i find this thread interesting because i was thinking about crowded house and neil finn tonight. i was crazy about nf's first solo album when i first got it, and i still think it's terrific. actually, mike's description of "don't dream it's over" applies to many other songs by neil finn. i was thinking something like that earlier tonight. my actual thought was something like "perfect pop song", but any song that can do that is perfect (or close to perfect) in my book.
― cecilia, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― dleone, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Mickey Black Eyes, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Omar, Wednesday, 9 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Dan Perry, Wednesday, 9 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Scott, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Ronan, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Dave225, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Lord Custos, Thursday, 10 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Sunday, 14 December 2003 06:40 (twenty years ago) link
― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Sunday, 14 December 2003 07:23 (twenty years ago) link
― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Sunday, 14 December 2003 08:46 (twenty years ago) link
― Sonny A. (Keiko), Sunday, 14 December 2003 08:48 (twenty years ago) link
that is why I think Ford Timelord is the best pop star of the 1980's!Ford a was car who made a hit record that went straight to #1! A car made a hit record, how fantastic is that!
― Nihilist Pop Star (mjt), Sunday, 14 December 2003 08:54 (twenty years ago) link
― rainman (rainman), Sunday, 14 December 2003 08:57 (twenty years ago) link
― cinniblount (James Blount), Sunday, 14 December 2003 09:01 (twenty years ago) link
― Sonny A. (Keiko), Sunday, 14 December 2003 09:01 (twenty years ago) link
― M Matos (M Matos), Sunday, 14 December 2003 09:47 (twenty years ago) link
― donut bitch (donut), Sunday, 14 December 2003 11:00 (twenty years ago) link
― M Matos (M Matos), Sunday, 14 December 2003 11:12 (twenty years ago) link
― cinniblount (James Blount), Sunday, 14 December 2003 11:13 (twenty years ago) link
― M Matos (M Matos), Sunday, 14 December 2003 11:14 (twenty years ago) link
They did even better stuff later though.
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 14 December 2003 11:52 (twenty years ago) link
Revive.
― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 02:06 (twenty years ago) link
"Kokomo" is the best SOMETHING of the '80s. Best monolithic jingle?
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 02:09 (twenty years ago) link
― captain gay, Wednesday, 25 February 2004 02:19 (twenty years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 03:48 (twenty years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 03:49 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 03:49 (twenty years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 03:51 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 03:52 (twenty years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 03:53 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 03:54 (twenty years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 04:07 (twenty years ago) link
The last few times I saw him, Finn closed with an acoustic version of "DDIO," and its somewhat ambiguous, if undoubtedly melancholy, subject matter fit right in with current events.
― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 11:51 (eighteen years ago) link
― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 12:12 (eighteen years ago) link
The best chart song of the 80s would be 'Come On Eileen', but it falls down on the 'handsome singer' thing.
― Buffalo Stan (Buffalo Stan), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 12:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 12:30 (eighteen years ago) link
In England, you mean.
― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 12:31 (eighteen years ago) link
Country specifications were not listed in the title of this thread. In any case, "Don't Dream It's Over" correctly performed poorly in Britain, climbing no higher than #27.
― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 12:33 (eighteen years ago) link
― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 13:01 (eighteen years ago) link
The first Crowded House song i remember for its own sake is "You Better Be Home Soon" which struck me as really angry and confrontational. My older sister really liked it.
When I was 11 I used to listen to a station that played "classic rock" which in Australia means "Jack & Diane" and "Harley & Rose" and "To Her Door" and Billy Joel stuff like "You May Be Right". Anyway, this station used to play "Private Universe" a lot and I found it immensely powerful. I would wake up in the middle of the night all disoriented and it would be drifting from the speakers, it seemed to have some quality of epic doomed romance about it, which would then inspire me to have dreams about a mythic love triangle which I imagined writing about in a three part trilogy.
― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 13:32 (eighteen years ago) link
This, for me, is their definitive choon.
― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 13:45 (eighteen years ago) link
― bammy taker, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 13:50 (eighteen years ago) link
― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:18 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ian Riese-Moraine has been xeroxed into a conduit! (Eastern Mantra), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 15:33 (eighteen years ago) link
Of course, "Fall at your feet" was not an 80s chart hit, so I'm off-topic.
― brittle-lemon, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 15:38 (eighteen years ago) link
― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 21:38 (eighteen years ago) link
― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 22:15 (eighteen years ago) link
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 02:28 (eighteen years ago) link
― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 03:24 (eighteen years ago) link
― Mitya (mitya), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 03:45 (eighteen years ago) link
Someone mentioned Mitchell Froom upthread, that probably explains why I hate something so innocuous, his producing style is easily in my bottom 5 of all time. Sonically empty fussiness, no thanks Mitch.
― timmy tannin (pompous), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 04:10 (eighteen years ago) link
(and I really dislike Split Enz, with the exception of "One Step Ahead").
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 04:23 (eighteen years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 17:04 (eighteen years ago) link
And Crowded House went on to write at least 5-6 songs that were better later on.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 28 February 2006 20:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 20:48 (eighteen years ago) link
― Terrible Cold (Terrible Cold), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 21:12 (eighteen years ago) link
― phil d. (Phil D.), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 21:19 (eighteen years ago) link
― Jubalique (Jubalique), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 21:49 (eighteen years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 22:04 (eighteen years ago) link
The s/t debut would rank second, for the aforementioned singles and "Can't Carry On" and "I Walk Away."
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 22:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 03:49 (eighteen years ago) link
What makes a classic ? Uniqueness, and songcraftingskill manifested by distinguishing lyrical/melodic/harmonic/rhythmicelements.Instrumental skill augments implementationof the songcrafting skill.
Imagination and respect for music (melody, harmony & rhythmintertwined) and a sense of lyrical phrasing of the concept.
Now we all know that some very hi-energy, rhythmically intricate,image cool, shocking and aggressive music is favored bysome musically ignorant ones nowadays, and it definitelysatisfies their short-term desire for instant sonicgratification.
But for a piece of music to have *longevity*, and transcendthe fandom of superficial fads, it MUST incorporate somerequirements of the songcrafting process, augmented byinstrumental skill.
― Musicfan101, Wednesday, 1 March 2006 04:22 (eighteen years ago) link
― Darren Lewis, Wednesday, 1 March 2006 04:23 (eighteen years ago) link
― ratty, Wednesday, 1 March 2006 04:32 (eighteen years ago) link
(another joke song by a joke band.Whimsical, Satirical Songcrafting Parodies are fun, but there's nothin' like the real thing, ratty...)
― Lidoe, Wednesday, 1 March 2006 04:39 (eighteen years ago) link
ugh. i can't even listen to that album all through. i almost don't know why but it's ruined a lot of the rest for me. first time i heard it - in "everyone is here" where the song suddenly becomes 'true to format' at the change with the "come on now"s... just arghh, argggh, argggghh.
― Kim (Kim), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 04:41 (eighteen years ago) link
― i am not a nugget (stevie), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 10:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― Jubalique (Jubalique), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 12:44 (eighteen years ago) link
Finn's been writing great, great songs since he was barely out of his teens. I hardly think "DDIO" is an exception. Search also "Message to My Girl," "One Step Ahead," "I Got You," and many, many more from Crowded House, the Finn Brothers and his solo discs. "Driving Me Mad" from the last one was amazing. "Golden Hum" from the last Finn Brothers disc is gorgeous.
― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 13:30 (eighteen years ago) link
― dr x o'skeleton, Wednesday, 1 March 2006 13:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― retrogurl, Wednesday, 1 March 2006 14:02 (eighteen years ago) link
― retrogurl, Wednesday, 1 March 2006 14:03 (eighteen years ago) link
― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 15:30 (eighteen years ago) link
No.
― Dan (FIN) Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 17:02 (eighteen years ago) link
This is great!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v012NTMVcbA
― daavid, Monday, 7 August 2017 18:25 (six years ago) link
one of those songs whose apparently deep and broad appeal eludes me somewhat
― dyl, Thursday, 25 July 2019 02:34 (four years ago) link
I think I prefer "Message to My Girl". (As raised many years ago.) Though that one may not have actually charted beyond the antipodes. Several such Finn tracks are amongst the very earliest music I can remember making me feel things, such that my judgement is possibly not to be trusted. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a good suggestion upthread. I'm never displeased when I hear it in a supermarket.Incidentally I like how ILM is old enough that a post about a song from 16 years previously is now itself deeper into the past from the present day.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Thursday, 25 July 2019 05:51 (four years ago) link
I like this song a lot but I've always thought there's something wrong in the arrangements, specifically the way the organ outro part comes in feels a bit cut/paste.And the production is a bit too dry to my taste.
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 25 July 2019 08:21 (four years ago) link
Weird. If anything, the production is too wet! But there's nothing wrong with this song, imo. I'm not a huge fan of the guitar solo, I guess, but it builds just enough for the next (flanged?) part to sound particularly satisfying. There was some song Alfred recently likened to "Don't Dream Its Over" in its intriguing vagueness. "Live to Tell," maybe?
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 25 July 2019 12:16 (four years ago) link
eheh yeah I suppose it's very subjective !But the seemingly tacked on outro is my main issue with this song.
Anyway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2ua3O_fdCY
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 25 July 2019 12:55 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e93rj-SQreE
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 25 July 2019 13:01 (four years ago) link
(Not vouching for the above at all, btw, but it's nice to see the song sifting down through the years.)
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 25 July 2019 13:02 (four years ago) link
I love Froom's organ (first draft on Elvis Costello's "I'll Wear It Proudly") and Finn's solo, so there!
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 July 2019 13:09 (four years ago) link
Fun fact: it's not an organ, it's a Chamberlin, sort of a cousin to the Mellotron.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 25 July 2019 13:15 (four years ago) link
Believe those are made in California, somewhere in the Inland Empire.
― U or Astro-U? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 July 2019 14:36 (four years ago) link
Perhaps by (or bought by?) Mattel. I used to own an Optigan, made by same toy folks iirc.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 27 July 2019 15:49 (four years ago) link
ooh an Optigon? always wanted to play one of those, was it cool?
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 27 July 2019 16:30 (four years ago) link
Yes and no. Yes, it was cool and sounded cool, but it was also big and prone to breaking down or otherwise not working that well, and tracking down the discs was challenging/expensive. What's funny is I had always talked about them to my wife, about how I always wanted one, and years later when we moved to our first house she found one being sold at an estate sale down the street! But yeah, it didn't work that well, so I eventually sold it to a guy who I think cannibalized them for parts for better working Optigans.
Gorgeous (augmented) use of an Optigan here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVg5WZHoPos
Funny Optigan aside: I once read an interview with Tchad Blake, and he said Tom Waits was really into Optigans circa "Bone Machine" ... but only the shitty sounding built in organ that no one uses!
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 27 July 2019 23:00 (four years ago) link