I picked this up from Tosy and Cosh via Tom the Dog via Pop Culture Gadabout (everybody got that?) and like them, I'll be leaving blanks where I either don't know the artist or have no strong opinions.
Favorite Beatles song: "Strawberry Fields Forever"
A lot of the books about Lennon and/or the Beatles spout a lot of theories about what the surrealistic lyrics of this song means, but they always made perfect sense to me. I also like the cover by Candy Flip that, on the cassete/CD single version, contains a mix with a keyboard solo at the end that suddenly morphs into "Hey Jude."
Favorite solo song by a former Beatle:
Hmm...good question. I don't know if I can pick a song, but I'll cheat by mentioning a couple of favorite solo albums by former Beatles that I think are underrated: Paul's "Press To Play" and George's "Cloud Nine."
The former was McCartney's worst-selling solo album but contains several noteworthy collaborations with Eric Stewart of 10cc. The latter was successful in its day--it's the one with "When We Was Fab" and "Got My Mind Set On You" on it--but seems to be forgotten. It was the only LP not represented at the otherwise-wonderful Concert For George.
Favorite Bob Dylan song:
You guys remember what I said about not giving a ratfucking piss about the Rolling Stones? I care less about Bob Dylan.
Favorite Pixies song: The only Pixies song I know is the version of "Wave of Mutilation" on the Pump Up The Volume soundtrack, which is kinda nice.
Favorite Prince song:
Oh dear. Let's say "Let's Go Crazy," because I heard it recently and I'm still in awe of that guitar solo at the end.
Favorite Michael Jackson song:
Hmm...probably "Thriller." The production is so great, it scarely even needs Jackson.
Favorite Metallica song:
None, but that Documentary was pretty cool.
Favorite Public Enemy song: "Bring the Noize"
The collaboration with Anthrax version. Hear the drummer get wicked!
Favorite Depeche Mode song: "Dreaming of Me"/"Never Let Me Down"
One from the early, Vince Clarke years, and one from the later, Martin Gore years. The latter is also hands-down their best ever video.
Favorite Cure song: "Harold and Joe."
I don't like the Cure very much & this song is one of the only exceptions.
Favorite song that most of your friends haven't heard: "The Boy On The Bridge"
By Chaz Jankel. And yes, friends who've read my first play, there's a connection.
Favorite Beastie Boys song: "Intergalactic."
Favorite Police song: "Don't Stand So Close To Me"
Believe it or not, in the '86 re-recording that I think 99% of everybody else hates.
Favorite Sex Pistols song: None.
Always more of a P.I.L. fan than Sex Pistols, especially "Seattle" ("Get out of my world!")
Favorite song from a movie: "As Long As You Hold Me."
Kirsty MacColl. It's on the soundtrack to the underrated Mad Love, and I have rarely been able to listen to it without crying.
Favorite Blondie song: "Heart of Glass"
Sorry to be a cliche...
Favorite Genesis song:
There actually was a time in the early '80s when I was quite into Genesis, but I don't know if I could pick a favorite song now. I liked their later albums, say Abacab through Invisible Touch.
Favorite Led Zeppelin song:
You're kidding, right?
Favorite INXS song: Once again I find myself thinking less of specific songs than of an era. As I've said before, I think you have to have been 16 or 17 in 1987 to know just how big INXS were.
Favorite Weird Al song:
Weird Al is one of those things like Mad Magazine that even if I've "outgrown" it, I'm always glad to see carrying on.
Favorite Pink Floyd song:
I don't have a favorite Pink Floyd song, I only have a favorite Pink Floyd title, and I couldn't tell you how the song goes. "Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With a Pict."
Favorite cover song:
Impossible.
Favorite dance song:
Again, imposible to seriously pick, but it's almost certainly something by Pet Shop Boys.
Favorite U2 song: "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
Not a big U2 fan, but it was either this or "I Will Follow."
Favorite disco song: "Show Me"
By ABC. Probably not what they're talking about, but...
Favorite The Who song:
Not a Who fan, really.
Favorite Elton John song: "20th Century Blues"
Featured on an album of Noel Coward covers coproduced by Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys.
Favorite Clash song: "London Calling"
I'm a very populist Clash fan, but I didn't want to be so common as to pick "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" or even "Train In Vain."
Favorite David Bowie song:
I know I'm cheating all over this list, but again it's hard to single out specific songs. When I think of Bowie I think of the '90 "Farewell Tour" and the unjustly underrated Black Tie/White Noise album from a few years later.
Favorite Nirvana song: "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
And here I don't apologize for choosing something obvious; this is simply one of the greatest recordings ever made.
Favorite Snoop Dogg song: Don't make
Favorite Ice Cube song: Me laugh
Favorite Johnny Cash song: "Hurt."
And the video is an absolute work of art.
Favorite R.E.M. song: "Losing My Religion."
Or "Watching Ginger's Wedding," as it always will be to me.
Favorite Elvis song: "There's a Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis"
By Kirsty MacColl. Or is songs about Elvis not what they meant?
Favorite cheesy-ass country song:
None, but I'm going to hijack this one and turn it into Favorite cheesy-ass Depeche Mode rip-off: "The Great Commandment," Camouflage.
Favorite Billy Joel song: "Pressure"
Either that or something off Innocent Man.
Favorite Bruce Springsteen song: "Born In The USA"
Sorry. When it comes to rock (as opposed to synth-pop) I'm a commoner.
Favorite Big Audio Dynamite song:
This is another toughy. It's either something off the original bands last album (Megatop Phoenix) or their first (This is BAD)
Favorite New Order song:
Again I find myself wanting to point to an underrated album instead: Republic.
Favorite Neil Diamond song: "Red Red Wine"
UB40 version, naturally. Like most rght-thinking people, I prefer Diamond as a songwriter rather than performer. "I'm A Believer" could also have made it.
Favorite Squeeze song:
Argh! Again, I'm sorry to be almost Hamlet-like in my indecision, but this is one of the great bands of the '80s...
Favorite Smiths song: "How Soon Is Now?"
Favorite Beach Boys song: "Good Vibrations."
Favorite Dave Matthews Band song
And with that, he burst out laughing (although to be fair, his collaboartion with Blue Man Group is fun.
Favorite Dire Straits song: "Brothers In Arms"
If only for the West Wing connection.
Favorite Elvis Costello song:
Costello is kind of like Neil Daimone to me, in that with a few exceptions, I like his songs more when others sing them.
Favorite Guns 'N Roses song:
None, but did you know that Axl was a Pet Shop Boys fan?
Favorite Jimi Hendrix song: None.
Favorite John Mellencamp song: None.
"R-O-C-K in the U-S-A," my ass. There's a special place in hell for people who write songs like that.
Favorite Living Colour song: "Glamour Boy"
If only for a killer performance on the old Aresenio Hall Show that ended with the lead singer saying "Truth hurths, don't it Arsenio?" Arsenio looked pissed.
Favorite Neil Young song:
Not a Neil Young fan, really.
Favorite Paul Simon song:
Something off Graceland if not One-Trick Pony.
Favorite Simon & Garfunkel song: "Only Living Boy In New York"
Especially the cover by Everything But The Girl.
Favorite Queen song:
Not a big Queen fan, really....and yet I like Erasure...
Favorite Radiohead song: None.
Didn't like 'em then, don't like 'em now.
Favorite Van Morrison song: "Gloria"
But only because it's in the movie of The Outsiders.
Favorite XTC song:
Oh man...maybe, maybe "King For A Day..."
1 comment:
What are you implying? =)
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