Hey Paul, Hey Paul, Hey Paul, let's have a POLL: ILM Artist Poll #69 • Pixies (results!)

soundwave idea is very cool, kudos JF

i meant to vote in this :(

http://i.imgur.com/mspL807.png
43. Something Against You, 1988 (Surfer Rosa) [197 points, 9 votes, 1 first place vote]

Well, somebody didn't have something against this song. Rolling out the first of the first-place votes.

:)

http://i.imgur.com/9U8Qfp5.png
42. The Sad Punk, 1991 (Trompe le Monde) [206 points, 10 votes]

"About dinosaurs, extinction. I wanted to compose an instrumental like "The Lonely Surfer", by Jack Nitzsche in the early 60's, and thought "Sad Punk" would be a good title for it. Then I changed my mind" (BF)

http://i.imgur.com/HL2yvHy.png
41. The Happening, 1990 (Bossanova) [207 points, 11 votes]

" 'That's based on this guy Billy Goodman, who had a radio talk show out of Las Vegas, The Billy Goodman Happening, dedicated to UFO stuff people calling in to tell of how their husband got murdered by an alien. The song The Happening tells of how the aliens land in Vegas: it's always been my wish that if they do land, it'll be Billy and his audience that get the credit in the greeting !' " (Q article quoting Black Francis)

This was my favorite Pixies song for a real long time, probably the whole second half of the nineties. I played it way too much and burned myself out, though.

I like this, but nearly voted for The Thing. Was fixated on the Velouria B-sides for a while back in the day.

I'm surprised it's only 2:06 in length. It has so many distinct parts I always assumed it was longer.

― Johnny Fever, lundi 27 octobre 2014 18:10 (36 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

"Mr. Grieves" is my first track to place so far. I love all those distinct parts and I like how it ends the same way it starts with the "Hope everything is alright" line. And the little lalalala break.

Hmm, maybe I should have voted for "Into The White."

"Mr. Grieves" -- not on my list but if you had to play someone one song to explain how the Pixies worked, or at least how they worked in the CoP/SR/Doolittle period, this might be it.

Lots of variety among posters because I don't think any of my votes have shown yet! UK Surf WoM I kind of actively dislike, mostly because of how much it suffers in comparison with the album version. Pixies version of doing an ironic acoustic cover of a loud, fast song.

I love The Happening! Had never heard it before this poll but a firm favourite now.

I voted for Into The White (my only bside vote) and Mr Grieves too I think. I voted for most of Doolittle tbh.

http://i.imgur.com/CzmTqbd.png
40. Oh My Golly!, 1988 (Surfer Rosa) [210 points, 10 votes]

r u fukkin kidding me

haven't listened to "silver" in a while, forgot how THIN it sounds

http://i.imgur.com/wBwjB9o.png
39. Head On, 1991 (Trompe le Monde) [211 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote]

" When Jim and William [Reid] heard the version live at The Pixies' recent dates at Brixton Academy, both gave it their blessing with the inimitable phrase, 'F*** it, this is how it should sound.' " (Melody Maker)

a cover got a 1st place vote?!

Does seem odd, especially since I've never really seemed to love this cover as much as just about everybody else, but I can see it. There's probably someone somewhere who thinks "You Really Got Me" is Van Halen's best song and a strong argument could be made that it is.

I didn't vote this first but I did vote for it. I would NEVER have thought the J&MC track contained with in it the seeds of a cover that crushed the original. But it did!

A cover won the Husker Due poll.

Stupid phone

http://i.imgur.com/I0rrh1r.png
38. Allison, 1990 (Bossanova) [214 points, 12 votes]

i get including it – it's a great song, cover and original. but i just cannot fathom passing over all the great, genre-defining song the Pixies did write for your number one track!

xpost

Something Against You is my #1. It's a good song.

"Allison was originally about a girl called Alison, 'but of course Elvis Costello has a song called Alison, so I had to change it.' Now it's about Mose Allison, the jazz pianist."
xxp

yeah head on was my #1 vote. idgaf. its a better song than any the pixies ever wrote, and it makes me happier to listen to than anything else they ever recorded. also its more fun to listen to than JAMC too. (nb I actually like the pixies)

http://i.imgur.com/M0qDCN1.png
37. Distance Equals Rate Times Time, 1991 (Trompe le Monde) [222 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote]

I HAD ME A VISION!

I think every Pixies mixtape or cd I've ever made for someone has started with this song. It's a great "Hey there, how ya doin'?!" punch in the face.

The Radiohead poll last month made me rediscover 'In Rainbows' and realise that I actually liked it (not that I hated it when it came out, I was just a bit underwhelmed and then forgot about it). This poll has done the same thing for Trompe Le Monde.

I hope it also does the same for Bossanova. I'll never understand why it has such a mediocre reputation in comparison to the other albums. It's a low-key classic.

yeah head on was my #1 vote. idgaf. its a better song than any the pixies ever wrote, and it makes me happier to listen to than anything else they ever recorded. also its more fun to listen to than JAMC too. (nb I actually like the pixies)

― everybody loves lana del raymond (s.clover), Monday, October 27, 2014 4:01 PM (20 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

more power to your, man. head on rocks and its (quite excellent) video might be my earliest memory of the pixies.

http://i.imgur.com/wkLnIzl.png
36. Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons, 1991 (Trompe le Monde) [224 points, 12 votes]

"This is a song about a bird that falls asleep and dreams he flies to Mars" (BF)

Simple enough.

Love the "Oooowwww yeeeaaah" in 'Bird Dream'.

Cool! Kim holds it down on this song.

Another song that feels way longer than it really is.

That's all for today. Back tomorrow with 35-21.

51. Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf), 1989 (b-side) [122 points, 5 votes]
50. Into the White, 1989 (b-side) [140 points, 6 votes]
49. Blown Away, 1990 (Bossanova) [150 points, 8 votes]
48. Silver, 1989 (Doolittle) [158 points, 7 votes]
47. Ed Is Dead, 1987 (Come on Pilgrim) [171 points, 9 votes]
46. All Over the World, 1990 (Bossanova) [178 points, 9 votes]
45. Nimrod's Son, 1987 (Come on Pilgrim) [180 points, 10 votes]
44. Mr. Grieves, 1989 (Doolittle) [191 points, 12 votes]
43. Something Against You, 1988 (Surfer Rosa) [197 points, 9 votes, 1 first place vote]
42. The Sad Punk, 1991 (Trompe le Monde) [206 points, 10 votes]
41. The Happening, 1990 (Bossanova) [207 points, 11 votes]
40. Oh My Golly!, 1988 (Surfer Rosa) [210 points, 10 votes]
39. Head On, 1991 (Trompe le Monde) [211 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote]
38. Allison, 1990 (Bossanova) [214 points, 12 votes]
37. Distance Equals Rate Times Time, 1991 (Trompe le Monde) [222 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote]
36. Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons, 1991 (Trompe le Monde) [224 points, 12 votes]

Can we rewind for a bit to "All Over The World" which has this kinda harmless groove over the first 3 minutes but then it gives birth to this really nice kinda alt-psych "arty/pretty" epic outro for the final 2:30. Great song but love that part especially, considering how much the Pixies shied away from bloat/extraneousness.

After considering and re-considering I put The Sad Punk at my number two. I'm a bit sad its low but y'know. I think it's incredibly beautiful: screaming, tempo changes, and then a bit of Charles' sad crooning. What more could you ask from a Pixies tune?

Sad sad sad. Yeah.

i love it, i had it high

I don't think I saw Sad Punk mentioned on the noms thread so I figured it'd get no love, glad it showed up. I love the little build up to the final "NAMED EXTINCTIONNNNNN"

I think The Sad Punk is pretty much perfect. But I adore a lot of what they did on TLM.

The low scoring for Nimrod's Son is surprising, but then I didn't include it in my list because I thought everybody else would vote for it. It's never been a real favourite for me. Is this tactical voting? I guess so.

The Happening is incredible as well. This band eh.

Great posting here I know. I'm drunk.

good call!

wow there is something so deeply, deeply right about that analogy

I'm ranking for fire!.