You Have Seen Some UnbelievaPOLL Things - ILM Artist Poll #99 - Cat Power Results

Roll-out starts tomorrow with covers and albums and first tracks 40-50.

My apologies for the forthcoming banner images for the tracks.

Stats? I would, at least like to know how many ballots?

Glad this poll is happening.

Very excited for this!

11. Speaking For Trees (8 points, 1 vote)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB0GDcOrOrM

10. Myra Lee (21 points, 6 votes)

9. Sun (29 points, 8 votes)

Surprised at Sun's low placement. Not my favourite but I seem to like it more than most people here.

it's the production, as noted elsewhere it sounds like it was made in Garageband. I love "Nothin' But Time" though.

Oops, Sun is in an 8th place tie with this:

8. Jukebox (29 points, 7 votes)

7. Dear Sir (31 points, 7 votes)

6. The Covers Record (54 points, 10 votes)

5. Wanderer (66 points, 10 votes)

dear sir was my number three. quite far behind the top two but a very consistent album. i like chan marshall's early folky period where she really sounds like herself without any production gimmickry. it is all so unfiltered. especially rockets, a miracle of a song and those lyrics kill me.

Odd, this poll was the first time I checked her discography pre-Moon Pix, and I was surprised at how RAWK she sounds.

4. The Greatest (71 points, 12 votes)

3. What Would The Community Think (81 points, 12 votes)

Ack, that should be:

3. What Would The Community Think (81 points, 12 votes, 2 #1 votes)

2. You Are Free (106 points, 12 votes, 4 #1 votes)

1. Moon Pix (110 points, 12 votes, 6 #1 votes)

I've never been able to get into Moon Pix, and I think the reason is that it's a depression album from the inside: except for a handful of tracks, it's too insular and sapped of energy.

COVERS!

23. It Ain't Fair, 1 votes
23. (tie) Blue, 1 votes
21. Remember Me, 1 votes
21. (tie) House of the Rising Sun, 1 votes
20. Don't Explain, 1 votes

i think wwtct this is her best album. it reminds me a lot of nick drake's "pink moon" but somehow she managed to survive. additionally it contains her best song. it goes straight to the bone.

concerning moon pix. i attended her concert with two thirds of the dirty three in frankfurt. and it was the most somnambulistic performance i have ever seen. she was floating in trance space and mick turner on guitar and jim white on drums grounded her. i have never seen such a perfect match of musicians again.

18. (tie) Fortunate Son, 1 votes
18. (tie) Silver Stallion, 1 votes
17. Paths of Victory, 1 votes
16. Red Apples, 1 votes
14. (tie) Psychic Hearts, 1 votes
14. (tie) New York, 1 votes

Forgot the points!

14. Psychic Hearts, 8 points, 1 votes
14. (tie) New York, 8 points, 1 votes
16. Red Apples, 7 points, 1 votes
17. Paths of Victory, 6 points, 1 votes
18. Fortunate Son, 4 points, 1 votes
18. (tie) Silver Stallion, 4 points, 1 votes
20. Don't Explain, 3 points, 1 votes
21. Remember Me, 2 points, 1 votes
21. (tie) House of the Rising Sun, 2 points, 1 votes
23. It Ain't Fair, 1 points, 1 votes
23. (tie) Blue, 1 points, 1 votes

xxp I also saw the Moon Pix tour, I was totally unfamiliar with her work going in. The first 6-7 songs were amazing, the rest was the worst trainwreck I've ever seen and the rest of the band eventually just walked off the stage.

12. (tie) Keep On Runnin', 9 points, 1 votes
12. (tie) I Love You (Me Either), 9 points, 1 votes
11. Johnny's Got a Gun, 10 points, 1 votes, 1 #1 votes

10. Naked, If I Want To, 10 points, 1 votes, 1 #1 votes
9. Werewolf, 11 points, 2 votes,
8. Wonderwall, 12 points, 2 votes,
7. I Can't Get No Satisfaction, 15 points, 2 votes,
6. Stay, 18 points, 3 votes,
5. Moonshiner, 19 points, 2 votes, 1 #1 votes
4. Bathysphere, 19 points, 3 votes, 1 #1 votes
3. I Found a Reason, 22 points, 3 votes, 1 #1 votes
2. Sea of Love, 32 points, 4 votes,
1. Wild Is the Wind, 34 points, 4 votes, 2 #1 votes

TRACKS!

https://i.imgur.com/YITy2n1.png

50. In This Hole (The Covers Record), 35 points, 2 votes

who did that originally? is that the one where she "covers" herself?

nice cat content there. i smell a theme there. i voted for that song but now it seems a little too depressing for my likes.

xxp. you are right there, sleeve. that song is from wwtct and the first version is a million times better. and it was the one i voted for!

i suppose the other version is going to place later on. those two versions are like two different songs, you are right there, lee.

nice cat content there. i smell a theme there.

You smell correctly.

https://i.imgur.com/2XziXQb.png

49. Nothin But Time, 36 points, 2 votes

xxp. moonshiner on #5 of the covers pol is weird. afaik that is a song by chan and one of the highs of moon pix.

i am also a little disappointed that no one else voted for "i love vou (me either)!", the beautiful duet with karen elson. probably better than the birkin/gainsbourg original. it has the big advantage that it is not overplayed. and karen elson does a perfect jane impersonation whereas chan is a nice non-chauvinistic serge.
https://youtu.be/4tZeRaf19EY

sp: poll, i love you

xxp. moonshiner on #5 of the covers pol is weird. afaik that is a song by chan and one of the highs of moon pix.

It's definitely not an original composition of hers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Moonshiner

But I can see how an artist's version of a traditional folk song might be stretching the idea of a cover song.

https://i.imgur.com/tvJB8eD.png

48. Headlights, 38 points, 3 votes

^^ maddeningly, that is listed under a different Discogs "artist" i.e. "Cat Power the band"

https://www.discogs.com/Cat-Power-Headlights/release/457320

great single, I voted for it

https://i.imgur.com/iumBSKD.png

47. Stay, 39 points, 3 votes

"Headlights" is supposed to tied for 47.

And never mind the rank in the image, this should be a tie at #45:

https://i.imgur.com/KNF8ODy.png

45. (tie) Horizon, 40 points, 2 votes

https://i.imgur.com/K4NJqJT.png

45. (tie) Enough, 40 points, 2 votes

i think it would be nice if there was a youtube link to the song to listen to, no?

"enough" is definitely too low. a killer tune and it sounds so simple and straightforward and fierce. one of the songs that totally grabbed me. and those long pauses make it even more powerful. it was my #10.

Youtubes for 50-45:

50. In This Hole (The Covers Record)
49. Nothin' But Time
48. Headlights
47. Stay
45. (tie) Horion
45. (tie) Enough

thanks, you are doing a great job there. unfortunately i have to disappear into my dreams now.

https://i.imgur.com/Z0Wx9kd.png

44. Shaking Paper, 42 points, 4 votes

Youtube

I adore "Shaking Paper", I was hoping it'd place a bit higher.

"Shaking Paper" was a very late cut for me.

The next two are tied on points, but I decided that the tiebreaker would be total number of votes (and, when it applies, number of #1 votes).

https://i.imgur.com/Sb3zYSx.png

43. Naked if I Want To (The Covers Record), 44 points, 2 votes

Youtube

https://i.imgur.com/OaucMOG.png

5. He War, 273 points, 10 votes, 2 #1 votes

Youtube

Hah, I just realized I had no idea what "Speak For Me" was, because I'd forgotten I'd voted for it. Her vocal rhythm in the chorus is great.

“No Sense” my #1 for musical and personal reasons. Surprised to see “Colours and the Kids” that high, I find it too repetitive and it grates by the end.

it's so hard to go into the city

'He War' my #1, I always hoped she'd one day make a whole album in the style of that and 'Free'.

https://i.imgur.com/FLOoe0P.png

4. The Greatest, 282 points, 12 votes

Youtube

I love this song, one of my favorites of all of work

'No Sense' would've been my #1 as well

a great sad bruise of a song

All these would'ves!

I needed a LONG time to warm up to "The Greatest," its sound is so different from YAF (which was the first Cat Power album that I fell in love with), but I've grown on this a lot. The swoony strings make "The Greatest" sound like one of her most romantic songs, in contrast to the darkness of the lyrics.

very dark lyrics, on the surface about Ali, but going to a more personal place. they are beautiful. I also love the nostalgic echo of Moon River in the song

https://i.imgur.com/WFqP6GF.png

3. Nude As The News, 319 points, 12 votes, 1 #1 votes

Youtube

Great performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx6F1jesJ5o

so fantastic! one of her strangest, most striking, and most beautiful songs

https://i.imgur.com/Ljs6toi.png

2. Metal Heart (Moon Pix), 343 points, 11 votes, 3 #1 votes

Youtube

TOO LOW

Too low indeed! But a very cool top 10!

can see why people think of it as her strongest song, but I would still place the coming #1 above it

https://i.imgur.com/QuNbADX.gif

1. Cross Bones Style, 406 points, 13 votes

Youtube

lol

Missing You may know him, the first Cat Power song I ever heard

But great list, great poll

Interesting that CBS was the consensus, but nobody's #1

and great poll and rollout - thank you Leee!

Cross Bones Style ruled for me from the first time I ever heard it. it would have been my #1

Yeah I think it was my first deep Cat Power hook. Looking at the top 20 it seems I'm a bit of a basic binch when it comes to Cat Power favourites:

Tracks

1. No Sense
2. I Found a Reason
3. The Greatest
4. He Turns Down
5. In This Hole (Covers Album)
6. Metal Heart (Moon Pix)
7. Nude as the News
8. He War
9. Speak For Me
10. Back of Your Head
11. Say
12. Free
13. Cross Bones Style
14. Baby Doll
15. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
16. Fool
17. Cherokee
18. In Your Face
19. American Flag
20. Wild is the Wind
21. Could We
22. Good Woman
23. Manhattan
24. Werewolf
25. Where is My Love
26. Moonshiner
27. Red Apples
28. The Moon
29. Shaking Paper
30. 3,6,9

Albums

1. Moon Pix
2. You Are Free
3. The Covers Album
4. The Greatest
5. Wanderer
6. What Would the Community Think
7. Sun

Thanks for running this leee!

Interesting that CBS was the consensus, but nobody's #1

Appeared on every ballot! Which averages to everyone placing it as the fourth/fifth choice.

yes thank you Leee!

Thanks everyone! Was a little bit sad at the relatively low turnout but hey, I got to look at a bunch of cat pictures.

Complete results:

1. Cross Bones Style, 406, 13, 0
2. Metal Heart (Moon Pix), 343, 11, 3
3. Nude As The News, 319, 12, 1
4. The Greatest, 282, 12, 0
5. He War, 273, 10, 2
6. Free, 226, 8, 0
7. Colors and the Kids, 207, 8, 0
8. I Don't Blame You, 197, 9, 0
9. No Sense, 167, 6, 1
10. American Flag, 162, 8, 0
11. Speak For Me, 149, 6, 0
12. Manhattan, 144, 6, 2
13. Maybe Not, 144, 5, 1
14. He Turns Down, 140, 6, 0
15. Rockets, 135, 8, 0
16. Say, 135, 7, 0
17. Lived In Bars, 130, 7, 0
18. Good Woman, 128, 6, 1
19. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, 110, 6, 0
20. Back of Your Head, 106, 5, 0
21. In This Hole (What Would the Community Think), 105, 4, 1
22. Fool, 101, 5, 0
23. Good Clean Fun, 100, 4, 0
24. Sea of Love, 94, 5, 0
25. Metal Heart (Jukebox), 93, 3, 0
26. Cherokee, 88, 6, 0
27. Names, 80, 4, 0
28. I Found a Reason, 80, 4, 0
29. Woman, 78, 5, 0
30. In Your Face, 72, 4, 0
31. Love & Communication, 71, 3, 0
32. Wild Is the Wind, 70, 4, 0
33. The Moon, 70, 4, 0
34. Bathysphere, 67, 4, 0
35. What Would the Community Think, 66, 4, 0
36. Moonshiner, 63, 4, 0
37. Water & Air, 57, 3, 0
38. Ruin, 48, 3, 0
39. Willie Deadwilder, 47, 2, 1
40. Evolution, 46, 3, 0
41. Top Expert, 46, 2, 0
42. Keep On Runnin', 44, 4, 0
43. Naked if I Want To (The Covers Record), 44, 2, 0
44. Shaking Paper, 42, 4, 0
45. Enough, 40, 2, 0
46. Horizon, 40, 2, 0
47. Stay, 39, 3, 0
48. Headlights, 38, 3, 0
49. Nothin But Time, 36, 2, 0
50. In This Hole (The Covers Record), 35, 2, 0
51. Ice Water, 33, 2, 0
52. Werewolf, 32, 4, 0
53. Silver Stallion, 32, 2, 0
54. King Rides By, 31, 3, 0
55. Living Proof, 31, 3, 0
56. Sweedeedee, 29, 2, 0
57. 3,6,9, 28, 4, 0
58. Willie, 28, 2, 0
59. You Get, 28, 2, 0
60. Could We, 28, 2, 0
61. Salty Dog, 26, 1, 0
62. Come on in My Kitchen, 26, 1, 0
63. You May Know Him, 24, 2, 0
64. Wanderer (intro), 24, 2, 0
65. Aretha, Sing One for Me, 24, 2, 0
66. Red Apples, 23, 2, 0
67. Taking People, 23, 2, 0
68. Great Expectations, 22, 2, 0
69. 3 Times, 19, 2, 0
70. Schizophrenia's Weighted Me Down, 19, 2, 0
71. I Believe In You, 19, 1, 0
72. Babydoll, 18, 1, 0
73. They Tell Me, 16, 1, 0
74. Back in the Days, 16, 1, 0
75. New York, 15, 1, 0
76. Wonderwall, 14, 1, 0
77. The Coat is Always On, 13, 1, 0
78. Empty Shell, 12, 1, 0
79. Robbin Hood, 11, 1, 0
80. Peking Saint, 11, 1, 0
81. Hate, 10, 2, 0
82. Mr. Gallo, 10, 1, 0
83. Don't Explain, 10, 1, 0
84. Fate Of The Human Carbine, 9, 2, 0
85. Wanderer/Exit, 9, 1, 0
86. Me voy, 8, 1, 0
87. Where is My Love, 7, 1, 0
88. Nothing Really Matters, 7, 1, 0
89. Ramblin' Woman, 6, 1, 0
90. She's Got You, 6, 1, 0
91. The Sleepwalker, 5, 1, 0
92. Fortunate Son, 4, 1, 0
93. Troubled Waters, 2, 1, 0

I'm probably going to add album data over the weekend to quantify just how hard Moon Pix and YAF ruled over the top 50.

So, on the hot-topic question of whether "Metal Heart" was screwed over by vote splitting: I would say it did not, since of the 3 people who voted for the Jukebox version, two of them also voted for the Moon Pix version. That means we can't just add the point totals of the two entries, as that'd be double-counting some ballots. So, if the voting had consolidated both versions, we'd only add one more vote at 35 points (the lone JUKEBOX VERSION OR BUST vote), bringing its point total to 378 -- still trailing "Cross Bones Style."

as far as Cross Bones Style goes - the enigmatic lyrics, the rudimentary drum, simple guitar line, and double-tracked vocals that occasionally veer slightly off-unison all seem so eerie to me

CBS video has been brought up in so many conversations about music videos among my friends
It's such a serious song and the video is very gently fun. Love it

Also love Chan's hair in the Nude as the News performance above. I like her in a weird lil bowl cut

Enjoyable poll, heard some songs that I enjoyed that were new to me! Thanks Leeeeeeeeee

obv Steve Shelley on drums in that clip, but who's the guitarist? Love Chan's flying V guitar too.

the images were so fucking good, kudos leee

this was a great prompt to listen to a bunch of cat power which it turns out I really needed to do, and I've developed more of a fondness for her later stuff

Surprised to see “Colours and the Kids” that high, I find it too repetitive and it grates by the end.

cosign this sentiment

really looking forward to digging into the stuff I don't know, thanks Leee!

im not a diehard fan

In This Hole
Good Clean Fun
What Would the Community Think
Cross Bones Style
Free
Nude As the News
No Sense
American Flag
He War
Back of Your Head
Ice Water
Great Expectations
Taking People
Say
Enough
3 Times
Water & Air
The Coat is Always On
Lived in Bars
Rockets
He Turns Down
3,6,9

What Would the Community Think
You Are Free
Moon Pix
Dear Sir
The Greatest
Wanderer

Bathysphere

Thanks for running the poll, Lee, I really enjoyed it! All those cat pictures were wonderful. There is a lot of work involved which usually gets overlooked. Here are my ballots:

Albums

What Would the Community Think
Moon Pix
Dear Sir
You Are Free
Wanderer
Myra Lee
The Greatest
Jukebox
The Covers Record
Sun

Songs

Nude As the News
Rockets
Cross Bones Style
He Turns Down
In Your Face
Moonshiner
In This Hole (WWTCT)
Good Clean Fun
Top Expert
Enough
Willie
Back of Your Head
Cherokee
Evolution
Names
Metal Heart (Moon Pix)
The Greatest
Bathysphere
Lived in Bars
Woman
Why You Keep on Running?
Mr. Gallo
He War
King Rides By
Say
What Would the Community Think
Taking People
Fate of the Human Carbine
I Don’t Blame You
Shaking Paper

Covers

Wild Is the Wind
I Love You (Me Either) – duet with Karen Elson
Theme from „New York, New York”
Red Apples
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Wonderwall
Silver Stallion
Don’t Explain
House of the Rising Sun
Blue

thanks for that live video of "nude as the news", flappy bird. an amazing performance of a song which gives me the chills like no other. and god was she young, i saw her 3 years later on the moon pix tour and she looked much older.

Nice work Leee. Thanks!

Thanks for doing this, Lee. And let me join the choir of praise for the graphics! Here's my ballot:

1. Maybe Not
2. Cross Bones Style
3. Metal Heart (Moon Pix version)
4. He War
5. Naked If I Want To (The Covers Record version)
6. Lived in Bars
7. Good Woman
8. I Don't Blame You
9. Colors and the Kids
10. Manhattan
11. The Greatest
12. Wild Is the Wind
13. Cherokee
14. I Found a Reason
15. Stay
16. Back in the Days
17. Nude as the News
18. Fool
19. American Flag
20. Woman
21. Wanderer (intro)
22. The Moon
23. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
24. Me voy
25. Rockets (Myra Lee version)
26. Ruin
27. In This Hole (The Covers Record version)
28. Werewolf
29. Hate
30. King Rides By (What Would the Community Think version)

I didn't vote for this as I was away on vacation but He War would have been my #1

Thanks for running Lee it's a shame more people didn't vote. Two observations: she is badly in need of some type of b-sides comp, I found it impossible to keep track of everything. The other point is I wished more had voted, it seems like there was a considerable crowd that hadn't heard anything post-YAF. and I'm also not sure we dug into her power as an interpretive artist enough either (e.g. the debate over Metal Heart, which kind of misses the point).

Then again, I have lots of friends who tried to see one of her early shows and gave up on her later career entirely, so I get it.

1 Manhattan
2 Nude as the News
3 The Greatest
4 Cross Bones Style
5 The Moon
6 Metal Heart (Moon Pix)
7 Nothin But Time
8 <b>Come on in My Kitchen</b>
9 Good Woman
10 Horizon
11 Colors and the Kids
12 American Flag
13 I Believe In You
14 Speak For Me
15 Could We
16 Aretha,Sing One For Me
17 I Don't Blame You
18 Naked if I Want To
19 Living Proof
20 You Get
21 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
22 3.6.9
23 Wanderer/Exit
24 Sweedeedee
25 Willie
26 She's Got You
27 Headlights
28 Fortunate Son
29 Great Expectations
30 Willie Deadwilder

man I always forget [].

Track results with albums: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G8-7JJL4_Hrw8J3dT_2dFMVQcfaWd6_ZYl-QH0Klabk/edit?usp=sharing

Hi five to the other "He War" #1 voter. Enough ideas in there for 2 or 3 songs, but she squandered them all on the same track. Plus Dave Grohl even gets a hook in.

Thanks for running this one Leee.

Here's what I voted for:

1.He War
2.Speak for Me
3.Fool
4.Cross Bones Style
5.Nude as the News
6.Back of Your Head
7.Free
8.Metal Heart (Moon Pix version)
9.Shaking Paper
10.Say
11.Rockets (Dear Sir version)
12.I Don't Blame You
13.Good Clean Fun (WWTCT? version)
14.Red Apples
15.The Greatest
16.Names
17.I Found a Reason
18.Woman
19.Ice Water
20.Keep On Runnin'
21.Good Woman
22.Don't Explain
23.In This Hole (WWTCT? version)
24.Maybe Not
25.Nothing Really Matters
26.Ramblin' Woman
27.The Sleepwalker
28.3 Times
29.Stay
30.Living Proof

ALBUMS
1.You Are Free
2.Moon Pix
3.What Would the Community Think?
4.Dear Sir
5.Wanderer
6.The Covers Record
7.Jukebox
8.The Greatest
9.Myra Lee
10.Sun

death cab for cutie just released a cover of 'metal heart' for charity, which is fine, if wholly unnecessary

what does it take to become a 'standard'?

Hey there’s a Moon Pix 33 and a 3rd book coming.