# Music survey **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154 "2007-06-15T19:19:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/1 "2007-06-15T19:19:21Z")
Dunno if this thread should be in ‘Cafe Society’ or ‘IMHO’, but… Anyway, just an informal little survey. Swap in your own answers and repost: List 10 musical artists you like, in no specific order (do this before reading the questions below)! 1. Jefferson Airplane 2. Tori Amos 3. Ani DiFranco 4. Grateful Dead 5. Staple Singers 6. Rufus Wainwright 7. Peter Gabriel 8. English Beat 9. Tragically Hip 10. Joni Mitchell \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? “Foolish Love” \*What is your favorite song of #8? “Doors of Your Heart” \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? First band I discovered on my own (rather than have someone tell me about them). Made me want to learn how to play the guitar (listening to “Embryonic Journey”). Kicked off my teenage fascination with all things ‘60s’. Alas, they also spurred my interest in doing drugs (Not that I wasn’t already interested anyway.) \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? “We’ll hitch our hopes to a star/Spread a little love and we’ll go far/We’ll get oooooover, we’ll get over”- “We’ll Get Over” \*How many times have you seen #4 live? Many, many times. (Lost count after roughly 50) \*What is your favourite song by #7? “I Have the Touch” \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? “Hell Yeah” (That’s the song title.) \*What is your favorite song by #9? “Wheat Kings” \*When did you first get into #1? Roughly 1984-85 \*How did you get into #3? We’re from the same hometown (Buffalo) and I saw her perform at a bar called Nietzche’s before she was famous. But I had actually forgotten that, and didn’t become a real fan of hers until a ‘riot grrrl’ college friend of mine (who was fanatic about her) “introduced” me to her music, about '92 or '93. \*What is your favorite song by #4? “Not Fade Away / Going Down the Road Feeling Bad” \*How many times have you seen #9 live? I’d estimate about 14 times. \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? Are you kidding? It’s Tori Amos! EVERYTHING she does makes me sad. (Or at least, it’s music to listen to when you’re really, really depressed.) \*What is your favorite song of #1? That’s a tough one, but off-hand I’d say it was “Have You Seen the Saucers?” \*How did you become a fan of #10? I can’t honestly remember how I was introduced to her. But I do remember that, while growing up (in Buffalo), I listened to a Toronto-based classic rock radio station a lot. They played a lot of Mitchell’s stuff (she being a Canadian). ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/2 "2007-06-15T19:51:35Z")
I’ll use my top ten most played at last.fm: 1. Cocteau Twins 2. ``` Boards of Canada ``` 3. Shop Assistants 4. My Bloody Valentine 5. Aphex Twin 6. The Velvet Underground 7. Hüsker Dü 8. Pixies 9. The Cure 10. Portishead \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? Venus in furs \*What is your favorite song of #8? Where is my mind? \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? I’ve liked them since they started, but no actual impact I think \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? Not really a lyrics chap is the old Aphex Twin \*How many times have you seen #4 live? 6 in total, I think \*What is your favourite song by #7? Don’t wanna know if you are lonely \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? Somewhere in China \*What is your favorite song by #9? A forest \*When did you first get into #1? I bought their first album “Garlands” when it came out in 1982. I was 14. \*How did you get into #3? I was at University in Edinburgh when they were gigging in the city regularly and I loved them. I just recently reacquired their album, and I’ve been playing it a lot. \*What is your favorite song by #4? Thorn \*How many times have you seen #9 live? Once \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? Some of their stuff has a melancholy air \*What is your favorite song of #1? That’s a tough one, either Sugar Hiccup, Musette and Drums or From the Flagstones \*How did you become a fan of #10? They were ubiquitous in the UK for about six months, and I still like them loads ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/3 "2007-06-15T20:03:13Z")
1. Billy Joel 2. The Moody Blues 3. Carlos Santana 4. Pat Benetar 5. The Monkees 6. Weird Al Yankovic 7. The Beatles 8. Elton John 9. Carole King 10. The Guess Who \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? “Girls Just Want To Have Lunch” \*What is your favorite song of #8? Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? His “Stranger” album got me thru sophomore year of college \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? “I have no more than I did before, but now I have all that I need, 'cause I love you and I know you love me” \*How many times have you seen #4 live? none, unfortunately. \*What is your favourite song by #7? so many to choose from - I’d have to say the whole Sargeant Pepper album \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? “Why Don’t You and I” \*What is your favorite song by #9? “Chicken Soup with Rice” \*When did you first get into #1? 1977 \*How did you get into #3? I love his guitar work, then I started listening to the lyrics - I was hooked \*What is your favorite song by #4? “We Belong” \*How many times have you seen #9 live? again, never. \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? not really \*What is your favorite song of #1? “Prelude/Angry Young Man” \*How did you become a fan of #10? I heard “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature” and “Undun” within a few hours of each other and just had to know more ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/4 "2007-06-15T20:06:07Z")
1. The Beatles 2. The Rolling Stones 3. The Who 4. The Doors 5. Steely Dan 6. Pink Floyd 7. Deep Purple 8. The Beach Boys 9. The Kinks 10. Van Halen \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? Money (Beeats me really) \*What is your favorite song of #8? Wouldn’t It Be Nice \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? Well, what can be stated about the most influential band in history that hasn’t already been stated? They made me love melodic pop music and psychedelic weird stuff all at once. \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? While the music played you worked by candlelight Those San Francisco nights You were the best in town Just by chance you crossed the diamond with the pearl You turned it on the world That’s when you turned the world around Did you feel like Jesus Did you realize That you were a champion in their eyes \*How many times have you seen #4 live? Never \*What is your favourite song by #7? Highway Star \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? Behind Blue Eyes \*What is your favorite song by #9? Sunny Afternoon \*When did you first get into #1? Roughly 1970 \*How did you get into #3? Brother’s copy of Quadrophenia on 8 track \*What is your favorite song by #4? Light My Fire \*How many times have you seen #9 live? Once, circa 1979 \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? As Tears Go By \*What is your favorite song of #1? impossible to pick one Beatles tune. Across the Universe? Hey Jude? A day in the Life? Here Comes The Sun? And 49 more. \*How did you become a fan of #10? The opening first few notes of Eruption on their debut album. And now that I’ve gone through this… boy a lot of work for not much return! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/5 "2007-06-15T20:23:22Z")
1.pink floyd 2.the promise ring 3.emiliana torrini 4.omd 5.keane 6.anberlin 7.fountains of wayne 8.maritime 9.modest mouse 10.the postal service \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? “Godspeed” \*What is your favorite song of #8? “German Engineering” \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? I cried when Syd Barrett died. The Wall introduced me to The Universal Hook, near-variations of which have appeared on songs by most of these bands, a hook that embodies both universal blues and endless hope in one all-encompassing bittersweet melody. \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? “You’ll knock on my door, and up we’ll go, in bright light…I don’t think so. But what do I know?” \*How many times have you seen #4 live? Never. Not sure they have toured since the mid-90s or earlier. \*What is your favourite song by #7? I’ll stay with the tried and true Leave the Biker, but I like It Must Be Summer a lot, too. \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? No. \*What is your favorite song by #9? Float On, of course. \*When did you first get into #1? College, where I borrowed my roomies DSOTM which lead me to get all their stuff within 2 years. \*How did you get into #3? She had a song on a cable music station and I wrote down her name to remember and it was so good that, uncharacteristically I bought an entire album of hers without listening to it beforehand, and I was not disappointed – one of the 4 best singers I’ve ever heard. \*What is your favorite song by #4? Messages - one of the songs with The Universal Hook. \*How many times have you seen #9 live? Never, I’m not sure if they come around here, and if they did I’m not sure if they’d go to a small enough place to make it worth it. \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? > [@](#): > > Are you kidding? It’s Tori Amos! EVERYTHING she does makes me sad. (Or at least, it’s music to listen to when you’re really, really depressed.) Same thing with “Best Looking Boys” by TPR. Sure, the lyrics aren’t really sad, but it has that bittersweet UH again, so you listen to it when you wanna be bittersweet. \*What is your favorite song of #1? Again, gotta go with the old standby of Comfortably Numb and ABitW Part II. (But seriously, I like all their stuff, and Syd’s as well.) \*How did you become a fan of #10? Heard them on a college radio station and, like many other bands on this list, went out and bought their album without waiting to listen to a used copy, they were so good. (“Such Great Heights”, as well as “Float On”, now that I mention it, sort of have the emo version of the UH (altho of course TPS isn’t emo.) The record person mentioned that Give Up was the best album of that year, and she wasn’t wrong, not that that’s a great accomplishment these days. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/6 "2007-06-15T20:46:31Z")
1. Alan Parsons Project 2. Blue Oyster Cult 3. Electric Light Orchestra 4. Iron Maiden 5. The Carpenters 6. Barry Manilow 7. Cyndi Lauper 8. The Beatles 9. The Bee Gees 10. Pink Floyd \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? I honestly have no idea, but Copacabana was my favorite song when I was little. \*What is your favorite song of #8? Oh jeez, I don’t know again…I’ll go with A Day In the Life. \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? I don’t know that they’ve made any deep changes to me, but I find that I always want to put them in the player when I’m disturbed or confused or nervous, and I feel soothed. I can think. \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? I honestly have no answer. The lyrics don’t even matter with The Carpenters; it’s all about the sound of Karen’s voice. \*How many times have you seen #4 live? Once. \*What is your favourite song by #7? I like different ones most at one time or another, but I must say “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” is just a perfect gem. \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? Mission/A World Record \*What is your favorite song by #9? Currently? Alone. \*When did you first get into #1? I always liked them, so I’d say early 80s. \*How did you get into #3? My stepdad had a nice record collection and he let us play it. \*What is your favorite song by #4? Oh, Revelations, no doubt about it. \*How many times have you seen #9 live? None. \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? Not really. Maybe Shooting Shark. \*What is your favorite song of #1? I don’t want to answer this because there are so many, but if forced to I guess I’d go with The Traveller/Days Are Numbers. \*How did you become a fan of #10? The same way everyone else did. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/7 "2007-06-15T21:03:04Z")
1. Derek Trucks Band 2. Howlin’ Wolf 3. Radiohead 4. Allman Brothers Band 5. Bob Marley 6. Nina Simone 7. Beatles 8. Ray Charles 9. Soundgarden 10. Stevie Wonder \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? Probably “I Loves You Porgy.” \*What is your favorite song of #8? I’ll give the nod to “Hard Times,” just ahead of “What’d I Say?” \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? My favorite band, and the one that moves me in ways that are almost undescribable. I got into a number of the other bands on this list through the dTb, and they’re also responsible for one of the greatest experiences of my professional career - a few months after I left college, I spent a few days following them around on the road and hanging out on their tour bus, which I turned into a 4,000-word story for a music magazine. The music was amazing, and Derek Trucks let me play his guitar, which was a _minor_ thrill. 😃 \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? “How many rivers do we have to cross Before we can talk to the boss?” \*How many times have you seen #4 live? 45, way more than anyone else on this list. \*What is your favourite song by #7? “Dear Prudence.” \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? Most of them, they’re quite famous for that. 😛 Particularly “Motion Picture Soundtrack.” Not their greatest song, but probably their saddest… that or “You Never Wash Up After Yourself.” \*What is your favorite song by #9? “Spoonman.” \*When did you first get into #1? 2000. I first saw them live in 2002. \*How did you get into #3? I heard “Creep” when it became a huge hit - it was unavoidable - but I got into them in college, when half a dozen friends of mine got together and performed all of _OK Computer_, start to finish, with full instrumentation (except for some violins) and videos directed by another student. They rocked the house. Later on, I dated a girl who was big into Radiohead, so eventually I had all of their albums and now I’ve got most of their EPs. \*What is your favorite song by #4? “Dreams.” That’s the song that got me into them when I was 14, and it’s still my favorite. \*How many times have you seen #9 live? Zero, and unless they reunite it’s going to stay that way. And if they did reunite, I’d probably have to sell most of my clothes to afford it. 😛 \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? “Goin’ Down Slow,” which I think might be the greatest vocal performance in American music, “Little Red Rooster” and “Sittin’ on Top of the World.” \*What is your favorite song of #1? Their cover of “I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free,” my favorite song. \*How did you become a fan of #10? I heard a college _a capella_ group do “Superstition” (or maybe it was “I Wish,”) and thought, “My God, if it sounds this good when these guys are doing it, I have to check this guy out!” ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/8 "2007-06-15T21:03:04Z")
List 10 musical artists you like, in no specific order (do this before reading the questions below)! 1. rem 2. robert earl keen 3. ben folds 4. gnarls barkley 5. scissor sisters 6. grateful dead 7. bob dylan 8. steve earle 9. the band 10. willie nelson \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? sugar magnolia or friend of the devil \*What is your favorite song of #8? "”billy austin” \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? defined my teen years. \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? We’ll get her jacked up on some cheap champagne We’ll let the good times all roll out And if the music ain’t good, well it’s just too bad We’re gonna sing along no matter what \*How many times have you seen #4 live? never \*What is your favourite song by #7? “tangled up in blue” \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? eh, “brick” maybe \*What is your favorite song by #9? “the night they drove old dixie down” \*When did you first get into #1? 1986 \*How did you get into #3? I heard “Army” at a friend’s house and figured any band that mentioned Chick-Fil-A and mullets in one song was worth checking out \*What is your favorite song by #4? “Just a Thought” \*How many times have you seen #9 live? never \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? “Lonely Feeling” \*What is your favorite song of #1? “Perfect Circle” \*How did you become a fan of #10? was exposed from an ealry age through my parents ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/9 "2007-06-15T21:18:42Z")
1. Rush 2. Queen 3. Cowboy Mouth 4. Mary Prankster 5. Barenaked Ladies 6. Jill Sobule 7. U2 8. Weird Al Yankovic 9. Loudoun Wainwright III 10. Emmet Swimming \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? “I Kissed A Girl” \*What is your favorite song of #8? "Yoda” \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? Immense. Both in terms of social acceptance (I was 14 in 1981), in a certain level of critical thought, and wanting to learn how to play drums. The high-end lyrics also brought ideas and concepts to me in high school that I might have run into during college if I was lucky. \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? “Do you dream about Jesus or Quantum Mechanics” \*How many times have you seen #4 live? More than 20. And twice in my own backyard. \*What is your favourite song by #7? “Gloria” or “Bad” \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? "Home” \*What is your favorite song by #9? “The Picture” \*When did you first get into #1? 1981 or so. \*How did you get into #3? I heard ‘Jenny Says’ on the radio but didn’t think huge things of them. Then on the HORDE tour the woman running the music tent told me I should see them. We went and it was amazing. \*What is your favorite song by #4? Depending on the day “Mercyfuck” or “New Tricks” \*How many times have you seen #9 live? Zero, dangit. \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? Some of Freddie’s later stuff, when seen in context, is pretty saddening. \*What is your favorite song of #1? “The Spirit of Radio” \*How did you become a fan of #10? I first heard the song ‘Arlington’ and decided it was cool enough to take a look (as a local band). I dug the album ‘Arlington to Boston’ quite a bit and started going to see them whenever I could. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/10 "2007-06-15T21:19:50Z")
Bruce Springteen Southside Johnny Emmylou Harris Stan Rogers Journey Carbonleaf Indigo Girls Meat Loaf Marc Anthony Harry Chapin \ ***What was the first song you ever heard by #6?** “Life Less Ordinary” \ ***What is your favorite song of #8?** Whoa, tough one. “For Crying Out Loud”? \ ***What kind of impact has #1 left on your life?** Holy crap. I learned what I love about rock, I learned about the passion and desperation and sheer fun that can go into songs. I learned about loving an artist for years as they go through changes even ones I don’t like as much. I learned that I can listen to his works for 30 years and hear something new each time. \ ***What is your favorite lyric of #5?** :o They sound pretty corny without the music. Hard to say. \ ***How many times have you seen #4 live?** Never. He was dead before I knew his stuff. \ ***What is your favourite song by #7?** “Galileo” \ ***Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad?** “Red Dirt Girl” “Bang the Drum Slowly” \ ***What is your favorite song by #9?** “Love Is All” bombastic overblown love songs are a favorite \ ***When did you first get into #1?** 1975. I was seven and my father made us a cassette copy of \*\*Born to Run \*\* and **Darkness on the Edge of Tow** n to play in our toyroom. That was that. \ ***How did you get into #3?** I knew her vaguely from “Montana Skies” and other backup stuff but then I bought **Red Dirt Girl** after it won the Grammy. That got me hooked and I bought a lot of her older stuff. \ ***What is your favorite song by #4?** This is really tough, but it would have to be [“Lies”](http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/s/stanrogers9907/lies324737.html) which is one of the most amazingly-written songs evah. \ ***How many times have you seen #9 live?** Never. \ ***Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad?** [Light Don’t Shine](http://www.lyricsdepot.com/southside-johnny-andamp-the-asbury-jukes/light-dont-shine.html) written by Steve van Zandt \ ***What is your favorite song of #1?** Brutally tough, but I guess “Badlands”. Or “The Price You Pay”. Or…too many to name. \ ***How did you become a fan of #10?** I knew his radio stuff (Taxi, Cats in the Cradle) and was sad when I heard on the radio the morning he died. I bought **Greatest Stories…Live** and that was that. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/11 "2007-06-15T21:38:39Z")
1. David Bromberg 2. Leftover Salmon 3. Dixie Dreggs 4. Commander Cody 5. John Prine 6. John Hartford 7. GratefulDead 8. Neil Diamond 9. Talking Heads 10. Rusted Root \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? Long Hot Summer day \*What is your favorite song of #8? Forever in Blue Jeans \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? My brother introduced me to his music. We share similar tastes, similar, not the same. \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? For a heart stained in anger grows weak and grows bitter. You become your own prisoner as you watch yourself sit there wrapped up in a trap of your very own chain of sorrow. \*How many times have you seen #4 live? Once \*What is your favorite song by #7? Way too hard to answer…depends on the show…OK; I’ll try…Scarlet Begonias \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? No, not particularly, they are hard driving blazing fret boards southern rock and roll \*What is your favorite song by #9? Once in a lifetime \*When did you first get into #1? Circa 1974-75 \*How did you get into #3? A buddy introduce me to them \*What is your favorite song by #4? Don’t Let go \*How many times have you seen #9 live? Zero \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? Yes, several…was in tears at one show when they played Aiko Aiko/ Brother John…My dog Aiko got hit and killed the day before…RIP Aiko, I miss you babygirl. \*What is your favorite song of #1? New Lee highway Blues…and …I like to sleep late in the morning, it’s a toss-up \*How did you become a fan of #10? Saw them open for the Grateful Dead in Pittsburgh on Jerry’s last tour…RIP Jerry ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/12 "2007-06-15T21:58:26Z")
1. Toad the Wet Sprocket 2. Magazine 3. Big Star 4. The Beach Boys 5. The Beatles 6. The Shins 7. Echo and the Bunnymen 8. The Smiths 9. The Arcade Fire 10. Prince \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? “So Says I” \*What is your favorite song of #8? “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? When I was a teenager (about 15-17) they were my favorite band. I identified strongly with the music and lyrics. \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? It’s hard to choose, but for now I’ll go with: “Had it been another day I might have looked the other way and I’d have never been aware but as it is I’ll dream of her tonight” in “I’ve Just Seen A Face” \*How many times have you seen #4 live? Never, but I did see Brian Wilson a few years back. \*What is your favourite song by #7? “Bring on the Dancing Horses” \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? “Holocaust” is a depressing song, but I don’t know if it quite makes me sad. I’d maybe go with “What’s Going Ahn” \*What is your favorite song by #9? “Intervention” \*When did you first get into #1? Around 2002 \*How did you get into #3? There was a thread here where people were raving about them, and said that the cd of their first two albums was essential. So I got it. \*What is your favorite song by #4? For now I’ll go with “God Only Knows”, but I’d probably change my mind a few times if I thought about it some more. \*How many times have you seen #9 live? None. \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? No, I haven’t listened to enough of their music yet. I just got their first album recently. \*What is your favorite song of #1? It’s hard to say right now. I haven’t listened to them much in a while. \*How did you become a fan of #10? I’d heard good things about him, so I downloaded some of his music. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/13 "2007-06-15T22:34:40Z")
[QUOTE=The New and Improved Superman] List 10 musical artists you like, in no specific order (do this before reading the questions below)! [/QUOTE] In the order they occurred to me: 1. The Kinks 2. The Beatles 3. Daniel Amos/The Swirling Eddies 4. They Might Be Giants 5. The Moody Blues 6. Trip Shakespeare 7. The Beach Boys 8. Stevie Wonder 9. Something Fierce 10. Madness **What was the first song you ever heard by #6?** “Toolmaster” **What is your favorite song of #8?** “Sir Duke” **What kind of impact has #1 left on your life?** Not sure how to answer this **What is your favorite lyric of #5?** Not sure. Possibly the little throwaway line at the end of “Dear Diary”: “Somebody exploded an H-bomb today. But it wasn’t anybody I know.” **How many times have you seen #4 live?** Once, on the _Flood_ tour. **What is your favourite song by #7?** Not sure… “Good Vibrations”? “God Only Knows”? “Sloop John B”? there’s way too many **Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad?** “My Hand to God” - an old man on his deathbed says his last goodbyes to his wife, accompanied by the saddest guitar part ever - always brings tears to my eyes **What is your favorite song by #9?** maybe “Deep and Meaningful” **When did you first get into #1?** Around the time “Come Dancing” came out in 1983. **How did you get into #3?** Read enough intriguing stuff about them on the Internet (or one of its predecessors; I don’t remember exactly where) to take a chance on buying an album or two **What is your favorite song by #4?** I couldn’t even begin to single one out. Though lately “Lucky Ball and Chain” has been running through my head for some reason. **How many times have you seen #9 live?** About four **Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad?** Not particularly, though I do feel a little melancholy listening to The End of _Abbey Road_ and realizing that it really was the end. **What is your favorite song of #1?** Maybe “Waterloo Sunset,” or “Wonderboy,” or… ah heck, there’s way too many to choose from! **How did you become a fan of #10?** Probably thanks to seeing their videos (“Our House” et al), which led, of course, to buying their albums. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/14 "2007-06-15T22:55:44Z")
1. Spoon 2. The Kinks 3. The Beatles 4. The Who 5. Wilco 6. Wolf Parade 7. Sufjan Stevens 8. Talking Heads 9. Mission of Burma 10. David Bowie \*\* _What was the first song you ever heard by #6?_\* “You Are a Runner and I Am My Father’s Son” \*\* _What is your favorite song of #8?_\* “Psycho Killer” \ ***What kind of impact has #1 left on your life?** They catapulted me firmly into my current fixation on indie rock. I heard them on Last Call with Carson Daly, of all places. They played “The Way We Get By” and have since become one of my all-time favorite bands. Their upcoming album comes out on my birthday, and, from what I hear, may be their best yet. And that’s saying something, considering their back catalog. \ ***What is your favorite lyric of #5?** “Tall buildings shake voices escape singing sad sad songs” Jeff Tweedy seems to predict the 9/11 attacks with an eerie foresight. The album was created before that day, though released afterwards. This uncanny coincidence further cemented the album’s status as one of the greatest in recent memory. \ ***How many times have you seen #4 live?** Once, right after Entwistle’s death. I believe it was 2002, the Palace of Auburn Hills. \ ***What is your favourite song by #7?** “Decatur” \ ***Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad?** Not particularly. Maybe “Eleanor Rigby.” \ ***What is your favorite song by #9?** “Trem Two” \ ***When did you first get into #1?** 2002 or '03. \ ***How did you get into #3?** The Beatles? How couldn’t I? \ ***What is your favorite song by #4?** “A Quick One While He’s Away” \ ***How many times have you seen #9 live?** Never, but I think I’ll get the chance sometime in the near future. They took a long hiatus, but they’ve resumed recording and touring in recent years. \ ***Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad?** Again, not particularly. The Davies’ (Not sure if Ray or Dave was the primary lyricist) songs never really came across as genuinely sorrowful, IMHO. Perhaps “Some Mother’s Son,” but even on that song they seem to take a few steps back from the emotion of losing a child in war. _ **What is your favorite song of #1?** “I Summon You” \*\* How did you become a fan of #10?_ After hearing his name bandied about so much even today, I decided I had to check out the hubbub. I got Hunky Dory, and the rest is history. Still catching up on a lot of his catalog, however. I really only know HD and Ziggy Stardust right now. ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/15 "2007-06-15T22:57:49Z")
1. Dave Matthews Band 2. Billy Joel 3. Elton John 4. Beatles 5. Stevie Wonder 6. Bruce Springsteen 7. Kingston Trio 8. Barry Manilow (relieved to see I’m not the only one with this guilty pleasure) 9. Matchbox 20/Rob Thomas 10. Marvin Gaye First song by Bruce Springsteen: **Born To Run** (duh, I was a college student in the '70s) Favorite song by Barry Manilow: **Copacabana**. I use a hairbrush for a microphone and dance/emote all around the kitchen for this one. Impact of Dave Matthews Band: Dramatic. I see them in concert 3 or 4 times each year, my kid and I bond over their music. I am not the typical DMB fan by a long shot, but my passion for them has been unwaning for 9 years. Favorite lyric of Stevie Wonder: Most of **Isn’t She Lovely**. Not my favorite Stevie song, though. Seen Beatles live: 0 times (I’m not THAT old!) Favorite song by Kingston Trio: **Tom Dooley** (My name is Julie and when I was a wee little girl, I thought they were singing, “Hang down your head Tom Julie.” Sad song by Elton John: Easy one– **Empty Garden.** I cry when I hear it. Favorite song by Matchbox 20: **Bright Lights** Got into Dave Matthews Band: 1998 Reason got into Elton John: My best pal in HS loved him and I got into his music by osmosis. Favorite song by Beatles: **Penny Lane** or **Hello Goodbye** or Side 2 of **Abbey Road** Seen #9 live: 1 Sad song by Billy Joel: Mmm . . . I’d rather say my favorite lyric by Billy Joel–_We all end in the ocean, we all start in the stream, we’re all carried along by the river of dreams._ Favorite song by DMB: **Lie In Our Graves** or **Pig** depending on the day. But those two are the permanent top 2. Became a fan of Marvin Gaye: The year I graduated from HS, I developed a certain hormonal fondness for **Let’s Get It On** and things escalated from there. This was fun, if difficult and time-consuming to post. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/16 "2007-06-15T23:16:02Z")
1. Mahler 2. Beethoven 3. White Stripes 4. Helmut Lachenmann 5. Josquin 6. Britten 7. Brian Ferneyhough 8. Aphex Twin 9. Bach 10. Nick Cave _What was the first song you ever heard by #6?_ _Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra_ when I was about three. _What is your favorite song of #8?_ _Come to Daddy_, no question about it _What kind of impact has #1 left on your life?_ Wow, couldn’t be asking much of a deeper question of a deeper composer. For absolute and complete immersion into a substantial musical landscape, there’s nothing that comes close. _What is your favorite lyric of #5?_ My Latin’s not that good _How many times have you seen #4 live?_ Never seen a live performance, which actually comes as a slight surprise to me when I think about it. _What is your favourite song by #7?_ Replacing ‘song’ with ‘piece’, it’s probably going to have to be _Etudes Transcendentale_. _Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad?_ Not really, there’s too much energy for sadness no matter what the song. _What is your favorite song by #9?_ No way am I singling one piece out. Except maybe the theme of the Goldberg Variations, specifically because it’s such a beautiful example of absolute precision and simplicity creating a powerful impact. _When did you first get into #1?_ Playing the first symphony, aged 15. _How did you get into #3?_ Nothing to tell really, just heard them on the radio, I guess. _What is your favorite song by #4?_ Too hard to say. _How many times have you seen #9 live?_ None, funnily enough :p, but countless performances, of course. _Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad?_ I’m such a depressive type of person, but you’ve managed to pick two options where it’s a resounding ‘no’. Beethoven doesn’t do sad, not IMO. Emotionally-draining, yes, but not sad. _What is your favorite song of #1?_ _Das Lied von der Erde_ _How did you become a fan of #10?_ Absolutely no idea. ---
**Author:** ![RedRosesForMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RedRosesForMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedRosesForMe)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/17 "2007-06-15T23:43:19Z")
1. The Pogues 2. The Clash 3. Johnny Cash 4. Anti Heros 5. The Misfits 6. Toots & the Maytals 7. The Clancy Brothers 8. Against Me! 9. Vanilla Muffins 10. Anti-Nowhere League \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? **Oooh that’s a tough one. Maybe _5446?_** \*What is your favorite song of #8? **Right now it’s _From Her Lips to God’s Ears_** \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? **They’re the reason I went to England… they make up the majority of the soundtrack of my life. I actually happen to be listening to them right now. Plus, they inspired my awesome user name.** \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? **If I told you, you’d think I was nuts. Their songs are heavily influenced by horror movies.** \*How many times have you seen #4 live? **Unfortunately never.** \*What is your favourite song by #7? **There’s so many… They do a good _Finnegan’s Wake_** \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? _ **The Long Black Veil** _ \*What is your favorite song by #9? _ **No Punk Rock in my Car** _ \*When did you first get into #1? **Hmm… 6 years ago maybe?** \*How did you get into #3? **After seeing a friend do _A Boy Named Sue_ at karaoke.** \*What is your favorite song by #4? **_Criminal Mischief_ or _Hate Edge_** \*How many times have you seen #9 live? **Never** \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? **No**. \*What is your favorite song of #1? **I’ll name my 3 most recent favorites (they go through cycles): _Muirshin Durkin, Greenland Whale Fisheries,_ and _Waxie’s Dargle._** \*How did you become a fan of #10? **I remember the first time I ever heard them- a friend brought a mix tape to listen to in my car. Pretty awesome.** ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/18 "2007-06-16T01:38:59Z")
List 10 musical artists you like, in no specific order (do this before reading the questions below)! 1. Whitehouse 2. Velvet Underground 3. The Stooges 4. Von Lmo 5. Tim Hardin 6. Johnny Cash 7. The Saints 8. Iron Maiden 9. Charles Mingus 10. The Cardigans \*What was the first song you ever heard by #6? First ever - I have no idea. First song I ever listened to properly was Folsom Prison Blues live. \*What is your favorite song of #8? Phantom of the Opera \*What kind of impact has #1 left on your life? Have obsessed me the past four years, changing my attitude towards music and art, introducing me to dozens of texts and sources that I never would have come across otherwise. \*What is your favorite lyric of #5? “I was there to steal her money Take her rings and run Then I fell in love with the lady Got away with none.” (The Lady Came from Baltimore) \*How many times have you seen #4 live? Unfortunately, never. I don’t think they’ve ever played outside New York. In fact, from my list I’ve only seen Iron Maiden and Whitehouse, once each, and I’ve seen a hell of a lot of live shows. \*What is your favourite song by #7? I’m Stranded - the national anthem. \*Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad? “Dirt” \*What is your favorite song by #9? “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting” \*When did you first get into #1? 2003 \*How did you get into #3? 1993 - there were too many people telling me that I had to hear this band - so much so that I thought I was going to hate them. Found a gatefold vinyl copy of the Funhouse album, which I had to wait three weeks before the second hand shop was able to sell it to me, took it home, and had my soul changed forever. The endless record (ie, once one side finishes, you flip it over and start again). \*What is your favorite song by #4? “This is Pop Rock” \*How many times have you seen #9 live? See above - never. \*Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad? I’ll Be Your Mirror used to make me cry, because it was associated with certain people. Same as I Found A Reason. \*What is your favorite song of #1? Could never pick just one, but at the moment it would probably be “Killing Hurts Give You The Secrets”. \*How did you become a fan of #10? A good friend of mine kept trying to play me their records and I kept thinking they were crappy Swedish pop. One night, very late, he tried again, and it just clicked - they are actually the greatest pop/rock band of all time, and I’ve woken up with their songs in my head more times than I can count. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/19 "2007-06-16T04:17:54Z")
1. Porcupine Tree 2. The Church 3. Renaissance 4. REM 5. Echo & the Bunnymen 6. Ride 7. Ozric Tentacles 8. Loreena McKennitt 9. Dead Can Dance 10. Delerium A. Seagull B. Courtyard Lullaby C. PT just fits into my quasi-romantic personal “mythology” pretty well. The Church actually fit better, but are at #2 because IMHO they haven’t made anything interesting in over a decade. D. The entire middle section of the Bunnymen’s “Turquoise Days”: It’s not for glory It’s not for honour Just something someone said It’s not for love It’s not for war Just hands clasped together It’s not for living It’s for hunger Just lips locked tight It’s not rebellion It’s not suffering It’s just the way it is And my pistol’s packed And my god goes with me I feel easy And i want it And i need it And i’ve got it It’s not for this It’s not for that It’s not any of it Did you say knowledge? Did you say prayer? Did you say anything? If not for good If not for better If not the way it is Again for reasons stated in response A. D. Never. Something I regret actually but until about 10 years ago I was never any sort of concertgoer, plus REM has come to my town exactly one time (mid 80’s before they got big) and damn fool that I am I didn’t go. E. Joke is the Ozrics make the same cut over and over, but if forced to choose from their huge discography I’d probably put down “Shaping the Pelm” as it is very sublime and rather atypical for them. F. “Mother Russia” as I have created a cinematic sort of movie in my mind of this Russian political prisoner who tries to escape imprisonment in the Siberian wastes and is gunned down at the feet of mythologized representation of Mother Russia, whose tears freeze as they hit the ground. I would like to think if Renaissance made a video of this song (they were about 7 years too early) that is what they would have done. G. DCD’s “Spirit”, a very uplifting song. H. 1997, when I bought “Signify” thanks to some recs off a Usenet group. I. Also 1997, same reason, tho I almost bought some of Renaissance’s stuff many years earlier, but didn’t (I was in my punk phase and wasn’t about to get some old prog band). J. “Nightswimming”. Yeah I’m a sucker for nostalgia and in this particular case (despite iffy lyrical connection) thinking back to the endless nights (and days) spent swimming in my old pool with my black Lab (now gone 11 years). K. Never. I think DCD rarely toured in the States and again never came within 1000 miles of me I’d bet when they did. L. “It’s No Reason”. Probably because it sums up my romantic history pretty well. M. “Stranger By the Minute”. See answer C. Yeah I’m all that and worse than you can imagine. 😛 N. Bought _Semantic Spaces_ as something of a lark, got suckered in by the combination of hypnotic grooves and found vocals. Edit: AARRGGHH Forgot the Beatles, as I often do when my hopeless left brain hemisphere has to try to dredge up info located in my right hemisphere, which is certainly where the Fab Four reside, at a very deep level, as I was exposed to their music from a very early age and have never really forgotten them even as I move on to other things here and there over the years, ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154/20 "2007-06-16T04:23:47Z")
1. Patty Griffin 2. Damien Rice 3. Ani DiFranco 4. Dave Matthews Band 5. Regina Spektor 6. The Dresden Dolls 7. Bruce Cockburn 8. Nickel Creek 9. Sufjan Stevens 10. World/Inferno Friendship Society _What was the first song you ever heard by #6?_ Hmm, probably the first song I heard by the Dresden Dolls was “Good Day”, the first song off their debut album, because it was kind of a deaf purchase made off of recommendations. _What is your favorite song of #8?_ I would say my favorite Nickel Creek song is “The Lighthouse’s Tale”-- it’s just classically good and painful storytelling. _What kind of impact has #1 left on your life?_ For a while I was pretty strongly into her music, so I have a lot of memories woven into Patty Griffin songs. And while I’ve went seperate ways a bit with some of her oeuvre, her debut, _Living With Ghosts_, is still one of the most incredible albums I’ve ever heard. _What is your favorite lyric of #5?_ “No, this is how it works/You peer inside yourself/You take the things you like/And try to love the things you took/And then you take that love you made/And stick it into some/Someone else’s heart/Pumping someone else’s blood/And walking arm in arm/You hope it don’t get harmed/But even if it does/You’ll just do it all again” --Regina Spektor, “On The Radio” _How many times have you seen #4 live?_ I had the fortune to see the Dave Matthews Band a few summers ago-- quite on the expensive side but they are truly, truly good live. _What is your favourite song by #7?_ I think my favorite Bruce Cockburn song is “Lovers in a Dangerous Time”, which has some of my favorite lyrics out of any artist. _Is there any song by #3 that makes you sad?_ Yeah, Ani’s “So What?” is a real downer. In a good way. _What is your favorite song by #9?_ I think my favorite song by Sufjan Stevens is “Casimir Pulaski Day”-- it’s just a sad, sharp, well-crafted song, and pretty damn reined-in compared to some of the other stuff on _Illinois_. _When did you first get into #1?_ I got into Patty Griffin sometime during high school. _How did you get into #3?_ I think I got into Ani DiFranco just by hearing so damn much about her and then finally having a listen. _What is your favorite song by #4?_ My favorite Dave Matthews Band song is “Seek Up”. _How many times have you seen #9 live?_ I haven’t seen Sufjan Stevens live. _Is there a song by #2 that makes you sad?_ Actually, no, considering how melancholy Damien Rice sort of is. _What is your favorite song of #1?_ My favorite Patty Griffin song is “Forgiveness”, which is just freakin’ incredible and I recommend anyone listen to it. _How did you become a fan of #10?_ A good friend is a big World/Inferno fan. She gave me a tape of their stuff. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-survey/408154.md?page=2)