The Top 155 Songs by American Artists According to 5 Middle-Aged Idiots (1 Viewer)

[Pip's Invitation]

Petty wins today but these are all good choices.

Though Oh What a Night isn’t the best Four Seasons hit from 1975. That’s Who Loves You.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

19


Dr. Octopus:

American Girl – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Despite limited chart success, "American Girl" became one of Petty's most popular songs and a staple of classic rock. It has been consistently rated as his best song, only surpassed by "Free Fallin'" otherwise, and one of the best rock songs of all time, and has been called "more than a classic rock standard — it's practically part of the American literary canon."

Jeb:

Volunteers – Jefferson Airplane

"Volunteers" is a Jefferson Airplane single from 1969 that was released to promote the album Volunteers two months before the album's release. It was written by Marty Balin and Paul Kantner. Balin was woken up by a truck one morning, which happened to be a truck with Volunteers of America painted on the side.[1] Marty started writing lyrics down and then asked Paul to help him with the music.

Scooter:

A Long December – Counting Crows

"A Long December" is a song by American alternative rock band Counting Crows. The ballad is the second single and 13th track from their second album, Recovering the Satellites (1996). Lead singer Adam Duritz was inspired to write the track after his friend was hit by a car, making the song about reflecting on tragedy with a positive disposition.

Doug:

Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra

"Fly Me to the Moon", originally titled "In Other Words", is a song written in 1954 by Bart Howard. The first recording of the song was made in 1954 by Kaye Ballard. Frank Sinatra's 1964 version was closely associated with the Apollo missions to the Moon.

In 1999, the Songwriters Hall of Fame honored "Fly Me to the Moon" by inducting it as a "Towering Song"

Chap:

December, 1963 (Oh What a Night!) - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

"December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" is a song originally performed by the Four Seasons, written by original Four Seasons keyboard player Bob Gaudio and his future wife Judy Parker, produced by Gaudio, and included on the group's album, Who Loves You (1975).

The song features drummer Gerry Polci on lead vocals, with Frankie Valli, the group's usual lead vocalist, singing the bridge sections and backing vocals and bass player Don Ciccone singing the falsetto part.

From my perspective, this is a really weird group of songs. I don't know it feels that way, but it does.

1. "Fly Me To The Moon". Peak-era Frank and a classic composition. Yes, please.

2. "American Girl". TP & The Heartbreakers were marketed as New Wave in the late '70s. Truth is that they were the most conservative new artist of the period. I don't say that in a demeaning way, just that their influences are so apparent in hindsight: Byrds, Beatles, Garage Bands, Motown - it was like 1965 never ended. That's a plus in my book. Great song by a great band.

3. "A Long December". I don't love this band's performances (too loopy for me) and their songwriting gets a little too cute for my taste sometimes, but most of their hits were pretty solid.

4. "December 1963". I believe this song was originally written about the end of Prohibition. It got updated, I'm guessing, because of the enormous success of Happy Days on TV and the 50s/60s nostalgia craze that went along with it. Polci sings the hell out of it, it's full of hooks, and you won't ever forget that damned piano once you've heard it.

5. "Volunteers". By far the worst major SF Boomer band, though this isn't their worst song. Their records sounded like they were recorded in a tin can and their live performances were horrific. At least the Dead had good equipment.

 

[scorchy]

Great choices today. American Girl is tops for me but A Long December almost pulled off the shocking upset.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Dr. Octopus'

9. Ace of Spades - Motorhead

I almost put a big "X" through this and then I remembered there was no America requirement for the 31 albums. I had it all ready and rarin' to go, too.

Rush, Zeppelin, Beatles and Stones should have given it away.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Dr. Octopus' Favorite Albums
31. Reckoning - R.E.M.
30. Hunky Dory - David Bowie
29. Forever Blue - Chris Isaak
28. Van Halen - Van Halen
27. The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys - Traffic
26. This Year's Model - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
25. Damn The Torpedoes - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
24. Talking Book - Stevie Wonder
23. Let It Be - The Beatles
22. Live! - Bob Marley & The Wailers
21. Badmotorfinger - Soundgarden
20. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
19. The Dirty South - Drive-By Truckers
18. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
17. So - Peter Gabriel
16. MTV Unplugged in New York - Nirvana
15. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
14. Being There - Wilco
13. After the Gold Rush - Neil Young
12. Double Fantasy - John Lennon / Yoko Ono
11. Live at Folsom State Prison - Johnny Cash
10. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
9. Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones
8. OK Computer - Radiohead
7. Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
6. London Calling - The Clash
5. The Wall - Pink Floyd
4. Exile On Main Street - The Rolling Stones
3. Tommy - The Who
2. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - David Bowie
1. Abbey Road - The Beatles

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Dr. Octopus' Favorite Albums
31. Reckoning - R.E.M.
30. Hunky Dory - David Bowie
29. Forever Blue - Chris Isaak
28. Van Halen - Van Halen
27. The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys - Traffic
26. This Year's Model - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
25. Damn The Torpedoes - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
24. Talking Book - Stevie Wonder
23. Let It Be - The Beatles
22. Live! - Bob Marley & The Wailers
21. Badmotorfinger - Soundgarden
20. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
19. The Dirty South - Drive-By Truckers
18. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
17. So - Peter Gabriel
16. MTV Unplugged in New York - Nirvana
15. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
14. Being There - Wilco
13. After the Gold Rush - Neil Young
12. Double Fantasy - John Lennon / Yoko Ono
11. Live at Folsom State Prison - Johnny Cash
10. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
9. Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones
8. OK Computer - Radiohead
7. Physical Graffiti - Led Zeppelin
6. London Calling - The Clash
5. The Wall - Pink Floyd
4. Exile On Main Street - The Rolling Stones
3. Tommy - The Who
2. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - David Bowie
1. Abbey Road - The Beatles

Your tastes somewhat overlap with mine, but we knew that. ATGR as your #1 Neil is a fine choice.

 

[MAC_32]

Double Fantasy - John Lennon / Yoko Ono

This list hit it out of the park so you earned the like...despite...this.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Double Fantasy - John Lennon / Yoko Ono

This list hit it out of the park so you earned the like...despite...this.

I even like the Yoko songs - well almost all of them.
It’s also a time and place album for me as his death hit me hard as a seventh grader and this was his new music at the time.
But I also love the songs. I don’t love the Yoko songs but I really do like them. When I revisited after a long layoff I actually realized how influential they were to a lot of 80s music that followed.

 

[DocHolliday]

American Girl wins this round easily for me. It’s one of my favorite Petty songs and I love a ton of his work. I don’t consider myself a huge Petty fan. I don’t know much about him or his band or the back stories to songs. I just listen to the music a lot.

 

[rockaction]

Wow. I'm late to the day. I woke at nine to have breakfast and slept through the rest of the day. I had a dream that I knew a girl who did a killer Debbie Harry impersonation both in looks and in voice. We were at college and she had a hick boyfriend that looked like Matthew McConaghey (sp.?) and he didn't like me. Anyway, she dressed me up in green corduroy and had me go around campus with a live cat in a backpack. She referred to me as Sir Puss N' Boots, and the New York Dolls song was playing as I eased my way into PoliSci 356 - The American Founding with my old professor from college.

Dreams rule sometimes.

My initial impression is the "American Girl" would have been my favorite of the round, but all the songs are great, IMO. "A Long December," if it's by the Crows, has only grown in my estimation over the years. Sort of a sad song, but all their songs are a bit sad at heart.

Doc Oct.'s list is diverse and cool. I'm planning on trying to do my own for the end of the thread, but I don't know if I'll be able to narrow it down so much or what the criteria would be.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Wow. I'm late to the day. I woke at nine to have breakfast and slept through the rest of the day. I had a dream that I knew a girl who did a killer Debbie Harry impersonation both in looks and in voice. We were at college and she had a hick boyfriend that looked like Matthew McConaghey (sp.?) and he didn't like me. Anyway, she dressed me up in green corduroy and had me go around campus with a live cat in a backpack. She referred to me as Sir Puss N' Boots, and the New York Dolls song was playing as I eased my way into PoliSci 356 - The American Founding with my old professor from college.

Dreams rule sometimes.

My initial impression is the "American Girl" would have been my favorite of the round, but all the songs are great, IMO. "A Long December," if it's by the Crows, has only grown in my estimation over the years. Sort of a sad song, but all their songs are a bit sad at heart.

Doc Oct.'s list is diverse and cool. I'm planning on trying to do my own for the end of the thread, but I don't know if I'll be able to narrow it down so much or what the criteria would be.

There was no criterias at all for albums. Greatest Hits were allowed but only one person took one and it’s not an obvious greatest hits record.

For songs our criteria was that the artist or entire band must be American born.

Both lists were favorites not what we thought was the greatest.

 

[zamboni]

A little discussed part of the greatness of American Girl is how on point the back-up singers are in limited usage.

That’s Phil Seymour doing the backup singing. He also sang backup on “Breakdown” and played with The Dwight Twilley Band. Twilley and Petty were good buddies and Petty returned the backup singing favor a handful of years later on Twilley’s ‘80s hit Girls (Mike Campbell on guitar).

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I don't want to impinge upon Dr. O's thread too much, but I wonder if this might be a fun exercise or two for our music folks here. We do a lot of drafts, and some individual "favorite" threads , but something where we each put together a separate list and submitted them for discussion would be fun. Have we tried anything like this? We could do the format of the O group - albums, then American song, or whatever we wanted. Just food for thought and again don't want to sidetrack this awesome thread right now.

Like, we could take November to put together lists for a December 1-31 favorites of whatever category countdown.

ETA: I guess if we used their already-completed formats it wouldn't be so fun for Dr. O, so maybe we could come up with another.

I’m ok if anyone or everyone wants to drop their own lists in here. I also don’t care if you wait until the end or drop it anytime. I doubt there will be many “spoilers”.

 

[zamboni]

Also liked the use of American Girl early on in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

 

[Eephus]

That’s Phil Seymour doing the backup singing. He also sang backup on “Breakdown” and played with The Dwight Twilley Band. Twilley and Petty were good buddies and Petty returned the backup singing favor a handful of years later on Twilley’s ‘80s hit Girls (Mike Campbell on guitar).

Twilley and Petty were also labelmates on Denny Cordell's Shelter Records. Twilley somehow managed to get more screwed over than Petty when Shelter was shuffled around between ABC, Arista and MCA.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

18

Dr. Octopus:

Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes

“Seven Nation Army" has become a sports anthem, commonly appearing in audience chants in which a series of "oh" sounds or the name of an athlete is sung to the tune of the song's riff. It has also served as a theme song for sports teams, personalities, and events, including the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The song has grown in popularity due to its usage in sports; its riff has been described as "ubiquitous".

Jeb:

Down With Disease - Phish

"Down with Disease" was Phish's breakthrough single on American rock radio, reaching #33 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in June 1994. It was first played live December 31, 1993, as a jam without lyrics.[2] "Down with Disease" was released as a single by Elektra on both CD and cassette. The compact disc version of the single was a promotional item issued to radio stations, while the cassette edition was issued to retail. The CD only includes "Down with Disease", while the cassette also contains "NO2", an experimental musique concrète composition that features dental drill sound effects. A different recording of "NO2" appeared on the band's 1986 demo release The White Tape.

Scooter:

All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow

The lyrics of the song are based on the poem "Fun" by Wyn Cooper. Cooper was inspired to write the poem by a conversation at a bar with a friend and occasional writer, Bill Ripley, in which he said "All I want is to have a little fun before I die", which became the first line of the poem. In a 1994 interview, Cooper said: "The poem isn't really about him. Or me. They're different people. They're people you can sort of see as ... well ... objective correlatives. Symbols of people like us, or what we could have been, or what we would have become if we continued to drink and do nothing with our lives."

Doug:

Dirty Blvd. – Lou Reed

"Dirty Blvd." is a Lou Reed song from his 1989 album, New York. The song contrasts the poor and the rich in New York City, and topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for four weeks in early 1989.

Chap:

So Into You – Atlanta Rhythm Section

In "So in to You", the singer admits an instant and mysteriously compelling attraction to a stranger entering the room, and is unable to focus on anything else. He attempts to gain the stranger's attention, hoping that they will be able to make a personal connection and that the "vibe" he feels will be mutual.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

18

Dr. Octopus:

Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes

“Seven Nation Army" has become a sports anthem, commonly appearing in audience chants in which a series of "oh" sounds or the name of an athlete is sung to the tune of the song's riff. It has also served as a theme song for sports teams, personalities, and events, including the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The song has grown in popularity due to its usage in sports; its riff has been described as "ubiquitous".

Jeb:

Down With Disease - Phish

"Down with Disease" was Phish's breakthrough single on American rock radio, reaching #33 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in June 1994. It was first played live December 31, 1993, as a jam without lyrics.[2] "Down with Disease" was released as a single by Elektra on both CD and cassette. The compact disc version of the single was a promotional item issued to radio stations, while the cassette edition was issued to retail. The CD only includes "Down with Disease", while the cassette also contains "NO2", an experimental musique concrète composition that features dental drill sound effects. A different recording of "NO2" appeared on the band's 1986 demo release The White Tape.

Scooter:

All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow

The lyrics of the song are based on the poem "Fun" by Wyn Cooper. Cooper was inspired to write the poem by a conversation at a bar with a friend and occasional writer, Bill Ripley, in which he said "All I want is to have a little fun before I die", which became the first line of the poem. In a 1994 interview, Cooper said: "The poem isn't really about him. Or me. They're different people. They're people you can sort of see as ... well ... objective correlatives. Symbols of people like us, or what we could have been, or what we would have become if we continued to drink and do nothing with our lives."

Doug:

Dirty Blvd. – Lou Reed

"Dirty Blvd." is a Lou Reed song from his 1989 album, New York. The song contrasts the poor and the rich in New York City, and topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for four weeks in early 1989.

Chap:

So Into You – Atlanta Rhythm Section

In "So in to You", the singer admits an instant and mysteriously compelling attraction to a stranger entering the room, and is unable to focus on anything else. He attempts to gain the stranger's attention, hoping that they will be able to make a personal connection and that the "vibe" he feels will be mutual.

Two in a row where Jeb doesn't finish last! Our stars are aligning!

1. "So Into You". Great swampy rhythm and vocal. They had a couple of other hits after this - both good - but flamed out pretty quickly as the world changed.

2. "Down With Disease". I'm not a big Phish fan, but they're (at their worst) pretty inoffensive and (at best) can catch fire and roll. They roll on this one.

3. "Seven Nation Army". This damned thing got so big, I just surrendered to it. I've never liked White's voice, but he can make grooves with the best of them.

4. "All I Wanna Do". This is my least-favorite Crow record. Not because it was a huge hit (have you READ my posts?), but because the melody never catches.

5. "Dirty Blvd". My 2nd favorite Reed song (& a straight ripoff of my favorite). I never got this dude and never will.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Yeah, I was never a big Reed fan either. My favorite of his (Rock and Roll) I prefer the Mitch Ryder version.

 

[plinko]

1. Seven Nation Army. The song itself is claptrap. But the world owns the hook now. That alone puts it in the upper echelon of popular tracks.. objectively speaking, IMO.
I think it's pretty rocking and I drafted it with Amon-Ra because that's what we do around here.

2a. So Into You - I mean, sure, a soft rock classic. There are dozens of songs that sound exactly the same, there was a thread here maybe five years ago? that was a tiny gold mine.
Shudder To Think anyone?

2b. Sheryl Crow - have never loved her but this is anthemic, and to a lot of people of my ilk, and I know that

2c. Dirty Blvd - Not typically my style, but, as it's been sung, I LIKE Lou Reed. A strong Like. His own sound, his own whole thing. Let's just say.. I rarely turn Lou on but I won't turn him off.

5. Down With Disease - This one doesn't do it for me. Some of their songs I like OK.

 

[scorchy]

2a. So Into You - I mean, sure, a soft rock classic. There are dozens of songs that sound exactly the same, there was a thread here maybe five years ago? that was a tiny gold mine.
Shudder To Think anyone?

My brain went immediately and excitedly to Shudder to Think. Oh well.

 

[scorchy]

Dirty Blvd FTW.

Give me your hungry, your tired, your poor I'll piss on 'em
That's what the Statue of Bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses
Let's club 'em to death
And get it over with and just dump 'em on the boulevard

 

[plinko]

2a. So Into You - I mean, sure, a soft rock classic. There are dozens of songs that sound exactly the same, there was a thread here maybe five years ago? that was a tiny gold mine.
Shudder To Think anyone?

My brain went immediately and excitedly to Shudder to Think. Oh well.

A highlight of my very private and personal "Shudder To Loaf" playlist

 

[lardonastick]

Down With Disease rules, Seven Nation Army not too far behind.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Seven Nation Army is one of the most iconic songs of its era and wins this round for me.

The rest of the picks are good too. Obviously I endorse the Phish song but it’s probably not what I would have picked.

So Into You is nice, but my #1 from ARS is Champagne Jam.

 

[Moe.]

Man y’all really don’t like rap

 

[rockaction]

Man y’all really don’t like rap

Raisin' Hell wound up on two lists for best albums. Might be a generational thing more than anything. Five middle-aged guys around 52-55 or so would have missed rap's golden years for the most part.

"Seven Nation Army." I used to go to a bar in Simsbury, CT, called Hoops N' Hops. Damn place sucked. Hated it, but it was a short drive from where I lived. The clientele was suspect, as were the bartenders. Biggest coke dealers in the area. Anyway, Elephant had just come out and so had the song, and we were at the bar and I played it. And I'd had the album the day it came out, but I realized that I loved that track after being slightly disappointed with the album. So I played "Seven Nation" again. Still loving it. Three or four beers in, I said "**** it. This is such a monster track I'm going to play it on repeat until somebody bumps me off the juke." Nobody did. Must have played it about twenty times that night. Anyway, I went back the next week and they'd removed the CD from rotation. Guess the waitstaff had gotten sick of it. They would all wind up busted for dealing several years later. The song would live in infamy. ****ty memories of a ****ty local bar.

Great track.

 

[Ilov80s]

Lots of great songs these lack few picks. Doc really secured himself as my favorite list so far. Be My Baby, American Girl and The White Stripes? All perfect choices.

I am firmly anti-Neil Diamond but I like the variety from Doug.

 

[krista4]

Seven Nation Army is one of the most iconic songs of its era and wins this round for me.

The rest of the picks are good too. Obviously I endorse the Phish song but it’s probably not what I would have picked.

So Into You is nice, but my #1 from ARS is Champagne Jam.

Diff'rent Strokes. Seven Nation Army is the only one from this round that I like at all.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Man y’all really don’t like rap

That shouldn’t be shocking based on the demograhics, but what you’re saying isn’t exactly true. Jeb had 3 rap albums and Chap had one in their Top 31 albums and there’s been one song so far.
For a while me, Jeb and Chap were into the more accessible rap like Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Beastie. Etc. - I like much of the stuff I've heard in our drafts, but not all of it. It's just not my thing as far as heavy rotation. You did get me to give Wu Tang a listen for the first time in a while at least.

These lists will only be 31 songs each - just because something isn’t Top 31 doesn’t mean you don’t like it.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Oh and Lou Reed was the original wrapper.

 

[scorchy]

Diff'rent Strokes. Seven Nation Army is the only one from this round that I like at all.

My first avatar at FBG was Conrad Bain so if we ever had a top 31 songs by Canadian artists, the Diff'rent Strokes theme would make my list - somewhere between Sunglasses at Night and that Mmm, mmm, mmm song by Crash Test Dummies.

Alan Thicke had a successful career as a TV theme song composer, often collaborating with his then-wife Gloria Loring on these projects, which included the themes to the popular sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life.

I can't say that Gloria Loring's duet with Carl Anderson (Friends and Lovers) - will remotely sniff my top 100 of 1986 list despite reaching #2 on the real Billboard charts.

Here's Boys II Men reminding us that everybody's got a special kind of story, everybody finds a way to shine.

Diff'rent Strokes Theme

 

[Dr. Octopus]

17


Dr. Octopus:

Pancho & Lefty – Townes Van Zandt

"Pancho and Lefty" is a song written by country music artist Townes Van Zandt. Often considered his "most enduring and well-known song," Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. The song has been recorded by several artists since its composition and performance by Van Zandt, with the Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard version selling the most copies and reaching the Billboard top hits list.

Jeb:

Mississippi Queen - Mountain

"Mississippi Queen" is a song by the American rock band Mountain. Considered a rock classic,[6] it was their most successful single, reaching number 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970.[7] The song is included on the group's debut album and several live recordings have been issued.[6] "Mississippi Queen" has been recorded by several artists, including W.A.S.P., Sam Kinison, Amanda Ayala, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and Ozzy Osbourne, who had a hit with the song in 2005.

Scooter:

Allison Road – Gin Blossoms

In 1989, Robin Wilson passed by a sign on his way to El Paso that read "Next Exit Allison Road." The friend with whom he was riding had a sister named Allison, and so they stopped to take a picture. Five months later, Wilson had the picture and was bored. In a Billboard interview from 1994, he recalled:

I walked to the other room, sat down in front of the television and turned on CNN. And the moment the TV turned on I heard that little melody in my head; 'On Allison Road.' And I was like, '****!' So I turned off the TV, climbed over the couch and went back in my bedroom and the song was pretty much done 20 minutes later.

The exit sign for Allison Road is located on Interstate 10 in Roosevelt, Texas.

Doug:

Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash

Cash performed the song live to a crowd of inmates at Folsom State Prison in 1968 for his live album At Folsom Prison (1968), released through Columbia Records. This version became a No. 1 hit on the country music charts and reached No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the same year. This version also won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards in 1969.

Chap:

Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone – The Temptations

"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is a song originally performed by Motown recording act The Undisputed Truth in 1972, though it became much better known after a Grammy-award winning cover by The Temptations was issued later the same year. This latter version of the song became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

One of these things is not like the others - and that's ok.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I did go back and forth deciding between Townes' and Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard's versions, but ultimately went with the songwriter.

 

[scorchy]

I like all of today's songs a lot except for Mississippi Queen (which I don't hate or anything either). I'm gonna cop out and have Pancho... and Folsom... as co #1s.

 

[krista4]

I did go back and forth deciding between Townes' and Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard's versions, but ultimately went with the songwriter.

Willie and Merle did a great cover, but you gotta go Townes.

Four spectacular choices here, and then that other one. Does he have a personal connection to the song?

 

[scorchy]

I did go back and forth deciding between Townes' and Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard's versions, but ultimately went with the songwriter.

Think you made the write choice, but I grew up listening to the Willie/Merle version, so that's my go-to.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

And people have been saying things like they changed their song but kept the artist (i.e. Johnny Cash), because I’m making a playlist. So factor that stuff in a little I suppose.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I did go back and forth deciding between Townes' and Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard's versions, but ultimately went with the songwriter.

Willie and Merle did a great cover, but you gotta go Townes.

Four spectacular choices here, and then that other one. Does he have a personal connection to the song?

Not that I’m aware of, but it seems he has some infinity for lightweight early 90s pop/rock.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

In case no one ever went back. I’m keeping a running list in the second post of the songs everyone took by individual.

 

[scorchy]

I did go back and forth deciding between Townes' and Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard's versions, but ultimately went with the songwriter.

Willie and Merle did a great cover, but you gotta go Townes.

Four spectacular choices here, and then that other one. Does he have a personal connection to the song?

Not that I’m aware of, but it seems he has some infinity for lightweight early 90s pop/rock.

Gotta defend the Gin Blossoms a bit here, particularly their first album. New Miserable Experience was certainly somewhat poppy, but it wasn't really light-weight at all. Doug Hopkins' (guitarist and primary songwriter) had major demons, and his pain really came through in the songs. Maybe I just I have a thing for jangly guitars set against hopeless/wistful lyrics. Regardless, his story is tough to read.

 

[plinko]

Oh and Lou Reed was the original wrapper.

OK sometimes I do turn Lou off
Great video though!

 

[shuke]

Jeb:

Down With Disease - Phish

"Down with Disease" was Phish's breakthrough single on American rock radio, reaching #33 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in June 1994. It was first played live December 31, 1993, as a jam without lyrics.[2] "Down with Disease" was released as a single by Elektra on both CD and cassette. The compact disc version of the single was a promotional item issued to radio stations, while the cassette edition was issued to retail. The CD only includes "Down with Disease", while the cassette also contains "NO2", an experimental musique concrète composition that features dental drill sound effects. A different recording of "NO2" appeared on the band's 1986 demo release The White Tape.

Chap:

So Into You – Atlanta Rhythm Section

In "So in to You", the singer admits an instant and mysteriously compelling attraction to a stranger entering the room, and is unable to focus on anything else. He attempts to gain the stranger's attention, hoping that they will be able to make a personal connection and that the "vibe" he feels will be mutual.

Nice pull by Chap, but we all know who wins this round.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Four very powerful songs. And one that is… let’s say pleasant.

The Temptations win this round for me. Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone is way up there for me in terms of songs that move me both musically and lyrically.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

17


Dr. Octopus:

Pancho & Lefty – Townes Van Zandt

"Pancho and Lefty" is a song written by country music artist Townes Van Zandt. Often considered his "most enduring and well-known song," Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. The song has been recorded by several artists since its composition and performance by Van Zandt, with the Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard version selling the most copies and reaching the Billboard top hits list.

Jeb:

Mississippi Queen - Mountain

"Mississippi Queen" is a song by the American rock band Mountain. Considered a rock classic,[6] it was their most successful single, reaching number 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970.[7] The song is included on the group's debut album and several live recordings have been issued.[6] "Mississippi Queen" has been recorded by several artists, including W.A.S.P., Sam Kinison, Amanda Ayala, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and Ozzy Osbourne, who had a hit with the song in 2005.

Scooter:

Allison Road – Gin Blossoms

In 1989, Robin Wilson passed by a sign on his way to El Paso that read "Next Exit Allison Road." The friend with whom he was riding had a sister named Allison, and so they stopped to take a picture. Five months later, Wilson had the picture and was bored. In a Billboard interview from 1994, he recalled:

I walked to the other room, sat down in front of the television and turned on CNN. And the moment the TV turned on I heard that little melody in my head; 'On Allison Road.' And I was like, '****!' So I turned off the TV, climbed over the couch and went back in my bedroom and the song was pretty much done 20 minutes later.

The exit sign for Allison Road is located on Interstate 10 in Roosevelt, Texas.

Doug:

Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash

Cash performed the song live to a crowd of inmates at Folsom State Prison in 1968 for his live album At Folsom Prison (1968), released through Columbia Records. This version became a No. 1 hit on the country music charts and reached No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the same year. This version also won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards in 1969.

Chap:

Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone – The Temptations

"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is a song originally performed by Motown recording act The Undisputed Truth in 1972, though it became much better known after a Grammy-award winning cover by The Temptations was issued later the same year. This latter version of the song became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

I like the Gin Blossoms song. It's got no hope here.

1. "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone". A bass so deep Satan has to go a few floors down to hear it, Bitches Brew horns, all 5 members swapping lead vocals, slice-of-life lyrics, and a killer groove. This is a titanic recording....among the best in rock history.

2. "Folsom Prison Blues". The Man In Black being The Man In Black. Every renegade artist since has had to reckon with "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die". 70s punks and 90s rappers tried - and failed - to be this hard.

3. "Pancho and Lefty". I like the Willie & Merle version better, but I'd be perfectly happy in a two-person draft for this one if I ended up with Townes' version. An amazing song by an amazing songwriter.

4. "Mississippi Queen". If there's a Boomer Power Chord Mount Rushmore, this one would be on it. This thing grooves so hard, houses slide off of cliffs and drop into the sea. But there's also a vocal and Leslie West sings as hard as any rock singer ever.

5. "Allison Road". This is a fine record. It got a bad draw.

 

[krista4]

1. "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone". A bass so deep Satan has to go a few floors down to hear it, Bitches Brew horns, all 5 members swapping lead vocals, slice-of-life lyrics, and a killer groove. This is a titanic recording....among the best in rock history.

 

[rockaction]

Great songs, all of them, IMO. To expound with scorchy, I think the Gin Blossoms were writing songs that were poppy for then, but on a second listen, weren't exactly in the pop vernacular and maybe were best fit for the jangle pop genre, which sometimes crossed over back then, if that sounds like it makes sense. Maybe? The years of '93 and '94 were really weird, experimental ones for pop and rock. Probably last time rock ruled the roost in terms of pop.

Whatever it is, I hated "Allison Road" in 1993 for its poppiness and really like it now. Same with the rest of the album. I don't think it would sniff a top 31 all-time from America, but it's decent regardless.

 

[plinko]

Not many thoughts, I like the co-number one idea here, but for me it would be Folsom and Papa

I feel like I have the proper appreciation for Gin Blossoms and all, but I'd be more likely to put some Lemonheads in there myself, maybe TtWS

Mississippi Queen, this is a fun jam to learn to play fake XBox guitar to, I'm not sure I can say much more here

 

[krista4]

maybe TtWS

I feel dumb asking, but...?

 

[Dr. Octopus]

maybe TtWS

I feel dumb asking, but...?

Toad the Wet Sprocket?