Musical Pot-Shots

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Heard Randy Newman's 'Story of a Rock n' Roll Band' the other day, basically one long diss aimed at E.L.O. (this was 1979 folks) It's pretty audacious (using the band's name as the basis for the chorus) and a bit pointless really, talk about an easy target.
Any others spring to mind?

― mzui, Wednesday, 12 May 2004 09:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Frankii "FU Right Back" for a kickoff.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 09:23 (twenty-one years ago)

"Range Life" to thread

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I was never sure about the lyric on Range Life. It's the only time I've found Malkmus to be so snotty he's contemptible. What is he trying to say? That he's far and away above Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, skateboarding and other teenage things? Wasn't "Billie" about Billy Corgan too? What's his problem? The Pumpkins never sang any songs about Pavement.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:12 (twenty-one years ago)

that's certainly how we read it at 16 yr olds.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:13 (twenty-one years ago)

though i'm sure he thinks he's above 16 yr olds too.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:13 (twenty-one years ago)

he hates all those bands but he's too cooooooool to say it out loud-'elegant bachelors', sheesh. Except for the Pumpkins line, and really, what did Corgan do to Malkmus that he didn't do to all of us in 1994? What makes SM special?

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:23 (twenty-one years ago)

-lynyrd skynyrd's "sweet home alabama" (where neil young is most unwelcome)
-warren zevon's "play it all night long" (where "sweet home alabama" is derided as "that dead band's song")
-john lennon's "how do you sleep" (in which paul mccartney is "muzak to my ears")

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:26 (twenty-one years ago)

"Gut of the Quantifier" ("make the Kane Gang look like an Einstein chip"-teenage me: "but I like the Kane Gang!")

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Is it "A Past Gone Mad" where he says "And if I ever end up like Bono / Slit my throat with a (kitchen knife / garden vegetable)"?

― jazz odysseus (jazz odysseus), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:34 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.starla.org/articles/billlisa.htm

LR: Pavement had some nasty lyrics about you on one of their albums. Did the groovy, indie scene turn on you when you got popular?

BC: Sure. But my whole thing is that people don't fall in love to Pavement, people don't get up in the morning before they go to school and put on Big Black. They put on Smashing Pumpkins or Hole or Nirvana, because these bands actually mean something to them. It's the difference between music you put on to take drugs to, and music you put on to live your life.

― I LOST MY GROOVY VIRGINITY TO SONGS ABOUT FUCKING. (ex machina), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:42 (twenty-one years ago)

jon's best alias ever

― the 'surface' 'noise' (electricsound), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:43 (twenty-one years ago)

haha i can honestly say that i if i put on hole or the smashing pumpkins when i got up in the morning to go to school i would have never made it past 96.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

People don't fall in love to Boredoms, people don't get up in the morning before they go to school and put on Neu!. They put on Radiohead or Modest Mouse or the Postal Service, because these bands actually mean something to them. It's the difference between music you put on to take drugs to, and music you put on to live your life.

― INDIE ROCK IS COOL (ex machina), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:48 (twenty-one years ago)

i am listening to pavement right now! it is 8:48! i am not going to school because i dropped out!!

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I lost my virginity to KMFDM, I think?

― JW (ex machina), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i believe i lost mine to either craig mack or sonic youth, actually.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:52 (twenty-one years ago)

(i am fibbing about craig mack, since he didnt release a single until two years after i lost my virginity. i think.)

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Hothouse Flowers. I 'win'

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:54 (twenty-one years ago)

also there's SM's v. confusing Moby dis on his first album

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:55 (twenty-one years ago)

haha let's face it: sm is the model for the passive-aggressive indie pretty boy with a lot of "issues" to take out on you.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 11:57 (twenty-one years ago)

that's what makes him so unattainably hottt

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:00 (twenty-one years ago)

My roomie lost his to this: oh no

― NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS REMIND YOU THAT ZERO IS ALSO A NUMBER (ex machina), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:00 (twenty-one years ago)

all you bitches are the same.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:01 (twenty-one years ago)

99 problems but Jess ain't one :)

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:02 (twenty-one years ago)

look i could grow a mullet and recite beat poetry in front of a rock band too! i just dont WANNA.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean I rather like that Malkmus song but I am kinda dense and when I heard it was about Moby I was like "wtf am I supposed to write a Hayden dis now or something"

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:07 (twenty-one years ago)

yes.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)

"Hayden
get off my digga-digga-digga-dick
bitch"

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:15 (twenty-one years ago)

now available as a ltd. one-sided 7" with an etching of my nine on the back

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

wasn't "how can you expect to be taken seriously" by the Pet Shop Boys a shout-out/pot-shot to Sting? Or Bono? Or Both...

― lovebug starski, Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

the indie rock that could have been.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

gina arnold: "we won, nigga."

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

yo Beck I remember when you was street and I woulda taken a bullet for you G and that's on my moms but what the fuck happened to you nigga? you left the block and moved on up in that trimmed-lawn, swimming-pool, galactic-overlords-of-Xemu 'hood, and I ain't hatin', but you changed, nigga! it's like you ain't got love for the young man who played the Roxy with nothin' but a beat-ass guitar and a leafblower, know what I'm sayin'? So I wrote this fuckin' rhyme for you, and I recorded the percussion on three tracks and them bumped 'em down to the four to make room for vocals and guitar and a weird-ass "Sanford and Son" sample played on a loop, really hope you like it you were a major inspiration, w/b

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

hahahaha

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

substitute "holla back" for "w/b" and that's sheer, hilarious perfection.

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 14:04 (twenty-one years ago)

"Thurston Hearts The Who" - Bikini Kill

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 12 May 2004 14:22 (twenty-one years ago)

"The Magnificent" by the Professionals (Steve Jones and Paul Cook's post-`Pistols band) is a barbed middle-finger at John Lydon (its riff aping Keith Leven's signature PiL staccato style).

"Trash" by Robyn Hitchcock (on the Invisible Hitchcock compilation) is a very specific fuck-you to someone, but not sure who. I've heard it might be about Captain Sensible, but have obviously never heard it confirmed (and I doubt Robyn cares anymore).

"Some Strange Reaction" by Firewater is aimed at Tod [A]'s ex-bandmates in Cop Shoot Cop.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Death on Two Legs" by Queen is about their former manager, I believe.

"Bill Drummond Said" by Julian Cope is about...er...Bill Drummond.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Isn't there a track on Limp Bizkit's second album that swipes choruses from NIN songs? Wasn't this as a retaliation from hearing Trent Reznor (whom Durst adored) talk trash about Limp Bizkit? I defer to Miccio on that.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 14:58 (twenty-one years ago)

"Julian Cope Is Dead"-Bill Drummond (may already be upthread/I really need to go to bed)

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

The Meatmen's "One Down Three to Go" (about the Beatles, written when John was the only one of them who'd died)

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 15:30 (twenty-one years ago)

written when John was the only one of them who'd died

Hahaha. I misread that as the only one of them who'd DIE, as if to suggest they had the decency to extinguish themselves.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 17:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Or as if to suggest that the other three were immortal

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

the freed pig - lou barlow vs. j.mascis

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

"Isn't there a track on Limp Bizkit's second album that swipes choruses from NIN songs? Wasn't this as a retaliation from hearing Trent Reznor (whom Durst adored) talk trash about Limp Bizkit? I defer to Miccio on that. "

the irony is that durst had to get reznor's permission to use his lyrics in the song that disses him.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

"you left the block and moved on up in that trimmed-lawn, swimming-pool, galactic-overlords-of-Xemu 'hood, and I ain't hatin', but you changed, nigga! "

that is awesome.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i think i read an article where Malkmus said he didn't really hate the Pumpkins.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Lyrics That Reference Michael Jackson thread to thread.

― Barima (Barima), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The Clash - "1977" (No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones)
Public Enemy - "Fight the Power" (Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant shit to me)

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:08 (twenty-one years ago)

london boys - the heartbreakers

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:25 (twenty-one years ago)

First off, the malkmus lyric is thus:

"Out on tour with the smashing pumpkins
Nature's kids, I/They don't have no function..."

It's the 3rd verse in a Pavement song, which is a rarity in itself, and if you listen to all the other Pavement songs with 3rd verses, you'll realize that Malkmus has a, uh, unique approach to third verses.

Pavement never went on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins, why does everyone think this is Malkmus' comment on them (and himself)?

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:47 (twenty-one years ago)

(yes i know i used "thus" wrong you grammar freaks).

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Is there a reason why morrissey hasnt been called to thread yet? Is it just an unspoken thing or what?

― bill stevens (bscrubbins), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, him, Eminem, and Weird Al.

― Barima (Barima), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, junk. weird al owns this thread.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:58 (twenty-one years ago)

i am of the opinion that weird al genuinely is paying loving tribute to the songs he covers, def. not a potshot.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

well, he definitely took a potshot at ed mcmahon. "who's johnny?" is straight-up nasty!

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

i've heard (probably here on ilm) that the commodores' "easy (like sunday morning)" was a shot at the velvets. seems like an odd and belated pot-shot, though

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 19:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Re Randy Newman at the top of the thread: Jeff Lynne ended up producing him nine years later.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 23:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Pavement (according to some sources, including from the band, Smashing Pumpkins had them blacklisted from the tour after the became the headliners because of the reference to SP in Pavement's song from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, "Range Life"...of course, there's a good chance the band started the rumour themselves. Billy Corgan of the Pumpkins denied involvement in this in a recent Rolling Stone interview...were to have played the 2nd stage)

― deanomgwtf!!!p%3Fmsgid%3D4581997 (deangulberry), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, Of Montreal have a Rapture dis track on their new album. I WONDAR ... WILL TEH RATPURE RESPOND?!?!?! WITH VIOLENCES?!?!?!?!

― deanomgwtf!!!p%3Fmsgid%3D4581997 (deangulberry), Wednesday, 12 May 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, junk. weird al owns this thread.

I agree with gygax that Weird Al's parodies are tributes and not pot-shots. Though I don't think he's legally obliged to, Al does seek permission from the original writers as a courtesy before releasing a parody.

However, there is one unreleased Al song that's definitely a potshot. "It's Still Billy Joel to Me" (parody of Joel's "It's Still Rock n Roll" to Me").

Lyrics

― Carny Wilson, Thursday, 13 May 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

"Six Words Long" also sounds like a pot-shot at the original, though I agree that most of Al's stuff is on the tribute side of the fence.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 13 May 2004 00:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha ha, oh Christ. Of Montreal? TWEE DORKS, ALLATHEM.

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Thursday, 13 May 2004 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Eleventh Dream Day's "Bomb The Mars Hotel" is either anti-Grateful Dead or anti-Deadhead or both.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 13 May 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"the commodores' "easy (like sunday morning)" was a shot at the velvets. seems like an odd and belated pot-shot, though"
LR: "Yeah, I'm gonna show that fucking faggot junkie how to write a REAL wimp ballad. Take that, punk!"

― kenny rogers, Thursday, 13 May 2004 09:22 (twenty-one years ago)

"LR"? You'll have to narrow it down. (Though I do like the idea of Lou Reed and Lionel Richie being some sort of split personality Tyler Durden thing.)

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Thursday, 13 May 2004 13:13 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah, this Athens band the Violets had a single called "I Hate the Grateful Dead" ("I'll be grateful when they're dead"). A bold statement then and now

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Thursday, 13 May 2004 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

...which reminds me of "bring me the head of jerry garcia," by iron prostate

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 13 May 2004 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

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