The Random Rankings Thread
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Re: The Random Rankings Thread
Am I the only one who assumed Losing My Religion would be the no brainer for number 1?
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
Depends how you're defining #1. The quintessential R.E.M. sounding song?
To me? Driver 8.
Noli Timere Messorem
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
I just commented on that very fact to my wife. Odd omission.
Noli Timere Messorem
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
To the point when I got to the top 10 I was like “eh, this is a bit high” but thought maybe he wanted something new-ish.
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
A track he might've included on this is the track "Fretless" they gave the movie "Until the End of the World."
In addition to Daysleeper, other omissions I'm seeing
I Remember California
The Wrong Child
Exhuming McCarthy
Strange
Fireplace
Lightnin Hopkins
King of Birds
Oddfellows Local 151
Time After Time
Life & how to Live it
Kohoutek
We Walk
West of the Fields
Belong
Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight
Ignoreland
King of Comedy
Low Desert
Departure
Leave
bolded indicate I think they're top 100.
In addition to Daysleeper, other omissions I'm seeing
I Remember California
The Wrong Child
Exhuming McCarthy
Strange
Fireplace
Lightnin Hopkins
King of Birds
Oddfellows Local 151
Time After Time
Life & how to Live it
Kohoutek
We Walk
West of the Fields
Belong
Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight
Ignoreland
King of Comedy
Low Desert
Departure
Leave
bolded indicate I think they're top 100.
Noli Timere Messorem
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
I'm convinced I am the only person in the world whose favorite REM song is "Tongue". I don't really have an explanation for why. It just is. The 100 list, plus these 20 add-ons, and nary a mention. Oh, and "Nightswimming" is #2 for meEnochRoot wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:18 pm A track he might've included on this is the track "Fretless" they gave the movie "Until the End of the World."
In addition to Daysleeper, other omissions I'm seeing
I Remember California
The Wrong Child
Exhuming McCarthy
Strange
Fireplace
Lightnin Hopkins
King of Birds
Oddfellows Local 151
Time After Time
Life & how to Live it
Kohoutek
We Walk
West of the Fields
Belong
Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight
Ignoreland
King of Comedy
Low Desert
Departure
Leave
bolded indicate I think they're top 100.
How do you all get your death notices since I left?
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Re: The Random Rankings Thread
I like a few REM songs but I do not get them as a whole. They are fine but not anything I go to when I’m listening to music.
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
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Damn I missed that one. Tongue’s a solid tune. Rare falsetto out of Stipe, too.Reaper wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 11:31 pmI'm convinced I am the only person in the world whose favorite REM song is "Tongue". I don't really have an explanation for why. It just is. The 100 list, plus these 20 add-ons, and nary a mention. Oh, and "Nightswimming" is #2 for meEnochRoot wrote: ↑Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:18 pm A track he might've included on this is the track "Fretless" they gave the movie "Until the End of the World."
In addition to Daysleeper, other omissions I'm seeing
I Remember California
The Wrong Child
Exhuming McCarthy
Strange
Fireplace
Lightnin Hopkins
King of Birds
Oddfellows Local 151
Time After Time
Life & how to Live it
Kohoutek
We Walk
West of the Fields
Belong
Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight
Ignoreland
King of Comedy
Low Desert
Departure
Leave
bolded indicate I think they're top 100.
Noli Timere Messorem
- Steve of phpBB
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Re: The Random Rankings Thread
For me, they’re my biggest “I listened to them before they got big” band. I saw them in a 2500-seat auditorium on campus. They’ve always been a favorite. But I kinda stopped listening in the early 90s. I’d come across a song here or there but that was it.
Last summer after we started that playlist battle thing I listened to those first six or seven albums again. Holy shit they were fantastic. I’d especially forgotten how great Murmur was.
And his one problem is he didn’t go to Russia that night because he had extracurricular activities, and they froze to death.
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I feel about the same. Got into them young when I heard Stand and loved the entire Green album (actually cassette). Maybe it's because of the show on it on Netflix Song Exploder, but Losing My Religion just seems to be their all time great, historic song. Guess there's a difference between casual fans and people that followed them more closely.
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I saw them at the Masonic Temple in Toronto way, way bak in the day.Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 6:27 amFor me, they’re my biggest “I listened to them before they got big” band. I saw them in a 2500-seat auditorium on campus. They’ve always been a favorite. But I kinda stopped listening in the early 90s. I’d come across a song here or there but that was it.
Last summer after we started that playlist battle thing I listened to those first six or seven albums again. Holy shit they were fantastic. I’d especially forgotten how great Murmur was.
As I recall - a great show.
The lack of love for "Monster" on that list was disconcerting.
"beautiful, with an exotic-yet-familiar facial structure and an arresting gaze."
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
I made a short list of personal favorites before reading and they were all on there.
Though I do feel bad not missing Daysleeper while reading. He seemed to like Up, too.
After all of that the one song I’ve had in my head since reading the article, including an indeterminate period of time when I couldn’t fall back asleep after waking up, is Electrolite. Wasn’t on my short list.
Though I do feel bad not missing Daysleeper while reading. He seemed to like Up, too.
After all of that the one song I’ve had in my head since reading the article, including an indeterminate period of time when I couldn’t fall back asleep after waking up, is Electrolite. Wasn’t on my short list.
I felt aswirl with warm secretions.
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
You’re out of sight!
I saw R.E.M. open for the Police at the Hartford Civic Center in August ‘83...Saw their Life’s Rich Pageant tour in Miami ‘86, Green Tour in Miami ‘89, The Monster Tour in ‘95 in both St Pete & Orlando, (Radiohead opened St Pete, Lucious Jackson opened Orlando), and then ‘99 at Merriweather (Spacehog opened), and the last time was in 2008 at Merriweather (Modest Mouse, The National opened).
I saw R.E.M. open for the Police at the Hartford Civic Center in August ‘83...Saw their Life’s Rich Pageant tour in Miami ‘86, Green Tour in Miami ‘89, The Monster Tour in ‘95 in both St Pete & Orlando, (Radiohead opened St Pete, Lucious Jackson opened Orlando), and then ‘99 at Merriweather (Spacehog opened), and the last time was in 2008 at Merriweather (Modest Mouse, The National opened).
Noli Timere Messorem
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
I've always liked REM. In their early days, I kind of grouped them with The Replacements, since they were two bands that helped define the emerging "Alternative Rock" genre. The very first CDs I ever purchased (the same day I bought a CD player) were Life's Rich Pageant and a Squeeze cd. I still listen to the "Eponymous" (best of the early stuff) album on occasion.
"What a bunch of pedantic pricks." - sybian
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I love REM, but I almost never listen to anything after Document. Murmur and Reckoning are two of my favorite albums ever. But I just never enjoyed their later music nearly as much even though they got way more popular.
Totally Kafkaesque
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I still consider Automatic for the People to be a masterpiece, and Green as well for the songs that weren't singles. But I do agree that their best stuff was done right out of the gate.
Noli Timere Messorem
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
Those are mostly contradictory opinions though even though I agree with both of you in part.
I think their best album is Automatic For The People, which itself is probably one of the greatest 20 or 25 or so albums in rock history. And their earlier stuff was mostly better overall but I still think there's plenty of chaff in those albums as well. I also think some of their later albums got a bit of a bad rap from the normal process that happens after a band gets huge and a lot of early fans want to jump off the bandwagon. I mean, go back and re-listen to Monster and New Adventures In Hi-FI and those are some great fucking albums, better than just about anything else that came up in the mid-to-late 90s especially as the music industry was infested with shitty grunge bands and rap-rock garbage.
Bandwagon fan of the 2023 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
I mean, even an album like Up -- find me another album from 1998 that has three better songs than Sad Professor, Walk Unafraid and Daysleeper. I'll wait.
Bandwagon fan of the 2023 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
Gun to head, I think Life's Rich Pageant is better, but that's probably because it meant a lot more to me than AFTP ever could. As you're aware, back in the 80s indie bands had to fight to get any airtime on MTV. LRP basically led to the creation of 120 Minutes, because all of a sudden, MTV had to create a space for all this music. Fall on Me was in demand. This was the LP that brought indie officially into the mainstream.brian wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 4:45 pmThose are mostly contradictory opinions though even though I agree with both of you in part.
I think their best album is Automatic For The People, which itself is probably one of the greatest 20 or 25 or so albums in rock history. And their earlier stuff was mostly better overall but I still think there's plenty of chaff in those albums as well. I also think some of their later albums got a bit of a bad rap from the normal process that happens after a band gets huge and a lot of early fans want to jump off the bandwagon. I mean, go back and re-listen to Monster and New Adventures In Hi-FI and those are some great fucking albums, better than just about anything else that came up in the mid-to-late 90s especially as the music industry was infested with shitty grunge bands and rap-rock garbage.
But still, Automatic For the People proved they were still on top of their game. So many good songs on that LP, but Ignoreland itself makes that album essential listening.
Noli Timere Messorem
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
I "discovered" REM when I was in high school in the mid-80s. They were huge in my high school even though you never heard their music on the radio (only rarely on MTV when they played Radio Free Europe). When you're 15 or 16, that leaves a mark. So, I'm still very partial to the albums when nobody knew what the hell Stipe was saying. Once he started enunciating, they got way more popular, but I guess I'd moved on to other stuff. Not saying that stuff's bad at all, but it's almost like a different band.
Totally Kafkaesque
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Re: The Random Rankings Thread
Haven't listened to them regularly in 25 years, but they're still one of the most important bands in my life. Every time I hear one of their songs, I'm determined to dive in and relive those old albums. Like, I would hear 'Fall On Me' at the Pub, remember how great they were, and leave with plans to find 'Lifes Rich Pageant.' Two months later, I would be back at the Pub, hear 'Begin the Begin,' then leave with plans to find 'Lifes Rich Pageant.' (I have trouble with motivation.)
I listen to random songs on YouTube sometimes. There are a lot of great ones, but that's a horrible way to listen to music. Do I still have those cassettes in my closet? Would they still be playable?
I listen to random songs on YouTube sometimes. There are a lot of great ones, but that's a horrible way to listen to music. Do I still have those cassettes in my closet? Would they still be playable?
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Most great songs I accept are the right length but "Fall On Me" is one of two I'm convinced could have another 90 seconds added and only be better.
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I felt aswirl with warm secretions.
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If you're thinking it needed a clap-track like Boston's Long Time, I think we're in agreement.
Noli Timere Messorem
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
It is neither. A song from a duo that could theoretically make billions or trillions on a post-pandemic reunion tour.
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
What is the funnest song?
Can't Get There From Here? Superman? We Walk? Get Up?
Can't Get There From Here? Superman? We Walk? Get Up?
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Peaches and Herb? White Stripes? A lot of the best Simon and Garfunkel songs are 3 minutes or less. I think I remember you saying that you like 'The Only Living Boy In New York,' but that's a hefty 4:01.
I love 'Superman,' but I can't vote for a cover. 'End of the World' just came up next on YouTube, but that's probably too cliché of an answer. Probably the most beats per minute, and that's fun, right?Superman?
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Pretty sure he laughs during the album version of The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite
I felt aswirl with warm secretions.
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
Sidewinder's a good answer.
I was dating a bitch when that LP came out, too.
I was dating a bitch when that LP came out, too.
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Re: The Random Rankings Thread
For most of the 80's, REM was absolutely my favorite band. I had read about them in Rolling Stone, but had never heard them. I saw the video for 'Radio Free Europe' on 120 Minutes, and thought 'Yep...that's totally for me'. Something about the jangly guitars and vocal harmonies is right in my wheel house.
My favorite album is 'Fables', but I enjoy all of them up until Bill Berry left the band. And even those are still interesting.
My favorite album is 'Fables', but I enjoy all of them up until Bill Berry left the band. And even those are still interesting.
Re: The Random Rankings Thread
just finished listening to Fables, and now stepped back a year to Reckoning.DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Sat Mar 13, 2021 9:26 pm For most of the 80's, REM was absolutely my favorite band. I had read about them in Rolling Stone, but had never heard them. I saw the video for 'Radio Free Europe' on 120 Minutes, and thought 'Yep...that's totally for me'. Something about the jangly guitars and vocal harmonies is right in my wheel house.
My favorite album is 'Fables', but I enjoy all of them up until Bill Berry left the band. And even those are still interesting.
Shirley touched on this a bit - back then when radio ignored them...It just made them better. Reckoning fucking rules.
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