The Hold Steady: Boys and Girls in America poll

boozy and literary

just getting that out of the way

hot soft light,without a doubt

ty xp

2nd best:you can make him like you
3rd:boys and girls

this album is amazing

the duh answer is MASSIVE NIGHTS imo

3rd best is whole album? xp

i'm between "first night" and "stuck b/w stations" and "you can make him like you" i think. i need to listen again

you can make him like you, chips ahoy & hot soft light behind

you can make him like you
southtown girls
hot soft light
party pit

except for the two songs i skip this is the best fucken album

"3rd best is whole album? xp"

no, i meant the song itself

what song is called "boys and girls in america"

lol, youre right...the first track...

"he band played sabbath bloody sabbath
you thought it was stoney and adorable.
it started in the vestibule.
it ended in the hospital."

the best part from the best song of the album.

but lyric wise - "you can make him like you" is pure gold .theres always other boyfriends.

Oh, what a collection of delights!

you can make him like you

"Stuck Between Stations"

You Can Make Him Like You

Great album. But Chillout Tent, by some distance.

really? to me that's one of the most unlistenable songs on an album i love otherwise

chick's vocals on that song blow

yup

Love the vibe in the song. And, to me, most wry, interesting lyrics on the disc.

Her voice doesn't thrill me, but it doesn't bother me so much.

BTW, welcome back, J0rdan.

"You Can Make Him Like You" for sure

I think musically Chillout Tent is one of the best, but yeah content wise its pretty cheesy.

it's the one song where the fact that finn is 40 really, really comes through

LOL. Never thought of it that way. Doesn't really bother me, since I'm 41.

Being 41 means that my playlist after Boys & Girls in America includes Chevy Van, When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman and Crazy Love.

Great album. But Chillout Tent, by some distance.
― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, September 23, 2009 1:23 AM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark

I am so fucking happy to finally see some love for 'Chillout Tent,' of which I never tire. It's sickening beautiful, just like that kiss where " they had the privacy of bedsheets and all the other kids were mostly in comas." The creepy guy from Soul Coughing or Asylum or whatever does a great job of singing as the creepy guy in the song ("been to jail, never prison"), and the girl sounds heartbreakingly clueless. Yes, yes, "Chillout Tent."

leaning towards "stuck b/t stations", but 'you can make him like you" "massive nights" "hot soft light" and "chips ahoy!" could all take the spot.

i forgot how astoundingly strong this album was, given that the follow-up did not click with me.

Hot Soft Light - seems to be the perfect three-minute summation of what they're all about, mixing the dark and the celebratory. Awesomely thrilling song, with some of Finn's best lyrics. I share the love for Chillout Tent, which must be the most underrated song in their catalogue. I always think I'm not mad about this album, but when I put it on I can't take it off - and am always pleased when they play six/seven tracks from it live. Two least favourites are Chips Ahoy! (overexposure) and Party Pit (find the "Walk around and drink some more" refrain rather trite).

OMFG.

I just learned that one of my favorite lyrics (from "Stuck Between Stations") is different from what I thought it was!

Thought: "He loved the warm covers/but he hated all the drawn out winters"
Is: "He loved the Golden Gophers/but he hated all the drawn out winters"

Oh fuck is that a let-down. So not that song then.

(Golden Gophers apparently the University of Minnesota sports teams)

i can never hear Pirner's bit on Chillout Tent without singing frustrated inc over it

im torn between 'chillout tent' and 'massive nights'

I mean, "Go Badgers!", basically, is how I feel about that shit.

Has to be "Chillout Tent"

Disappointed to see the hate for Elizabeth Elmore's vocals on "Chillout Tent", I think she does a great job of capturing the essence of the song.

But the essence is the part of the song that sucks!

I voted for "Chips Ahoy" but I kinda find this album a slog. And Separation Sunday is one of my favorite albums of the decade.

I mean, "Go Badgers!", basically, is how I feel about that shit.

I don't know man if you're asking Finn to favor Wisconsin over Minnesota I'd say you've got a long wait coming

I don't know, I'm probably biased because I've followed Elizabeth since her Champaign days in Sarge, but I liked her contribution a lot. Having said that, this is by far my least favorite Hold Steady album. The one before and the one after are both much better.

"Stuck Between Stations" wins this, btw.

u&k: did berryman actually care about the golden gophers?

xxp:

Naw...I'm just bitter that my interpretation of the lyrics turned out to be different from the actual lyrics because I was quite attached to mine.

Plus my parents are UW alums so I'm aware of their athletic rivalry with the Gophers.

what a fantastic album. also voting for "You Can Make Him Like You."

stuck btwn stations or first night.... went with first night because it doesn't get the love it deserves.

can i brag for a second and say that almost exactly a year ago I was at this weird show in a historic nyc bank building that was taped for a tv special. plus it was like a week after the stock market crashed hard. it was like partying in the ruins

went for massive nights but couldve easily been hot soft light, some kooks, stuck btw stations

actually now that I think abt it should have voted hot soft light. thin lizzy maan

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

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

all the 0-vote songs need much much more love

otm, citrus is great, and southtown girls was my favorite when i first heard it

for me this is one of those 'albums you loved but somehow never had any urge to explore the band's other work'

anyway i still like it; happy 20th

you can make him like you
southtown girls
hot soft light
party pit

― call all destroyer, Tuesday, September 22, 2009 8:13 PM (seventeen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

i think i still stand by this!

chillout tent tho

omg the organ runs and harmonica on southtown girls are so over the top

i love it

I've had the same CD of this album for (oof) 20 years now and maybe early this year or last, I finally thought "I should really listen to something else, the guy's made a LOT more music than this," and was surprised that his solo albums were actually highly regarded. (I didn't think they were bad or anything, I just didn't pay much attention when they came out.)

I should give Separation Sunday a good listen too, I remember some people saying that one was even better, but I remember that being a common argument to make back then - "the PREVIOUS album is better than the one you're all raving about now!" (see Sufjan Stevens, the National, etc.)