The final tracklist for the two-headed monster:
Side One
BROWN SUGAR
NO EXPECTATIONS
WILD HORSES
CAN'T YOU HEAR ME KNOCKING?
JIGSAW PUZZLE
Side Two
STREET FIGHTING MAN
I GOT THE BLUES
SISTER MORPHINE
DEAD FLOWERS
MOONLIGHT MILE
As Michael Giltz said, "What's the takeaway here? I had fun."
I look at this final tracklisting, with about half of the songs winning by large margins, and I still would rather listen to either BB or SF than the best of both. There's something about "the album," how it was conceived and sequenced, that can make even lesser pieces of work, work.
I think some of us may have commented how we "always skip" the songs we don't care for. Truth is, I rarely do. I'm not a fan of "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," yet I'd rather listen to it than not. I love "the album." It's why I think so many CD boxed sets are inferior, with the compilers opting for a live version of a song instead of the original, or choosing an edit over the full length. One of the worst offenses was a recent vinyl repackage of "Who's Next," where the actual sequence of the original album was changed, to make room on a side for the bonus material. Side One is NOT supposed to end with "Getting In Tune" and Side Two is NOT supposed to end with "Baby, Don't You Do It." I understand the concept, but I always go back to the original and rarely want to hear the rarities.
Another thing came to mind, and maybe you can take the weekend to think about this one, showing your willpower by not commenting until the post goes up next week, but...
A number of you cited "Beggars Banquet" as the "important" album. I can think of a few very famous and well-loved "important" albums that just don't cut it for me, or at the very least, aren't my favorites by the artists. I prefer "Sticky Fingers" over "Beggars Banquet." And a few of my other choices might end up being sacrilege to some of you.
More on that on Monday.
Thanks to all for playing.
8 comments:
I love this blog! LOL!!!
I hope you choose to play this game again Sal. It was fun to watch all the conversation.
Sorry Sal. Fortunately Monday is a long way off and we have short memories.
I second the "Tommy" comment. But then, I've never been heavily into the Who for whatever reason. Admire, respect, just not passionate.
But I get "Astral Weeks." Mind you, I play "Moondance" a lot more because it's an easier, less demanding (?) album? Astral Weeks demands late night contemplation while "Moondance" can be played any hour of the day with a blithe, devil may care attitude. You know, I can toss on "Blue Train" anytime whereas A Love Supreme is not to be trifled with (and not to have its pleasure and beauty dimmed by overplaying -- you can overplay some great albums or they're just so heavy you don't want to; I love the movie "Shoah" but you know, I'm gonna watch Casablanca more often.)
And I never skip tracks. I'm big on albums (never really created mix tapes) and that's what I listen to almost exclusively. And most boxed sets are vastly inferior as listening experiences: I consider them reference works, libraries, not something to actually consume in order. Exception proving the rule: Barbra Streisand's boxed set, which tells a full biographical story, thanks to lots of audio clips etc.
Thanks Sal!
I love both of these albums, and even though I thought I would be able to choose one track over another, I never could, so I never did. Can't wait to see what duel you'll throw up next.
I thought I liked BB better, and maybe as an album I would. It was the sequence that placed "Dear Doctor" in exactly the right slot.
Yet I mostly voted for SF when it came to a song by song comparison.
By then hard drugs were Keith's muse, and the darkness shows through in the world weariness at it's heart.
In the late '70's I read in Stereo Review, that a record begins to degrade on it's 8th play. Often I recorded an album directly to cassette the first time played.
I grew up in a world of mix tapes, so there are many songs on famous records I only heard once or twice before I skipped them forever.
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