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

[Shrykespeare]

Coming up at #91 (lots of fairly current songs):


A 2006 song by an American punk rock band from Chicago.
A 2003 Top 10 (UK) hit by an English alt/prog rock band.
A 2003 hit from an alt-rock/emo band from Utah.
A 2003 song by a Canadian indie-rock band.
A 2002 Top 20 hit by a very popular rock/pop/country female artist.
A 2002 album track by a Scottish electronic music duo.
A 1986 track by an American thrash metal band.
A 1984 song by a little-known (in the US, anyway) British synth-pop group.
A 1972 instrumental album track by one of rock's most legendary and influential bands.
A 1967 rock classic by a legendary psychedelic rock band.
An instrumental (don't know the original year) used more than once in movies by a very popular director.

[numbersix]

A 1967 rock classic by a legendary psychedelic rock band.

NSpan?

[Shrykespeare]

Actually, no, not this time.

[Leestu]

Shrykespeare
Weezer, “Say It Ain’t So”
I’ve heard a few Weezer songs, including The Sweater Song and Buddy Holly, but somehow not this one. That’s my misfortune because this was really, really good.

NSpan
Blue Cheer, “Summertime Blues” (1968)
You are continuing my musical education. Never knew of this version, and that's a shame seeing as it's the original, but it was great. Loved the sound of the guitars. I could even like this better than The Who’s version......maybe. And Six’s Asian punk version was pretty funny, in a good way like punk should be.

Numbersix
Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”
I loved this song when it came out and it still sounds great today.

Geezer
Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama”

Never really liked it. Why are they bagging Neil Young anyway?

becs
Mindless Self Indulgence, “Straight to Video”
Another new song I liked. Never heard of them before but I will probably check more of them out. I’m interested to hear some of their ‘not tame’ stuff. I've got a feeling I gonna like a lot of your choices. I don't mind "good" emo, and may even have at least one on my list.

undeadmonkey
Cher, “Believe”
Yuk! But this list is personal and subjective and should include our guilty pleasures so thumbs up to you; thumbs down to the song.

Buscemi
Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson, “What's It Gonna Be?!”
Worth watching once to see the video. Just turn the sound down. Seems a weak song even for this genre.

silversurfer
The Bluetones , “If…”
Like you said, a cute pop song. I don’t mind a bit of a na-na-na-na singalong.

transformers
Korn, “Make Me Bad”
I like Korn’s sound but “Issues” is a great album with better songs than this. Still good though.

W
George Jones, “The One I Loved Back Then (The Corvette Song)"
Country has to be good for me to like it. This isn't.

A round with highs and lows. Highs were from Six, Shryke & Nspan.

And Shryke: I am happy to go with the flow.

[Shrykespeare]

NSpan
Blue Cheer, “Summertime Blues” (1968)

Never knew of this version, and that's a shame seeing as it's the original...

Not quite, Leestu. I'm pretty sure the original was done by Eddie Cochran, ten years earlier.

[Shrykespeare]

Okay people, we have come to the end of our first decuplet of songs. After this batch of songs will come the usual critiques, followed by a recap of the last ten days. Tomorrow night, I will be creating Thread #2, and posting Song #90. In the meantime, here is:

SONG #91


Shrykespeare
Blancmange, “Don’t Tell Me”

How many of you even remember this group? Don’t quite remember exactly when I heard this song for the first time, but its catchy synth rhythms hooked me from the word go. This song was in my Top 20 when I did a list like this fifteen years ago; the fact that it’s #91 now is a testament to all the awesome stuff I’ve discovered (or re-discovered) on YouTube since then. There is an actual video for this, but there are gaps in the audio, and of lesser sound quality than this one.




NSpan
Pink Floyd, “Mudmen” (1972)

“Obscured by Clouds” provided a set of (albeit somewhat incoherent) blueprints for Floyd's next album, 1972's “Dark Side of the Moon”. "Childhood's End" is the most obvious example (a clear precursor to "Time"). But "Mudmen" (along with "Burning Bridges") predicts the perfected interplay between Gilmour's guitar and Wright's keys that would provide the backbone for one of the successful albums ever--as well as direct counterparts to "Any Colour You Like"). As a soundtrack album (for a Barbet Schroeder film no less), “Obscured by Clouds” had less opportunity to maintain a lyrical theme. But, musically, this album displayed the flowing quality that would identify their soon-to-come concept albums. These songs don't segue into each other like those on “Dark Side”, but that makes them easier to pick apart on an individual basis. I didn't include any tracks from Dark Side of the Moon or Animals on my list--but that's mostly due to the fact that I only listen to those as full-albums and it's difficult to even approach the tracks on a song-by-song basis. Maybe I'll save those for a 100 Favorite Albums list. "Mudmen" represents a high-water mark for Floyd in my mind: Waters had not yet highjacked complete creative control of the band, and it was still all about the SOUND (later, the lyrics would take more and more prominence--eventually to the point of compromising the music).




Numbersix
Boards of Canada, “Music is Math”

These guys are one the acts responsible for making me appreciate electronic music, something I initially found deeply inaccessible. There’s something about this music that sounds both claustrophobic and nostalgic. It’s a strange blend but also quite fascinating, almost like a discomfort that compels you to explore it more.




Geezer
Rise Against, “Prayer of the Refugee”

The other band with 6 songs on the countdown. Another one will be coming up really soon, as it was really hard for me to decide which I liked better between the two. Point being, they are absolutely amazing. Put on an absolutely incredible live show when I saw them too. “The Sufferer and the Witness” is probably my favorite CD that I own. In my opinion, Against Me! and Rise Against are the saviors of modern music, and they are both well represented on my list. Hope you enjoy a little modern punk




becs
The Used, “Buried Myself Alive”

Again, I love emo/screamo, and Bert is a great singer/songwriter, so The Used warranted at least one spot on my list. There are many other songs they are better known for, but this one always strikes a chord with me on, to me it is all about hurting and not letting yourself be taken advantage of.




undeadmonkey
Sheryl Crow, “Soak up the Sun”

One of the quintessential summer songs on my summer playlists, and let me say Sheryl Crow is beautiful for being old... er. A fun song to lounge out under the summer stars.




leestu
Muse, “Time Is Running Out” (2003)

I’m not sure if this is my favourite Muse song because I’ve heard it the most, or if I’ve listened to this the most because it’s my favourite. Objectively Knights of Cydonia and Supermassive Black Hole are examples of better Muse songs but subjectively this is the one that makes this list. Apparently the video is loosely based on Dr Strangelove.




Buscemi
Keith Mansfield, “Funky Fanfare”

A relatively obscure UK musician, Mansfield's output consisted of jazzy instrumental pieces. This track was best known for its usage on feature presentation and coming attractions snipes shown at 42nd street grindhouses in the 1970's. Quentin Tarantino would bring those snipes, along with “Funky Fanfare”, into the mainstream with Kill Bill and Grindhouse. Special thanks to Quentin Tarantino.




silversurfer
The Dears, “Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe?”

I first heard The Dears' music about 5 years ago having read numerous reviews of how great this band were, so I skipped off to my local cd store and picked up their debut. Murray Lightburn's voice was just so infectious, sounding almost like a Damon Alburn but with the most inspiring sound since Jeff Buckley at times that I fell in love with them. No Cities Left is a great album, and this my highlight. It is so insense and full of emotions.




transformers
Slayer, “Angel Of Death”

Not much to say about this one. This track just kicks a lot of ass.




W
The Doors, “Love Me Two Times”

Go ahead and skip to 1:40. There's over a minute and a have of Morrison's spoken word stuff, which really isn't the point of the video for us. One of my favorite Doors songs and probably my favorite instrumentally from them.

[Leestu]

NSpan
Blue Cheer, “Summertime Blues” (1968)

Never knew of this version, and that's a shame seeing as it's the original...

Not quite, Leestu. I'm pretty sure the original was done by Eddie Cochran, ten years earlier.

Misread Nspan's intro. My mistake.

[W]

Shrykespeare
Blancmange, “Don’t Tell Me” - Though I haven't really delved into the band, it kind of reminds me of what I've heard of Duran Duran. Not a big fan, but I could listen to it if I had to.

NSpan
Pink Floyd, “Mudmen” (1972) - Other stuff I like says I should be a fan of Floyd, but besides The Wall part 2, and a couple other specific tracks that slip my mind right now, I'm not.

Numbersix
Boards of Canada, “Music is Math” - Not a fan of most industrial/electronic stuff.

Geezer
Rise Against, “Prayer of the Refugee” - There's something there... Maybe another song (or five) will sway me in one direction or the other.

becs
The Used, “Buried Myself Alive” - Wasn't a fan...

undeadmonkey
Sheryl Crow, “Soak up the Sun” - If that song comes on the radio I'm probably turning it, but if "A Change Will Do You Good," "All I Wanna Do," or "If it Makes You Happy" do, then I may not. Probably an age thing as that's what was on the radio before I started to get into the stuff I'm into now...

leestu
Muse, “Time Is Running Out” (2003) - I'm not certain on that one... I'll have to look into some of their other stuff.

Buscemi
Keith Mansfield, “Funky Fanfare” - Reminds me of more upbeat elevator music used in an old tv show or something like that.

silversurfer
The Dears, “Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe?” - There's something there as well.

transformers
Slayer, “Angel Of Death” - Like Hippies in South Park, I'm not into Slayer either... Though in a side note, someone from my city was experimented on by the Angel of Death mentioned as was her twin. She opened a Holocaust museum and made this film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPDtEmOHmRs

[Shrykespeare]

This was a very good round! A bunch that I’d heard before but didn’t realize by the song titles; I didn’t actively dislike anything, which is always a plus.

My reactions (in order of preference):

undeadmonkey – Sheryl Crow, “Soak Up the Sun” – Wow, UDM, you go from a 1/10 with Cher to a 10/10 with this. My second-favorite Sheryl Crow song (my favorite is coming up soon); it missed my Top 100 (okay, 105), by scant inches. Awesome choice!

numbersix – Boards of Canada, “Music is Math” – I like a great deal of electronic music, which is what makes me like this very much. Blame my college roommate, who had just about every album Kraftwerk ever made (including one song that will appear very high on my list). There’s no video for it, but if you get a chance, try to find Thomas Dolby’s “Quantum Mechanic” or anything from “The Gate to the Mind’s Eye”. It’ll blow your mind.

leestu – Muse, “Time Is Running Out” – I’ve heard this before, just never knew the title. I like it. Muse reminds me of a slightly more modernized, harder-edged version of Better Than Ezra (who have two songs on my list). The lead singers of both groups sound quite similar, to my ear anyway.

Silversurfer – The Dears, “Who Are You, Defenders of the Universe?” – Never heard of this group before. I’m intrigued.

becs – The Used, “Buried Myself Alive” – Another one I’ve heard before. Pretty good song. A little too screamy for me, though.

Geezer – Rise Against, “Prayer For the Refugee” – my critique for this is pretty much verbatim with becs’ song.

NSpan – Pink Floyd, “Mudmen” – Spanny, is it just coincidence that your last NINE songs have all been from between 1968 and 1972? You are either a rock historian in the making, or you’re a lot older than you look, in which case, I’m going to want to know what moisturizer you use. Good song, BTW.

W – The Doors, “Love Me Two Times” – I’m really not that fond of The Doors. I have nothing against this song, but that monologue went on for too long (which, I assume, is why you told us to skip it).

Buscemi – Keith Mansfield, “Funky Fanfare” - Instantly recognizable, but really not that memorable, if that makes sense.

transformers – Slayer, “Angel of Death” – Awesome drum track, but Slayer is honestly one of those bands who, looking back, are indistinguishable from a dozen other heavy metal bands of the time.

[W]

Yep... That's why I said to skip to 1:40. Please everyone do that...

[Leestu]

Shrykespeare
Blancmange, “Don’t Tell Me”
I thought they were one hit wonders with “Living On The Ceiling”. I don’t loke much of this sort of 80s music now aprt from the ones that really meant something to me at the time.

NSpan
Pink Floyd, “Mudmen” (1972)
I can see a lot of relaxing in the couch listening to your choices. I am more of a traditionalist with Pink Floyd, liking their Dark Side Of The Moon and Wall era, but still like this.

Numbersix
Boards of Canada, “Music is Math”
I don’t like much electronica and this was too ambient for my taste.

Geezer
Rise Against, “Prayer of the Refugee”
&
becs
The Used, “Buried Myself Alive”
Both good songs. A much better pick Geezer.


undeadmonkey
Sheryl Crow, “Soak up the Sun”
I like her voice enough to like some of her other tracks, but not really this one.

Buscemi
Keith Mansfield, “Funky Fanfare”
It did sound like an old cinema ad. Appropriate pick for a movie site list I guess.

silversurfer
The Dears, “Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe?”
This has potential. I would have to hear this more, and more of their stuff before I really know what I think.

transformers
Slayer, “Angel Of Death”
Just a touch too heavy for my tastes. And those lyrics are scary.

W
The Doors, “Love Me Two Times”
Great pick . I love The Doors. I even like the spoken word to a near hypnotic bassline intro. Also love the bassline in this song.

Pick of this round is W by a long way. Also Geezer starts to redeem himself and Nspan continues his consistency.

[numbersix]

Hmm... this has been my probably least favourite round so far. Sorry guys.

Shrykespeare: Blancmange, “Don’t Tell Me” - Of all the 80's acts I can compare them to, it's probably New Order they sound the most like. Not bad.

NSpan: Pink Floyd, “Mudmen” (1972) - I've listened the Dark Side loads of times and a few other songs from different eras, and besides Wish You Were Here, I don't really like Pink Floyd. There's something about them that just bores me, my attention drifts whenever I hear them. Which is ironic, considering the similarities between post-rock and prog-rock. But there's just this dreamy, hazy, synth sound that Pink Floyd often use that makes me tune out.

Geezer: Rise Against, “Prayer of the Refugee” - Not bad, in comparison to a lot of other similar-sounding stuff I've heard in the last 15 years that has that whole punk/nu-metal sound. I appreciate the idea behind the lyrics too. Not sure if the sound is distinct enough for me, but I'll be interested in hearing the other songs to see their range.

becs: The Used, “Buried Myself Alive” - I don't get it. Yesterday you posted the witty lyrics to that MSI that poked fun at exactly the kind of song like this. I'm afraid I see emo as a cynical attempt to cash in on teenage angst, and it just comes across as fake.

undeadmonkey: Sheryl Crow, “Soak up the Sun” - I'm sure I've heard this song before, but it's so innocuous that I had forgotten it (again) once it had finished.

leestu: Muse, “Time Is Running Out” (2003) - I don't like Muse at all. This is probably the song I hate the least, because it's not as annoyingly flamboyant (on a voacl and musical level) as most of the others, but that's still not saying much.

Buscemi: Keith Mansfield, “Funky Fanfare” - I have to ask the question, Boosch, but you obviously heard this song through the Tarantino flick... but would you have liked this song if you had heard it before Tarantino used it? I know ?I wouldn't have. It's just not something I'd listen to, and all it does is remind me of a movie. It took me a long, long, time to properly appreciate Ricky Nelson's Lonesome Town and disassociate it from the quirky-ness of Pulp Fiction's soundtrack.

silversurfer: The Dears, “Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe?” - Really good song. I don't know much, although I did see them live once, and they were pretty good. My favourite of theirs is We Can Have It.

transformers: Slayer, “Angel Of Death” - Not my kinda thing. My problem is that the litmus test for metal seems to be how fast you can play, as opposed to how good the song is. Maybe I just haven't explored metal enough, but it seems that it's easy for any band to sound exactly like, if not better, than what's considered to be the greats of that genre.

W: The Doors, “Love Me Two Times” - Another popular band I have a big beef with. Let's just come out with it: Jim Morrisson was not a good lyricist. In fact, his lyrics are awful, lazy, and utterly pretentious. On occasion the band can deliver some good tunes, but most of the time they just sound like three people doing their own thing and never coming together. Besides one or two decent songs (and this isn't one of them)), I just don't see the appeal of The Doors.

[Geezer]

Shryke- felt like I was playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Very 80's, which isn't too bad, but not really what I listen to.

NSpan- eh, it was cool to listen to, but didn't stand out as a great song.

Six- and for me, this gave me no further interest in any sort of electronic music.

becs- I generally hate the Used, but I actually liked this one.

UDM- a nice enough song, but its been overplayed.

Leestu- my second favorite Muse song, love it, great choice!

Boush- is every song really going to come from a movie of some kind? This is ok for what they used it for, but as a stand alone piece of music, it is nothing special at all.

Surfer- it does sound like the band has potential, but this didn't quite do it for me. I liked it, but didn't love it.

Tranny- I can't stand this style of music. Essentially what 6 said, its all about how fast you can play, not how good the song is.

W- Like the Doors, not my favorite by them, but not bad either. Very solid choice.

Ranks:
1. Leestu
2. W

3. Becs
4. NSpan
5. Surfer
6. UDM

7. Shryke
8. Boush
9. Six
10 Tranny

[transformers2]

Shrykespeare
Blancmange, “Don’t Tell Me”
Wasn't into it one bit. Agree with Geeze felt like I was playing GTA:Vice City when I heard this.

NSpan
Pink Floyd, “Mudmen” (1972)
I am with Six on Pink Floyd. I really like some of their stuff but most of it bores me.

Numbersix
Boards of Canada, “Music is Math”
Pretty decent. It had a very interesting vibe to it.

Geezer
Rise Against, “Prayer of the Refugee”
Rise Against is great. This song is good but it is not one of my faves by them.
becs
The Used, “Buried Myself Alive”
It was alright. I am completely indifferent about The Used.


undeadmonkey
Sheryl Crow, “Soak up the Sun”
Like you said in a past post you and me are polar oppoisites music-wise. I can't stand this song.

Buscemi
Keith Mansfield, “Funky Fanfare”
Very Strange really didn't like it.

silversurfer
The Dears, “Who Are You, Defenders Of The Universe?”
Eh Wasn't really too into it.

leestu
Muse "Time Is Running Out"
Muse is one of the best bands around right now. An absolutley fantastic track and one of my faves by Muse.


W
The Doors, “Love Me Two Times”
Great pick . Haven't heard this track in a while


leestu and W were my faves that round

[BanksIsDaFuture]

I had reactions to everyone's, then my page closed.

I dont feel like typing that shit all over. I'll try again later I guess.