is about an energy, an optimism, a starting over. In other words, it was just what Grohl needed given that Kurt Cobain had shot himself only six months prior to the recording. Nirvana fans needed it, too.

Around 2019 (2014 article was updated "4 years ago"), Spin ranked what they characterized as all 152 Foo Fighters songs up to that point, ranking This Is a Call #16. Here is their writeup:

One of those bands whose first single actually is their quintessential song, the self-titled’s kickoff track contains everything that makes this band a band. There’s the instantly memorable melody, sparkling guitars at war with filthy ones, dynamo drumming that you didn’t even know power-pop needed, and a blunt-force riff that works as a bridge in this case, before giving way to the oddball opening statement: “Fingernails are pretty / Fingernails are good!” Grohl made a vow to work on his lyrics next time. The rest was already there.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

#12 - The Stranglers - Hanging Around

The Stranglers - Hanging Around

Classic by The Stranglers, Hanging Around

m.youtube.com

Year - 1977
Album - Rattus Norvegicus
UK Chart position - Non Single
Vocals - Hugh Cornwell
Key Lyric - Down the Court road early
With the Hustlers big and burly
There's a million of 'em selling
And the buyers can be found
They're just hanging around
They're just hanging around

Interesting Points
1- This was intended to be the third single off Rattus Norvegicus. Its clearly good enough, but the band had the No More Heroes album coming out and didnt want to delay it. They also had a better songs up their sleeves

2- British artist Hazel O’Connor did release a cover of this as a single in 1981. It only made #45. She had 3 top 10 hits, but the fourth highest charting reached #41. She was generally described as “fragile”. Whatever that means

Hazel O'Connor - Hanging Around

m.youtube.com

3- Yes there is Jesus imagery here.

Cornwell on the song's references to Jesus Christ: "The title of the song reminded me of a joke I'd heard, which I thought was funny. What a great way to spend Easter, hanging around on a cross. It's very flippant.
Christ, he told his mother
Christ, he told her not to bother
'Cause he's alright in the city
'Cause he's high above the ground
He's just hanging around (hanging around)

4- Lyricially, it was inspired by the characters who hung around the London clubs where the band used to perform, especially the Nashville.

There are also references to a friend of ours called Garry Coward-Williams, who was always smiling, and a friend of his we called Duncan Doughnuts, who was 20 going on 40. I could never believe how old he looked. His whole manner and appearance was of a middle-aged man.

5- Lead Singer Hugh Cornwell is also the guitarist and rhythm guitarist and continuing the Doors idolisation by the band, said that Robbie Krieger is the greatest Rhythm guitarist in the world. Him and JJB stated that the Doors were their favorite band and when Dave Greenfield fell into the lap and auditioned, they couldnt believe his similarity to Ray Manzarek. When they asked Dave if he knew of the Doors and Manzarek, he replied “Who?”

Summary to date
Year
1977 - 8
1978 - 4
1979 - 2
1980 - 0
1981 - 1
1982 - 1
1983 - 0
1984 - 2
1985 - 0
1986 - 0
1987 - 0
1988 - 1
1989 - 0
1990 onwards - 1

Where to find
Rattus Norvegicus - 6/9
No More Heroes - 2/11
Black and White - 1/12
The Raven - 2/11
The Gospel According to the Meninblack - 0/10
La Folie - 1/11
Feline - 0/9
Aural Sculpture - 2/11
Dreamtime - 0/10
All Live and All of the Night - 1/13
10 - 1/10
1991 onwards - 0
B Sides - 1
Greatest Hits - 1
Standalone Single - 2

Running Vocal Count
Hugh Cornwell - 12
Jean-Jacques Burnel - 8
Other - 0

Rundown
#31 - Walk on By
#30 - Ugly
#29 - All Day and All of the Night
#28 - Meninblack
#27 - Goodbye Toulouse
#26 - Princess of the Streets
#25 - Sweden (All Quiet on the Eastern Front)
#24 - Duchess
#23 - Sometimes
#22 - La Folie
#21 - North Winds
#20 - No Mercy
#19 - 5 Minutes
#18 - Strange Little Girl
#17 - Shut Up
#16 - Bitching
#15 - Bring on the Nubiles
#14 - 96 Tears
#13 - Down in the Sewer
#12 - Hanging Around
Next we get another non album song, not quite a b side, but not really a a side either. The AA suits it perfectly.

 

[simey]

#12 - Ray Charles - Every Saturday Night - spotify

The original recording of this song is on Ray's 1972 album A Message From the People. After he died, some tapes were found of a live performance from 1973. The vocals were great, but the band sounded fuzzy. An engineer took the Count Basie Orchestra and combined it with the vocals, and this was the result. The original recording is great, but I love this recording, because The Raelettes have a bigger role in it and sound awesome. It's a fun funky number from the album Ray Sings, Basie Swings.

 

[plinko]

Flying home in a few hours.. I've got some catching up to do now. I saw Say Sue Me last night at the Empty Bottle... what a great venue! Chicago was good to me, it was cool to be able to spend some time here. I'm supposed to come back in a month or so... we'll see how that shakes out. The last two ToD songs were from their 5th album, So Divided, some real epic stuff on that one, I think this is where they really started to settle into themselves. We've got one more to come from that record, and it is very Floydian, as they were wont to do from time to time. Not sure if it was mentioned - and thank you Pip for your steady perspective of this band while I am in and out here! - but "Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory" is the cover song I was talking about before we started, GBV as if you couldn't tell.

Looking forward to catching up on this week's material... great stuff gang. Eephus -- much love to you and yours. God rest Ofc. Ferguson and we're grateful for his service to his community

 

[plinko]

Foo Fighters

Just Win Baby

This Is A Call This Is a Call Song · Foo Fighters · 1995 open.spotify.com

This is the first song I chose from Foo Fighters, the Foos' 1st studio album, which was nominated for the 1996 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. The album has been described as follows:

Foo Fighters is the debut studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters... Dave Grohl wrote and recorded the entire album himself, with the assistance of producer Barrett Jones at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington, in 1994. He said that he recorded the album just for fun, describing it as a cathartic experience to recover from the suicide of Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain.

After Grohl completed the recordings, he chose the name "Foo Fighters" for the project to hide his identity, and passed cassette copies of the sessions to personal friends. When the tapes attracted record label interest, Grohl signed with Capitol and recruited a full band to perform the songs live. The album was promoted through extensive tours and six singles, two of which were accompanied by music videos.

Upon its release, Foo Fighters earned positive reviews, praising its songwriting and performances, and was also a commercial success, becoming the band's second-best-selling album in the United States. It also peaked within the top five of charts of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dave Grohl said about the song:

"The chorus says 'This is a call to all my past resignation'. It's just sort of like a little wave to all the people I ever played music with, people I've been friends with, all my relationships, my family. It's a hello, and in a way a thank you."

"'This Is A Call' just seemed like a nice way to open the album, y'know, 'This is a call to all my past resignations...' I felt like I had nothing to lose, and I didn't necessarily want to be the drummer of Nirvana for the rest of my life without Nirvana. I thought I should try something I'd never done before and I'd never stood up in front of a band and been the lead singer, which was ****ing horrifying and still is!"

In 2020, Kerrang ranked the top 20 all-time Foo Fighters songs and ranked This Is a Call #9. This is their writeup:

Foo Fighters’ first single proper is also arguably the ultimate distillation of what they’re about. Marrying power pop melody to a barroom beat and some downright grungy six-strings, This Is A Call set the template for virtually everything that would follow. The lyrics about Ritalin, balloons, pretty fingernails and bartering cysts and mollusks are full of much of the same subverted childish wonder as Nirvana classics like Polly, but when Dave declares ‘This is a call to all my past resignations’, it lands with more propulsive hope than pained introversion. A quarter-century on, it remains a potent call to arms for the Foos’ ever-enduring fanbase.

In 2023, Consequence of Sound ranked what they characterized as all 156 Foo Fighters songs up to that point, ranking This Is a Call #4. Here is their writeup:

Although rawer than anything that came after it, the first widely heard Foo Fighters song established Grohl’s preferred aesthetic: vague yet relatable lyrics and stadium-sized hooks. The words are nothing more than a series of positive non sequiturs to Grohl’s friends and former bandmates (“fingernails are pretty!” “Them balloons are pretty big!”), but that doesn’t matter. “This Is a Call” is about an energy, an optimism, a starting over. In other words, it was just what Grohl needed given that Kurt Cobain had shot himself only six months prior to the recording. Nirvana fans needed it, too.

Around 2019 (2014 article was updated "4 years ago"), Spin ranked what they characterized as all 152 Foo Fighters songs up to that point, ranking This Is a Call #16. Here is their writeup:

One of those bands whose first single actually is their quintessential song, the self-titled’s kickoff track contains everything that makes this band a band. There’s the instantly memorable melody, sparkling guitars at war with filthy ones, dynamo drumming that you didn’t even know power-pop needed, and a blunt-force riff that works as a bridge in this case, before giving way to the oddball opening statement: “Fingernails are pretty / Fingernails are good!” Grohl made a vow to work on his lyrics next time. The rest was already there.

This album knocked my socks off, in the era of Hootie and Alanis

 

[plinko]

And Clint Eastwood is one of the coolest tracks ever put to tape. Pair it up with that Dino/Del joint, Missing Link

 

[Uruk-Hai]

RIP, Tony Bennett

 

[zamboni]

RIP, Tony Bennett

As an aside, my UVA basketball superfan son is going to initially freak out when he first hears it.

 

[MAC_32]

Foo Fighters

Just Win Baby

This Is A Call This Is a Call Song · Foo Fighters · 1995 open.spotify.com

This is the first song I chose from Foo Fighters, the Foos' 1st studio album, which was nominated for the 1996 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. The album has been described as follows:

Foo Fighters is the debut studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters... Dave Grohl wrote and recorded the entire album himself, with the assistance of producer Barrett Jones at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, Washington, in 1994. He said that he recorded the album just for fun, describing it as a cathartic experience to recover from the suicide of Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain.

After Grohl completed the recordings, he chose the name "Foo Fighters" for the project to hide his identity, and passed cassette copies of the sessions to personal friends. When the tapes attracted record label interest, Grohl signed with Capitol and recruited a full band to perform the songs live. The album was promoted through extensive tours and six singles, two of which were accompanied by music videos.

Upon its release, Foo Fighters earned positive reviews, praising its songwriting and performances, and was also a commercial success, becoming the band's second-best-selling album in the United States. It also peaked within the top five of charts of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dave Grohl said about the song:

"The chorus says 'This is a call to all my past resignation'. It's just sort of like a little wave to all the people I ever played music with, people I've been friends with, all my relationships, my family. It's a hello, and in a way a thank you."

"'This Is A Call' just seemed like a nice way to open the album, y'know, 'This is a call to all my past resignations...' I felt like I had nothing to lose, and I didn't necessarily want to be the drummer of Nirvana for the rest of my life without Nirvana. I thought I should try something I'd never done before and I'd never stood up in front of a band and been the lead singer, which was ****ing horrifying and still is!"

In 2020, Kerrang ranked the top 20 all-time Foo Fighters songs and ranked This Is a Call #9. This is their writeup:

Foo Fighters’ first single proper is also arguably the ultimate distillation of what they’re about. Marrying power pop melody to a barroom beat and some downright grungy six-strings, This Is A Call set the template for virtually everything that would follow. The lyrics about Ritalin, balloons, pretty fingernails and bartering cysts and mollusks are full of much of the same subverted childish wonder as Nirvana classics like Polly, but when Dave declares ‘This is a call to all my past resignations’, it lands with more propulsive hope than pained introversion. A quarter-century on, it remains a potent call to arms for the Foos’ ever-enduring fanbase.

In 2023, Consequence of Sound ranked what they characterized as all 156 Foo Fighters songs up to that point, ranking This Is a Call #4. Here is their writeup:

Although rawer than anything that came after it, the first widely heard Foo Fighters song established Grohl’s preferred aesthetic: vague yet relatable lyrics and stadium-sized hooks. The words are nothing more than a series of positive non sequiturs to Grohl’s friends and former bandmates (“fingernails are pretty!” “Them balloons are pretty big!”), but that doesn’t matter. “This Is a Call” is about an energy, an optimism, a starting over. In other words, it was just what Grohl needed given that Kurt Cobain had shot himself only six months prior to the recording. Nirvana fans needed it, too.

Around 2019 (2014 article was updated "4 years ago"), Spin ranked what they characterized as all 152 Foo Fighters songs up to that point, ranking This Is a Call #16. Here is their writeup:

One of those bands whose first single actually is their quintessential song, the self-titled’s kickoff track contains everything that makes this band a band. There’s the instantly memorable melody, sparkling guitars at war with filthy ones, dynamo drumming that you didn’t even know power-pop needed, and a blunt-force riff that works as a bridge in this case, before giving way to the oddball opening statement: “Fingernails are pretty / Fingernails are good!” Grohl made a vow to work on his lyrics next time. The rest was already there.

It depends on the day, but this may be my favorite Foos track (yes I know I've written this about others before).

 

[MAC_32]

3 1/2 hour playlist and I have 3 hours 15 mins in the office...let's see if I can get through the whole thing. I Saw The Light gets us off to a good start

 

[simey]

RIP, Tony Bennett

He had a long full life and a great long career. Cheers to Tony.

 

[Raging weasel]

The song Immortal by Clutch was originally released with different lyrics and arrangement as the song Baby, I'm Down by Leslie West. West provides a guitar solo and backing vocals for it here. Here is the original for comparison.
Baby, I'm Down

 

[shuke]

Phish

shuke

Bathtub Gin Bathtub Gin Song · Phish · 1990 open.spotify.com

Great groove, silly lyrics, audience participation, and an ode to Rhapsody in Blue.

This is widely considered their greatest performance, although the jam is not very experimental. You want to see Phish fan nerdom at full display, watch this analysis of this version. May be interesting to those of you that are heavily into music composition, but I really don't understand what he's talking about for the most part.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

12

Song: Stay With Me
Album: Ryan Adams
Released: 2014
Artist: Ryan Adams

Ryan's self titled album was the first that I can recall getting significant air paly on the radio as he once again strayed from his alt-country roots, this time putting out a solid rock album that sounds very much like AOR seventies/eighties records.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

#12 - "As"

"You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" Part II, except funkier and longer. It's damned near a perfect piece of music writing and playing, the sentiments are clear, and Stevie gives one of the best vocal performances of his career. This would have been the best song the Commodores (no strangers to hit-making) ever did, and it wasn't even much of a hit for Stevie. It think, like my #13 "Another Star", it got buried by the sheer lack of oxygen left by the monster hits from this album.

If I were ranking in order of my favorites, this would probably be #1. I wish I had kept track of who has drafted it the most over the years - wikkid or myself. He loved this one. I think krista may have chosen it before, too.