Friday, December 11, 2009

Weekend Listomania (Special If We're All One, Who Needs You? Video Edition)

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental Unendurable-Pleasure-Indefinitely-Prolonged consultant Fah Lo Suee and I will be heading to ...oh, screw it. I can't bring myself to do another Tiger Woods joke. Let's just say I'm off to somewhere to do something and let it go at that.

In any case, posting by moi will be sporadic for a couple of days at least.

But in the meantime, here's a fun little project for us all:

Best Post-Elvis Pop/Rock Song or Album With the Word "You" in the Title!!!

No arbitrary rules this time, except that it's got to be a song or album title with, uh, you know -- the word "you."

Not "your". Not "you'll." Not "You've." I could go on, but "you" get the point. Hah hah.

Okay, that said, my totally top of my head Top Eight is:

8. Candy Butchers -- You Belong to Me Now



There is a small sub-species of humanity, to which I occasionally claim membership, which believes this to be the single most beautiful song written in the English lanuage in the first nine years of the 21st century. Just saying.

7. The Lovin' Spoonful -- You Baby



A Ronettes cover of all things, and one of several tracks from their first album that served notice that the Spoonful weren't just a revivalist blues and jug band.

5. Bobby Fuller Four -- Love's Made a Fool of You



The Buddy Holly classic, of course, and an all but perfect mix of winsome melodicism and what we used to call The Big Beat. Proto (approaching full-bore) power pop, obviously.

5. The Dickies -- You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)



Ah -- a twofer. Actually, there are some days I think these guys were the greatest punk band ever; no question they were the funniest. Now excuse me -- I gotta go listen to "Gigantor" and their cover of "Nights in White Satin" right this minute.

4. U2 -- All Because of You


Okay, Bono can be a bit much, and U2 will never be my favorite band, but let's be honest -- when these guys are good they're great. Case in point: This "love song to the Who."

3. The Turtles -- You Showed Me



A really wonderful pre-first Byrds album Gene Clark/Jim McGuinn song, given a sumptuous pop sheen by the once and future Flo and Eddie and company. Those sighing strings are just gorgeous.

2. The Killers -- Smile Like You Mean It



As I'm sure I've noted previously, I'm not crazy about this band in general, and jeebus, this song in particular is about as derivative as it gets (embarrassingly so, if truth be told). Nevertheless, it gives me a second entry actually recorded in the current decade, which I think is always a good idea. Especially since The Killers seem to have replaced Billy Corgan's pretentious cueball noggin as my running gag of choice.

And the numero uno song featuring the "y" pronoun, make no mistake about it this is the one, absolutely, is --

1. Los Shakers -- Always You



Said it before and I'll say it again -- this is the most perfect Beatles record the Beatles never made. Swoonerama, from stem to stern.

Alrighty then -- what would your choices be?

[Shameless Blogwhore: My parallel Cinema Listomania -- theme: Best or Worst Big or Small-Screen Action Babe Heroine of All Time! -- is now up over at Box Office. During this holiday season, it would definitely help if you could go over there and post a comment, thus convincing my employer that I'm worth the exorbitant and lavish lifestyle-sustaining freenlance fee I'm pulling down. Thanks!!!]

35 comments:

geor3ge said...

Well, that rules out everything by Prince.

John Fowler said...

ha ha ha ha!!!!
it took me a moment, but then...
ha ha ha ha

thanks geor3ge...

Mister Pleasant said...

Loving me some Turtles. Great song!

The ultimate "you" song -
You - George Harrison

just kidding

How about a trio of great Kinks tunes:
You Really Got Me
I Need You
Do You Remember Walter?

John Fowler said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John Fowler said...

This was a tough list to narrow down, lots of great U-songs -

first, though, to follow geor3ge's comment, I did find

Cyndi Lauper - "When You Were Mine", from She's So Unusual, an OK Prince cover, and unexpectedly listed as an actual "you" on the album. Video is clearly a relic of its time...

My nominations for best, can't really choose here:

Stevie Wonder - "You Haven't Done Nothin'", from Fulfillingness' First Finale
The Pogues - "I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day", from Rum Sodomy and the Lash
The Rolling Stones - "You Got the Silver", from Let It Bleed
The Flaming Lips - "Do You Realize??", from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

Runners-up:

The Beatles - "You Never Give Me Your Money". Would rank higher, except it seems out of place without "Because" and "Sun King" and the rest of Abbey Road side two
Matthew Sweet - "What Do You Know?", from Altered Beast. Maybe this album isn't quite as good as Girlfriend, but it's still pretty great...
Squeeze - "If I Didn't Love You", from Argybargy
Bob Dylan - "Sweetheart Like You", from Infidels
James Brown - "I Got You (I Feel Good)"
Eurythmics - "Would I Lie to You?",from Be Yourself Tonight"

Best 'You' Title, and not a bad song:

Go-Go's - "You Can't Walk in Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)", from Beauty and the Beat

And I suppose we can't leave this list without

Yes - "And You and I", from Close to the Edge
(and I must confess, I like this)

steve simels said...

I'd like to thank everybody up front for observing the Prince rule without my having to mention it specifically.

Jeebus, I love the little freak, but that mis-spelling crap was old by the time Slade got through with it.
:-)

Sal Nunziato said...

"You Ain't Going Nowhere!"- Bob Dylan & The Band

steve simels said...

I'd also like to apologize for the div-shares screw up.

The links will be back on Tuesday, or sooner if I decide to pay them

David said...

First and foremost:
"You You You You You" - The 6ths
most ambitious title:
"You Are the Generation That Bought More Shoes and You'll Get What You Deserve"-Johnny Boy
Double-You Award:
"You Angel You" - Bob Dylan
and a few more:
"With a Girl Like You" - The Troggs
"When You Awake"-The Band
"You Still Believe in Me"-Beach Boys
"You Set the Scene" - Love
PS. John Fowler: I also dig "And You and I"--YOU are not alone....

mcpart said...

"You" are really softening up when it comes to U2. This is shocking. Great song.

steve simels said...

mcpart:

I actually like the live version (recorded under the Brooklyn Bridge) better, but yes. This is great.
:-)

dave™© said...

"I Want You" by the Beatles

"I Want You" by Dylan

"I Want You" by Elvis Costello

dave™© said...

"You Still Believe in Me" by Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys

"You're So Good to Me" by Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys

"You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone" by the Beach Boys

Anonymous said...

"I Want You Bad" - NRBQ
"Do You Remember Rock 'N Roll Radio?
- Ramones
"I Got You (At The End of The Century)" - Wilco
"You Can't Hide a Redneck (Under That Hippy Hair)" - Doug Sahm
"When You Dance (I Can Really Love)" - Neil Young
"Who Are You" - The 'oo
-bill buckner

Gummo said...

"I'll Get You" -- the Beatles
"Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?" -- Bob Dylan
"She Loves You" -- the Beatles
"You Are So Beautiful" -- Joe Cocker
"How Do You Do It" -- Gerry & the Pacemakers
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" -- Rolling Stones
"Me and You and A Dog Named Boo" -- Lobo
"I Can't Quit You Baby" -- Led Zeppelin

Woody (Tokin Librul/Rogue Scholar/ Helluvafella!) said...

"(Goes to show) --Chuck Berry...
"Do You Believe In Magic?"--the Spoonful
"A Song For You" -- Leon Russell
"You Got Lucky, Babe" -- Tom Petty
"Who Are You" -- The Who
"Shine On, You Crazy Diamond" -- Pink Floyd
"Within You, Or Without You" -- The Beatles
"You Can Call Me Al" -- Paul Simon

Brooklyn Girl said...

"You Can't Do That" and "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You" - Beatles
"You Oughta Know" - Alanis Morrissette
""Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of" - U2
"Can't Get Next To You" - Temptations
"You Really Got A Hold On Me" - Miracles
"So You Want To Be A Rock & Roll Star" - Byrds

Feral said...

Every Step You Take - Police
I Believe in You - Neil Young
Any Major Dude Will Tell You - Steely Dan
If You Love Me - Van Morrison
I Need You - America (runs and hides)

Noam Sane said...

Love Me Like You - Magic Numbers

Gotta be one of the best pure pop tunes I've heard this century. I love this band.

Libby Spencer said...

I'll take a couple of easy ones that were missed so far.

I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher

Til There Was You - Beatles

I may think of more and be back. Just want to grab these so I have an entry. :)

Libby Spencer said...

Okay filling out the ancient rock'n'roll and/or sappy song side of this category, I have few more.

Miss You, Can't You Hear Me Knocking, You Gotta Move - Rolling Stones

Can't You Hear My Heartbeat - Herman's Hermits

And the songs that nursed me through some of my heartbreaks,

Run To You - Bryan Adams

Missing You - John Waite

I Want You Back - Forget who did that one.

If You Don't Know Me by Now - also forgot who did that one. But all songs I should be embarrassed to admit I cried to...

John Fowler said...

Oh, late entry, very recent tune -
M. Ward - "Never Had Nobody Like You", from Hold Time

with Zooey Deschanel on the album, but not the youtube video...

Woody (Tokin Librul/Rogue Scholar/ Helluvafella!) said...

I didn't read all the way through. Did anybody put up

If Not For You -- Dylan
or
Have I Told You Lately -- Van Morrison

Woody (Tokin Librul/Rogue Scholar/ Helluvafella!) said...

You could fill a volume with just Beatles songs:

You Can't Do That
PS I Love You
Love You Too
Baby It's You
Do You Want To Know A Secret
She Loves You
I Need You
From Me To You
All You Need Is Love
I'm Looking Through You
For You Blue
You Won't See Me
I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
Gotta Get You Into My Life
You Never Give Me Your Money

Anonymous said...

you- the aquatones

Unknown said...

Resting on my laurels from yesterday, I've arrived late, so the I Want You trilogy was got.

You Belong To Me - Elvis Costello
You Belong To Me - Carly Simon

You Woke Up My Neighborhood - Billy Bragg
So You Want to be a Rock n Roll Star - The Byrds
You Ain't Going Nowhere (Dylan/Band/Byrds)
All I want for Christmas is You - Carla Thomas
Who Are You This Time - Tom Waits
You Gotta Believe - Dan Hicks and The Hot Licks
Glad To See You Go - The Ramones
I Don't Want You - The Ramones
You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes

For Libby: I Want You Back was the Jackson 5 (and a cool cover by Graham Parker

MBowen said...

I'm Sorry, I Can't Rock You All Night Long - Wild Seeds

She May Call You Up Tonight - The Left Banke

Between You and Me - Graham Parker (covered by Carlene Carter)

I Want You Back - Hoodoo Gurus

Every Time You Say Goodbye - Alison Krauss & Union Station

Every Time You Go Away - Paul Young

Follow You All Over The World - Marti Jones

What Do You Know? - Buzzcocks

Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want The Truth - Minutemen

Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken - Lloyd Cole & The Commotions

Couldn't I Just Tell You - Todd Rundgren

I Can't Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt

I Love You In The Strangest Way - Timbuk 3

The Ballad of Only You and The Can Prevent Forest Fires - Young Fresh Fellows

Having a Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Her - T-Bone Burnett

I Wanna Destroy You - The Soft Boys

I Wanna Sleep With You - The Psychedelic Furs

Livin' For You - Al Green

You Broke My Heart In Seventeen Places - Tracey Ullman

You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything - Faces

You Get What You Give - New Radicals

~*Neon Serpent*~ said...

You and Me - Alice Cooper

I think I heard this one a time or two on the radio in my callow youth...

steve simels said...

Well, it's about time somebody nominated Rundgren's "Couldn't I Just Tell You."

Sheesh.
:-)

Libby Spencer said...

I was trying to remember the Rundgren song but couldn't pull it out of the memory bank.

And the version of I Want You Back that I'm thinking of is not the Jackson Five one. It's much later than that but I can't find it on youtube. Maybe that's not the name of the song, but the hook is definitely, "I want you back" Da da da dum, repeated a couple or three times. The da dum is the musical bridge, they don't sing that part. Damn I just heard it on the car radio the other day.

Unknown said...

re the perfect Beatles record they never made: in a very crowded field, my vote is for "Feelin' Lost" by the Rationals. A stunner.

steve simels said...

Billy said...
re the perfect Beatles record they never made: in a very crowded field, my vote is for "Feelin' Lost" by the Rationals. A stunner.


Which I don't know, and now I'm going to have to go here and download it.
http://ratb0y69.blogspot.com/

MBowen said...

Libby, I think you're thinking of "I Want You Back by The Hoodoo Gurus.

Alex said...

How cool to see the Hoodoo Gurus mentioned!

There's a million possibilities, but one I've been listening to a lot lately is "With You" by O Positive.

Also "I Got You" by Split Enz

DB said...

I'm with the owner of this here blog in seconding the nomination of the Candy Butchers' tune as most beautiful of the decade.

Christina Aguilera's on my teevee right now, hawking some product or other.

Why she's a star and the Butchers are not is proof that the universe is a deeply random and unfair place.

Also, thanks to the poster who recommended the Magic Numbers -- they sound like a lot of trippy fun.