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

the tea kettle synth, as I call it.

I like Part Company and did have it low on my list, but I've always thought it was slightly overrated. Certainly my least favourite song in the top 10.

This is true re Robert Vickers. I also mangled the image code where I attempted to give him some time in the spotlight. Not good enough, on reflection.

Part Company is my no.1, for ever.

Didn't hear it till quite a long time after I got into the band, as Spring Hill Fair was unavailable in the UK for many years. Maybe it's so locked in my affections because it presses buttons while remaining hard to pin down.

'Part Company' was my #1 and possibly always will be. High five to the two others voting correctly.

And sonically, it's just a brilliant construction, tea kettle and all.

Yep!

The tea kettle was confounding on first listen, but is definitely essential

Part Company was my number one, too, though it was a close call between this and a few others.

For what was apparently a deliberate look at the feeling of leaving someone, rather than experience, the lyrics are too good. "What will I miss? Her cruelty, her unfaithfulness/her fun her love her kiss", "that's her handWRITing" in his most Australian of takes... I hear these in my head almost daily.

And like lots of my favourite songs, it sounds like it could circle around forever, like you've opened the door on a band practising in a room for eternity.

It's the best of the Go-Betweens in a nutshell, to me, really: weird and knotty and almost ugly at first, and then over time and many listens, you find an amazing pop song.

Also, it's rumoured that was Tracey Thorn's tea kettle

Alba and verhexen profoundly OTM.

We should really pause here until everyone else acknowledges their error, but I hope to get to bed before sunrise... :)

http://i67.tinypic.com/4ljbq1.jpg

#5
Streets of Your Town
from 16 Lovers Lane (1988)

Points: 526
Votes: 26 (0)

Original promo video 1
Original promo video 2

OH NO!

Ooh, what an upset!

No one's no.1! All too cool.

Promo video #1 = REM
Promo video #2 = Crowded House

Ahahaha a bit of image-based insurrection there!

Oh wow, I thought this would be in the top two for sure!

I think it was the song that introduced me to the band when it was played on GLR in 1988 or 1989. Bought the 78-90 compilation off the back of it. Don't the sleeve notes complain that DJs only played it when the sun shone?

Just realised I've undone my own chronology there. Must have been 1990 or 1991 I heard it on the radio.

The videos are fine, no?

They're the right videos -- I was just drawing some aesthetic comparisons

Okay, cool! :)

just a beautiful sweeping epic, another stunning 16LL bridge too. probly shoulda put it higher, but i was feeling idiosyncratic

always thought 16LL was an excellent rainy day album, with those cascading acoustic guitars and a track that's called 'clouds' fergodsake

http://i64.tinypic.com/2itho3b.jpg

#4
Bye Bye Pride
from Tallulah (1987)

Points: 571
Votes: 23 (3)

Original promo video

perfect song.

a white moon appears like a hole in the sky

Never got it!

THE DOOR IS

Amanda is perfect.

Never noticed how many of these songs have an oboe solo.

They were really choosing some nauseating typefaces circa Tallulah.

"Bye Bye Pride" itself, on the other hand, has been known to make me a little misty-eyed.

Get shivers off this one. Turned the fan off, and went for a walk by the lights down on Shield Street...

Its what falling in love sounds like.

http://i65.tinypic.com/2ns5cvp.jpg

#3
Bachelor Kisses
from Spring Hill Fair (1984)

Points: 577
Votes: 24 (2)

Original promo video

^alfred otm

I think I forgot about Bachelor Kisses, I always do. What an idiot, but then, what a lovely surprise to remember.

I happened to play "Bye Bye Pride" just before May 24 this year, but forgot to play it again a few days later :(

The first Go-Be's song I heard.

I'm glad that means the top 2 slots are shared between the two songwriters.

"Bye Bye Pride", my number one,cemented my fandom via first hearing it on Bellvista Terrace

I love the bass playing on “Bye Bye Pride”, particularly during the verses.

So relieved that spring rain is going to be in one of the top 2 slots -- I won't have to delete my account in disgust.

My elbow in the breeze

http://i67.tinypic.com/2n8wu47.jpg

#89
River of Money
from Spring Hill Fair (1984)

Points: 23
Votes: 2 (0)

Youtube audio

Still holding out for River of Money to make that surprise appearance

Ahahahahaha xp

Ha!

It's neither fair nor reasonable for sadness to confine itself to its causes

OTM