Entertainment For Lively Minds
The Top 100 songs of The Massive
This may fall flat on its arse but I was thinking today that to honour issue 100 we could try and come up with the top 100 songs of The Massive. One vote per Massive member in the comments, I'll add them up at them up at the end and produce a chart run down based on the number of votes per song. I'm aware that with such an eclectic bunch we might all vote for something different but even if we get a top twenty it might be of some interest. Votes will only count if written as a comment to avoid any double voting, up arrows will not be counted. I'll start with mine, which won't trouble the higher numbers, in the comments. Feel free to ignore me if it is a crap idea.
Edit: Just a thought, no Youtube videos please as my poor old lap top can't cope with too many. Thanks
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Justin Currie
If I Ever Loved You
Such a good idea ...
that I will throw my vote behind your selection, Dave. If I Ever Loved You it is!
A Day In The Life
By our old friends the HJHs.
So many to choose from
The Beatles - A day in the life - (Boring & predictable I know)
probably the only vote for
The Freshies - I Can't Get Bouncing Babies by The Teardrop Explodes
Can't imagine this is much of a tactical vote but it's gotta be
(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais by The Clash
(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais
Excellent choice Ben.
(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais...
Gets my vote too.
(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais
Mine too
For What It's Worth
Buffalo Springfield
or
Uncertain Smile/The The
Ultravox
Vienna.
A work of genius. For me, it cannot be criticised in any way. Hearing that drumbeat start up while seeing them on the reunion tour was one of those moments that will live with me forever.
Joe Dolce's ridiculous No 1 spot is, of course, a crime of the first order and was the first proof, if any were needed, that we were indeed heading for hell in a handcart. Unbelievably, Shaddup You Face has somehow sold six million copies, apparently (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Dolce). SIX. MILLION. Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!
If I was allowed another vote, it would have to go to Enjoy The Silence by the mighty Mode. Just incredible songwriting, arranging, everything. I say it's about time Martin Gore was knighted!
Cheers to Joe Dolce...
for keeping that overblown, pretentious piece of nonsense off the top of the charts. Ultravox were much better when they had the exclamation mark.
I'll do it for you
Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode
First single I ever bought!
Joe Dolce that is...
Made up for it with first LP bought...
White Feathers - Kajagoogoo
Second single I ever bought
(First was Get Down Shep by the Barron Knights.)
The Glory Of True Love
by the masterful John Prine.
Enough to gladden any man's heart, tap anyone's toes and bring a smile to the face of the grumpiest codger on the blog. Chugs like the best thing J.J. Cale never recorded, and has a great guitar break too; ZZ Top's entire career in a couple of bars with no beards required.
Is it?
Huzzah! To Spotify and awayyyy.
Richard Thompsons
Dimming of the day.
You can take your pick whether its his version or someone elses but the song has a deep poignancy.
Great Song
My favourite version is by Clive Gregson's old band Any Trouble. I believe this was the first cover version too.
The Decemberists
Sleepless (Full version).
Thank You.
Sleepless?
where might one find this track - it doesn't seem to be in my iTunes library and I thought I had all their recorded output (recorded output? Christ. Songs, man SONGS!)
It was on a compilation
called 'Dark Was The Night'. I'd tell you how good the compilation is, but I only downloaded that track.
Pretty sure I've got the entire 'recorded output' too, though I'm bound to be proven wrong.
Ah - yes
thank you - I think I have a live version of that and will buy the studio version pronto.
Did you get all the live cover versions that the mail out linked to a year or so ago? Some real gems there, I thought.
I did not.
I'm not sure I was subscribed to the mail out then.
According to my iTunes I have 108 Decemberist related tracks (17 of which are from 'Colin Meloy sings live')
Here you go
From the Feb 2010 newsletter:
COVERS: like the Decemberists? Then
you'll love this archive of live
cover versions, from Kate Bush to ELO
[ http://snurl.com/yesilikethedecemberists ]
variable sound quality, but a lot of good stuff.
Dark was the night
is the best compilation from the last couple of years with the possible exception of Deutsche Elektronische Musik. Excelllent and well worth a punt.
Seconded
It's very good indeed (as is DAM too).
Thirded
There's a version of the Giant of Illinois that makes my missus cry.
(a rare and touching event)
Thanks for the steer Tom
Wonderful track - just downloaded it. In return nip over to Spotify and try out "After the Bombs" from the "Causes 2" compilation
http://open.spotify.com/track/33uwoCMC5MS6g9yTswmx9f
Just sublime
Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer
Me too
another vote for Ms Franklin.
The Beatles
Strawberry Fields Forever.
That gets my vote too
Strawberry Fields Forever
( not to diminish IATW, SSSS etc etc etc etc etc......)
Temptation
by New Order
White Man in Hammersmith Palais
here too, thanks.
The Clash
(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais for me too
Ooh, ooh, ooh
The Beatles
Strawberry Fields Forever
Northern Sky
by Nick Drake
Rats!
I'll think of another.
Just..
.. the perfect song on so many levels
Sam Cooke
A change is gonna come.
Gladens my heart whenever I hear it.
Any Sam Cooke ......
.....Is a good choice IMHO
Irma Thomas
I Need Your Love So Bad
XTC
Chalkhills and Children
Yes!
Another vote from me for this one.
(Though of course I'm only PRETENDING it's my favourite song ever. There's probably a core of a couple of hundred songs, all of which make icy trickles run up and down my spine, and a big grin spread across my face, whenever I hear them. This is one of them. So it'll do!).
Pixies.
River Euphrates.
Good call
there Bob.
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Pride and Joy.
Thunderclap Newman
Something In The Air
"It's a lovely baby boy, Mrs Newman. What'll you call him?"
"Well. We were thinking maybe Derek, possibly George, maybe Eric but we settled on Thunderclap."
A Day In the Life
by The Beatles
Hmmm...
Trying to think of something that isn't obvious but is something I genuinely love, without being wilfully obscure.
Sod it.
I'll have Away, by The Swinging Cats (TT14).
Smokey Robinson
The Tracks Of My Tears. Pure genius. (Both the song & Smokey)
Great idea Dave.
Smokey gets my vote too.
It's what pub juke boxes were made for.
This is near impossible,but
Shipbuilding - Robert Wyatt.
Lovely idea Dave.
I need some thinking time though before I can nominate my one song... my favourite song changes daily.
I'll choose
God Only Knows by The Beach Boys.
Thanks!
There can be little doubt that Mankind's crowning achievement is
Metal Guru by T.Rex
Only Ones
Another Girl, Another Planet
Gets my vote too
though I nearly plumped for Debaser by The Pixies
so did I
love Debaser.
oooooh decisions decisions
was going to go with Song From Under The Floorboards but now.......
tubeway army
are friends electric?
Bob Dylan
Like A Rolling Stone (played "fuckin' loud").
David Bowie
Life on mars
Born to Run
Bruce
Not very scientific
But I do want it playing at my funeral
Stackridge - Teatime
What?
Not galloping Gaucho?
Just One Victory
Todd Rundgren
Chalk
this one up for me please.
Just One Victory
by Todd Rundgren
from the album A Wizard A True Star (and if it was an album vote, that's what I would choose)
Can I have
Stay by David Bowie please?
of course you can
and as everyone knows this is the real right answer to the the bestest thing ever by anyone ever innit?
It was a close call
but 'Life on Mars' seemed to be better for me.
that's because it is better
I love Stay and I'm a big Earl Slick fan but it's over-rated. It's a derivative funk groove with an average lyric, whereas Life on Mars is a true pop classic. Think of the artistry that went into the music, the lyrics, the arrangement, the production. It's about as faultless a track as Bowie has ever produced.
David Bowie, yes...
..but for me 'Can You Hear Me'
'...once we were lovers..' err. but what were the rest of the lyrics - who knows 'Can you hear me caaalll..can you HEAR me..I DO! etc'
I still ration the number of times I play it so as not to dim its magic
Young American is my favourite Bowie album
and Can You Hear Me my favourite track, closely followed by Win
Teenage Wildlife
Can I whisper that you might have the wrong track.
Now going to hide in the corner....
Damn I was going to choose....
Can you hear me but thought i would instead choose young Americans as it would stand more of a chance of making the top 50.
I adore both songs but I guess there was a tactical element to my vote!
Time Ain't Nothing
Green on Red
Excellent song
If we were talking albums Here come the snakes might be my choice. Time ain't nothing is a great song. I had it on a vinyl ep - was it taken from Gas Food and Lodging?
Don't believe so
If I recall, I had a stand alone ep; No Free Lunch with songs not released elsewhere. Good version of Willie Nelson's Funny How Time Slips Away. Perhaps there's a theme in there.
It is.......
Felt - Primitive Painters
This is nigh on impossible
But as of right now -
I Am The Resurrection by the Stone Roses.
Always makes me want to wig out with vigour and without dignity - especially the extended outro.
Dark End of the Street
James Carr.
Scientifically proven* to be the greatest version of the greatest song ever.
*by me.
Heck of a good call that
Really good vesrion by Bobby King and Terry Evans with Ry Cooder on guitar on an album called Live and Let Live. They are superb soul singers and toured with Cooder in the 80/90s. I saw them at Hammersmith Appollo about 15 years ago now and they were fantastic. The live version of "Dark End" was spine tingling.
Pure Pop
Pure pop is my bag so, for me, the perfect three minute pop song is:
What Do I Get by Buzzcocks
Don't Fear The Reaper
Blue Oyster Cult.
Full length, of course. Not the abridged single version.
I'll go for that as well.
But I want the umlauts on mine. BÖC.
Bob Dylan
Tangled up in blue (but tomorrow it might be different)
FWIIW
My favourite BD track, off of my favourite BD album.
brilliant song IMHO.
Song to the Siren
by Tim Buckley
Just gets its nose in front of about 1,000 close contenders...
Any Trouble
Playing Bogart (Wrong End of the Race version).
I know, I know...
AV
would work much better here, as elsewhere, but if it has to be FPTP, then I'm with Mr Digit; Another Girl Another Planet by The Only Ones.
Didn't give a lot
of thought to the voting system I'm a MVW (most votes wins) kinda guy.
In fact
If the poll closed now, A Day in The Life would win with three votes, ie 95% of the ballot voting against it. My name's Ben Elton, goodnight.
I'm not being facetious
I have paid no attention to this AV thing (there's been a wedding on) and I really should understand it better. Using this little poll as an example should I have asked for a top 3 and then a tune that had more second places could have won? I really must start reading more than the sports pages and this blog.
you'd have got
a result that more people could support, yes.
Gillian Welch
Revelator
I'm thinking that compiling all these could prove to be a somewhat Herculean task.
Think so too.
Was only started this evening and is already in the Hot list.
I'm sharpening my pencil
and getting a really big piece of paper ready or an Excel spreadsheet not sure which way to go yet.
that too
Every song from Time the Revelator is blessiful [or add the adjective that fitts better] joy
Electronic
Get the message
TUNE!
Up Arrow
Twenty Million Things
by Lowell George.
Love it. Keep coming back to it. Never fails.
Though there are others.
They'll be on Dave's next list...
Good one
But for me "Willin'" edges it.
"Take Me Girl I'm Ready" by Junior Walker & The All Stars
Changes all the time, but more often than not it's "Take Me Girl I'm Ready" by Junior Walker & The All Stars.
It's gotta be
Hejira by Joni Mitchell
Photograph
By Nickelback
not really but "Shipbuilding", "Pride & Joy" and "Don't Fear The Reaper" have already gone. Maybe "Hurt" by Johnny Cash
Tough One...
...but I'm going to have to go for 'River Man' by Nick Drake.
The Smiths
Rubber Ring
Do it Again
by The Beach Boys.
It is everything. Pop, Blues, Funk and all points in and around.
All in just over 2 minutes.
Today, it is...
Needle In A Haystack by The Velvelettes.
Tune in tomorrow for something else. I Only Have Eyes For You by The Flamingos, possibly. Or...
Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
today anyway
The Cure
Just Like Heaven
Best song
ever written.
Waterboys
Fisherman's Blues
I love John Martyn; I love
I love John Martyn; I love Nick Drake. I worship at the altar of Richard Thompson. I will not weary of the Clash. Or The Jam (displaying Massivista credentials, because I know my choice is uncool)
But the one that is guaranteed to make me smile, turn up the volume and wish I could play the guitar and the drums at the same time?
Fields of Fire - Big Country.
Stoned Soul Picnic
Laura Nyro
superb choice
although Wedding Bell Blues is probably my all time Laura Nyro favourite
Ára Bátur - Sigur Rós
It is the loveliest piece of music in the whole world.*
* in my opinion
Sigur Ros songs are like buses
You wait ages for one song suggestion, then two come along at once.
Shivers down the back lovely that is
This gets my vote too (although iTunes tells me Rox in the Box from the Decemberists is top of the plays currently)
Has to be a Sigur Ros tune for me
...but which one.
Going to go for Saeglopur.
Mr Dave Bowie
Young Americans
Emmylou Harris
Pancho & Lefty.
Sacrilege
but a really wonderful song. You prefer to the Townes version? I have 2 Townes versions - really like the one with the Mariachi trumpets.
First heard
I knew Emmy's version years before I heard the original and she's remained my favourite - beyond Townes, Willie Nelson and Steve Earle.
Emmylou's version
was the first I heard too and in fact didn't hear the Townes version until fairly recently - probably about 5 or 6 years ago. It's interesting how both versions can give you a different take on the song. Emmylou almost sings it as a love song whereas Townes version to me is more desolate and despairing.
I could listen to this on a loop forever!
"Of Moons Birds & Monsters" - MGMT
This does everything i want from a tune, and i've played it an insane number of times according to iTunes,...far more than any other.
Just listened to it for the first time -
Thanks for the nod.
She Moves Through The Fair
Fairport Convention
The Beatles
If I Fell
Yes
McAlmont and Butler.
YES!
I say Yes to Yes.
That is genuinely
one of my favourite songs EVAH!
I have a theory about Yes. If this were a sane world, Yes would be as popular as, and have the same standing as, I Will Survive.
But no one really likes I Will Survive, do they?
It´s a classic just because people think others like it. And because it´s instantly recognizable. The truth is it´s a terrible song.
Well, at least that´s my theory.
Great Song
I think so anyway, and I think there are plenty of the musicians/writers in this thread would have killed to have written something that has taken root so deeply into things.
"First I was afraid
I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never live
without you by my side
But I spent so many nights
thinking how you did me wrong
I grew strong
I learned how to carry on
and so you're back
from outer space
I just walked in to find you here
with that sad look upon your face
I should have changed my stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I had known for just one second
you'd be back to bother me"
I mean come on, that's a great lyric, it's almost visual. I can see the whole scenario playing out in my minds eye.
Maybe in times like that I´m just more of a
Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart type. Nick Lowe´s version, of course.
I Will Survive is just irritating, even now when I´m not in that state of mind.
And so would the solo Bernard song
Not Alone
If it wasn't for
James Carr....
Brinsley Schwarz
Surrender to the Rhythm
Paul Simon
Hearts and Bones
AC/DC
Whole Lotta Rosie (Live version)
only cos it blew me away when I first heard it at the tender age of 14.
Waterboys
The Pan Within
Single father
jackie leven
I am assuming I can't cancel
my first choice - if so I would add a second vote for this marvellous song. First brought to me by Uncut - I played it over and over again and I never ever tire of this song.Introduced me to all of Jackie Levens catalogue including fan club only releases - he is a wonderful artist but he hasn't bettered this song.
I need a slap for not remembering it.
3 would have been a better option.
Jackie Leven
Yes, it's great to see the Big Man from the Kingdom of Fife get a mention in this list. I almost wish that I'd voted for him myself, in which case I would've gone for the beautiful, intensely moving "Main Travelled Roads".
One song?
Bloody hell.
OK, God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
*whimpers*
Family
my friend the sun
Hold Your Head Up
- Argent
I've had many dalliances and a few serious affairs but this is the one that I keep coming back to.
Don't think I like any of the others above to give my vote to yet; pity Dave picked the wrong Justin/Dels track.
Glory Box
Portishead.
Always makes the little hair I have on my head stand on end.
Thin Lizzy
Emerald. At least that's today's favourite
Walk Out To Winter
Aztec Camera, the single version, not currently available anywhere. Head and shoulders above the album version, better production, playing and vocally. Breaks my heart everytime I hear it. Also features my favourite chords, my favourite guitar solo and gets a listen at least weekly.
The Smiths
This Charming Man
Johnny Marr
Posting This Charming Man just after Walk Out To Winter reminds me of something Johnny Marr talked about, how he wrote the music to This Charming Man after seeing Aztec Camera getting radio play with Walk Out To Winter. Apparently his competitive side kicked in.
Madness
Yesterday's Men
Who Knows Where The Time Goes
Fairport Convention.
Just one?
Ruddy hell.
Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division.
(I will have changed my mind by 11.15pm, but that's what I'd say right now.)
Love Will Tear Us Apart
Gets my vote too.
The Reverend
At this moment in time...
Al Green - Belle.
A more joyful sound doesn't exist.
Gulp...
Boys are back in town - Thin Lizzy (if I had to plump for just one!)
Motorcycle
Emptiness by the Manics.
There's probably records I've loved more at other times, but that one always stays up there.
Luke Kelly
Raglan Road
Ireland's greatest song
By its greatest poet, the boul Kavanagh.
God Only Knows,
The Beach Boys, closely followed by Strawberry Fields Forever, which is my favourite ever single, being half of a double A with the equally extraordinary Penny Lane.
Aretha
Until You Come Back To Me(That's What I'm Gonna Do)
The first song I've played on every new piece of music playing equipment, for a very long time.
Toss up between
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy or
Scritti Politti - Sweetest Girl or
Joy Division - Transmission
Tonight I will go for Massive Attack
Respect
I don't mind if it's the version by Otis or the one by Aretha - I'd settle for the one by Alex Chilton that is a gem in my collection.
But it's got to be R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
Da Doo Ron Ron
By The Crystals
Big Black
Kerosene
Fantastic song...
but my vote's further down the list
A truly immense song
From a band that never get talked about any more
They do...
in my circles at least!
Common People
-Pulp
Surfs Up
Aural morphine.
Another vote
for Surfs Up. Still grabs me in a way few other pieces of music ever have.
I am reminded of Sophie's Choice...
After careful consideration I will yet again have to say:
Run Of The Mill - George Harrison.
No other song makes me happier.
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick!
An almighty pop, rock, funk, punk, jazz, rap, disco, prog, music hall combi all about the universal delights of shagging.
Sleater-Kinney
Turn It On
Like A Rolling Stone
is the obvious choice.
But it's still probably the best single ever (Strawberry Fields/Penny Lane notwithstanding).
Music for a found harmonium
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Strawberry Fields
Forever
Can you feel it
The Jackson 5. I defy anyone not to twitch their toes to this one
Fated Choice
An impossible choice, but for this morning, it's Simple Twist Of Fate by Bob Dylan.
Brooooooce
Thunder Road, natch.
An English Lady Of A Certain Age
Divine Comedy.
No contest.
Of course it is...
Bill Withers - Harlem
John Martyn
Solid Air
She Loves You
The Beatles
Vangelis
To The Unknown Man
Especially the coda
in the last two minutes or so where the mood changes from that rather mournful dolorous one to something rather hopeful and lovely and plangent, to me at least. It's honestly so beautiful it makes me cry.
Been listening to lots of (older) Vangelis in the last couple of weeks.
Another vote for Yesterday's Men...
by Madness (never expected to see it mentioned at all!)
According
to my iTunes play count, I'll see you in my dreams by Joe Brown gets the most plays, but I am going for Thirteen by Big Star. Well today I am. It will probably be something by the Human League by midday
'Oh Happy Day'
By The Edwin Hawkins Singers.
There are too many songs which if you played them to me right now I would think 'yes, that's my all time number one.' I'm thinking Beatles, Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Dylan, Van Morrison, John Martyn, Blue Nile & on & on etc. So, I've gone for this one as it genuinely is a song that I love, it never fails to improve my mood, and gets me singing along at the top of my voice. I clap and start to 'groove' along to it, gradually picking up speed until I'm in a full blown happy clappy frug! ( I think I may even do the white man's overbite) What more can you ask of a song?
Second choice would have been 'Afternoon Delight'
Reminisce (Part 2)
Dexys Midnight Runners
Not usually overkeen on talking on records but this always moves me, probably 'cos it manages to make me nostalgic for a time I barely remember. Like everyone else, have changed my mind in the time taken to type preceding sentence.
So many fantastic choices to agree with but
Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground wins every time for me
Shine On
You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd (Parts 1-7 from the 2001 Echoes compilation if we need to be specific about the version).
I wrote this description for another website that asked users what their number one favourite song of all time was:
"It's a majestic, subdued, mid-tempo jazz-rock epic. It's also long at 26 minutes (13:38 for parts 1-5 and 12:29 for parts 6-9).
Parts 1-3 are instrumental. Part 1 is mostly defined by slow, horizontal, sustained keyboard notes with minimal embellishment.
Part 2 then has an achingly sad four note guitar part that gets played a few times.
Part 3 is when it picks up the pace and begins to rock in that trademark, gentle, mid-tempo Pink Floyd way.
After about eight minutes of those instrumental sections, the vocals start (part 4) and they last for about a minute and half. The lyrics are a poem about their original band leader Syd Barrett who fell by the wayside as an acid fried schizophrenic.
"Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom,
blown on the steel breeze.
Come on you target for faraway laughter,
come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine!
You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Threatened by shadows at night, and exposed in the light.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Well you wore out your welcome with random precision,
rode on the steel breeze.
Come on you raver, you seer of visions,
come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!"
Then we get a great saxophone section (part 5). It fades out and we get three shorter songs on the Wish You Were Here album. Then Shine On starts up again.
Part 6 is an atmospheric, wind swept ambient instrumental.
Part 7 has a short one minute lyric.
"Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Pile on many more layers and I'll be joining you there.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
And we'll bask in the shadow of yesterday's triumph,
sail on the steel breeze.
Come on you boy child, you winner and loser,
come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine"
Parts 8 and 9 are instrumental. If I remember right part 8 has a squealing guitar section and part 9 sounds like 70's Stevie Wonder with lots of funky electronic keyboard sounds.
The 17 minute parts 1 to 7 edit on the 2001 Echoes Best Of might in truth be better. It removes the slightly indulgent instrumental coda (parts 8 and 9) which robs the final lyric of its power. And it does no harm to go straight into part 6 from the end of part 5.
Roger Waters is no ones idea of a great singer but he wrote songs to fit his voice and so he just sounds right."
A question
Went and looked up the question I was going to ask. Redundant now.
Under My Skin
the Frank Sinatra version
Undertones
Teenage Kicks
Peel was right.
You're right
and my vote last night was wrong. Damn.
Love and Happiness
Al Green
this is impossible
But I think I may have to go for either...
Across the Universe - HJHs
Waterloo Sunset - Kinks
Let's go for... The Kinks.
This poll is an indisputable demonstration of why AV would be better. I am officially no longer a waverer.
Easy
Oddly, I could argue forever about a top ten and it would change daily, but my favourite of all time has been my favourite since I was three years old (One would think I'd have matured and honed my taste but...) and it never changes.
Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell.
Me too
I remember singing along to Wichita Lineman as it was played on the radio when I was very small (I can't have been older than 4) and asking my mum if she could tell I was singing. In my head I sounded just like Glen Campbell. Aside from the words, and the melody, and the voice, there's just something about the atmosphere of the song that makes it my favourite. It's even managed to survive being played at the end of Steve Wright's radio show every day for years. And I can't stand Steve Wright.
Another vote
I even went to Wichita because of the song.
Was that
on your way to Amarillo?
Ba-doom-tsch.
Thanks folks. I'm Here all week, try the veal etc.
My vote too
though I do like JW's own version.
'...and I need you more than want you; and I want you for all time'
Absolute gorgeouseness
Funny Story / Crackpot Theory
In the early days of my Internet use, I was pleased to find a Webb website (perhaps with the horrible puns that combo might invite), and left a comment about how the aforementioned lyric affected my young mind: relationships were complex things, and so on*.
Imagine my pleasure when one of my first emails was from J Webb himself. As you might imagine, he thanked me for my comments, but corrected me on my quote, which I wrote as "...and I want you more than need you; and I want you for all time". (Blushes)
* I might shoehorn a pet theory here: the songwriters who truly resonate are those who perform one of two functions: brilliantly articulating the experience of being young, even and often past their adolescence (Hello, Mr Townshend and Mr Lennon); others foreshadow the more complicated things to come in life (here's to you, Smokey Robinson, and with For No One and, yes, Eleanor Rigby, the other half of the HJH song trust).
Scanning this list up and down, I find myself noting Column A, Column B and so on...
positively 4th street
Bob D
'A Song For You'
Gram Parsons.
Takes me to a quiet, good place, every single time.
Very good call
That is such a beautiful song
The best version
is the one by Whiskeytown on the Return Of the Grievous Angel tribute album.
Possibly the best tribute album ever compiled, in no small part due to Emmylou Harris's role as Executive Producer.
Agreed about the whiskytown version
And the return of the GA album in general, not a skippable track on the album (maybe with the exception of chrissie hynde's She)
Also agree
with Carl and Art. Return of the Grievous Angel was one of the first albums I put on iTunes when I first got an iPod. Been listening to it since 1999, and still love it. As I mentioned on another thread, it was one of the albums that saved my interest in music at a time when I had almost given up on it.
It's Gram and Emmylou...
.. every time for me
Party Fears Two
by the Associates. Unhinged, yet utterly thrilling. It came on the radio in the office a few weeks ago and the under-25 contingent were actually laughing at it. Peerless.
That's this afternoon's earworm then...
"Dee, diddle dee-dee-dee dee dee dee dee dee dee etc..."
That was my husband's ringtone
until very recently. I'd never heard it before. Good song.
I hope you told them off
No excuse for laughing at genius.
Indeed I did...
...but I fear the gulf between what we were all hearing was insurmountable. Just shows how super attuned the nation's ears were in 81/82, when the charts were riddled with such oddities.
I'm in the middle of counting
it's very exciting! This reminds me that I voted in too much of a hurry without really thinking. My vote is cast and I will not change but my favourite ever song is "Club Country" so exhilarating, like a musical ride on a roller coaster. "Aliiiiive and kiiiicking, alive and kicking at the country club" etc. Back to my counting.
Hello, hello, hello, hello
"Smells Like Teen Spirit", Nirvana
For a few decades now...
it's been "Lady Friend" by the Byrds. Ever since I heard it on a mono 45 as a kid.
If you haven't heard this, do - it's an aural rush. You will feel at least a foot taller afterwards. You may even BE a foot taller afterwards.
Wonderful
..and it didn't even make it onto an album but it's my favourite Byrds song too. 2 minutes 30 seconds of pop perfection. I'm playing it now.
One i keep....
...returning to again & again, a fantastic track by the great Richard Hawley
The Ocean
Absolutely exquisite....IMHO
Bloody hell, what a question.
It would have to be You can make me dance, sing, anything by The Faces.
YCMMDSA
Great song, that & stay with me are the best things they ever did IMHO.
Elvis...
...Costello & The Attractions' I Want You.
Michael Jackson-'Don't Stop
Michael Jackson-'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough'
Gotta be Sparks
and No.1 Song in Heaven
Da Beach Boys
God Only Knows
Like a Rolling Stone
So many others I could chose but this just shades it
McAlmont & Butler
I'll go for "You Do" above "Yes" although both are contenders.
So, "You Do" it is....
Clash again
A couple of my faves have been mentioned (Main Travelled Roads and Solid Air) a couple haven't (Wondrous Place by Billy Fury and Some Things Don't Matter by Ben Watt) but I'm gonna add my vote for (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais by The Clash. It makes me smile and dance and I love it.
Wonder/Cosby/Robinson's little ditty
Tears of a Clown
Nick Drake again..
River man, such a unique piece with bossa nova nylon-string guitar, slightly wonky rhythm that still manages to swing, those vivid swooping strings, and Drake's lyrics.. about what?
have an "up"
Great choice!
Duncan Browne
Journey. A record to grow into, and grow old with.
Wow
Nobody ever mentions the late great Duncan Browne! Have an up.
Gimme Shelter
The Rolling Stones - the pinnacle of human achievement
nearly...
I very nearly went with this myself, ........so have little argument with your statement.
Waaaaaarrrr Chhheeelreeennn, it's just a shot away
Majestic!
My vote too
Obviously impossible, but...
REM - New Test Leper
nearly went for Teen Spirit too
but the whole family like "Forget You" by Cee Lo Green. Its joyous and we love the slightly old fashioned feel to it.
Feel Like Going Home/Charlie Rich
Demo version.
Laughing
David Crosby, if you insist.
Gimme Some Lovin'
by the Spencer Davis Group.
Huge pop energy, best-ever bass line, plus, of course the wondrous vocals of the young Stevie Winwood.
God, this is good.
And it nearly swayed me, but my heart lies elsewhere.
I'm almost certainly alone in this, but
Joni Mitchell's 'Don't Interrupt the Sorrow'. The best song about being a woman EVER.
'And he chains me with that serpent
To that Ethiopian wall.'
Matching Mole
O Caroline.
Made me want to find a girlfriend called Caroline.
The rocksteady AV says
Stranger and Patsy - Down By The Train Line.
Doesn't get any better for me.
Decisions, decisions...
today it's...
Thorn in my Pride by the Black Crowes.
Tune
The Crowes rock.
Yes they do...
Put me down for another tactical vote for this.
Looking forward to the summer shows by the way.
God Only Knows
by the Beach Boys. Went for the first-thought, best-thought route and skipped all existing comments. Now to allow the hours to slip away...
Everything Flows
The Fannies
Marvellous song
The rush of...something special as the guitar solo kicks in then steps up a gear gets me all goosebumpy. I'm not a big fan of guitar solos to be honest, but that one gets me everytime.
JM Jarre
Ethnicolor
esp. the final 5 minutes
Tough one because I've got LOTS of favourites but I think that would sustain me on a desert island
The mood I'm in
I've just got to go for Find The River by REM.
Sorry.
Sorry?
Yeah, you should be ashamed, picking one of the most sublime songs ever recorded as your favourite! God damn you! Sometimes I despair.
I don't, of course. "Find The River" is perfect, and - rare foray into absolutism here - anyone who disagrees is a cloth-eared chump, and I will fight them, Ron Burgundy style.
OK, sorry for apologising
It was this kind of thing I was generally harangued for at the time it was released, when everyone else was listening to Carter USM and PWEI.
I'll back you up, like the idiot weatherman.
Carter & PWEI
Your friends were right! :)
Now THAT'S more like
the reaction I'm used to.
This is great....
It seems the whole massive has turned out to vote (massive turnout?)
Well done dave (although I'm gutted mine is unlikely to make the top 100)
Early indications
suggest I underestimated the response, used the wrong voting format and that there will be a top ten at best and about 100 in equal 11th place such is the diversity. I need to start counting unless of course someone has already done it ???
Quite..
Forces radio have just done a seriously good top 500, voting format was your top 3. Maybe next time.
Easy solution
just ask everyone to 'up' the songs listed here that they think should be in the Massive's top 20, and there's your ranking.
Start again
You blew it and will have to start again!
Choosing one is a bit limiting... how about a top 20 with number 1 getting 20 and number 20 getting 1 etc.
That'll keep you busy for weeks.
Good luck.
Choice of...
Floyd - Shine On parts 1-5 (or 1-7) (no matter which)
or
John Martyn - Solid Air
..then again I'll go for "Just One Victory" by Todd Rundgren.
The Beatles.
Penny Lane.
Greatest era (easily).
The song that most encapsulates the greatest era.
Some great songs above
but I'll go with
Ry Cooder - Get Rhythm
always makes me smile and even want to dance
A-House
Endless Art
Nice
One
All art is useless
but have an up for such a good call anyway.
Thanks...
A bunch...
It wasn't me
it was Oscar Wilde who said it.
All art is QUITE useless
as both Oscar, and the song, would have it.
Does anyone have the "females only" version of the song? Also legendary.
Quite
right. Cap doffed. I'm off to do an apology thread on my poor remembering.
Females
Wasn't that called "More Endless Art"?
Which is a bit of a concept...
Walt Disney's Minnie Mouse...
Just flip it over. Unless it's a CD.
It can also be hunted down - I found it a few months ago.
"...All dead but still
"...All dead but still alive, in endless time, endless art...." not my top choice but a corker i didn't expect to see here, it puts me in mind of "Is this the life?" by The Cardiacs for some reason, another quirky classic.
Well Done
The real joy of an exercise such as this: immediate, enthusiatic agreement, followed by an intense desire to hear it, even if it must be (I can scarcely believe it) almost twenty years.
But whadda I know, I'm currently listening to Rock and Roll Over[!], which I loved like a twelve-year old in 1976, while suppressing an idiot grin (then and now, I'd reckon).
Of all the music I loved aged twelve
That band is one I find it hard to understand/enjoy now.
Did you listen to Manowar as well? I still have their old vinyls somewhere.
It's almost impossible to choose
but if pressed, I think I have to go with Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks
REM
Fall on Me
Swoon.
Have you ever heard the version from their MTV Unplugged session from around 1991? It's intensely gorgeous.
But so is the original. Good call.
yep
just gorgeous
Spotify playlist?
Anyone compiled a Spotify playlist yet...?
Close Call
But another White Man in Hammersmith Palais from me
From the Still Life album....
...Pilgrims by Van der Graaf Generator - when the chorus comes in, I just want to explode with joy...
(yes, really, Van der Graaf....)
Well earned up arrow ...
... but I'm sticking with O Caroline!
I can't deny...
... O Caroline came close to the top of the pile for me, too.
I also considered Sea Song, and even Tenemos Roads by National Health, but ver Graaf came through in the end.
Never
Dave, I'm sure the phrase "Never volunteer for anything" has crossed your mind a few times in the last 24 hours!
and todays answer is...
Harry Hippie by Bobby Womack
Yes, absolutely - a fine choice, Mr Fegg
... but I like Jim Ford's original version of the song even more (if that's possible).
Kill All Humans!! ]]qdl#cklvp##~###\#\]\]\]]]\]\\] bleep hiss..
This is the scene from the end of the movie where they incapacitate the army of killer robots by feeding their computer contollers a question that cannot be solved and their heads start revolving and they keep shouting "does not compute" until their circuits melt.
Except this time I am the killer robot.
Kudos to anyone who can pick one song and top marks Mr Amitri for doing the graft but I'm gonna have to pass....
Little Feat
Long Distance Love