In a break from the news, I can report a productive weekend. With rigorous assistance from other self-appointed and absolutely dogmatic authorities, I have established beyond doubt that it’s now official: the single best year for music in all human history was 1970.
The site of this scientific discovery was a village up the NSW north coast, where sundry know-alls gathered for a disorderly weekend based around Saturday’s big rugby match. Over two searching nights and days, skeptical enthusiasts with appalling memories, shocking substance intake levels and atrocious spelling relentlessly threw up artists and albums and years to test the theory from every angle, only to find the discovery strengthening at almost every turn.
The discovery sits perfectly with the well known scientific fact that the ‘sixties actually date from 1965 to 1975. It seems that 1970 witnessed an extraordinary number and range of artists coinciding around the peak of their careers. The intensity is signified by the tragic loss of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, with Brian Jones and Jim Morrison bookending the moment, the death of the former anticipating the year by six months and Jim Morrison following six months afterwards.
Looking back, it’s difficult to know how we managed our album buying budgets from our pocket-money, as sensation followed quickly on the heels of sensation, as a generation of listeners world over tuned in and were turned on for life. Thinking back, I recall that various friends became known for having different records, and you would get to know the releases over at their places. Indeed, sometimes the fact that certain friends had certain records was the only reason why they were your friends. A good album collection had real pulling power in those days.
Below is my representative and alphabetically ordered list of albums from this magnificent musical year of years. To be clear, I don’t claim that all the great artists of the time released their greatest albums in 1970. That’s obviously not true, as the example of Bob Dylan shows. Yet the year is distinguished by the release of two Dylan albums amid the rush of wonder: the vastly critically under-recognised delight of Self-Portrait and the also marvellous and often under-rated New Morning. Nor do I say by any stretch that all the great artists played in 1970. Lou Reed (solo) and the Bruce Springsteen, for obvious examples, didn’t record until 1972-73.
The only absolute truth being revealed here at LP for the first time ever is that 1970 was the year when more great albums were released by more great artists than any other single year in the history of all humankind. In the list, only significant releases are entered (whatever Elton John did that year, for example, isn’t here), and I’ve asterisked those albums which, if not recognised as the most accomplished by the relevant artist, are at least in the argument. Potential argument clinchers are in bold.
Allman Bros Band, Idlewild South*
Herb Alpert, Greatest Hits*
The Animals, House of the Rising Sun
Joan Baez, One Day at a Time, & The First Ten Years
The Band, Stage Fright
Count Basie, Basic Basie
The Beach Boys, Sunflower
The Beatles, Hey Jude, & Let it Be
Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath*
David Bowie, The Man Who Sold the World
James Brown, Ain’t it Funky, Soul on Top, It’s a New Day, & Sex Machine
Tim Buckley, Lorca, & Blue Afternoon
Eric Burden, Eric Burden Declares War
The Byrds, Live at Fillmore West, & Untitled
Canned Heat, Future Blues*, Vintage Heat, Canned Heat Live from Europe, Cookbook, & Hooker ‘n Heat*
Johnny Cash, Hello I’m Johnny Cash, The Rough Cut King of Country Music, The Legend, & The World of Johnny Cash
Ray Charles, Love Country Style, My Kind of Jazz, & The Best of Ray Charles
Chicago, Chicago II
Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton
Jimmy Cliff, Wonderful World, Beautiful People*
Joe Cocker, Mad Dogs and Englishmen*
John Coltrane, Live in Seattle, & Transition
Ry Cooder, Ry Cooder
Cream, Live
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cosmo’s Factory* & Pendulum
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Deja Vu*
Miles Davis, A Tribute to Jack Johnson*, At Fillmore: Live at the Fillmore East, Black Beauty: Live at the Fillmore West, & Live/Evil
Deep Purple, Deep Purple in Rock
Delaney & Bonnie, On Tour with Eric Clapton*, & To Delaney & Bonnie
Derek & the Dominos, Layla & other Assorted Love Songs*
Willie Dixon, I am the Blues*
Donovan, Open Road
The Doors, Morrison Hotel*, & Absolutely Live*
Dr John, Remedies
Bob Dylan, Self Portrait, & New Morning
Electric Flag, The Best of Electric Flag*
Duke Ellington, Latin American Suite
The Faces, First Step*
Fairport Convention, Full House
Roberta Flack, Chapter Two
Fleetwood Mac, Then Play On*, & Kiln House
The Flying Burrito Bros, Burrito Delux
Aretha Franklin, This Girl’s in Love with You, & Spirit in the Dark
Free, Free, Fire & Water*, & Highway
Marvin Gaye, Superhits
J Geils Band, The J Geils Band
Grand Funk Railroad, Grand Funk*
Grateful Dead, Workingman’s Dead*, & American Beauty*
Arlo Guthrie, Rising Son
Buddy Guy, I Was Walkin’ Through the Woods*, & Buddy and the Juniors
Merle Haggard, Okie from Muskogee***, Introducing My Friends – The Strangers, The Fighting Side of Me, Getting to know Merle Haggard’s Strangers, & Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player
John Hammond, The Best of John Hammond*, & Southern Fried
George Harrison, All Things Must Pass*
Jimi Hendrix, Band of Gypsies*
John Lee Hooker, Alone*
Jethro Tull, Aqualung
Robert Johnson, King of the Delta Blues Singers (Vol 2)*
Albert King, Lovejoy
B B King, Indianola Mississippii Seeds
The Kinks, Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround
Al Kooper, Kooper Session
Led Zepplin, Led Zepplin III
John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band*
Jerry Lee Lewis, Taste of Country, Sunday Down South, Ol’ Time Country Music & There Must Be More to Love Than This
The Lovin’ Spoonful, Anthology*
John Mayall, Empty Rooms, & USA Union
MC5, back In the USA*
Steve Miller Band, Number Five
Joni Mitchell, Ladies of the Laurel Canyon*
Van Morrison, Moondance*, His Band and the Street Choir, & Best of Van Morrison
Randy Newman, 12 Songs*
Roy Orbison, The Big O, The Great Songs of Roy Orbison, & Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way
Pentagle, Basket of Light
Elvis Presley, On Stage, Elvis in Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, Back in Memphis, That’s the Way It Is, Almost in Love, & World Wide 50 Gold Award Hits vol 1, no. 1
Otis Redding, Tell the Truth, & Monterey International Pop Festival (with Hendrix)
The Rolling Stones, Get Yer Yah Yahs Out*, & Sticky Fingers**
Tom Rush, Tom Rush
Santana, Abraxus*
Simon & Garfunkle, Bridge Over Troubled Waters*
Frank Sinatra, Watertown
Steppenwolf, Monster*, & Steppenwolf Seven
Rod Stewart, Gasoline Alley*
Stephen Stills, Stephen Stills*
The Stooges, Fun House*
James Taylor, Sweet Baby James*
Ten Years After, Cricklewood Green*, & Watt
Traffic, The Best of Traffic*, & John Barlycorn Must Die*
The Velvet Underground, Loaded*
The Who, Live At Leeds*
Johnny Winter, Johnny Winter And Live*
Stevie Wonder, Signed, Sealed and Delivered
Neil Young, After the Gold Rush*
Frank Zappa, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Weasels Ripped My Flesh*, & Chunga’s Revenge
ZZ Top, ZZ Top’s First Album
* That’s over 30 of the best albums by artists of standing released in 1970, or at least 30 albums in the argument with respect to that artist who it can be argued has standing, and a total of well over 100 great albums, or arguably over 100 great albums – over two great albums a week (including no less than five Eric Clapton albums). Phew! No wonder I was exhausted.
** Sticky Fingers was actually not released until April 1971, but has been retrospectively dated to 1970 by unanimous vote of the judges (as should have been Janis’ great Pearl, released posthumously in February 1971).
*** Merle Haggard’s Okie from Muskogee released 29 December 1969.
mmh as Chairman Kaga (and bob) would say : “if my memory serves me well..” I reckon I’ve got most of those. Not all of them I’d rate. AND I’d be prepard to argue that “Elton John” and “Tumbleweed Connection” could easily be included or IMO replace several of those above.
Ahhh old age = when you are old enough to remember when Rod Stewart was worth purchasing.
IÄôd be prepard to argue that “Elton John” and “Tumbleweed Connection” could easily be included or IMO replace several of those above.
Specifically, they should replace Joan Baez.
Okie from Muskogee is 69,and if you are going to stretch to that it must be A Portrait Of … (Woring Man Blues, Silver Wings) or Same Train, Different Time surely from that year. You can have his tribute to Bob Wills album from ’70 instead.
1970? Everyone knows rock attained perfection in
1974. It’s a scientific fact.;-)
Nice list though. And bands releasing more than one album a year. That has long gone.
Oh, and hello? Randy Newman, 12 Songs.
Is this the same FXH who was seem in a beige safari suit singing dankeschoen at a Wayne Newton concert?
Now there’s an image I didn’t need.
Beg to differ on Okie from Muskogee Amanda. Perhaps you are referring to the single, not the album. Incidentally, Merle also kicked in with Introducing My Friends – The Strangers and The Fighting Side of Me, along with the Bob Willis tribute and Okie in 1970.
Stoush! According to the discography at Merle Haggard. com, and also the back of my copy of the CD, it was 1969. In any event, the other albums deserve the spot more. Also, do live albums count?
Of course live albums count. Here’s a site with evidence.
Far be it from me to argue with a random Canadian shopping site, I’m sure the Country Music Hall of Fame and his own official site are wrong.
Mea maxima culpa.
The first site only appears to list the single (definitely 1969), although I agree the second site throws the issue into serious doubt. Also on the 1970 side of the argument is this site and this site.
This site, however, appears to be definitive, and also explains the mass confusion, for the album is listed as having been released on 29 December 1969. In other words, for all intents and purposes the album belongs to 1970 (even though I concede it could be argued that a technical victory should be awarded to Amanda on this issue).
Annotation re Amanda’s amendment now added.
As much as I hesitate to push my luck with you … I’d like to see 12 Songs up there since any fool must know it is the greatest album of the lot.
Welcoming Amanda into the exclusive circle of Self-Appointed and Absolutely Dogmatic Authorities on All Things Musical, 12 Songs has now been added.
All requests for Neil Diamond’s inclusion are hereby refused.
It should be bolded.
Beatles may have released let it be in 1970, but the album it appeared on was actually recorded well before 1970. Strangley enough, Abbey Road was their last studio album despite the fact is was released before ‘get back’
A fine point David. Note that Hey Jude was also released in 1970.
Bugger off Amanda.
Honky Tonk Angel Amanda F E Mule is hereby in the running for The Rock Snob Hall of Fame.
http://snobsite.com/explained.php
STOOGES – FUN HOUSE!!!!!!!!!
Loose! Dirt!
Gah!
Fun House added.
-”itÄôs difficult to know how we managed our album buying budgets from our pocket-money”-
Ah, now I know what’s at the bottom of all this worship of hippy ramblings- the usual generational superiority thang.
Us fans of the alternative revolution are still writing, and don’t yet control most of the capital, but i’d venture to suggest a good candidate for a top year, perhaps one of the top 3 or 4 years to allow for some variety, would be 1991:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1991_albums
Nevermind
Ten
Temple of the Dog
Blood Sugar Sex Magic
Badmotorfinger
Achtung Baby
Rock was about to reclaim its soul.
Wow. I don’t own a single one of those albums. My Dad has quite a few of them however.
Ouch @ Kate. I am one year older than you — its not to late to start living a meaningful life! Come into the light!
The only album from that 1991 list, OTOH, I own is the Bootleg Series 1-3 which kinda doesn’t count.
yeah, frackin baby boomers…
Sorry Amanda! I couldn’t resist.
I’ll happily take some musical suggestions. But, given how long that list is, what do LP readers feel is the definitive album of 1970? The best place to start?
Thank you Chris. Not wishing to take anything away from your list but my fingers were trembling with rage. I am better now.
Armaniac – Smells Like Teen Spirit is rejigged Boston and the RHCP best song was a Stevie Wonder cover. Credit where credit’s due. The others, in order: Crazy Horse, Black Sabbath and Crazy Horse, Black Sabbath, and Head era Monkees
Kate – remind me not to get on your bad side.
(Oh, and I have quite a lot of those 1991 albums.)
Kate, FUN HOUSE!!!!!!!!! and I’d be a much unhappier musical camper if it hadn’t been for Black Sabbath.
Oh god. Number song 1991 was ‘Everything I do, I do it for you’ by Bryan Adams. Armaniac, perhaps you should rephrase that as ‘the best of times, the worst of times’.
I believe you might like Tim Buckley Kate.
Aah 1991. I was probably at a blue light disco when I heard the Gunners do this rad song, Knockin’ on Heavens Door (Ah-hi-ah-hi-hi-yeah). Geez that Axl Rose’s is a fully ace songwriter.
armaniac, that is the saddest list of albums I’ve ever seen.
For my money Kate, I’d start with Robert Johnson and Layla, and about three or four months later move on to Get Yer Yah Yahs Out, Band of Gypsies, Morrison Hotel & Absolutely Live, New Morning, the Dead’s two masterpieces, Moondance … agh … can’t stop …
Armaniac, I have faith in black jeans too.
When you’re in control of the capital and have creative musical hegemony, give me a call, I’m handy and highly reliable and will work for food.
Let’s just add to that:
J.Geils Band – Full House
Paul Siebel – Woodsmoke & Oranges
MC5 – Back in the USA
The Byrds – Eight Miles High
Tom Rush – Classic Rush
Funkadelic – Funkadelic
The Firesign Theatre – Don’t Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers (Comedy; a liberty I know, but check it out.)
Nick Drake – Bryter Layter
Bergen White – For Women Only (Googled dates seem all over the shop, but the copy I’ve here in my hot little hand says it’s 1970)
oh god, baby boomer congratulatory back slapping ahoy!!!
I will give you a year; and just ONE record. 1977. The Queens Silver Jubilee and The Number One That Never Was! Sex Pistols, God Save The Queen. Die hippy rubbish!!! Gahhhh!!!!
While the albums of 1991 indeed were good (and the best by far was Badmotorfinger) the promise did not last. In no time at all rock became a zombie. A slow shuffling corpse, dressed in black, gazing at its toes wandering aimlessly amidst a wasteland of irony forgetting that once rockÄônÄôroll was supposed to be fun, an escape. The vitality had gone. The rebellion, transformed into slacker moping, disappeared into the corporate mire among the bands all trying to out do each other in being ironic shaggy haired, humourless blowhards. Rock was dangerous no more. The leaden grooves contained nothing that had the fire of a Bonham, a Watts or especially a Moon. The other problem here was the egalitarian notions were taken to extremes to the extent that competency on a musical instrument was not required anymore.
Above all else in 1991, rock lost its sexiness. And that was the greatest crime of all. Which is interest as many bands are coming through who grew up on their parents 70s and 80s record collection. They are rediscovering events before year 0 (1991) where the second greatest crime was that the history or rock was erased. So what we have now are bands unsure whether to be ironic or actually enjoy the music for was it and whether they should enjoy those delicious feelings in their loins caused by the music. The result is a mishmash of intentions that satisfies no one.
And donÄôt get me started on the most overrated band ever, the pretentious, “look at us we are important” pommy posers Radiohead.
Funkadelic and Firesign, yeah bro. Too many honkies here overlooking the groove and the giggles as a vital part of the whole pop/rock/r’n'b schmear getting up for the downstroke.
Also Suicide formed and first performed in 1970. The first and still best ever techno band.
However I respectfully disagree that 1970 was the best year for modern music. It was actually 1978. September 23 to be precise. About 10pm. The night I properly lost my virginity with the Stones album “Some Girls” playing in the next room. (Thank god it wasn’t the Buzzcocks. I’d have been dynastically maimed for life by friction burns.)
The list includes John Lennon. It can’t be right.
It was actually 1978. September 23 to be precise. About 10pm. The night I properly lost my virginity with the Stones album “Some Girls”.
I hope it was in a plastic cover!
Ah but Saint, Bowie’s also on the list, and he’s the best thing ever to happen to unfashionable odd people, and us, the vast underclass of society who, no matter how hard they try, just can’t dance.
So it can’t be all bad.
Oi, Shaun, some of us like Radiohead, thanks very much. And some of us do like modern music also and find it satisfying.
That is all. You may resume being pointlessly nostalgic now.
That should be ‘some’ modern music.
Pentangle’s ‘Cruel Sister’ was released in 1970. Classic jazz-tinctured folk.
oh god, baby boomer congratulatory back slapping ahoy!!!
Incorrect. The optimum period choice for the age of the judges would be somewhere from 1975 to 1980. This is a purely objective assessment, in accordance with the Absolute Truth handed down by the Dogmatic Authorities in All Things Musical. If anyone can, heh, produce more great albums by more great artists in a single year, heh, they will prevail, heh.
How come my own comment is awaiting moderation on my own thread?
Ok, well that was quick, god of LP.
What’s your problem with the late great John Lennon Saint?
As for Nabs, Some Girls is the surprising all time best selling Stones album. Does that make you feel like an individual?
I do like modern music Kate. There is some good stuff emerging though hard to find. Triple J has gone back to playing smart arse rock again so I have to scrounge and look into the nooks and crannies.
I just find the critical pandering to Radiohead puzzling. Indeed it may be a hankering for the good old days.
David Lee Roth, where are you when we need you! Save us from Thom Yorke!
Me, I reckon 1823 (I think) had something going for it. Ode to Joy and all that. My memory’s a bit fuzzy though.
World’s greatest collection of “little bands” — right here, from Sydney, courtesy of Phil Turnbull; Memoirs from various of the aforementioned Sydney bands or more generally Phil’s site No Night Sweats and you can also try Inner City Sound and Australian Post Punk 1976 – 1981.
Geez it was a marvel to be a teenager in 1981.
I would offer a proper discography of 1981, but, in typical generation X slacker style, I could not be arsed. If you push me further I’ll just snarl at the camera, then if you persist I’ll claim that I’m only here for the drugs and the birds after the show, and then finally, declare my total and unrelenting boredom with the entire topic at hand in a very studied and offhand manner.
Good call, Andrew, but I’d go for 1786 – the year of the first performance of The Marriage of Figaro, the greatest single work of music ever written.
Advocates of later years have to confront some difficult issues to be taken seriously. Let me just give you one to start with, which pretty well near stopped us all by itself over the weekend: later than 1970 and you have no Hendrix.
1791? The Magic Flute would give The Marriage of Figaro a very good run for it’s money. May even pip it at the post.
Good grief man! Earlier than 1974 and you have no Steve Jones — he hadn’t fully developed the considerable criminal talents necessary for his later career. Nor the considerable technical output of Mr Roland’s machines.
“Does that make you feel like an individual?”
More of a single serve.
Steve Jones? He bowls for England doesn’t he?
Yes, Tony, I’d agree it’s even money musically. I find the plot and characterisation stronger in Figaro, but that’s not a musical judgement.
The only other candidate for best ever year – since Andrew’s done Beethoven’s 9th – might be 1749: the year Bach completed his ‘Mass in B Minor’.
You poor, poor sod. I will leave it at that.
Tony Rob Andrew et.al, 1722 – The well tempered clavier.
Now t-rex, you don’t seem to get it old old stock. This post is not about who the greatest artists are, nor what the best albums are. These would be different lists. This list demands a tad more than knee-jerk generational application, for you have to figure out during what year the two factors (greatest x best) most overlap, compared to other good years.
I forgot to add, for those who can put up a competitive list from another year, third prize is that America will save you if you ever get into a crisis; second prize is that it won’t; first prize is you get to pick the difference.
This whole generational thing is bollocks. I get the “Bit before your time, eh? Eh? Eh?” thing alot. A. Lot. And its bollocks. Consider, to pick a completely random example, Bob Dylan. No, he is not “before my time.”
My time is now, and he is of it.
He is still alive, still touring, still putting out original material, still provoking artistic reflection in others. On the other hand, my g-g-g-generation’s supposed icon Kurt Cobain’s ongoing creative output dried up some years ago.
Therefore, I say: Bob Dylan is more modern, more contemporary, more “of my time” than Kurt Cobain.
Even if Bobby had died on that upstate road 30-odd years ago, ten years “before my time”, so what. If I spent my time reading Jane Austen (*stifling involuntary shudder*) no one would make crazy faces and get all bemused at her being before my time. Beethoven’s before my time too. Picasso. Descartes. Ovid. Kafka. Chaucer. Newton. Vermeer. The bloody Bible. All way before my time. Something to do I guess with the fact literature, art, classical music are seen as “enduring” and worthy of drawing inspiration from through the ages, whereas popular music is what you listen to before you grow up. Whatever. Get over it.
A point not inconsistent with Amanda’s is that, when it comes to evaluating history, as in this post, recent artists are naturally disadvantaged, for the obvious reason that they have less history. Their moment may come, but first they have to create a body of work that stands the tests of time.
To get a competitive year up, the officially approved modus operandi is to start by identifying a core of great artists (eg Hendrix) and great albums (eg Band of Gypsies) from that year, and then to see if you can bring some weight in behind them. In our extensive and largely legless deliberations, we found that neighbouring 1969 and 1971 are the strongest competitor years, with some support also at the boundaries of the era, i.e. 1965 and 1975. Once you move out of the big decade, you can find good stuff in any year, of course, but you just can’t get any comparable weight in behind them. 1970 is a unique year in having so many past and future great artists coinciding in their creative output.
Chris, but you brought up the subject of artists yourself by mentioning that post-1970, “Hendrix” would be dead.
The thread is titled “musicÄôs greatest year ever” and it doesn’t mention albums, so am I fully capable of nominating 1981 or any other year on the basis of a bunch of little bands who played 5 gigs each before rotating members and becoming some other little band. It was truly great, a global movement that you will find the equivalent of in many cities, and it revolutionised music all over the world.
Another problem with your list, is that you included vastly inferior albums from artists that you know, go on to make greatly better ones in later years (eg Bowie who didn’t hit his stride until a few years later). I suspect that you may have included albums from artists in decline on much the same principle.
If you really want a baby boomer sixties moment, I would nominate the year 1966. Here is my proof and it will blow any lengthy list of albums out of the water.
1. Revolver.
2. Pet Sounds.
I agree I mentioned Hendrix first, and perhaps that gave you a bum steer. I was trying to give you a strategic tip, i.e. start by trying to build a strong team of artists/records in a given year, and then see what other support you can get. Any old mug can pick two good albums from any old year. Beware of headlines; read the stories which qualify them. I only included albums which have an arguable case. Bowie’s contribution from that year is not his strongest, but rates highly with many folks as it was when he teamed up with Mick Ronson and really began to rock. On the other hand, Jefferson Airplane’s contribution is not listed, as it is the pretty accurately titled The Worst of Jefferson Airplane, and I don’t think even the most ardent fan would credit Pink Floyd’s miserable 1970 effort (Atom Hearted Mother). Oh, and with only two great artists/albums, your list is pathetic.
“This whole generational thing is bollocks.”
Good, then lets have an end to baby boomers claiming their music was inherently superiour to gen-x (mine) or for that matter gen-y.
Shaun Cronin’s take on the post 1991 decline was excellent, and I largely agree. It’s good to see someone who understands the significance of what happened that year. Or to be more precise, from about 1990 to 1993.
A similar back-to-raw thing happened in the mid-70s with punk, and in the same way it could not last, and morphed into much pissier commercial mainstream efforts.
Now…… let’s see if any of us are ‘in touch’ enough to suggest the best of the last 8 years…
We did that at Troppo once armaniac, and it goes nowhere because everyone has idiosyncratic lists. Too recent for history pal.
Tony T, I added a few from your list, but “Eight Miles High” was a famous single from the Byrds 1966 Fifth Dimension album, not a 1970 title, afaik.
Oops. I meant Eight Miles High by Golden Earring. A reflex action, no doubt.
“ItÄôs good to see someone who understands the significance of what happened that year. Or to be more precise, from about 1990 to 1993.”
I agree with you, armaniac. I agree with you right there.
1992 Something Good by Utah Saints.
1993 Music for the Jilted Generation by The Prodigy
1581? The year Galileo’s dad introduced the world to Equal Temperament.
Idiot!
1992 Experience by the Prodigy.
[MftJG was 95]
Advocates of later years have to confront some difficult issues to be taken seriously.
… but we shall warm ourselves with the sure knowledge that we are not yet old.
So advocates of earlier years are not necessarily young, but all advocates of later years must be? Rather defensive Ms Zoe. I take that as a concession.
Pig’s bum.
How old ARE you, anyway? While we’re discussing who’s being defensive ‘n all.
-”We did that at Troppo once armaniac, and it goes nowhere because everyone has idiosyncratic lists. Too recent for history pal.”-
Maybe, pal, but I notice voters overwhelmingly agreed with my nomination of nirvana’s 1992 epic smells like teen spirit.
I don’t agree that the Y-kiddies are excluded because their music hasn’t yet attracted sagging bookshelves worth of critical dross. Listeners are entitled to do a Sontag, put the verbage down and the headphones on, and rely on gut reaction and emotion.
A different approach would be to say that surely the year that gave us the greatest album of all time is the most important?
=)
-”advocates of earlier years are not necessarily young”-
Clever understatement.
Younger than every artist on my list, yet old enough to know better than to divert this thread down such o/t personalised sidetracks.
Sometimes I despair of you young armaniac. Exile on Mainsteet is the greatest album of all time. Everyone knows that.
Hmmm, not bad, not bad….
But Chirs, the length of a list is not the measure of its Quality. Only two albums on my list but each worth a hundred of the much lesser albums on your list…
Perhaps, but I could say the same thing, and thus these sorts of arguments are unresolvable. The challenge is to put forward a mix of artists/albums of such stature that they gesture toward measuring the year in music. If you can beat well over 30 albums that are arguably the best, or in contention, by artists of standing in any one year, and well over 100 other highly regarded albums in the same year, I’ll bow to your effort. Perhaps it would have been clearer if I had broken the list into two sections – best albums by great artists in the year, and other great albums by great artists in the year, but wtf. On my scientific method, your year so far registers 2 great albums by two great artists vs 30+/100+.
In the meantime, let’s go get all subjective shall we? As under the t-rex method we are not deferring to general levels of critical aclaim, let me say that I’m not much of a Beatles fan (apart from the White Album from ’68 and “Long and Winding” from ’70) and have never been very fond of Pet Sounds, so your list definitively sucks.
But Chris, “general levels of critical acclaim”? Revolver and Pet Sounds — two of the most critically acclaimed albums ever — don’t match up?! Come on! That’s exactly why I picked those two albums (I much prefer Sgt Peppers to Revolver, although I do love Pet Sounds, but if you had to ask me what’s the greatest album ever I wouldn’t answer with either of those two). Lists like this are simply never objective, so to come over list this is science is a bit rich.
Not sure that I really agree with T Rex’s thesis, but I’ll add some serious weight to his argument for 1966 with Blonde on Blonde.
Simon and Garfukel’s best album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, dates from 1966 as well.
My Brush With Fame #354: I have been spat on by Paul Simon’s son.
NOT A BEATLES FAN??
Hell, and I thought we’d made peace.
Help, Rubber Soul, Revolver; the cusp albums that hold onto the early rawness but introduce the sophistication and experimentation that dominates the later (critic favoured) albums.
Chris, are you gonna do a piece on the new Stones album? Listened to a track today and the boys do sound good.
As for new music, go buy Jeff Lang’s “You Have To Dig Deep To Bury Daddy” new album. It is dark, moody and a true piece of Australiana.
I’m too young armaniac.
You miss the point (again) t-rex. As I’ve already said, I agree, those are two great albums by two great artists, both of which are well in contention for being the best ever albums by those two great artists by the measure of critical aclaim (regardless of personal preferences). As I’ve also said, that means the score to date for 1966 is 2/2 versus 1970 at 30+/100+. Hell, 1966 was a great year, but you have, ahem, a way to go to making the case. OK, amended in view of Andrew’s comment to 3/3 versus 30+/100+. Rob’s nomination is rejected, pro tem.
Shaun, I’d certainly like to do a piece on the new album, after I do a piece on the Keith plays Gram Parsons DVD (review coming soon by kind permission to Flop Eared Mule).
Rob, have you updated yourself to 66 having found few takers for 1786?
Ps – tell me more about Pentangle.
Pentangle was the best folk band of the 60s into the early 70s. Started as resolutely acoustic, based on the dazzling steel guitars of John Renbourn and Bert Jansch. They had stellar careers as soloists in the 60s. Pentangle added the two best jazz sessioners in the UK, Danny Thompson on double bass, Terry Cox on drums, with Jacqui MacShee on vocals. Made about 5 albums in their heyday, best was Basket of Light. Combined trad British and American, blues and jazz to produce unforgettable stuff. Good site here, don’t know if there are musical downloads.
Split in 1973, but think they later reformed with different members. Jansch and Renbourn continued their solo careers, and I think still do.
Renbourn’s best album was Sir John-a-lot-of-Merrie-England’s-Music- Thyng-and-Ye-Greene-Knight.
…here….
Sounds interesting, Rob – I’m a big jazz fan but jazz influenced folk of that vintage is something I didn’t know about.
Rob’s the good oil on Pentangle, and the impressive breakthrough album Basket of Light is naturally from 1970 and added to the list.
Bridge is unquestionably S & G’s most aclaimed album (bar greatest Hits in ’72). Check the award lists, not that award lists really mean jack shit. PSRT is most remembered for marking their break with folk crap. It would qualify as a support act for ’66.
A taste of John can be found right here. Very slow on dial up. The guy knows his way around a fretboard all right, but as a singer he is strictly an accompanist.
As much as I don’t really want to keep this going … I just HAVE to call you on this Chris. You are arguing the fallacy of exclusion (excluding my claim that the amount of ‘critical acclaim’ needs to be measured on aper album basis and included in the measurement criteria) and futhermore, engaging in argumentum ad hominem (i.e. that I ‘miss the point’ when in fact i simply disagree with the point and the conclusion so erroneously reached by way of it).
As for ‘personal preferences’ … why did you exclude right at the front Elton John, whose album “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is widely critically acclaimed (and followed later by Simon and Garfunkel)? That wouldn’t be a personal preference now would it?
And exactly whose critical acclaim anyway? You have produced no evidence for any critical acclaim, other than your own or of some unspecified occupants of a NSW village. Why should these people be believed as experts in this field? Are they qualified in musicology, musicological research, the history of popular music or any related field? They wouldn’t just be some random bunch of rugger buggers would they? What was their average age? Their gender and socio-economic balance? How widely have they listened to music in the first place, including right up to the modern era, in order to sit in such high and mighty scientific judgement anyway?
I await your an abstract of your submission to a leading journal of musicological research.
T.Rex I’m holding a good hand full of Jack of Rock Snob, King of Populist, Queen of Country and a smattering of Jazz Obscurist. Lay yours down face up. I trump you.
T-Rex,the problem with your first point is that it goes nowhere, no matter how much you might want to stand on your quality digs. I don’t like your albums, you don’t like mine, and the next person doesn’t like either of our favs. I win. You win. The other guy wins. Great. Everyone their own list. All equally valid. Discussion ends.
On the second point, on the other hand, out there on planet earth, among music fans, there is in fact a great deal of agreement about albums that are at least in the argument as to being recognised by critical aclaim, and I am in fact open to considering lists for competing years and changing my mind. Yet it’s obviously far from being a perfect science, and while nearly everyone can agree on contenders, practically no-one agrees on which is in fact the best. Again, a fruitful dialogue means accepting that this level of agreement and disagreement is the reality, or we are all back to our own lists – an arguably theoretically pure but undoubtedly barren position. In the real world, for example, it’s obvious to me that Pet Sounds is critically aclaimed, regardless that I never play it.
Still, we all have our bottom lines, Elton John is out the window for me (and, as it happens, everyone I musically know) full stop end of story. Fair enough, you’re a fan of Elton’s, as are others. This is a gap we will not bridge. This doesn’t mean no dialogue in the above individualistic sense, only that there are at least two dialogues – lists by the John fans and the non-John fans. Fundamental differences at this level are best just admitted and folks can go off to different conferences.
Me and the other Dogmatic Authorities on all things Musical are a generation behind the boomers – Steve Earle’s generation (who first recorded in 1986, not 1970). Not that this matters. They are totally demented music fans who love nothing more than to argue the point with other totally demented music fans with reference to any available reasoning which they love to consider because they love the music and appreciating the same is what it is all about. This is not an argument between music academics, but between extremely knowledgeable extremely skeptical extremely out of it extreme enthusiasts. Under this method, there is room for argument and difference and concessions and change, but none of it should be taken too seriously.
Hey, this is a punchy blog, not the ABC, and I’m only really interested in the views – however different – of folks who accept the basic text. You can take it or leave it. If you take it, you have to put up in like terms, but remember it’s not compulsory.
Cheers.
FX I’ve got the pair of Blues Original and Roots Dub Purist, with three-of-a-kind Post-Punk Nostalgia Queen, King of Unlistenable Composition, and the Ace Of Space music. Plus an Elvis wildcard.
Have to agree with CS on Elton John. The guy started as crap, then got steadily worse. Did you see him at Diana’s funeral? Oh man. Embarrassment wasn’t in it.
Keith said it all Rob: “This guy has made a career out of singing about dead blondes”, or words to that effect.
Look, good luck to the guy and his many fans, whatever planet they are on. There have always been popular song and dance guys, and there always will, I guess. I’m just not interested in them, in the slightest. But live and let live. Where would advertising jingles be without them? I’m a liberal dogmatist.
Err, yeah, you’ve convinced me; but I bought “The Turning Point” by John Mayall in 1969, so I don’t think it counts in supporting your thesis. I checked at allmusic.com and they have it down as a 69 album as well. Just doing my bit for pedantry.
And what Amanda said about “12 songs”
Honky Chateau, Elton John (1970), Madman Across the Water and Tumbleweed Connection, at least, are very, very good albums. Own ‘em, listen to ‘em. Beyond that I won’t defend him much (Candle in the Wind incidentally is not a terrible song if you can make the effort to listen without all the subsequent baggage. It takes a heroic effort to be sure and just the right levels of various subtsances imbided but am here to tell you, it can be done).
Also, I do appreciate it whenever he goes in the press and bitchslaps Madonna or whoever — there should be more public bitchiness in rock and roll. It’s a public service.
Here I stand. I can do no other.
No Chris, it definitely goes somewhere, because it forces you to justify and more to the point “quantify” this concept of “critical acclaim”. Until that can be done its not science; just you are mates’ opinion. Not even quasi-scientific. End of story.
I think the entire project is scientifically pointless anyway, like phrenology.
Actually, as the case may be; I’m NOT a fan of Elton’s. Which shows you the flaw in your method: I can consider albums that I know have been “critically acclaimed”, but which personally I wouldn’t touch with a bargepole.
I have noticed that sections of this blog, whatever it’s other merits, is highly suspect (and highly condescending) whenever it comes to musical matters. It’s not the actual question of ‘taste’ that bothers me, but the terribly superior way in which it is preached, tongue in cheek or not.
Why should I take your politics seriously if your aesthetics are exclusionary?
Whatever t-rex. Feel free to take nothing seriously.
Ok zoot, I can’t fight you and Amanda on Newman. I have conflicting sources on The Turning Point, and will look into it. It would be a sad one to lose.
But Elton is out. If push comes to shove, this list is qualified by an Elton-free, amid others, fine print.
T Rex – we all have an Elvis wildcard. I’m with Ms F E Mule on “Tumbleweed Connection” and “Elton John” and I might add I (fearlessly) mentioned them first on this thread in amidst all the poseurs. I also reckon “Candle in Wind” is a great pop song – if you read and think about MM and listen to CITW without predjudce I defy you not to be moved.
I’m also with Amanda on Randy Newman. The best song to listen to right now is “Louisiana 1927″. Randy’s versin is good but Aaron Neville singing it will make you cry.
“Louisiana 1927″
What has happened down here is the wind have changed
Clouds roll in from the north and it started to rain
Rained real hard and rained for a real long time
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline
The river rose all day
The river rose all night
Some people got lost in the flood
Some people got away alright
The river have busted through cleard down to Plaquemines
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangelne
CHORUS
Louisiana, Louisiana
They’re tyrin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
President Coolidge came down in a railroad train
With a little fat man with a note-pad in his hand
The President say, “Little fat man isn’t it a shame what the river has done
To this poor crackers land.”
CHORUS
In a serious blow, Turning Point is out, having been released in October 1969. Blast.
And the unofficial subtitle of this thread is “Not counting Elton John because he is a pillock and I can’t stand his music and that’s final no matter what anyone else says so shut up about it (and Tumbleweed Connection is from 1971 in any case).”
-”Hey, this is a punchy blog, not the ABC, and IÄôm only really interested in the views – however different – of folks who accept the basic text.”-
This baffled me, and I was going to call it, but T-Rex really got to the nub:
-”I have noticed that sections of this blog, whatever itÄôs other merits, is highly suspect (and highly condescending) whenever it comes to musical matters. ItÄôs not the actual question of ‘tasteÄô that bothers me, but the terribly superior way in which it is preached, tongue in cheek or not.
Why should I take your politics seriously if your aesthetics are exclusionary?”-
I agree, and it’s why I won’t simply tug my forelock and drop it either.
Being a musician who plays several instruments with moderate competence, if not any sort of genius, I also feel a bit funny about being patronised on music by anyone I haven’t heard play/sing or write a song themselves.
And two key issues:
- the relationship of the baby boomer generation to those on either side of it, and
- the role played by artists in endorsing, enhancing, or criticising mainstream and capitalist society,
are highly political, and worthy of far more critical appraisal than they seem to get around here.
I remind YOU that this isn’t the ABC, and it isn’t TimBliar either, it’s a leftist blog popular because it engenders widespread discussion, encouraged by its tolerant owner.
Ah, like syphilis, this thread is the gift that keeps on giving…
Why should I take your politics seriously if your aesthetics are exclusionary?
You also have my permission not to take anything seriously armaniac.
I also feel a bit funny about being patronised on music by anyone I havenÄôt heard play/sing or write a song themselves.
I’m not patronising you, merely humbly revealing the Absolute Truth (at least until I see an Even More Absolute Truth).
And two key issues:
- the relationship of the baby boomer generation to those on either side of it, and
- the role played by artists in endorsing, enhancing, or criticising mainstream and capitalist society,
are highly political, and worthy of far more critical appraisal than they seem to get around here.
This is a post about something I’m interested in. Why don’t you write a post about what you’re interested in? When did the blogosphere die and elect this thread pope?
-”This is a post about something IÄôm interested in. Why donÄôt you write a post about what youÄôre interested in? When did the blogosphere die and elect this thread pope?”-
It didn’t. It’s a blogosphere, so you wrote about something you’re interested in, or to be a little more precise with words something you hold a polemic and passionate view on, and because it’s a blog post and more specifically on a discussion rich blog I and others in turn argue with you.
I do write about what I’m interested in. My blog is in the link above. I also engage in debate with people who also write about what I’m interested in but from different perspectives.
Fair enough, I guess.
To make up for my recalcitrance I’m gonna go out and buy a dylan album this weekend =)
Now you’re talking armaniac.
Which one?
Dunno;
You tell me, i’ll review it next week.
What armaniac said up there a bit.
Hmmm – so many to choose from. I assume you have Highway 61 and Blood on the Tracks and The Bootleg Series vols 1-3 as no album collection, not to mention life, can be complete without them. Of the recent releases, I’d recommend Love & Theft (’01), World Gone Wrong (’93 – something of personal fav), go back to the critically under-rated Oh Mercy, or pick up the multi-award winning (although funnily I hardly ever play it anymore) Time Out of Mind (’97).
Assume nothing! Pick one:
Highway 61
Blood on the Tracks
The Bootleg Series vols 1-3
H61 will always be the greatest for mine, unless he does an even better one before he carks it.
As to the other chat, let me be a little serious for a mo. This is a post about the greatest number of great albums by great artists in a year (as the post says: “the year when more great albums were released by more great artists than any other single year”). Nothing else. OK, it’s fair enough to challenge the provocative headline by suggesting that there are other ways of measuring the “greatest” musical year, and we can chat about that and so on. But, as with the blogosphere more generally, it is tiresome to have a thread dominated by persistent challenges to a post’s underlying assumptions. If you don’t accept the methodology for measuring a year, fine – register the objection and move on, for there is a big wide blogosphere out there to play in. From the point of view of people who post, however, the meat always lies in whether an argument or proposition holds up on its own assumptions, not someone else’s.
As for the bloody baby boomers, as someone who grew up in the shadow of the goddamned boomers and has been oppressed by this chat all his life, for me this is, or is at least close to, the absolutely most deadly boring topic in the entire universe and well beyond, and one that I’ll therefore be very happy to never ever hear another single word about for so long as I live and in the afterlife too, amen.
OK. For me 92 still canes it.
One ity bitty weenie thing more…
I don’t know that you can give credit to 1970 for a compilation by an artist (who is indeed great) who recorded all his songs in ’36 and ’37 and died in ’38. I have no idea how many compilations of work by great past artists were released in 1992, but going by that if Mahler’s 5th got a reworking I’d be able to bung it in.
Just a thought, you set the parameters as you say. Beers to that; I’m off to buy some Dylan.
You were the one who used the words ‘scientific’ and ‘objective’. The topic’s own terms, the sword of by which it lives and dies, again according to yourself.
Just saying.
Armaniac, I’ve puzzled on that, yet could never leave the fact that it was released in 1970 off the list, especially as it is also the year that Layla was released.
T-Rex, sense of humour by-passes are not uncommon in the ‘sphere, but just in case you were innocently taken in, the style follows the well known “Dunlop Rules” of music discussion (as in “there’s no point arguing”). Still, the proposition is subject to disproof.
Just explainin’.
On reflection, I think the inclusion of RJ vol 2 is entirely justified, as the subject is the year, not the time when stuff released in that year was recorded. Much or even most of the stuff released that year was probably recorded in ’69 or earlier. It was an entirely suitable year for the world to hear for the first time both the original and the best ever cover of “Love in Vain” – in fact, it blew us right away as I still vividly recall.
Well, I’m adding this to my various pieces of grunge genius previously nominated:
rateyourmusic DOT COM/view_album_details/album_id_is_64867
And armaniac: get Blood on the Tracks.
Chris,
If there’s no point arguing why post in a blog that allows comments? I certainly don’t have a “sense of humour bypass” – as far as I can tell, you’re just as serious in rebutting any and all objections to your list. In the typical holier-than-thou tone that certain L.P. posters adopt when discussing their musical preferences. But after all, I was only jokin’, guvnor!
As for great music I already have the uncut video of Girls On Film, thanks.
Let me try again, as there is something in your tone that suggests to me that you really still don’t get it t-rex.
From my observations and experience, good discussion and argument, in the ‘sphere as much as anywhere else, depends on the participants accepting the assumptions of the argument for the sake of the argument. This is why folks tend to congregate in tribes, rather than hang out with folks who don’t share similar assumptions. This is not to say that challenging the assumptions at the base of an argument is out of order – sometimes this can be very effective for all sorts of reasons. Yet to persistently challenge the assumptions, especially when they are pretty plain as in this case, rather than accepting them for the sake of the argument, is vexatious for mine.
On the other hand, some commenters have accepted the assumptions and made suggestions and corrections that have been incorporated, and for which I’m grateful. Others have been rejected. Such is the reason for and wonder of a comment facility.
Re the tone, because musical tastes are so individual and discretionary, and because everyone knows that, insisting that this post is the scentific truth as revealed by the self-appointed and absolutely dogmatic authorities on all things musical is, well … you figure it, if you reckon you haven’t had a sense of humour by-pass.
Having said all that, the methodology is fairly practical and subject to disproof (in its own terms) and thus is quasi-scientific, I insist, dogmatically, and I am serious about it, in its own (limited) terms. The best year for music is a great argument.
armaniac – what does that code refer to, btw?
Blood On The Tracks
er sorta wot you said CS.
I would never say I am a fan of Elton John but I’d clearly argue those two albums the loverley Amanda and myself nominated deserve to be in the 1971 list, and I listen to them and admire them.
Looks like armaniac needs a mentor – seeing I’m in Melb I’d better take him / her in hand, before nabs does or worse still for music Ho Mer Pax Ton.
I’m interested in why Frankie and Mandy recommend BOTT over H61R for armaniac. I can understand, perhaps, if the call is that this is an easier album for new listeners to get into when it comes to the Bobness. This is a hard call, and I wouldn’t have a clue. But if the the recommendation implies that BOTT is somehow bigger than H61R, well then I seriously dissent, as much as I really do love BOTT. No Bob beats H61R in my book (yes I know there are a zillion Blonde fanatics out there – but I reckon you really had to be there for the release to fully get that one, as great as it is). But H61R is just … why, look on the work, ye mighty, and despair:
1. Like A Rolling Stone
2. Tombstone Blues
3. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
4. From A Buick 6
5. Ballad Of A Thin Man
6. Queen Jane Approximately
7. Highway 61 Revisited
8. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
9. Desolation Row
And relatedly, Oh Mercy has taken on a whole new personality for me since reading that marvellous middle section of The Chronicles where Bob tells the album’s story, and when I recall that the transcendent Series of Dreams came from the same sessions, it all fits.
Oh, and go Warnie!
Quit with the snarky ad-hominem. You can’t even take a joke.
Sheesh. I just explained. However, I’ll happily take the joke when someone finds it.
Get both Highway 61 Revisited and Blood on the Tracks. They’re both great. If I had to choose one I’d prbably plump for Highway 61.
On the other hand I reckon Bringing It All Back Home is a great starter album. Subterranean Homesick Blues, It’s Allright Ma and Mr Tambourine Man with the gorgeous Love Minus Zero/No Limit thrown in for good measure. Who could ask for more?
Yes, get both. Armaniac needs chilling out not revving up on the topic of Bob, a little mid period introspection will do him good. And in any event BOTT is his best album, the real Bob, the one he was born to make, all the others are just a bonus. No point in arguing.
I’m totally chilled not-Mandy.
Currently working the mellow sounds of Temple of the Dog, Stereophonics and Bruce Pringsteen to death in my crappy CD player.
CS- the code was a link, spam-proofer proof. It was to an album of mahler released in 1992.
Francis Xavier, Nabakov has already imbibed with me on no less than 3 occasions, but if you’re also a melbournite then a tipple is always fine. Perhaps we should do another grogblog- somewhere like Wesley Anne’s in Northcote with big stripped-wood tables and mountain goat on tap.
Although I should ask for an armagnac, really.
CS- I’d argue this discussion thread has been much more interesting than a big love-in where everyone agreed. Lot’s of debate, without anything degenerating into overt flaming.
Y’know my first musical memory is of listening to Blowing in the Wind and Harrison’s Blow Away (perhaps played one after the other given their similar titles) sitting under a Kero lamp in a clearing in the Papua New Guinea bush.
BiTW was the third song I learned on guitar as an 8 year old. Times they are a changin’ was the 5th.
Peace.
That’s the spirit Man… errr … Amanda, even though you are of course completely wrong. Bemused by this sudden outburst of heresy from various quarters, last night I browsed through the 157(!) reviews of H61R at Amazon. Fair dinkum, it’s amazing how many people can be completely wrong about something so bleedingly obvious. Yet it also illustrates the utility of the “arguably the best” qualifier in this game. There is a virtual consensus that BIABH, H61R, BOTT and the Bootleg Series are the contenders.
So armaniac, what were nos 1 & 2? Don’t tell me it was House of the Rising? That was my first.
Oh, Blonde of course is also in the argument.
Bollocks! Get his eponymous first album of folk covers. He tears all of ‘em a fresh one, and plays wicked harp and git to boot.
Gospel Plow is a highlight. Fixin’ to die will blow your fragile, egg-shell minds … Indians scattered over dawn’s highway, bleeding, etc. He sounds like some 80 year old farmer playing posessed acoustic guitar down at the crossroads.
There’s a reason people liked him before he started writing his own stuff, and this is it. Its still my fave album of His Bobness.
If you must have an original songs starter, Id probably go Another Side ; Bringing it all back home, or Blonde on Blonde.
I remember reading, yonks ago, that shiteloads of his biggest fans deserted him when he went electric guitar. Apparently in the 60s this was akin to Jet doing an album with Moby, or something.
Actually Jet doing an album with Moby would be extremely cool.
Y’know, I can’t remember the first 2 CS. They were in the Ralph McTell Basic guitar series. Other early songs I learned included streets of london and scarborough fair, however they were later than BITW because it was strumming and they were arpeggiated.
Rising Sun was years later. Good song, but learned at JD skolling parties full of tight black jeans at the same time as Stairway to Heaven and Wish you Were Here. That was a bad place, bad.
But I think Elton John’s really rather good.
Sorry. Unable to help myself.
He IS a very good songwriter, he just has no idea. Your Song, Song for Guy, Blue Eyes; all very nice numbers.
Actually Blue Eyes reminds me of Lay Lady Lay a bit….
Well that’s a novel piece of dogmatism Lefty. Wash your mouth out armaniac. And what can I say Zoe?
Now I wish I could write you a melody so plain
That could hold you dear lady from going insane
That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
Of your useless and pointless knowledge.
Don’t say I never warned you, when your train gets lost.
Lay Lady Lay : hands down, Bob’s worst song. That, or Hurricane.
Big call Amanda. My vote would go to “Wiggle Wiggle” (and what’s wrong with “Hurricane”, for godsakes? Smoke’s pouring out my boxcar door!).
Was a lovely song. Though if I was a chickie I wouldn’t like it as much.
Big Brass ‘Bed’ indeed.
It’s hard to beat “Wiggle Wiggle”, that was my first thought too. There was some pretty dire stuff on Knocked Out Loaded, “You Wanna Ramble” comes to mind. And I’ve always hated “To Ramona”, but that’s probably just me.
And what is wrong with “Hurricane”?
Wiggle Wiggle– inconsequential, not offensive
Lay Lady Lay — CREEPY!
Hurricane — woeful rhymes, boring, predictable
I always kinda hated ’4th time around’ for its faux-clever, semi-churlish, piss-take-cum-rip-off of a far superior Beatles song.
He wuz just jealous.
“Hurricane” is a good story, but most appeallingly it has a classic chord progression, the first time it was unleashed by the Bobster since “Watchtower”. Time to have another listen methinks Amanda – this time real loud. You’ll like it, for I think it can be very easily done. We’ll just put some bleachers out in the sun, and listen to it on Highway 61.
“Lay Lady Lay Äî CREEPY!”
Why, he just wants a root, like the rest of us?
I like Lay Lady Lay – it demonstrates that he can sing, but *chooses* not to.
I suspect Mandy dislikes Hurricane because it’s liked so much. It’s my favourite Bob Dylan song, and I generally dislike the wizened warbler. It also has a subject BD seems to have actually cared about.
It also has one of mr 3-chords’ most sophisticated chord progressions, in my humble op-ed.
L-L-L that is..
Oh Bob’s OK I suppose. But I’d like to see him push himself a bit more. Perhaps he should cover a few Elton John songs or have a stab at reintepreting something from the modern canon. Madonna’s “Holiday” or “Mambo No.5″ comes to mind.
And armaniac and T.REx don’t let those old farts push you around. If you like what you like, then that’s the sort of thing you like.
Damned cat. Who left the door open?
You know Nabs, I am probably older than, or at least nearly as old as, most here. I am forty (b 1965).
Isn’t Mambo No.5 based on an old mambo sample from the 40s? So that sample (at least) would predate Mr Zimmerman by a few years. I had a friend who spent many years (and dollars I guess) building up a collection of original 10″ mambo recordings from CBS radio shows, and then they went and released the set on cheap CDs during the early 90s “lounge music” revival. He was mighty pissed off. But I guess that happens all the time to avid collectors of original recording glory.
I reckon old Bob would go great doing a cover version of “The Cheeky Song” by “The Cheeky Girls”. In fact I hear he was the real power behind the throne on that one. MOJO refused to mention this fact.
Sorry to break the rules of the thread, Chris (though someone needs to be Pope around here), but I’m with Amanda. Honkytonk Chateau is a damn good album.
OK, the full title of this thread is now:
Revealed: musicÄôs greatest year ever, as measured by the greatest number of great albums by great artists in a single year, not counting Elton John because he’s a pillock and I canÄôt stand his music and thatÄôs final no matter what anyone else says so shut up about it, and if you don’t shut up about it I don’t care because he’s not getting on my list anyway.”
Wot about Donovan then? I mean he wrote the book that Dylan’s been cribbing from like forever.
Heh. There’s a famous story about Donovan and Dylan which doesn’t come out quite like that Nabs, and I’ll tell you about it when I remember it.
But ol’ mellow yellow is on the list.
I know the one. “It’s all over now Baby Blue.”
Heh. A quick rummage in the sources and I now recall that the famous scene was in Don’t Look Back.
Donovan met Dylan for the first time and got all excited and decided to play something for him. Bobbie said he liked “Catch The Wind”, but Donovan said he’d written a new song he wanted to play, and launched into this thing called “My Darling Tangerine Eyes” …. to the tune of … “Mr Tambourine Man”!
No doubt Amanda will recall the detail, but I think it’s gone down as one of the most embarrassing moments ever on film.
And then Dylan pointedly played him “It’s all over now Baby Blue”
I bow to your film knowledge Nabs.
Btw, what’s with this 3000 caper? You tryin’ to win the Olympics or something?
I’d go for ‘Blonde on Blonde’ as you actual best Dylan, though H61R has nearly as much to recommend it. I’ve got a CD set that ‘reconstructs’ the 1966 concert at the Albert Hall where he changed into electric half-way through the set and lost his first genreation fans. Amazing stuff.
Update of electro-musiced late 60′s europorn Camille2000?
-”someone needs to be Pope around here”-
You bashing the bishop again Mark?
Thanks Nabacat!
Browsed some Dylan yesterday, but was in the mood for something new so I picked up some Bloc Party instead. Drum and Bass with injections of strokes and streets; noice.
Donovan’s not bad when he avoids the cheese. Sunshine Superman was one of the great numbers of the sixties. Butthole Surfers’ rendition of Hurdy Gurdy Man is the best thing to come out of his songwriting though…
Nothing about Donovan is good.
Random factoid: 1997 was the first year when more female artists than male appeared on the US charts.
97 was a bad year though??
The rise of female artists on the top 40 is, I suggest, alas, the inevitable result of the video curse, and that’s all I want to say on that topic.
armaniac, another missed bus I fear, young whippersnapper.
“the rise of female artists on the top 40…”
I dunno. I much prefer looking at Kylie instead of Bob. In both cases though, I’d turn the sound down and put something else on.
In all seriousness, this year is actually pretty good. Next year will be better. Whoever said noone puts out >1 album a year either a) doesn’t count mixtapes, or b) doesn’t listen to anything not reviewed in [BROADSHEET NEWSPAPER]. People do, the Rolling Stones don’t.
I know this post (and thread) are supposed to be lighthearted, but this all seems very reactionary and negative (including X-vs.-Boomers team-boosting) from a group of wa^D^Dthinkers such as yourselves. Do you really all believe our best days are behind us, now it’s just a matter of pinning down the year? Please update your models, or in discussions involving music your opinions will remain as insightful as ALP::Australian Society.
1971 was much better than 1970. For a start, Sticky Fingers WAS released in 1971, as was the best album ever, The Who’s Next.
According to Rolling Stone greatest year in popular music history for songs was 1965. That year saw the release of 35 of the most popular songs, 7% of the top 500 in 2% of the time period.
I have not done a statistical analysis of the Rolling Stone top 500 albums of all time. Perhaps Gummo can get round to it when he finds time off from bagging John Howard.
My favourite thread ever, perhaps. Happy days!