POLL YR. IDOLS: The official SONIC YOUTH RESULTS thread!

I agree re: 'Eric's Trip', but I don't really understand the love for 'PCH'. For me it's always been the link between two awesome halves of Sister, more an interlude than a true song.

ohhh man, some day you're gonna realize how amazing "PCH" is. listen to some live versions maybe.

I kind of see what you mean. Love the drums on the first part! The trumpet wasn't such a great idea though...

"Karen Revisited" was my #1, the song where I first "got" SY, after having had e.g. Daydream Nation since the early 90s. yeah, it's the "ask me if I care" part, but not just Lee's voice; it's that the squall never peaks; there's some more fills on the drums, but the guitar tones stay level, which makes it more eerie. maybe the guitars get more dense there? I'm not sure, but they don't peak in any obvious ways & that accentuates the moment.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/017.jpg
17. Star Power
Evol, 1986
(267 points, 14 votes, 1 #1)

haha yeah. didn't know they ever played it as a set opener, wow! the Hold That Tiger version is classic though. xp

It's only really been the lead-up to the voting period where I've had a proper listen to most of Sister/Evol; "Pacific Coast Highway" seemed to be a pretty fantastic welding together of, uh, "intense" SY & blissed-out SY. Kinda reminds me of "Poptones"! "Star Power"'s quite charming - they sure had a lot of songs vaguely dealing with celebrity, huh.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/016.jpg
16. Total Trash
Daydream Nation, 1988
(297 points, 14 votes, 1 #1)

Let me be the first one to scream 'TOO HIGH!'

This song blew my college-aged mind.

The guitars and rhythm get all the credit. Let's pause to listen to Moore for a second: he finds the right vocal tone; it's like he's mimicking Kim's wryness and detachment.

i'm surprised that "total trash" came in so high, but happily. i slighted it because i've played and dearly loved it WAY too much over the years. as a result, some of the flavor seems to have has worn off, but i should have at least made space for it on my ballot. if i'd known it was this well-loved, i surely would have.

yeah i already complained about this song enough. but beating "Eric's Trip" is ridiculous tbh.

By the way, the jump in points from 'Star Power' to 'Total Trash' was the biggest one yet. Some more big jumps coming up soon.

Just for balance, Total Trash was the only song I particularly liked off of DN for a very long time. I like the way the guitars slowly detune the main riff as the song heads off into noise territory...

Yeah, but that annoying bassline! And then it COMES BACK when the song should have been finished!

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/015.jpg
15. Wish Fulfillment
Dirty, 1992
(297 points, 15 votes, 1 #1)

My #2!

The Butch Vig production really lets you soak in the atmospheric churn.

i was starting to wonder if that would show up, it always seemed popular but i wasn't sure.

i guess i should stop waiting for "Purr" :(

TOO LOW! My #1, was kinda hoping against hope it'd make the top 10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUMPKmLiTcY

Sadly "Little Jammy Thing" or the demo aren't on YouTube.

xp Wow, that's beautiful!

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/014.jpg
14. Rain on Tin
Murray Street, 2002
(313 points, 18 votes, 1 #1)

way way way too fucking high

it's a good song and all, but sheez

Yeah, but that annoying bassline! And then it COMES BACK when the song should have been finished!

― ArchCarrier, Friday, May 17, 2013 4:57 AM (50 minutes ago)

nuh uh, the exhausted comeback is one of the best things abt the song

way way way too fucking high
Yeah, I don't understand it either. I even checked my spreadsheet to see if I hadn't made a mistake.

"rain on tin" = a decent late period sy tune, w/ a mid-song, half-power reminder of what they used to do on the reg without batting an eye

The point though is that the top twenty can boast unexpected entries -- and that's what polls are for, no?

they played "Rain On Tin" more times than any other song written since 1994, and with good reason, it smokes live.

i didn't even LIKE the song when i first bought the album, but the first time seeing it live changed that. and honestly, it would suck if this poll had no 21st century songs in the top 20, and if there was only gonna be one, "Rain On Tin" is a great pick.

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/013.jpg
13. Brave Men Run (in My Family)
Bad Moon Rising, 1985
(329 points, 16 votes)

dang, hoped that would be top 10

Seven days and seven nights
I dreamt a sailor's dream at sea
Seven days and seven nights
I dreamt a sailor's dream of me
Seven days and seven nights
The world was made and lost again
Seven days and seven nights
Brave men run
In my family
Brave men run
Into the setting sun
Brave men run
Into captivity
Brave men run
In my family

Brave men run
Away from me

i don't really have anything against "rain on tin". i'd have preferred seeing other late SY songs in the top 20, but mostly i just like venting.

etc otm

whoa, looking through gerhard richter's wikipedia page, this section:

Sonic Youth used a painting of his for the cover art for their album Daydream Nation in 1988. He was a fan of the band and did not charge for the use of his image.[citation needed] The original, over 7 metres (23 ft) square, is now showcased in Sonic Youth's studio in NYC.

!!!

Sounds a bit big. Maybe they mean 7 square metres i.e. 2.65 m x 2.65 m?

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3uu3owfWy1qc8wxqo1_1280.jpg

http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/012.jpg
12. (I Got a) Catholic Block
Sister, 1987
(342 points, 18 votes)

That's awesome! Didn't vote for it but knew it would do well.

Also, "Hey Joni" and "Pacific Coast Highway" TOO LOW! I don't know man, "Hey Joni" will always be my favorite Lee song, was definitely hoping for a top 10 for it. And "PCH" is great in any context, live and on record. Love the steamrolling bass that stops and starts. Just a great, unique sounding song, and then that breakdown ....

Big takeaway from my time spent with Sister for the rollout is that Lee just kills that whole record guitar-wise ("Pipeline" is great, but its his only song of course). So many great moments on that record, just super cool playing all over it.

the blood-curdling scream towards the end of "Catholic Block" is one of the great moments in SY's discography. who is that, Kim?

Some friends of mine are in a band and they have this song that - when they do it live - reminds me a lot of 'Catholic Block'. The thing is I'm 99% sure that they don't own a single Sonic Youth album between them.

Hey Nick, if you had waited just a few minutes with that awesome Richter picture...
http://www.melson.nl/ILM/sypoll/011.jpg
11. Candle
Daydream Nation, 1988
(375 points, 18 votes, 2 #1)

Rain on Tin needs more defenders, that shit is perfect

'Candle' was so close to being my #1.

It was mine!

i'm the cocker on the rock!

http://www.boomerpdx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Joe+Cocker++Dance1.jpg