Fantaverse Top 100 Songs of All Time (THREAD #1): #100-#91

[Shrykespeare]

SONG #92


Shrykespeare
Weezer, “Say It Ain’t So”

Though their “Buddy Holly” video is one of the coolest ever created, the guitar riff from this song’s chorus had me at hello. Impassioned, melancholy lyrics from one of the unsung heroes of the last fifteen years. (Side note: I rock the karaoke version of this song.)


I love the part at 2:37 where the guy comes in an starts doing his laundry like there's nothing else going on in the room.


NSpan
Blue Cheer, “Summertime Blues” (1968)

A classic song with countless quality covers--but Blue Cheer does it definitively in my book. Not only do they play it louder and harder than anyone else (even The Who, who have a fantastic rendition on Live at Leeds). They rarely get credit for it, but Blue Cheer was the first heavy-metal band. Obviously they were still very blues-oriented, but they bridged the gap into the new genre. Their debut album (on which "Summertime Blues" is featured) beat Deep Purple's debut albums by six months, Zeppelin's by a year, and Sabbath's by two. Though, it should be noted that both Jimi Hendrix and Vanilla Fudge provided the heavy psychedelic-blues groundwork a year earlier. And, if you really want to get into it, Jeff Beck (with and without the Yardbirds), the brothers Davies (from the Kinks), Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend should be noted for making the distortion and fuzz-heavy guitar-based records that inspried bands like Blue Cheer. Anyway, “Summertime Blues” simply kicks ass--no matter its place in musical history.




Numbersix
Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”

I loved this song as a kid, mostly for the video I imagine. But it’s a brilliantly catchy pop tune that I believe is about the idea of meaning residing not so much in the ultimate destination, whatever that may be, but in the journey itself. Yeah, that’s a cliché, but Talking Heads made it such an entertaining one.

(MODERATOR’S NOTE: A thousand apologies, but YouTube’s apparently ONLY version of the actual video for this song has been “removed due to terms violation”, so I had to replace it with the best version I could find. Sorry, six.)




Geezer
Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama”

No list of mine would be complete without a little Skynyrd! I came awfully close to putting “Free Bird” on here too, but it couldn't quite cut it. But “Sweet Home Alabama” is just a classic. You hear it and you just want to grab a beer and have a good time. You've ALL heard it, and I hope you all love it as much as you should! Hope you like the video I chose too, thought it would be appropriate for a movie website.




becs
Mindless Self Indulgence, “Straight to Video”

Ah MSI, they don't really fit into the list honestly, but I love them too much to leave them off. MSI is the utter angry anti-establishment electronic band, they swear a lot and say many dirty things, but they make awesome music. This is one of their more tame songs, but the reason I like it is because it by chance came across this goth/industrial station I used to listen to online and I rushed to my nearest Hot Topic to pick up the cd, and I've been listening to them ever since.




undeadmonkey
Cher, “Believe”

My first true guilty pleasure, I don’t feel that guilty for like most of my songs but this one I do. I never knew what really attracted me to it, but oh well. I also kinda see her as the Lady Gaga of the ‘80s and ‘90s.




leestu
Augie March, “One Crowded Hour” (2006)

Another Australian band. (They occur frequently in this starting section of the countdown, but only a couple after that). A great song with a poetic lyrical style that grows on you with every listen until you end up full of admiration for the artistry. While finding the video I discovered that apparently Johnny Depp has been recommending this song to anyone who’ll listen. Good taste Johnny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWolAjUkTrQ


Buscemi
Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson, “What's It Gonna Be?!”

A gulity pleasure pick from when I was eight years old. The best of Busta Rhymes' limited output of good songs and a great video to boot.




silversurfer
The Bluetones , “If…”

Just a really cute pop song, If starts out quite quiet and unassuming before exploding into a full blown singalong at its end, just a really fun song I loved to play in my mid teens.

(MODERATOR’S NOTE: You may have to turn the sound up on this one, the quality is not all that good.)




transformers
Korn, “Make Me Bad”

Korn is such an original band. Sure they have some haters but their music is very unique. I really love the vibe to this track and the lyrics are f--king awesome.




W
George Jones, “The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)"

Pretty funny little twist at the end.

[Buscemi]

On Geezer's song:

Sweet Home Alabama is seriously one of the most overplayed songs of all-time. It's also really bad when it's misused (such as Kentucky Fried Chicken ads and a Kid Rock song about Michigan). Free Bird and Gimme Three Steps are better Skynyrd songs.

On Becs' song:

Dennise (who I mentioned on my Sweet Jane intro) tried to get me into Mindless Self Indulgence (she had some songs of theirs on her iPod). I felt that it was nothing more than a bunch of tone-deaf screaming into microphones (plus their music reminded me too much of Anal Cunt).

[NSpan]

Another good round, overall.

Great pick, Shrykey. Definitely one of my favorite Weezer songs (right up there, in fact, with "Suzanne" and their cover of the Pixies' "Velouria" as my absolute favorites). I loved their first two albums from start to finish--along with the corresponding B-sides--but I REALLY lost interest in these guys after that. Hell, Pinkerton is essentially a concept album explaining why they couldn't continue as a band........... What happened to THAT, Rivers?

PS. Sorry, looks like I got a bit rambly in my description of "Summertime Blues".. I think I wrote that well-past my bedtime--but that seems to be becoming a trend with my submissions....

PPS. Geezer loses for playing it TOO safe.

... Gimme Three Steps ...

Good call. Their best, in my opinion.

[Shrykespeare]

My reactions (in order of preference):

numbersix - Talking Heads, "Road to Nowhere" - I've always loved this song. Pity the original video got deep-sixed... maybe it will reappear someday.

Transformers – Korn, “Make Me Bad” – Boy, there seems to be no middle ground with your picks and my taste. I either really like them or truly hate them. I was never much into Korn, but I really like this song, especially when the tempo kicks up and the chorus starts. Cool cheesy sci-fi video, too. Does the guitar player always play like that, with the base of the guitar around his crotch?

Silversurfer – The Bluetones, “If…” – Good song. I tried not to let the poor sound quality affect my opinion of the song, but I like it. It’s got a kind of retro quality to it, like Crowded House filtered through Squeeze. Nice choice!

Geezer - Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Sweet Home Alabama" - I promise not to give you crap about this song (although, to be fair, I'm one of the few who DIDN'T give you crap about your Boston song). It's a classic, to be sure, but I just don't like it as much as I used, for the simple fact that I've heard it too, too many times.

leestu – Augie March, “One Crowded Hour” – I kind of liked it. Don’t really think it affected me much either way, though. The lead singer sure looks like the love child of Michael J. Fox and Eric Stoltz, doesn’t he?

becs – Mindless Self Indulgence, “Straight to Video” – Parts of this song sound very 80’s, which is the only reason that I don’t actively dislike this song. Don’t really care for the vocals.

W – George Jones, “The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)" – Boy, that’s the third anecdotal country song since we started, and the first that wasn’t a Cash song. Decent song, but I don’t like country, so I won’t be listening to it again.

Buscemi – Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson, “What’s It Gonna Be?!” – The only reason I watched this video all the way through was to see where the $2 million they spent on it went. Very impressive technologically, but musically it’s just not my thing.

NSpan - Blue Cheer, "Summertime Blues" - I've heard numerous covers this song as well, but had never heard this one before. It's easily my least favorite. Sorry, braw.

undeadmonkey – Cher, “Believe” – Oh, monkey, you were doing so well. This is one of the few songs I hate more than “Friends in No Places” (and yes, the substitution is deliberate). I never want to hear this song again. Bravo to Cher for her myriad career, but no. And as for your comparison, Lady Gaga already has more songs that I would rather listen to now than Cher does.


Also, I want to get everyone’s take on a few things. Since after we post #91, we will be switching to a new thread, should we take a day off from posting new stuff in order to do a recap/retrospective of the last ten days? We can give our impressions, our favorite songs, our least favorite songs, the coolest new stuff we’ve already discovered, and as a bonus, maybe we can each post another random song that didn’t QUITE make our list.

Of course, this is a democracy, so all of you get a vote. If you’d rather just keep plowing ahead without pause, that’s cool too.

One other bit of news: Banks has informed us that he will be joining us at some point. I’m pleased to announce that my best friend Tom (who is not a Fantaversian but is also a big movie fan) will also be joining our countdown, though I’m not sure when.

I hope that others will join us along the way. Frendo, if you’re reading this, you once expressed an interest. Are you still thinking about joining us?

And one final, final thing. W suggested that when we reach #1, instead of posting everyone's #1 on the same day, we give everyone their own special day, and post one #1 per day. (It will serve to draw this thing out almost till the end of July.)

[Buscemi]

Don't forget that all of Cher's songs since 1998 have used autotune in some way.

[NSpan]

My vote goes to not skipping any days (exceptin' a possible sick-day or two for you, Shryke--provided the need arises)...

I thought adding #105-#101 was kinda silly in the first place, so I'm also against adding more "didn't-quite-make-it songs".. I mean, we already have over 1000 of our FAVORITE songs to dig through over the next 90 days--I'd hate to mitigate their weight/importance by featuring any more songs that didn't even make the cut in the first place.

A recap after only 10 rounds seems a little pre-emptive. If people like the idea of recaps, I say we do 'em after #75, #50, #25, and #1..

[Shrykespeare]

True, but we can recap the last ten songs on this thread while we simultaneously progress to Thread #2 (#90-#81). If no more videos are going to be posted on this thread after #91 (pending the vote), then recapping is all that will be done here anyway.

[undeadmonkey]

i sent my list in, sorry for procrastinating, i can go either or with a day off or keep chugging

[Shrykespeare]

Got it. Yours too, Geezer. That just leaves you, Buscemi. I can find and post videos for your songs on my own, but without a paragraph it'll just seem empty.

ETA: Buscemi got his in too. We're all good for about another week. The next ones to run out will be NSpan (I have up to #86), leestu (ditto), becs (up to #85) and W (up to #84).

[W]

Shryke - Weezer, "Say it Ain't So" - That is the only Weezer song I have came to like.

numbersix - Talking Heads, "Road to Nowhere" - I wasn't a fan of this one for one reason or another. Reminded me a little of ABBA.

Transformers – Korn, “Make Me Bad” – Korn has much better tracks in my opinion. Somehow I had three of their Follow the Leader albums at one point, though I only bought one of them... Anyways I'd rather have a different one...

Silversurfer – The Bluetones, “If…” – I could take it or leave it.

Geezer - Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Sweet Home Alabama" - I like this song a lot, which I'll go into later...

leestu – Augie March, “One Crowded Hour” – Hmm... I don't know what to think...

becs – Mindless Self Indulgence, “Straight to Video” – I like it. It reminds me of some of the 'softer' stuff Marilyn Manson did, particularly on the Mechanical Animals and "Tainted Love".

Buscemi – Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson, “What’s It Gonna Be?!” – I don't think this song deserved all of the special effects...

NSpan - Blue Cheer, "Summertime Blues" - I like the covers I've heard better as well.

undeadmonkey – Cher, “Believe” – Nope... Kind of makes you long for the 'Sonny' years...

[NSpan]

Numbersix -- Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”
Far from my favorite 'Heads song, but that certainly doesn't mean I don't thoroughly enjoy it.

Geezer -- Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama”
Despite givin' ya a ribbing about it, this is a great song. I hope Neil Young will remember...

becs -- Mindless Self Indulgence, “Straight to Video”
Not my thing, but I kinda dug it--at least much more than I thought I would after reading your summary.

silversurfer -- The Bluetones , “If…”
Very cool--but maybe not quite enough to make me seek out the rest of their work.

transformers -- Korn, “Make Me Bad”
Points for casting Udo Kier.

W -- George Jones, “The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)"
As I feel with a lot of George Jones: good, but not good enough for me to go out of my way to hear.



Favorites of the Round: Shryke and Geezer. Followed by Surfer and Six. And I'll type the name W because it's so short and easy to spell.

[undeadmonkey]

Shrykespeare
Weezer, “Say It Ain’t So”
love weezer, one of their songs also made it on my list


NSpan
Blue Cheer, “Summertime Blues” (1968)
great song, i find it interesting that this is your favorite version, i really like eddie cochran's version, hate alan jackson's version


Numbersix
Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”
loved it, was just fun to listen to. It reminded me of another song but i couldnt place it


Geezer
Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama”
love it, i dont care how many times i hear it. A truly great song you still love after hearing it a thousand times.


becs
Mindless Self Indulgence, “Straight to Video”
when you said that you picked it up at Hot Topic i really did not expect to like it but the beat and music is really catchy and fun. The video was funny too.


undeadmonkey
Cher, “Believe”
sorry again, i already apologized to shryke, and honestly no one has to listen to it. Im sure everyones heard it. haha, i was just being honest


leestu
Augie March, “One Crowded Hour” (2006)
not bad at all, really good, going to have to look up some more of their stuff


Buscemi
Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson, “What's It Gonna Be?!”
kinda liked it, never heard it before. but is this really the most expensive video ever at $2M? i was very underwhelmed by the video


silversurfer
The Bluetones , “If…”
it was a fun song and the video was quite fun too

transformers
Korn, “Make Me Bad”
wasnt too bad, not really my thing, i feel like our music tastes are complete opposites. but thats ok, i still thought the video was cool and creepy


W
George Jones, “The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)"
ive heard this song many times, but never knew what it was called. this is exactly the kind of country my dad listens too. Not really my thing, but im lovin it that im not the only one here that likes country. You have any george strait on your list?

[Buscemi]

Actually, the most expensive video of all time is Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson's Scream at $7 million.

[numbersix]

Shryke - Weezer, "Say it Ain't So"
I've always liked Weezer... but from a distance. My response to this is pretty much the same. I may not love it, but I do like it.

NSpan - Blue Cheer, “Summertime Blues” (1968)
Never heard of them, but it's a great version. Good pick! My favourite version of Summertime Blues is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgaVe6miq-8

Geezer - Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama”
Even if it wasn't ruined by the amount of ads its in and the amount of times its been sung on karoke nights, I'm still not sure if I'd like it.

becs - Mindless Self Indulgence, “Straight to Video”
I thought the lyrics were silly, and it sounded like a slightly sedated Marlyn Manson song to me.

undeadmonkey - Cher, “Believe”
As much as I try to listen to every song, I just couldn't. I heard it enough. This was the first autotune song I ever heard so I've come to resent "Believe" on so many levels.

leestu - Augie March, “One Crowded Hour” (2006)
When it started I kinda liked how it was going, but then it didn't go anywhere and I lost interest.

Buscemi - Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson, “What's It Gonna Be?!”
I liked the samples, and generally the music. couldn't grasp the lyrics so not sure what's going on there, but it was actually worth revisiting this song. It has aged well.

silversurfer - The Bluetones , “If…”
I forgot they had another song besides Slight Return! It's not something I could love, but it's a nice tune.

transformers - Korn, “Make Me Bad”
Hated the lyrics and the music was actually kinda boring.

W - George Jones, “The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)"
Bad country. BAD country.

[numbersix]

Looking at some comments...

W, I had to laugh when you compared that Talking Heads song to ABBA, a band I pretty much wholly dislike. I guess it's the upbeat rhythm? Interesting that we both heard Manson in that MSI song. NSpan, there'll be more Talking Heads in my list, so don't you worry.

As for the future, I'd prefer not to take a break, but that's only if you think you can handle that, Shryke. If you feel that a break is needed just for you to rest, then I'm totally behind that. I do like the idea of a recap every ten songs, considering that it's 100+ songs to think over, which seems more managable than every 25 songs (250+ to looks back over). In doing so, Shryke, are you planning to relist every song (just the name, song title, and artist)?

1 song a day for our #1 pick seems like a good idea, it will allow the others to concentrate on it.