29. "Redmen and Their Wives" (Under the Bushes Under the Stars, 1996) [247 points, 10 votes, 1 #1 vote]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__q87LmkD8Y
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 16:23 (twelve years ago) link
Unlike Glad Girls which goes on way too long, I'd be fine with Redmen and Their Wives going on another 3 or 4 minutes.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 16:27 (twelve years ago) link
yeah that one's got some nice catharsis
― ciderpress, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 16:30 (twelve years ago) link
28. "Chasing Heather Crazy" (Isolation Drills, 2001) [248 points, 11 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7KiLRCxt58
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 16:50 (twelve years ago) link
Hooray!
― Jeff, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 16:52 (twelve years ago) link
I like this track a lot more now than I did at the time the album was new. It's a remarkably slow burn for such an uptempo GBV song.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 16:54 (twelve years ago) link
isolation drills really came at a low point of my GBV fandom, but i couldn't deny this song.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 16:57 (twelve years ago) link
27. "Blimps Go 90" (Alien Lanes, 1995) [249 points, 12 votes, 1 #1 vote]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU4NJnK1pvk
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:07 (twelve years ago) link
Great song.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:11 (twelve years ago) link
The rusty violin is a nice touch. Also, Mary Lou Lord had a nice cover of this on one of her albums (can't remember which).
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:14 (twelve years ago) link
nooooo, "Heather" is criminally TOO LOW :( that was my #2, I seriously thought it's a lock on for a top ten...
― V79, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:15 (twelve years ago) link
Hey, here's 2 songs I voted for, and two of GBV's prettiest tunes. I love the harmonies on "Chasing Heather Crazy" so much.
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:23 (twelve years ago) link
I almost voted for 'Chasing Heather Crazy' but couldn't really decide whether or not 'Unspirited' does a similar-ish thing better... In the end neither made my final ballot anyway.
― Gavin, Leeds, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:28 (twelve years ago) link
yay "my impression now"!! escort you safely away hey
hey hey
― Art Arfons (La Lechera), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:29 (twelve years ago) link
for the record, what i don't like about "Glad Girls" is the same thing I don't like about "Girls of Wild Strawberries" -- plodding undynamic unremarkable generic song about "girls"
― Art Arfons (La Lechera), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:30 (twelve years ago) link
26. "Shocker in Gloomtown" (The Grand Hour, 1993) [262 points, 10 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_GO0i0ohbw
(bonus Breeders cover with GBV cameos)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FqhOQLD3t0
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:32 (twelve years ago) link
yaaaay
love the breeders cover!!!!!
― Art Arfons (La Lechera), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:35 (twelve years ago) link
yeah that is a great version. first time i saw gbv, kim miraculously appeared to sing on that and goldheart mountaintop.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:36 (twelve years ago) link
According the youtube uploader, that GBV vid is from just earlier this month and was the final show of the tour (maybe the final show ever? well, probably not that.)
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:37 (twelve years ago) link
how the hell did we miss itbared his ass for all to seeand no one got to kiss it
― dmr, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:38 (twelve years ago) link
The more I think about it, the more I think this song came in too low (I realize that #26 out of a zillion is pretty high, but still...).
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:40 (twelve years ago) link
Definitely too low.
― Jeff, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:53 (twelve years ago) link
Glad Girls -- but I was really torn between that and Motor Away.― righteousmaelstrom, Thursday, June 21, 2007 2:01 PM (4 years ago) Bookmark
― righteousmaelstrom, Thursday, June 21, 2007 2:01 PM (4 years ago) Bookmark
Haha. These are neither my #1 or #2.
― righteousmaelstrom, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:53 (twelve years ago) link
25. "Cut Out Witch" (Under the Bushes Under the Stars, 1996) [264 points, 14 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjkJIy2vZ2I
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:54 (twelve years ago) link
This one almost made my ballot and I could have picked one of the lower tracks and replaced it with this one pretty easily. Always great live.
― righteousmaelstrom, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:57 (twelve years ago) link
cut out witch is awesome
― Art Arfons (La Lechera), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 17:59 (twelve years ago) link
Gloomtown does feel too low. So much crammed in those 90 seconds.
― skip, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:02 (twelve years ago) link
Cut out witch totally great. Pretty good showing.
― grandavis, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:05 (twelve years ago) link
Great song!
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:07 (twelve years ago) link
love the structure of Cut Out Witch - sounds so easy but other bands could try for years and fail to come up with something as snappy and well formed as that.
― skip, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:07 (twelve years ago) link
24. "14 Cheerleader Coldfront" (Propeller, 1992) [281 points, 14 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFvonufcz8A
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:26 (twelve years ago) link
No love?
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:33 (twelve years ago) link
Lotta love! I voted for this. Just really busy at work today, so I'm limited in my time for deep thoughts.
Overall I'm pleased that my #1 is still yet to come. Unless ILM will shame me by shutting it out completely.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:34 (twelve years ago) link
I don't really like 14 Cheerleader Coldfront very much tbh. It has never really moved me.
― Art Arfons (La Lechera), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:36 (twelve years ago) link
It's so delicate, especially in the midst of what's around it on Propeller. It's swoony.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:37 (twelve years ago) link
I love this one. I think I had it tops among all the pre-Bee Thousand songs. I am totally out of touch with the greater GBV community, so actually I had no idea everybody else loved it too. I thought it was an unconventional pick on my ballot.
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:37 (twelve years ago) link
See, for me, Circus World is swoony. 14 Cheerleader -- I dunno -- it just doesn't soar, it doesn't drive, it doesn't even plod -- it just kinda sits there harmonizing like a forgettable pair of strummers singing a coffee shop duet.
I would never get into this much detail with people who hadn't already spent this much time discussing the minutiae of GBV songs, but we have, so I did.
― Art Arfons (La Lechera), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:40 (twelve years ago) link
I get what LL is getting at wrt "14 Cheerleader Coldfront", but I voted for it because they always seem to be able to breathe new life into it on-stage.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:41 (twelve years ago) link
If I'm in a wistful mood this is the ticket - great lyrics
― skip, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:42 (twelve years ago) link
stay close to locker rooms
― tylerw, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:43 (twelve years ago) link
23. "A Salty Salute" (Alien Lanes, 1995) [302 points, 14 votes, 1 #1 vote]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX6vRwEZFrM
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:44 (twelve years ago) link
C'MON C'MON C'MON!
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:44 (twelve years ago) link
I still cringe at "no coin meters there"I guess I'll never really love that song.
Anyway, PROOOOOOUD BROTHERS
― Art Arfons (La Lechera), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:45 (twelve years ago) link
One of the great album openers ever. Not surprising that they chose this to start off the 'greatest hits' CD too.
― skip, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:45 (twelve years ago) link
^^ so OTM
― V79, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:46 (twelve years ago) link
ha, i actually thought this'd be #1greatest bassline ever.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:46 (twelve years ago) link
'Blimps Go 90' FAR TOO LOW.
― ArchCarrier, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:47 (twelve years ago) link
erg, i don't think i voted for that. but yeah, A+ opening track
― queen latifah approximately (donna rouge), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
An almost perfect GBV song, just admire all the lyrics:
Disarm the settlersThe new drunk driversHave hoisted the flagWe are with you in your angerProud brothersDo not fretThe bus will get you there yetTo carry us to the lakeThe club is openYeah, The club is openHey, the club is openA-come on, come on, the club is openC'mon, c'mon, the club is openC'mon, c'mon, c'mon, the club is open...
― Jeff, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:52 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, since this poll I've been paying more attention to the lyrics, and some of them are so great. 'Atom Eyes' is my fave atm.
― ArchCarrier, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:53 (twelve years ago) link