I POLLED the Megahertz - ILM Artist Poll #100 - Prefab Sprout - RESULTS

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.

wow this feels low

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.

It's pretty good! Their one and only (commercially released) cover, come to think of it?! Maybe I'm forgetting something...

https://images2.imgbox.com/4b/39/d1fCR5Fd_o.jpg

#46
I NEVER PLAY BASKETBALL NOW
from Swoon (1984)
Points: 84
Votes: 5 (0)
Youtube audio

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 girls
I'll never kiss

One Swoon track that didn't receive (or really need) any help from me, IIRC. Nice.

A great song with so many unexpected twists. That second half of Swoon is so good and constantly surprises me.

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

xps

“Streets of Laredo” is a cover!

Oh yeah!

https://images2.imgbox.com/fd/a4/2IAgPib1_o.jpg

#45
PRISONER OF THE PAST
from Andromeda Heights (1997)
Points: 85
Votes: 6 (0)
Youtube: original promo video

"knock on wood" is way too fuckin low y'all

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. :)

this only reinforces that "when the angels" was shockingly low

https://images2.imgbox.com/10/68/eaQoXNIx_o.jpg

#44
PARIS SMITH
from Jordan: The Comeback (1990)
Points: 88
Votes: 6 (0)
Youtube audio

didn't vote for it, but like everything on jordan, it can devastate me if i look at it the right way

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*

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).

https://images2.imgbox.com/14/f1/T5TKL50n_o.png

#43
WICKED THINGS
from Protest Songs (1989)
Points: 99
Votes: 6 (0)
Youtube audio

don't you grow up a snob

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 first first-place vote here. I'll go through to #41 then give it a rest...

https://images2.imgbox.com/30/c8/jypSxAne_o.jpg

#42
THE END OF THE AFFAIR
from Protest Songs (1989)
Points: 102
Votes: 5 (1)
Youtube audio

probably should have voted for this one, certainly the best from its period and baffling that it was only a b-side

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.

yeah i really should have voted for "end of the affair"

Whoops!

from "Prisoner of the Past" single (1997)

(referring to “Wicked Things,” of course)

Yeah, “The End of the Affair” is the clear highlight of their ‘97 output. I would never have heard of it if not for this poll—so, thanks!

Damn, messed up the Youtube link too:

The End of the Affair

'The End of the Affair' was ny number one - was worried if it was going to make it.

I actually though, as I posted that, "aphoristical, at least, probably isn't asleep." LOL

https://images2.imgbox.com/bd/24/QFt1U7c0_o.jpg

#41
ELEGANCE
from Swoon (1984)
Points: 102
Votes: 6 (0)
Youtube audio

I'll leave it at that for a while. I'll resume when it's Wednesday in more places.

Enjoying the results so far. Elegance is another Swoon highlight. Paris Smith ended up in my top 10 and seems to creep up my favourite Jordan songs every time I play it. Prisoner Of The Past is a nice tune, I just could never get on with the brass though. It made the song sound instantly dated when it came out.

The story so far-ah-ah-ah
                                                       Points   Votes  #1 Votes
41  Elegance                           Swoon (1984)    102      6      0
42  The End Of The Affair              B-Side (1997)   102      5      1
43  Wicked Things                      PS (1989)        99      6      0
44  Paris Smith                        JTC {1990)       88      6      0
45  A Prisoner of the Past             AH (1997)        85      6      0
46  I Never Play Basketball Now        Swoon (1984)     84      5      0
47  When the Angels                    SMc (1985)       79      7      0
48  Knock on Wood                      FLPTM (1988)     79      5      0
49  Earth: The Story So Far            LCtWwM (2009)    77      5      0
50  Til the Cows Come Home             PS (1989)        76      5      0
51  Donna Summer                       B-side (1984)    75      6      0
52  Billy                              C/R (2013)       74      4      0
53  Cornfield Ablaze                   TG&OS (2001)     71      5      0
54  God Watch Over You                 LCtWwM (2009)    68      5      0
55  Diana                              PS (1989)        65      4      0
56  Weightless                         AH (1997)        64      4      0
57= Machine Gun Ibiza                  JTC {1990)       62      4      0
57= One of the Broken                  JTC {1990)       62      4      0
59  Couldn't Bear to Be Special        Swoon (1984)     61      6      0
60  Tiffanys                           PS (1989)        59      3      0

Okay, I'll endeavour to drop 10 more over the next 6 hours or so. Mostly much later on, but here's one for now:

https://images2.imgbox.com/b2/f2/NTaFJplS_o.jpg

#40
GREEN ISAAC
from Swoon (1984)
Points: 107
Votes: 8 (0)
Youtube audio

I guess this should really be labelled "Green Isaac I". "GI II" did receive 2 points which are not included here. Rest assured that combining their points would not have changed this ranking. LOL.

https://images2.imgbox.com/15/0f/yYQ27Cho_o.jpg

#39
JORDAN: THE COMEBACK
from Jordan: The Comeback (1990)
Points: 110
Votes: 6 (0)
Youtube audio

https://images2.imgbox.com/8a/74/Sa1hVXKq_o.jpg

#38
HEY MANHATTAN!
from From Langley Park to Memphis (1988)
Points: 110
Votes: 7 (0)
Youtube: original promo video

"jordan: the comeback" is such an odd track with the spoken word elvis impression in the verses and the endless repetition of the chorus, but what a great chorus! i still don't really understand what the track is supposed to be about though - there's elvis obviously, secretly alive and planning a comeback? and jordan is the river jordan of biblical importance right? but i'm not sure what it's supposed to symbolis and looking that up doesn't really provide any clear answers that relate to the track, so how all that fits together i have no clue. a lot of the lyrics on this album are like that for me - there's american iconography and religious references but thrown together in a way that's intriguing but i have no idea how to make sense of.

"hey manhattan" just missed my ballot but listening now i think i should have voted for it after all

I think about 83.9% of the reason I voted for "Hey Manhattan" = disco strings.

https://images2.imgbox.com/51/a2/2hWpNdEv_o.jpg

#37
RIDE
from Let's Change the World with Music (2009)
Points: 113
Votes: 6 (0)
Youtube audio

When I had my ridiculously belated LCTWWM epiphany a month or two ago "Ride" was the track that first reeled me in. The rest of the record revealed its charms more slowly, but seemed to overshadow "Ride" somewhat, such that I'm pretty sure I didn't contribute at all to this placement. Nice work, you six people!

Nice, Ride was my #4

ride!!!

XP: One might think I'd know what I voted for innit. My ballot only existed in the results spreadsheet and I've got out of the habit of opening it since extracting the final numbers!

Anyway, I need to pick up the pace...

https://images2.imgbox.com/55/51/uiDKfPg2_o.jpg

#36
HORSIN' AROUND
from Steve McQueen (1985)
Points: 114
Votes: 8 (0)
Youtube audio

As an achievement in production and orchestration, Hey Manhattan is incredible.