Pyjamarama vs Virginia Plain

Voted PJrama

Good man.

Not that I'm trying to skew this or owt...

Unfairly neglected, that song. It's an injustice!

yeah.

Oh and watch out for the 'remix' with the double-tracked sax break. It has to be the original version for me.

At the time, Pyjamarama seemed like a bit of a let-down after the future shock of Virginia Plain.

i mean, i heard pyjamarama very late in my (heavy) roxy/eno fandom, so it's tempting to choose for its novelty. but like those UFO sounding synths on VP are too much to beat.

Oh God. Pyjamarama. There is no way I would not vote for 'Virginia Plain,' regardless of the competition, whatever the poll was about. Unless Pyjamarama showed up, which it did! I can say that there is no better song in the history of music than Pyjamarama, and I think I have heard them all.

yr PhD is in roxyology

^^^ Thanks buzza you are correct! I have spent much of the past 30 years trying to figure out how I feel about 'Manifesto' rather than a more productive course of study!

This is impossible, and I'm a post-doctoral student in Roxology.

Virginia Plain. Not even close.

You're so sheer, you're so chic.

VP is obviously the better song, and I could hear it every day of my life and never get tired, but "Pyjamarama" has a vocal just as insinuating, and the guitar breakdown at the end (by Ferry!). I wish he'd written and sung a hundred tunes like this.

In honor of Bimble: You can't make me choose!!!!!! No you can't!!! I refuse, to do so would tear my soul in two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This comes down to Manzanera's break after ''flying down to Rio'' vs. Mackay's sax break in PRama. Very, very close. Manzanera takes it.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a2/Pyjamarama.jpg

Edwyn Collins' vocal style in early Orange Juice always reminds me of BF in Pyjamarama.

yeah! I see that now.

'virginia plain' easily

"Diamonds may be your best friend
but like laughter after tears
I'll follow you to the end"

2 of my all-time favorite RM tracks! BUT...I'm going with Virginia Plain.

I would vote Virginia Plain over almost anything. Including Pyjamarama.

I like Pyjamarama but COME ON, all it has over Virginia Plain is obscurity

too bad "Pyjamarama" wasn't released in 1979 and produced by Patrick Cowley: it woulda been a mutant disco cult classic.

I'm with Colonel Poo. There are so many brilliant, crazy things going on in Virginia Plain; it's an embarrassment of riches. Almost any other song would pale in comparison, including Pyjamarama (which I would still give an A, but VP is A+++.)

I got a DVD of the Musikladen performances recently, though, and the live "Pyjamarama" is stunning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dj0z1-JBtc

http://www.viva-radio.com/pyjamarama

Wow, I can't put into words how awesome it feels to see Bryan Ferry all youthful and bopping around and delivering SUCH A PERFORMANCE. Is this a commercial DVD?

I got mine on ebay but it's a legit release, with performances by Roxy Music and T. Rex. Amazon sells it:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Musikladen-VHS-Roxy-Music/dp/B00004T35Z

Gah, it's possible the one I own doesn't contain Pyjamarama! This one does:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ROXY-MUSIC-MUSIKLADEN-NEW-DVD-/250390023720?pt=UK_CDsDVDs_DVDs_DVDs_GL

damn dudes this might could be a right close race

Voting Pyjamarama 'cause of the phenomenal version on Viva!

I think Virginia Plain will win because ILM has lots of people rooted in punk and it is the more punk choice

I choose Pyjamarama which is more blissful in mood

Punk isn't blissful?

I'm not claiming PJ is of equal importance, but PJ crystallizes the romantic ethos that is BF/RM for me, and I always prefer listening to it over VP, so it gets my vote

"Pyjamarama" is one of my top 10 favorite songs of all time.

me too, spencer. bonus question, y'all. what bands have a non-album b-side as one of their top ten songs (which PJ is imho)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Joy Division-Dead Souls (and I'd argue These Days)

Buzzcocks-Boredom

agreed on both counts

What's the best live Roxy Music album (or boot)?

I love Viva, or rather parts of it, but I guess I am in the minority on that. The BBC sessions from their first two albums are really cool...I wish I knew of great bootlegs of shows from 1974-1976. If you don't own the DVD released in the last few years, it has tons of great concert material and amazing TV performances like the Musikladen one above.

also the Roxy Music Story documentary is torrentable and really, really excellent

I love viva

The overemphatic divas on "Both Ends Burning" are interesting in a Los Vegas revue sort of way.

oh my god, don't get me started on ferry's back up singers on that tour, with the powder blue suits? total swoon (tmi, sorry!)

Virginia Plain. Not even close.

― xhuxk

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

damn you punks

me too, spencer. bonus question, y'all. what bands have a non-album b-side as one of their top ten songs (which PJ is imho)

Uhhhhhhhhh, 'cept Pyjamarama wasn't a non-album b-side, it was their 2bd single and a Top 10 single at that

2nd single even

... which explains the poll, i.e., which of Roxy Music's first two singles do you prefer

Ah well, it was pretty close then..

Obscure 2nd single close to iconic 1st one.

(I'd do You wear it well vs Maggie May, but I think I know how that one would end)

^^^ good poll idea. I actually learned to love "Maggie May" by discovering "You Wear It Well," which has never gotten the same degree of airplay.

I wish I knew of great bootlegs of shows from 1974-1976.

Why Do You Think I'm A Funky Chick? It's the complete Siren Tour set, which still ranks among the best concerts I've ever seen. Selections are on youtube (video as well as audio) by searching Stockholm 1976.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4J6Uyv0JDY

mother of pearl might be my roxy poo tbh

Me too!

Me three. Glad to have some company!

This thread got me to drag out one of my old books about Roxy. Don't know if this is common knowledge, but the band rehearsed Mother of Pearl having no idea what the vocal line would even sound like, then Bryan brought in the lyrics at the last minute and sang the whole thing straight through.

this is virginia plain because, despite being a pretty big roxy fan, I somehow can't even remember how pyjamara goes. I think because it was only a single and not on any of the albums, hence, I don't have it on cd.

"Virginia Plain" wasn't on any albums either - to start off with

Virginia Plain because the "what's her name, Virginia Plain" bit provides the best opportunity for fun Bryan Ferry impressions. And saying the title of a song only once, at the very end, is classic behaviour.

whereas, not at all....

ah yes, pyjamarama was a non-album a-side, i knew that, don't know why i elevated its obscurity--pride and the pain, now that's obscure! i am always imagine baron charlus being whipped when i hear the latter