Draining the POLL for you - ILM artist poll #98 - The Go-Betweens

I'll rush this one through. The next interval will be a bit longer!

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#31
I'm All Right
from 16 Lovers Lane (1988)

Points: 191
Votes: 10 (0)

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"As Long As That" is one of those songs where the traded-off lead vocals really work. Hard to tell if it was a Robert song or a Grant song.

Just re-read 'Grant & I' along with the poll, where I think Robert claims it as his, and a Lindy love song. Feels weird tbh.

Also more songs should have oboe in them

The oboe in "I'm Allright" takes one of my favorite solos.

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#30
The Clarke Sisters
from Tallulah (1987)

Points: 198
Votes: 13 (0)

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I'm confused by the length of your intervals lol

The third (?) and possibly most compelling bit of evidence that the second side of Tallulah is the best thing ever. Maybe.

XP: LOL. I had to drive home and switch computers, etc. I was trying to make it short but feared it would not be.

As Long As That also starts with the incredible line “Were you born or just conceived?”

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#29
Rock and Roll Friend
from 'Was There Anything...' single (1988)

Points: 203
Votes: 13 (0)

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I like “Rock and Roll Friend” but a little surprised it’s beaten its a-side!

Secretly, I've never quite understood the esteem in which it is held. (Even though I know it's important to Forster himself.) Don't tell anyone!

Nah, I much prefer this, TOO LOW! (xp)

I like the chord sequence, love Forster's androgynous delivery and lyrics, love the solo

and I prefer it too

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#28
Apology Accepted
from Liberty Belle & the Black Diamond Express (1986)

Points: 205
Votes: 11 (2)

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the one i feel silliest for leaving off my ballot

Didn't vote for Apology Accepted but I'm happy to see it place. One of Grant's best vocal performances.

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#27
To Reach Me
from Liberty Belle & the Black Diamond Express (1986)

Points: 206
Votes: 11 (0)

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Ah brilliant. To Reach Me kept climbing up my list just before I voted. The backing vocals in the chorus are so great.

I wonder if everything from Liberty Belle will feature (did I post that already?)

To Reach Me was my overall #2

How could anyone disapprove of me??

I didn't really consider voting for it but listening again right now it's certainly nicely fleshed out with little details. The clang-clang-clang guitar in the bridge is also cool.

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#26
Darlinghurst Nights
from Oceans Apart (2005)

Points: 209
Votes: 13 (0)

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I wonder if everything from Liberty Belle will feature (did I post that already?)

― Alba

I'd be very shocked if any of the remaining Liberty Belle tracks missed out. I am surprised that Palm Sunday and In The Corn Of A Flame were the lowest two.

yeah this is the best song on oceans apart

It's so nice to see their reunion albums being so well represented. I'm hoping that Finding You will at least make the top 20.

apparently i voted for here comes the city higher than this, whatever, old me notm

That image is Darlinghurst Road, 1990. Though it may strictly be King's Cross at that exact point. I don't know Sydney well. #FullDisclosure

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#25
Dusty in Here
from Before Hollywood (1983)

Points: 211
Votes: 11 (0)

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The use of space is riveting.

"I'd like to bring the room down a bit with this next one... the one's about my dead father"

What Alfred said. I imagine I gave this a whole heap of points. If I didn't I erred terribly.

my number two. devastating each time.

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#24
Love Is a Sign
from 16 Lovers Lane (1988)

Points: 211
Votes: 14 (0)

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Dusty In Here - too low. I cry every time I hear it, so I can't listen to it too often.

The space is so important, and the transition into Ask afterwards is incredibly necessary, frankly, even just to give you the will to live.

I rather like "I wish you had a big house and that your work would start to sell."

"LIAS" comes the closest so far to making an appearance on a majority of ballots. Looks like a fair while before that actually happens though.

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#23
The Clock
from The Friends of Rachel Worth (2000)

Points: 214
Votes: 12 (0)

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I like The Clock and was surprised to find dismissed as 'generic' on this thread of worst Grant McLennan songs that I stumbled across the other day:

http://go-betweens.org.uk/chatroom/messages/353/7447.html?1235918488

I've always loved Rock and Roll Friend despite my aversion to lyrics that reference R&R. Of course, Forster says it in a totally non-R&R-cliched way with that repeated "Do something about me" plea/demand that is so haunting and poignant. I didn't know it was anything's B-side until recently.

More catching up:

I can't fathom the appeal of Apology Accepted. Didn't realize it had appeal until now. Such a lame chorus lyric and passive-aggressive McLennan relationship lament with a plodding 70s classic rock pulse. Sorry, that's how I feel about it.

Penultimate track for this evening. I'll rush through one more shortly...

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#22
Clouds
from 16 Lovers Lane (1988)

Points: 226
Votes: 11 (0)

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Love "The Clock", but listening to the various live versions highlights how Grant's voice did not age very well.
I do find the chorus somewhat generic, but in the best possible sense of the word.

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#21
People Say
from 'People Say' 7" (1979)

Points: 228
Votes: 12 (0)

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"Clouds" is yet another example of how crystalline and precise Forster's writing had gotten by 1988.

I'll roll out the remainder on Friday!

I don't quite know what he's saying about the subject of People Say, except that he agrees with the people that he's mad to want/need/love said babe. What a great nugget of garagey fun.

I can't really mount a defence of Apology Accepted's sentiment (at least its chorus) but somehow I couldn't stop ranking it highly, maybe in deference to the younger me.

I used to fantasise about having someone to sing People Say about but even then it felt like an over-romantic stretch.

"Clouds" at 22? You people are disgusting savages.