TS: "Pressure" vs. "Shock the Monkey"

I actually think "Pressure" is the most natural, undiluted distillation of the Essence of Joel to be captured in any of his major singles.

ssssssssSSSHHHHHHOCK

True, but I think it'd probably end up pretty middling otherwise.

Wasn't this his breakout hit, too?

For me personally, "Shock The Monkey" was and is one of the most irritating hit songs ever. That incessant little semicolon of a synth hook (as in fish-hook, in my throat) just annoys the crap outta me. More tolerable than that fucking Usher hit but that's not saying much, is it?

"Pressure", OTOH, I think is actually one of BJ's more effective hits, appropriately nerve-racking, with a synth riff that weirdly reminds me of Bernard Herrmann's "Psycho". So "Pressure" wins it. (In other words, I hate one song because it gets on my nerves, and at the same time liking a different song because it gets on my nerves, so I really don't know what the fuck I'm talking about.)

Some credit to Larry Fast...

Whereas "Shock The Monkey" is epic. Dark, dramatic minor-key contrapuntage riding a rock solid groove. And yet another killer PG vocal performance.

Peter Gabriel vs. Mutt Lange Fairlight FITE!!!

I'll give you the melody on "The Downeaster Alexa". But what Alex in NYC said. I will have to sing the praises of Us (and Up) on a separate thread. Short version: delete "Kiss That Frog" and "Steam," and Us pwns.

While I think "Pressure" is among Mr. Joel's more defensible tracks, gotta go with "Shock the Monkey."

Yo, Steve Biko - my dick!

I loved the song at the time, but it hasn't aged well. Whereas I find myself spinning "The Nylon Curtain" on a semi-regular basis. "Pressure", "Allentown" and "Laura" (where Billy Joel does McCartney circa Abbey Road) are all fantabulous.