Ladies and gentlemen....the 1990s ILX SINGLES POLL RESULTS

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The Gin Blossoms are a very good argument to support the theory that the main reason I dislike The Replacements is because I was too young to appreciate them when I first heard them.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 22:55 (nineteen years ago) link

"Downtime" is by the Gandharvas, who are even more provincial than the Tragically Hip.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 22:55 (nineteen years ago) link

pls move gin blossoms discussion here: Give it up for the fucking Gin Blossoms

k? thnx. bye.

― john'n'chicago, Wednesday, 10 November 2004 22:56 (nineteen years ago) link

What exactly makes this song so un-Westerbergian, Anthony?

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 22:56 (nineteen years ago) link

Whoops, I was totally confusing the two too. Johnny Rzeznik, the guy from the goo goo dolls wears capri pants. I don't know if the vocalist for the gin blossoms wears any pants at all.

― Jeff-PTTL (Jeff), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 22:57 (nineteen years ago) link

The two groups really have a lot in common.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:00 (nineteen years ago) link

the song itself is Westerbergian (that was the first thing I said). I just think Robin Wilson doesn't have the same level of fear/frustration/desperation/smart-stupid second-guessage that Westerberg (and probably Hopkins) had in his delivery. This isn't a BAD thing, it makes the song more pop. I just don't hear the same intelligence and anxiety in Wilson's performances, though there's enough sympathy that it doesn't come off completely absurd (like, I dunno, Linda Rondstandt singing Elvis Costello's "Allison").

Basically Johnny and Robin have a little too much Jon Bon Jovi in them to be Paul Westerberg. This doesn't nullify their ability to make good stuff (Jon Bon wrote some good stuff), it just makes them different.

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:02 (nineteen years ago) link

Robin wrote "Alison Road." Westerberg wrote "Answering Machine."

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:04 (nineteen years ago) link

"name" is better than any gin blossoms but maybe thats just cuz it was playing at the airport when i had to say goodbye to a certain someone for the last time ever back in 95 and omg it was just like an episode of friends waaaah waaaaaaaaaaaah

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:10 (nineteen years ago) link

I think maybe there's a bit of a difference in attitude between Wilson and Westerberg, but I think it's coming from the same place. Westerberg shouted his fear/frustration/desperation, he was young and pissed off and eternally unsatisfied, he was bruised but he was fighting. On "Hey Jealousy," Wilson sounds to me sort of like a man defeated, who wants to hang on to his last shred of hope, but is too world-weary and too honest with himself--he's drunk now so he's pouring out his heart and saying everything he's ever wanted to say but couldn't, but he knows that once he's sobered up it'll all be for nothing and he'll just seem old and pathetic. It's too little and too late and he sings it like he knows it. It's Westerberg all right, but five or so years later--All Shook Down instead of "Bastards of Young".

Needless to say, I don't see him on par with Jon Bon Jovi at all (nor do I see "Hey Jealousy" as being just a really good pop song).

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:12 (nineteen years ago) link

I will say that I do sort of see what you're saying applying to Johny Rzeznik. There was some passion and rawness in his voice, but not really enough to carry a song as hurting as "Name"--fantastic songwriter, so-so vocalist.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:16 (nineteen years ago) link

i am disappointed (tho not surprised) that "summer girls" didnt make it
i am saddened that "watch out now" didnt make it
i am oddly relieved that "everlong" didnt make it (even tho i was one of the 9 who voted for it (i think))

― artiste (artiste), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:16 (nineteen years ago) link

"Watch Out Now" was the last song to make my cut, so I wasn't surprised it didn't make it. I am very surprised "Energy Flash" ended up where it did..

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:20 (nineteen years ago) link

I think Gear (ha, I typed Geir first time!) should ignore the 'where did X place?' questions, and just post the whole of the scoring when he has time.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:20 (nineteen years ago) link

(Geir can also ignore such questions)

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:20 (nineteen years ago) link

I just can't hear the All Shook Down-and-after wisdom and weariness in Wilson's voice. I bring up Jon Bon because I think Robin and Johnny Rzeznizkz (aside from some early sozzled moments circa Hold Me Up) aren't doomed to sounding "old and pathetic." They've got some spine and less on the mind. In the long run their pros in a way Westerberg can't be (though admittedly Westerberg was trying from '88-'98 abouts).

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:21 (nineteen years ago) link

With any other Gin or Goos song (except "Lost Horizons," but even that is a bit too sweet to truly be pathetic) I'd agree with you, but not "Hey Jealousy". The song is without a doubt as desperate, frustrated and fearful as Westerberg ever was.

Matter of opinion at this point, I suppose. I'm glad you're even willing to talk about the song seriously.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:26 (nineteen years ago) link

folks if you're enraptured by our tangent, feel free to watch it continue on the "let's here it for the Gin Blossoms" thread.

― miccio (miccio), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:30 (nineteen years ago) link

I've always preferred "Found Out About You," but hey.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:33 (nineteen years ago) link

If "Found Out About You" was a little more energetic, it could easily have been on par with "Hey Jealousy". The chorus is fantastic but the song loses way too much steam on the verses.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:37 (nineteen years ago) link

This discusion is great by the way. And I dont recommend any of their records.

― danh (danh), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:50 (nineteen years ago) link

NME is about half classics and half duds. I don't listen to it all the way through much but it's worth owning for the classics.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:52 (nineteen years ago) link

It's interesting that the number of *votes* isn't increasing as we move through the top 20, rather, the songs higher in the chart are getting there because they placed higher -- on average -- in people's lists. This is stark contrast to the 00's poll, where the top songs got there more through sheer numbers of votes.
[/useless stats]

(fixing my sentence so that it makes more sense)

6. NEW ORDER - "Regret" (647 points, 36 votes)
5. GETO BOYS - "Mind Playing Tricks On Me" (710 points, 33 votes)
4. MY BLOODY VALENTINE - "Soon" (735 points, 34 votes)
3. THE BREEDERS - "Cannonball" (780 points, 47 votes)
2. DEEE-LITE - "Groove Is In the Heart" (1056 points, 53 votes)
1. PULP - "Common People" (1387 points, 61 votes)

Of course, the trend I wrote about completely broke down once we hit the top three -- as noted by Gear, the point difference between #1 and #5 > no. of points given to #6. The consensus lauded on the top three (compared to the rest of the poll, and compared with the 00's poll) is remarkable ... about half of the people voted for "Common People" (~ 61/120) compared to about a third who voted for "Hey Ya" last time (~61/170). Even more significant -- there were TWICE as many songs to choose from on this poll (although we also listed twice as many songs on our ballots, do these effects cancel? I'm not sure). It helps explain the similar number of votes for most of the songs in the top 20, as well as the close packed nature of the top 100 as a whole (i.e. several ties, narrow point differentials, one less or one more vote for almost any song could have drastically changed its placing).

Great poll, Gear, thanks for all your hard work!

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 23:54 (nineteen years ago) link

I loved this poll. Possibly because the 90s were my real formative years for music (teenager in the 80s, student/graduate with a disposable income in the 00s. My nominations came in at nos 2 and 39 - Groove is in the Heart and Justified and Ancient) respectively.

Where was Lazarus overall?

I liked how Cannonball came #3 but was no-one's favourite. The kind of song everyone loves, but no-one loves.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:54 (nineteen years ago) link

"Cannonball" is barely the third best song on that album, much less of the decade.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:59 (nineteen years ago) link

student/graduate with a disposable income in the 00s.

make that ~~pissed person in the 00s~~ student/graduate with a disposable income in the 90s

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 11 November 2004 00:59 (nineteen years ago) link

It would have been nice to have seen "Genie In A Bottle," "Around The Way Girl," or "C'Mon N' Ride It (The Train)." And I'm happy to see that at least "'93 Til Infinity" made it close to the top 100.

I like this list, and I especially like how I've never heard 15 or 16 of these songs, although I assume the majority of them are techno, so they probably won't all fit on one CD. eh.

― billstevejim, Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:46 (nineteen years ago) link

Someone said upthread they had put them all on soulseek, I think, so if you want to listen to them...

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:48 (nineteen years ago) link

Common People the best track of the Nineties? What? ILM is indie and rubbish.

― Wooden (Wooden), Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:50 (nineteen years ago) link

this is news?

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:53 (nineteen years ago) link

I hold out less hope for my will being done in the albums poll, and I only got 15 of my nominations here. It should be interesting.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 01:57 (nineteen years ago) link

Did anyone who wasn't me vote for Orlando?

"Just for a second" was my #1, AFAIK

― fernando, Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:18 (nineteen years ago) link

Man, FUCK a bunch of Coffee and TV highest ranking Blur song, and fuck a PANTLOAD of Coffee and TV and Song 2 even placing, harumph, harumph, harumph. ILM, stop getting Blur wrong!

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:20 (nineteen years ago) link

blur has some nice lightweight songs and a cute asinine, trend-hopping singer/leader who couldn't write a lyric of substance to save his life, right? Did I get it right this time?

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:35 (nineteen years ago) link

I do wish I had the "best of." Nummy little bubblegums on that.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:37 (nineteen years ago) link

blur has some nice lightweight songs and a cute asinine, trend-hopping singer/leader who couldn't write a lyric of substance to save his life, right?

This is totally otm, so why screw it up by putting some heavy handed bullshit on there instead of the nice, lightweight ones?

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:39 (nineteen years ago) link

but "Song 2" and "Coffee & TV" are the lightweight ones, aren't they? The heavy handed stuff is "Tender" and "The Universal" ain't it?

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:40 (nineteen years ago) link

Though I think "Girls & Boys" got robbed.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:42 (nineteen years ago) link

(p.s. I apologize for assuming you thought otherwise re: blur and putting the emoticon and basically behaving like a pud)

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:43 (nineteen years ago) link

Girls and Boys makes me want to stab my ears with a fork.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:45 (nineteen years ago) link

gluing steak to my ears make me wanna do that

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 02:53 (nineteen years ago) link

Girls and Boys is fucking great, but miccio i thought you were against criticizing THE LIST.

― djdee2005 (djdee2005), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:04 (nineteen years ago) link

OK Gear, how did "MMMBop" do?

― Mike O. (Mike Ouderkirk), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:08 (nineteen years ago) link

Just for a second" was my #1, AFAIK

Fernando, did I speak with you on soulseek a few months ago? Dubstar?

And yes, Girls and Boys is better than either of those Blur songs that made it in. I would've voted for Country House too. Maybe. Like, if I had had an open spot. I didn't.

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:08 (nineteen years ago) link

i'm against being a whiny bitch about it and accusing everyone of some horrific "ism," djdee. I just pointed out a song that I think deserved some love when the artist came up.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:08 (nineteen years ago) link

my use of the phrase "wuz robbed" was pretty ironic. I find no serious injustice there.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:09 (nineteen years ago) link

Miccio, I don't like any of those songs except maybe the Universal. I like them best when they manage to maintain some kind of dignity. Girls and Boys is pretty great, but "For Tomorrow" pretty much sums everything I ever liked about Blur. It's classy.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:12 (nineteen years ago) link

universal's a great karaoke song (duh). country house is surprisingly hard to sing, they really cram the words in, plus it's a naff tune.

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:14 (nineteen years ago) link

What "isms" did I accuse anyone of? I just said that "Pony" was robbed.

― djdee2005 (djdee2005), Thursday, 11 November 2004 03:18 (nineteen years ago) link

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