Taking Sides: "We're Desperate" by X versus "Hungry Wolf" by X

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http://www.track16.com/exhibitions/punk/images/exene.jpeg http://www.gregorybennett.com/X/contact/zoom2.jpg

Since about 1985, I've had both of these songs on a continuous loop in my head (particularly the staccato opening of the former). It's not like I'm even the hugest of X fans (I found their country'n'western leanings rather dull as dishwater), but these earlier tracks kick a man-sized platter of ass. I'm inclined, personally, to go with "We're Desperate," but the mid-section of "Hungry Wolf" (where DJ Bonebrake just wacks away on the drum pattern before Billy Zoom breaks back in with the riff) is the stuff of immeasurable greatness.

What say you?

PS: "Beyond & Back" and "Johnny Hit & Run Paulene," while also amaziing, are not admissable. Neither are any other X tunes. Sorry.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:15 (twenty years ago)

We're Desparate and The Once Over Twice!

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

We're Desperate!

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:31 (twenty years ago)

"We're Desperate." God, if X had covered "Hungry Like A Wolf"!

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

God, if X had covered "Hungry Like A Wolf"!

...it would've probably sounded pretty awful.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

i like x's first four albums through and through, but "we're desperate" by a country mile.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:02 (twenty years ago)

Two of my favourite X tracks! Also two in which the writing/singing pair (John Doe/Exene) are overshadowed by the rockin' pair (Billy Zoom/DJ Bonebrake.) There's a lot to be said for "Hungry Wolf"s Diddleybeats and modified 2-note rockabilly riff are great and make it my favourite X album-opener. And I used to prefer it to "We're Desperate", until my recent discovery that "We're Desperate" was partially Beefheart-influenced, which made me hear it in a whole new way. And the lyrics & singing are more desperate than on "Hungry Wolf". So "We're Desperate" takes it.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2001-03-09/screens_feature2-1.jpg http://www.razorcake.com/graphics/temp/street_scene_2003/x_john_doe.jpg http://www.411images.com/images/music/features/BillyZoom.jpg http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~edge/idle_time/X/djbonebrake1.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 14 March 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

"We're Desparate," but even better are "It's Who You Know," "In This House That I Call Home" and "Johnny Hit and Run Paulene."

― Jim M (jmcgaw), Monday, 14 March 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

The winner is us

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Monday, 14 March 2005 20:46 (twenty years ago)

eight months pass...

hey, x are playing at the roseland on friday!

with, uh, juliana hatfield.

― mies van der rohffle (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 5 December 2005 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

The tom toms on "Hungry Wolf" win me over.

I also always really liked all of the start/stops in "Los Angeles" and those 'like a woman' backing vocals on "Universal Corner".

― earlnash, Monday, 5 December 2005 15:59 (nineteen years ago)

two years pass...

We're Desperate!
― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:31 (3 years ago) Permalink

― Tape Store, Sunday, 19 October 2008 20:54 (sixteen years ago)

Hungry Wolf is, like, one of my five favorite guitar riffs ever. Love the instro version on the Rhino anthology. I've always wanted to attempt a mash-up with something, but never quite figured out what a aapella would be good over it.

― bendy, Sunday, 19 October 2008 23:33 (sixteen years ago)

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