IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Damn you! First my vacation. Now Lincoln!
Scotch Sampler
- Thread starter scotchandcigar
- Start date
Santa Claus does not exist, and there is no Easter Bunny
You'll find out when you grow up that Big Bird isn't funny, funny, funny
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Life's gonna suck when you grow up
When you grow up, when you grow up
Life's gonna suck when you grow up
It sucks pretty bad right now
You'll find out when you grow up that Big Bird isn't funny, funny, funny
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Life's gonna suck when you grow up
When you grow up, when you grow up
Life's gonna suck when you grow up
It sucks pretty bad right now
While it may seem like I've taken a sharp turn into Adult Contemporary village, with Sheryl Crow and this next artist, I assure you, it's just a chronological list; I haven't gone soft.
Dave Matthews Band is one of those artists that some people love, and some hate. They are a super-talented collection of performers, who've been making music that's unique and full of good lyrics, melodies, rhythms, and riffs. They are awesome live, and are one of the premier jam bands.
But they've cranked out their share of inoffensive jazz-lite cheese, and at least a fair percentage of their fans don't like real music, like rock or actual jazz. These people go to the live concerts, and use the music as background for their phone-surfing activities.
Having said that, let me present to you my favorites from DMB. They hit the airwaves in 1994 with songs from the album Under the Table and Dreaming. Some of the hits charted well into '95, such as What Would You Say, Ants Marching (yuck), and Satellite. While I liked the concept of their music, I was soon overloaded with the repetition of these songs on the radio. Here's the only song from the album I still enjoy hearing
Dave Matthews Band - Jimi Thing
They followed up with 1996's Crash, with more big hits like Tripping Billies (yuck) and Crash into Me, plus these
This song has a nice funky edge to it
Dave Matthews Band – Too Much (live)
This is one of those tunes where Dave lays down an awesome guitar line
Dave Matthews Band – So Much to Say (live)
The hit train kept rolling into 1998 with Before These Crowded Streets, with hits like Don't Drink the Water, and these
Dave Matthews Band – Pantala Naga Pampa/Rapunzel (live)
A classic guitar line, for sure
Dave Matthews Band – Stay (Wasting Time) (live)
Dave Matthews Band is one of those artists that some people love, and some hate. They are a super-talented collection of performers, who've been making music that's unique and full of good lyrics, melodies, rhythms, and riffs. They are awesome live, and are one of the premier jam bands.
But they've cranked out their share of inoffensive jazz-lite cheese, and at least a fair percentage of their fans don't like real music, like rock or actual jazz. These people go to the live concerts, and use the music as background for their phone-surfing activities.
Having said that, let me present to you my favorites from DMB. They hit the airwaves in 1994 with songs from the album Under the Table and Dreaming. Some of the hits charted well into '95, such as What Would You Say, Ants Marching (yuck), and Satellite. While I liked the concept of their music, I was soon overloaded with the repetition of these songs on the radio. Here's the only song from the album I still enjoy hearing
Dave Matthews Band - Jimi Thing
They followed up with 1996's Crash, with more big hits like Tripping Billies (yuck) and Crash into Me, plus these
This song has a nice funky edge to it
Dave Matthews Band – Too Much (live)
This is one of those tunes where Dave lays down an awesome guitar line
Dave Matthews Band – So Much to Say (live)
The hit train kept rolling into 1998 with Before These Crowded Streets, with hits like Don't Drink the Water, and these
Dave Matthews Band – Pantala Naga Pampa/Rapunzel (live)
A classic guitar line, for sure
Dave Matthews Band – Stay (Wasting Time) (live)
And a bluesy tune that really sets a mood
Dave Matthews Band – Crush
2001 saw the release of the album Everyday. Hits included the title track and The Space Between. Then in 2002 they put together a collection of previously unreleased tracks for the album Busted Stuff. Songs included Grace is Gone, Grey Street, and this favorite
Dave Matthews Band – Where Are You Going (live)
2005's Stand Up was a big seller, with hits like American Baby, Dreamgirl, and Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives). But I'm gonna go out to 2009 for my last favorite DMB album, Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King. This one brought the big band funk sound, and contained interesting tunes like Funny the Way It Is, plus Dive In, Squirm, and Seven. But here are my favorites
A couple of songs with a great groove
Dave Matthews Band – Shake Me Like a Monkey (live)
Dave Matthews Band – Why I Am (live)
And finally, this song is really special to me. When the Mrs. and I renewed our vows, I took all our Hi-8 movies, converted them to DVD, and made a 12 minute highlight video from that to play at the ceremony. This was the first song played in the video; if you listen to the words, it's really very touching.
Dave Matthews Band – You and Me
Dave Matthews Band – Crush
2001 saw the release of the album Everyday. Hits included the title track and The Space Between. Then in 2002 they put together a collection of previously unreleased tracks for the album Busted Stuff. Songs included Grace is Gone, Grey Street, and this favorite
Dave Matthews Band – Where Are You Going (live)
2005's Stand Up was a big seller, with hits like American Baby, Dreamgirl, and Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives). But I'm gonna go out to 2009 for my last favorite DMB album, Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King. This one brought the big band funk sound, and contained interesting tunes like Funny the Way It Is, plus Dive In, Squirm, and Seven. But here are my favorites
A couple of songs with a great groove
Dave Matthews Band – Shake Me Like a Monkey (live)
Dave Matthews Band – Why I Am (live)
And finally, this song is really special to me. When the Mrs. and I renewed our vows, I took all our Hi-8 movies, converted them to DVD, and made a 12 minute highlight video from that to play at the ceremony. This was the first song played in the video; if you listen to the words, it's really very touching.
Dave Matthews Band – You and Me
That's very cool!
The thing with me and DMB is: the less they sound like DMB the more I like the song.
Likes: American Baby, Crash Into Me, The Space Between, Don't Drink The Water
Dislikes: What Would You Say, Ants Marching, Satellite. So Much To Say
We interrupt our regularly scheduled mid-90's favorite artists list, for this special - and highly requested - Beatles compendium. This is what I did; I went album by album, and listed the songs I like. And then later, I took all those songs, and categorized them.
Of course, it was a disaster. Many Beatles albums were not released in the US. Or the songs were released on other albums in the US. Or they were only released as singles. Or the singles were compiled onto other albums. I had to redo the list several times, but I believe I've covered every release.
Here is list #1 - all the Beatles songs I like; grouped by year of release.
1964 Meet The Beatles! – I Saw Her Standing There, All My Loving
1964 A Hard Day’s Night – title, And I Love Her, Can’t Buy Me Love
1964 Beatles for Sale – Eight Days a Week
1965 Help! – title, You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, Ticket to Ride
1965 Rubber Soul – Norwegian Wood, Michelle, In My Life
1966 Paperback Writer (single)
1966 Yesterday and Today – Drive My Car, Yesterday, We Can Work It Out, Day Tripper
1966 Revolver – Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, Here, There and Everywhere, Good Day Sunshine, Got to Get You into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows
1967 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – title, With a Little Help from My Friends, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Getting Better, Within You Without You, When I’m Sixty-Four, Lovely Rita, A Day in the Life
1967 Magical Mystery Tour – title, I Am the Walrus, The Fool on the Hill, Hello, Goodbye, Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, All You Need is Love
1968 Hey Jude (single)
1968 Revolution (single)
1968 the White Album – Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Helter Skelter
1969 Abbey Road – Come Together, Something, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), Here Comes the Sun, Because/ You Never Give Me Your Money/ Sun King/ Mean Mr. Mustard/ Her Majesty/ Polythene Pam/ She Came In Through the Bathroom Window/ Golden Slumbers/ Carry That Weight/ The End
1970 Let It Be – Two of Us, Across the Universe, title, The Long and Winding Road, Get Back
Now before I get to list #2, I have to say some things about list #1.
- These are by no means all of the songs the Beatles released, it's just the ones I particularly like.
- When one lays it out in a list like this, the word prolific doesn't even suffice. The number of releases and volume of music is astounding.
- It's more impressive when you realize how many of these songs went to #1.
- Abbey Road side 2 contains a 9 song medley, so for list #2, I'll refer to it as such.
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for - my Beatles favorites! I put them into 3 categories, which should be self-explanatory:
List #2a) Standards that I like (21):
I Saw Her Standing There, All My Loving, A Hard Day’s Night, And I Love Her, Can’t Buy Me Love, Eight Days a Week, Help!, Ticket to Ride, Michelle, Paperback Writer, Drive My Car, Day Tripper, Taxman, When I’m Sixty-Four, Lovely Rita, Hello, Goodbye; Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence, Something, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, Get Back.
List #2b) Enjoy hearing more or have stronger feelings about (22):
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Yesterday, We Can Work It Out, Eleanor Rigby, Here, There and Everywhere; Good Day Sunshine, Got to Get You into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, With a Little Help from My Friends, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Getting Better, Within You Without You, Magical Mystery Tour, I Am the Walrus, The Fool on the Hill, Penny Lane, All You Need is Love, Two of Us, Across the Universe.
List #2c) My favorites (12 + a 9 song medley):
A Day in the Life, Strawberry Fields Forever, Hey Jude, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Helter Skelter, Revolution, Come Together, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), Here Comes the Sun, Abbey Road side 2 medley, Let It Be, The Long and Winding Road.
I feel better now.
Of course, it was a disaster. Many Beatles albums were not released in the US. Or the songs were released on other albums in the US. Or they were only released as singles. Or the singles were compiled onto other albums. I had to redo the list several times, but I believe I've covered every release.
Here is list #1 - all the Beatles songs I like; grouped by year of release.
1964 Meet The Beatles! – I Saw Her Standing There, All My Loving
1964 A Hard Day’s Night – title, And I Love Her, Can’t Buy Me Love
1964 Beatles for Sale – Eight Days a Week
1965 Help! – title, You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, Ticket to Ride
1965 Rubber Soul – Norwegian Wood, Michelle, In My Life
1966 Paperback Writer (single)
1966 Yesterday and Today – Drive My Car, Yesterday, We Can Work It Out, Day Tripper
1966 Revolver – Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, Here, There and Everywhere, Good Day Sunshine, Got to Get You into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows
1967 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – title, With a Little Help from My Friends, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Getting Better, Within You Without You, When I’m Sixty-Four, Lovely Rita, A Day in the Life
1967 Magical Mystery Tour – title, I Am the Walrus, The Fool on the Hill, Hello, Goodbye, Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, All You Need is Love
1968 Hey Jude (single)
1968 Revolution (single)
1968 the White Album – Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Helter Skelter
1969 Abbey Road – Come Together, Something, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), Here Comes the Sun, Because/ You Never Give Me Your Money/ Sun King/ Mean Mr. Mustard/ Her Majesty/ Polythene Pam/ She Came In Through the Bathroom Window/ Golden Slumbers/ Carry That Weight/ The End
1970 Let It Be – Two of Us, Across the Universe, title, The Long and Winding Road, Get Back
Now before I get to list #2, I have to say some things about list #1.
- These are by no means all of the songs the Beatles released, it's just the ones I particularly like.
- When one lays it out in a list like this, the word prolific doesn't even suffice. The number of releases and volume of music is astounding.
- It's more impressive when you realize how many of these songs went to #1.
- Abbey Road side 2 contains a 9 song medley, so for list #2, I'll refer to it as such.
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for - my Beatles favorites! I put them into 3 categories, which should be self-explanatory:
List #2a) Standards that I like (21):
I Saw Her Standing There, All My Loving, A Hard Day’s Night, And I Love Her, Can’t Buy Me Love, Eight Days a Week, Help!, Ticket to Ride, Michelle, Paperback Writer, Drive My Car, Day Tripper, Taxman, When I’m Sixty-Four, Lovely Rita, Hello, Goodbye; Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence, Something, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, Get Back.
List #2b) Enjoy hearing more or have stronger feelings about (22):
You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away, Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Yesterday, We Can Work It Out, Eleanor Rigby, Here, There and Everywhere; Good Day Sunshine, Got to Get You into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, With a Little Help from My Friends, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Getting Better, Within You Without You, Magical Mystery Tour, I Am the Walrus, The Fool on the Hill, Penny Lane, All You Need is Love, Two of Us, Across the Universe.
List #2c) My favorites (12 + a 9 song medley):
A Day in the Life, Strawberry Fields Forever, Hey Jude, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Helter Skelter, Revolution, Come Together, I Want You (She’s So Heavy), Here Comes the Sun, Abbey Road side 2 medley, Let It Be, The Long and Winding Road.
I feel better now.
Thank this guyThere are far too many great Beatles songs.
That’s a lot of work right there..gif "Clap (2) :clap2:")
IdRatherBeSkiing
Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Good job on your list! I feel we all accomplished something today putting our Beatles favorites out there.
What better way to get back to the mid-90's than with some more grunge! As the grunge era was going over the proverbial mountaintop, and starting to head downhill, an unknown band from Philly started getting airplay with this song that got broad exposure
Dandelion – Weird Out
Note that in the video version above, they replaced "asshole" with "ashtray", which is stupid, but it's the only video that features the band members.
I liked that song, but then the alternative stations (like Boston's 101.7 WFNX) also played another great track from that album, 1995's Dyslexicon, and I bought the CD. This song's got everything, including the wah-wah guitar solo.
Dandelion – Trailer Park Girl
The album is full of high energy, and great musicianship. But they broke-up after the album's release. Perhaps they saw the writing on the wall, or maybe it was drugs. Who knows.
Dandelion – Weird Out
Note that in the video version above, they replaced "asshole" with "ashtray", which is stupid, but it's the only video that features the band members.
I liked that song, but then the alternative stations (like Boston's 101.7 WFNX) also played another great track from that album, 1995's Dyslexicon, and I bought the CD. This song's got everything, including the wah-wah guitar solo.
Dandelion – Trailer Park Girl
The album is full of high energy, and great musicianship. But they broke-up after the album's release. Perhaps they saw the writing on the wall, or maybe it was drugs. Who knows.
Those are pretty good. I think they could have gone a bit farther if they stuck with it a little longer.
I reviewed my upcoming list, and realized I missed an artist. So I did another sweep of the timeline, and came across a bunch of stuff I left out. I hope the backtracking won't cause all of you too much anguish.
In 1991, Matthew Sweet came out of nowhere to score a big hit with the album Girlfriend. It had a number of songs with just the right mix of grunge, groove, harmonies, and riffs. The title track was the top charting song, performed live here. BTW, this clip explains why Dennis Miller's hosting stint was short-lived.
Matthew Sweet – Girlfriend (live on Dennis Miller)
The opening track on the album also got some airplay, and was performed live too
Matthew Sweet – Divine Intervention (live with John Hiatt)
Sweet put out a few more successful tunes, but nothing that rivaled that album.
In 1991, Matthew Sweet came out of nowhere to score a big hit with the album Girlfriend. It had a number of songs with just the right mix of grunge, groove, harmonies, and riffs. The title track was the top charting song, performed live here. BTW, this clip explains why Dennis Miller's hosting stint was short-lived.
Matthew Sweet – Girlfriend (live on Dennis Miller)
The opening track on the album also got some airplay, and was performed live too
Matthew Sweet – Divine Intervention (live with John Hiatt)
Sweet put out a few more successful tunes, but nothing that rivaled that album.
Time to update two artists I covered previously. There was a big gap in time between Peter Gabriel's So and his follow-up, 1992's Us. But like So, it gave us a bunch of hit songs. Here are 3 of my favorites
Peter Gabriel – Digging In the Dirt
Peter Gabriel – Steam (live)
If they had a Grammy category for most obvious sexual innuendo, this would be in strong contention for the award
Peter Gabriel – Kiss That Frog
I left off REM in the 80's, and now we get to 1992's Automatic for the People (I'm skipping over their previous release). Hits include Everybody Hurts, Man on the Moon, and these favorites
REM - Drive
REM – Nightswimming (live)
Peter Gabriel – Digging In the Dirt
Peter Gabriel – Steam (live)
If they had a Grammy category for most obvious sexual innuendo, this would be in strong contention for the award
Peter Gabriel – Kiss That Frog
I left off REM in the 80's, and now we get to 1992's Automatic for the People (I'm skipping over their previous release). Hits include Everybody Hurts, Man on the Moon, and these favorites
REM - Drive
REM – Nightswimming (live)
Tori Amos is a musical prodigy, and when she focuses her efforts in the right direction, she makes great music. But often I have a hard time dealing with her artistic liberties, and affectations, and emotiveness. But I managed to pull together some favorites from her.
Her 1992 debut album, Little Earthquakes, contains the song Crucify, and this
Tori Amos – Silent All These Years (live)
I really got into her with her follow-up, 1994's Under the Pink. Hits include Pretty Good Year, Past the Mission, and these
Tori Amos – God (live)
Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl
I also bought her 1996 album, Boys for Pele, which has a lot of intense music that's nice to focus on. But not too many hits, other than Caught a Lite Sneeze. Her next album, 1998's From the Choirgirl Hotel, has this song I like, and the performance is amazing
Tori Amos – Spark (live on Letterman)
Her 1992 debut album, Little Earthquakes, contains the song Crucify, and this
Tori Amos – Silent All These Years (live)
I really got into her with her follow-up, 1994's Under the Pink. Hits include Pretty Good Year, Past the Mission, and these
Tori Amos – God (live)
Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl
I also bought her 1996 album, Boys for Pele, which has a lot of intense music that's nice to focus on. But not too many hits, other than Caught a Lite Sneeze. Her next album, 1998's From the Choirgirl Hotel, has this song I like, and the performance is amazing
Tori Amos – Spark (live on Letterman)
I missed them back in the day. Both songs are straight out of the Nirvana playbook. On one of them I wanted to sing "my girl has a something friend my girl ..." whatever that song is.
Yes! He'll be on my HIGH FIVE list.
My favorite music video of all time.
Excellent (though there's a few I skip). It's their last album that I like most of the songs on, though. From Monster onward, there's only 1 or 2 songs I like per album.
I loved Little Earthquakes and it's still on my top 10 best of all ever albums list.
Under The Pink was a 50/50 for me. I liked Pretty Good Year, Baker Baker, Cornflake Girl and Icicle. Hated God. Disliked Past The Mission (even though it features Trent Rez on backup vox). The rest are, if I remember right, just eh.... The b-sides Honey, Black Swan and Case Of You are excellent though.
In Tori's words: "There were certain songs that were supposed to be on the record that got kicked off. 'Honey' was supposed to be on the record and, in retrospect, I wish it had been. I kicked it off for 'The Wrong Band'. Under the Pink wept when 'Honey' wasn't on, and she still is angry with me about it.
Before I get to these next couple of artists, I'd like to make a shout out to the following bands whose albums I bought, and listened to at the time. But now I'm not so much into them, for me to categorize them as favorites. Think of this as the "In Memorium" portion of the broadcast.
Almost Favorites (honorable mentions):
The Cranberries - various, 1993-96. Zombie is a great song.
Live - Throwing Copper, 1994. Lots of good hit songs.
Weezer/The Rentals - various, 1994-2008. I saw the Rentals live in '95.
Garbage - Garbage, 1995. Lots of good hit songs.
Better Than Ezra - Deluxe, 1995. Better than Ezra, but not good enough.
Almost Favorites (honorable mentions):
The Cranberries - various, 1993-96. Zombie is a great song.
Live - Throwing Copper, 1994. Lots of good hit songs.
Weezer/The Rentals - various, 1994-2008. I saw the Rentals live in '95.
Garbage - Garbage, 1995. Lots of good hit songs.
Better Than Ezra - Deluxe, 1995. Better than Ezra, but not good enough.
Still love their first album. I Still Do, Dreams, Pretty, Not Sorry, Walking Back, Linger, Wanted, How, Put Me Down. Also the b-sides: Liar, Reason, Them
Still listen to this album start to finish. That opening track is effing awesome. THIS is how you open an album! And the last track is an awesome way to end an album too (excluding the dumb hidden track). "I warned you, I prepared you, I instructed you, I told you what to expect, All the time been feeding, what have you got? LOOK WHERE ALL THIS TALKING GOT US BABY!!"