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Where in the world are the middle-aged dummies? Worldwide top 31 song countdown. (8 Viewers)
- Thread starter krista4
- Start date
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
Cowboy Junkies version is not nearly as good as Neil’s as it lacks the sense of menace - but they’re fellow Canucks at least.
rockaction
Footballguy
rockaction
Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World
I picked this because the song absolutely rocks. Also, I had a friend back in D.C. affectionately (it was affectionate, even with the deeply conflicted tension between the euphoria of the song's hook and its actual verses' lyrics) tell me the song reminded him of me, and we would laugh. But there's a sadness underlying the song, a menace not yet seen to America, predicted by Young. It would shape the country, frankly, in the aughts and beyond that.
I would urge everybody -- if they're interested in hearing Rockin' In The Free World -- to check the Saturday Night Live rehearsal version of it instead of the cover version. Not that I'm complaining I didn't get Pearl Jam (I can take or leave PJ's cover, actually) but because nobody can do the song like Neil did that night, really. Pip already pasted his previous write-up, so there's a reason I'm using this version.
I'd also urge reading Pip's funny but serious write-up. That's fandom.
This one's on and for Pip.
Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World
I picked this because the song absolutely rocks. Also, I had a friend back in D.C. affectionately (it was affectionate, even with the deeply conflicted tension between the euphoria of the song's hook and its actual verses' lyrics) tell me the song reminded him of me, and we would laugh. But there's a sadness underlying the song, a menace not yet seen to America, predicted by Young. It would shape the country, frankly, in the aughts and beyond that.
I would urge everybody -- if they're interested in hearing Rockin' In The Free World -- to check the Saturday Night Live rehearsal version of it instead of the cover version. Not that I'm complaining I didn't get Pearl Jam (I can take or leave PJ's cover, actually) but because nobody can do the song like Neil did that night, really. Pip already pasted his previous write-up, so there's a reason I'm using this version.
I'd also urge reading Pip's funny but serious write-up. That's fandom.
This one's on and for Pip.
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rockaction
Footballguy
Here it is.
otb_lifer
Footballguy
53rd & 3rd - Ramones - OH
lookin' at them, then hearing them in interviews, one woulda been hard pressed to have pegged DeeDee as the primary lyric penner ... but, then again, after digesting said lyrics, it makes all the sense in the world.
Johnny were the drill Sargent, Joey the girl-group aficionado/dreamer, and DeeDee were the street - always.
a dysfunctional dynamic that they were compelled to make work - forced, even (mostly by Johnny)
DeeDee's H.o.F. acceptance speech brings a tear - dude had it rough, mostly by his own hand ... but he had a ton of grit and gravel in him, amazed he made it as long as he did, tbh.
this is one that is ALL his ... they renamed a street down the LES "Joey Ramone Way" - would love to see a green street sign over the exising one on 53rd proclaiming it "DeeDee Drive"
then i took out my razor blade
then i did what god forbade
now the cops are after me
but i proved that i'm no Sissy
they had no choice but to allow him vocals on that passage ... Joey just couldn't.
COMMANDO - Ramones
mine
... and after the gigs, Joey slinked off with his booze and groupies, while DeeDee hit the Bowery with his pack of leaches and hangers on. but Johnny opted for milk n' cookies and watching the Yankees, or some war or b-movie.
he were definitely a square kinda cat underneath it all, a square dude who just so happened to perfect the three chord downstroke that revolutionized the musical landscape.
BOWL CUT OR GTFO.
his dad were very strict, and was a gargantuan influence on Johnny ... dad was an old school blue collar Irishman from Queens, and John was shaped by that discipline ... even doing a bit in military academy to straighten the eff up.
once Tommy left the band, it fell square on Johnny's shoulders to round the other two knucklehead bruddahs into shape for recording and touring ... could you imagine having to rely on DeeDee & Joey to make your way in the world?
but Johnny did, and they may not have loved him, or even liked him (most notorious story being Joey writing "KKK Took My Baby Away" about Johnny, who, along with DeeDee, had right wing leanings - and stole Joey's lady) but they respected the fact that he were now the daddy in the room, and they appreciated the success they did have, however outta ratio to their impact it were.
hell, Johnny & Joey didn't even speak for years ... at all.
COMMANDO is Johnny - with all his military shtick and love of WWII movies, etc ... he titled his autobiography as same, which is a tremendous read.
VID
Johnny are my favorite of the "dumdum" boys ... a legend who never compromised - true to that accent and upbringing.
R.I.P. to them all.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
I’m thinking Jim Gordon’s mother may no longer be his biggest fan.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
Some people seem proud of their ignorance and wear it like a badge of honor.It really is, could be a much funner thread without that.Seems to be a lot of drive-by ill-willed thumping in there
Such a shame. KarmaPolice and Ilov80s are so much more patient than I am.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
IMO no versions I’ve heard come close to Neil’s. Many of them turn it into a country song or something in that neighborhood, which is only part of what the original has going for it.
krista4
Footballguy
Very excited to check this one out.
krista4
Footballguy
Yes, that's the one. Thanks!
rockaction
Footballguy
****ing Wart Hog is the best Ramones song.
Evah. Dee Dee!!!!!
Evah. Dee Dee!!!!!
rockaction
Footballguy
Shout Outs
Man, that's big font.
The Fugees' "Killing Me Softy" (with the outro made for radio and leading into an album skit...) is just a monster track. I don't know how to write about college without sounding really offensive or seemingly bitter, but race relations were not good at my school, and when this track started getting played on fraternity row by certain entities, you knew it was a crossover hit. I was a little more innocent about co-option then, and very into the Fugees, so it was natural for me, but not for the future investment bankers of the world, an entity of which had recently adopted "One In A Million" by Guns N' Roses as their tailgating song. You know the song. So to hear "Killing Me Softly" at another entity/house next to theirs -- not even at a party, but just for hanging out -- was out of left field. This was a massive, massive crossover into hostile territories.
Away from the sociopolitical, this made Lauryn Hill a bona fide modern music star. The video is as epic as the song, and Lauryn Hill is there, all seventies natural and beautiful, just owning it, while Pras and Wyclef run amok, starting fake fights in the theater and the like. This would be a generation's introduction to crossover hip hop, and The Score did more to reach audiences that otherwise would not have ever heard hip hop than from any other band besides Wu Tang. This was a crude write-up because I can't really go there, but it's just such a landmark song, maybe the landmark song of the nineties.
Great pick.
The Ramones's "Commando" is another solid pick, one that does sum up Johnny nicely (I'm not as sanguine about Johnny as otb is) in its militarism and absurdism. I pretty much left the Ramones out because of my own hinky drummer rule, though I might have picked "Judy Is A Punk" as one of my last five out. I can't remember.
There were others, but these are the two that stood out to me.
Man, that's big font.
The Fugees' "Killing Me Softy" (with the outro made for radio and leading into an album skit...) is just a monster track. I don't know how to write about college without sounding really offensive or seemingly bitter, but race relations were not good at my school, and when this track started getting played on fraternity row by certain entities, you knew it was a crossover hit. I was a little more innocent about co-option then, and very into the Fugees, so it was natural for me, but not for the future investment bankers of the world, an entity of which had recently adopted "One In A Million" by Guns N' Roses as their tailgating song. You know the song. So to hear "Killing Me Softly" at another entity/house next to theirs -- not even at a party, but just for hanging out -- was out of left field. This was a massive, massive crossover into hostile territories.
Away from the sociopolitical, this made Lauryn Hill a bona fide modern music star. The video is as epic as the song, and Lauryn Hill is there, all seventies natural and beautiful, just owning it, while Pras and Wyclef run amok, starting fake fights in the theater and the like. This would be a generation's introduction to crossover hip hop, and The Score did more to reach audiences that otherwise would not have ever heard hip hop than from any other band besides Wu Tang. This was a crude write-up because I can't really go there, but it's just such a landmark song, maybe the landmark song of the nineties.
Great pick.
The Ramones's "Commando" is another solid pick, one that does sum up Johnny nicely (I'm not as sanguine about Johnny as otb is) in its militarism and absurdism. I pretty much left the Ramones out because of my own hinky drummer rule, though I might have picked "Judy Is A Punk" as one of my last five out. I can't remember.
There were others, but these are the two that stood out to me.
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otb_lifer
Footballguy
DEEDEE VOX!
i think that were Richie's first album on the kit ... that n' Animal Boy were all he played on - both kick arse shifts for them ... TTTD with the hardcore, then AB with the synth twist, courtesy of the Jean Beauvoir (Plasmatics) production.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
What I wrote in my Neil countdown (warning: long):
What I wrote in my Neil countdown:
What I wrote in my Neil countdown:
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Thanks, man. Here's the writeup for those who missed it the first time:
2. Rockin' in the Free World (Freedom, 1989)
The date was September 30, 1989. I was a freshman in college. After an evening of drinking, I headed to one of the common areas with a TV near my room to catch Saturday Night Live with host Bruce Willis and musical guest Neil Young. I don't even remember if I tuned in because Neil was scheduled to be on; I had his most famous albums in my collection thanks to exposure from my parents and what we now call classic rock radio, but I hadn't paid much attention to his recent work because it seemed weird and, until the This Note's for You video made waves, was dismissed in the media as irrelevant. In the past 7 years, he'd experimented with vocoders, rockabilly, country, synth-driven "modern rock" and blues, often adopting a new persona with each new album, so I had no idea what gimmick he was going to bring this time.
This time, he was Neil Young. The guy who made all those songs from the '60s and '70s that I fell in love with. Dressed in casual clothes, with Old Black strapped in and a configuration of backing musicians that were only together for this one night (Frank "Poncho" Sampedro from Crazy Horse and Steve Jordan and Charlie Drayton from Keith Richards' X-Pensive Winos).
The whole Godfather of Grunge rebirth thing? It started on that night, with this song.
Neil launched into the first notes of this new song and my intoxicated mind was blown. He was back. The guy that created Cinnamon Girl, Down by the River, Cortez the Killer, Like a Hurricane and side 2 of Rust Never Sleeps was back with something that was every bit as good as those songs. Playing with unbelievable power and passion, Neil jumped around the stage like a madman, creating a live-from-a-war-zone feel as the cameras desperately tried to follow him. (I later learned that this was because he had refused to participate in blocking sessions, so the director and camera operators had no idea where he was going to be from second to second. This probably explains why Neil's only subsequent appearances on SNL occurred when he was promoting an acoustic album). The rock was fierce and the song was instantly memorable. "Keep on rockin' in the free world" from the getgo was every bit as much an anthem as "Hey hey, my my, rock and roll will never die."
Neil's second performance on that show was also amazing (there was more on that in entry #14), and after everything was over, I left literally shaking with excitement. I had to let people know that Neil was back.
As soon as I got back to my dorm room (this was about 1 AM), I felt the need to call a high school buddy to triumphantly announce Neil's renaissance to him. The problem was, I was still intoxicated and the dorm rooms had rotary phones (remember those?) The alcohol prevented me from remembering his number correctly (remember when we had to remember phone numbers?) and from getting my fingers to dial the phone correctly. When I finally connected with him after 2 AM, the call went something like this:
Me: He's back!
Him: What?
Me: Neil is back!
Him: Oh my God! What is wrong with you? Go to bed!
That was the immediate impact Rockin' in the Free World made on me. The reaction from others was less idiotic but equally favorable. FM radio put the song in heavy rotation as soon as it was made available, the Freedom album received rave reviews upon its release soon after the SNL appearance, and the song quickly joined the ranks of Neil's most iconic. A year and a half later when I saw Neil for the first time on the Weld tour, his first national electric tour since the release of Freedom and Ragged Glory, there were high school kids in front of us who had come just to hear this song live. They sat for the whole show but stood up and pumped their fists when Neil closed the regular set with it. It was cemented in the Gen-X pantheon when Neil performed it with Pearl Jam at the 1993 MTV Music Awards.
Borrowing a device Neil used on Rust Never Sleeps (see entry #6), an acoustic version of Rockin' in the Free World (recorded live at Jones Beach on his summer 1989 solo tour) opens Freedom and the searing studio electric version closes it. This was a sign that Neil considered the song to be every bit as important as his young Gen-X fans did. It has received prominent placement in setlists of almost every electric tour since 1991 and is his only song released after 1979 that is in the top 10 of known live performances. Even CSNY adopted it for the baby boomers; it was the set closer or encore at all three of their shows I saw.
Despite its status as an anthem, Rockin' in the Free World may be the most misinterpreted rock song this side of Born in the USA. Neil came up with the title as a lark (when informed a tour of the Soviet Union was being cancelled, Sampedro told Neil, "guess we'll have to keep on rockin' in the free world") and fleshed out the lyrics with references to volatile situations around the time, including George H.W. Bush's "thousand points of light" and "kinder, gentler nation" campaign slogans and the ayatollah of Iran's calling the U.S. "the Great Satan." There is indeed an embrace of the free-world spirit that many think the song is about, but there are also chilling references to homelessness, military and police intimidation, drug addiction, reckless consumerism and socioeconomic disadvantages. There's a reason why right-wing politicians often try to use this song and a reason why Neil objects every time.
This song is where it is on my list because it kicked my Neil fanaticism into overdrive. An encounter with #1 took it even higher.
The date was September 30, 1989. I was a freshman in college. After an evening of drinking, I headed to one of the common areas with a TV near my room to catch Saturday Night Live with host Bruce Willis and musical guest Neil Young. I don't even remember if I tuned in because Neil was scheduled to be on; I had his most famous albums in my collection thanks to exposure from my parents and what we now call classic rock radio, but I hadn't paid much attention to his recent work because it seemed weird and, until the This Note's for You video made waves, was dismissed in the media as irrelevant. In the past 7 years, he'd experimented with vocoders, rockabilly, country, synth-driven "modern rock" and blues, often adopting a new persona with each new album, so I had no idea what gimmick he was going to bring this time.
This time, he was Neil Young. The guy who made all those songs from the '60s and '70s that I fell in love with. Dressed in casual clothes, with Old Black strapped in and a configuration of backing musicians that were only together for this one night (Frank "Poncho" Sampedro from Crazy Horse and Steve Jordan and Charlie Drayton from Keith Richards' X-Pensive Winos).
The whole Godfather of Grunge rebirth thing? It started on that night, with this song.
Neil launched into the first notes of this new song and my intoxicated mind was blown. He was back. The guy that created Cinnamon Girl, Down by the River, Cortez the Killer, Like a Hurricane and side 2 of Rust Never Sleeps was back with something that was every bit as good as those songs. Playing with unbelievable power and passion, Neil jumped around the stage like a madman, creating a live-from-a-war-zone feel as the cameras desperately tried to follow him. (I later learned that this was because he had refused to participate in blocking sessions, so the director and camera operators had no idea where he was going to be from second to second. This probably explains why Neil's only subsequent appearances on SNL occurred when he was promoting an acoustic album). The rock was fierce and the song was instantly memorable. "Keep on rockin' in the free world" from the getgo was every bit as much an anthem as "Hey hey, my my, rock and roll will never die."
Neil's second performance on that show was also amazing (there was more on that in entry #14), and after everything was over, I left literally shaking with excitement. I had to let people know that Neil was back.
As soon as I got back to my dorm room (this was about 1 AM), I felt the need to call a high school buddy to triumphantly announce Neil's renaissance to him. The problem was, I was still intoxicated and the dorm rooms had rotary phones (remember those?) The alcohol prevented me from remembering his number correctly (remember when we had to remember phone numbers?) and from getting my fingers to dial the phone correctly. When I finally connected with him after 2 AM, the call went something like this:
Me: He's back!
Him: What?
Me: Neil is back!
Him: Oh my God! What is wrong with you? Go to bed!
That was the immediate impact Rockin' in the Free World made on me. The reaction from others was less idiotic but equally favorable. FM radio put the song in heavy rotation as soon as it was made available, the Freedom album received rave reviews upon its release soon after the SNL appearance, and the song quickly joined the ranks of Neil's most iconic. A year and a half later when I saw Neil for the first time on the Weld tour, his first national electric tour since the release of Freedom and Ragged Glory, there were high school kids in front of us who had come just to hear this song live. They sat for the whole show but stood up and pumped their fists when Neil closed the regular set with it. It was cemented in the Gen-X pantheon when Neil performed it with Pearl Jam at the 1993 MTV Music Awards.
Borrowing a device Neil used on Rust Never Sleeps (see entry #6), an acoustic version of Rockin' in the Free World (recorded live at Jones Beach on his summer 1989 solo tour) opens Freedom and the searing studio electric version closes it. This was a sign that Neil considered the song to be every bit as important as his young Gen-X fans did. It has received prominent placement in setlists of almost every electric tour since 1991 and is his only song released after 1979 that is in the top 10 of known live performances. Even CSNY adopted it for the baby boomers; it was the set closer or encore at all three of their shows I saw.
Despite its status as an anthem, Rockin' in the Free World may be the most misinterpreted rock song this side of Born in the USA. Neil came up with the title as a lark (when informed a tour of the Soviet Union was being cancelled, Sampedro told Neil, "guess we'll have to keep on rockin' in the free world") and fleshed out the lyrics with references to volatile situations around the time, including George H.W. Bush's "thousand points of light" and "kinder, gentler nation" campaign slogans and the ayatollah of Iran's calling the U.S. "the Great Satan." There is indeed an embrace of the free-world spirit that many think the song is about, but there are also chilling references to homelessness, military and police intimidation, drug addiction, reckless consumerism and socioeconomic disadvantages. There's a reason why right-wing politicians often try to use this song and a reason why Neil objects every time.
This song is where it is on my list because it kicked my Neil fanaticism into overdrive. An encounter with #1 took it even higher.
MAC_32
Footballguy
I think a lot of people have a major problem with his vocals. It doesn't bother me, but I absolutely see how that could be a deal breaker for others.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
When I did the Neil countdown, I said I feel so strongly about each of my top 21 that they have probably been my #1 at some point or another. And most of them have been taken in this countdown. With a curious omission so far.
1.
2. Rockin' in the Free World
3. Down by the River
4.
5. Helpless
6. Hey Hey My My (Into the Black) (paired with its acoustic companion)
7. Powderfinger
8. Tonight's the Night
9. Cowgirl in the Sand
10.
11.
12. Old Man
13. Don't Let It Bring You Down
14.
15.
16. After the Gold Rush
17. Like a Hurricane
18.
19.
20.
21. Cinnamon Girl
Others that have surfaced:
33. Expecting to Fly
36. The Needle and the Damage Done
38. Mr. Soul
45. Harvest Moon
54. Unknown Legend
111. Sugar Mountain
1.
2. Rockin' in the Free World
3. Down by the River
4.
5. Helpless
6. Hey Hey My My (Into the Black) (paired with its acoustic companion)
7. Powderfinger
8. Tonight's the Night
9. Cowgirl in the Sand
10.
11.
12. Old Man
13. Don't Let It Bring You Down
14.
15.
16. After the Gold Rush
17. Like a Hurricane
18.
19.
20.
21. Cinnamon Girl
Others that have surfaced:
33. Expecting to Fly
36. The Needle and the Damage Done
38. Mr. Soul
45. Harvest Moon
54. Unknown Legend
111. Sugar Mountain
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
There may also be "I don't like jamband music" and "their fanbase annoys me" reasons.
Manster
Footballguy
On Battery..
Maybe my favorite song intro ever......for the unsuspecting....."oh, check this out honey....what a soothing acoustic guit.....OH MY GAAAWD WHY IS MY FACE MELTING?!"
Such a tragedy that Cliff Burton was taken from us way too soon.......I often wonder what the next album would've been like had he not died in that bus crash in Sweden.....Burton was the the driving force behind Metallica. He was the oldest, and most experienced song writer when the band formed.....he wasn't just the bass player......the other guys looked up to him like an older brother.
Maybe my favorite song intro ever......for the unsuspecting....."oh, check this out honey....what a soothing acoustic guit.....OH MY GAAAWD WHY IS MY FACE MELTING?!"
Such a tragedy that Cliff Burton was taken from us way too soon.......I often wonder what the next album would've been like had he not died in that bus crash in Sweden.....Burton was the the driving force behind Metallica. He was the oldest, and most experienced song writer when the band formed.....he wasn't just the bass player......the other guys looked up to him like an older brother.
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DrIanMalcolm
Footballguy
There's nothing I can say that surpasses Pip on Neil Young, but everything in his explanation above just does it. It's such an incredible story within a song - one of the best ever - and gets at the despairing nature of this hard-bitten existence of the protagonist and his family. It's beyond belief, really, how good that song is.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Good to see so many new songs in the 29 round.
Crosseyed And Painless
Worlock
Commando
Closing Time
Radioactivity
Last Train To Clarksville
Crosseyed And Painless
Worlock
Commando
Closing Time
Radioactivity
Last Train To Clarksville
otb_lifer
Footballguy
a bit more on Johnny, and how things have changed ...
his politics were never disguised ... now that's not to say the Ramones platters were political at all, 'cuz they weren't - but Johnny wore his badge proudly.
of note - Bonzo Goes To Bitburg showed DeeDee & Johnny weren't just blind ideologues ... they hit back when applicable.
once he settled in Cali with Linda, the latter day rockers started flocking to see him ... most notably Kiedis/Frusciante, Navarro, Zombie ... with Vedder & Cornell practically moving in when they were in town.
hell, him & Cornell grew to become like brothers, CC adored Johnny, and let everbody know. i recall listening to Jonesy's Juke many years ago, and he had Johnny on (talk about yer punk royalty) ... when Cornell got wind of it he phoned in asap ... and before hanging up him and Johnny exchanged legit "i love you, brother" ... you could sense it - Cornell was real.
then Vedder's induction speech for the Ramones at the H.o.F. - it came off as shtick n' cringe in spots, but it really weren't - they legit KNEW the Ramones broke it all down, helping their careers to take shape.
Linda holds a gravesite affair every year at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where Johnny is at rest ... all that cast of characters, amongst others (Idol, Morrissey, etc) always show up - but now sans best friends Cornell and Lisa Marie (Johnny were a huge Elvis honk).
Johnny's H.o.F. speech was the last punk thing i ever saw ... saying "God bless president Bush, and God bless America" amongst that crowd was about as subversive as "rock" has been in 40+ years.
but he weren't "cancelled" or ostracized for it by that lot i mentioned - quite the opposite ... Johnny allowed that they discussed politics many times, but always walked away friends - never arguing, just debating/talking.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
his politics were never disguised ... now that's not to say the Ramones platters were political at all, 'cuz they weren't - but Johnny wore his badge proudly.
of note - Bonzo Goes To Bitburg showed DeeDee & Johnny weren't just blind ideologues ... they hit back when applicable.
once he settled in Cali with Linda, the latter day rockers started flocking to see him ... most notably Kiedis/Frusciante, Navarro, Zombie ... with Vedder & Cornell practically moving in when they were in town.
hell, him & Cornell grew to become like brothers, CC adored Johnny, and let everbody know. i recall listening to Jonesy's Juke many years ago, and he had Johnny on (talk about yer punk royalty) ... when Cornell got wind of it he phoned in asap ... and before hanging up him and Johnny exchanged legit "i love you, brother" ... you could sense it - Cornell was real.
then Vedder's induction speech for the Ramones at the H.o.F. - it came off as shtick n' cringe in spots, but it really weren't - they legit KNEW the Ramones broke it all down, helping their careers to take shape.
Linda holds a gravesite affair every year at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where Johnny is at rest ... all that cast of characters, amongst others (Idol, Morrissey, etc) always show up - but now sans best friends Cornell and Lisa Marie (Johnny were a huge Elvis honk).
Johnny's H.o.F. speech was the last punk thing i ever saw ... saying "God bless president Bush, and God bless America" amongst that crowd was about as subversive as "rock" has been in 40+ years.
but he weren't "cancelled" or ostracized for it by that lot i mentioned - quite the opposite ... Johnny allowed that they discussed politics many times, but always walked away friends - never arguing, just debating/talking.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
MAC_32
Footballguy
Thank you for allocating the time & energy to write up this song very similar as I would have had I done the same 2 rounds ago.
krista4
Footballguy
I'm glad you did a great write-up here, as even if I had the time (this week is going to be brutal) I don't think I could do it justice. Oddly enough, I didn't realize this was one of my favorite songs until this countdown. Sure, I knew since the time of the US one, when I realized it wasn't eligible, that it was going to be in my top 31, but ending at #3? I had no idea. But every time I listened to my playlist on mix, I got most excited when three songs came on, the other two of course being my #1 and #2.
I enjoy this significantly more than the Roberta Flack version, and that one is a monstrously wonderful track. But my cold take is that I think Ms. Hill brings a vocal that is just as purely technically phenomenal, but she adds a passion and soul and sexiness that elevates this version for me. Then you add in Wyclef - there's something about the "one time, one time" part that just gets me - and I think this is a nearly perfect piece of music. The "nearly" comes only from the drum (machine?) being too high in the mix. There might be a later version out there that fixes that, and I haven't looked. Anyway, nearly 30 years later this song pulls me in deeply and shakes me to my core with its beauty.
known to me favs from today (not previously commented on)
known to me favs from today that have already been commented on
new to me favs from today
| Crosseyed And Painless - Talking Heads | Pip | this didn't get enough airplay back in the day - love it |
| Powderfinger - Neil Young | DrIanMalcolm/Dr Octopus | shame we don't get the real version on spotify |
| Intervention - Arcade Fire | shuke | soaring - and a bit angry "working for the church while the family dies" |
| Caravan - Rush | Sullie | oh yeah |
| Don't Let It Bring You Down - Neil Young | The Dreaded Marco | oh so close to picking this one for my Neil song - it's a chillbumper for me |
| Won't Give In - Finn Brothers | worrierking | these guys make a lot of good music - Split Enz and Crowded House |
| Roller - April Wine | Mister CIA | memories …had forgotten about this song as well, these guys had more hits than I remembered |
| Maybe I'm Amazed - Wings | Raging Weasel | went with song in the UK draft, one of my all-time favorites |
| Commando - Ramones | otb lifer | classic Ramones |
| Tonight's The Night - Neil Young | jwb | best song about loading Econoline vans ever made |
| Last Train To Clarksville - The Monkees | simsarge | love their entire catalog |
| Kiss The Dirt - INXS | Hov34 | holy hell - Michael is one skinny dude - gotta be 24 waist Levis |
| Sister Ray - The Velvet Underground | OH | great raw sound - sounds like real home grown rock and roll |
known to me favs from today that have already been commented on
| Old Man - Neil Young | timbo |
| Dreams - Fleetwood Mac | Don Quixote |
| Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson w/ Bruno Mars | Val Rannous |
| Killing Me Softly - The Fugees | krista |
| Rockin' In The Free World - Neil Young | rockaction |
| Layla - Derek And The Dominos | Mac 32 |
| Down By The River - Neil Young | westerberg |
| Remedy - The Black Crowes | KarmaPolice |
| Don't Change - INXS | zamboni |
| Band On The Run - Wings | Zegras11 |
| Can't Find My Way Home - Blind Faith | Chaos34 |
new to me favs from today
| Who Wants To Live Forever - Queen | Mrs. Rannous | never heard it before - beautiful and Freddie's voice was never better |
| Rat Race - The Specials | titusbramble | great English beat/ska |
| 7 Seconds - Youssou N'Dour and Neneh Cherry | JMLs secret identity | really drew me in - could listen to a lot of this |
| Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane - Gang Of Youths | eephus | NOT at all what I was expecting with that band name - lush, beautiful |
krista4
Footballguy
Interesting. I didn't realize that. I actually like his voice.
rockaction
Footballguy
I've written about this in previous drafts or discussions about this song. I dig it, too. It's like a call-and-response that breaks up the song, but in a good way. It's like he's part of the audience imploring her to keep singing. I love it.
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Well I guess I get Little Guitars all to myself and all BY myself.
rockaction
Footballguy
Well I guess I get Little Guitars all to myself and all BY myself.
Noooooooo...I forgot this one and wanted to comment on it.
It's probably my second favorite VH song if you made me pick one.
The intro is wonderful, and the transition to the song is excellent.
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
Anybody in their right mind could see, you and me
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
When I see you, all your little guitars sing to me
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
There's so much Neil content today that I almost forgot to discuss my own pick.
Teenage me hearing side 1 of Remain in Light for the first time:
Much has been written about how groundbreaking that material was. For me, it was the gateway into funk -- which until then I didn't really know could be anything more than disco. All of it is incredible, and incredibly influential, but Crosseyed to my ears is the funkiest and the most memorable.
If you like this song at all, you must watch this version from Rome in 1980. Adrian Belew's playing is absolutely insane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03NRrOXDk8
It's also of significance to me because Phish in 1996 covered Remain in Light in its entirety for Halloween, and the performance of Crosseyed went so well that it became a semi-regular staple of their setlists, often reaching incredible heights. Seeing it performed was one of the highlights of my Phish-show career.
Teenage me hearing side 1 of Remain in Light for the first time:
Much has been written about how groundbreaking that material was. For me, it was the gateway into funk -- which until then I didn't really know could be anything more than disco. All of it is incredible, and incredibly influential, but Crosseyed to my ears is the funkiest and the most memorable.
If you like this song at all, you must watch this version from Rome in 1980. Adrian Belew's playing is absolutely insane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03NRrOXDk8
It's also of significance to me because Phish in 1996 covered Remain in Light in its entirety for Halloween, and the performance of Crosseyed went so well that it became a semi-regular staple of their setlists, often reaching incredible heights. Seeing it performed was one of the highlights of my Phish-show career.
krista4
Footballguy
This is a perfect description.
Doug B
Footballguy
I enjoyed this 14-year-old write-up of "Americans-Soviets II":
...
This tidbit from another site was unknown to me. Does anyone else remember any contemporary subterfuge about what act actually played on "Americans-Soviets II"?
...
This tidbit from another site was unknown to me. Does anyone else remember any contemporary subterfuge about what act actually played on "Americans-Soviets II"?
otb_lifer
Footballguy
Well I guess I get Little Guitars all to myself and all BY myself.
Noooooooo...I forgot this one and wanted to comment on it.
It's probably my second favorite VH song if you made me pick one.
The intro is wonderful, and the transition to the song is excellent.
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
Anybody in their right mind could see, you and me
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
When I see you, all your little guitars sing to me
"Diver Down" is a mostly trash album - definitely the weakest of the DLR era ... kinda like how "Beatles For Sale" were churned out after exhaustive touring, etc ... same with DD.
5 of the 12 tunes are covers, unheard of for them - they just didn't have the creative juice - and it showed.
but, yeahhhh ... LITTLE GUITARS is as good as they ever got melodically, with some fine DLR crooning for good measure - a definite top 10 VH staple for me, no doubt.
great pick @Andy Dufresne
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Diver Down isn't all that bad. The problem is that the covers of Oh, Pretty Woman and Dancing In The Streets are a disgrace.
Mrs. Rannous
Footballguy
Just lovely.
Depends on which verson got linked. The movie soundtrack (Highlander) is all Freddie. The album version, which I prefer, is May on the first verse and also a couple of other lines. May decided the movie needed a song there and wrote it in a couple of hours. It's beautiful.
And a shoutout to Michael Kaman for the orchestral arrangements. He had the skillz.
zamboni
Footballguy
I may have stated in a previous thread that I always thought Dave was singing etch-a-sketch, etch-a-sketchWell I guess I get Little Guitars all to myself and all BY myself.
Noooooooo...I forgot this one and wanted to comment on it.
It's probably my second favorite VH song if you made me pick one.
The intro is wonderful, and the transition to the song is excellent.
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
Anybody in their right mind could see, you and me
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
When I see you, all your little guitars sing to me
zamboni
Footballguy
I took “Hang ‘Em High” earlier. Not a huge fan of DD - at least relative to their other DLR efforts - but this one is also a banger.
otb_lifer
Footballguy
I may have stated in a previous thread that I always thought Dave was singing etch-a-sketch, etch-a-sketchWell I guess I get Little Guitars all to myself and all BY myself.
Noooooooo...I forgot this one and wanted to comment on it.
It's probably my second favorite VH song if you made me pick one.
The intro is wonderful, and the transition to the song is excellent.
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
Anybody in their right mind could see, you and me
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
When I see you, all your little guitars sing to me
howzabout can't grow until i'm outta the woods ...
it's actually "crow" but we were talked into it being commentary on a dude who eschewed exhibitionism, much to his lady's chagrin (or utter disdain, if you will - remember the Rockline innerview?)
rockaction
Footballguy
Used to love this one.
I am a big proponent of Diver Down for its high points. Overall though, you guys are right. Not the greatest album by VH.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I never heard those words wrong, but I always thought the song was called "Senorita" until someone did a VH countdown here a couple of years ago.I may have stated in a previous thread that I always thought Dave was singing etch-a-sketch, etch-a-sketchWell I guess I get Little Guitars all to myself and all BY myself.
Noooooooo...I forgot this one and wanted to comment on it.
It's probably my second favorite VH song if you made me pick one.
The intro is wonderful, and the transition to the song is excellent.
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
Anybody in their right mind could see, you and me
Catch as catch, catch as catch can
When I see you, all your little guitars sing to me
I went to YouTube and clicked on the top video for it - Official Queen ...cool video as well.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Their take on Don't Let It Bring You Down is way better than their take on Powderfinger, IMO.
scorchy
Footballguy
My pick today was a test to see whether K4 can make it past her self-imposed "give a song 3 minutes" rule just to hear Charles Manson sing Helter Skelter again. The older version of myself recognizes that sampling serial killers isn't particularly cool, but damn if Skinny Puppy doesn't make it fit.
Hawks64
Footballguy
I have heard that as well, and I have that issue with lots of popular bands so I totally get it.
zamboni
Footballguy
I’m assuming Hot Sauce Guy is well aware of his competition.shoutout to Michael Anthony is due amidst all this VH talk ... ridiculously underrated backup vox, to go along with that thumpin' bass - amongst the most unsung heroes in rock history.
them brothers (well, Eddie mostly) did not do well by him.
go buy his hot sauce!
otb_lifer
Footballguy
I’m assuming Hot Sauce Guy is well aware of his competition.shoutout to Michael Anthony is due amidst all this VH talk ... ridiculously underrated backup vox, to go along with that thumpin' bass - amongst the most unsung heroes in rock history.
them brothers (well, Eddie mostly) did not do well by him.
go buy his hot sauce!
do HSG have Swag n' Merch?
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Only half-kidding here...
Is this the beginning of the "homeless guy shouting" genre?
Is this the beginning of the "homeless guy shouting" genre?
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