Could we please be objective cause the other POLLS are queuing up behind us - Artist Poll #94 - Belle & Sebastian - RESULTS

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7. If You're Feeling Sinister
From If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)
At Austin City Limits, 2014
Points: 723
Votes: 34
#1 Votes: 2

People don't reference this song enough! Glad it did so well. The playground noise is a weird masterstroke; "the vicar or whatever" similarly.

In a discography full of prettiness, this is their prettiest song.

the playground noise gives it this weird sense of 'passing through' if that makes any sense? i really like the effect it has, it's sort of breezy

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6. I'm a Cuckoo
From Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)
Original promo video
Avalanches remix, audio track
Points: 728
Votes: 31, including 2 votes for the Avalanches remix.
#1 Votes: 2

awesome

brilliant song, voted for it, the Avalanches remix is overrated

Still good though.

Great song. That moment when the brass section goes into overdrive is deliciously over-the-top and perfect.

XP: Sinister, the album, has so many songs with these long melodic phrases, and the title track is a good example:
"He'll try in vain to take away the pain of being a hopeless unbeliever" comes out in one long stream where you keep expecting the melody to resolve but it keeps pushing on just a little bit further.

(see also: "Well if I remain passive and you just want to cuddle then we should be ok and we won't get in a muddle cause we're seeing other people, at least that's what we say we are doing")

I’m a Cuckoo was my number one, the avalanches remix is what put it over the top for me

Love, love this song.

The playground noise is a weird masterstroke

This is so true, and it's not exactly clear why it works so well. It doesn't really tie to the lyrics in an obvious way.

Hillary's musings reference a scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Perhaps it's a meditation on lost innocence and lost youth. Murdoch does a lot of repurposing of popular kids culture that serves a similar purpose, right down to the band name.

Does anyone remember the DVD singles? B&S were well served with those. I have most (if not all) of them.

IwasthebossofyouandIlovedyouyouknowIlovedyou

It's all over now

yeah going through this ballot has really made me notice Murdoch's unique sense of phrasing (in every sense)

“Never read this before, Stuart Murdoch
on Sleep the Clock Around:

"That song was about walking over the brow of a hill, away from the two people I loved most, when I had betrayed them somewhat: after they cast me out of their confidence and out of the cafe. So it’s a song that cries out for recovery."

♥️

― Alba, Monday, December 17, 2018 2:53 AM (six hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink”

I love this. Like I said last night this is my fave B&S song. Very strong top ten so far as precdicted.

Funny little I'm a Cuckoo fact I noticed the other day. In Stuart David's B&S memoir he mentions the other Stuart in the pre B&S days having a song called Sunday Gang.

Have found no other reference to it except the line in I'm a Cuckoo "Watch the Sunday gang in Harajuku".

I thought it was 'Sunday gang in Harrods'! What the chuff is Harajuku?

A neighborhood in Tokyo.

They like Thin Lizzy. and stuff.

And this, I guess, is the Sunday Gang he's talking about?

https://www.tvcream.co.uk/telly/tv-a-z/n-z/s-is-for/sunday-gang/

xp That's one hell of a rhyming dictionary.

Harajuku is a trendy neighbourhood. I guess SM has been there when visiting Toyko.

"I'm a Cuckoo" looked like it was steady at #4, for pretty much all of the voting period. I was impressed. Still impressed, despite it losing ground with the last day's ballots.

I mean, I don't think he's actually singing about watching an old religious TV show for kids while in Toyko. I just mean I imagine that's the reference he's playing on when he talks about people watching in Harajuku.

Then again, I wouldn't put it past him.

Rather be in Tokyo, listening to Thin Lizzy-o *thin lizzy guitar riff*

I always hoped he was referring to the Sunday Gang tv show, as an 80s RC kid i was very familiar with it. It was pretty well known iirc, there's a Lucas and Walliams mid 90s piss take (Pray Away) of it on You Tube.

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5. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
From If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)
Live at Lowlands, 2006
Points: 762
Votes: 37
#1 Votes: 0

"i'm a cuckoo" was my #1, on its own merits (avalanches remix is perfect too)

the thin lizzy meets highlife thing works so well

*whispers* “like dylan in the movies” 4 no. 1

This is the song I always forget is on IYFS and it's always an awesome surprise

No #1 votes!

Classic song, one I’ve probably taken for granted.

I could kill you sure, but I could only make you cry with these words

Wow, we're in the top 5.
If you're feeling sinister has jumped mightily in my esteem as a top track, when I thought I was mildly annoyed by the silly chorus lyrics. I love that long intro that makes you think it's an instrumental. Mesmerizing track. I wish I had put it even higher.
Get me away from here I'm dying I'm not very objective on. My original favorite, it's so unique and deceptively simple I sometimes doubt its perfection. Their best lyrics maybe (at least the lines I know). It is mightier than swoords. I could... only make you cry!... with theeese woords.

Before anyone sent any ballots I thought this a likely #1. But only because it won some poll I participated in, in maybe...1998. LOL. (Not sure where though. Did the Sinister list do polls?)

I get that—I’ve always thought of it as their “signature song,” as much as a band as prolific as this one can have one

Yeah, 'signature song' captures the vibe. It might have been clearer when they'd only released 32 songs or whatever.

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4. Like Dylan in the Movies
From If You're Feeling Sinister (1996)
'Fans Only' segment
Points: 812
Votes: 34
#1 Votes: 4

this was my highest IYFS track, undeniable vibe

I realized while assembling my ballot that the early albums are associated with a time in life I don't care to think about anymore, which probably contributed to my preference for the more recent stuff (DCW and onwards) and b-sides / stray tracks

Heard it on the radio a while ago and yes went back to another time. I know I said I voted Me and the Major my top Sinister track but really this can't be beaten.

For this poll I had decided (very unoriginally) that this was my favorite B&S song. Can't complain even if it misses the top 3. I'm still happy with my choice, it's the most perfectly balanced in everything: bassline, vocal lines, piano, impressions of "rising" and accelerating, guitars, details, xylophone-triangle whatever it is.
You can concentrate on the one you love...
I will love you over, I will love youuuuu
If they foooollow you
Seriously, it's perfect. We said the songs with 4 #1 votes win right. Right.

a great song but still only middle of the pack in IYFS to me

Please don't let LLPJ beat The State I Am In.

I hope it does tbqh

Oh yes did anybody compliment you on the blue - red - green - yellow color thing ? I swear I only actually noticed today, great idea.
LLPJ doesn't deserve it.

imagine thinking that "lazy line painter jane" isn't one of the best b&s songs and would be a totally excellent no. 1

wouldn't*

Comes back to preference for his personal songs over the character ones, I guess. TSIAI just means everything to me and I've never really got a handle on this Jane person.