ts: stacey''s mom vs 1985

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i feel like they are brother sister singles. the production sounds the same. they mix in my head.

― chaki in charge (chaki), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm picking "Stacy's Mom"

― Mike O. (Mike Ouderkirk), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:13 (twenty-one years ago)

i just saw a commercial where they use stacey's mom. have you seen it? the soccer mom opens up her SUV and all the little kids start grinning and make a run for her. The song is playing all through it.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:15 (twenty-one years ago)

"1985" for me

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:17 (twenty-one years ago)

1985. I don't like that echo at the end of every verse line of Stacey's Mom (which is still a great single).

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Plus i know a lot more music-crazed nostalgiac sadsacks then I do hot moms. Maybe I should do something about that.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 02:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Man you'd be hardpressed to find two songs that I like less than these.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 03:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree with the good Dr.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 24 January 2005 04:01 (twenty-one years ago)

As do I.

― dlp9001, Monday, 24 January 2005 04:16 (twenty-one years ago)

these are two songs that manage to find this seemingly uninhabitable no-man's-land between pop, rock, and MOR. Fucking unbearable.

If I had to choose one, it'd be "Stacy's Mom".

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 04:18 (twenty-one years ago)

The novelty of both wore out far too quickly. But "Stacy's Mom" wins on a technicality: the factual error of "1985" citing Blondie, who were hardly an active group by then.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 24 January 2005 04:26 (twenty-one years ago)

1985 grates on me just because of the poor use of pop culture references. Ozzy isn't an actor, he's the star of a reality show. Limp Bizkit's popularity peaked 5 years ago, not a great example of a current band to contrast with U2 and Madonna, who themselves aren't ideal 80's signifiers because they had hits well into the 90's. I mean, it's an annoying song either way, but at least the lyrics could've been a little sharper there. I dunno if I can get behind Stacey's Mom (heh), though. this is hard!

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 24 January 2005 05:17 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, the badly chosen nostalgia artifacts are what pushes "1985" over for me too.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 05:26 (twenty-one years ago)

todo: ILM rewrite of 1985 lyrics

― caspar (caspar), Monday, 24 January 2005 05:35 (twenty-one years ago)

"Stacy's Mom" because it sounds like it could've been a single from the era. "1985" sounds like a science fair project on what music might have sounded like at the time (and gets a big fat F).

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 24 January 2005 06:22 (twenty-one years ago)

STacy's Mom is crazy catchy

― Bryan Moore (Bryan Moore), Monday, 24 January 2005 08:06 (twenty-one years ago)

"Stacy's Mom" by far. The Bowling for Soup song has incredible production, but the lyrics, as noted, are sloppy and false.

I thought of another thing: If she wants to dance on Whitesnake's car, that means her pop culture knowledge base extends at least as far as '87. Why the hell would she have to wonder who "the other guy" in Van Halen is, considering that right now that guy is Sammy Hagar and he joined the band in '85? Maybe the writer thought it was still Gary Cherone? Considering that and the Limp Bizkit reference: Bowling for Soup stuck in 19-- 19-- 1999?

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Monday, 24 January 2005 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Time-displaced nostalgia. That's a new one on me.

I guess this means someday we might consider "1985" ahead of its time. That's a scary thought.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

"1985"? The Paul McCartney song? I like it! I like "Stacey's Mom" too, but it's too soon to tell whether it will have the same staying power.

― Ken L (Ken L), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

"1985" for "When did Mötley Crüe become Classic Rock?!!?"

― OleM (OleM), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

THESE SONGS SUCK. YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO EUROSCOPIC FAGTRAX.

― Stevem On X (blueski), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Motley Crue aren't classic rock, though. I never hear them on my classic rock stations. They're just slightly old.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

There's something about the use of the phrase "got it goin' on" that makes me uncomfortable, but I'd still take "Stacey's Mom" over "1985."

― Jeff Reguilon (Talent Explosion), Monday, 24 January 2005 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

1985 grates on me just because of the poor use of pop culture references.

The dated/mixed-up pop culture references are sung from the mom's viewpoint, and I think they're purposely erroneous so as to drive home just how nostalgic and out-of-touch the character is supposed to be. It totally reminds me of the kind of conversations I would have with adults as a teenager - they'd make assumptions about what the kids were into, and they were usually a good two to five years behind the times. They'd also misremember what THEY were into as teens.

I think there's a point at which your brain soaks up as much pop culture as it possibly can, and that's where your frames of reference stop cold. "1985" does a great job of depicting that.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Tantrum The Cat OTMFM.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

who does the 1985 song? i don't think i've heard it!

― the first church of latebloomer, friend of plebians and santa (reformed) (latebl, Monday, 24 January 2005 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

ehh - i dont know if i buy that.

SM all the way

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Bowling For Soup does it. And yeah, the JOKE is how people blather nostalgiacally about transient pop crap as if they miss its aesthetic value as opposed to the time it represented in their life.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

saying "wait that was in 1987" is totally forest-for-the-trees

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

oh bowling for soup. ecch. "stacy's mom" wins by default.

― the first church of latebloomer, friend of plebians and santa (reformed) (latebl, Monday, 24 January 2005 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

SM all the way

-- peter smith (reesewitherspoo...), January 24th, 2005.

Dude, Stephen Malkmus has nothin to do with the subject matter at hand!

― the first church of latebloomer, friend of plebians and santa (reformed) (latebl, Monday, 24 January 2005 18:25 (twenty-one years ago)

TS: "unseen power of the picket fence" vs "1985"

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

saying "wait that was in 1987" is totally forest-for-the-trees

But do you really think that people who had their heyday in the mid-80s are really that nostalgic for Madonna and U2, still two of the most commercially viable acts on the planet (much less Blondie or Springsteen, who don't have that kind of continued success but are still very visible), rather than say, A-Ha or Berlin or anything else of the Band Reunited crowd that were huge at the time but don't mean shit to anyone now? The way Bowling for Soup wrote it doesn't seem like they tried to connect with what the thirty-somethings would remember of the time, but what they thought potential younger audiences would identify as being from that time period.

It's like if you were going to wax nostalgic about 1995, and you were talking about Pearl Jam, Dr. Dre and Weezer. I mean yes all these bands existed around then, but they both peaked previously and are still going on with relative success today. Wouldn't it be a more effective piece of nostalgia if you wrote about Ugly Kid Joe, Warren G. and The Rentals--or other groups of the time that didn't necessarily peak in 1995, but all had success around then and ONLY around then, that everyone from your generation would remember but kids of today might not necessarily remember.

The difference, of course, is that a song like that wouldn't be nearly as big of a hit, because the kids wouldn't know what the fuck they were singing along to. So while "1985" is an expertly calculated song, it's pretty shitty as far as nostalgia goes.

That's my opinion, anyway. A thirty-five year old soccer mom might disagree.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

But do you really think that people who had their heyday in the mid-80s are really that nostalgic for Madonna and U2, still two of the most commercially viable acts on the planet

dude I miss REM.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 19:52 (twenty-one years ago)

i really don't like either one of those songs....so you guys are like ASOLUTELY SURE that all this wierd-time displaced nostalgia thing of Bowling for Soup is like TOTALLY INTENTIONAL and they're not like LAZY LYRICISTS or something...

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 January 2005 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

again, the point is that the person doesn't really miss the culture of 1985 as much as the passions of their youth. You're not gonna miss Ugly Kid Joe and the Rentals because they didn't mean as much to you as Weezer and Dre etc. Even if Dre puts out "My Name Remains Dre 2009" or Weezer reads the phone book on the radio you're gonna miss jumping around to "Buddy Holly" and bitch about how new bands (and, sorry, there are plenty of people who still point out their "not a big Limp Bizkit fan" when discussing new music). This song isn't about music NERDS who would remember what specific year things happened.

Yeah they're trying to make it rhyme but that doesn't mean it doesn't work.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

"Dude, Stephen Malkmus has nothin to do with the subject matter at hand!"

The lead single of FoW's next album should totally be a gay alt.pop love song to Stephen Malkmus.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:00 (twenty-one years ago)

ask a middle-aged dad to rap and he's still gonna sound like Kurtis Blow not Nas

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:02 (twenty-one years ago)

frankly getting all the facts right would distract from the fact that the song is mocking how lame peaked-at-high-school is and make it about a specific era

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:03 (twenty-one years ago)

facts right: "I love the 80s!"
facts wrong: "haha you love the 80s, loser"

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, this is a long thread.

Maybe someone's pointed this out already, but the band cites U2 and Blondie as co-existing in `85,...but hadn't Blondie long since disbanded by then?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:10 (twenty-one years ago)

hahahahahaha

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:11 (twenty-one years ago)

there was Ian Astburry
hosts like Adam Curry

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I get the feeling now that i should read this thread for the beginning, and then summarily feel like an ass.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Both songs are garbage, by the way.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:17 (twenty-one years ago)

you're right about that!

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

blount misses real pop-punk

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I despise "Stacy's Mom" for its perfect-pop aspirations unsupported by a single interesting chord change, but the line "waiting for Nirvana" in 1985 makes my blood boil. It's one thing to talk about how you liked a band way-back-when, but to claim anticipation of it BEFORE it appeared - now THAT's indie!

1975: "Waiting for R.E.M."

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:23 (twenty-one years ago)

dude it's "way before nirvana"

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought it was WAY BEFORE Nirvana!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 22 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

xpost to alex

nope it was 1986....I wrote a review of it for my 6th grade class "newspaper"

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:54 (twenty-one years ago)

this may be true.

I dunno, something about this song disturbs me in a way that I'm not quite getting across in this thread. Maybe it's the mean-spiritedness, or just how crass the whole song (and video--god, that video) is.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 20:57 (twenty-one years ago)

those guys look like the biggest fucking douchebags in the history of music....i just want to go alex in nyc pounding their faced in with a flaming orb of destruction stylee on them when i see them.

they don't have the quiet dignity of reel big fish, that's for sure.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

i do love crass

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:04 (twenty-one years ago)

those guys look like the biggest fucking douchebags in the history of music....i just want to go alex in nyc pounding their faced in with a flaming orb of destruction stylee on them when i see them.

they don't have the quiet dignity of reel big fish, that's for sure.

that too.

there's a band I have NOSTALGIA for. Heard "Sell Out" on the radio for the first time in seven years, the other day. Sounds quality.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked that one Goldfinger song

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:07 (twenty-one years ago)

ruined for me by Tony Hawk III.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:10 (twenty-one years ago)

i do love crass

Yeah, Penis Envy was a big album for me too.

My only question is: Isn't "1985" by SR-71?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:20 (twenty-one years ago)

no. SR-71 did "Right Now" and I'm not sure what else. "1985" is def. by Bowling for Soup.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Shit, my MP3 must be titled wrongly. Allmusic seems to confirm what you said. Anyway, between these two choices, I'll give it the nod.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:26 (twenty-one years ago)

(And maybe that helps prove Anthony's point?)

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

just because a song has a POINT doesn't mean it's any good.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

a point worth mentioning.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

"1985" is actually a cover. SR-71 wrote and recorded it first.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:04 (twenty-one years ago)

actually its an archers of loaf cover

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:06 (twenty-one years ago)

don't blaspheme the loaf!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:09 (twenty-one years ago)

check the back of Vee Vee dude

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:13 (twenty-one years ago)

?? i forgot what the back cover is....

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:15 (twenty-one years ago)

So did SR-71 do this song at all or not?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

From the SR-71 website:

» "1985"!!!!! 8/2004
GREAT NEWS!!! "1985" By now you all know that our song "1985" has been released by another band, Bowling For Soup. Well the great news is that it is BLOWING UP! It's a funny story how this came about. The lead singer and songwriter of BFS , Jaret Reddick, got a hold of "1985" from the new SR-71 CD HERE WE GO AGAIN and loved it and wanted to record it for their new CD, A HANGOVER YOU DON'T DESERVE. We were so flattered that we said hell yeah! He did a little work on it lyrically to make it more Soupish while they recorded it and the next thing you know - IT'S A HIT! We are so proud of those guys. The 2 bands have been friends for years. We met through a mutual friend, Butch Walker, who was producing their last CD at the time (the one with The Girl all the bad guys want) and actually produced this one as well. We've talked about working together for the last 5 years so this is a nice surprise. So don't forget, while you are requesting -- no make that DEMANDING "In Your Eyes" by Mitch Allan, throw in a shout for "1985" by Bowling For Soup.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

wow, I didn't know SR-71 "1985". when I first heard it, it reminded me of one of their recent songs, "Axl Rose", which is another crass piece of 80's nostalgia (that song probably didn't get radio play anywhere besides here, since they're from the Baltimore area and their one stab at alt-VH1 stardom was a couple years ago).

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

that should read "I didn't know SR-71 *wrote* 1985" etc

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

also Mitch Allen's Peter Gabriel cover is not only awful, but it's not even the first acoustic sensitive cover of "In Your Eyes" that someone's tried to get a hit off of. now that's crass.

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:46 (twenty-one years ago)

ah ok it didn't come up on allmusic and since the singer for BFS has songwriting credit on the BFS version I assumed it was purely an original. I'm curious as to how the lyrics are different, as it really sounds like a BFS original.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:46 (twenty-one years ago)

plus I wouldn't want to believe this as I've despised every SR-71 track I've heard

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:49 (twenty-one years ago)

He did a little work on it lyrically to make it more Soupish

that's an awesome sentence!!!!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

it appears that the only differences are that the SR-71 version doesn't have the Ozzy line in the bridge, and the 2nd verse has "Fast Times" in place of "St. Elmo's Fire", and a few references to homosexuality and unwanted pregnancy...

"She's seen all the classics
at least a hundred times
Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink,
Fast Times At Ridgemont
She rocks out to Wham!
Not a big Limp Bizkit fan
Never knew George was gay
Hoped they'd hook up one day
Where's her fairy tale, where's her dream?
Where's the quarterback
From her high school football team?
Where's her fairy tale, where's her dream?
How many times will she ask herself
What happened to me?
(the rubber broke) ... When"

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Anthony, BFS's version sounds pretty much like any SR-71 song I've heard. I'd only heard of BFS before this song when they were nominated for a Grammy, what does their other stuff sound like?

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 24 January 2005 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

A lot like SR-71 (it's all nerf-punk) except not as sneery (I can see why BFS took "the rubber broke" out of there). BFS nose-tweak, SR-71 slap

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 23:10 (twenty-one years ago)

haha I like how SR-71 has made me backpedal from my "mean-spirited" line, though it fits with my "middle ground between FoW and Blink-182" line.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

1985, easy. (i didn't read the rest of the thread at all, though.)

― chuck, Monday, 24 January 2005 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Mark Wills - 19 Somethin'...Classic or Dud, y'all?

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 24 January 2005 23:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember that song! it was lame too.

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 24 January 2005 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

BFS' other stuff sounds pretty much (by 'pretty much' I mean 'exactly') like this one. I was dragged to see many of their shows when they were still playing only local shows, all their material was roughly identical. If you can find their first CD, it was more pop-punky and all their stage names were based on local wrestlers.

They put on an entertaining show in a club and always finished with a snarky cover of "I Wanna Be Sedated" ("I Wanna Be Naked"). Surprisingly popular (for seriously ugly guys) with teenage girls.

Nice guys, glad a local band is seeing some success, etc.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 24 January 2005 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll take SR-71's "Right Now" over both of these songs any day.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 24 January 2005 23:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I was bit startled how musically monochromatic BFS's sound-clips were on their site, though I still enjoy their new single "Almost." I'll wait for the best-of.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 24 January 2005 23:44 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

Everclear's "Volvo-Drivin' Soccer Mom" is funnier than both of these.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 10 February 2005 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

wrong

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 10 February 2005 23:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Miccio & Alex in NYC in rare agreement.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 February 2005 00:10 (twenty-one years ago)

you like "1985", Alex?

― Al (sitcom), Friday, 11 February 2005 00:44 (twenty-one years ago)

No, I don't. It's utter garbage, but nothing Everclear has done has ever been good or funny or worth listening to. Ever.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 February 2005 00:52 (twenty-one years ago)

songs about the 4th dimension are inherently lame.

― irrigation can save your people, Friday, 11 February 2005 06:37 (twenty-one years ago)

No, I don't. It's utter garbage, but nothing Everclear has done has ever been good or funny or worth listening to. Ever.

wrong.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:40 (twenty-one years ago)

No, I'm right, actually.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:46 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

there was Ian Astburry
hosts like Adam Curry
-- miccio (anthonyisrigh...), January 24th, 2005.
yeah Ian Astbury - the guy fromt the new 2005 version of 60's stoner-hippy band "The Doors" - but he fits perfectly -- every Cult song from "Electric " sounded like the Doors.This is all good and a compliment to Ian.

― hebbie darry, Sunday, 12 June 2005 05:54 (twenty years ago)

every Cult song from "Electric " sounded like the Doors

Say WHAT? Given that there isn't a single keyboard/organ on Electric, the Doors had no bass player, Robbie Krieger never played a power chord in his life, I can't see how you could make such a statement.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 12 June 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

"A hangover you don't deserve" was one of my favourite albums of last year. I didn't think 1985 was supposed to be a joke song.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 12 June 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

Hey Jel, how much musical variety is on that album? I really like both singles but the sound samples on their site implied it was really the same thing over and over soundwise.

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 12 June 2005 17:43 (twenty years ago)

I have recently made peace with "Stacy's Mom".

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Sunday, 12 June 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

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