Additions to the list: "Cover Me" (Born in the U.S.A.), "Computer Blue" (Purple Rain), "The Lady in My Life" (Thriller), "The Infamous Date Rape" (The Low End Theory).
Ooooh, this is a FUN topic! A few others: - Acrobat (Achtung Baby) - still a mess, 23 years later. - We Walk (Murmur) - for me, a far more egregious REM example than the one listed. - Turd on the Run (Exile on Main St) - not necessarily a bad song, but easily the worst of the 18. - My Springsteen example might actually be Meeting Across The River. Sacrilege, yes?
I have mixed feelings about MATR. It's easily the weakest song on the album, and one of the few Springsteen songs I've never just put on and listened to. BUT. It's clearly a leftover from Born to Run-as-a-concept album, and still if you consider it in terms of AOR, it sets up Jungleland really nicely. But it does not hold up on its own.
My problem with "Cover Me" is more with the live version from the 1975-1985 box set. That version is excruciating. The album version is certainly the least good song out of the 12 tracks, but I wouldn't call it lousy.
And yes, Randy, sacrilege. To Jordan's points, yes, Meeting is, without a doubt, the 8th best song on BTR, but 1-7 set an incredibly high bar. I'd go as far to say that it's a perfect (and necessary) set up to Jungleland, and if I ever heard it live in the band's current incarnation with Curt Ramm soloing on trumpet, I would pretty much plotz.
My own Springsteen example would be "Crush on You" from The River (though you could also make the case for "I'm a Rocker," which is at best a complete throwaway).
- Brasilia Crossed with Trenton from Bob Mould's Workbook
- Not Now John from Pink Floyd's the Final Cut (although I think "Two Suns in the Sunset" and "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" don't work and the album really should have included "When the Tigers Broke Free" in any event)
Yeah, MATR is certainly not a bad song. In fact, I'd say it's an excellent song that's just not as great as everything else on a near-perfect album (my second favorite Springsteen to Nebraska).
Wow, I think you're the only person I know who thinks that highly of Acrobat! Btw... I'm loving your U2 song ranking project - though, of course, "Wild Honey" and "Dirty Day" are way too low. Can't wait to see what else you get wrong! :)
Confession #2: I don't like Jungleland. I mean, I *appreciate* it, but it's just not my thing. I'll often listen to the first six tracks of Born To Run, then stop. (And not that it matters, but my favorite Springsteen album is The Wild, The Innocent, and the E-Street Shuffle. Especially it's extraordinary side 2.)
It's escaping my memory, but there was some album I bought once upon a time, that had a final song on it I hated so much that I dubbed the tape and specifically left off the final track. I almost exclusively listened to my dubbed version from then on.
"The Lady in My Life" (Thriller) is an r&b classic in the community. You can hear it on R&B radio stations across the country at night. Play it in a crowd of African Americans say 35 and older anywhere in the US and you will have people singing along to the song. Its not a pop song so it doesn't have the crossover appeal of say Beat It or Billie Jean but its in no way a lousy song.
There's a difference between skippable and skip-every-single-time-because-it's-awful. The Flag isn't lousy - it has some nice harmonies, and I don't skip over it.
"I Before E Except After C" (Yaz, Upstairs at Eric's)
ReplyDelete"Box Set" (Gordon, Barenaked Ladies - it's not heinous or anything, it just goes on too long, and it's jangly)
Ooooh, this is a FUN topic! A few others:
ReplyDelete- Acrobat (Achtung Baby) - still a mess, 23 years later.
- We Walk (Murmur) - for me, a far more egregious REM example than the one listed.
- Turd on the Run (Exile on Main St) - not necessarily a bad song, but easily the worst of the 18.
- My Springsteen example might actually be Meeting Across The River. Sacrilege, yes?
WHAT IS WRONG WITH COMPUTER BLUE IS NOTHING IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH COMPUTER BLUE.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about MATR. It's easily the weakest song on the album, and one of the few Springsteen songs I've never just put on and listened to. BUT. It's clearly a leftover from Born to Run-as-a-concept album, and still if you consider it in terms of AOR, it sets up Jungleland really nicely. But it does not hold up on its own.
ReplyDelete3/10 taken from when the AV Club did this a few years ago: http://www.avclub.com/article/the-turd-in-the-caviar-24-songs-that-almost-derail-49441
ReplyDeleteMy problem with "Cover Me" is more with the live version from the 1975-1985 box set. That version is excruciating. The album version is certainly the least good song out of the 12 tracks, but I wouldn't call it lousy.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Randy, sacrilege. To Jordan's points, yes, Meeting is, without a doubt, the 8th best song on BTR, but 1-7 set an incredibly high bar. I'd go as far to say that it's a perfect (and necessary) set up to Jungleland, and if I ever heard it live in the band's current incarnation with Curt Ramm soloing on trumpet, I would pretty much plotz.
My own Springsteen example would be "Crush on You" from The River (though you could also make the case for "I'm a Rocker," which is at best a complete throwaway).
- Brasilia Crossed with Trenton from Bob Mould's Workbook
ReplyDelete- Not Now John from Pink Floyd's the Final Cut (although I think "Two Suns in the Sunset" and "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" don't work and the album really should have included "When the Tigers Broke Free" in any event)
No. No. No. "I Love You" is the 'hit the next song button' song on Gordon.
ReplyDeleteNOTHING IS WRONG WITH COMPUTER BLUE. COMPUTER BLUE IS AMAZING. WENDY AND LISA ARE THE BEST.
ReplyDeleteYeah, MATR is certainly not a bad song. In fact, I'd say it's an excellent song that's just not as great as everything else on a near-perfect album (my second favorite Springsteen to Nebraska).
ReplyDeleteWow! Acrobat is literally a top ten U2 song for me. I adore it. Taste is funny, huh?
ReplyDeleteMy daughter just nominated the Demi Lovato version of Let It Go.
ReplyDeleteVoices of Old People.
ReplyDeleteTHAT'S RIGHT EXACTLY AND ALSO COMPUTER BLUE HAS A GREAT MID-SECTION WITH AN INSTRUMENTAL BRIDGE. IT IS A GOOD SONG AND I AM SORRY THAT I AM YELLING
ReplyDeleteWow, I think you're the only person I know who thinks that highly of Acrobat! Btw... I'm loving your U2 song ranking project - though, of course, "Wild Honey" and "Dirty Day" are way too low. Can't wait to see what else you get wrong! :)
ReplyDeleteConfession #2: I don't like Jungleland. I mean, I *appreciate* it, but it's just not my thing. I'll often listen to the first six tracks of Born To Run, then stop. (And not that it matters, but my favorite Springsteen album is The Wild, The Innocent, and the E-Street Shuffle. Especially it's extraordinary side 2.)
ReplyDeleteNo argument here on TWTI&TESS.
ReplyDelete#teamdarkness #noweaktracks
ReplyDeleteHaving read that:
ReplyDeleteWHAT IS WRONG WITH DARLING NIKKI IS NOTHING IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH DARLING NIKKI.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?
ReplyDeleteMeet #2. I've also liked Acrobat.
ReplyDeleteSo we getting drinks or what?
ReplyDelete#nebraskatoo
ReplyDeleteThis will be blasphemy to some I suspect, but I skip Rainy Day Woman #12 and 35
ReplyDeleteevery time I listen to Blonde on Blonde. I think it's the only Dylan song I have rated at one star in my iTunes library.
I rarely have the patience for Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.
ReplyDelete"I Love you" doesn't bother me - I love the little scat sections.
ReplyDelete"Heavy Metal Drummer" from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I'm aware that's a minority opinion, but I have no use for that song.
ReplyDeleteThat song was the song that got me to buy the album. :)
ReplyDeleteAw, I have a soft spot for "Radio Song."
ReplyDeleteIt's escaping my memory, but there was some album I bought once upon a time, that had a final song on it I hated so much that I dubbed the tape and specifically left off the final track. I almost exclusively listened to my dubbed version from then on.
ReplyDelete(This message brought to you by being old.)
We start Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms" on the fourth track, bypassing "So Far Away," "Money for Nothing," and "Walk of Life."
ReplyDelete"Country Honk" on perhaps the best album of all time, Let It Bleed.
ReplyDelete"The Lady in My Life" (Thriller) is an r&b classic in the
ReplyDeletecommunity. You can hear it on R&B radio stations across the country
at night. Play it in a crowd of African Americans say 35 and older
anywhere in the US and you will have people singing along to the song.
Its not a pop song so it doesn't have the crossover appeal of say Beat
It or Billie Jean but its in no way a lousy song.
I went online to recall whether there is such a weak spot on Tears For Fears's "Songs From the Big Chair." There is not. It is an amazing gem of a CD.
ReplyDeleteRevolver is my favorite Beatles album and the first album I bought on CD. I love it.
ReplyDeleteDoctor Robert? Nooooope. Every time, SKIP.
People. "The Flag" exists on this album, and these are the songs you quibble over?
ReplyDeleteShit, I forgot. Two skippable songs, then.
ReplyDeleteThere's a difference between skippable and skip-every-single-time-because-it's-awful. The Flag isn't lousy - it has some nice harmonies, and I don't skip over it.
ReplyDelete