Inspired by this thread and a buncha songs I heard on the radio today. What musicians/bands do you HATE, but you like one or two songs from?
I’ll go first (which makes perfect sense, since this thread wasn’t here until I started it )
Steve Winwood - can’t stand his voice, couldn’t stand him in Traffic, and really really hated his brief foray into dance (WTF??) music in the 80s. But… I really like “Arc of a Diver.” I’m sure a lot of the pleasure I get from the song is due to the memories that go with it, but even though it’s Steve Winwood, it’s the one I’ll listen to all the way through every time.
John Mellencamp - always thought he was just a little TOO “hometown boy” - after a while, it seems quite contrived. Still, I can’t hear “When The Walls Come Tumblin’ Down” without wanting to do that cute little dancing-near-a-ladder routine.
Stevie Wonder - never liked him much, either. Sure, I sppreciate his contribution to contemporary music and recognize him for the prodigy he was, but still never liked him. That said, “Sir Duke” rocks me every time.
This one might inspire townsfolk to come after me with torches: Phil Collins. Not that everyone but me likes him, but no one BUT me likes the song “Separate Lives,” a duet he performed with Marilyn Martin.
Rolling Stones, except for Paint It Black, Sympathy for the Devil, and Girl I Miss You. Sure, that’s three, but you’d think for such a long career they’d have more than three good songs!
Suicide Machines, New Girl. The rest of their stuff is too ska-ish for me, and I don’t really like ska. In fact, in the punk-ska continuum, New Girl is exactly where I draw the line (it has ska rhythm but not any horns, which should be found in hard rock as little as possible.)
Chumbawamba, Amnesia. The rest of the stuff I’ve heard from them is lame, but something is appealing about just a straight-up dance song.
Bjork/Sugarcubes, Birthday and Blue Eyed Pop. Now, Birthday is the single best song ever, but that makes the rest of her stuff all the more disappointing to know that, IMO, she is wasting her immense talent on art wanking.
I despise Springsteen, but can manage to listen to “The River”. And nothing else of his that he performs.
“Blinded by the Light” is soooo much better by M. Mann. In fact, all covers of his stuff is better than his. My toilet had a clog once, and did a better “Nebraska” than Bruce.
Essentially, the bulk of the song came from a rhyming dictionary, which, by the end of the song, Bruce says was nearly in flames.
There was one stanza he gave details on:
"Madman drummers (the drummer for the E-Street Band) Bummers, Indians in the summer (the Indians was his little league baseball team) With a teenage diplomat (referring to himself) In the dumps with mumps (he said, “I was diseased”) as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat. (“That speaks for itself” he said with a smile).
Hey, I’m the same about Bruuuuuuuuuce! I like “Born To Run”, “Dancing In The Dark” (especially the 12" remixes) and “Cover Me”. And that’s it. I don’t know quite why, but I’m unable to get into any of his other music.
Oh, I love “Fire”, but only by The Pointed Sisters.
I hate the Rolling Stones but Beast of Burden is the most badass tune. I figured after that one that they would end up being one of those bands I hated then liked but no dice.
Britney Spears is annoying as all get out but there’s just something about Toxic…
I can hardly believe After Hours is a Velvet Underground song…
Oh and Dream On by Aerosmith. It sounds like someone other than Tyler is singing it, and that’s probably key.
I’m the same way about the Stones, except my three songs are Can’t You Hear Me Knocking, Gimme Shelter, and Paint It, Black. Maybe Mother’s Little Helper should be in there too, I don’t know.
I think Tom Petty’s American Girl is one of the most perfect rock songs ever made. Everything else he’s ever done makes me want to drive into oncoming traffic.
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