Give it a try. Rank them!
― Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 15:47 (twelve years ago) link
I wouldn't vote for "Shout" if it were on the poll (and I imagine I would vote for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" if I were going to bother to listen to them all), but it's a pretty key song for them, I would think, with the whole primal scream therapy angle.
Some of this stuff really takes me back, both because they hit right when I was coming into pop consciousness, and because the lulling nature of the synths (cut by perhaps a bit too much "rock" for "sophisti-pop"?) matches the reversion to childhood.
― C.K. Dexter Holland, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 15:54 (twelve years ago) link
Were they more American (successful in America) than some of their contemporaries because they had more "soul" or simply less of an English accent?
― C.K. Dexter Holland, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 15:55 (twelve years ago) link
ShoutHead Over HeelsChangeMad WorldPale ShelterEverybody Wants To Rule The WorldAdvice For The Young At HeartMothers TalkWoman In ChainsSowing The Seeds Of LoveSuffer The ChildrenTears Roll Down (Laid So Low)The Way You AreBreak It Down Again
― OH NOES, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 15:55 (twelve years ago) link
Does anybody remember Graduate?
― Y.O. Mini (MarkG oo la showaddywaddy), Tuesday, 20 December 2011 15:59 (twelve years ago) link
Their last single "Did you ever have a day when it seem like no-one wants to know you" is very proto-TFF.
Whereas their 'famous' single "Elvis should play Ska", um, is not.
Oh, and "Shut up, you naughty boy" approaches the TFF subject matter but not the musical style which is more Bad Blur.
― Y.O. Mini (MarkG oo la showaddywaddy), Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:01 (twelve years ago) link
HOH. Although I also like EWTRTW
― dog latin, but cool (dog latin), Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:02 (twelve years ago) link
"Head Over Heels" although i also hate EWTRTW
― Nemanja Vmić (Julie Lagger), Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:03 (twelve years ago) link
Sowing the Seeds of Love is underrated imo, but no way I'm not voting for Head Over Heels
― Hurting, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:04 (twelve years ago) link
ShoutHead over HeelsMad WorldPale ShelterEverybody Wants to Rule the WorldChangeSowing the Seeds of Love
are the only ones i'd kiw. the top four are unfuckwithable, ewtrtw is a little lightweight (iow lacking in emo bombast) but still indispensable.
― ledge, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:06 (twelve years ago) link
Pale ShelterHead Over HeelsMad WorldChange
Don't like shout or sowing the seeds at all
― remy bean in exile, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:09 (twelve years ago) link
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OGenpHvxSQk/TXdk8GKfT_I/AAAAAAAAAng/k6rA-pUxvss/s1600/Mad%2BOne%2Blbl%2BA.jpg
― Y.O. Mini (MarkG oo la showaddywaddy), Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:13 (twelve years ago) link
Actual Size!
(oops)
Sowing the seeds is utterly revolting
― los krampusinos! (pomplamau5), Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:14 (twelve years ago) link
^ doesn't love a sunflower or believe in love power
― ledge, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:18 (twelve years ago) link
those things disgust me, it's true
― los krampusinos! (pomplamau5), Tuesday, 20 December 2011 16:24 (twelve years ago) link
^^ time to eat all your words, swallow your pride, open your eyes
― Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 17:20 (twelve years ago) link
That bridge is fantastic
― OH NOES, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 18:13 (twelve years ago) link
I really love "The Way You Are", it's a forgotten gem. It's definitely a transitional song between "The Hurting" and "Big Chair" but having qualities of both is good for my ear.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 19:38 (twelve years ago) link
As difficult as this poll is, a poll of The Hurting would be pure torture (and I think we did it before anyway during the period of time when I got super obsessed with that album).
― OH NOES, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 19:41 (twelve years ago) link
English acts weren't hitting #1 in America by '85, so I have to imagine their arena-ready transformation helped. The summer of '85 was about Bruce's stadium tour, No Jacket Required, Reckless and Dire Straits.
― Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 19:42 (twelve years ago) link
English acts weren't hitting #1 in America by '85
uh what? that's not true (on the singles chart, '83 had The Police, Dexys, David Bowie, The Police, Eurythmics, Macca; '84 had Yes, Culture Club, Phil Collins, Duran Duran, John Waite, Wham!; '85 had Wham!, Phil Collins, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, Duran Duran, Paul Young, John Parr)
― OH NOES, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 19:50 (twelve years ago) link
I should have qualified it: Paul Young and Wham! excepted, English acts hit #1 in '85 by sounding like American arena rock, not by flaunting New Pop characteristics.
― Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 19:55 (twelve years ago) link
and whoa had no idea Parr was a limey -- he could've fooled me with this mullet and obstreperous shouting.
― Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 19:56 (twelve years ago) link
*his
Head Over Heels.
Where's Everybody Wants To Run The World?
― Doran, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 20:04 (twelve years ago) link
2 of those were English?
― Fake Eyeball, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 20:11 (twelve years ago) link
I was mentally comparing them to Erasure, say.
― C.K. Dexter Holland, Tuesday, 20 December 2011 20:14 (twelve years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Friday, 23 December 2011 00:01 (twelve years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Saturday, 24 December 2011 00:01 (twelve years ago) link
this is my four leaf clover
― mookieproof, Saturday, 24 December 2011 00:15 (twelve years ago) link
OTM
― OH NOES, Saturday, 24 December 2011 00:59 (twelve years ago) link
Suffer the Children and Change got robbed, should have received at least one vote each
― Bee, Saturday, 24 December 2011 04:34 (twelve years ago) link
voted for "Pale Shelter"
― Bee, Saturday, 24 December 2011 04:36 (twelve years ago) link
"Head Over Heels"? Really?
― firehorse, Saturday, 24 December 2011 19:48 (twelve years ago) link
Really!
― Lord Sotosyn, Saturday, 24 December 2011 21:24 (twelve years ago) link
Obviously!
― Nemanja Vmić (Julie Lagger), Saturday, 24 December 2011 21:45 (twelve years ago) link
fundamentally
― aesthetic partisan (Shakey Mo Collier), Saturday, 24 December 2011 22:36 (twelve years ago) link
guys this isn't the "Suggested Pet Shop Boys Album Title" thread
― Lord Sotosyn, Saturday, 24 December 2011 23:06 (twelve years ago) link
maybe...?
― OH NOES, Saturday, 24 December 2011 23:12 (twelve years ago) link
srsly
― mookieproof, Saturday, 24 December 2011 23:12 (twelve years ago) link
ya rly
― Too Many Headphones (MarkG oo la showaddywaddy), Wednesday, 28 December 2011 22:22 (twelve years ago) link