The List of the Moment Volume 14. This has been a rough, as many of you know, couple of weeks for me and I do apologize, though this may or may not be the forum. I have never kept secrets from my fellow Blogcritics, so why start now?
I've had two weeks of terrible deadlines that have put far too much pressure on me and, being an epileptic, this has led to awful seizures (of the kind neither you nor I wish to discuss nor go into; suffice to say that they were bad enough that we all have been worried about some permanancy, and thank goodness, see no such signs. One does not seek pity, only gladness.
Epilepsy can be a tough disease and much stigmatized. I recommend reading my article called Here, Wear This Stigma", which is right here on Blogcritics if you're looking to see some place where I'm coming from. If not, hey, who cares, let's get cranking with the music... because like you, I too have better things to do with my time than sit about reading about illness and things of this nature. Life goes on and we move with it.
Cheers, and enjoy,
s.r.p.
"I Want Your Hands On Me" by Sinead O’Connor – A chant-like, dervish of a song, this is pure perfection. I don’t think there is much to say about this one other than it is perfect as it is, which is why this week it tops the The List. I need not quote the lyrics, for you can easily listen or look them up (a quick taste: put ‘em on put ‘em on put ‘em on put ‘em on me…. I can see her spinning about to this one. In some ways, this reminds me of more recent work by Sia or especially Lamb.
"Keep Gettin’ It On" by Marvin Gaye – which I actually prefer to "Let’s Get it On," perhaps because of all that it naturally implies, but regardless, this song appeals to me a great deal. Someone mentioned in a previous list in the comments section “Sexual Healing" and the alternate version by Shaggy which I’d like to acknowledge here as being among one of the best covers I’ve heard in a while of any song, and just when you thought “Sexual Healing” couldn’t get any better. "Keep Gettin’ It On" is like a cover of "Let’s Get it On" only sung by the same artist – but reads like a cover regardless. It has all the elements of the original in place, that are repeated at the right intervals. The opening and lead-in are part of what makes this song what it is – an excellent homage to the first piece, if not a piece that surpasses in this writer’s view.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Scott Butki
Hi Sadi. Long time no chat. You can reach me via
my myspace page. You have to look at the site because there's a hidden compliment there thanks to your tip about king missle.
i'll read over your list later.
2 - Steve
Well, Sadi, you have a few faves of mine on your list (as usual!!).
Loved the Sinead O'Connor tune back in tha day, I have her first album on tape, plus a 'best of' on CD. Strange gal, but a wonderful voice.
My favorite Gabrielle tune is one of her smaller UK hits, "Should I Stay...?" from 2000, I have about 13 of her songs in my collection.
I love that Chumbawumba tune (despite the fact that it is a dumb drinking song lol), kinda reminds me some of Steven Curtis Chapman's "Dive" tune from 1999. Chumba... did have a Top 10 UK follow-up called "Amnesia" before disappearing from the charts once again.
I was never a huge fan of the Pretenders when I was a teen, but some of their songs have grown on me over the years. "2000 Miles" (1983) and "Hymn To Her" (1986) are faves of mine by them.
Your choice, Sadi, would be one of my top 3 fave Style Council tunes, along with "Long Hot Summer" (1983) and "It Didn't Matter" (1987), with "Shout To The Top" a close 4th.
That U2 song you mention would be in my top 5 fave U2 songs, I think, Sadi, "The Unforgettable Fire" (1984, which preceded "With Or...") is my all-time fave of theirs.
Alanis is a fave of my niece's, she started in Canada in 1991, and had 2 albums before "Jagged Little Pill" came out in 1995. I liked a few of her later songs ("Thank You", "Uninvited") but not a huge fan.
I had no idea that Dylan and Baez were an item at one time! I guess you knew Hynde and Kerr (from Simple Minds) were married in the 1980's for a while, huh?
3 - chantal stone
Sadi!
great to have you and the List back, and glad, of course, that you are feeling better! *hugzz*
Great List.....U2 is one of my favorite bands of all time, and "With or Without You" is such an awesome song...the whole album is, really, but that one certainly stands out.
I like Sinead O'Connor, I loved her like in '88 before she really went nuts!
The Pretenders' "Brass in Pocket"....all I can say is I LOVE it. I hear it at work all the time, we play a lot of '80s stuff in the restaurant where I work, and I can't help but think "what a cool f-ing song!"
And finally...Alanis.....*sigh* I can't say much more than I love her. She's got such a beautiful voice, and her lyrics are sheer poetry. "Ironic" is a good song and I love it, but it's not in my top 10 favorites of her catalogue of music. She has so many great ones, I'm not sure I could rank them, even. Have you heard the version on her Acoustic CD?? It's much better than the original. The maturity in her voice adds depth to the entire album.
4 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Hey Scott B ~ what is your MySpace URL - i don't know how that works so can you post it here for me please? that would be great if you could - i'd love to see what you have... thanks.. : )
5 - Scott Butki
my myspace
As for the list, my favorite u2 song is Sweetest thing and silver and gold.
6 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Hey Steve - gosh, i am going to try to address all of your comments but will no doubt miss a few so you'll have to mention again to catch me up...
we agree on the style council - Long Hot Summer is one of my favorite songs of all time... i think it made The List last summer (bien sur) appropriately, and so i couldn't use it again and Shout to the Top too.. there are just so many great one's to choose from... plus there are The Jam days as well...
As for Gabrielle.. i don't know their/her/them to well, just a few songs so you'll have to turn me onto the best of the best so that i can download; now you know i like that one song a lot, what would you suggest next or next TWO that i download in same vein? any ideas? let me know...
about dylan and baaz - yup... dylan was never good at break-ups so he just did these sort of overlaps ... he was with suze when he met baez and they just sort of 'found out' about each other. It Ain't Me Babe was likely written after the fact, but certainly not something that Dylan would have presented as a break-up or any obvious sign, at least, not to my knowledge. In fact, the way Sara (his wife) met Joan Baez was after his motorcycle accident in 1966 when Baez went to be with him in the hospital and the two basically met over his hospital bed or so the story goes... i'm not sure if it's quite so literal but it's something along those lines... pretty amazing when you think about it, tho Baez seems to have retained a pretty good sense of humor about it all if you saw the Scorsece documentary she took it all in stride... quite funny to her in any case... good for her, tant mieux right - so much the better...
2000 Miles by the Pretenders is a great song ~ we agree on that; i like the Pretenders and though not a huge huge fan, there are some songs i do like a great deal, like Brass in Pocket which i just though was done so well by Johannssen in Lost in Translation (even if you hated the film, her Karaoke version was great)with that pink wig and all...
More... can't remember rest right now... will get back to you later; must get other work done.
Thanks for you patience with this.... all - and for keeping up the Sadi checks... ; ) That helped keep my spirit up...
7 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Hey Scott B - what album is that on (U2 song) and also, thanks for MySpace link.. am off to check it out right now... (zoommmmm)
8 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
hey Chantal --
thanks for all good wishes and ((((xoxox)))) back at ya, kiddo... been rough coupla weeks... but no complaints... sort of ironic in a way, but won't get into that... just funny i got so sick after last lists; that would happen after that; serves me right; don't tempt the gods!
Brass in Pocket, yes, a great song.
We agree about Alanis - she is far better acoustic than studio...her voice is allowed to really shine and is not as over-produced...i prefer a lot of bands this way (unplugged, that is)...and so have a lot of unplugged CDs in my collection. Should do a list of just unplugged only...
With or Without You is from their true breakthrough album which is why i think it stands out so much... i mean, you could pick other songs that you like from other albums and i think they are great great songs, like One, which i simply love, but at the same time, it was not a break through for them. I chose this song b/c it was a breakthrough for them.
As i've said to all here, thx. for your patience and support while i was sick. that means everything and apologies for this...you've all been great... thx. for that...
i'm glad you like this list.. i tried to put something here for everyone; hard to; did you like the Sinead pick or no? Just curious..
9 - Scott Butki
I think they were both b-sides but you can get
them on eps or such.
The link should be showing as live on this post. Let's see if it works.
10 - Steve
Sadi, if you go to www.allmusic.com, and punch in Gabrielle's name you will find her "Dreams Come True - Greatest Hits Vol. 1" (2001) in her Discography under Compilations. You can hear 30 second snippets of her 11 hits plus 3 'new' songs. I don't have any of her albums so all I know of her is on that album.
Glad to have you back Sadi.
11 - Steve
Re. "Sweetest Thing" and "Silver & Gold", the former was redone for their "1980-1990 Best Of..." (although I have heard some say the original was better but haven't heard it myself) and the latter was on the "Rattle & Hum" album.
12 - Steve
Re. U2, I guess that was their North American debut (1987) as the superstars they are today, though they did have top ten UK hits in 1983 ("New Year's Day") and 1984 ("Pride In The Name Of Love", which was actually bigger than "With Or..." in the UK).
13 - Scott Butki
There are a couple versions of Sweetest thing and silver and gold. They do good live versions of the latter. I also really like their live version of Maggies Farm.
But I haven't been able to stand listening to u2 much since zoo tv when i think they started to believe their own hype.
14 - Scott Butki
The reason I mentioned my my space page was that I picked King Missle's song about God being cool as my song choice. I was introduced to the song by one of your earlier lists. (I've been going back and commenting and downloading songs from your earlier lists.)
Anyway I only have like four comments on my page but one of them is from the band thanking me for picking their song.
So that's cool.
Plus I just like that people will hear that song and go ok does this mean he's religious, blasphemous or what?
Speaking of which how about a list of songs about God? Dear God would definitely be high on the list.
I'm thinking of doing a list some time of the song - and the various covers of it - I put a spell on you. And if you don't know that one then you have to turn in your music journalist badge.
Speaking of which I'd be honored if you'd take a look at my piece about music journalism.
15 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Scott - will check out the My Space link being live now and all - glad to take a look at your piece on music journalism but need a few days to catch up if you can spare them.. i'm totally swamped with work now since i was behind a bit... ya know how it goes... but i'll catch up...
16 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Steve, thanks for Allmusic link - will check out Gabrille's stuff over there...under Dreams Come True... if any specific songs, do recommend... i'd be curious...
17 - Steve
Sadi, my faves of Gabrielle's are -
"Should I Stay" (UK#13/2000)
"Dreams" (UK#1/1993)
"Going Nowhere" (UK#9/1993)
"Rise" (samples "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan)(UK#1/2000)
"Walk On By" (UK#7/1997) (yes, the one originally done by Dionne Warwick)
"When A Woman" (UK#6/2000)
18 - Scott Butki
Take your time.
19 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Hey Scott ~ will be there tomorrow after i get back from the studio... so, sometime in the late afternoon -- am looking forward to it!!! can't wait to check it out... : ) I'm really glad the column is turning people onto new music - that's what i've been hoping for and also bringing back old music as well that has been forgotten so a mixture of both, some weeks more than the less... but either is fine...
looking foward and speak soon,
s.
20 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
Scott B., heya ~~ i saw King Missile on your MySpace site - nice site, btw -- and thanks for the mention... i'm glad you like the song that much; it's good to turn people onto new music.. ; )
21 - Scott Butki
Thanks. What other songs of theirs should I check out?
22 - Mark Saleski
scott: pick up The Way To Salvation. you can't go wrong with "The Story of Willy" and, one of my favorite song titles, "The Boy Who Ate Lasagna And Could Jump Over A Chruch".
23 - Scott Butki
I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip
24 - Steve
Hey, Sadi, have you checked out the Gabrielle tunes yet?
25 - sadi ranson-polizzotti
yeah, Scott, you're Welcome - do check it out....
and you're most welcome.... not a problem at all... ; )