Adoration (the first in an occasional series).
((A post in which the girl lists a few songs and explains her love for them. In absolutely no particular order - all are completely equal.))
I’m not completely sure when I heard this song for the first time. Somewhere back in my childhood I know, but I can’t pinpoint the moment. Like another of the songs in this list it seems to have followed me through the years, being one of the few songs that whenever I hear it I have to listen to it all the way through - no skipping halfway for me. Talking Heads are one of those very 80’s, artistic, (dare I say it) cool bands that many poseurs profess a love of - I’m not one of them. I’m not a huge fan, I don’t study their back catalogue or hunt out rarities on Ebay, however the songs of theirs that I’ve heard, I love (cf. “Road to Nowhere” - as the youtube comment says, “truer words have never been spoken before, about life”). My Dad always instilled a great love of words, lyrics, the intention behind a song, so maybe that is the thing that attracts me to this song? I’m not going to over-analyse it - the song is damn good, no further explanation needed.
From the sublime to the ridiculous, right?! Shut up. Regardless of your stance on soft rock/college rock/AOR tripe/whatever pigeonhole you label the Goo Goo Dolls in (and believe me, there are many little bird holes that they could fit in), this song is also sublime. It swings along like butter melting in sunshine with the kind of chorus that everyone knows word for word after just a couple of listens. Isn’t that the sign of a good, no, great song? Rather than linking the promo video, I chose the version from their 2004 free concert in Buffalo - a show as infamous for the torrential downpour that almost cancelled the whole thing due to safety issues (electric instruments + water = badness) as it is for just being damn good.
Oh Mr Zimmerman, how I love you. Now I’ll admit, this probably isn’t my out-and-out favourite Dylan song (I don’t think I could pick just one), however this one has a whole heap of amazing memories for me. As a child, all long car journeys were soundtracked by either the greatest hits of The Drifters or “Bringing It All Back Home” by Bob, and my sister and I (my brother was a mere twinkle in my parents’ eyes at this point) would scream “I AIN’T GONNA WORK ON MAGGIE’S FARM NO MOOOOOORE!” in the backseat like deranged little banshees, filling the lyrics we didn’t know with our own versions of the song. It always brings a smile. I chose the Newport Festival performance because it’s a prime example of Bob wtfpwning the world, particularly the old folk community whose Arran knit sweaters had got a little too tight and cut off the blood to their heads… or something.
A perfect little slice of dreampop, this one. Hope Sandoval has the kind of voice I could only ever dream of, and this song is exquisite. Nothing more to say.
My other “stalking” song (see number 1 above)! Honestly, I must hear this at least once a week - over shopping centre piped music, in lifts, hearing someone on my street practicing it on their saxophone, all over the place. With most songs this kind of frequency would make me sick and tired of the song in the same way that hearing “Chasing Pavements” every time I turn the radio on has made me hate Adele with such a passion it almost shocks me. “Baker Street” is different, because “Baker Street” is good.
last year's girl Said:
on March 12, 2008 at 9:51 am
We saw the Goo Goo Dolls camp it up at T in the Park last summer - the singer serenaded a blow-up doll somebody threw on the stage with “Iris”. Jay loves the band - at least the early stuff, when their Replacements fandom shone through. Not so much these days.
zazazu Said:
on March 12, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I also love “Iris”. I’m not terribly familiar with the others though. This, I’m afraid, is a nod to my age. Eeek!