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The Best Years of Their Lives, Part 2

Let's start rolling out the top 50. First, though, a recap:

100. Bob Marley & the Wailers, 1974
99. OutKast, 2000
98. N.W.A., 1988
97. The Band, 1968
96. The Beatles, 1964
95. Aretha Franklin, 1968
94. Iggy Pop, 1977
93. Elvis Costello, 1977
92. Franz Ferdinand, 2004
91. Chuck Berry, 1958
90. The Verve, 1997
89. Simon and Garfunkel, 1970
88. Fleetwood Mac, 1977
87. The Byrds, 1968
86. The Band, 1969
85. Elvis Presley, 1969
84. Pink Floyd, 1967
83. Beck, 1996
82. The Jesus and Mary Chain, 1985
81. Miles Davis, 1959
80. OutKast, 2003
79. Jefferson Airplane, 1967
78. The Strokes, 2001
77. Prince, 1982
76. Sly and the Family Stone, 1969
75. John Coltrane, 1965
74. Sly and the Family Stone, 1971
73. Pulp, 1995
72. The Clash, 1977
71. U2, 1991
70. Love, 1967
69. The Eagles, 1976
68. Carole King, 1971
67. Television, 1977
66. Derek and the Dominos, 1970
65. Pink Floyd, 1973
64. Ramones, 1976
63. Stevie Wonder, 1973
62. R.E.M., 1992
61. Patti Smith, 1975
60. Public Enemy, 1988
59. Pixies, 1989
58. Talking Heads, 1980
57. The Smiths, 1984
56. Elvis Costello, 1978
55. David Bowie, 1971
54. Bob Marley & the Wailers, 1973
53. Oasis, 1995
52. Black Sabbath, 1970
51. John Lennon, 1970

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50. OASIS, 1994
ALBUM: Definitely Maybe (83).
SONGS: Supersonic (576), Live Forever (71), Cigarettes and Alcohol (1972), Whatever (2555).

49. JOHN LENNON, 1971
ALBUM: Imagine (95).
SONGS: Imagine (26), Jealous Guy (958), How Do You Sleep? (BU), Oh Yoko! (BU), Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (BU).

48. THE BYRDS, 1965
ALBUMS: Mr. Tambourine Man (267), Turn! Turn! Turn! (1356).
SONGS: Mr. Tambourine Man (31), I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better (1208), Turn! Turn! Turn! (692).

47. LOU REED, 1972
ALBUM: Transformer (79).
SONGS: Walk on the Wild Side (58), Perfect Day (858), Satellite of Love (1296).

46. VAN MORRISON, 1968
ALBUM: Astral Weeks (13).
SONGS: Sweet Thing (1678), Madame George (478), Cypress Avenue (BU), Beside You (BU).

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There are more surprising entries in here than I thought there would be. Still only 1 entry from the big 3. I can't wait for the rest of the entries.

Re: The Best Years of Their Lives, Part 2

Surprising indeed. Whatever still comes, this list is fantastic already!

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45. MASSIVE ATTACK, 1991
ALBUM: Blue Lines (32).
SONGS: Unfinished Sympathy (65), Safe From Harm (2296).

44. THE WHO, 1971
ALBUM: Who’s Next (34).
SONGS: Won’t Get Fooled Again (121), Baba O’Riley (689).

43. GUNS N’ ROSES, 1987
ALBUM: Appetite for Destruction (62).
SONGS: Welcome to the Jungle (504), Sweet Child O’ Mine (90), Paradise City (1344).

42. THE SMITHS, 1986
ALBUM: The Queen Is Dead (30).
SONGS: Bigmouth Strikes Again (1752), The Queen Is Dead (2095), There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (194), Panic (995), Cemetry Gates (BU).

41. THE ROLLING STONES, 1971
ALBUM: Sticky Fingers (48).
SONGS: Brown Sugar (158), Wild Horses (429), Sister Morphine (1175).

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Great to see The Smiths in there - what a fantastic album that is

Re: The Best Years of Their Lives, Part 2

This list is kind of interesting. I think the top will be filled with artists during years when they were at their peak in terms of popularity. By including how many songs are in top 3000 it obviously favors what year a band charted the most and adds in critical acclaim as well. There probably are exceptions to that rule, but that seems to be the case for the most part and why "The Best Years of Their Lives" really makes sense....this is the year they were not only famous but acclaimed as well. Good list. It's not really a conversation starter because there really isn't anything to dispute, but good nonetheless.

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Well, no, John, this list itself isn't subjective, but it certainly gets me thinking about great years by individual artists...including many which didn't make the top 100. Maybe we can have that discussion when this is all over, though.

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40. THE STONE ROSES, 1989
ALBUM: The Stone Roses (47).
SONGS: Made of Stone (1952), She Bangs the Drum (1889), Fools Gold (164), I Wanna Be Adored (755), I Am the Resurrection (1441).

39. STEVIE WONDER, 1972
ALBUMS: Music of My Mind (1039), Talking Book (109).
SONGS: Superstition (38), You Are the Sunshine of My Life (638).

38. BUDDY HOLLY & THE CRICKETS, 1957
ALBUM: The Chirpin’ Crickets (329).
SONGS: That’ll Be the Day (43), Peggy Sue (104), Everyday (1623), Not Fade Away (647), Oh Boy! (BU).

37. U2, 1987
ALBUM: The Joshua Tree (36).
SONGS: With or Without You (312), I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (396), Where the Streets Have No Name (658), Bullet the Blue Sky (BU).

36. THE ROLLING STONES, 1972
ALBUM: Exile on Main St. (7)
SONGS: Tumbling Dice (500), Rocks Off (2388), Happy (2069), All Down the Line (BU).

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One more for the weekend, then we'll start the top 30 on Monday.

35. THE WHO, 1965
ALBUM: The Who Sings My Generation (232).
SONGS: I Can’t Explain (202), My Generation (13).

34. THE BEATLES, 1969
ALBUM: Abbey Road (24).
SONGS: Get Back (1719), Don’t Let Me Down (1890), Come Together (535), Something (481), Here Comes the Sun (1362), Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight (2849), It’s All Too Much (BU).

33. PRINCE, 1987
ALBUM: Sign ‘O’ the Times (26).
SONGS: Sign ‘O’ the Times (130), If I Was Your Girlfriend (1001), U Got the Look (1574), I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man (1648).

32. RADIOHEAD, 1997
ALBUM: OK Computer (14).
SONGS: Lucky (2354), Paranoid Android (339), Karma Police (824), No Surprises (1652).

31. PRINCE, 1984
ALBUM: Purple Rain (49).
SONGS: When Doves Cry (46), Let’s Go Crazy (1673), Purple Rain (441).

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30. JOY DIVISION, 1980
ALBUM: Closer (46).
SONGS: Love Will Tear Us Apart (19), Atmosphere (856).

29. DAVID BOWIE, 1972
ALBUM: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (16)
SONGS: Starman (554), Ziggy Stardust (165), Suffragette City (2205), Five Years (BU).

28. DAVID BOWIE, 1977
ALBUM: Low (91), Heroes (236).
SONGS: Sound and Vision (1437), Heroes (61).

27. BOB DYLAN, 1966
ALBUM: Blonde on Blonde (6).
SONGS: I Want You (1000), Visions of Johanna (612), Just Like a Woman (700), Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (1171), One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) (BU), Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again (BU), Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine) (BU).

26. THE ROLLING STONES, 1965
ALBUMS: No. 2/The Rolling Stones Now! (605), Out of Our Heads (672), December’s Children (And Everybody’s) (1942).
SONGS: Heart of Stone (2562), The Last Time (632), Play with Fire (1931), (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (2), That’s How Strong My Love Is (1958), Get Off My Cloud (1225).

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I'd swap those two artists at 28 and 29, but that's just me.

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Me too, Schwah. I guess, that happens when artists release two acclaimed albums in the same year...

In that sense, maybe Ryan Adams still has good chances. Didn't he release 3 or 4 albums in one year? OK, not all acclaimed, but still, quite a productive guy.

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Andre - I read somewhere that Ryan Adams writes a song every day. Now, I'm not sure if that's actually true or not, but his consistent output certainly makes that rumor seem quite likely.

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RYAN ADAMS?? WHAT? I thought we were getting into the Bowies,Stones,Beatles - those calibre artists by now...

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Glad to see Prince place for '87 and '84, even if I think other Prince years are just as good ('88 and '86 for example).

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If you actually looked at Ryan Adams' page you'd see that he doesn't stand a chance.

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Are you sure? I meant Ryan, not Bryan!

His motto probably is "one song a day, keeps your depressions away"

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His best year is 2000, with 1 album at 500 and 1 song at 1200. The #50, Marley, had 1 album at 119 and 1 song at 74.

Re: The Best Years of Their Lives, Part 2

That would be the #100.

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25. BOB DYLAN, 1975
ALBUMS: Blood on the Tracks (23), The Basement Tapes (318).
SONGS: Tangled Up in Blue (272), Idiot Wind (1607), Hurricane (1256), Shelter from the Storm (BU).

24. THE ROLLING STONES, 1969
ALBUM: Let It Bleed (31).
SONGS: Honky Tonk Women (122), You Can’t Always Get What You Want (560), Gimme Shelter (127), Love in Vain (2177), Midnight Rambler (BU).

23. JIMI HENDRIX, 1968
ALBUM: Electric Ladyland (19).
SONGS: All Along the Watchtower (81), Crosstown Traffic (618), Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) (216), 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn to Be) (BU).

22. MICHAEL JACKSON, 1982
ALBUM: Thriller (33).
SONGS: Billie Jean (29), Beat It (168), Wanna Be Startin’ Something (2154), Thriller (1321).

21. LED ZEPPELIN, 1971
ALBUM: Led Zeppelin IV (28).
SONGS: Black Dog (1464), Rock and Roll (392), Stairway to Heaven (9), The Battle of Evermore (2982), When the Levee Breaks (BU).

Sorry, no Ryan Adams today.

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Man, this is such an awesome list.

Re: The Best Years of Their Lives, Part 2

I did not expect anybody to take my comments on Ryan Adams serious, especially 'cause my posts on this forum are usually more silly than serious.

Nevertheless, Ryan still is a ridiculously nice performer.

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Hmm, I would have expected Michael Jackson a bit higher, somewhere around spot 10 or something, but this is a great group alright.

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Now, what would happen if these guys (Bob, Mick, Keith, Jimi, Michael, Jimmy and Robert) meet in the pub? Somehow Michael Jackosn doesn't seem to fit in, right? Or should they then meet in the disco? Panic at the disco?

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Hm.. I should have seen that. I'm a little sleepy.

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Now, what would happen if these guys meet in the pub?

Presumably Bob and Keith would hit the Jack Daniels (Live Aid, anybody?), while Jimmy and Jimi talked shop. After enough whisky, the former duo would bring out a couple of slightly off-key acoustic guitars and back Mick and Plant singing Robert Johnson songs. Would it be possible to imagine MJ adding Jackson Five-style harmonies??? I dunno ...

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Let's slow it down a bit...just four today.

20. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, 1975
ALBUM: Born to Run (17).
SONGS: Thunder Road (174), Born to Run (25), Jungleland (BU).

19. THE BEATLES, 1963
ALBUMS: Please Please Me (465), With the Beatles (268).
SONGS: I Saw Her Standing There (1132), Please Please Me (1035), Twist and Shout (2057), She Loves You (99), I Want to Hold Your Hand (21).

18. THE CLASH, 1979
ALBUM: London Calling (10).
SONGS: I Fought the Law (1857), London Calling (35), Lost in the Supermarket (1923), Train in Vain (Stand by Me) (471).

17. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, 1967
ALBUM: The Velvet Underground & Nico (4).
SONGS: I’m Waiting for the Man (155), Venus in Furs (1698), Heroin (186), European Son (BU).

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16. LED ZEPPELIN, 1969
ALBUMS: Led Zeppelin (131), Led Zeppelin II (66).
SONGS: Dazed and Confused (473), Whole Lotta Love (76), Heartbreaker (1011), Good Times Bad Times (BU).

15. MARVIN GAYE, 1971
ALBUM: What’s Going On (8).
SONGS: What’s Going On (20), Mercy Mercy Me (885), Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (797).

14. ARETHA FRANKLIN, 1967
ALBUMS: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (84), Aretha Arrives (BU).
SONGS: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (472), Do Right Woman, Do Right Man (1782), Respect (5), Baby I Love You (2964), (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (669), Chain of Fools (288).

13. THE DOORS, 1967
ALBUMS: The Doors (21), Strange Days (645).
SONGS: Break on Through (To the Other Side) (1110), Light My Fire (33), The End (559), People Are Strange (1141), The Crystal Ship (BU).

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Now it's getting even more interesting with lots of artists who put out two acclaimed albums in the same year. And then we have the two bands who delivered three excellent albums during the same year (I won't mention which year). I'm pretty sure that one of these bands will make a surprising top 12 entry and that the other one is sadly outside the top 100.

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Henrik, if you think the top 12 spot would be the Stones in 1965, I have to disappoint you. This combo with three albums was already at #26.

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Aha, I just saw a combo with 4 album releases in the same year! Maybe that's gonna make the top 12?

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Mea Culpa, Henrik. Now I actually see what you meant ... and I have no idea what the solution of your riddle is.

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Jesus, this is nervewrecking (or is that "-racking" as in "on the rack"?). Keep it up, Schleuse.

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12. CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL, 1969
ALBUMS: Bayou Country (1623), Green River (223), Willy and the Poorboys (323).
SONGS: Proud Mary (56), Born on the Bayou (2242), Bad Moon Rising (316), Green River (772), Fortunate Son (115).

11. SEX PISTOLS, 1977
ALBUM: Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols (9).
SONGS: God Save the Queen (23), Pretty Vacant (274), Holidays in the Sun (561).

10. THE ROLLING STONES, 1968
ALBUM: Beggars Banquet (29).
SONGS: Jumpin’ Jack Flash (40), Street Fightin’ Man (667), Sympathy for the Devil (34), No Expectations (2083), Stray Cat Blues (1837).

9. NIRVANA, 1991
ALBUM: Nevermind (3).
SONGS: Smells Like Teen Spirit (4), Come As You Are (720), Lithium (1124), In Bloom (1961).

****

The top eight will be winging your way starting on Monday.

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Wow, Creedence this high?! A busy year it must have been.

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Yes, I was thinking of CCR and their fantastic '69. The other act that did a lot of amazing stuff the same year was (of course) Fairport Convention.

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Huh...I missed Fairport Convention.

(I didn't overlook them, but I figured out early that it's mathematically impossible for any artist outside the top 200 to make this list.)

Their 1969 would have made the top 150.


Oh, and I figured CCR would raise an eyebrow or two.

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I like the CCR ranking, they really had a brilliant (if somewhat short) run in 1969 and 1970.

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I'm thrilled to see Creedence score this high. I really like their stuff.

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Here's the plan:

8, 7, and 6 today.
5, 4, and 3 tomorrow.
2 and 1 on Wednesday.

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8. THE BEATLES, 1968
ALBUM: The Beatles (“The White Album”) (15).
SONGS: Hey Jude (37), Revolution (311), Back in the U.S.S.R. (2877), While My Guitar Gently Weeps (355), Happiness Is a Warm Gun (351), I’m So Tired (2317), Helter Skelter (821), Dear Prudence (BU), Blackbird (BU), I Will (BU), Julia (BU), Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey (BU), Sexy Sadie (BU).

7. JIMI HENDRIX, 1967
ALBUMS: Are You Experienced? (12), Axis: Bold as Love (164).
SONGS: Purple Haze (41), The Wind Cries Mary (1777), Foxy Lady (1128), Manic Depression (1293), Fire (2678), Are You Experienced? (2009), Little Wing (2023), Red House (BU), I Don’t Live Today (BU).

6. THE BEATLES, 1966
ALBUMS: Revolver (2), Yesterday and Today (BU).
SONGS: Paperback Writer (243), Rain (557), Eleanor Rigby (349), I’m Only Sleeping (1583), Here, There and Everywhere (1793), She Said She Said (1465), And Your Bird Can Sing (1378), Tomorrow Never Knows (187), Taxman (BU), For No One (BU).

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Nice idea I have to admit the Beatles were not overrated. Frank Zappa was not commercial enough and I love him. The Beatles innovated in rock music being outwardly avant experimental also in world music like Strawberry Fields Forever or Tomorrow Never Knows while keeping a great melody. Bob Dylan was very lyrical. VU and Frank Zappa were overtly experimental. The Beach Boys were melodic. The Beatles combined all the elements. I give them their due.

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CCR at 12 is a surprise indeed, too bad Fairport Convention didn't make the list. Liege and Lief is a great folk rock album.

Jimi Hendrix at spot 7 is cool as well. Due to his short life there are not so many acclaimed years to choose from, but this was the guitar genius' top year.

So, still 5 to go and I guess we can still expect some B, S or D. Who else? Will there be another surprise?

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Mmm, my tips:

1. Bob Dylan, 1965
2. The Beatles, 1967
3. The Beach Boys, 1966
4. Elvis Presley, 1956
5. The Beatles, 1965

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5. ELVIS PRESLEY, 1956
ALBUMS: Elvis Presley (120), Elvis (410).
SONGS: Heartbreak Hotel (15), Hound Dog (57), Don’t Be Cruel (92), Love Me Tender (1500), Blue Suede Shoes (BU), I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (BU), Blue Moon (BU).

4. THE BEATLES, 1965
ALBUMS: Help! (665), Rubber Soul (27).
SONGS: Ticket to Ride (283), Help! (156), You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (1999), Yesterday (114), Day Tripper (1031), We Can Work It Out (1597), Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (564), Nowhere Man (1761), Girl (2337), In My Life (132), You’re Going to Lose That Girl (BU), Drive My Car (BU), Run for Your Life (BU).

3. THE BEACH BOYS, 1966
ALBUM: Pet Sounds (1).
SONGS: Caroline, No (2102), Sloop John B. (2704), Wouldn’t It Be Nice (1307), Good Vibrations (3), God Only Knows (52), Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder) (BU).

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Who thought Elvis '56 would beat Beatles '66?

Re: The Best Years of Their Lives, Part 2

Not me, I hadn't thought of him at all. I was kinda hoping the Beatles wouldn't dominate this.. but of course when they're #1 artist on the site with only 6-7 years of albums they're gonna have pretty much all years acclaimed. I'm kinda hoping Dylan gets #1 of course though.

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2. THE BEATLES, 1967
ALBUMS: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (5), Magical Mystery Tour (990).
SONGS: Penny Lane (160), Strawberry Fields Forever (16), Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2658), With a Little Help from My Friends (1434), Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (1345), A Day in the Life (18), All You Need Is Love (1099), Hello Goodbye (2708), I Am the Walrus (368), Getting Better (BU), Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite (BU), Fool on the Hill (BU).

1. BOB DYLAN, 1965
ALBUMS: Bringing It All Back Home (65), Highway 61 Revisited (11).
SONGS: Subterranean Homesick Blues (137), Love Minus Zero/No Limit (2679), Mr. Tambourine Man (900), It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) (1095), It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (1372), Like a Rolling Stone (1), Ballad of a Thin Man (1279), Positively 4th Street (435), Highway 61 Revisited (1864), Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (2997), Desolation Row (715), She Belongs to Me (BU), Gates of Eden (BU), I’ll Keep It With Mine (BU).

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/me does his dance of joy (again)! Excellent work once again schleuse.

Re: The Best Years of Their Lives, Part 2

Ýes, great work and thanks, schleuse!

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Bob Dylan had the top year congrats. I know the Anti-people love this like Stephan and Moonbeam. Remember the Beatles had five in the top twenty and no one had more than one.

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Yes, my life is complete now that Bob Dylan won this contest. I didn't see no Beatles entries either through my Beatles-filter-glasses. Total Dylan domination.

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I've been studiously avoiding any editorial comment, but I think it's a pretty solid list, although I disagree with it in several places.

There are a few A-list artists who aren't well-served by this list. They're the accumulators--the ones who never ring all the bells in a short space of time, but over the course of a decade or more, produce a rock-solid body of work. There's no Neil Young here, and there's no Blur. And only one year from my favorite band (dock yourself 2 points if you haven't figured out by now who that is).

BUT, I do think Dylan's 1965 is unassailable. The two albums and one single represented here are only the beginning of it--his live appearances in Newport and England were also crucial in that year. We could debate the short-term and long-term effects of what he did in 1965, and whether or not they turned out to be a good thing, but nobody this side of Elvis in 1954-56 or the Beatles in 1963-64 ever changed the landscape so dramatically in such a short space of time. And Bob did it with better music!

Oddly, having seen I'm Not There, I'll never be able to think of Dylan in '65 as anything other than Cate Blanchett, now...

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'65 is the year it all changed and it's easily my favorite Beatles and Dylan year. When you look at what else came out in that year it amazes you even more at how good those albums really are.

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Beatles in 1963-64 ever changed the landscape so dramatically in such a short space of time. Without the Beatles changing the landscape Dylan would have not went electric in 1965. You people keep forgetting that Dylan said it was the Beatles who were changing the musical landscape. Dylan only followed

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Not to start the same discussion again, but if the Beatles changed any "musical landscape" at all they did so very late in 1965 and in 1966. I don't see what they did in 1963/1964 that changed anything besides increasing the sale of albums and ignite the Beatlemania. They only started doing 'new' stuff on Rubber Soul and later albums, and I don't have to tell you who did the actual changing just a few months before that.

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The Beatles, Meet the Beatles (1964, Capitol). Not a folk-rock album, but the one record that more than any other awakened young American folk musicians to the possibilities of electric rock music. The Meet the Beatles LP, as opposed to With the Beatles (their second British LP, which has much of the same material and is the one that was reissued on CD), is what's necessary to re-create the impact, as it's almost wholly devoted to original songs, including two great ones ("I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There") that don't appear on With the Beatles.

The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night (1964, Capitol). Songs from and recorded right after the making of the movie of the same name, which was about as influential on early folk-rock musicians as the Meet the Beatles album was. You can hear some folky influences creeping into their work, too, on songs like "Things We Said Today" and "I'll Be Back."

The Beatles, Beatles for Sale (1964, Capitol). More music that, if only unconsciously, continued to help bring folk and rock closer together, explicitly so on "I'm a Loser" and "I'll Follow the Sun

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I don't see how "influences creeping into their work" and "unconsciously bringing .. together", if they did that, equals changing the musical landscape. And "I'm A Loser" is inspired by Bob Dylan

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Besides starting the British Invasion and inspiring their rivals the Rolling Stones and the Kinks writing their own songs. The Byrds to go electric, using the clean jangle sound that is present in songs A Hard Days Night and Words Of Love. The Rock band to be bigger than the solo artists, popularizing guitar feedback the electric guitar feedback. Influencing Dylan to go electric. I guess they did nothing. When Ritchie Unterberger did his book on folk rock he found out the Beatles were biggest reason why folk artist went electric not Dylan

Just before the Beatles broke in the US in 1964, the number one album in the US was "The Singing Nun." Music was very regimented, predictible, etc. Within a couple of years, we had Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, and all the great music of the late 60's. If you look at the progression of the Beatles albums from Please Please Me in 1963, which reflected early 60's music but with some hints of complexity to come (e.g. the song Please Please Me), all the way through Rubber Soul in late 65 up to Revolver in 1966, the increase in complexity and the level of innovation in just three years is absoloutely amazing, and I don't think has been duplicated since. Think about music today - has it really changed in the past three years? Ten years? Fifteen years? Not really IMHO. The last real seismic shift in rock music at least was when Nirvana broke in 1991. Listen to the Beatles songs Misery and Tomorrow Never Knows and you can't believe that they are even from the same band, and yet they were recorded just three years apart. Maybe I'm wrong, but can anyone name a band that has evolved that much in so short of a time, pushing the rest of the music world with them? Granted, the Beatles are not responsible for every innovation in music in the 60's, and they did reflect the culture as a whole at that time, but I don't think that anyone can deny their influence, love 'em or hate 'em. Thank God for the Beatles or we might still be listening to the Singing Freakin' Nun!!!

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The Beatles, Meet the Beatles (1964, Capitol). Not a folk-rock album, but the one record that more than any other awakened young American folk musicians to the possibilities of electric rock music. The Meet the Beatles LP, as opposed to With the Beatles (their second British LP, which has much of the same material and is the one that was reissued on CD), is what's necessary to re-create the impact, as it's almost wholly devoted to original songs, including two great ones ("I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There") that don't appear on With the Beatles.

The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night (1964, Capitol). Songs from and recorded right after the making of the movie of the same name, which was about as influential on early folk-rock musicians as the Meet the Beatles album was. You can hear some folky influences creeping into their work, too, on songs like "Things We Said Today" and "I'll Be Back."

The Beatles, Beatles for Sale (1964, Capitol). More music that, if only unconsciously, continued to help bring folk and rock closer together, explicitly so on "I'm a Loser" and "I'll Follow the Sun

What is it you don't understand it's plain and simple the Beatles influenced many folk artist to go electric. They had folk influneces on their chord changes in energetic rock music. Which influenced both Dylan and The Byrds. They helped to help bring folk and rock closer together, this was done before the Byrds and Dylan. They were a big factor in folkies going electric. Go listen to What You're Doing it sounds like the Byrds. What the author is saying the Beatles were ahead of the trend when it came to folk rock.

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63-64 it was the Beatles emulating the rest of the pop and rock world and doing it better. It didn't change anything other than pop/rock becoming more popular. The Beatles and Dylan in '65 rocked the pop world with the four albums they put out. Nothing compared to those four albums before that or at that time in the pop/rock genre. So, in a way '65 was the best year of rock's life unless you are a huge fan of 50's rock and roll.

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Ugh, not this argument again

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Yeah I know, I don't know why I even said anything.

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Yeah.. I should know better by now. Sometimes I just can't help myself. Sorry guys.

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I did not start this and Stephan and the Dylanites can't seem to give any credit when everyone knows the Beatles influenced folkies to go electric before Dylan went electric. The Beatles had influences they were certainly not the typical pop-rock artists. Go find tunes like She Loves You or I Want to Hold Your Hand in 1963.

The Rolling Stones and 50's rock artists were no challenge to the Beatles.
The reason they couldn't do it was because they were largely 3-chords-
and-a-beat musicians. That's where the Beatles knocked the door down, IMO. Suddenly, a band came along and integrated a multitude of chords into their songs. Mixing major and minor chords liberally, the Beatles included them in verses, choruses, bridges, middle 8's, and everywhere else. This created songs with different moods, layers and textures. And they seemed to do it so effortlessly. The only 50's rocker who may have been able to match them to any degreed, was Buddy Holly.

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Why does Chelsea only pop up to defend the Beatles? Do they really need an apologist?

Who do you work for?!?!

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Stephan maybe you should know the facts before you speak. This is music but your utter distaste for the Beatles is clouding your judgement. It's very easy to comprehend. This has been amusing.

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The Beatles are actually among my top 50 favorite artists, there's no utter distaste whatsoever. I've held this discussion with many people on these forums (who have surprisingly similar writing styles and copy/paste the same things every time, perhaps I should take a hint..) so it's rather pointless to do it again. Just search some old posts about The Beatles I suppose.

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I follow acclaimed music. I don't care if people don't knock the Beatles. Hey I knock Dylan but I acknowledge his influence. His influence is not anywhere as big as the Beatles or Led Zeppelin especially in modern rock IMO since I'm in a band at the moment and I have talk to many people who their influences are. It's idiotic comments that they had no influence on music in 1963-1964 really where does it come from anyone who knows music would not say something like that. Even when facts are presented to him he still argues. I remember him being the same person who said the Beatles had no influence on Progressive rock or Tomorrow Never Knows was not innovative.

Tomorrow Never Knows being one of many songs I could cite. Tomorrow Never Knows," which was the most radical song recorded in pop music up to that point. John Lennon's voice sounds as if he was high on a mountain top, calling out to anybody who'll listen--or meditate--to his voice. The song has only one chord, but has a swirling soundscape that foreshadows the sampling of late 80s/early 90s hip-hop. The song is comprised of tape loops that were used in a way similar to the modern day use of samples in rap/pop songs.

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"Why does Chelsea only pop up to defend the Beatles? Do they really need an apologist?

Who do you work for?!?!"

No doubt. Usually, I don't like to call out people on the forums but you only write extremely long essays about the importance of the Beatles and it completely disrupts threads. There aren't many people here who dislike the Beatles as seen in the polls and these lectures are getting unbearable.

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You seem to keep a record. Excellent! Before you criticize me you should get your own facts straight though.

they had no influence on music in 1963-1964

Never said that. I said they didn't change the musical landscape. Bob Dylan AND The Beatles did that in 1965 and 1966. Nobody did in neither 1963 nor 1964.

"the Beatles had no influence on Progressive rock"

I'd like to see where I said that.

Tomorrow Never Knows was not innovative.

Actually I think I said this was the first song they treaded off the beaten path.

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Ok I apologize and I won't type long answers like FanoftheFab. Though I stand on my comments on the Beatles influence on music before Dylan in 1965. I am basing my comments from musicians and authors. Sorry if I have to cut and paste many of the facts just to prove my point. I am obviously biased towards the Beatles it's better to use outside sources who know the subject better than me even if I could already hear it in the Beatles music. I will post shorter answers in the future and leave this topic altogether.

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Chelsea, I think what makes this forum so great is that everybody has their own opinions and isn't just preaching the gospel. We want to hear your thoughts (on all forms of music!) not what somebody said in a book. Just because somebody said it in a book doesn't mean we're all going to agree with it or even that it's fact. Either way, I felt bad calling you out especially since you don't post much. It would be nice if you'd post more with your own thoughts and on other subjects!

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Good lord. I go away for a few hours and THIS happens?

I love music nerdery as much as anyone, but arguing over who influenced whom between the Beatles and Dylan is like arguing over whether the chocolate or peanut butter is more important in a Reese's cup.

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It's obviously chocolate, because who would eat peanut butter on its own? You don't see rows and rows of peanut butter bars at the grocery store, do you? NO! You see rows and rows of chocolate bars. About the only thing peanut butter is better at is being in a sandwich.

And if you go back in history and check recipes through the ages, you'll see that chocolate is a far more popular ingredient in culinary delights than peanut butter can lay claim to. Ever hear of peanut butter mousse? peanut butter pudding? peanut butter cake?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of peanut butter, it's one of my top 100 foods, but it doesn't have nearly the influence, diversity or mass appeal of chocolate. Granted, they do come together well in a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup, but without the chocolate, the peanut butter would be nothing. End of story!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

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Rocky, I remember an interesting student bet, which went like this:

If you can eat one jar of peanut butter and 1.5 liter of water within 30 minutes and keep everything in for another 30 minutes, you would win something (forgot what that was). The first 30 minutes was no problem for most contestants, but to keep everything in for the next 30 minutes nobody seemed to be able to ...

Sorry for yet another silly anecdote.

BTW: Who are the Beatles? Did they make some decent music?

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Yeah Andre, but it's not important.

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Whoops, missed the Bob Chocolate vs. The Peanut Butters controversy

But thanks for a fun list, Schleuse.