1,001 songs to listen to before you die...

[ohtani's jacket]

It kind of annoys me that Dear God is the only XTC song on the list. I know a lot of people consider Skylarking to be their best album, but Dear God wasn't on the original album. It was the B-side for the single Grass. It's a nice story of how a B-side saved a band, but what does it matter if people aren't familiar with their earlier work? I think they should included Making Plans for Nigel, or Living Through Another Cuba if they wanted an alternative pick. 

And where was Gang of Four? That bugs me too. They're right here, book:

 

[Curt McGirt]

Gang of Four was way too groundbreaking and influential to not be on the list, for sure. That's like not putting Wire on.

[Liam]

667.      

‘Attention Na SIDA’, Franco (1987)

This gets on the list due to Franco being a popular Congolese music artist and this being a very open call for people to ‘Beware of AIDS’. In the country at the time, a lot of the lyrics had to be wrapped up in metaphor to avoid censure, but there is nothing hidden here. Franco would pass away 18 months later, quite possibly from AIDS itself although it was somewhat unclear. This song shows him use a mix of speak-singing and more spoken word sections against a lively percussive background beat. I find this type of song hard to judge; definitely here on merit, but unlike a lot of the other stuff that made the list.

668.      

‘Under The Milky Way’, The Church (1987)

Another band from Down Under, but one that had moved to Los Angeles by the time they had international success. I felt like I would know this as it kicked in, yet it wasn’t to the chorus that I realised I had at least heard that part of the song before. This is moody and poetic and unsurprisingly successful as it is a fine piece of music, though the wailing sounds that punctuate the middle of the song I could very much do without.

669.      

‘Bamboleo’, Gipsy Kings (1987)

I’m pretty sure I found out that this song was from the 80s many years ago, yet I always try and place it in the 90s. Was it sampled in another song, or was it just that good that it was getting radio play several years down the track and in my formative years? I wouldn’t be surprised either way as this is an absolutely storming track. Lively and passionate, it works its way to a chorus that desires audience participation. Apparently this song helped the album it came from go on to sell seven millions records, which only serves to highlight how exciting this song was for the contemporary audience. Still just as good today, mind.

[ohtani's jacket]

The Gispy Kings released a Greatest Hits album in 1994 so you may be thinking of that. We used to blast the shit out of them at a Mexican restaurant I worked at. Great band. 

That's a great Church song too, and I really need to check out more Franco. Apparently, he was huge in Africa.

[Curt McGirt]

On 10/5/2020 at 11:30 AM, Liam said:

I perhaps got my answer from the book as they were originally a punk band, though their ‘best’ work tended to be when they added in more in the way of pop sensibilities to go with their capable aural onslaught.

Since you like noise with melody, Bob Mould's guitar playing is right in your wheelhouse. And believe me they started at light speed -- listen to their live debut Land Speed Record, which has a perfect title. What you really want to hear though is the incredible Zen Arcade which is a double LP of awesome magnitude that was probably only rivalled in the '80s by the Minutemen with Double Nickels and another double that's slipping my mind, and probably Prince's 1999 (who hilariously got #666 on here despite being a Jehovah's Witness). 

[Curt McGirt]

The Cure's Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss me is another great '80s double, haven't listened to it in forever though

[Liam]

670.      

‘This Corrosion’, The Sisters of Mercy (1987)

This is another band that I’ve always felt that I should have gone back to check out, yet have never got around to it. I’m not entirely sure if I believe I’m missing out having listened to it, though this is at least one example of a Jim Steinman produced song that I can now name outside of his work with Meatloaf (I’m sure I know others, just not that Steinman was involved). If anything, this is a little too electro-poppy for my liking – that isn’t often a bad thing, but I almost expect the vocals to be accompanied by music that was a bit punchier than what I actually got. The multi-tracking backing vocals to create a wailing choir is cool and it isn’t a bad song at all, yet it sits below top tier stuff that this list has kicked up for me. To give it some credit, I was more into it by the end of the song, so maybe it was a grower?

671.      

‘Camarón’, Pata Negra (1987)

The problem I have with ‘world music’ in a list like this is that I am so very unarmed when it comes to what I can say about it. I don’t necessarily know if it is a strong representation of the genre it is representing, or whether the artist did better songs elsewhere. I can say that this is a pretty fun song with flamenco mixed with electric blues riffs, creating something that is definitely listenable to…that’s all I got really. To what extent it is worthy of its place is hard to judge.

672.      

‘Amandrai’, Ali Farka Toure (1987)

…ditto?

It is tempting to cut and paste what I said before almost word for word, though this time the list celebrates someone that was dubbed the ‘African John Lee Hooker’. However, this one musically feels a little more universal, at least up until Toure’s vocals which are in the language of the Touareg. It is undeniably interesting to hear such a bluesy feeling tune coming out of Mali and it feels pretty cool even without too much knowledge about the narrative of the song. Apparrently a song about a secret lover, this uses the guitar sparingly in places, building to louder bursts to pierce the tension. A song that I enjoyed irrelevant of my lack of knowledge.

673.      

‘Push It’, Salt ‘n’ Pepa (1987)

Influenced by: The Bird • The Time (1984)   

Influence on: Money Honey • Lady Gaga (2008)   

Covered by: Numb (1996) • Ten Masked Men (2000) • Harry (2003) • Girls Aloud (2008)   

Other key tracks: Tramp (1987) • My Mic Sounds Nice (1987)

Now, this is a song I know. The provocative lyrics and rapping were surely eye opening for its time, though I’ve always thought that it was the music in the background that made the song what it was. People came for two ladies talking about people who needed to ‘push it real good’ and stayed for the catchy electro rhythms. This is another song I can’t imagine people disliking – it might not be in their top 10 or 20 or 100 even, yet I’ve never heard a poor word said against it.

674.      

‘Bring The Noise’, Public Enemy (1987)

Influenced by: Niggers Are Scared of Revolution • The Last Poets (1970)   

Influence on: AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted • Ice Cube (1990)   

Covered by: Anthrax featuring Public Enemy (1991) • Staind and Fred Durst (2000)

What I’ve always enjoyed about this song was how it appealed to fans of other genres, not just rap or hip-hop. There is a weightiness to everything, from the vocals to the music to the scratching, that works for me even as someone who never particularly cared for this style of music. If I was more knowledgeable about this style, I’m sure I’d be able to talk some more about how complex and multi-layered everything sounds: there feels like there is a hell of a lot going on from start to finish. Oh, and enjoy – if that’s the right word – some Tim Westwood on the video choice.

675.      

‘True Faith’, New Order (1987)

Influenced by: Planet Rock • Afrika Bambataa & The Soul Sonic Force (1982)   

Influence on: The Real Thing • Gwen Stefani (2004)   

Covered by: The Boo Radleys (1993) • Dreadful Shadows (1995) • Aghast View (1997) • Flunk (2005) • Code 64 (2005) • Anberlin (2009)

What a song. This isn’t a universal song that I think everyone would enjoy necessarily, but if it scratches that musical itch like it does for me, it ends up there with some of the best of the decade. There is a darkness about the lyrics that is at odds with the sound, a darkness that was even toned down somewhat as the original lyrics explicitly referenced drugs in a way the radio-friendly ones didn’t. This is probably Bernard Summer at his best vocally in terms of what I’ve heard by New Order, whilst the drums and melodic bass touches adds an almost ethereal atmosphere. Bliss.

[Liam]

676.      

‘It’s A Sin’, Pet Shop Boys (1987)

Influenced by: Passion • The Flirts (1982)   

Influence on: Like a Prayer • Madonna (1989)   

Covered by: Gamma Ray (1999) • JJ72 (2001) • Paul Anka (2005) • And One (2009)   

Other key tracks: What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1987) • Always On My Mind (1987)

Though I didn’t immediately recognise the song when I read the title, I assumed that it was likely to be something I had heard before. However, it was a vague recollection at best, while I heard songs like ‘West End Girls’ so much when I was younger. This is the Pet Shop Boys aiming to be at their most theatrical and it is a storming dance-pop offering that unsurprisingly confirmed them as superstars, at least nationally. It is a hook-laden offering that includes some interesting additional elements such as thunder, organs and synth flourishes. It wouldn’t usurp the other songs by them I like, but I can see what the appeal would have been.

677.      

‘Pump Up The Volume’, M|A|R|R|S (1987)

A collaboration between AR Kane and Colourbox, yet mainly a showcase of the latter’s talents, this was a crossover between the underground dance scene and a myriad range of other sounds through samples. I can believe that this would have sounded urgent and vital to music fans who were looking for something a bit different. It isn’t necessarily for me, though the appeal is obvious and it is a tune that even had me shuffling away on the sofa as I wrote this entry.

678.      

‘Birthday’, Sugarcubes (1987)

I’ve never heard anything Björk that wasn’t just her solo work, so to have a song from her initial band before her solo success is pretty cool. What was even more eye-opening was that this lyrically explored the ‘relationship’ between a five year old girl and a fifty year old man. Really experimental Björk does little for me, yet I do really enjoy her whisper to wail vocal delivery played out against a backdrop of pretty conventional indie rock. The birth of an eventual superstar, I guess.

679.      

‘Beds are Burning’, Midnight Oil (1987)

Influenced by: Clampdown • The Clash (1979)   

Influence on: Zombie • The Cranberries (1994)   

Covered by: Split Lip (1996) • Augie March (2001) • Novaspace (2003) • Misery Inc. (2007)  

Other key tracks: Dream World (1987) • Gunbarrel Highway (1987) • The Dead Heart (1987)

Another band from Australia, though based on the write-up and the number of views on this video, this is something a bit bigger than some of the other offerings from that country in the global musical scheme of things. This is another one I expected I might have heard before, but I legitimately had no idea what it was. Lyrically, this was a call for the Australian government to give land back to the indigenous peoples and it is definitely a catchy rock song with a hooky chorus. I’m not a huge fan of the singing style of the lead vocalist if I’m being completely honest, which detracted a bit from my enjoyment…but it was hard not to enjoy especially when the chorus kicked in.

680.      

‘Yé Ké Yé Ké’, Mory Kanté (1987)

Influenced by: Lan Naya • Bembeya Jazz National (1985)   

Influence on: Tekere • Salif Keita (1995)  

Covered by: Picco (2008)   

Other key tracks: Akwaba Beach (1987) • Nanfoulen (1987)

This was not what I expected at all. Take a Guinean love song and slap some techno-style beats and you get this floor filler from 1987. Apparently, this getting released shortly after the concept of ‘World Music’ began to take off helped it reach to a broad audience, including multiple remixes and covers (in different languages) over the years. Not for me, but an enjoyable curio nonetheless.

681.      

‘Just Like Heaven’, The Cure (1987)

Influenced by: Another Girl, Another Planet • The Only Ones (1978)   

Influence on: Taking Off • The Cure (2004)   

Covered by: Dinosaur Jr. (1989) • Goldfinger (1999) • 30footFALL (1999) • In Mitra Medusa Inri (2001) • Gatsby’s American Dream (2005) • Katie Melua (2005)

This is such a good song. Still not my favourite by The Cure - ‘Inbetween Days’ probably holds that crown – though the two songs aren’t a million miles away from each other sonically. This is perfect pop really in terms of the melody, whilst Smith’s lyrics add that extra poetic element that takes it to another level. Considering how the band could be viewed as one that celebrated melancholy, this is all pretty uplifting, helped significantly by the soaring string (at least I believe that is what it is) arrangements. We even get a cameo from Smith’s wife in the music video.

 

EDIT: Informed elsewhere that Bjork had over bands before Sugarcubes. Thought I'd leave my 'review' the same as when posted though.

Edited October 10, 2020 by Liam

[ohtani's jacket]

1986

I think 1986 was the year where I first became aware of pop music. I didn't have any cassettes yet, but I remember Slippery When Wet being a big deal on the playground. These days, my connection to 1986 is from a very different album -- The Queen is Dead -- which is still one of the all-time great albums in my books. It was a great year for thrash metal, and hip hop was beginning to flourish, but what I didn't realize was how much great music there was in general. Especially, Australian power pop. 1986 was a great year for Aussie music. 

As far as stuff missing from the book, I would have been inclined to have included something from Talk Talk because of how unique they were.

I also want to bring some attention to this wonderful song from my home country:

Other stuff I like:

Spoiler

 

More stuff I like:

Spoiler

 

More still:

Spoiler

 

Last round:

Spoiler

 

 

[ohtani's jacket]

Now let's get into some classic hip hop.

The only real downer about 1986 is the sad state of funk, soul, etc. It's pretty much Prince, Prince, and Prince. Here are a few bones:

Spoiler

 

 

Edited October 11, 2020 by ohtani's jacket

[ohtani's jacket]

I like thrash. 1986 was perhaps the peak of thrash metal. 

Spoiler

 

I'm a sucker for this Maiden song too:

 

[Curt McGirt]

There are a lot of obscure things I could get into but I think these two songs probably deserve to be in the book for sure. 

Best lyrics ever, bar none.

I'm not even really a fan of this album or the musical influence it had, but it is really really important. 

[Curt McGirt]

The re-recording of this is even greater. Even deeper in the pocket. So dark, so much heft, so fucking grim. Lemmy sounds like he is reaching up from Hell with his hand on your ankle, dragging you down. 

[Curt McGirt]

1 hour ago, ohtani's jacket said:

I like thrash. 1986 was perhaps the peak of thrash metal. 

I can't resist.

 

 

[Liam]

682.      

‘The One I Love’, R.E.M (1987)

Influenced by: Break It Up • Patti Smith (1975)   

Influence on: Morning Glory • Oasis (1995)   

Covered by: Butthole Surfers (1989) • Moog Cookbook (1996) • Sufjan Stevens (2006)   

Other key tracks:It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine) (1987) • Everybody Hurts (1992)

I’m a big fan of R.E.M, but I’ll be honest that it was Guitar Hero/Rock Band that first got me interested in this song, whichever game it ended up on (if not both at some point). This was apparently the big breakthrough for the band as they went from being a college radio band to signing a multi-million dollar deal with Warner Brothers. I’ve always loved Stipe’s vocals on the chorus part of the song, as well as enjoying the darkness of the lyrics. I find it funny that – according to the book – people believed this to be a love song, when the lyrics are anything but pro-love or relationships.

683.      

‘Fairytale of New York’, The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl (1987)

This is the only song on the list thus far that I haven’t listened to. The reason? Even this list won’t have me listening to a Christmas song in October. However, with this being my own favourite Christmas song, I don’t really need to listen to it in order to know how it all goes. I’ve already espoused my opinion on the Pogues and this is a great anti-Christmas song in as much as that is a thing, or at least one that chooses to focus on how things aren’t always bright and rosey during that time period. I get a bit precious sometimes as it is a song that I liked a lot before it seemed to become everyone’s favourite Christmas song, but so be it – it is better that it gets airplay over and above some of the other crap from that part of the year.

684.      

‘Paradise City’, Guns ‘n’ Roses (1987)

I’ve never liked G’n’R as much as I feel I should, though their ‘big’ hits are pretty much all bangers to various degrees. This probably sits between Sweet Child O’Mine and Welcome to the Jungle in terms of my enjoyment (Child being the ‘best’) when it comes to the main tracks from Appetite For Destruction. Axl Rose is a vocalist that has me asking the same questions as I do of Billy Corgan of all people: how did they become lead singers in a band with their style of singing? I mean, Rose is a more typical rock and roll singer, but the high pitched wailing is so very distinctive and not always entirely pleasant. However, it works and when supported by a blistering rhytmn section, it all comes together to create something exciting.

685.      

‘Never Let Me Down Again’, Depeche Mode (1987)

Apparently, this was a song that underperformed in the UK, yet had fans in the US flocking to check out what Depeche Mode had to offer. I’ve only ever really listened to the singles by Depeche Mode, so this might be coming from ignorance, but this does feel the most fully realised Mode song in terms of the sound they had been striving for after Vince Clarke left. It is dark and moody, more muscular in tone from what they had created before especially in an atmospheric closing minute or so. Not my favourite song by them, though it isn’t hard to see why this drew the attention of many new fans to the band.

[Liam]

686.      

‘Faith’, George Michael (1987)

The title song from an album that sold millions, saw seven singles released from it and won a Grammy, ‘Faith’ was the start of Michael’s ascension to pop icon. With lyrics that touched upon Michael’s own personal need to believe following a dark time in his life and some pretty simplistic sounding guitar work to provide the bouncy rhythm, the song is one that does a lot with very little. It doesn’t try and do too much, relying on the quality of the songwriting to carry everything, something which I think it achieves with aplomb. Not my favourite song by him necessarily, but an understandable eye opener for those wondering what he would offer post-Wham!

687.      

‘Need You Tonight’, INXS (1987)

This is a song from my childhood inasmuch as I remember my Dad having the ‘Kick’ VHS video. There is something ultimately very slinky and sexy about how everything comes together for the song, helped somewhat by the video – Hutchence wasn’t a bad looking chap at all. The quick bursts of guitar are the personal highlight for me, adding a discordant element to things that helps to create the darker, seedier tone. Apparently, the creation of the song was very casual, even up to the fact that the tune stopped abruptly as it was practically an unfinished song when Hutchence put lyrics to it. If you believe the story, that pretty much became the song we hear today, with the abrupt ending another element that helps the song stand out for me.

688.      

‘With or Without You’, U2 (1987)

U2 upset me. They have become a byword for shit music at times, whilst Bono is someone who makes it ever easier to laugh at him as the days go past. However, some of their work in the mid to late 80s and even into the early 90s is sublime. The latter era work as it is tends to detract from that and I always wish it wasn’t lost to the wider musical world. This is another example where I can say this isn’t the best song by them in my opinion, yet I know it was probably the one that first really grabbed my attention. It is indelibly attached to my growing up and is still a song I enjoy to this day, even if I rarely go out of my way to listen to it.

689.      

‘Freak Scene’, Dinosaur Jr. (1988)

Influenced by: Schizophrenia • Sonic Youth (1987)   

Influence on: Smells Like Teen Spirit • Nirvana (1991)   

Covered by: Godeater (2001) • Belle & Sebastian (2008)   

Other key tracks: Don’t (1988) • Keep the Glove (1988) • No Bones (1988) • Pond Song (1988) • They Always Come (1988) • The Wagon (1991)

That this is suggested as an influence on bands such as The Pixies and Nirvana speaks to how important Dinosaur Jr. were to the shaping of some of the music that came out in the new decade. The quiet/loud mishmash with acoustic-y work and singer/songwriter-esque stylings giving way to distorted guitar solos was probably quite eye-opening at this time and created a song that still sounds interesting today. I’d argue that this style has somewhat been surpassed by what came after it, yet it set the tone and deserves to be lauded thusly.

690.      

‘Follow The Leader’, Eric B. and Rakim (1988)

Influenced by: Listen to Me • Baby Huey (1971)   

Influence on: Root Down • Beastie Boys (1994)   

Covered by: Parliament Funkadelic & P-Funk Allstars featuring Rakim (1995)   

Other key tracks:Just a Beat (1988) • Microphone Fiend (1988) • Lyrics of Fury (1988)

This is very much outside of my wheelhouse, so the extent to which it is or isn’t good or is or isn’t worthy is beyond me. However, I can say one thing for sure – Rakim is one quick MC/rapper (delete as applicable). There is a funkiness in the bass, the samples and the mixing, but Rakim feels like the star of the show here, at least for my uneducated ears. The single was a powerful opening to an album that didn’t quite reach those heights again, according to the book. Whether that is true or not is for those who know more than myself, though I can say it was a pretty powerful way to get things going.

[John E. Dynamite]

40 minutes ago, Liam said:

‘Follow The Leader’, Eric B. and Rakim (1988)

The single was a powerful opening to an album that didn’t quite reach those heights again, according to the book. Whether that is true or not is for those who know more than myself, though I can say it was a pretty powerful way to get things going.

??? The next tracks on the album are "Microphone Fiend" and "Lyrics Of Fury".  The only arguments I could think of against Follow the Leader as an album are that it's top-heavy and isn't as good as Paid in Full. But it's still firmly in the pantheon.

Edited October 14, 2020 by John E. Dynamite

[Liam]

12 hours ago, John E. Dynamite said:

??? The next tracks on the album are "Microphone Fiend" and "Lyrics Of Fury".  The only arguments I could think of against Follow the Leader as an album are that it's top-heavy and isn't as good as Paid in Full. But it's still firmly in the pantheon.

Yeah, I literally had no idea whether that was true, but having looked around a bit it seems a weird piece of judgement. 

 

Edit: going back to the book, the actual line is that 'against the title track's full frontal assault' the rest 'almost sounded tame'. So make of that what you will. Perhaps I read too much into that, though they do go on to say that the single was a high water mark that they never touched again before they split in 92.

Edited October 15, 2020 by Liam

[Liam]

691.      

‘Where Is My Mind?’, The Pixies (1988)

Another pretty solid example of a band I feel I should have listened to a lot more than I actually have, The Pixies tick a lot of the boxes of music I like, yet it has often been the vocals that put me off for some reason. Still, this is probably my favourite song by them as it gets the balance between the noisy melody and the high pitched singing/spoken vocals just right. There is something oddly romantic about the song as a collective, which is probably why it sat quite well in the closing scenes of ‘Fight Club’. The song lurches in many different directions, whilst still feeling pretty cohesive – an impressive feat in and of itself.

692.      

‘Waiting Room’, Fugazi (1988)

I could basically copy the beginning of my last entry for Fugazi, though they are a band I’ve actually heard very little from unlike the Pixies. Again, I can’t necessarily attest to the historical importance of songs from genres that I’m not a big listener of, but this was apparently seen as a shot in the arm as to what punk could offer as Ian Mackaye and friends threw in a mixture of influences, including a particularly funky bass that I can really get behind no matter what others might have thought at the time. Controlled chaos that was always threatening to bust at the seams, this is a good song.

693.      

‘Touch Me I’m Sick’, Mudhoney (1988)

Influenced by: Scene of the Crime • Iggy & The Stooges (1981)   

Influence on: Teenage Whore • Hole (1991)   

Covered by: Sonic Youth (1988) • Naked Lunch (2001) • My Ruin (2005)   

Other key track: Here Comes Sickness (1989)

I have this album in my collection somewhere, yet I couldn’t really tell you much about it – speaks to how often I listened to it. I know the importance placed on the group: they were from Seattle, on the Sub Pop label that became home to a number of bands peddling this brand of grunge or rock, and were considered an influence for a number of bands who went on to bigger and better things. Maybe being considered purely as an influencer underplays Mudhoney as a band, but it is hard not to hear early Nirvana in this song in terms of the structure and the sound of what they were offering. However, the thing that stands out the most is that this is a fundamentally catchy song, something that was rarely lost in the grunge period that was to follow.

694.      

‘Feed Me With Your Kiss’, My Bloody Valentine (1988)

Influenced by: The Living End • The Jesus and Mary Chain (1986)   

Influence on: Revolution • Spacemen 3 (1989)   

Other key tracks: Nothing Much to Lose (1988) • You Made Me Realise (1988) • Blown a Wish (1991) • Only Shallow (1991) • To Here Knows When (1991)

Like The Jesus and Mary Chain who are referenced above, My Bloody Valentine are a band whose name makes you want to listen to them without even knowing what music they produce. I believe I have an album by them lodged deep in my collection, but this isn’t the style of music I particularly associate with them. Clean vocals sit on top of a wall of guitar, ably helped by a driving drum rhythm. I’m not sure I particularly like it, yet as a sign of what they were capable of doing, this is an interesting snapshot. I like the parts, if not the sum of the whole.

695.      

‘Buffalo Stance’, Neneh Cherry (1988)

Influenced by: Buffalo Gals • Malcolm McLaren (1982)   

Influence on: Wannabe • Spice Girls (1996)  

Covered by: The Rifles (2009)   

Other key tracks: Kisses on the Wind (1989) • Manchild (1989) • The Next Generation (1989)

Hmmm…I think I’ve heard this before, or at least the component parts. I’m possibly the wrong audience for the tune, as I’m a middle-aged white male from the UK, but the book talks about how empowering it was for a number of upcoming musical acts in the mid to late 90s to have someone talking about female empowerment. From a purely musical standpoint, there is a lot going on here as it bounces around from pop to hip hop to rap and back again. Really fun with a powerful message for a number of people, it isn’t hard to see why this was highly rated by some.

696.      

‘Fast Car’, Tracy Chapman (1988)

Influenced by: Down to Zero • Joan Armatrading (1976)   

Influence on: Sometimes I Rhyme Slow • Nice & Smooth (1992)   

Covered by: Amazing Transparent Man (2003) • Hundred Reasons (2004) • Mutya Buena (2007)

I honestly have never met a single person who dislikes ‘Fast Car’. The simple guitar and accompaniment let Chapman’s vocals tell a story that a lot of people can easily empathise if they weren’t already experiencing elements of it themselves. There is nothing for me that is particularly outstanding about any one point, yet it all adds up together to create an all-time classic. At a time when big pop singers were all the rage, it is pleasing that Chapman’s brand of folk wasn’t lost in the shuffle.

[ohtani's jacket]

1987

I don't have a lot to add to 1987. It's not a year that interests me much outside of metal and hip hop. I thought they should have included something from Prince's Sign 'O' the Times album and a Replacements song (take your pick):

Here are a few interesting songs:

Spoiler

 

 

[ohtani's jacket]

1987 was a huge year for hip hop:

 

[ohtani's jacket]

For metal, of course thrash was still going strong, but my picks are from outside that genre:

 

[Curt McGirt]

1987 was a monumental year for the evolution of extreme metal. 

 

 

And they really should have put this on there just for historical purposes...

 

[Liam]

701.      

‘One’, Metallica (1988)

Influenced by: Buried Alive • Venom (1982)   

Influence on: Soldier of Misfortune • Filter (2008)   

Covered by: Die Krupps (1993) • Apocalyptica (1998) • Total Chaos (2001) • Crematory (2003) • Korn (2003) • Rodrigo y Gabriela (2004) • Beat Crusaders (2008)

I’m not the hugest Metallica fan, but I am well aware of their pedigree and have witnessed live how good they can be when it comes to reeling off hit after hit. My preference has always been for the slightly more restrained version of Metallica, the more varied in terms of dynamics, the ‘softer’ Metallica, perhaps? ‘One’ definitely falls into that category, mixing its heft towards the end with more placid bits that allow the arpeggios to do a lot of the work alongside Hetfield’s cleaner vocals. Everything builds to a more aggressive close and the lyrics/video all point to Metallica seeking to be maybe more than just a metalhead’s metal band. It is a classic track for a reason.

702.      

‘The Mercy Seat’, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (1988)

Influenced by: 25 Minutes to Go • Johnny Cash (1965)   

Influence on: Prison Shoe Romp • 16 Horsepower (2003)   

Covered by: Johnny Cash (2000) • Kazik Staszewski (2001) • Unter Null (2010)   

Other key track: Deanna (1988)

Another on the list of ‘should have listened to more from’, what I’ve heard by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds has always been good. This is a song I’ve never heard before and is discordant pretty much from the opening moment, really building up a sense of the mental maelstrom swirling around a man waiting for his execution. There is a lot going in terms of the backing music which, whilst simple in melody, is layered with lots of different elements to create a wall of sound effect. When you fight through the swirling noise, there is also a good, catchy rock song to add that extra element of interest – Cave’s repeated exhortations fight their way to the front of everything by the end and that repetition lodges them firmly in your head. An interesting soundscape with a dark, dark centre.

703.      

‘Ederlezi’, Goran Bregovic (1988)

(Film version)

This is one that I can’t necessarily comment too much on as I have no real context for it in terms of this style of music, whilst the book does also talk about how Bregovic himself was controversial for not crediting Gypsy musicians from whom he borrows. There is an eeriness amongst an otherwise lush production, primarily helped by the vocals of Vaska Jankovska, a young Gypsy singer who has a set of pipes on her. I understand why this song rose above other songs from the Balkan region in its popularity outside of that area, though it doesn’t do a massive amount for me once you look past the vocals.

704.      

‘Ale Brider’, Klezmatics (1988)

It is interesting how the book often groups minority and ethnic music together so having had a slice of Balkan music, it heads into a Jewish offering. Klezmer was a style of music that was largely destroyed when the Nazis did Nazi things, but it earned a revival amongst the Jewish diaspora in New York. The Klezmatics are apparently the most celebrated of this style of music, producing songs such as this which harken back to the celebratory Jewish music of weddings and other celebrations. I do enjoy it, if care little about it once it is gone. Good to see it recognised here as a slice of history though.

705.      

‘Love Shack’, The B-52s (1988)

It is odd how some bands have massive success pretty much consistently, whilst other acts have years or even decades between their most notable hits. This is almost ten years after ‘Rock Lobster’ and the band had largely failed to ignite much interest in the prevailing years. I personally feel this is a better song, though your mileage may vary depending on what you feel towards the much more unhinged former tune. Unlike some songs I enjoy, I have to be in the right mood for this, yet when I am, it does hit the right spot. Joyous, playful, catchy – can’t argue too much with that.

[ohtani's jacket]

Liam, you forgot to post 697-700 here.