Taking Sides: "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood VS. "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" by Judas Priest

This is not a trick question.

That scene in Body Double makes relax even cooler than it is.

I like how together the two photos are essentially the cast of extras in any vaguely dystopic/futuristic sci-fi film from the early eighties that wasn't Star Wars.

METALSTORM: THE PERFECTION OF JUDAS PRIEST

frankie goes to hollywood? what, are you stoned?

there's something about frankie that i've always liked but could never place.

there's something about judas priest that's always put me off, but just can't put my finger on.

Two weeks ago I was on a flight from NYC to OAK on Jetblue; they, being gentle, kind souls, offered the VH1 channel, which happened to be showing "We Are the Eighties" followed by a Judas Priest concert.

I saw FGTH's "Relax" video -- but the wrong one. It was the one where women keep risking everything to jump up on the stage and then settle for a peck on Holly's/Mark's cheek before returning to their seats. In other words, not the one where they're all horndogs.

It was nevertheless more exciting than Rob on a Harley (though he did look good; I only wish I'd've recognized this growing up in the '80s). Frankie wins because they got Sensuality. Or Wessonality.

Frankie wins. Although we certainly have heard Relax enough times, haven't we? I've been meaning to pull out the Frankie album, just for the hell of it. I haven't heard it since I was 14, it might actually make a little more sense now. They covered "Ferry Cross The Mersey" but I'm sure no one cares.

agreed. Frankie goes all the way!

I read that as "You've Got Another Thing Calum."

Gonna have to go with Frankie on this one, but not with the regular "Relax". I pick the 12" New York Mix of Relax.

But, yeah, we've all heard the song too many times by now.

does the Judas Priest singer go 'HUUUH!' at any point on their track? if no then Relax wins (but Relax wins even if yes)

"You've Got Another Thing Comin" is just another great JP track. But "Relax" is a virtuoso work.

There's no deep meaning or subtext to this quesiton, really. I happened to hear both yesterday and think they're both simply classic, dare I suggest perfect songs. "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" was the track that finally paid off for Judas Priest (though there were moments on British Steel before it that approached wider accessibility). I remember that you could actually hear these two songs back to back on radio back in the day, and it didn't really sound that radical. I mean, beneath all the biker shtick and power-chords, "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" is spilling over with big shiny pop hooks and -- as I'm sure Chuck would handily agree -- a certifiably danceable beat. Why in all these years has no one covered it?

I'm not sure what I thought of "Relax" when I first heard it, but there was certainly no denying the hook there as well. As Aaron so rightly mentions, their surreal cameo in Body Double completely made that film. I got in a bit of a surprisingly heated debate with the wife when she asserted that the finest track on Welcome to the Pleasuredome (and really, what an amazing debut album) was -- in her opinion -- "The Power of Love" (silly girl, it's the title track that remains their finest hour). I don't even think "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" -- as great as it is -- is the finest track on Screaming for Vengeance. That would be "The Helion-Electric Eye," as far as I'm concerned.

In any case, I still can't decide between these two tracks.

Oh yeah, and both lead singers turned out to be completely gay. Shockah.

clearly the common thread here is that both songs are about "comin'".

relax, don't do it, when you've got another thing comin'

relax:bigger::another thing:harder