Playlist Thunderdome - Week 10
Wow, 16 of 29 votes went to The Police’s "King of Pain," which defeated 2nd place contender "Can’t Stand Losing You." A good battle nonetheless.
A brief remark before you vote today: I really think all three of these songs belong on the playlist, and so even the losers are awesome. Tough picks.
Enjoy!
The list of winners thus far:
- Elvis Costello - Allison
- Jet - Look What You’ve Done
- Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
- Guns N Roses - Paradise City
- Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze
- Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
- The New Pornographers - Letter From An Occupant
- The Smiths - There is a Light that Never Goes Out
- The Police - King of Pain
In college my roommate and I created an answering machine message in which we claimed to be out on tour with our Led Zeppelin accapela group, so leave a message. Then we’d do our acapella version of the Immigrant Song, which was totally awful. Oddly enough people believed that we did in fact have a Led Zeppelin acapella band, probably because of the sheer number of silly acapella bands on campus…
So while all of these songs deserve my vote, you know which one is getting it.
Comment by a random John — July 28, 2005 @ 2:01 pm
Can’t beat Page and Plant, but if we were going by best music video, Sabotage would have it. Spike Jonze’s video is one of my favorite music videos of all time. One of the few times that a music video actually made me like a song more.
Comment by Eric Russell — July 28, 2005 @ 2:13 pm
and 10, 10, 10, 10 for everything, everything, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING!!!
Comment by Steve Evans — July 28, 2005 @ 2:17 pm
In a surprising turn of events, after listening to the songs I have concluded the best of the bunch is… “Kiss Off” by the Femmes.
I find it impressive that they can sound more punk with an acoustic guitar than all of the cranked up punk-pop bands we hear on the radio these days. There is something about his delivery that sounds punk.
Certainly Zep would win if it was bands in general and the Sabotage video may be one of the best videos of all time… but we are judging songs here, right?
So in the battle between “Ah ah aaaaaaah, Ah!” vs. “Listen all y’all it’s a sabotage…” vs. “Everything, Everything, Everything, Everything!”, the “Everythings!” take it.
Comment by Geoff J — July 28, 2005 @ 2:21 pm
If this were the battle of which song you sing out loud in your car at the top of your lungs, it would be no contest. C’mon, everyone’s done the “Ah ah aaaah” thing in the car - admit it.
Comment by Dallin I — July 28, 2005 @ 3:56 pm
Wow, I kind of dig the vibe of that Femmes song. I love Zep and the Beasties but neither of the songs offered are among my favorites from those groups. As a group the Femmes can’t come close to competing with the other bands — but regarding these songs, much to my own surprise and amazement, I guess I’m voting for the Femmes. I know in the hard-rock heaven eternities I will be punished for this decision.
Comment by danithew — July 28, 2005 @ 4:46 pm
This is a tough choice. These are all great shout-along songs, and despite the fact that I memorized in elementary school what all ten pills were for (except eight of course), I think I’m going to have to go with “Sabotage.”
A lot of songs have that false ending in the middle now, but none comes back better than “Sabotage.” The downside is that it encourages speeding when listening in the car.
Comment by NFlanders — July 28, 2005 @ 4:50 pm
… I forget what 8 is for.
Comment by Steve Evans — July 28, 2005 @ 5:13 pm
This is the hardest yet. It was so hard I had to get a second opinion. I asked my 64 year-old dad what he thought. He didn’t make it through Sabotage and remarked, “I like singing, not shouting.” He didn’t make it through Immigrant Song either, just sort of shook his head. 30 seconds into “Kiss Off” he said this is agony, but when pressed my old man said “Kiss Off” was the best.
There you have it, Papa Gibson votes for the Femmes and so do I.
Comment by Brian G — July 28, 2005 @ 8:56 pm
This is the hardest yet. It was so hard I had to get a second opinion. I asked my 64 year-old dad what he thought. He didn’t make it through Sabotage and remarked, “I like singing, not shouting.” He didn’t make it through Immigrant Song either, just sort of shook his head. 30 seconds into “Kiss Off” he said this is agony, but when pressed my old man said “Kiss Off” was the best.
There you have it, Papa Gibson votes for the Femmes and so do I.
Comment by Brian G — July 28, 2005 @ 8:58 pm
Everything Geoff said. Exactly.
Comment by Rusty — July 28, 2005 @ 9:36 pm
Before you vote, you must rent or buy the DVD of School of Rock and watch the clip in the extras where Jack Black makes his pitch to the Led Zeppelin boys for permission to use “The Immigrant Song” in the movie.
Then vote for “The Immigrant Song” like me. I’m 6 for 6 on the Thunderdome voting so far, but my streak is in jeopardy here.
Comment by Bryce I — July 28, 2005 @ 11:21 pm
I had to vote for my friend. She is our past primary president. She also dated the drummer in the beastie boys a few years ago. So… my vote had to go to them. Actually I would have preferred voting for Led Zepplin, although Robert Plant sucks in concert.
Comment by chronicler — July 29, 2005 @ 12:15 am
I wonder if there should be some Thunderdome contests where a particular instrument in one song is up against the same instrument in another song. A contest of drums, guitars, basses, keyboards, whatever … an attempt to pay attention to particular elements across songs.
Just a random thought.
Comment by danithew — July 29, 2005 @ 6:58 am
Can I vote for Calexico?
Comment by Susan M — July 29, 2005 @ 10:37 am
Like I said, folks, no loser songs this week. I think we can all agree that all three are great.
Still, only one survives…
Comment by Steve Evans — July 29, 2005 @ 11:13 am
Steve,
I would guess that any one of the three would do well on its own versus all past winners. You are so cruel!
Comment by a random John — July 29, 2005 @ 12:46 pm
Thunderdome, like life, ain’t fair. Next week you shall hate all of my picks.
Comment by Steve Evans — July 29, 2005 @ 1:43 pm
LOL to Susan’s comment about Calexico. I found myself wishing I could vote for “Sara Smile”.
BTW, I don’t think a single R&B, soul or funk style song has ever made its way into the Thunderdome competition. So far as I remember we’ve only got hard rock, classic rock, alternative, new wave to speak of. Aunt Entity (Tina Turner) would not approve.
Comment by danithew — July 29, 2005 @ 2:38 pm
All in good time, young Danithew.
Comment by Steve Evans — July 29, 2005 @ 2:43 pm
To aid the cause of the just, I submit the following:
http://users.wolfcrews.com/toys/vikings/
Please check it out prior to voting.
Comment by a random John — July 31, 2005 @ 1:17 pm
ARJ, that is the single awesomist thing I have ever seen in my entire life.
Comment by Eric Russell — July 31, 2005 @ 5:58 pm
It’s what I always think of whenever Led Zep is mentioned. I never knew what the song was about (never paid attention to the lyrics) till I first saw that.
Comment by Susan M — July 31, 2005 @ 8:26 pm
Violent Femmes, no contest. The Immigrant Song is just embarassing, and I never understood the crazy Beastie Boys fixation that people with otherwise acceptable taste in music seem to have.
Comment by BTD Greg — August 1, 2005 @ 12:31 pm
That is a pretty sweet video, ARJ. But lest that actually sway some voters from voting for the best song on the three (the Femmes) let me assure you that getting your own Web video made is not that shocking. Some (really cool) Web developer took it upon himself a couple of years back to use one of my old Noisepie songs and made a totally sweet Web video of it too. See for yourself here.
Comment by Geoff J — August 1, 2005 @ 1:55 pm
OK, I finally voted, for Violent Femmes. I wonder if I’ll be the tie-breaker?
Comment by Susan M — August 1, 2005 @ 2:29 pm
We need som Mars Volta, Rush, and King Crimson up in here. And Tool.
Comment by Susan M — August 1, 2005 @ 2:30 pm
I do think that Violent Femmes is one of the cooler band names around.
Comment by Dallin I — August 1, 2005 @ 3:15 pm
I would like to say that I voted for the Femmes, but I had to go with Sabatoge.
Comment by William Morris — August 1, 2005 @ 4:47 pm
One of the closest Thunderdomes ever…. who will win?!?!
Comment by Steve Evans — August 1, 2005 @ 5:48 pm
Yes, yes! Susan said KC! Fripp needs a nod now and then!
Comment by chronicler — August 1, 2005 @ 7:38 pm