The Wheel and the MayPOLL: The XTC Poll Results Thread

This was also my number 5. I thought this might have a good shot at winning. One of my favourite guitar solos ever.

haha i'd forgotten that kooky keyboard bit just before the middle eight :D

will forever associate this song with:

I saw this when it aired and fell off the couch in shock. It's XTC! On a US network TV show!

xpost Poor Bill!

as a guy who was perennially picked last for any sports team AND an XTC fan that scene really hits home

Seriously.

6. Generals and Majors (1477 points, 18 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/06-GeneralsAndMajors.jpg

sliiiightly regret putting this behind Travels In Nihilon on my ballot now, but I had to really

oh shit a new song! yeah this one's rly good as well, voted. language is BETTER but this was the single so fair enough

kinda wanna read Kriegstein's Sgt. Rock story tbh

xp

So, my brother and I have both always thought that Suede totally stole the bridge from Generals and Majors for the chorus of Moving. Never really seen anyone else comment on it. Is it just us?

listening to G&M just now I did the 'Hey!' and timed it perfectly :D

these are the songs of my childhood. like, this is a big deal

this song is good n catchy and polemical in the right way. at the same time it is oddly simple for an XTC song - like, upon giving it a try, I figured out how to play it almost immediately.

it's not oddly simple for a colin moulding song imo - he always played it way straighter. not that that's a bad thing with the playing talent at his disposal

5. Making Plans for Nigel (1650 points, 19 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/05-MakingPlansForNigel.jpg

lol @ everyone thinking this would win

only slightly disappointed that song image does not involve Nigel Tufnel

anyway, seeya colin, u were a good songwriter

Is Life Begins at the Hop really going to miss out?

oh shit maybe not

welcome back colin

but then how is mole going to miss out? guess it's too silly/obv beatles pastiche for ilx ;)

i did not feel the need to vote for making plans for nigel, but it is undeniably a 'glorious slice of catchy post-punk' or whatever u call it nowadays

Apart from Respectable Street I'm not sure what else is going to make it. I guess Senses is going to place, I'm just not a massive fan so wouldn't mind if it missed out.

I thought Paper and Iron would definitely make the list but can't really see it being this high.

i am going to prepare an extra long senses writeup just for u kitchen person

senses
street
earn
life begins from the ministry

4. Life Begins at the Hop (1688 points, 19 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/04-LifeBeginsAtTheHop.jpg

delicious luncheon beef

http://talprid.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/mole-dead-1.jpg

Hurray! Wonderful song.

never knew there was a video for this one too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vq1U8BKsEw

which is actually p amusing

3. Earn Enough For Us (1798 points, 20 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/03-EarnEnoughForUs.jpg

This is a brilliant top 10 so far.

again, didn't vote for this but it's quite obviously a great song

the order of the last two is important though

Mole first then Street?

ban

2. Respectable Street (1870 points, 22 votes)
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/02-RespectableStreet.jpg

this song was in the top 10 from the get-go and hovered very close to the top the entire time, despite not receiving any no. 1 votes. but it was on over 2/3rds of the ballots and that added up.

1! 2! 3! 4! 5!

why delay the inevitable any longer

1. Senses Working Overtime (2295 points, 25 votes, 3 No. 1 votes))
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060/01-SensesWorkingOvertime.jpg

this was no.1 from the beginning and never budged.

whoa, landslide

That vegetable man is giving me the creeps.

thanks for the poll and rollout!

right, so

senses working overtime. it's their biggest hit, their best song. how often does that happen? wasn't quite sure where to put it on my ballot (had it at #3 originally) but on listening to it i couldn't do anything other than promote it all the way. it's everything andy partridge has striven for in a smidge under five minutes. his raison d'etre, his apotheosis. his perfect synthesis of raucous post-punk and exquisite pastoral englishness. a song of absurd & multiplying riches, a song of mounting glories that get better even when you think they surely cannot. it's got the uncertain, coy opening, the awesome-stupid surreal lyrics, the shimmering, luminous musicianship, the ensemble ingenuity, the astonishing, rollicking middle-eight, the bird field recordings (for what are xtc other than interpreted english birdsong?), the miraculous bridge and above all that goddamned chorus, which i could hear forever - it's an elemental piece of english/british music, a monument of pop and of course one of the greatest songs ever written. the public had taste, once ;)

Nice writeup. Still think there's at least 80 better XTC songs.

some other quick details:

- 174(!) songs received votes
- 11 of these were from Fuzzy Warbles, which was decidedly underrepresented in the ballots, for whatever reason (I suspect most fans have not slogged through all 9 volumes, but there really are a lot of gems there, including):
126. Wonder Annual (166 points, 2 votes)
127. Ship Trapped in the Ice (164 points, 2 votes)
142. When We Get to England (99 points, 2 votes)
143. Young Cleopatra (96 points, 1 votes)
150. Born Out Of Your Mouth (85 points, 1 votes)
153. The Bland Leading The Bland (82 points, 1 votes)
TIE 156. Young Marrieds (76 points, 1 votes)
158. I'm Unbecome (73 points, 1 votes)
TIE 161. Tiny Circus Of Life (70 points, 1 votes)
169. Spiral (24 points, 1 votes)
172. Dame Fortune (16 points, 1 votes)

Tried to vote "Summer's Cauldron/Grass" as my #1 - it wound up pushing "Grass" to #2 (and the incredible/indelible "Garden of Earthly Delights" to #3. Was totally robbed IMO).

"Hop" and "Thugs" both vastly superior in their Transistor Blast renditions (and both placed high on my ballot based on those versions); that boxset immortal for those 2 cuts alone.

I called "senses" at #1 in the noms thread & was roundly rebuffed. Take that, ye haters of divinely inspired pop!

Great poll, thanks Οὖτις!

Yeah this was a great poll. Thanks so much for running it!

Full results list:

1. Senses Working Overtime (2295 points, 25 votes, 3 No. 1 votes))
2. Respectable Street (1870 points, 22 votes)
3. Earn Enough For Us (1798 points, 20 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
4. Life Begins at the Hop (1688 points, 19 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
5. Making Plans for Nigel (1650 points, 19 votes)
6. Generals and Majors (1477 points, 18 votes)
7. No Language in Our Lungs (1456 points, 17 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
8. The Mayor of Simpleton (1448 points, 17 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
9. Easter Theatre (1444 points, 16 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
10. Towers of London (1426 points, 17 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
11. Grass (1347 points, 16 votes)
12. The Wheel & the Maypole (1335 points, 15 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
13. No Thugs in our House (1303 points, 15 votes)
14. Vanishing Girl (1287 points, 15 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
15. Chalkhills and Children (1238 points, 15 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
16. Harvest Festival (1236 points, 14 votes)
17. Summer's Cauldron (1225 points, 14 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
18. Wrapped in Grey (1151 points, 13 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
19. Complicated Game (1124 points, 13 votes)
20. Love On A Farmboy's Wages (1116 points, 14 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
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)
61. I Bought Myself a Liarbird (550 points, 8 votes)
62. The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul (537 points, 7 votes)
63. Scarecrow People (519 points, 7 votes)
64. Mermaid Smiled (510 points, 7 votes)
65. Paper and Iron (Notes and Coins) (509 points, 7 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
66. I Remember the Sun (506 points, 8 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
67. Little Lighthouse (487 points, 7 votes)
68. What In The World??... (480 points, 6 votes)
69. Battery Brides (471 points, 6 votes)
70. Wonderland (461 points, 5 votes)
71. Science Friction (454 points, 7 votes)
72. This World Over (445 points, 7 votes)
73. Garden of Earthly Delights (442 points, 6 votes)
74. Tissue Tigers (The Arguers) (437 points, 5 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
75. Rook (436 points, 6 votes)
76. Poor Skeleton Steps Out (426 points, 6 votes)
77. Scissor Man (406 points, 6 votes)
78. Bike Ride to the Moon (391 points, 6 votes)
79. The Last Balloon (385 points, 6 votes)
80. Ladybird (380 points, 4 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
81. Love At First Sight (377 points, 5 votes)
82. I Can't Own Her (376 points, 5 votes)
83. One Of The Millions (374 points, 7 votes)
84. Playground (373 points, 6 votes)
85. Neon Shuffle (357 points, 4 votes)
86. That Wave (344 points, 5 votes)
87. Across This Antheap (341 points, 6 votes)
88. Living Through Another Cuba (336 points, 5 votes)
89. All of a Sudden (It's Too Late) (329 points, 5 votes)
90. All You Pretty Girls (327 points, 4 votes)
TIE 91. The Mole from the Ministry (309 points, 5 votes)
TIE 91. Stupidly Happy (309 points, 4 votes)
92. Your Gold Dress (299 points, 4 votes)
93. Red Brick Dream (280 points, 5 votes)
94. She’s So Square (279 points, 4 votes)
95. Dying (278 points, 4 votes)
96. Red (274 points, 4 votes)
97. Funk Pop a Roll (273 points, 4 votes)
98. Chain of Command (267 points, 4 votes)
TIE 99. Radios in Motion (264 points, 5 votes)
TIE 99. Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!) (264 points, 4 votes)
100. Punch and Judy (258 points, 4 votes)
TIE 101. Real by Reel (255 points, 4 votes)
TIE 101. 25 O'Clock (255 points, 4 votes)
102. Crocodile (253 points, 4 votes)
103. Smokeless Zone (251 points, 3 votes)
104. Knuckle Down (249 points, 3 votes)
105. Miniature Sun (246 points, 3 votes)
106. Pulsing Pulsing (237 points, 3 votes)
TIE 107. My Love Explodes (236 points, 3 votes)
TIE 107. Bungalow (236 points, 3 votes)
108. Me And The Wind (230 points, 3 votes)
TIE 109. Humble Daisy (228 points, 3 votes)
TIE 109. Merely a Man (228 points, 3 votes)
110. You're My Drug (226 points, 3 votes)
111. The Ugly Underneath (218 points, 3 votes)
112. Beatown (213 points, 3 votes)
113. Fly On the Wall (210 points, 3 votes)
114. In Another Life (207 points, 3 votes)
115. Deliver Us From The Elements (200 points, 3 votes)
116. The Loving (199 points, 3 votes)
117. Train Running Low on Soul Coal (197 points, 3 votes)
118. Reign of blows (193 points, 3 votes)
TIE 119. The Rhythm (189 points, 3 votes)
TIE 119. It's Nearly Africa (189 points, 2 votes)
120. Your Dictionary (187 points, 3 votes)
121. Hold Me My Daddy (185 points, 3 votes)
TIE 122. You're a Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel) (177 points, 3 votes)
TIE 122. Don’t Lose Your Temper (177 points, 2 votes)
TIE 122. In Loving Memory of a Name (177 points, 3 votes)
123. The Affiliated (173 points, 3 votes)
124. Outside World (171 points, 3 votes)
TIE 125. Cross Wires (170 points, 2 votes)
TIE 125. The Somnambulist (170 points, 2 votes)
126. Wonder Annual (166 points, 2 votes)
127. Ship Trapped in the Ice (164 points, 2 votes)
128. Hang on to the Night (159 points, 2 votes)
129. Heatwave (158 points, 2 votes)
130. Blame the Weather (157 points, 2 votes)
131. Pink Thing (155 points, 3 votes)
132. Melt the Guns (152 points, 2 votes)
133. Day In Day Out (147 points, 3 votes)
134. Shake You Donkey Up (145 points, 3 votes)
135. The Smartest Monkeys (142 points, 2 votes)
136. Instant Tunes (133 points, 2 votes)
137. I'm the Man Who Murdered Love (115 points, 3 votes)
138. Jump (112 points, 2 votes)
139. Knights In Shining Karma (109 points, 2 votes)
140. I set myself on fire (104 points, 2 votes)
141. Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (102 points, 2 votes)
142. When We Get to England (99 points, 2 votes)
143. Young Cleopatra (96 points, 1 votes)
TIE 144. Dance Band (93 points, 1 votes)
TIE 144. Life Is Good In The Greenhouse (93 points, 1 votes)
145. All along the watchtower (91 points, 1 votes)
146. Leisure (89 points, 1 votes)
147. That is the way (88 points, 1 votes)
TIE 148. super-tuff (87 points, 1 votes)
TIE 148. Shiny Cage (87 points, 1 votes)
TIE 149. Take This Town (86 points, 1 votes)
TIE 149. Extrovert (86 points, 2 votes)
150. Born Out Of Your Mouth (85 points, 1 votes)
151. Buzzcity Talking (84 points, 1 votes)
152. Down in the Cockpit (83 points, 1 votes)
153. The Bland Leading The Bland (82 points, 1 votes)
154. Books Are Burning (80 points, 1 votes)
155. Heaven Is Paved With Broken Glass (77 points, 1 votes)
TIE 156. Big Day (76 points, 2 votes)
TIE 156. Young Marrieds (76 points, 1 votes)
TIE 156. Thanks for Christmas (76 points, 2 votes)
157. Sleepyheads/Looking For Footprints (75 points, 1 votes)
158. I'm Unbecome (73 points, 1 votes)
TIE 159. Cynical Days (72 points, 2 votes)
TIE 159. Terrorism (72 points, 1 votes)
TIE 160. New Broom (71 points, 1 votes)
TIE 160. You and the Clouds Will Still be Beautiful (71 points, 2 votes)
TIE 161. Tiny Circus Of Life (70 points, 1 votes)
TIE 161. Frost Circus (70 points, 1 votes)
162. Desert Island (61 points, 1 votes)
163. Holly up on poppy (59 points, 1 votes)
TIE 164. Into the atom age (51 points, 1 votes)
TIE 164. The World Is Full Of Angry Young Men (51 points, 1 votes)
165. We're All Light (47 points, 2 votes)
166. Boarded Up (43 points, 1 votes)
167. Church of Women (41 points, 1 votes)
168. Have You Seen Jackie? (39 points, 1 votes)
169. Spiral (24 points, 1 votes)
170. Gold (20 points, 1 votes)
171. New Town Animal (19 points, 2 votes)
172. Dame Fortune (16 points, 1 votes)
173. Collideascope (10 points, 1 votes)
174. President Kill (1 point, 1 vote