Rick Derringer’s “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”
I’d listened to a lot of The Sea and Cake before, but when I first saw this video of them playing Ths Biz (excellent audio quality) at a faster tempo than their album version, with a way better guitar solo and a chance to actually watch drummer John McIntire in action, I think I replayed it about 35 times. Now I desperately want to see them live.
Ha! My sister bought the KISS 45 for Beth. I loved the B side: Detroit Rock City. Played it to death at ages 6 and 7 until parents took it away from me. Lunatic Fringe, Mr Blue Sky are in my most played list on my Ipod. (Also in Appalachia, BTW. Hey, neighbor.)
H. (Tool)
The Only Answer (Mike Doughty)
Black (Pearl Jam)
Blinded By the Light (Manford Mann version)
Solsbury Hill (Gabriel)
Hanging on a Curtain (Morphine)
I have a knack for recognizing when a song will be a hit, even if I don’t like it. The first time I heard “Simply Irresistable”, I knew it would be a huge hit even though I was pretty heavily into Metallica and Slayer at the time. Likewise, “Baby One More Time” by Brittney Spears caught my attention the first time I heard it. “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette had me listening carefully to hear who that was after hearing it on a crappy portable radio at work.
Sometimes I know a band will do well based on a single that doesn’t. When I heard “We Die Young” by Alice in Chains on Headbangers Ball I went out and bought their album (I think that song was only played twice, too). The single didn’t do very well, but several months later they released “Man in a Box” as a single and hit big.
One of the most powerful first-time listenings for me was the first time I heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on the radio, but that wasn’t just me. I was at a party with a group of people who did not normally listen to rock (myself and a friend of mine were the only people there who were not African-American). My friend changed the radio station to the local alternative station, and people were muttering about her lack of manners and how much this sucked until that song came on the radio, and then a silence fell over the room as everybody stopped talking to listen. Today that song wouldn’t stand out, but it got the attention of a room full of people who listened to R&B and rap almost exclusively.
Ah, thank you. I didn’t realize it had been used that often.
I was just listening to Spoon’s “I turn my camera on” for the umpteenth time; it is a freakin’ good song that hooked me from the very first time. I still have no idea what it–or any Spoon song, for that matter–is about, but I like it.
XTC “The Mayor of Simpleton”: When I bought Oranges and Lemons for this song, it was unlike any other tape I owned. I consider it the first Alternative album I bought.
Pearl Jam “Black”: Self-explanatory.
Radiohead “Creep”: When the crunchy guitar comes in, it’s like the rest of the band is unaware of it; Thom Yorke continues singing sweetly. (According to Wikipedia, the guitar player originally played it that way to spite a song that he didn’t like.) I’m a sucker for angsty quiet-loud-quiet songs…
Joydrop “Beautiful”: …and here’s another one. It starts out sounding like a Tori Amos wannabe, changing to Garbage for the chorus.
I had a similar reaction when I bought Mummer… I had never heard anything this, for lack of a better term, perfect… this led me back in time to discover Drums and Wires, and English Settlement. Every XTC offering since then was pure magic, and “Beating of Hearts” on Mummer still hits me where I live… However, I would have to put Skylarking at the pinnacle… the first few songs run together (Summer’s Caldron, Grass, The Meeting Place) into one marvelous and vivid song, as well as Ballet for a Rainy Day, 1000 Umbrellas, and Season Cycle… and then there’s The Man Who Sailed Around his Soul.
Damn, I love XTC!
Absolute ditto on both of these.
Johnny Cash’s recording of Hurt.
I normally don’t really pay attention to lyrics and message the first time I hear a song. But I saw the video on that one, and it showed me a tough man who had sung about shooting a man in Reno just to watch him die contemplating what his life had been and how he had hurt himself and others. It doesn’t have his strong baritone, but is weaker and mortal.
specific songs I have been thinking about that all hit me first time:
A Million Miles Away - The Plimsouls (perhaps from the “Valley Girl” soundtrack?)
Ever Fallen in Love - Buzzcocks
London Calling - The Clash
Mandinka - Sinead O’Connor
The Afghan Wigs - I Keep Coming Back
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Knock me Down
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Breaking the Girl
Pearl Jam - Rearview Mirror
Pearl Jam - Gone
Pearl Jam - I Got Id
Pearl Jam - Footsteps
Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm
The Who - 905 and The Music Must Change
Same song here, same reaction – but different version:
Hallelujah by Espen Lind, Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes, and Askil Holm
I stumbled onto this while YouTube surfing, and I couldn’t stop playing it. If anyone can figure out how I can get my hands on their album Hallelujah Live (they’re Norwegian) in the US or Sweden, I will kiss you.
Me too. I had VH1 on one morning while I was getting ready, and that video started, and I just had to sit down and stare. It’s a short song–only about 2.5 or 3 mins, but for those minutes, I was utterly entranced.
The first Wilco song I ever heard was California Stars. I didn’t know who they were, and I didn’t know anything about the history of the song. All I knew was that I loved singer’s voice. I had never heard anything so wonderful. I immediately began seeking out everything I could by Wilco.
Waltz #2 by Elliot Smith.
Lover, You Should Have Come Over by Jeff Buckley. I loved his cover of Hallelujah, but I don’t think even that song holds a candle to Lover….
I have had many experiences in my life when I heard a song for the first time and thought “Who the hell is that”? It’s why I still listen to modern music. A recent example is **Young Folks ** by Peter Bjorn and John. I was hooked when they started whistling about 10 seconds into the song.
Gord Downie’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s magnificent and powerfully sung and moving Hallelujah, the only appearance of which was in the Saint Ralph soundtrack which I first heard while watching the film.
I could not stop crying. I had to have it.
Since Downie’s version is not available anywhere in the known universe besides ripping it from the DVD itself (with all the attendant extra sounds and noises), I bought Jeff Buckley’s version on iTunes, and now I like Buckley’s cover of it better even than Downie’s.
It’s been covered by a great many fine artists, including (off the top of my head), Bono.
(eta: I didn’t see pepperlandgirl’s post till after I pressed submit)
I don’t know how surprised I should be, but after reading the entire thread (which I reluctantly admit I didn’t do before posting the above), it sure seems like Hallelujah is among the top vote-getters.
Why am I not surprised the the SDMB membership has such fine taste?
I would agree on those four. The genius of the songs was manifest at first listen.
I have tons of those for various reasons. But ones that I heard for the very first time (and will always remain timeless to me), then had to immediately stop at a retailer to buy the albums where:
Sweet Child 'O Mine / G 'n R
Smells Like Teen Spirit / Nirvana
Again / Alice in Chains
Such Great Heights / The Postal Service (although, I love Iron & Wine’s version better)
Falling Down / Toad the Wet Sprocket
I’ll Stick Around / Foo Fighters
On Your Porch / The Format