If She POLLED What She Wants: The Bangles "Greatest Hits" Poll

I wish this had their cover of "September Gurls" on it, but otherwise I guess it's "If She Knew What She Wants"

― blow it out your bad-taste hole (WmC), Sunday, 28 February 2010 16:51 (3 years ago) Permalink

almost went with 'eternal flame' but 'if she knew what she wants' has just a shade more charm for me

― pyrrhic zing (stevie), Sunday, 28 February 2010 16:51 (3 years ago) Permalink

everything that a boy should know

― begs the question, when is enough enough (Euler), Sunday, 28 February 2010 16:56 (3 years ago) Permalink

"If She Knew What She Wants" over "Here Takes a Fall" and "Hazy Shade of Winter."

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 28 February 2010 17:06 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Liverpool" over Paul Simon

― Fusty Moralizer (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 28 February 2010 17:14 (3 years ago) Permalink

This is the first record ever I bought as CD! Lot's of great tunes, but I'll have to go for "Going Down to Liverpool", it has a lovely breezy sound, and I love the idea of "doing nothing all the days of my life". Their version of "Hazy Shade of Winter" is brilliant too, better than the original.

― Tuomas, Sunday, 28 February 2010 20:11 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Going Down to Liverpool" vs "Walk Like An Egyptian". I like "Hazy Shade", but prefer the original, though I agree it does seem not to make the most of its good points.

At one point I would have been happy never to hear "Eternal Flame" or "Manic Monday" ever again, but I never hear them out and about any more, so I'd probably think fondly of them if I did.

― falling while carrying an owl (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 1 March 2010 13:32 (3 years ago) Permalink

Damn, I just realized that I don't know enough of these.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Monday, 1 March 2010 13:41 (3 years ago) Permalink

This is a tough choice.

Yeah, ditto, I could happily pass on every hearing Eternal Flame or Manic Monday ever again, but so much of the other stuff is such gold.

Tempted to go with "In Your Room" but I will need to go and listen to the rest first.

― There's Always Been A Dance Element To (Masonic Boom), Monday, 1 March 2010 14:06 (3 years ago) Permalink

Listened to this on the way to work today. It took these turns where it would go from sounding like Jellyfish to sounding like a beer commercial. Anyway, I really liked three songs that I hadn't heard before: "Hero Takes a Fall," "Be With You" and "Everything I Wanted." I'll probably end up going with "Hazy Shade of Winter" or "In Your Room" though.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 12:44 (3 years ago) Permalink

Eternal Flame is a jam too. Don't understand the hate.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 12:44 (3 years ago) Permalink

^^^ yes.

― t(o_o)t (ENBB), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 12:47 (3 years ago) Permalink

but voted "In your Room" because I'd forgotten how great it is.

Saw them about 10 years ago lol. They were awesome and S Hoffs is still smoking hot.

― t(o_o)t (ENBB), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 12:49 (3 years ago) Permalink

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 13:00 (3 years ago) Permalink

"in your room" is so sexy. i saw susanna with matthew sweet last fall, doing their covers thing, which was nice, but then in the encore they each did a few of their own songs and susanna did a medley of "manic monday" and "in your room" -- it was great.

― hellzapoppa (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 13:09 (3 years ago) Permalink

(love the key change in that too, just puts it over the top)

― hellzapoppa (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 13:11 (3 years ago) Permalink

Aw, any chance to listen to all these songs again. And I'm going to just go and vote for In Your Room again, partly for the Indian strings, partly for the KEY CHANGE but most of all because I want my fucking life to be just like that video.

yeah yeah we loved In Your Room so much we ripped it off and then we got to support the Bangles on tour and it was all so awesome that I never ever get tired of telling that story so sorry you're all sick of it.

― There's Always Been A Dance Element To (Masonic Boom), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 13:19 (3 years ago) Permalink

Wow! That video brought back memories. I used to go over to my neighbor's house to watch MTV every day before school. Great idea, right? When "In Your Room" came on though, he would turn it off every time. I think that was one of the reasons why I used to get so ashamed for liking music by female musicians.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 13:23 (3 years ago) Permalink

Love all these songs unequivocally, but voting for "If She Knew What She Wants" narrowly beating all the others. Just the way it's constructed as a song, with the dramatic pauses, the dense harmonies and maybe Vicki Peterson's best guitar solo, gives it that little something extra. (Second place for me is "Walking Down Your Street," although I think "Angels Don't Fall In Love" would have been a better single from that album.)

― El Poopo Loco (Pancakes Hackman), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 14:05 (3 years ago) Permalink

voting for "If She Knew What She Wants" narrowly beating all the others. Just the way it's constructed as a song, with the dramatic pauses, the dense harmonies and maybe Vicki Peterson's best guitar solo, gives it that little something extra.

Exactly why I voted for it – love her solo. Also: in a few verses I don't think I've figured out what the hell Hoffs is singing.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 14:10 (3 years ago) Permalink

does it even have a verse? it sounds like all chorus to me (which is, in a way, another plus point)

― take me to your lemur (ledge), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 14:22 (3 years ago) Permalink

I think I'll go with Hero cause it's about the hunk I once interviewed, namely STEVE WYNN. YUMMY. lol

― Nathalie (stevienixed), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 14:24 (3 years ago) Permalink

The first album has so many good songs, most of which approach boys and relationships from novel angles. It's probably worth polling.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 14:37 (3 years ago) Permalink

does it even have a verse? it sounds like all chorus to me (which is, in a way, another plus point)

there's a middle 8, or a biridge, that gets repeated and is veh purty

― Touch! Generations (stevie), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 14:41 (3 years ago) Permalink

did Jules Shear ever perform it, and if so, how does it compare?

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 14:43 (3 years ago) Permalink

I've got a different greatest hits CD (We Are The '80s on VH1 Classic Records), and it's real good, but the Bangles are one of those groups who I basically think peaked at the beginning and went downhill from there. Going with "Going Down To Liverpool"; second choice might be "Hero Takes A Fall." Of their actual hits, I like "Egyptian" best.

― xhuxk, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 14:57 (3 years ago) Permalink

Jules's version is on YouTube. The backing vocals are a little more girl-groupy (ironically), and the male pronouns are all first-person rather than third-person. Arrangement is the same, but the Bangles version is really a lot better.

― El Poopo Loco (Pancakes Hackman), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 15:02 (3 years ago) Permalink

Listening to that, now I understand why people hate 80s production so much.

Actually quite a bit of the Bangles production sounds a bit wincey to me, but then again, I love the songs so much that it doesn't bother me that much.

― There's Always Been A Dance Element To (Masonic Boom), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 15:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

Re the Jules Shear version: ew, gross.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 15:22 (3 years ago) Permalink

I mean, no wonder he doesn't know what he wants.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 15:22 (3 years ago) Permalink

jules shear's original version of "all through the night" is even worse:

dude was not a good interpreter of his own songs. he greatly improved on both of those, and several others, however, on a cd called unplug this that he released shortly after he lost his mtv unplugged gig.

― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 16:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

Voted In Your Room, but only narrowly over Hazy Shade oF Winter.

― Officer Pupp, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 16:48 (3 years ago) Permalink

dude was not a good interpreter of his own songs

He was actually pretty good on the first two (maybe only two?) Jules and the Polar Bears albums, and maybe the Funky Kings one before that. But yeah, his '80s solo stuff always sounded like mush to me.

― xhuxk, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 17:04 (3 years ago) Permalink

A lot of great songwriters in the 80s were ill-served by terrible trendy production. He actually acquitted himself quite nicely on the album The Great Puzzle, which dispensed with all the tech whackeroo that pretty much did in his previous few albums. (Also Jules was kind enough to send me back a postcard when I wrote to him once. Nice guy!)

That said, voted "Hazy Shade of Winter" again here.

― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 17:23 (3 years ago) Permalink

Impossible vote.

― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 17:51 (3 years ago) Permalink

When they toured in 2003, they all stood in a row at the front of the stage and performed a stripped-down (possibly even a cappella iirc) Eternal Flame in four-part harmony. It was amazing. Significant too - the label's decision to foreground Hoffs on the original single and video led to them breaking up first time around. I like seeing albatross-like big hits being reclaimed like that.

I love pretty much all these songs but Hazy takes it.

― gotanynewsstory? (Dorianlynskey), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 19:11 (3 years ago) Permalink

how familiar were you guys with the S&G original? I was in the car with my mom when she frowned at the radio tuned to the Top 40 station and said, witheringly, "THAT'S supposed to be a Simon and Garfunkel song?" She did like The Bangles though.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 19:12 (3 years ago) Permalink

He was actually pretty good on the first two (maybe only two?) Jules and the Polar Bears albums

There was a third, but it was only released long after the fact (and it's not on par with the first two).

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 19:20 (3 years ago) Permalink

if no one else is voting eternal flame i sure am

― sonderangerbot, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 19:26 (3 years ago) Permalink

I sure did.

― How to Make an American Quit (Abbott), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 19:40 (3 years ago) Permalink

how familiar were you guys with the S&G original?

Reasonably so - was never a S&G fanatic so when I heard the Bangles version there was no sense of betrayal or heresy or anything like that for me. At that point I only knew the Bangles as being a very sweet-sounding pop group (with a touch of novelty thrown in of course) so my first listen on this was less about how they had changed it from the way S&G had done it and more about confounding my preconceived notions of what a BANGLES song should sound like. Either way, I liked it!

― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 19:47 (3 years ago) Permalink

I didn't know the S&G original at the time. I still prefer this cover.

― begs the question, when is enough enough (Euler), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 19:57 (3 years ago) Permalink

During their infamous "Behind the Music" episode, Michael Steele and Vicki said that "Hazy Shade of Winter" came closest to representing how they sounded live – even with George Drakoulias on guitar.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 19:59 (3 years ago) Permalink

I've been listening to Hazy Shade of Winter obsessively lately but I'll have to listen to all these songs again to decide

― Turangalila, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 20:04 (3 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Wednesday, 10 March 2010 00:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

LOOK AROUND

― Turangalila, Wednesday, 10 March 2010 00:24 (3 years ago) Permalink

Gotta be "If She Knew What She Wants", even if "In Your Room" and "Following" are also really great songs.

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 10 March 2010 00:58 (3 years ago) Permalink

Voted "In Your Room" because it is everything in the world, but so many great things here. My favorite NYC subway moment: two teenage girls, who I'm assuming were on their way to LaGuardia High School on the 1 train, busting out with a gospel version of "Eternal Flame" at 7:30 in the morning.

― T Bone Streep (Cave17Matt), Wednesday, 10 March 2010 03:26 (3 years ago) Permalink

10 hours left and I still can't decide between "Liverpool" (which will get some votes, judging by this thread, but not enough) vs "Egyptian" (which has nobody repping for it as first choice on this thread, but maybe it will get the lurker vote)

― falling while carrying an owl (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 10 March 2010 14:09 (3 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Thursday, 11 March 2010 00:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Walking Down Your Street" deserved a vote, esp. for its video:

― The Magnificent Colin Firth (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 11 March 2010 00:03 (3 years ago) Permalink

Voted for "Egyptian" here -- didn't meant to lurk, just forgot to post. If you plotted every #1 hit of the 80s on the plane there would be giant clusters and then some small strands and then there would be "Walk Like an Egyptian," this sonic singularity, way off along the abcissa. An essentially perfect record.

But "Hazy Shade of Winter" would have been my second choice and I'm surprised and happy to see so many people are into it. I knew the S&G version first but the Bangles' cover is so much better that in my opinion it should now be considered the original.

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Thursday, 11 March 2010 01:34 (3 years ago) Permalink

My all-time fave now is the Todd Terje "Dub Like an Egyptian" deal.

― Mark, Thursday, 11 March 2010 04:18 (3 years ago) Permalink

winner deserves a video embed

― hellzapoppa (tipsy mothra), Thursday, 11 March 2010 04:28 (3 years ago) Permalink

hoffs is all-time smash material (still!) but i always had a thing for m. steele

― just do a close reading, all will be revealed (velko), Thursday, 11 March 2010 04:33 (3 years ago) Permalink

Would vote in a poll of tracks off the first album.

― Zing Can Really Hang You Up the Most (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 August 2012 04:35 (10 months ago) Permalink

Don't think I was around for this..."Where Were You..." is one of my all time favourite covers.

― Wandering Boy Poet, Tuesday, 7 August 2012 12:37 (10 months ago) Permalink

Where by "the first album" you mean the s/t EP on IRS of course

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Tuesday, 7 August 2012 14:46 (10 months ago) Permalink

All Over the Place would make more of my all-time lists if I didn't forget its existence.

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 7 August 2012 14:52 (10 months ago) Permalink

ok I don't know how it is that I'd never heard this track before today, but it is SO GOOD

#!

― rocky dennis horror show (Pillbox), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 20:24 (6 months ago) Permalink

yeah i thought so too when i discovered it years after their 'hits' era.

― piscesx, Wednesday, 5 December 2012 04:49 (6 months ago) Permalink

yeah same, i first heard it on "poptopia 80's"

― billstevejim, Wednesday, 5 December 2012 05:10 (6 months ago) Permalink

spock

― turds (Hungry4Ass), Wednesday, 5 December 2012 05:35 (6 months ago) Permalink

Huh, never knew it was a Katrina and the Waves cover.

― ledge, Wednesday, 5 December 2012 10:20 (6 months ago) Permalink

Me neither - was wondering how the Los Angeleno Bangles knew what a UB40 was though...

― That symptom is fucking my wife (stevie), Wednesday, 5 December 2012 10:35 (6 months ago) Permalink

Technically it's a "Waves" cover -- song is written by K Rew and first recorded, with Rew on lead vocals, for the pre-Katrina version of the band:

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 5 December 2012 15:15 (6 months ago) Permalink

Youtube just recommended this recent Susanna Hoffs show to me which I am enjoying right now. Check out the medley from about minute 11 to 14.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoAFzv-qEKQ

― Albee Thousand (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 30 December 2012 00:26 (5 months ago) Permalink

Always had a soft spot for "be with you" which is unusually eerie and unsettling for the Bangles. Also I think it's sung by Vicky.

― Poliopolice, Sunday, 30 December 2012 08:12 (5 months ago) Permalink

Debbie actually

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 December 2012 13:03 (5 months ago) Permalink

Yes, that's right. It was the blonde one.

― Poliopolice, Sunday, 30 December 2012 18:59 (5 months ago) Permalink

Bunch of their albums on MySpace; really liked most of 2011's Sweethearts of the Sun---the cover of The Nazz' "Open My Eyes" sure seems like would've been Top Ten in their heyday http://www.myspace.com/thebangles/music/albums Think there's a prev 00s album not here?

― dow, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:12 (5 months ago) Permalink

On MySpace, you gotta hit Play All; try to choose tracks one by one, and MySpace Radio inserts itself--but can Pause the Play All whenever you get too excited.

― dow, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:14 (5 months ago) Permalink

Their last album was well liked 'round these parts.

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:18 (5 months ago) Permalink

Worth noting here that Susanna's album of this year is very nice too. It didn't hit me much at first, but has really grown on me.

― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:25 (5 months ago) Permalink

Thread should be called Going Down To LiverPOLL

― Albee Thousand (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:28 (5 months ago) Permalink

2012 album on her MySpace, but doesn't play, although 2009's When You're A Boy seems to be ready. Also, on the Music tab, lots of tracks from Under The Covers Vol.2 http://us.myspace.com/susannahoffs

― dow, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:29 (5 months ago) Permalink

That would be the best thread title!

― dow, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:29 (5 months ago) Permalink

ha -- I was such a Bangle fan that I swallowed a lot of disappointment in '91 when WYAB was released.

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:32 (5 months ago) Permalink

however "Boys Keep Swinging"!

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:32 (5 months ago) Permalink

John Entwistle plays bass on that song, oddly enough (and it's hard to tell, the way it was recorded).

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:34 (5 months ago) Permalink

You mean Bowie's or their version?? Although I imagine he'd do anything to get close to a Bangle (understandably so)

― dow, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:41 (5 months ago) Permalink

I'm still fond of "My Side of the Bed," which has those kittenish qualities that Hoffs could project so effortlessly.

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:42 (5 months ago) Permalink

xp Susanna Hoffs' solo version (on When You're A Boy). (and yeah, haha)

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:45 (5 months ago) Permalink

She's still O Susanna, yet doesn't seem *too* kiddie on Sweethearts..., nor does she get all autumn leaves broody or blearly like so many rockers past 40.

― dow, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:46 (5 months ago) Permalink

'blearly" yeah and bleary, beery

― dow, Sunday, 30 December 2012 19:47 (5 months ago) Permalink

I never saw this video for "The Real World" until just a few minutes ago. I'd guess it's from 1982 or so, and Susuanna looks like a kid (she was 23-ish).

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 30 December 2012 20:19 (5 months ago) Permalink

And here she is 30 years later

― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 30 December 2012 20:30 (5 months ago) Permalink