The Motels -- what was their best song? (1 Viewer)

[Raider Nation]

Seems like this band should have been more prolific. They had a really cool sound.

Anyway, The Motels had a few songs which barely made a ripple on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and aren't even worth listing in this poll ("Shame" and "Remember the Nights" and "Take the L")... but they had two huge hits with "Only the Lonely" (reached #9 in 1982) and "Suddenly Last Summer" (reached #9 in 1983). Let's settle this once and for all. Which of their big hits was better?

"Only the Lonely"

"Suddenly Last Summer"


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[Claydon]

Both are suckage.

 

[Raider Nation]

Both are suckage.

Could be why there was no Motels topic before now. Should I make this their *OFFICIAL* thread?

 

[Ghost Rider]

Both are good tunes, but I'll give Only the Lonely the very slight edge.

 

[RTB1]

"Only the Lonely" was the hit. "Suddenly Last Summer" sounds like trying to capture the same moment.

While both are songs I remember fondly, "... Lonely" sounds like the more original song to me.

 

[RTB1]

What's even better is that after searching for "Only the Lonely" on my Rhapsody account, the next random song was "Let There Be Rock". This song beats any Motels' song.

 

[slayer666]

Both are suckage.

Exactly.They didn't have one.

 

[Raider Nation]

Both are suckage.

Exactly.They didn't have one.

Their royalties from TWO top-10 hits disagree.

 

[Claydon]

Both are suckage.

Exactly.They didn't have one.

Their royalties from TWO top-10 hits disagree.

Yeah, and Lil Wayne stays at the top of the music lists...doesn't prove anything.They suck.

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

"Suddenly Last Summer" is an awesome song.

I wonder what the girl from the video is up to these days.

 

[BobbyLayne]

"Suddenly Last Summer" is an awesome song.

I wonder what the girl from the video is up to these days.

Yeah, great video, one of the most memorable ones from that era.Wiki says the chick is the daughter of lead singer Martha Davis.

 

[zamboni]

Big fan of "Only The Lonely" - one of the better pop hits from the decade IMO.

 

[honky kong]

It's hard to choose, given that they're pretty much the same song.

 

[mad sweeney]

Seems like this band should have been more prolific. They had a really cool sound.

Anyway, The Motels had a few songs which barely made a ripple on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and aren't even worth listing in this poll ("Shame" and "Remember the Nights" and "Take the L")... but they had two huge hits with "Only the Lonely" (reached #9 in 1982) and "Suddenly Last Summer" (reached #9 in 1983). Let's settle this once and for all. Which of their big hits was better?

Seems like they had a pretty cookie cutter 80s sound and without anything to push them over the top or give them staying power.

 

[timschochet]

It keeps me standing stillll

 

[JbizzleMan]

Who?

 

[Osaurus]

Only the Lonely is a turrible video.

 

[Raider Nation]

Who?

Beat it, youngin! Everyone in this thread was banging high school supermodels to this music before you were born.

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Martha Davis could really sing.

One summer never ends/one summer never begins

So long ago/well I don't remember/all I know is it makes me feel good now

 

[otb_lifer]

Martha Davis could really sing.

One summer never ends/one summer never begins

So long ago/well I don't remember/all I know is it makes me feel good now

Loved the ambience of that tune/video ... it really was one of the most unique of the era. Love. It.

 

[ODoyleRules]

Both are suckage.

Exactly.They didn't have one.

Their royalties from TWO top-10 hits disagree.

Yeah, and Lil Wayne stays at the top of the music lists...doesn't prove anything.They suck.

When I think of The Motels, I think of in-your-face, edgy controversial music that will bring out the worst in people. You guys nailed it. "Lonely" gets my vote.

 

[Serenity Now]

I would sell my soul for

...over you...

 

[Tom Servo]

I loved the 40s vibe the lead singer was rocking in their first video.

 

[Raider Nation]

Man, it seems like I posted this poll a month ago. Time flies.

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Man, it seems like I posted this poll a month ago. Time flies.

I've been reading a book about the early days of MTV.Martha Davis comes off as clear-eyed, insightful, honest and really cool about the music industry.Some of the artists of that era comes off as really bitter--I'm looking at you Billy Squier, Rob Halford and that dude from Thompson Twins--but Ms. Davis has a gratitude for having her moment in the sun. She seems happy just to have been a part of the time.

 

[Mr. Pickles]

Suddenly Last Summer is one of the great 80s songs.

 

[bakes]

Only the Lonely is solid except for that jarringly gratuitous falsetto near the end of the song. Just ruins the track for me. Suddenly Last Summer is the better tune IMO.

 

[Apple Jack]

They're two separate songs?

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Only the Lonely is solid except for that jarringly gratuitous falsetto near the end of the song. Just ruins the track for me.

No way.That is a great part of the song. It ends it perfectly.

The way Martha stretches out her syllables......only the lone-leeeeeeee

If there is any detriment to the song it is that cheesy 1980's saxophone solo in the middle.

 

[Captain Quinoa]

Only the Lonely is solid except for that jarringly gratuitous falsetto near the end of the song. Just ruins the track for me. Suddenly Last Summer is the better tune IMO.

ridiculous

 

[bakes]

Only the Lonely is solid except for that jarringly gratuitous falsetto near the end of the song. Just ruins the track for me. Suddenly Last Summer is the better tune IMO.

ridiculous

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

do best quarterflash song next

 

[Raider Nation]

do best quarterflash song next

Sorry... best Dexys Midnight Runners song is up next.

 

[NorvilleBarnes]

This shouldn't be close at all. Suddenly Last Summer is one of the top five pop songs of all time and a GREAT video. Only the Lonely is a sad steaming pile of infected vermin poo.

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Suddenly Last Summer is one of the great 80s songs.

Totally agree.

 

[Apple Jack]

Quarterflash?

 

[elguapo07]

Quarterflash?

Harden My Heart was their most successful song but the sax solo in Take Me to Heart gets my vote.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Quarterflash?

And you call ur self a music snob. For shame

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Was this ever settled?

 

[Raider Nation]

Quarterflash?

And you call ur self a music snob. For shame

Great song.

Was this ever settled?

People will be fighting over this for years to come.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Heard "Suddenly" just the other day while eating out.

It's not a typical 80's sound but more of a fusion between the typical and the early new wave sound. I would categorize it as a "sorrowful" sound.

Lead singer Martha Davis has said in various radio interviews that she wrote the song while reflecting on her life and "how you know summer is ending when you hear the ice cream truck go by for the last time and you know he won't be back for a while".