Middle Aged Dummies!! Artists #1's have been posted!! (3 Viewers)

[timschochet]

Wow Bohemian Rhapsody at 8.. So many other great songs lower than expected

This is a personal favorites list right? I’m a pretty big Queen fan and I recognize that BR might be their greatest song. But it’s nowhere near my personal favorite. Too overplayed for one thing.

 

[snellman]

Wow Bohemian Rhapsody at 8.. So many other great songs lower than expected

This is a personal favorites list right? I’m a pretty big Queen fan and I recognize that BR might be their greatest song. But it’s nowhere near my personal favorite. Too overplayed for one thing.

That is how I took it, hence my personal rankings. Very interesting countdown to see how other people rank artists songs that I am familiar with and my have ranked differently, along with hearing new work from artists I am familiar with and new artists that I never gave time to or limited time to before.

 

[Scoresman]

8 - Sigur Ros - Starálfur

I read that 50% of Icelandic people believe in the existence of elves/fairies. I tried to find a snopes article or something refuting this, but had no luck, so I'm going to believe it. This is another one of those Sigur Ros songs that sounds beautiful with it's complex string arrangements and haunting vocals, and then it turns out to be about something not so epic. This one is apparently about an elf staring at you while you are sleeping. Maybe there's some deeper metaphor in there to match the beauty of the sound of the song, but I dont know. I just know that lyrics aside, this song makes me feel things.

Staring Elf

Blue night over the sky
Blue night over me
Disappeared out the window
My hands
Hidden under my cheek
I think about my day
Today and yesterday
I put on my blue nighties
Go straight to bed
I caress the soft covers
Close my eyes
I hide my head under the covers
A little elf stares at me
Runs towards me but doesn't move
From place - himself
A staring elf
I open my eyes
The crusts come off
I stretch myself and check (if i haven't)
Returned again and everything is okay
Still there is something missing
Like all the walls

 

[plinko]

"Keep Me In Your Heart" has a special meaning to me, I didn't mention it before but when my favorite uncle, Bill, died of lymphoma in 2009 and we (the whole bereaved family - my grandma, my dad, aunt and other uncles and a few of us 'youngsters') were sitting around my aunt's dining room table planning the memorial for him, it was left to me the music geek to come up with a song for his memorial slideshow video. I had a few selections for everyone's review, I can't remember what any of the others were but when "Keep Me In Your Heart" came on it just crushed everybody and was the obvious choice. I only knew it at all because I had caught that VH1 special that I posted earlier.

Bill was an awesome dude, slightly shiftless and more or less proud of it, absolutely hilarious and loving person. Great cartoonist, great guitar player, but he never got the breaks he was hoping for, particularly with his giant stack of cartoons, many of which I had scanned and put on the internet for him in the late 90's, but I didn't know what I was doing as far as getting people to actually see them, in those days.

Since then I've watched a good friend as well as my Dad die of cancer in similar fashions. I'm just about numb to it. But I only bring this up because one of our coworkers is knocking on heaven's door as we speak, he was just flown back home to Texas so that he can fade out with his family. I didn't really know the guy but outside of our big boss, Bob, it probably hit me the hardest, and that's one of the things that bothers me about the whole deal. My team is full of heartless jerks! But they're mostly likable enough on the level you need them to be at work, which is fine.


A quick aside, I'm the only contractor left on a team of ten, End User support and Infrastructure Operations at the Baltimore VA hospital and I am busting my hump to try and get hired on permanently. To be honest, I have been around to about a dozen other VAMCs, including extensively at the San Francisco VA where I technically started out, and this is the best IT shop I have seen in my travels. The shop in downtown Chicago where I just spent two weeks... is an ABSOLUTE. CLOWN. SHOW. Which is too bad, but fairly typical.

This is too long already and I haven't even gotten to the point(s)

I came back to Bmore early this year, from San Francisco, and the top of our organization looks like this --- Bob, our area manager who runs the group and is just absolutely awesome, part of what makes it a good place to work. Gerard is the "director of operations" and technically everyone's boss, and then there's Ryan who I worked with and for before, during my first stint here at the hospital (in the thick of COVID), is effectively the director of operations and is also my work bro, and he and Bob have been bending over backwards to get me this job. In GS terms, Bob is a 14, Gerard is a 13 and Ryan is a 12. I'm looking at coming on as an 11 but for now still a lowly contractor.

The story of Gerard is this, he was working at the VA in Dallas and got promoted into the GS13 spot here in Baltimore, back in the fall before I got back here. Apparently he made the decision - Mistake #1 - to move himself, by himself, from there to here and he badly injured his leg during that move. He ended up getting surgery at the VA here, and wouldn't you know it - is it Stir Crazy where they are at the VA hospital? - he got a blood infection. So his entire time here, he's been trying to be the boss and run things from home, while also trying to heal, and in and out of treatment for this infection. Mistake #2.

I met him very briefly when he came in to pick up a new iPhone a few months ago. He was in a wheelchair, a wisp of a man, clearly not with it and looked like hammered ****. He had no idea who I was even though I'd been there for 2-3 months at that point, and on many of his calls.

The team hates him because he tries to run stuff but can't handle it. My whole thing has been .. WHY IS THIS GUY TRYING TO WORK, AND NOT CONVALESCING?? In a federal job like this, you're not gonna get fired, or even demoted, I don't know but he was trying to prove himself and did a lot of snapping at people over MS Teams, and screwing up a lot of trouble ticket assignments. In my eyes, it was just sad, nobody really showed any empathy/sympathy at all, just trashed the guy constantly.

So now, he went back into the hospital as a patient a couple of weeks ago and officially as of this week they have thrown up their hands and sent him home to die with his family.

Bob tried to get a group of team members to go up to the ICU and visit him but most people skipped it, and the vibe was basically f that guy. I didn't go because in my mind I said, if I was him I wouldn't want me, some total stranger coming in and gawking at me, but I think that was a mistake and I should have gone. Because Bob was let down. Whatever, really. I talked to Bob about it yesterday and he understood, but I felt a little like a dumb kid.

To complicate matters this week - there are two people who are in charge of managing and imaging laptops and PCs, and they mostly fart around all day and work very slow. I came back in from Chicago on Monday and Ryan told me he wanted me to go in and do what they've been doing, since one of them is on vacation and they had 0 usable new systems ready to deploy at that point. I went in and absolutely crushed it, filling our shelves and making it clear that they are scrubs and I am a badass. So now I have to add these two to the handful of people on the team who are mad at me for doing their jobs better than they do. What can I say... I am auditioning here. AND I DON'T GOOF OFF AT WORK ANYMORE. That was the old me and the old me ended up in the gutter. Footballguys hi.

So that's my vent on the week, I hope it makes sense. Thoughts and prayers for poor Gerard are appreciated. None of us got a chance to know the guy, sadly we only experienced him at his worst, but I'm keeping him in my heart for a while.

I hope you get hired on permanently, JuddZilla. Keep being a badass. I wish Gerard a peaceful departure surrounded by his loved ones.

Thank you thank you

I don't want to be a badass or a showoff, and I feel kind of crummy when it seems like I'm showing people up, not intentional, I just want to get my career back to a good place. I've been working on this for almost four years now, and it's so close I can taste it, but I haven't crossed the finish line yet. My nature is to expect some blindside situation to come along and completely screw me on this

Working for Booz Allen hasn't been the worst thing, but they jerk me around with all the travel, and living contract to contract never feels very comfortable. Most of their cozier contracts are DoD and I have no interest in going back to that world. I get a lot back out of working at the hospital..

 

[plinko]

Brits love "Bohemian Rhapsody" so much it's hilarious. I think it's the law they have to stop what they're doing and sing every line.

I bought an import Queen's Greatest Hits CD maybe 6 months before Wayne's World - which was also right around when Freddie died - and my friends and I really got into it, people would come to my dorm room just to listen to Queen. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is still my favorite, but I also love one that is still to come...

I feel good about my Green Day song coming soon. "Brain Stew" is awesome. It always reminded me of a Chicago song that is also coming soon.

"Holiday" kicks butt too

 

[Don Quixote]

Jorge Ben Jor

Don Quixote

Menina Mulher da Pele Preta Jorge Ben Jor - Menina Mulher da Pele Preta (Ãudio) Me acompanhe nas redes socias: ⺠Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jorgebenjorge⺠Instagram: https://instagram.com/jorgebenjoroficial youtu.be

I am on about hour 20 without power after a storm came through yesterday, on a hot 90 degree day; I’ve just been dripping sweat since. I see a truck outside, so I have some hope. Maybe I should check out the whole home generator thread.

The title of this one translates to “black skinned woman girl,” and really just about someone that he is obsessed with. I like the use of repetition, so can feel the groove even without knowing the Portuguese. The back-up singers with the “com malícia” also a favorite part of mine, and the up-tempo end where it almost takes on a rap quality.

 

[plinko]

good luck DQ, I hope they get it working soon, sounds like a tough night

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Good luck Don. Stay cool.

 

[Zegras11]

Green Day

MAC_32

Holiday Holiday Green Day · Song · 2017 open.spotify.com

Good memories of this one. We played American Idiot and stopped at In N Out before every Ducks game when they won the Cup in 2006.

 

[Yo Mama]

Genesis #8 - Duchess

Album - Duke
Year - 1980

I mentioned way back at the beginning of this thing that I almost combined Behind the Lines with this song since BTL serves as a lead-in to this song and the band played the two songs together all the time in concerts (which was awesome).

Originally these two songs plus a few others were going to be joined together on the album as a Duke Suite, but they kept them separate to keep things more approachable (Genesis nerds still refer to these songs as the hidden suite).

This song is the biggest reason I’ve listened to the Duke album as much as or more than any Genesis album. Love the emotion in Phil’s vocals in this one.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I am on about hour 20 without power after a storm came through yesterday, on a hot 90 degree day; I’ve just been dripping sweat since. I see a truck outside, so I have some hope. Maybe I should check out the whole home generator thread.

You totally should. It kicks derrière.

We lost power for six minutes yesterday morning. We never noticed until Mr R checked the app. Glorious.

 

[Zegras11]

8. Feelin' Stronger Every Day
Album: Chicago VI (1973)
Writers: Peter Cetera and James Pankow
Lead vocals: Peter Cetera
Released as a single? Yes (US #10)

The first half of this song is a pleasant Hohner pianet-driven midtempo tune with fine horn shadings, a logical extension of the "summertime" radio-friendly sound Chicago had established a year earlier with Saturday in the Park. And then all hell breaks loose. The tempo gets faster and the band really soars by 2:45, and once the title line starts being sung repeatedly, you feel like you are riding a wave of sound that you never want to get off of. The second half is so triumphant-sounding that the song became one of three that were commonly used as a set closer or encore from 1973 on (the other two are still to come on this list), though it was not played at my 1995 show. All of this without a guitar solo (in the studio version) or dominant guitar riff.
The song, written by Peter Cetera and James Pankow, is about Cetera getting over his divorce. Cetera said in the Group Portrait box set liner notes: "I can remember the exact beginnings of that one... We were at the Akron Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio, an outdoor gig that was delayed a bit because of rain, and so, we got there our normal hour and a half before the gig, and we're sitting around, and we were told we're gonna hold for at least an hour, and I heard Jimmy [Pankow] in the other room playing the actual beginning of that song... and I said, 'What is that?' and he went, 'Oh, I don't know, I'm just messing around.'... I went and got my bass, and we sat there and played around with it, and a few weeks later, after we got off the road, I went to his house, and we wrote 'Feelin' Stronger Every Day'."
Live version from 1973 (which does have a guitar solo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fzp-VV-Irk
Live in the studio from the Chicago in the Rockies ABC special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwmtB1XnMYY
Leonid and Friends version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwYV4H9rU6o

At #7, a song that exemplifies Chicago's radio-friendly '70s sound, but took a while to become a hit.

Have always loved the opening to this song.

Going to see them at the Boise Botanical Gardens, five weeks from tonight. An awesome place for a show that's on a bluff with an incredible view of the entire Treasure Valley below.

Didn't know the story behind the song before, so thanks for posting that. I started the divorce process shortly after starting this thread and it should be final any day now. The range of unexpected emotions last few months have been off the charts. This thread has been a great source for diversion and I'll always be grateful to all of you for your contributions in making it so good.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

8. Feelin' Stronger Every Day
Album: Chicago VI (1973)
Writers: Peter Cetera and James Pankow
Lead vocals: Peter Cetera
Released as a single? Yes (US #10)

The first half of this song is a pleasant Hohner pianet-driven midtempo tune with fine horn shadings, a logical extension of the "summertime" radio-friendly sound Chicago had established a year earlier with Saturday in the Park. And then all hell breaks loose. The tempo gets faster and the band really soars by 2:45, and once the title line starts being sung repeatedly, you feel like you are riding a wave of sound that you never want to get off of. The second half is so triumphant-sounding that the song became one of three that were commonly used as a set closer or encore from 1973 on (the other two are still to come on this list), though it was not played at my 1995 show. All of this without a guitar solo (in the studio version) or dominant guitar riff.
The song, written by Peter Cetera and James Pankow, is about Cetera getting over his divorce. Cetera said in the Group Portrait box set liner notes: "I can remember the exact beginnings of that one... We were at the Akron Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio, an outdoor gig that was delayed a bit because of rain, and so, we got there our normal hour and a half before the gig, and we're sitting around, and we were told we're gonna hold for at least an hour, and I heard Jimmy [Pankow] in the other room playing the actual beginning of that song... and I said, 'What is that?' and he went, 'Oh, I don't know, I'm just messing around.'... I went and got my bass, and we sat there and played around with it, and a few weeks later, after we got off the road, I went to his house, and we wrote 'Feelin' Stronger Every Day'."
Live version from 1973 (which does have a guitar solo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fzp-VV-Irk
Live in the studio from the Chicago in the Rockies ABC special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwmtB1XnMYY
Leonid and Friends version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwYV4H9rU6o

At #7, a song that exemplifies Chicago's radio-friendly '70s sound, but took a while to become a hit.

Have always loved the opening to this song.

Going to see them at the Boise Botanical Gardens, five weeks from tonight. An awesome place for a show that's on a bluff with an incredible view of the entire Treasure Valley below.

Didn't know the story behind the song before, so thanks for posting that. I started the divorce process shortly after starting this thread and it should be final any day now. The range of unexpected emotions last few months have been off the charts. This thread has been a great source for diversion and I'll always be grateful to all of you for your contributions in making it so good.

Sorry to hear that you've been going through that, J. Best wishes

 

[krista4]

Didn't know the story behind the song before, so thanks for posting that. I started the divorce process shortly after starting this thread and it should be final any day now. The range of unexpected emotions last few months have been off the charts. This thread has been a great source for diversion and I'll always be grateful to all of you for your contributions in making it so good.

Holy ****. I'm so sorry you've been going through that.

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

whoa ... @Zegras11

so sorry to hear about your divorce - I can't imagine at this point in my life

stay strong man

 

[Galileo]

A few thoughts on #8s

Broke - I really enjoyed this song, but I am having a very weird relationship with Modest Mouse. I had never heard anything before this countdown. When their songs begin I am usually digging the music. When the vocals kick in I think, "Wow, that's such a unique lead vocal, cool." But sometimes as their songs continue, I tend to grow a little weary of the vocals. I don't know how to explain it. I have hearted some of there tunes along the way. This one was fairly short and perhaps I didn't get the chance to grow weary. I think this is a group I can enjoy in small doses.

Duchess - Love it. Was familiar with it before.

Voodoo Child - how could you not love this.

Apology Song - Another Decemberist song that got a from me. A little quirky, but I like it.

New World Man - classic. I am pretty sure there will not be a remaining Rush song listed that I won't thoroughly enjoy

Maroon - I have ignored Taylor Swift for years. Why? I have no idea. I guess I just sort of largely stayed in my "classic rock" lane over the years, but I keep hearing gems from her list. Gave this one a

Feelin' Stronger Every Day - Another monster classic... Oh Yeah!

Wish You Were Here - favorite Ryan Adams entry thus far.

Possum - This is the sort of jam that makes me want to be more of a Phish fan. Hadn't heard this before. Loved it, although the subject matter seemed a little quirky and the ascending "possum" chorus made it feel like a Wiggles song in those moments.

The Devil and Me - another rocker and another for Clutch. This is another group that I am sad I have missed out on over the years.

Get Out of This - solid

Mutineer - Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

Man in the Box - probably my favorite Alice in Chains

Bohemian Rhapsody - one of the best obviously. Brings back memories of my high school music appreciation class where the teacher used this as part of his lesson on rhapsodies.

Who made Who -

April Come She Will - Can just get lost in this beauty. Too short.

 

[tuffnutt]

8.
Angel in the Snow- Elliott Smith
From New Moon Album
"I'd say you make a perfect Angel in the snow
All crushed out on the way you are
Better stop before it goes too far
Don't you know that I love you
Sometimes I feel like only a cold still life
That fell down here to lay beside you
Don't you know that I love you
Sometimes I feel like only a cold still life
Only a frozen still life
That fell down here to lay beside you"

Man where to begin with this one... Its 2:37 of musical perfection. . the opening riff kind of comes in slowly, and then that bass line run hits... Its my absolute favorite song to play on guitar. elliott's lyrics and voice even are a little sweeter sounding than usual. i think it's the "don't you know" that really drives that home for me, and the "better stop before it goes too far" is delivered in such a gentle way and that really adds to it too. the chorus is one of best. I love the solo in the middle as well...then the return of the bridge/chorus is so powerful and it just makes me want to smile and cry at the same time. i think this is the song that I first think of to play for people who are new to elliott's music.

 

[simey]

I

Man in the Box - probably my favorite Alice in Chains

It's definitely my favorite AIC song. I love the guitar and singing in it.

Speaking of singing, I love the chorus in Brandi's "Every Time I Hear That Song."

 

[kupcho1]

I started the divorce process shortly after starting this thread and it should be final any day now.

Sorry to hear that GB.
On a positive note, if you're finalizing inside of 4 months, that's remarkable. These things sometimes drag on for years.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

Favorite 8s:

Menina Mulher Da Pele Preta - my favorite of his so far
Duchess - never heard this Genesis song before. I like it
New World Man - top 5 Rush song for me
Staralfur - and top 3 Sigur Ros
Little Things - I need to give this album another listen
Always The Sun - I had no idea this was the Stranglers. I've always liked this song.
Man in the Box - also my favorite AIC song
Just For a Thrill - beautiful
April Come She Will - also gorgeous
Heartless - one of my favorites from them
Tiny Dancer - hugely popular for a reason

 

[timschochet]

Obviously “Tiny Dancer” is one of my favorite Elton tunes (hence the high ranking) but it makes me sad writing about it in this forum, because I miss Wikkidpissah.

Several years ago I was fond of mentioning that the “Tiny Dancer” scene on the bus from the film Almost Famous was one of my all time favorite movie scenes, and Wikkid, who had been on such rock buses during the era depicted in the film (he was a roadie for Little Feat and other bands) told me it was all BS. He said the camaraderie shown in the movie did not exist, and that the band members were too busy doing drugs and treating their young groupies like crap to sing along with them. We joked and argued about that for years afterward (I argued that reality didn’t matter; the fantasy was important.)

Anyhow I really miss him.

 

[Yo Mama]

Hold me closer, Tony Danza!

 

[KarmaPolice]

Obviously “Tiny Dancer” is one of my favorite Elton tunes (hence the high ranking) but it makes me sad writing about it in this forum, because I miss Wikkidpissah.

Several years ago I was fond of mentioning that the “Tiny Dancer” scene on the bus from the film Almost Famous was one of my all time favorite movie scenes, and Wikkid, who had been on such rock buses during the era depicted in the film (he was a roadie for Little Feat and other bands) told me it was all BS. He said the camaraderie shown in the movie did not exist, and that the band members were too busy doing drugs and treating their young groupies like crap to sing along with them. We joked and argued about that for years afterward (I argued that reality didn’t matter; the fantasy was important.)

Anyhow I really miss him.

I always think of wikkid and laugh when this song comes on.

 

[Mt. Man]

8. Man in the Box (off Facelift, 1990)

(Official Video) Alice In Chains - Man in the Box
(Live Version) Alice In Chains - Man In The Box (Live at Moore Theatre)

He who tries
(Will be wasted)
Oh, feed my eyes
(Now you've sewn them) shut

There’s a lot to say here, but I’ll suppose I’ll start with the teaser from last time. The story goes that the seed of this song came from having dinner with some Columbia Records people who were vegetarians. There was talk from them about how veal was made from calves kept in small boxes. That carried over into Layne (and AIC) creating a song about censorship and media treatment. As one does.

Months ago when KP asked if we were getting tired of our artist, there was a temptation to say “Just ‘Man in the Box’, but that existed before I started”. There are days I'd rather listen to the rest of the top half of my list, given this song getting a lion’s share of radio play. When it came to rank songs, though? I knew I still really loved it and that it would likely hit top 10. Just too much passion (/anger) and intensity in a song that grabs you and doesn’t let go. So #8's probably a high water mark for me personally, but I can’t be surprised to see comments about this being #1 for folks.

Next on the countdown, I’m not even supposed to be here today!

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I am pleased to see the enthusiastic reactions to Feelin’ Stronger Every Day but I hope that doesn’t translate into disappointment over the top 7. Most of them sound quite different from this one. (Don’t worry, none are from the “crappy and sappy” era).

 

[simey]

I liked everything from the previous round. Here are 7 songs I already knew and 7 songs I didn't already know.

7 I already knew

Couldn't I Just Tell You - I like his sound on this one. This album is loaded with good songs.
Kathy's Song - Love the lyrics in this one.
Uptight - This song makes me want to move and groove.
My Father's Gun - Another great song from one of my all-time favorite albums.
Mr. Blue Sky - I love the layers of vocals in this one, and it has a great vibe.
My Love For You is Real - This is one of my favorites by him, and so is "Oh My Sweet Carolina" from the other day.
Come Dancing - The music in this makes me smile.

7 new to me

London Lady - Fun song.
Dirty Old Town - Is there a bit of rockabilly in this? Whatever it is, I like it.
Your Little Hoodrat Friend - I like the energy in this one and the song title.
Another Round - This sounds familiar yet new to me. It's good.
Zumbi - I like the music in this.
Right On Time - I think she has a unique voice, especially when she goes full throttle.
Mohammed's Radio - This is good, and I like the horns in it. It kinda has a Van Morrison vibe to me.

 

[KarmaPolice]

8. Man in the Box (off Facelift, 1990)

(Official Video) Alice In Chains - Man in the Box
(Live Version) Alice In Chains - Man In The Box (Live at Moore Theatre)

He who tries
(Will be wasted)
Oh, feed my eyes
(Now you've sewn them) shut

There’s a lot to say here, but I’ll suppose I’ll start with the teaser from last time. The story goes that the seed of this song came from having dinner with some Columbia Records people who were vegetarians. There was talk from them about how veal was made from calves kept in small boxes. That carried over into Layne (and AIC) creating a song about censorship and media treatment. As one does.

Months ago when KP asked if we were getting tired of our artist, there was a temptation to say “Just ‘Man in the Box’, but that existed before I started”. There are days I'd rather listen to the rest of the top half of my list, given this song getting a lion’s share of radio play. When it came to rank songs, though? I knew I still really loved it and that it would likely hit top 10. Just too much passion (/anger) and intensity in a song that grabs you and doesn’t let go. So #8's probably a high water mark for me personally, but I can’t be surprised to see comments about this being #1 for folks.

Next on the countdown, I’m not even supposed to be here today!

ETA: I had totally forgotten about that song and had to immediately play it. Don't worry - I will still listen to it Tues, too!

 

[simey]

I am pleased to see the enthusiastic reactions to Feelin’ Stronger Every Day but I hope that doesn’t translate into disappointment over the top 7. Most of them sound quite different from this one. (Don’t worry, none are from the “crappy and sappy” era).

It's a great song. I can think of several great ones that haven't been listed yet. I don't think people will be disappointed by whatever is to come. There has been something good about all the ones we've heard so far.

 

[scorchy]

The Hold Steady “Realistic” Dream Setlist Song 24: Girls Like Status

It was song number three on John’s last CD
Gonna make it through this year, if it kills me
And it almost killed me
It was song number four on that first D4
You want the scars but you don’t want the war
That’s just hardcore

Album: B-side (song 2 of 3)

Year: 2006

# of Times Seen Live: 10 of 39 shows

The Story: I knew I wanted a few B-sides for my list and this one fits right in after Sweet Payne and Hoodrat, given the “medication,” blood stains, diamonds in the drain, and another visit to Penetration Park. The other two B-sides I picked are ones that I’ve never heard live, but Girls Like Status is relatively common. The main reason it’s here is that I was putting the list together pre-Chicago shows, and I knew this would be played and it would be special. More below.

Live Notes: The first two Chicago shows in June were opened by The Mountain Goats and Dillinger Four. The first three lyrics at the top of the post refer to This Year from the Mountain Goats’ 2005 record The Sunset Tree, pairing a line from the song with the name of THS’s first album. The next three lyrics refer to the Dillinger Four, whose song Portrait of the Artist as a F***ing ******* ends with the lines “Do you love telling your war stories while hiding your scars.”

In introducing the song at the Salt Shed, Craig talked about writing Girls LIke Status back in 2005 but not being able to come up with lyrics for the bridge, so he just decided to shout out his two favorite bands. You could tell he was overwhelmed when he asked who could have ever known that 18 years later THS would be playing a show with both of them. Then John Darnielle and Patrick Costello came out from the wings and did Girls Like Status with the band. Amazing moment.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

My favorite 9/8s:

SRV - Cold Shot
... And You Will Know Us - Open Doors
Donald Fagen - New Frontier
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky
Doves - Black And White Town
S & G - Kathy's Song
Spoon - You Got Yr. Bomb
The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon
Green Day - Holiday
Chicago - Feelin' Stronger Every Day
The Stranglers - Always The Sun
Heart - less

 

[Hov34]

Which song was given a bigger "boost" due to its usage in a famous movie scene?

Tiny Dancer or Bohemian Rhapsody

 

[MAC_32]

8. Man in the Box (off Facelift, 1990)

(Official Video) Alice In Chains - Man in the Box
(Live Version) Alice In Chains - Man In The Box (Live at Moore Theatre)

He who tries
(Will be wasted)
Oh, feed my eyes
(Now you've sewn them) shut

There’s a lot to say here, but I’ll suppose I’ll start with the teaser from last time. The story goes that the seed of this song came from having dinner with some Columbia Records people who were vegetarians. There was talk from them about how veal was made from calves kept in small boxes. That carried over into Layne (and AIC) creating a song about censorship and media treatment. As one does.

Months ago when KP asked if we were getting tired of our artist, there was a temptation to say “Just ‘Man in the Box’, but that existed before I started”. There are days I'd rather listen to the rest of the top half of my list, given this song getting a lion’s share of radio play. When it came to rank songs, though? I knew I still really loved it and that it would likely hit top 10. Just too much passion (/anger) and intensity in a song that grabs you and doesn’t let go. So #8's probably a high water mark for me personally, but I can’t be surprised to see comments about this being #1 for folks.

Next on the countdown, I’m not even supposed to be here today!

ETA: I had totally forgotten about that song and had to immediately play it. Don't worry - I will still listen to it Tues, too!

Imma drive myself crazy trying to remember what AiC song made it in Clerks...

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Random thoughts on some of the known-to-me #8s:

Love of the Common Man is another great power-popper from Todd. The Faithful album from 1976 was another odd idea -- side 1 was note-for-note covers of songs from 10 years prior, and side 2 was originals. Four of those six originals, including Love of the Common Man, are among his best songs.
Every Breath You Take is better when you realize it is about a stalker.
Duchess is arguably the most emotional Genesis song and has one of Phil's best vocals. I think it goes best in sequence with Behind the Lines but they usually weren't played that way on the radio.
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) is one of those songs that's impossible to screw up, but Stevie Ray houses it.
A Perfect Teenhood is one hell of a ball of energy.
Sunny Afternoon evokes the feeling of its title musically, but its lyrics are more subtle than that.
New World Man has incredible bass playing. It was also Rush's highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100.
Teenage me was deeply affected by Any World (That I'm Welcome To). Like Donald Fagen, as an adolescent my family life underwent changes that I wasn't ready for.
Love's in Need of Love Today is a great "message" song and an incredible album opener.
Possum is one of Phish's few remaining links to its co-founder Jeff Holdsworth. Guitarist Holdsworth founded the band with fellow U of Vermont students Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman and Mike Gordon. (Page McConnell, who met them when they played his school, Goddard College, joined them about 2 years after their founding.) Unlike the others, Holdsworth only considered the band as a fun thing to do on the side while getting his degree, and departed after he graduated. After he left, the remaining members devoted themselves to building a following that would enable them to pursue the band full-time, and obviously they succeeded. Possum was the one Holdsworth song that remained in setlists regularly, with Gordon now handling the lead vocal. (A second Holdsworth song, Camel Walk, has appeared occasionally since his departure.) Possum is very heavily influenced by Lynyrd Skynyrd's Swamp Thing and is a good example of how the band can rock out. Some versions are straightforward rockers and others are more experimental. On December 1, 2003, in Albany, the day before the 20th anniversary of the band's first show, Holdsworth appeared with the band for the first time since his departure, and with him they played Possum, Camel Walk, The Hollies' Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress (the first song the band played at its first gig), Run Like an Antelope (one of Anastasio's oldest originals) and Jimi Hendrix' Fire (which the band started covering in its earliest years and has played throughout its career). I attended this show as well as the next night's 20th anniversary show in Boston, which had no guests.
Man in the Box is by far my favorite from the Facelift album and showed that this band was going to be a force to be reckoned with.
Since we've been talking about Muppet torture...
Woo hoo! Who scored?
All My Life is a great album opener and did seem to solidify the formula that the Foos would use for the rest of their career. I always felt that their first four albums sounded "fresher" than the following ones (save for the acoustic disc of In Your Honor). That could be a me thing, though.
April Come She Will is "precious" in a good way.
Tiny Dancer is my answer to @Hov34 's question. Bohemian Rhapsody was already Queen's signature song when it appeared in Wayne's World. Tiny Dancer was still getting regular radio play when it appeared in Almost Famous but wasn't held in higher esteem than Elton's other '70s hits. To illustrate the gap over time, in 2006-ish I was watching an episode of a game show (forget the name) featuring two teams consisting of two people each who bid against each other in terms of how many whatever they could name. Whoever bid the most got to try to name that many things and would win something if they succeeded. The category was US Top 40 hits by Elton John. The first guess by the team that won the bid was Tiny Dancer, probably because they were thinking of the Almost Famous scene, and it was wrong. Tiny Dancer peaked at #41.

 

[shuke]

8's...

Wow, some heavy hitters this round. Sunny Afternoon, Bohemian, Tiny Dancer, Feelin' Stronger, Man In The Box, Song 2, All My Life

Hearted: Big Thief, Elliot Smith, Hold Steady, Doves

Liked songs by some acts that I haven't commented on much: Rush, Stranglers, Frank Black, AC/DC, Heart

 

[shuke]

Phish

shuke

Possum Possum Phish · Song · 2011 open.spotify.com

As for my pick, not much gets me moving more than this tune. It's probably my most played song during my last 10 minutes on the elliptical.

Great stuff from all the band members here, but especially Page on the keys. And of course that fifth member I mentioned near the beginning of the thread, Chris Kuroda on lights.

Here's a fan-shot video from a week ago. Sound quality isn't great, but gives you a good idea of the current light setup, especially from the 6:00 to 8:30 mark.

Here's a video of Chris in action. Remember (I doubt you do) that sometimes it seems like the band is playing to the lights and not vice versa? Check out 5:50 to 6:05.

 

[Tau837]

I finally listened to the #14 playlist. Still behind but hoping to catch up soon.

Excluding my own song, I already knew that I liked these songs:

• Queen – You're My Best Friend – my second favorite Queen song, which I discussed earlier in the thread
• AC/DC - Shoot to Thrill

Once I listened to it, I realized I knew and liked this song, just didn't remember it by name:

• Stranglers – 96 Tears

On first listen to this playlist, these were the unfamiliar songs I liked the best:

• Todd Rundgren – It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference
• Brandi Carlile – Turpentine
• Decemberists – O Valencia!
• Big Thief – Open Desert
• Frank Black – I Will Run After You
• Doves – Rise

Another great playlist!

 

[Tau837]

I finally listened to the #13 playlist. Still behind but hoping to catch up soon.

Excluding my own song, I already knew that I liked these songs:

• Genesis - Mama
• SRV - Tin Pan Alley
• Kinks - All Day and All of the Night
• Alice In Chains - No Excuses

On first listen to this playlist, these were the unfamiliar songs I liked the best:

• Brandi Carlile - That Wasn't Me
• Doves - Catch The Sun

I have to also say, the lyrics of Better Man by Taylor Swift are pretty harsh...

Another great playlist!

 

[otb_lifer]

ketchup time ...

#10 Bela Lugosi's Dead

above linked are the studio version, which kicked the whole shebang off for them. independently recorded & released, as they had not even been signed by anybody yet - which is not surprising, seeing as how they laid this remarkable epic down after only being together as a band for roughly one month.

David J says that he came up with the concept whilst binging BBC Hammer Horror (on blow) in July '79 - curious time-frame to envision a block of movies as such (middle of summer?), but that's his story - then presented to Danny, who came up with the bulk of the production ideas/arrangement - this were recorded in ONE take on 8/6/79, by a foursome who had only been together as a band since June - Danny achieved the distortion and echo and morbid cacophony by running all the instruments thru his guitar amps ... at times crackling with claustrophobic menace, but then swirling into a space as vast as infinite galaxies - pretty incredible undertaking for a band's proper first off - and no "mulligans" either ... all of that in one take ...

Peter Murphy, in a 2002 SOMA interview: "We recorded 'Bela Lugosi's Dead' in the time that it took to play it, no second takes; and when I sang that, I was completely in touch with myself in a way that I'd never been before. It was the stuff of dreams, it was magical."

indie release, and it immediately found a cozy home on the Brit alt chart, where it parked itself for the better part of a year ... this were a melange that weren't being offered anywhere else - it sounded so unique and foreign, which were no small feat considering all the experimentation post-punk were affording acts to wallow and create in.

it became much bigger than the band, as it's macabre subject matter and imagery swallowed them whole, and quickly gave birth to a new genre:

Bela Lugosi's Dead" would have been just another piece of post-punk experimentation had it not been for the lyrics, which depicted the funeral of the Dracula star, with bats swooping and virgin brides marching past his coffin. The effect was so irresistibly theatrical that dozens of bands formed in its wake. So many, in fact, that goth quickly became a very codified musical genre.

- the above ^ from The Guardian, when citing Bela as one of the touchstone moments in Indie music history -

then this, from Pop Matters:

"Bela Lugosi's Dead" is roundly established by goth historians as the first true record in the genre. For comparison's sake, goth icons the Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees were certainly releasing records at the same time that Bauhaus delivered its premiere single, but the aforementioned bands didn't go full-on goth until 1980–81. The song also precedes all the early recognized alt-rock masterworks.

the final sentence there are the one that hits home - this were incubated in the heyday of Joy Division/PiL/Magazine/Wire/ Gang of Four, etc ... but it took listeners to an even more alien atmosphere than that lot were treating folks to - it were the culmination of all the outlaw and fringe influences that had preceeded it - run thru Danny's blender, apply David's lyric, insert willing frontman vamp, and ... the press/public were compelled to find a niche that weren't created yet - so here we are as "GOTH"

it is the "Stairway to Heaven" "Freebird" "Bohemian Rhapsody" etc. of the post-punk landscape - and it troubled the group in that respect ... they always kept it as the centerpiece of their live shows, as it is as signature a piece as any band or artist ever had ... but there were pockets of lament that they were boxed in by it - David J voiced displeasure with this, citing the diversity of the group's complete oeuvre, and i think that's been fleshed out during this countdown - they never totally eschewed or ran from it (like Andrew Eldritch of SoM), and they certainly kept creating on the darker side of subject matters and ambience - quite a provocative conundrum.

i decided to go with the live version here in this exercise, as it were the one i were most exposed to ... especially after repeated sits with the delicious '82 masterpice The Hunger

i mean, how could ya go wrong with Bowie and Bauhaus? it's a love affair, and it allowed them license to be on set with their biggest influence/hero ... none too shabby for a group of Northampton blokes who never expected things to snowball as such.

this were also emblematic of the rift between Peter and the other three ... as they became more (in)famous, it were Peter taking the great majority of the spotlight - you barely see the band, proper, in that clip - factor in all of Murph's other troublesome trappings, and you can literally feel Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets sprouting seeds as the albums progressed.

"but why are it only ranked 10th here by you?"

goodt question ... much like seeing the aforementioned "BR" ranked 8th in the Queen countdown, it may be part fatigue - but also part wanting to slot it in as the opening salvo to what i truly believe are as potent a set of 10 songs as anybody, across all genres, can lay claim to from '79 onwards.

the bats have left the bell tower/the victims have been bled/red velvet lines ... the black box/Bela Lugosi's dead

 

[zamboni]

Didn't know the story behind the song before, so thanks for posting that. I started the divorce process shortly after starting this thread and it should be final any day now. The range of unexpected emotions last few months have been off the charts. This thread has been a great source for diversion and I'll always be grateful to all of you for your contributions in making it so good.

I'm really sorry to hear this and wish you well. As kupcho said, the fact that it's being finalized that quickly is really remarkable. I'm going through some really hard marital times myself, so feel free to PM me if you ever want to commiserate.

 

[zamboni]

I am on about hour 20 without power after a storm came through yesterday, on a hot 90 degree day; I’ve just been dripping sweat since. I see a truck outside, so I have some hope. Maybe I should check out the whole home generator thread.

Sorry to hear that - horrible when the heat has been this unbearable. Hope it's all been resolved or will be very soon.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I am on about hour 20 without power after a storm came through yesterday, on a hot 90 degree day; I’ve just been dripping sweat since. I see a truck outside, so I have some hope. Maybe I should check out the whole home generator thread.

Sorry to hear that - horrible when the heat has been this unbearable. Hope it's all been resolved or will be very soon.

I saw some of the storm footage on TV. That looks pretty bad. Hope your power is back on.

 

[Don Quixote]

I am on about hour 20 without power after a storm came through yesterday, on a hot 90 degree day; I’ve just been dripping sweat since. I see a truck outside, so I have some hope. Maybe I should check out the whole home generator thread.

Sorry to hear that - horrible when the heat has been this unbearable. Hope it's all been resolved or will be very soon.

I saw some of the storm footage on TV. That looks pretty bad. Hope your power is back on.

Thanks both. Did get power back on late yesterday afternoon — thankful just power as some others in neighborhood had trees land on property.

 

[Mt. Man]

I forgot what the 8s were for. Let’s find out with some shuffled selected favorites:

*Voodoo Chile(Slight Return) - Stevie Ray Vaughn.
*Nautical Disaster - The Tragically Hip
*Get Out of This - Dinosaur Jr.
*Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks
*The Devil & Me - Clutch
*Errors in My Bread - deadmau5
*Corrina - Blank Francis
*Love of the Common Man - Todd Rundgren
*Maroon - Taylor Swift
*Got Nuffin - Spoon
*Any World (That I’m Welcome To) - Steely Dan
*Staralfur - Sigur Ros
*Feeling Stronger Every Day - Chicago
*The Man Who Told Everything - Doves

—
Leaving off SRV, Rush, Police, Genesis, Green Day and Queen because I could spotlight every song from them. And probably have tried to >.>

 

[titusbramble]

Prodigy #8 - While Music for the Jilted Generation shows a generally rockier/harder change of mood, aside from the couple of pure techno tracks that were kind of carry overs from Experience, there is a notable different section in the three track coda that is The Narcotic Suite. A completely different sound to the rest of the album, part ambient, part pure electronica, fully weird, 3 Kilos is the first of the three tracks, probably the most chilled and relaxed thing they've ever done. Apparently Liam asked Ian Anderson off of Jethro Tull to provide the flute parts, but by the time he found the letter the album had already been released

 

[falguy]

#8 Who Made Who (Who Made Who)

The band had a bit of a down period after For Those About To Rock with no big hits off of Flick of The Switch or Fly on The Wall. This tune gave them a little boost back in the spotlight.

Who Made Who is most a compilation album specifically created for the Steven King movie Maximum Overdrive. As mentioned earlier that movie was, shall we say, not very good. But, it did give us this rocker so that alone makes it all worth it. Short, but sweet, Angus solo in this one.

Per wiki:
“The video for the title track, directed by David Mallet, was recorded at the Brixton Academy in London and features a theme of countless clones of AC/DC guitarist Angus Young. According to the book AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll, these clones consisted of hundreds of fans who came from all over the UK, many of whom slept in the freezing cold in front of Brixton Academy for the opportunity to take part. This group was made up of approximately 300 members of the band's British fan club as well as others who had simply heard about the event on the radio.”


Album breakdown
0 74 Jailbreak
5 High Voltage
2 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
3 Let There Be Rock
3 PowerAge
3 Highway To Hell
3 Back in Black
1 For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
1 Flick of the Switch
0 Fly On The Wall
1 Who Made Who
1 Blow Up Your Video
0 The Razor’s Edge
0 BallBreaker
1 Stiff Upper Lip
0 Black Ice
0 Rock or Bust
0 Power Up

 

[falguy]

I started the divorce process shortly after starting this thread and it should be final any day now. The range of unexpected emotions last few months have been off the charts. This thread has been a great source for diversion and I'll always be grateful to all of you for your contributions in making it so good.

Sorry to hear Zegras11. :(

 

[Tau837]

I started the divorce process shortly after starting this thread and it should be final any day now. The range of unexpected emotions last few months have been off the charts.

Very sorry to hear this, GB. Hope it works out for the best.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I am pleased to see the enthusiastic reactions to Feelin’ Stronger Every Day but I hope that doesn’t translate into disappointment over the top 7. Most of them sound quite different from this one. (Don’t worry, none are from the “crappy and sappy” era).

It's a great song. I can think of several great ones that haven't been listed yet. I don't think people will be disappointed by whatever is to come. There has been something good about all the ones we've heard so far.

I'm with you. I'm not keeping a running count, but I know there are more than 7 Chicago songs I love that haven't been revealed yet. My "disappointment" is going to be the other way

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I am pleased to see the enthusiastic reactions to Feelin’ Stronger Every Day but I hope that doesn’t translate into disappointment over the top 7. Most of them sound quite different from this one. (Don’t worry, none are from the “crappy and sappy” era).

It's a great song. I can think of several great ones that haven't been listed yet. I don't think people will be disappointed by whatever is to come. There has been something good about all the ones we've heard so far.

I'm with you. I'm not keeping a running count, but I know there are more than 7 Chicago songs I love that haven't been revealed yet. My "disappointment" is going to be the other way

I will post a 32-100 list after we’re done. Any well-known 70s songs not in my top 31 should be there.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I am pleased to see the enthusiastic reactions to Feelin’ Stronger Every Day but I hope that doesn’t translate into disappointment over the top 7. Most of them sound quite different from this one. (Don’t worry, none are from the “crappy and sappy” era).

It's a great song. I can think of several great ones that haven't been listed yet. I don't think people will be disappointed by whatever is to come. There has been something good about all the ones we've heard so far.

I'm with you. I'm not keeping a running count, but I know there are more than 7 Chicago songs I love that haven't been revealed yet. My "disappointment" is going to be the other way

I will post a 32-100 list after we’re done. Any well-known 70s songs not in my top 31 should be there.

Awesome. I didn't have many of their studio albums back in the day, but I had a couple (plus their GH when it came out, plus the radio). So I can't speak as much to the non-singles you've played (all have been good that I've heard), but - in general - I think the cream rises to the top and that - again, in general - the biggest radio hits tend towards being among the best the artist recorded. I'm a Boomer, though, so I know a) that's not the case anymore and b) it's not cool among some music fans.