"Could You Be the One?" seems like the sort of Husker song someone who came to the band via Sugar might vote for.
Or, like me, maybe for people who came to the band via the Warehouse album and not aware that it's basically boilerplate Mould but still love it anyway because it was an early favorite.
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:15 (eleven years ago) link
I dig "Could You Be The One," even though it didn't make my ballot (only two Warehouse songs did, both Hart's). But seeing it on MTV I thought, "Yay! Now everyone can see how great this band is!" but also "...this...this isn't what I'd play for someone to show them how great this band is."
That said, it occupies a cherished place on a mixtape I made in 1988. Or 1989. Yeah, 1989.
― and I scream Fieri Eiffel Tower High (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:16 (eleven years ago) link
I have never heard of this cover.
Would've voted in this poll if I had the time to replay all the albums. New Day Rising is my fave LP.
(first show -- 5 total, I think? -- Jan 1985 at the Peppermint Lounge after it had moved from Times Square to Chelsea.)
― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:19 (eleven years ago) link
it's the inflection in Bob's voice on "and I don't even know what i'm crying for" that makes "Could You Be the One" for me but i wdn't've placed it this high and there are much better songs on Warehouse
― Shane Breen is a gigantic tool (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:19 (eleven years ago) link
How do you write out that yawning moan Mould does sometimes when he's not singing words?
"Cuz I don't really know oh wow raiwlle yowl wow hoa huh hoa huh…."
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:21 (eleven years ago) link
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/whats_going_on700.jpg
15. “What's Going On” - 212 points / (1 vote for first place)• Janitor Joe from Dü Hüskers
^ First one that hit No. 1 on somebody's ballot.
the living end version of this is so so awesome
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:22 (eleven years ago) link
I think about this song all the time. INSIDE MY HEAD.
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:26 (eleven years ago) link
I only saw them once, the last tour, at First Ave. I don't know if that was toward the beginning or end of the tour. But unless my memory is really failing the cover art of Warehouse was not replicated onstage. That would have been cool! Love u forever Fake Name Graphics.
― you only write about... pleassssure (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:30 (eleven years ago) link
I had a secret crush on a friend for years and years. It never went anywhere, but the most intense moment of the non-relationship was being unable to sleep and listening to 'Could You Be The One' on repeat at 2am.
Warehouse was my first Husker Du album, and I'm pretty sure I hadn't heard anything from Sugar before that either.
― funk79, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:31 (eleven years ago) link
I think Warehouse was the first one I bought, mostly thanks to the ol' 92 rolling stone guide that gave it five stars - would have been a solid single album, that's for sure
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:36 (eleven years ago) link
Warehouse was the 1st one i bought cos i bought it when it came out, then went backwards
― Shane Breen is a gigantic tool (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:37 (eleven years ago) link
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/flip_your_wig700.jpg
14. “Flip Your Wig” - 240 points / (1 vote for first place)• Live at First Ave
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
i think zen (now my favorite) was the last i picked up (never did actually buy anything earlier, though i heard them all) and the hit-miss ratio really isn't that different, it's just that zen actually adds up to something, with the weaker tracks meshing into the varied blur, while warehouse is just song-song-song and you can easily chop out the filler
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:41 (eleven years ago) link
Rawk. Last two are my #4 (Wig) and #6. And not to be pedantical, but isn't "What's Going On?" a Grant song?
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
i warmed to a lot of the weaker Warehouse songs over time but i agree you cd make a killer single album, Zen's sprawl feels like part of the point even if i never really wanna listen to "Reoccuring Dreams" nowadays
― Shane Breen is a gigantic tool (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
but isn't "What's Going On?" a Grant song?
With 30 of those things, I knew I'd slip up on at least one. You should be surprised I didn't give the credit to Marvin Gaye.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:49 (eleven years ago) link
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/Books_about_ufos700.jpg
13. “Books About U.F.O.s” - 246 points • Grant Hart, very close to busking in Toronto.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:54 (eleven years ago) link
I don't think enough has been said about Grant's songs about girls. Not a whole lot of people write nonromantic songs about girls, but Grant Hart did!
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:56 (eleven years ago) link
by nonromantic I mean just about girls doing their thing, going about their lives -- not as romantic objects or subjects of longing or w/e
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:57 (eleven years ago) link
also this song is super fun
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:59 (eleven years ago) link
Man, it's been so long since I listened to "Zen Arcade," and listening now there's a good third of the record I would have been happy to put on my ballot, everything from pop to prime blaaaaarrgh like "Broken Home, Broken Heart."
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:01 (eleven years ago) link
I always imagined "Books About UFOs" as this sort of alternate world Smiths song.
I always thought about it as a song about a girl who loves going to the library. Finally, a song about me!
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:03 (eleven years ago) link
I should probably know this, but isn't Grant gay too? Not that that would necessarily influence his take on nonromantic songs about girls...
― dlp9001, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:04 (eleven years ago) link
My #3! Love the barroom piano.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:04 (eleven years ago) link
That piano incorporated in a rock song reminds me of Lazy Sunday Afternoon
― Albert Crampus (NickB), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:09 (eleven years ago) link
Was it this song or Heaven Hill that was supposed to have a slide guitar part until Bob threw a fit?
Grant's gay, but I think he's also a biological dad too, so there's that.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:09 (eleven years ago) link
Would love to hear Grant sing Books About UFOs in a mock cockney accent btw
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, November 27, 2012 3:57 PM (13 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
songs that pass the bechdel test basically
― you only write about... pleassssure (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:12 (eleven years ago) link
Being constantly aware of all the changes that occurSitting in my roomSitting on the rooftopTelling the same story to everyone that I knowReading books about UFOs
^^ all things i have done irlthis song could have easily been about a boy, but he chose to make it about a girl and i appreciate that. i don't get the sense that he's mocking her for being spaced out and dreamy either; it's just the way she is. <3
xp -- exactly
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:13 (eleven years ago) link
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/you_can_live_at_home700.jpg
12. “You Can Live At Home” - 250 points / (1 vote for first place)• Alternate take from Warehouse sessions
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:14 (eleven years ago) link
And do listen to that alternate take holy fuuuck.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:15 (eleven years ago) link
BTW, just for a funny reminder/context, sleeve note on Minutemen's "Double Nickels:"
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9xmfyDvyy1ql6h4fo1_500.jpg
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:23 (eleven years ago) link
xpost o_O
― you only write about... pleassssure (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:24 (eleven years ago) link
I may be misremembering, but I think Zen Arcade, Double Nickels, and the 'Mats Let It Be were all reviewed in the same issue of Rolling Stone.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:33 (eleven years ago) link
One more for today:
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/games2700.jpg
11. “Games” - 251 points • Couldn't find any cover/live stuff/bootlegs, so here's what you get all over the place if you try to Google for Husker Du games.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:39 (eleven years ago) link
yeaaaaaah
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:40 (eleven years ago) link
honestly had no idea if that was a fave or not, esp since i think i read that it was rarely played live
if anyone has that alt take of You Can Live... in mp3 form I definitely DO NOT want to hear about it in an ILX webmail. That is one remarkable performance.
― you only write about... pleassssure (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:42 (eleven years ago) link
got a feeling at least 1 of the tracks i'd've had in my top 3 isn't gonna make the poll at all but cd be wrong
also i didn't vote so screw me
― Shane Breen is a gigantic tool (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:46 (eleven years ago) link
30. Hardly Getting Over It29. Turn On the News28. I Apologize28. It's Not Funny Anymore26. In A Free Land26. Flexible Flyer24. Powerline23. Diane23. She Floated Away21. Divide and Conquer20. Terms of Psychic Warfare19. Whatever18. Sorry Somehow17. Could You Be the One?16. I'll Never Forget You15. What's Going On14. Flip Your Wig13. Books About UFOs12. You Can Live At Home11. GamesSpotify link
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:58 (eleven years ago) link
I like this version of Could You Be The One with Bob adding a lot more interest to the vocal lines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmk_Fw1GrMk
Also so weird to see these clips of them appearing on these mainstream TV shows, at the time i had no idea they were getting quite such a push by Warners.
― Albert Crampus (NickB), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 22:00 (eleven years ago) link
oops, didn't mean to embed, sorry for rude
God I love 'Games' so much.
― Gavin, Leeds, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 22:36 (eleven years ago) link
That whole Huskers outtakes disc can be found here:
hxxp://captainsdead.com/husker-du-up-in-the-air-studio-outtakes.html
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 22:38 (eleven years ago) link
"Books About UFOs" was my #1. One of the most joyous songs I can think of. I remember how utterly out of nowhere it seemed to appear on New Day Rising--there had been definite hints of a pop sensibility before on "It's Not Funny Anymore" and parts of Zen Arcade, but nothing like that. If it's based a real girl, that was the girl for me. She sounds like the most perfect and perfectly flaky '70s kind of girl.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 22:47 (eleven years ago) link
That "Books" clip is so good. The kid walking back and forth, the people in back who are barely paying attention...Part of me wants to say, "Don't you know who this is? Don't you know what he's playing?" But in other ways, everything seems exactly as it ought to be for "Books About UFOs." Why wasn't I there?!
― clemenza, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:03 (eleven years ago) link
People who prefer Hart to Mould: is it about lyrics? I just realized that Hart probably wrote much better lyrics.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:26 (eleven years ago) link