The Best Stone Roses Single

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Because you (were) young!

Poll Results

Option	Votes
I Am the Resurrection (1992)	10
Elephant Stone (1988)	9
I Wanna Be Adored (1989/1991)	9
Love Spreads (1994)	6
I be do hate the stone roses. and/or polls in general. But I has a bucket!	5
Made Of Stone (1989)	5
She Bangs the Drums (1989)	4
oh go on then.. Fools Gold(1989)	3
Waterfall (1992)	3
Begging You (1995)	2
Standing Here (1992)	1
Fools Gold '95 (1995)	1
What the World Is Waiting For (1989)	0
Fools Gold '99 (1999)	0
Ten Storey Love Song (1995)	0
Sally Cinnamon (1987)	0
One Love (1990)	0
So Young (1985)	0

― Mark G, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:33 (eighteen years ago)

"Made Of Stone", obviously. Britpop starts here.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:34 (eighteen years ago)

I've gone for the controversial vote of "Begging You".

― the next grozart, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:35 (eighteen years ago)

the 7" version of 'elephant stone' is a grillionx better than the mix on 'turns into stone'. also isn't 'what the world is waiting for' a double-A-side with 'fool's gold'. i don't think 'FG' was just a b-side.

i don't count the singles between 'one love' and 'love spreads' as real singles; they were off a by then old album and the edits were shit, especially 'i am the resurrection'. was 'standing here' really an a-side in '92?!

haven't voted yet, it's quite hard.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:39 (eighteen years ago)

Ah, I was going to remove that one from the list! Ignore that one.

There were a few e.p.s and box sets on the original list.

― Mark G, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:41 (eighteen years ago)

i don't count the singles between 'one love' and 'love spreads' as real singles; they were off a by then old album and the edits were shit

But at least it means "I Am The Resurrection" - one of their best ever songs - is eligible in this poll. :)

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:43 (eighteen years ago)

They were "remixes" and at least one was "better" than the LP version.

― Mark G, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:51 (eighteen years ago)

a single is a single.

― blueski, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:52 (eighteen years ago)

Looking down this list of hoary modern classix there was only one song which I immediately wanted to hear again - three cheers for Elephant Stone and its drum sound.

― Groke, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:53 (eighteen years ago)

God I dont know if I can pick one! I cant decide between "I Wanna be Adored" and "Fools Gold". Hm.

― Trayce, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:53 (eighteen years ago)

is the version of ELEPHANT STONE with the long intro and backwards-ish cymbals the 12" or the single or a remix or what?

― pisces, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:59 (eighteen years ago)

The 12".

― Mark G, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:00 (eighteen years ago)

They were "remixes" and at least one was "better" than the LP version.

-- Mark G, Wednesday, April 25, 2007 1:51 PM (8 minutes ago)

which one? the 'resurrection' one is awful.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:01 (eighteen years ago)

Fool's Gold = possibly the most overrated however-many-minutes of music in the history of pop.

― Matt DC, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:02 (eighteen years ago)

Do do do the funky gibbon.

― Groke, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:05 (eighteen years ago)

Not that one, xpost. (resurection remix)

The 12" single had a more full version of that remix, didn't it?

― Mark G, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:05 (eighteen years ago)

why were so many songs re released in 92?

― the next grozart, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:07 (eighteen years ago)

the drums on the 7" 'resurrection' are really tinny.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:08 (eighteen years ago)

i think we need b side arbetration, which one was where angels play on? and going down? was that made of stone?

― cw, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:09 (eighteen years ago)

'she bangs the drums' probably has the best b-sides.

ian brown's lyrics -- cf 'going down' -- may be worse than his voice y/n

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:14 (eighteen years ago)

i have gone w. 'elephant stone', the first SR record i ever heard (on actual 7" vinyl) and yeah, still awesome.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:17 (eighteen years ago)

Fool's Gold = possibly the most overrated however-many-minutes of music in the history of pop.

throw their entirely bloody career in there while you're at it. stone roses are one of the worst bands EVAH and i am shocked at several people in this thread! one of the few things nrq likes and it's the stone roses, good god.

i was v rude to someone who asked me to play a stone roses song the other week. anna-marie and i stared in utter contempt at them for a few seconds, then told them to fuck off.

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:18 (eighteen years ago)

kids today

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:19 (eighteen years ago)

I am going to play Elephant Stone at the next Poptimism I DJ at. It's a good song for Spring.

― Groke, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:19 (eighteen years ago)

it's one of those things, if i hadn't liked it when i was 14, i probably wouldn't now. before i put all my music on the computer i probably hadn't listened to them for the best part of a decade.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:20 (eighteen years ago)

lex on the fool's gold

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:33 (eighteen years ago)

elephant stone

was tempted by waterfall too

elephant stone is archetypal football highlights music

― 600, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:20 (eighteen years ago)

They are overrated but not as bad as Lex makes out. They were just a fairly good band with a few good songs and a couple of neat tricks up their sleeves.

― the next grozart, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:31 (eighteen years ago)

They were a great band for about a year, releasing a truly great debut album. Then, nothing much more.

And, yes, "Fool's Gold" is overrated.
And "Love Spreads" too. Supposed to be the only good track on the followup - well, for me it's the worst track on the entire album.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:33 (eighteen years ago)

i've never liked 'Elephant Stone' much - maybe i've just not heard it enough. i went for 'Waterfall'.

― blueski, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:37 (eighteen years ago)

yeh, it's hard to be objective about the stone roses if you were 14 in 1989. i think i feel pretty much the same level of mild enthusiasm i did as lovebeaded bowl-headed yoof. what's to hate, really?

― cw, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:48 (eighteen years ago)

Bad production, terrible singing, dull songwriting?

― Scik Mouthy, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:53 (eighteen years ago)

Certainly not dull songwriting. But I'll give you the bad production thing. Their debut was sort of the last album to have that trademark 80s guitar rock sound with way too much reverb everywhere.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:55 (eighteen years ago)

the production would've been what interested me most.

― blueski, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:57 (eighteen years ago)

i hated 'fool's gold' at first tho. thought it was deathly dull - Mondays love was far more immediate and the Roses never caught up from thereon.

― blueski, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:58 (eighteen years ago)

I think I still love "Fools Gold" but I kind of daren't listen to it in case I don't.

― Scik Mouthy, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:59 (eighteen years ago)

really horrible lurching stoner rhythms, and really REALLY terrible singing

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:02 (eighteen years ago)

and, you know...laddish wacky student types. ugh

their music feels like it's endlessly going round in ever-decreasing circles

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:02 (eighteen years ago)

Elephant Stone is the only good one.

No one under the age of about 23 actually likes the Stone Roses any more, do they?

― Matt DC, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:04 (eighteen years ago)

there was that one guy...maybe...used to come around here quite a lot..?

― blueski, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:05 (eighteen years ago)

No one under the age of about 23 actually likes the Stone Roses any more, do they?

Someone who is 23 today was 10 when they released their last album. Why should he ever have liked them in the first place? He wasn't around.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:05 (eighteen years ago)

If it doesn't win, then good mention should be given to the freshness of the sound of 'Standing Here.'

― calstars, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:06 (eighteen years ago)

no way! the production was liquid honey jangle!

yep, ian brown can't sing for toffee but he gets away with it 70% of the time.

lurching stoner rhythms? where? are you talking about the second album?

wacky?

― cw, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:06 (eighteen years ago)

Actually Waterfall is alright too and maybe Made of Stone would be a good song if it were performed by an entirely different singer.

― Matt DC, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:06 (eighteen years ago)

i like the 808 State mix of Made Of Stone too.

― blueski, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:07 (eighteen years ago)

"Made Of Stone" is a good song, regardless of who sings it. It would have come better to its use if the vocals had been recorded a bit louder compared to the backing track though.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:08 (eighteen years ago)

Actually Waterfall is alright too and maybe Made of Stone would be a good song if it were performed by an entirely different singer.

haven't you just described velocity girl?

― cw, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:09 (eighteen years ago)

Bob Gil in "better than another singer" shokker!

― Mark G, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:12 (eighteen years ago)

the production is fine wtf.

― That one guy that quit, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:38 (eighteen years ago)

nick yo

― blueski, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 13:38 (eighteen years ago)

"Fool's Gold = possibly the most overrated however-many-minutes of music in the history of pop."

"Fool's Gold" pyrite, amirite?

Those rarest of words— I'm with Lex on this one.

― I eat cannibals, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 14:26 (eighteen years ago)

"Fools Gold" was the only one of theirs I still listen to voluntarily (and even then only occasionally); in the top ten context of Jive Bunny, New Kids On The Block and Jason Donovan it did stick out.

I remember that the first Stone Roses album came out on the same day as the second Pop Will Eat Itself album. We bought both, listened to PWEI a zillion times and didn't bother playing the Roses too much. I still think This Is The Day etc. etc. is by far the better record.

But then I was 25 at the time.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 14:45 (eighteen years ago)

good drummer. listening to lush's shake baby shake makes me wonder how the last 20 or so years of british rock would have turned out if ian brown had been replaced by a gurl.

― acrobat, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:13 (eighteen years ago)

No one under the age of about 23 actually likes the Stone Roses any more, do they?

-- Matt DC, Wednesday, April 25, 2007 9:04 AM (9 hours ago)

I do!

― Curt1s Stephens, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:18 (eighteen years ago)

I would rather this be a proper poll of their singles as they were released new.

Also, "Fool's Gold"/"What the World is Waiting For" was a double a-side and most people were listening to "Fool's Gold" (as great as "What the World is Waiting For" is).

This band was so great. Such beautiful songs!

― Spencer Chow, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:20 (eighteen years ago)

The answer is so clearly "I Wanna Be Adored" (and I love "Fool's Gold").

― HI DERE, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:21 (eighteen years ago)

I like the Stone Roses and I'm over 23.

― admrl, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:24 (eighteen years ago)

oh right, under 23. I'll get me coat.

― admrl, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:24 (eighteen years ago)

Bob Gil in "better than another singer" shokker!

Impossible, and I. Brown is as tough a test as yr going to get for this proposition (see also sonya madan, the singer from danse society)

I voted for "love spreads", I love it. Thrilled me to bits when I first heard it, it did.

― Pashmina, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:25 (eighteen years ago)

No one under the age of about 23 actually likes the Stone Roses any more, do they?

Northern indie boys that think Morrissey is a prick, mainly.

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:30 (eighteen years ago)

"Love Spreads" is also awesome, yes.

― HI DERE, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:31 (eighteen years ago)

toss up between Love Spreads and What the World is Waiting For

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:34 (eighteen years ago)

um and Fool's Gold!

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:34 (eighteen years ago)

the correct answer is "I Am the Resurrection."

― Bee OK, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:42 (eighteen years ago)

I loved this lot. I don't know what to vote for.

― Keith, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 23:13 (eighteen years ago)

It's got to be Made of Stone for me - thanks for reminding me how much I love it

― roger whitaker, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 23:15 (eighteen years ago)

I like your whistling.

― Keith, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 23:23 (eighteen years ago)

And the smurfs record.

― Keith, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 23:24 (eighteen years ago)

I'm surprised there's been no love for "She bangs the drums" as yet.

That was my number two choice.

― Mark G, Thursday, 26 April 2007 08:35 (eighteen years ago)

"Begging You" all the way. It saddens me that Madchester didn't produce more songs like it. But then "She Bangs the Drums", and then "Love Spreads".

And I'm under 23 and fukken love the Stone Roses.

― Stevie D, Thursday, 26 April 2007 08:41 (eighteen years ago)

"Bye Bye Badman" is the only Stone Roses song that for me comes close to "Made Of Stone". It is one of few songs on the debut that was never a single though.

― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 26 April 2007 09:50 (eighteen years ago)

Won by the single that wasn't meant to be a single. :)

(But it was a good song, surely)

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 30 April 2007 23:22 (eighteen years ago)

the correct answer is "I Am the Resurrection."

Poll Results
I Am the Resurrection (1992) 10

=-)

― Bee OK, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 00:03 (eighteen years ago)

That is probably their best song but I don't really think of it as a proper single (coming out 3 years after the album and only including remix b-sides).

― Spencer Chow, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 00:18 (eighteen years ago)

A SINGLE IS A SINGLE

― blueski, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 00:27 (eighteen years ago)

Not when it comes to Silverton B.S. releases!!!

― Spencer Chow, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 00:43 (eighteen years ago)

Silvertone

― Spencer Chow, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 00:43 (eighteen years ago)

I'm under 23...missed this poll but I would have voted for Made of Stone. Fools Gold is due to get sampled in a big way (or should I say "Know How" is due to get sampled again).

― musically, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 02:06 (eighteen years ago)

OK, I'm late but I vote for "Sally Cinnamon". Maybe you had to be there.

― Saxby D. Elder, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 03:44 (eighteen years ago)

Best Roses B-side and you have yourself a real poll...

("Mersey Paradise" duh)

― Saxby D. Elder, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 03:45 (eighteen years ago)

Okay wait a minute here...Resurrection is #1?? That's just plain wrong, man.

― Bimble, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 04:00 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, I vote for Mersey Paradise or Where Angels Play and probably in the reverse order...

I demand a Stone Roses b-side poll!!!!

― Bimble, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 04:02 (eighteen years ago)

I demand a Stone Roses b-side poll!!!!

"Going Down" is also awfully good...

― Saxby D. Elder, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 04:12 (eighteen years ago)

**HIGH FIVE**

― Bimble, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 04:19 (eighteen years ago)

I hearby start the leather jacketed biker gang of Stone Roses B-side Afficionados!

― Bimble, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 04:32 (eighteen years ago)

Something Burning is the best, eejits.

Also this poll is ridiculous.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 1 May 2007 08:15 (eighteen years ago)

two years pass...

I cannot understand disliking this song. What did the Stone Roses ever promise that they failed to deliver here. They tread conceptual water their entire career so don't give me the holding pattern sneer.

― cee-oh-tee-tee, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 12:58 (sixteen years ago)

The song in question being "One Love".

― cee-oh-tee-tee, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 12:59 (sixteen years ago)

Oh come on, it isn't very good. Terrific introduction though.

― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 13:29 (sixteen years ago)

The only defect it has is the drums are mixed too low and muddily nailed to a pre-mix. Squire is mental on it, the chorus is as good as any of their other chants, great bass bound in the first phrase of it; it's a druggier "What the World is Waiting For".

― cee-oh-tee-tee, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 13:35 (sixteen years ago)

It's the chorus I don't like - you could never chant along to that, even though that's obviously what it was aiming for. The mix is rotten too. It might be better than 'What The World Is Waiting For', but desperately disappointing after 'Fool's Gold'.

― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 3 November 2009 13:39 (sixteen years ago)

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