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#53CORNFIELD ABLAZEfrom The Gunman and Other Stories (2001)Points: 71Votes: 5 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 13:43 (four years ago) link
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#52BILLYfrom Crimson/Red (2013)Points: 74Votes: 4 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 13:56 (four years ago) link
"cornfield ablaze" may be the best later-prefab sprout song
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 14:10 (four years ago) link
billy is a nice song, glad it placed around here
― ooga booga-ing for the bourgeoisie (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 14:10 (four years ago) link
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#51DONNA SUMMERfrom "When Love Breaks Down" single (1984)Points: 75Votes: 6 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 14:14 (four years ago) link
^ Last one for the moment. Give me maybe 7 hours and should be able to drop a few more!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 14:18 (four years ago) link
donna summer is the first from my ballot to place! really amazing b-side, feels like a slightly softer and dreamier cousin of "hallelujah"
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 14:36 (four years ago) link
I didn't end up voting for any B-sides. If I'd had another 20 places I would have found room for Donna Summer and a couple of others.
Couldn't Bear To Be Special is one of the songs that really stood out when I first got Swoon about 15 years ago. I'd already had Steve McQueen for years, but weirdly it was Swoon that made me get obsessed with them. This song in particular just got into my head. It's brilliant they put such a strange downbeat song out as a single (although it I guess that was fairly common in the early 80s). I love the way he sings, "I couldn't bear.. RIGHT!" with that noise that follows.
Cornfield Ablaze just missed my list. Definitely the standout from their weakest album.
― kitchen person, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 14:52 (four years ago) link
"You overwhelmed agricultural man,/You wild pyromaniac daughter of Pan"Magnificent.
― woof, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 15:09 (four years ago) link
Billy was a late cut for me. Was scrambling around for reasons to trim, and it feels a bit lopsided - third verse hasn't got much new, and the coda strolls along amiably enough for too long. BUT it's brought SO much joy by then - the flickering between bill, billy, william, "her smile is like a fairground", and that "Trumpets come and trumpets go/Amazing what gets left out in the snow".
― woof, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 15:18 (four years ago) link
Glad to see Donna Summer placing. I put it in my top 10. As much as I love the slow lounge version, the thrashy version they did as a three-piece live is great.
― righteousmaelstrom, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 15:31 (four years ago) link
Gave points to 59, both 57s and 55 in the lower half of my ballot. Pleased they all made it.
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 17:06 (four years ago) link
Billy and Cornfield Blaze are both major late-career highlights for me - placing so low probably indicates there's not a whole lot more to come from the post-Andromeda Heights albums.
― aphoristical, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 20:29 (four years ago) link
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#50'TIL THE COWS COME HOMEfrom Protest Songs (1989)Points: 76Votes: 5 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 21:53 (four years ago) link
Choosing period-matched band portraits is amusing when the composition, recording and/or actual commercial release were so often a decade apart. :)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 22:18 (four years ago) link
this one is unremarkable imo
― ooga booga-ing for the bourgeoisie (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 22:31 (four years ago) link
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#49EARTH, THE STORY SO FARfrom Let's Change the World with Music (2009)Points: 77Votes: 5 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 22:40 (four years ago) link
I quipped in the other thread that many of my selections were hovering precariously around #50. That only became more true with late voting. But with "Earth" it wasn't even vaguely a contender until the final few ballots. High-five later voters!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 22:55 (four years ago) link
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#48KNOCK ON WOODfrom From Langley Park to Memphis (1988)Points: 79Votes: 5 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 23:11 (four years ago) link
the synth soundscape of "earth" is wonderful, i voted for it
― ufo, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 23:37 (four years ago) link
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#47WHEN THE ANGELSfrom Steve McQueen (1985)Points: 79Votes: 7 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 23:49 (four years ago) link
First one of mine to place!
I think I have a good chance of having everything I voted for place. I only submitted a 20-track ballot, and all but two of my tracks are from 1985-90.
― Maria Edgelord (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 23:54 (four years ago) link
wow this feels low
― ufo, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:02 (four years ago) link
Question: Now that we have the first SM/TWG song appearance, what is the consensus on a cover such as 'He'll Have to Go'? I think it's a great version, but didn't place it on my ballot because it is a cover. Probably should have asked this on the earlier thread.
― righteousmaelstrom, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:11 (four years ago) link
It's pretty good! Their one and only (commercially released) cover, come to think of it?! Maybe I'm forgetting something...
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:29 (four years ago) link
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#46I NEVER PLAY BASKETBALL NOWfrom Swoon (1984)Points: 84Votes: 5 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:35 (four years ago) link
Love this one! Not sure if I placed it high enough.
Great lines too!
It joins the list of things I'll miss,Like fencing foils and lovely girlsI'll never kiss
― righteousmaelstrom, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:41 (four years ago) link
One Swoon track that didn't receive (or really need) any help from me, IIRC. Nice.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:44 (four years ago) link
A great song with so many unexpected twists. That second half of Swoon is so good and constantly surprises me.
― kitchen person, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:54 (four years ago) link
Kind of the apex of McAloon's complex chord structures; I like this instructional video showing all the changes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgMnIW8BChE
― aphoristical, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:55 (four years ago) link
xps
“Streets of Laredo” is a cover!
― Maria Edgelord (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:02 (four years ago) link
Oh yeah!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:04 (four years ago) link
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#45PRISONER OF THE PASTfrom Andromeda Heights (1997)Points: 85Votes: 6 (0)Youtube: original promo video
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:19 (four years ago) link
"knock on wood" is way too fuckin low y'all
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:23 (four years ago) link
I'm conscious that at some point only the antipodean contingent and some northern hemisphere insomniacs will be tuning in. If anyone comes to feel strongly that I should pause I will happily do so. :)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:24 (four years ago) link
this only reinforces that "when the angels" was shockingly low
― ufo, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:38 (four years ago) link
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#44PARIS SMITHfrom Jordan: The Comeback (1990)Points: 88Votes: 6 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:54 (four years ago) link
didn't vote for it, but like everything on jordan, it can devastate me if i look at it the right way
― ooga booga-ing for the bourgeoisie (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:59 (four years ago) link
i voted for knock on wood, such a creepy vibe. the groove reminds me of xtc, a bit.
"Paris Smith" has risen markedly in my estimation during this exercise. Somehow took until 2020 to make much of an impression! *blushes*
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:04 (four years ago) link
I voted for both of these. Not sure what to say about "Prisoner of the Past" other than that I love the horns, while "Paris Smith" makes it almost entirely on the strength of its chorus (which I included on my lyric ballot).
― Maria Edgelord (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:12 (four years ago) link
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#43WICKED THINGSfrom Protest Songs (1989)Points: 99Votes: 6 (0)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:18 (four years ago) link
don't you grow up a snob
― ooga booga-ing for the bourgeoisie (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:20 (four years ago) link
Fun now wondering if/where some choices will appear. Like Bearpark. Happy that others rated Til the Cows. There's a gentle almost wistfulness to that chorus that makes it a fave on that album.
― the body of a spider... (scampering alpaca), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:32 (four years ago) link
The first first-place vote here. I'll go through to #41 then give it a rest...
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#42THE END OF THE AFFAIRfrom Protest Songs (1989)Points: 102Votes: 5 (1)Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:40 (four years ago) link
probably should have voted for this one, certainly the best from its period and baffling that it was only a b-side
― ufo, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:42 (four years ago) link
My one Protest Sings vote. A lot of that album feels demo-y, to me, but that’s one song where the lack of adornment fits the song’s hesitant tone.
― Maria Edgelord (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:43 (four years ago) link
yeah i really should have voted for "end of the affair"
― ufo, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:43 (four years ago) link
Whoops!
from "Prisoner of the Past" single (1997)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:44 (four years ago) link
(referring to “Wicked Things,” of course)
― Maria Edgelord (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:44 (four years ago) link