Comment from the last post...
Sayeth Heather:
"One of my favorite Beatles songs, probably my fave of their early career. I love the harmonies on this song.
"Sorry about you and your wife's friend. I get it. My cousin died this Christmas ,from an infection after a bone marrow transplant (she had Leukemia). I was bawling my eyes out listening to that song."
(Those would be referring to "If I Fell" and Cancer" respectively.)
Yeah, "If I Fell" is definitely one of my favorite Beatles songs, also. Only one other tops it in my book, but you have to wait to see what that one is. As for "Cancer"... yeah... The lyrics in that song are just outstanding. Quite obvious they aren't fucking around too much on that album.
And on with the show...
So, fair warning, every group of 5 songs from here on out will have at least one song from at least one of the following groups: The Cure, James, and U2. Like I said, just fair warning.
40. "The Taking Of Peckham 1... 2... 3..." by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (101 Damnations)
Almost every Carter USM song tells a story, but none quite this well. It's basically about a crime ridden neighborhood, presumably, but not necessarily, in London. Shop owners, pedestrians, random citizens in general being robbed and killed. All set to some lovely carnival music. Good times, good times.
Line: "15 men on a dead man's chest. They robbed him blind, and then dumb, and then deaf."
Live version. Not the best, but it'll do.
39. "Violet" by Hole (Live Through This)
Maybe I should just give in and buy this album instead of downloading everything from it. Much more fun to get it from Limewire and not give Courtney Love any money though. Love how this song starts off nice and sweet for about 30 seconds then just jumps up and kicks you in the teeth. Just lovely.
Line: "I'm the one with no soul."
38. "The Loudest Sound" by The Cure (Bloodflowers)
One of the prettiest songs on this list, as well as one of the saddest. This song is all about what happens when two people find out they have absolutely nothing left to say to each other, and how the resulting silence is deafening. Best song on a severely under appreciated album.
Line: "And side by side in silence, without a single word. It's the loudest sound I've ever heard."
Good home made video...
37. "Torn" by Toad the Wet Sprocket (Pale)
If only every album could open with a song like this. It's about not knowing yourself, or any one for that matter, and trying to fight through it yet pushing every one away.
Line: "Am I real? I don't want to feel anything anymore."
The random Simon and Garfunkel quote at the beginning actually fits. Not random, obviously, I just feel like being a shit today.
36. "You Surround Me" by Erasure (Wild!)
One of those great, unknown love songs. Really a shame too, because it's beautiful both musically and lyrically. Yet another under appreciated song off Wild! Well, OK, so this song is no "Chains Of Love" or "A Little Respect" (Smell that? that's sarcasm!)... This album, as well as this single, were dismissed way too quickly. What's that? You didn't know it was a single? No one else did, either, so don't feel bad.
Line: "There's nothing here 'til we have someone to hold."
OK, so the absurd outfits didn't help get this on MTV...
Comments? Questions? Consternation's?
Showing posts with label erasure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label erasure. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Favorite Songs: 55 - 51
I'll be doing another quick little non-list related post between this one and the next one, kind of like the one I did before cracking the top 100. It'll be amusing, I hope, as long as it comes out like I have it in my head at the moment. So, yeah, look for that next week some time.
55. "Pillar Of Davidson" by Live (Throwing Copper)
This is a song about the death of a Pennsylvania town, basically. Live's hometown of York, PA, to be exact. It's talking about how the town became very poverty stricken when Caterpillar and Harley Davidson pulled their factories out of town, pretty much at the same time. Great tune from a great album.
Line: "Warm bodies, I said, are not machines that can only make money."
54. "Lullaby" by James (Laid)
Have I mentioned yet that I love this album? I mean hell, I have at least 4 songs from this album alone on this list. Anyway... Don't let the title fool you - this is as much of a lullaby as "Lullaby" by The Cure is - which is to say, not at all. It's basically about some person who needs to lie and talk shit about people to feel better about his/herself, and then gets to the point where he/she starts to actually believe their own bullshit. Good stuff.
Line: "Your memory's one-sided, the side that you're choosing feels nothing. Feels nothing at all."
Or
"You're an angel, you're a demon, you're just... human."
53. "Bouncing Around the Room" by Phish (Lawn Boy)
An energetic little ditty that kinda doesn't make sense but kinda does. The harmonies in this song are really great, and the music is really subdued, basically only there to keep time.
Line: "The woman was a dream I had, though rather hard to keep."
52. "Trying To Throw Your Arms Around the World" by U2 (Achtung Baby)
This album is simply awesome, by far my favorite U2 album. I've heard several different interpretations of what this song's about, but the two I tend to lean toward are some kind of religious awakening or the diatribe of a drunk man walking home to his woman. Elements of both in the song, so hard to decide which I lean toward more.
Line: "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle when you're trying to throw your arms around the world."
51. "Am I Right?" by Erasure (Chorus)
This is just a really sad song. I can imagine him sitting there crying as he wrote it, longing for the guy he loves. Andy Bell has such a great voice, able to sound emotional without sounding like a bitch. Still love this band just as much as I did 20 years ago.
Line: "And life carries on as normal, although you're not around."
55. "Pillar Of Davidson" by Live (Throwing Copper)
This is a song about the death of a Pennsylvania town, basically. Live's hometown of York, PA, to be exact. It's talking about how the town became very poverty stricken when Caterpillar and Harley Davidson pulled their factories out of town, pretty much at the same time. Great tune from a great album.
Line: "Warm bodies, I said, are not machines that can only make money."
54. "Lullaby" by James (Laid)
Have I mentioned yet that I love this album? I mean hell, I have at least 4 songs from this album alone on this list. Anyway... Don't let the title fool you - this is as much of a lullaby as "Lullaby" by The Cure is - which is to say, not at all. It's basically about some person who needs to lie and talk shit about people to feel better about his/herself, and then gets to the point where he/she starts to actually believe their own bullshit. Good stuff.
Line: "Your memory's one-sided, the side that you're choosing feels nothing. Feels nothing at all."
Or
"You're an angel, you're a demon, you're just... human."
53. "Bouncing Around the Room" by Phish (Lawn Boy)
An energetic little ditty that kinda doesn't make sense but kinda does. The harmonies in this song are really great, and the music is really subdued, basically only there to keep time.
Line: "The woman was a dream I had, though rather hard to keep."
52. "Trying To Throw Your Arms Around the World" by U2 (Achtung Baby)
This album is simply awesome, by far my favorite U2 album. I've heard several different interpretations of what this song's about, but the two I tend to lean toward are some kind of religious awakening or the diatribe of a drunk man walking home to his woman. Elements of both in the song, so hard to decide which I lean toward more.
Line: "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle when you're trying to throw your arms around the world."
51. "Am I Right?" by Erasure (Chorus)
This is just a really sad song. I can imagine him sitting there crying as he wrote it, longing for the guy he loves. Andy Bell has such a great voice, able to sound emotional without sounding like a bitch. Still love this band just as much as I did 20 years ago.
Line: "And life carries on as normal, although you're not around."
Friday, January 8, 2010
Favorite Songs: 60 - 56
Good snowy morning, all! Since I decided to take the day off work, I figured I'd at least be somewhat productive, so here are the next 5 songs. I'm sure more will follow either today or tomorrow.
60. "I Can See For Miles" by The Who (The Who Sell Out)
So, this spot was supposed to be occupied by "Poles Apart" by Pink Floyd off The Division Bell. But yeah, the more I thought about it the more I realized this song really needed to be included on this list, otherwise it would have just been a sham.
Line: "I know you've deceived me, now here's a surprise. I know that you have 'cause there's magic in my eyes."
59. "Got You (Where I Want You)" by The Flys (Holiday Man)
It's easy to love this song, really. Yeah the video's cheesy and kinda lame, but the song itself is what we care about here, people. And the song? Not too cheesy or lame at all, I think. Well, ok, some of the lyrics are a tiny bit cheesy, but it's ok because the rest of the song rocks out with its cock out.
Line: "Hey, maybe just a smile. Oh hey, did you know that I can't dance? Could we talk for a while?"
58. "Blue Savannah" by Erasure. (Wild!)
Yes, in case it's not blatantly obvious, the lead singer's a tad bit gay. The keyboardist isn't at all though. Just throwing that out there. You'll understand why when you watch the video. Anyway, this has been one of my top 5 Erasure songs since the first time I heard it, back in the deep dark high school days. This whole album, in fact, has passed The Innocents (Which has "Chains Of Love" and "A Little Respect" on it) as my favorite Erasure album. Very solid from start to finish. Even though the lyrics in this song are kind of simplistic, it's still just a really fun song.
Line: "My home is where the heart is, sweet to surrender to you only."
57. "The Blood Of Eden" by Peter Gabriel (Us)
Easily one of the most beautiful songs Peter Gabriel has ever written. On the album, the back up vocals are by Sinead O'Connor, in concert they were usually done by Paula Cole or, on the last tour, his daughter. The only time I ever saw Peter Gabriel live was at the WOMAD Festival in Columbus in like '94, and it was Sinead singing with him. Unbelievable. Us is another of my favorite albums ever, in large part because of this song. Gabriel can slip seamlessly into and out of a nice high falsetto like few other male singers. I can only imagine that, had he stayed with Genesis, this song would've never seen the light of day, which would have been a damned shame. Luckily, no need to worry about that.
Line: "Is that a dagger or a crucifix I see, you hold so tightly in your hand?"
No idea what the piano is all about for the first 15 seconds. Kinda loud, too...
56. "Nothing To Hold Me" by Jesus Jones (Doubt)
I am so pissed there's no video on YouTube for this song. Any other good video sites out there? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Ok. Sorry.
After this, my Jesus Jones fix is done, I promise... People who bout Doubt only to hear "Right Here, Right Now" are retarded if they didn't listen to the next song (this), or any of the others on that album. This one, though, is the best. It's another song about loss and longing, but not in a bitching and whining kind of way.
Line: "I changed my name and you changed your mind. The only thing you left was me."
60. "I Can See For Miles" by The Who (The Who Sell Out)
So, this spot was supposed to be occupied by "Poles Apart" by Pink Floyd off The Division Bell. But yeah, the more I thought about it the more I realized this song really needed to be included on this list, otherwise it would have just been a sham.
Line: "I know you've deceived me, now here's a surprise. I know that you have 'cause there's magic in my eyes."
59. "Got You (Where I Want You)" by The Flys (Holiday Man)
It's easy to love this song, really. Yeah the video's cheesy and kinda lame, but the song itself is what we care about here, people. And the song? Not too cheesy or lame at all, I think. Well, ok, some of the lyrics are a tiny bit cheesy, but it's ok because the rest of the song rocks out with its cock out.
Line: "Hey, maybe just a smile. Oh hey, did you know that I can't dance? Could we talk for a while?"
58. "Blue Savannah" by Erasure. (Wild!)
Yes, in case it's not blatantly obvious, the lead singer's a tad bit gay. The keyboardist isn't at all though. Just throwing that out there. You'll understand why when you watch the video. Anyway, this has been one of my top 5 Erasure songs since the first time I heard it, back in the deep dark high school days. This whole album, in fact, has passed The Innocents (Which has "Chains Of Love" and "A Little Respect" on it) as my favorite Erasure album. Very solid from start to finish. Even though the lyrics in this song are kind of simplistic, it's still just a really fun song.
Line: "My home is where the heart is, sweet to surrender to you only."
57. "The Blood Of Eden" by Peter Gabriel (Us)
Easily one of the most beautiful songs Peter Gabriel has ever written. On the album, the back up vocals are by Sinead O'Connor, in concert they were usually done by Paula Cole or, on the last tour, his daughter. The only time I ever saw Peter Gabriel live was at the WOMAD Festival in Columbus in like '94, and it was Sinead singing with him. Unbelievable. Us is another of my favorite albums ever, in large part because of this song. Gabriel can slip seamlessly into and out of a nice high falsetto like few other male singers. I can only imagine that, had he stayed with Genesis, this song would've never seen the light of day, which would have been a damned shame. Luckily, no need to worry about that.
Line: "Is that a dagger or a crucifix I see, you hold so tightly in your hand?"
No idea what the piano is all about for the first 15 seconds. Kinda loud, too...
56. "Nothing To Hold Me" by Jesus Jones (Doubt)
I am so pissed there's no video on YouTube for this song. Any other good video sites out there? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Ok. Sorry.
After this, my Jesus Jones fix is done, I promise... People who bout Doubt only to hear "Right Here, Right Now" are retarded if they didn't listen to the next song (this), or any of the others on that album. This one, though, is the best. It's another song about loss and longing, but not in a bitching and whining kind of way.
Line: "I changed my name and you changed your mind. The only thing you left was me."
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