I’m thinking Song For A Future Generation, myself. But I could go for Channel Z.
Pixies is hard - you don’t want to leave out the later-period stuff just to shoehorn in some Spanish, IMO. But you do need the Kim in there.
Allison? Here Comes Your Man? Velouria? It’s hard.
The Pogues - Boys From County Hell
Dylan is difficult, Like a Rolling Stone is a great choice, but I’ll go with **Tangled up in Blue **for its countless verses, its storytelling framework, and the obligatory mouth organ.
Warren Zevon: Lawyers, Guns & Money showcases an infectious primal beat, a naughty word, and Zevon’s sense of humor.
Jethro Tull: Skating Away (on the Thin Ice of a New Day has great flutework, typical clever lyrics, and provides a great representation of Ian’s vocal stylings ("'Cause you were bre-e-ed, for humanity…)
mmm
Not familiar with Prodigy, are you?
Talking Heads - “Girlfriend Is Better”
Allman Brothers - “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”
Steely Dan - “Aja”
I actually heartily agree with this. The only thing that’s missing is a quality guitar solo, but it almost has that as well in one of the musical interludes.
Now, I dislike the song versus a lot of LZ’s other stuff. I prefer the not-so-bluesy mysticality of the middle songs on LZIV or the straight-up hard blues rock of LZ1, but Ramble On does provide a perfect mix of the two.
OK, I’ve changed my mind. While *Ripple *is currently my favorite song of all time, it’s probably not the song that’s most representative of the Dead. So instead I nominate Uncle John’s Band.
[quote=“Suburban_Plankton, post:54, topic:638593”]
I’d pick Wouldn’t It be Nice
I’d pick I Get Around for the Beach Boys. Great harmony, girls, sand, hot rods, dates, guitar break, surf sound. Yeah, it’s got it all.
If I was choosing to summarize the Dead as a coherent band and not just a bunch of wasted nutters noodling pointlessly, I’d play Wharf Rat. YMMV.
Nah - Me and My Uncle.
Santana - Toussaint L’Overture
Neil Young - Another next to impossible one. Which Neil? If I had to pick one, I’d pick Like A Hurricane.
LOL.
Billy Joel - Piano Man
Yes: “Endless Dream” - kind of mediocre, but it’s a Rabin-era track that sounds like a Classic Yes imitator.
The Cars: “Let’s Go”
Peter Gabriel: “Signal to Noise” - grand, symphonic and dramatic with world music elements.
Genesis: “Cinema Show” probably captures the essence of both the Gabriel- and Collins-eras well.
Strongly disagree. It is a great song, but harldy representative. For representative you need something with more of an edge, with Ian singing into his flute and Martin doing some really hard crunch. Aqualung, Cross-eyed Mary, My God, Cold Wind to Valhalla, Hunting Girl, Beastie, Steel Monkey, This Free Will, Spiral – all better choices IMHO. How about this: Baker St. Muse?
Here’s a challenge: Todd Rundgren.
The Doors --I would go with Roadhouse Blues or maybe Texas Radio.
America – Horse With No Name – solid harmonies and guitar work, atrocious lyrics
Aretha Franklin – Respect
BTO – it all sounds the same. Very good, but still the same. Pick one.
Billy Joel – Piano Man – pretty much an autobiography. Downside – he can’t hit the high notes anymore.
Blood, Sweat, & Tears – Go Down Gamblin’, great vocals and horns.
Bruce Hornsby – Mandolin Rain
Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode – everything that made Chuck famous
The Cranberries – Linger
Creedence Clearwater – Run Through the Jungle
Crosby Still, etc. – Marrakesh Express
Hall & Oates – Maneater
Dave Brubeck Quarter – Blue Rondo A La Turk – multiple time signatures, the ultimate in cool jazz.
David Bowie – Fame
Dick Dale – Misirlou
Tough one. I’m going to cheat and go with Side One of A Wizard, A True Star since it is basically one long suite.
Nice!
:::hijack:: have you heard the recently released extended version of Wondring Aloud? Unfortunately it wasn’t completely finished and still sounded sort of demo-y – there was a jam that sounded like it was going to be a great solo but just fizzled out. But if they had seen it through, it would have been the most typical Tull song – long, with folky acousticness, humor, and hard rock. Don’t remember if there was any flute in it or not.
Same album, different choice: Just One Victory. I don’t know how many times I’ve gone home from a TR gig, a huge smile on my face and that song ringing in my ears.