I made the decision not to vote for any Utopia in the songs poll, there were too many solo songs that I felt needed a place; but this is worthy.
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 26 March 2021 20:37 (three years ago) link
‘Love Is The Answer’-Todd at his most Todd like...not many artists could get away with a song that could’ve been grade A schmaltz but actually ends up being just utterly profound...so so great
― X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Friday, 26 March 2021 20:43 (three years ago) link
This song was super cathartic at the benefit w Utopia backing him that he played I saw in NYC a few years back. And he sang the shit out of it.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 20:44 (three years ago) link
I bet...gives me goosebumps thinking about that
― X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Friday, 26 March 2021 20:48 (three years ago) link
Speaking of goosebumps ...#13 - 175 points - 10 votes - 1 first place voteTodd Rundgren - "Long Flowing Robe" - from Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren, 1971At Live from Daryl’s House:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDhF-OF7zQ0
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 20:51 (three years ago) link
Did somebody else have a hit with "Love Is The Answer?" Seems like there's a version out there that I'm subconsciously more familiar with.
― henry s, Friday, 26 March 2021 20:56 (three years ago) link
The only Nazz song I know I suspect is yet to come... "Forget All About It" is a great discovery though.
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:13 (three years ago) link
Yep. England Dan and John Ford Coley
― Jeff W, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:14 (three years ago) link
xp
Of "You are the Woman" fame.
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:16 (three years ago) link
Ah, thanks! I knew there was a soft-rock version that I was more aware of, if only as aural wallpaper.
― henry s, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:16 (three years ago) link
Did we miss #14?
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:18 (three years ago) link
Wei did! Which is why Long Flowing Robe had that Last Ride performance. Let’s try this again:#14 - 174 points - 7 votes - 1 first place voteTodd Rundgren - "The Last Ride" - from Todd, 1974Live from Daryl’s House: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDhF-OF7zQ0 #13 - 175 points - 10 votes - 1 first place voteTodd Rundgren - "Long Flowing Robe" - from Runt. The Ballad of Todd Rundgren, 1971
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:27 (three years ago) link
Note that there is a huge jump from here on out where in point totals-- where the consensus tracks really start to take shape.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:28 (three years ago) link
#12 - 264 points - 11 votes - 1 first place voteNazz - "Open My Eyes" - from Nazz, 1968#112 on US Billboardhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apW-fj11T_k
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:38 (three years ago) link
My favorite version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-bZtOTUbSU
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:39 (three years ago) link
that '75 show very much worth seeking out btw
― frogbs, Friday, 26 March 2021 21:43 (three years ago) link
Shine on us all <3
― brimstead, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:00 (three years ago) link
Re: something/anything it was perverse of him to throw Hello It’s Me in the middle of the wtf-ness of side 4
― brimstead, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:02 (three years ago) link
Typical Todd.
Re. the Hammersmith Odeon show in '75, there are some videos of that lineup with Luther Vandross from that tour. The story Myers tells behind how Vandross ended up on the tour is interesting. Basically, two keyboardists from the first iteration of Utopia left -- partly bc Todd made the decision around this time to to relocate his main studio from NYC to upstate New York (Mink Hollow) and Moogy Klingman wanted to stay in the city. He apparently made Roger Powell audition for the band again because he had only done the weird synth stuff, not any of the keyboard or organ parts. Even tho he passed, Todd apparently wasn't sure the new version of the band could hack the vocal arrangements of these songs as a four piece, so he brought two of the guys from Another Live and added Luther.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:05 (three years ago) link
#11 - 266 points - 12 votesRunt - "We Gotta Get You a Woman" - from Runt, 1970#20 on US Billboard
#10 - 266 points - 15 votes - 3 first place votesTodd Rundgren - "Love of the Common Man" - from Faithful, 1976
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:06 (three years ago) link
Is Love in Action going to make the top 10? I think I have the rest figured out, but not sure if Love in Action will make it?
― aphoristical, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:10 (three years ago) link
I guess Bang on the Drum All Day is another possibility too.
Probably not "Drunken Blue Rooster".
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:13 (three years ago) link
PISS AARON #1
― "what are you DOING to fleetwood mac??" (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 26 March 2021 22:20 (three years ago) link
#9 - 280 points - 15 votesTodd Rundgren - "Can We Still Be Friends?" - from Hermit of Mink Hollow, 1978#29 on US BillboardI love the live version of this on the A Cappella tour with the chorus, but I can't find it on YouTube anywhere.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:20 (three years ago) link
how did I forget to vote for Piss Aaron?
― billstevejim, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:27 (three years ago) link
"Forget All About It" and Nazz Nazz were my #1s. I felt like they needed some love.
― billstevejim, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:31 (three years ago) link
Also that Cheap Trick album has "I Can't Take It" which is my favorite of theirs.
― billstevejim, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:32 (three years ago) link
“love of the common” man was my number 1, pure perfection
― brimstead, Friday, 26 March 2021 22:55 (three years ago) link
uh misplaced quotation mark
#8 - 280 points - 13 votesTodd Rundgren - "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" - from Something/Anything?, 1972
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 23:04 (three years ago) link
#7 - 300 points - 15 votes - 1 first place voteTodd Rundgren - "Sometimes I Don’t Know What To Feel" - from A Wizard, a True Star, 1973
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 23:05 (three years ago) link
This song is all about the line in which the car runs over his dog.
^^ absolutely and when he says about not wanting to admit to his friends about feeling confused...so devastating
― X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Friday, 26 March 2021 23:09 (three years ago) link
I want to say something like this is the weirdest poll ever, maybe that's not the way to phrase it.
― It Is Dangerous to Meme Inside (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 26 March 2021 23:33 (three years ago) link
Like much more diverse results throughout, than the few other polls I've participated in.
― It Is Dangerous to Meme Inside (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 26 March 2021 23:36 (three years ago) link
such a great song
― brimstead, Friday, 26 March 2021 23:42 (three years ago) link
so dramatic when he goes from the optimistic “keep on keepin on” part back into the darkness of the chorus
my favorite part of “difference” is the swoopy synth arpeggio right before the last chorus
― brimstead, Friday, 26 March 2021 23:43 (three years ago) link
Sometimes I Don’t Know What to Feel was the one I forgot about, which is funny since it’s the poll title. That dog line has always bothered me - Todd’s a bit too intrinsically goofy to pull it off for me.
― aphoristical, Friday, 26 March 2021 23:46 (three years ago) link
Yeah but it’s him in a nutshell again: this beautiful soulful tune about heartbreak ... over his dog getting flattened by a car.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 23:48 (three years ago) link
#6 371 points - 16 votes - 1 first place voteTodd Rundgren - "A Dream Goes On Forever" - from Todd, 1974#69 on US Billboard
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 23:49 (three years ago) link
The best-known song from what I think is his masterpiece – subtle little drum box and keyboard work, great background vocals and overall a nice refraction of his Nyro/King songwriting style. Not on my ballot.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 26 March 2021 23:54 (three years ago) link
I really can’t think of another songwriter who absolutely expresses himself so eloquently and beautifully in a song...it’s that mixture of sadness and joy that always gets me in the pit of my stomach...I’ll shut up now
― X-Prince Protégé (sonnyboy), Saturday, 27 March 2021 00:01 (three years ago) link
No! Please don't.
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 27 March 2021 00:02 (three years ago) link
I think I voted for everything from 11 to 6.
― Running Wild in the 21st Century (Sund4r), Saturday, 27 March 2021 00:10 (three years ago) link
Ok! So we're in the top 5 now. Here's a much belated summary of the countdown so far:
50. Tiny Demons 5449. The Night the Carousel Burned Down 5548. When the Shit Hits the Fan / Sunset Blvd. 5947. You Cried Wolf 5946. Hurting For You 6345. Time Heals 6344. Slut 6943. Crybaby 7042. Is It My Name? 7341. All the Children Sing 7740. Drive 8239. Marlene 8238. Determination 8437. God Said 8436. I Don't Want to Tie You Down 8436. Wolfman Jack 8434. Parallel Lines 8833. Black Maria 9232. Boat on the Charles 9331. Hideaway 9330. Cold Morning Light 9429. Initiation 9928. Zen Archer 9927. Cliché 10026. Don't You Ever Learn? 10826. One More Day (No Word) 10824. Be Nice to Me 11324. Izzat Love? 11322. Real Man 11521. Wailing Wall 12020. Heavy Metal Kids 12519. Baby Let’s Swing/The Last Thing You Said/Don’t Tie My Hands 13318. Forget All About It 14917. The Verb "To Love" 15616. Healing 16615. Love Is the Answer 16914. The Last Ride 17413. Long Flowing Robe 17512. Open My Eyes 26411. Love of the Common Man 26610. We Gotta Get You a Woman 2669. Can We Still Be Friends? 2808. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference 2927. Sometimes I Don’t Know What To Feel 3006. A Dream Goes On Forever 371
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 27 March 2021 00:19 (three years ago) link
#5 - 377 points - 15 votes - 2 first place votesTodd Rundgren - "Couldn't I Just Tell You" - from Something/Anything?, 1972#93 on US Billboard