The Seventh P&J Singles Poll!

Every jam we play we break two needles
There's three of us but we're not The Beatles

Sade it is.

Lots of great records, quite a bit of unfortunate stodge too, but in the end I can't look beyond Madonna.

Lisa Lisa

run dmcs king of rock comes close (though more for the bside rockbox), but doug e fresh has to take it (although also for the bside la-di-da-di)

Dullest top three ever? (Though I'm sure certain later years gave this top three a run for its money.) And forgettable nonentites by Eurythmics, Fogerty, T-Heads, R.E.M. etc, further down the list don't help (and that doesn't even take into account the videos, and singles that nobody would ever care about if it wasn't for their videos, like that Petty song). Never cared about "Raspberry Beret" much, either. Fun seeing "My Toot Toot" up there, though.

Anyway, I went with "Nightshift," edging out "Small Town," "Into the Groove," "Walking On Sunshine," and "Boys Of Summer." (I like "King of Rock" too but it will always seem like a sub-par regurgitation of "Rock Box" to me. And even on its own album, "Can You Rock It Like This" always rocked a lot harder.)

Kate Bush for me. Worst: "Money For Nothing." One of my biggest pop wet dreams is to witness George Michael beating the shit out of Mark Knopfler. Fucker!

M.I.A.:

Roky Erickson: "Don't Slander Me" (Dynamic 1985) - My 1985 fave
Roxanne Shanté vs. Sparky Dee: "Round 1" (Spin 1985)
Magazine 60: "Don Quichotte" (Baja 1985)
Exposé: "Point Of No Return" (Arista 1985) - Although I've always preferred the thinner-voiced LP version
Debarge: “Rhythm of the Night” (Gordy 1985) - Diane Warren's finest moment
Roxanne Shanté: “Roxanne's Revenge” (Pop Art 1985)
Loose Ends: "Hangin' On A String" (Virgin 1985)

Christgau's list:

Singles

Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew: "The Show" (Reality 12-inch)
Aretha Franklin: "Freeway of Love" (Arista)
Roxanne Shanté: "Roxanne's Revenge" (PopArt 12-inch)
Roky Erickson: "Don't Slander Me" (Dynamic)
Artists United Against Apartheid: "Sun City" (Manhattan)
Ramones: "Bonzo Goes to Bitburg" (Beggars Banquet import 12-inch)
Beastie Boys: "Rock Hard" (DefJam 12-inch)
USA for Africa: "We Are the World" (Columbia)
Strafe: "Set It Off" (JusBorn 12-inch)
Run-D.M.C.: "King of Rock" (Profile 12-inch)
Aretha Franklin: "Who's Zoomin' Who?" (Arista),
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam With Full Force: "I Wonder If I Take You Home" (Columbia 12-inch)
Ready for the World: "Tonight" (MCA)
Prince and the Revolution: "Raspberry Beret" (Paisley Park)
Paul Young: "Every Time You Go Away" (Columbia 12-inch)
Cheech & Chong: "Born in East L.A." (MCA)
Jean Knight: "My Toot Toot" (Mirage)
Klymaxx: "Meeting in the Ladies Room" (Constellation)
Fishbone: "? (Modern Industry)" (Columbia)
Special Guests: "Cezanne" (Special Guests)
Nonfiction: "Dead into West Virginia"/"Speak the Same to Everyone" (Proud Pork)
Wiseblood: "Motorslug" (WaxTrax)
Shalamar: "Don't Get Stopped in Beverly Hills" (Columbia 12-inch)
Fela Anikulapo Kuti: "Army Arrangement" (Celluloid 12-inch),
Sonic Youth: "I Killed Christgau with My Big Fucking Dick (And Now It Don't Work No More)" (Forced Exposure)

I saw "Bonzo" and didn't even bother to scan the rest of the list. The best thing the Ramones ever did.
While there were shitloads of anti-Reagan songs at the time, that's the only one that truly resonated with me.
All the others were over-the-top putdowns of an easy target, while Joey sounds confused, exasperated and genuinely hurt. ("As I watch him on TV somehow it really bothered me...")
I remember playing this full blast for a friend in my living room, right after it came out. He just sat there in stunned silence.

Forgot about the presciently entitled "Set It Off." Great track (though not so great vocal). And that Klymaxx single is Klassicc.

Between Kate, the Ramones, A-Ha, Prince, and Madonna--went with Madonna. A few others I like ok, a whole pile I'd be happy to never cross paths with again.

Actually "like ok" isn't strong enough for my second-tier group: "like a lot as well" is more apt (I'm talking about Commodores, Don Henley, Mellencamp & Husker Du).

If I were voting then, I would probably have gone with "How Soon is Now?" but I'll vote for Lisa Lisa.

"Roxanne's Revenge" and "Set It Off" and "Rock Hard" all rank among my favorite singles of the '80s, and I wish I still had my copy of "Motorslug," too. And Jean Knight's "My Toot Toot" is indeed better than Rockin Sidney's, as I confirmed after picking up copies of both his EP and her album for $1 or less last year. Have always wondered about "Cezanne," and will probably never get to hear it (especially if I continue to be an mp3-shunning stick in the mud.)

My blindspot for '80s Aretha clearly has some connection to my blindspot for pre-'80s Aretha, except more so. Either way, though, I always thought both "Freeway of Love" and "Who's Zoomin Who" sounded really forced, though I can't explain why.

And I agree Lisa Lisa and Doug E Fresh and "Bonzo Goes To Bitburg" all add life to the main P&J list.

Should've shown some love for Lisa Lisa. Like "Who's Zoomin' Who," but not so much "Freeway." For some weird reason, I've *never* gotten the Doug E. Fresh song; maybe it's the live aspect of it, it never has sounded very present to me.

Madonna, with "Everytime You Go Away," "Makes No Sense At All," "Running Up That Hill" nipping at their heels. Godley & Creme's "Cry" is a lot better than I remember it.

My favorite singles not on the list: Scritti Politti's "Perfect Way" and Tears for Fears' "Head Over Heels."

Aretha's "Another Night" from the same year and album, and "Get It Right" from 1983 are better than "Freeway of Love" and "Who's Zoomin' Who."

And though I like the Huskers' Mary Tyler Moore cover, it's nowhere near as great as their Byrds cover the year before. Never understood why people considered "Makes No Sense At All" a great single; it's fine, but just another Husker Du song to me -- interchangeable with pretty much any decent album track they did around that time, and not notably better. Makes no sense at all standing by itself.

I don't know, it's songs like "Make No Sense at All" that hold up best for me when it comes to Husker Du--the short, poppy ones, I guess. "Eight Miles High" is powerful, but I find it hard to listen to. (My actual faves by them would probably be the song "Flip Your Wig" and "Books About UFOs," but the truth is, I don't listen to them anymore.)

"Makes No Sense At All" = the Monkees, basically.

xp: As for "Money For Nothing," I agree its sentiment is despicable, but its guitar riff hook alone puts it above at least a third of the other songs on the list for me (just like the less despicable "How Soon is Now" maybe, oddly enough.)

Has anyone noticed that this list is more poptimist than the year before or a year later?

How do you figure that Alfred?

1984 had auteur-helmed (i.e. Prince) songs, meaningful statements, Rolling Stone-approved comebacks, and a cover of a sixties classic.

OK, looking at 1986's list again, I may need to revise my claim.

A year with Aretha, John Fogerty, an anti-Reagan song and an anti-Apartheid charity record in its top 5 might *just* be accused of favouring meaningful statements and Rolling Stone approved comebacks!

(I dunno if Husker Du were seen as their scene's auteurs at this stage)

Yeah, disregard what I wrote.

I'm a little surprised by how well that Eurythmics song did. "Boys of Summer" = the dawn of boomer nostalgia.

that Eurythmics song might be my least favourite thing on the list. I mean, it's definitely not the WORST thing, just my least favourite. Hate those horns and all the associated bluster.

I've never minded it, but it's nowhere as good as "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)" or a couple of other album tracks.

Xhuxk and others, you are aware that Knopfler is in character there, and that he's actually commenting on blue-collar attitudes towards new wave videos and the lives of musicians and stuff, right? Seems a bit strong to call that "despicable." I mean, the song isn't all that great or anything, I just want to make sure we're all on the same page.

My choice was surprisingly easy, but it's not what I would have chosen at the time.

madge, duh

(though mad love for sade, prince, k8 too)

Excepet he HAS made a career out of being an old fart; he's "played" this "character" many times. He ain't Randy Newman; there isn't enough distance between him and the "part."

Alf Alf Alf: as everyone knows, the whole song was taken verbatim from a dude he met in NYC who was watching some video on TV. And I think there's a whole lot of difference between this song and oh say "The Sultans of Swing" in terms of rockism. I always got the sense that Knopfler realized that he had crossed over to the other side and was making the videos that he once would have complained about.

As for the homophobia, I admit that "Les Boys" always bugged me a bit.

"Les Boys" and "Sultans" are the ones I had in mind, yeah. True or not, though, the anecdote doesn't mitigate some of the subtexts, or why this song appealed to lots of critics enough so that it made the top ten (besides the megariff that Chuck likes). I don't see this song as any different from "Boys of Summer" and public/critical repsonse: aging boomers responding ambivalently if not with outright horror at all the limey faggots on MTV distracting the public.

(I'm not sure that's as clear as I'd like but hopefully you get the gist)

I get the gist, I just don't agree that that was the intention of the songwriter, or even the critical reaction to the song at the time. The popular reaction to it, though, maybe.

He ain't Randy Newman; there isn't enough distance between him and the "part."

Isn't what's supposed to be good about Randy Newman the exact opposite of this? That such distance isn't always apparent? (Isn't that what a lot of the chapter in Mystery Train is about?) Sorry, not to get off P&J topic too much here--I'm enjoying the Dire Straits banter, I'd never thought much about any of this stuff before. Always just assumed it was a dumb song, but maybe it's not so simple.

Also, trying to follow how "Boys of Summer" fits in to this... which, the more I think about it, the more I'd put in my top tier of songs from this list. The music itself is so great--one of the great examples of old-timers getting drum machine pop right.

One of the more noxious examples of heavyhanded irony is deploying Sting to sing "Money for nothing and the chicks for free," especially durng the year in which his first solo album was such a conscious attempt to shirk money and chicks.

I don't mind "Boys of Summer," actually, and "All She Wants To Do is Dance" uses steely synths to even greater effect, but the lyrics to THAT one have always bugged the shit out of me.

xk and others, you are aware that Knopfler is in character there, and that he's actually commenting on blue-collar attitudes towards new wave videos and the lives of musicians and stuff, right?

Which makes it as condescending to blue collar attitudes as to faggot-with-earring videos. The schmuck.

Not that I really care one way or the other, all that much.

And again, I kinda like how it sounds. (Though not nearly as much as how "Sultans of Swing" sounds.)

ps: "Boys of Summer" >>>>>>>>>>>> "All She Wants to Do is Dance."

Not disagreeing with your assessment of Knopfler, or of the fact that the song still sounds kinda good. Much prefer virtually everything off Making Movies.

For me its between Run & Prince, but I voted for "Let's Go Crazy"/"Erotic City" last year and will vote for "Kiss" next year, so the sucker mcs will call me "sire".

and no mention of "She's Always in My Hair"!

The Boys Of Summer

But if the live version of Bonzo was up there, I'd probably vote for that.

As for the homophobia, I admit that "Les Boys" always bugged me a bit.

That and the glam boys fooling around with each other in "Sultans of Swing" (not to mention the trendy boys "In The Gallery" and what exactly was that guy doing at the airport in "Communiqué?") makes it awfully difficult for Herr Knopfler to distance himself from the "little faggot with the earring."

P.S. His soundtrack work is appalling too.

I find it difficult to take seriously a man who wears a headband.

Even Bjorn Borg?

even benito carbone?

oh

Randy Newman on "Money for Nothing":
"That's a character. That's pretty good... But he's in character in that song, which surprised me. A big giant hit, too. And he's kind of nasty but you get your sympathy with him because he is carrying those big appliances. He's bitter but somehow likeable." (from Paul Zollo's Songwriters on Songwriting)

he is carrying those big appliances

lol homo

I prefer "So Far Away" and "Walk of Life".

Randy Newman on "Money for Nothing"

I think Randy Newman is a character in that quote!

Hurry up with the 1985 singles poll JN$OT. I'm DYING to ask a question.

-- Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, June 18, 2007 6:48 PM (2 days ago) Bookmark Link

Yes?

I fucked up. It's in the 1986 singles list...about that damn "Mr. Rogers" single on Xgau's list. But I can wait (grits teeth, pulls hair)...

haha. ok, monday it is then.

I went with Madonna narrowly over Lisa Lisa and Prince. This is a weird list in that a lot of it is quite good but, as with the P&J albums list this year, the whole of it is just . . . bleh. Just doesn't seem at all interesting.

Chuck: Tom Petty didn't make the singles list. JN$OT appended it w/the video list from the same year.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Matos, actually, he did make the singles list:

25. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: "Don't Come Around Here No More" (MCA) 17

oh my, you're right. sigh. well, a dude can dream, right?

Boys of summer is the best song on the list.

I've never understood the love for "Nightshift." It's only marginally better than Diana's "Missing You."

Mould still plays "Makes No Sense at All" in solo sets, true to the title. He apparently never mastered "Games" live, which was the song I would have voted for. So close to voting for Prince, Madonna third, but "The Show"/"La-Di-Da-Di" has this mystique I can't shake as maybe the most paraphrased, quoted, sampled, and immitated rap song that still sounds like not much else, and plus it was the first time I heard beatbox. I wish the rest of "Road to Nowhere" were as good as the intro.

Yeah, "Games" is my favorite Mould song on that album.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Yay the Huskers!

I'm starting to think there's a husker du conspiracy vote taking place on these. I know I said some somewhat complimentary things above, but #1? Anyway, the results of these polls have been far less interesting to me than the process itself (I think I even forgot to vote in a couple).

this is beyond a joke now, there's not even any point getting annoyed, but i do have an immense amount of pity for anyone who would rather listen to husker du than madonna

this is beyond a joke now, there's not even any point getting annoyed, but i do have an immense amount of pity for anyone who would rather listen to husker duMadonna than madonnaDon Henley

Fixed.

alfred = the anti-nabisco on this thread, aggressively off the money.

sorry dude. "boys of summer" is the OPPOSITE of baby/boom nostalgia.

Prince & the Revolution: "Raspberry Beret" (Paisley Park) 0

You don't like Hüsker Dü then Lex?

By way of comparison here's the Poptimists community results (I forgot to post these for the last few polls I think, no great loss!)

1. Into The Groove (45 votes)
2. How Soon Is Now? (40 votes)
3. Raspberry Beret (37 votes)
4. Running Up That Hill (35)
5. Walking On Sunshine (24)
6. The Boys Of Summer (23)
7. Money For Nothing (22)
8. And She Was (21)
9. Smooth Operator (19)
10. I Wonder If I Take You Home (18)

No Husker Du, but no Doug E Fresh either.

it is a mark of poptimists' superiority that there has never been any need to point out to people that they should not be ticking husker du over madonna (or prince, or k8, or sade, or 'boys of summer', or like any of the LOADS of songs here which are so clearly better!)

poptimist poll = here

i mean seriously HOW DO YOU PREFER HUSKER DU TO THOSE SONGS? do you have EARS?????

That Poptimists thread - if you can wade through LJ's awful threaded formatting - has some good chat on it about the Smiths, why Lex dislikes indie and why other ppl might like it, etc etc.

To be honest with you I have only heard about 3 Husker Du songs, none of which are there. So maybe they're better than Madonna, I dunno!

it is a mark of poptimists' superiority that there has never been any need to point out to people that they should not be ticking husker du over madonna

so condescending and smug -- elitism couched in faux populism. ugh.

Lex have you ever heard any Hüsker Dü ?

M Coleman please don't take Lex as representative of Poptimists - witness his moral panic there cos we were voting for the Smiths!

Anyway I think Lex is an avowed elitist, nothing faux about him.

what is faux about my populism? and yeah i'm fucking elitist about it, b/c your taste sucks if you actually prefer husker du to &c &c &c

i have heard hsuker du, yes. horrid rock vileness

No they aren't.

Lex you are not a populist!

i am when the public agree with me!

what are &c &c &c like?

peoples taste should suck

walking coffee tables should be burned to the ground

actually i think i meant that west ham should be relegated

Lex you are not a populist!

i am when the public agree with me!

lol/rimshot

Hey Lex I like both the Madonna and Hüsker Dü songs. I bought into the groove when it came out. So it is possible to like both.

amazing!

can you sort out world peace and peak oil next?

I'll leave that to you Gareth.

Hey Lex I like both the Madonna and Hüsker Dü songs. I bought into the groove when it came out. So it is possible to like both.

When the pol poptimist's take over the world you'll be first against the wall for being a traitor to the cause.

alfred = the anti-nabisco on this thread, aggressively off the money.

sorry dude. "boys of summer" is the OPPOSITE of baby/boom nostalgia

"I remember how I made you crazy/I remember how I made you scream" cancels out "A little voice inside my head said `Don't look back, you can never look back" even more than the gauzy synth swells.

pol poptimists! awesome.

i've never heard any Husker Du

pop poptimists? i prefer poptimussolinis

i mean pol pop etc.

the things is, we're not talking about Husker Du vs. Madonna here--we're talking about "Makes No Sense At All" vs. "Into the Groove"! I'd defy even an ardent fan of both to not see the imbalance. Hence the (totally valid, in my view) outrage. But again--I detect some ballot stuffing.

Though I guess the Husker Du b-side might have something (legit) to do with the support as well--I conveniently overlooked that aspect.

I don't care about of this Husker Du vs Madonna business but...

Prince & the Revolution: "Raspberry Beret" (Paisley Park) 0

I knew I should have voted for it. First instinct, etc.

Lisa Lisa getting only three votes is almost more outrageous...but not quite. At least two other people were correct besides me, end of story.

R.E.M. deservedly at the bottom of the list.

yeah, how does Raspberry Beret get no votes?? (ps I didn't even see this poll)