The Wheel and the MayPOLL: The XTC Poll Results Thread

fabulous image for "Supergirl"

:D my #19 & until i thought hard about how ballet for 1000 umbrellas is totally perfect my skylarking highlight, it's exquisite

lol you'll have to guess which one i'm talking about

30. King For a Day (861 points, 11 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/30-KingForADay.jpg

yep, there are choices here that let me know it's a miracle I ever agree with anyone on any point. Typical XTC list!

I watched The Disappointed video immediately before making that post! I just looked up Partridge discussing it on the song of week blog and I agree it looks New Romantic-esque, but this is good thing imo, especially for a song about pageantry and flamboyant displays of grief. I think at least some of the medieval weird perspective stuff did make it onscreen xps

there are choices here that let me know it's a miracle I ever agree with anyone on any point

name names!

"The Disappointed" and "King For A Day" are songs that make me believe XTC actually are dated dad-psychedelia. Especially "The Disappointed". So banal, so adult-contemporary. I cringe!

or maybe I just hate shuffles

brb scouring the 365 for a shuffle

haha I'm sure there some in there

Dammit, I've had a really busy day and have to get up early, wanna stay and see the rest of this rollout.

Amazing graphics! Esp Nihilon, fantastic!

Welp my #1 has placed (bonfire)

29. Then She Appeared (876 points, 12 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/29-ThenSheAppeared.jpg

28. When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty (912 points, 12 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/28-WhenYoureNearMeIHaveDifficulty.jpg

27. Helicopter (917 points, 12 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/27-Helicopter.jpg

26. Rocket from a Bottle (937 points, 12 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/26-RocketFromABottle.jpg

25. You’re The Wish You Are I Had (950 points, 12 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/25-YoureTheWishYouAreIHad.jpg

24. Ballet For A Rainy Day (975 points, 12 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/24-BalletForARainyDay.jpg

TIE 23. Snowman (985 points, 11 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/23-Snowman.jpg
TIE 23. The Meeting Place (985 points, 12 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/23-MeetingPlace.jpg

22. Ball and Chain (1073 points, 14 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/22-BallAndChain.jpg

21. Jason and the Argonauts (1084 points, 13 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/21-JasonAndTheArgonauts.jpg

and that's it for today kids

told u!

oh YAY HELICOPTER! one of the most annoying pieces of music ever. it's so awesome <3 my #21

oh and there's my #7, Ballet For The Greatest Middle Eight Ever Recorded

I also voted for Snowman & Ball & Chain AND Jason & The Argonauts, gonna shut up now, it's all too much. XTC rule

recap:

21. Jason and the Argonauts (1084 points, 13 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
22. Ball and Chain (1073 points, 14 votes)
TIE 23. The Meeting Place (985 points, 12 votes)
TIE 23. Snowman (985 points, 11 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
24. Ballet For A Rainy Day (975 points, 12 votes)
25. You’re The Wish You Are I Had (950 points, 12 votes)
26. Rocket from a Bottle (937 points, 12 votes)
27. Helicopter (917 points, 12 votes)
28. When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty (912 points, 12 votes)
29. Then She Appeared (876 points, 12 votes)
30. King For a Day (861 points, 11 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
31. Season Cycle (858 points, 10 votes)
32. That's Really Super, Supergirl (854 points, 11 votes)
33. This Is Pop? (847 points, 10 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
34. Another Satellite (835 points, 10 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
35. Yacht Dance (817 points, 9 votes)
36. Burning With Optimism's Flames (812 points, 10 votes)
37. River of Orchids (801 points, 10 votes)
38. 1000 Umbrellas (797 points, 10 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
39. Great Fire (794 points, 10 votes)
40. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her (763 points, 10 votes)
41. The Disappointed (758 points, 9 votes)
42. Wake Up (750 points, 10 votes)
43. Are You Receiving Me? (743 points, 11 votes)
44. (The Everyday Story of) Smalltown (736 points, 9 votes)
45. Travels in Nihilon (720 points, 8 votes)
46. My Bird Performs (718 points, 10 votes)
47. Sacrificial Bonfire (656 points, 8 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
48. Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me) (654 points, 8 votes)
49. Statue of Liberty (648 points, 9 votes)
50. Beating Of Hearts (644 points, 9 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
TIE 51. Greenman (640 points, 8 votes)
TIE 51. Runaways (640 points, 9 votes)
52. The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead (615 points, 8 votes)
53. Roads Girdle the Globe (613 points, 8 votes)
54. Pale and Precious (602 points, 8 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
55. Dear Madam Barnum (599 points, 9 votes)
56. English Roundabout (586 points, 8 votes)
57. Brainiac's Daughter (583 points, 8 votes)
58. Dear God (569 points, 8 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
59. Ten Feet Tall (559 points, 7 votes)
60. I'd Like That (556 points, 8 votes)

there have been fewer number ones than I expected so far

"Snowman" high on my ballot.

60-21 in the same afternoon is a bit of a whirlwind.

11 of my 31 have placed so far
You guys like drums n wires and nonsuch lots more than me

I totally forgot Jason and the Argonauts for my ballot.

It's a very interesting poll - such a rich catalogue, with not a lot of consensus.

Half my top 10 already spoken for.

I can't see my number one turning up at this rate.

I didn't vote, but goddamn there's a lot of Skylarking. I should've voted just for the satisfaction of not voting for a single thing from it (unless you count Dear God).

I totally forgot another satellite somehow. That's what I get for picking my skylarking choices from memory without looking at the track list.

my #1 already placed, but a lot haven't. I did choose a few Fuzzy Warbles, and getting the feeling they were basically voting for Nader

got Dominique down as the 1000 Umbrellas #1, willing to be stood corrected

it's true! Though even for me, hard to separate from Ballet

srsly

those two taken together may have threatened my top 3

anyway it's all incredible music

So many amazing songs.

You’re The Wish You Are I Had has to be one of my favourite XTC choruses. It gets stuck in my head for days every single time it.

When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty is another one that went a lot higher on my list when going through their albums just before voting. It's all about those noises that are supposed to symbolise the jellyfish.

Helicopter was just outside my top 10. One of the best bass lines ever and I love how manic Andy sounds on that one.

All the Skylarking songs that have placed are fantastic. That's an album that really works as a whole which is probably why I voted for almost all of it. Will be interested to see which songs miss out. I'd be ok with Big Day not making it but have a feeling Mermaid Smiled might miss out too which would be a real shame.

Surprised to see King For a Day and The Disappointed so high. Never been a big fan of either of those.

Interesting poll, in that so many people have specific records they connect with deeply, I know I do. Skylarking appears to be the consensus pick, although JF registers his dissent above, and it would appear even The Big Express has its defenders.
My own personal top 5 would be something like
Black Sea
Oranges & Lemons
English Settlement
Nonsuch
Skylarking

I have no idea what's coming in the top 20.

None of my top ten have placed so far (though I suspect a majority of them will). Any guesses on which Dukes tracks might make the top twenty?

Maybe Vanishing Girl? Mole From the Ministry is my favourite but not sure how popular it is.

mole will surely

girl too

I bet My Love Explodes is yet to come.

The Graphics Bear knows, but he's not telling.

Little Lighthouse is my favorite.

Those of you who were around: what was XTC's college presence 1979-1986, i.e. between D&W and Skylarking? "Senses Working Overtime" was big, according to CMJ. I guess I'm most curious about reception and airplay.

I did a lot of my ballot from memory and already found the first casualty: "My Bird Performs". Not a big fan of Nonsuch, but you can mentally jump that song a few places up since it should have been on my ballot

Nice to see the appreciation for "My Bird Performs," since it's always seemed that all of Colin's songs on Nonsuch were commonly loathed on ILM.

"Bungalow," however, does suck.

I was familiar with "Senses" in '83-84 due to MTV airplay and "Respectable Street" thanks to the Urgh! soundtrack. Unfortunately, my university didn't really have a functioning radio station while I was there. Those two songs and some good press (in Spin? RS?) led me to buy Waxworks/Beeswax.