Rolling Stones Top 500 Songs of All-Time - "I Wanna Be Your Dog" by the Stooges

 

I now get to listen to song number 314, which is "I Wanna Be Your Dog" by the Stooges from 1969.  Honestly, this will be a brand new one for me.  If it's new or old for you, here it is: I Wanna Be Your Dog

Best Attribute:  Guitar play. maybe.
Worst Attribute:  The entire song.

Best Line:  Hardly any different lyrics at all

Worst Line:  "And now I wanna be your dog!?"

Would I listen again: Hell No!

Rolling Stone Ranking:  314

My Current Ranking:  3

Projected Final Ranking:  500

Top 500 Songs of All-Time

1.  Goodbye Earl, The Dixie Chicks

2.  Rapper's Delight, Sugar Hill Gang

3. I Wanna Be Your Dog, The Stooges

Rolling Stones Top 200 Rap Albums of All-Time - BANDANA by Freddie Gibbs and Madlibs

 

This time I was rocking with 197, Bandana Freddie Gibbs and Madlib.  I had heard of Freddie Gibbs, but honestly don't know much about his music.  Some serious criticial acclaim so I am interested..

First Track:  Obrigado, Solid start.  I am intrigued.

Start:  Really smooth guitar riff!

Best Attribute:  Like the backgrounds, so Madlib really producing this.  Some of the lyrics seem simplistic.

Worst Attribute:  Some cheesy lyrics.

Best Song:  Flat Tummy Treat - Has soul.

Worst Song:  Half Manne Half Cocaine - Easily for me the low point of this album.

Most Interesting Song:  Crime Pays - Trippy 70's vibe with guitar and synthesizer (It works).

Most Interesting Quality:  Lots of pop-culture references like "Walter White," "Tinashe," and "Jeff Sessions"

Would I listen again: Probably would yes.  Very unique compared to what I would normally choose in rap, but I enjoyed it.

Who would I like to Re-Make/Re-Imagine this Album:  Bone Thuggs-N-Harmony

Rolling Stone Ranking:  197

My Current Ranking:  2

Projected Final Ranking: 156

Top 200 Rap Albums of All-Time

1.  Illmatic, Nas

2.  Bandana, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib

3.  Enta Da Stage, Black Moon

Rolling Stones Top 500 Albums of All-Time - LOVE DELUXE by Sade

 

The random number generator gave my number 247, which is Love Deluxe by Sade from 1992.  This album is fantastic, and I am so excited to listen to it again.  This came out in college, and I loved it then, and have listened to it in its entirety dozens of times.

First Track:  No Ordinary Love
Start:  An amazing start to the album.  A sensual, rhythmic beat, with equal lyrics, and Sade's sultry voice.  Think Enigma, but with soft guitar and drum.

Best Attribute:  Lots of songs with beats that seem equally fast, and slow - at the same time.  

Worst Attribute:  I couldn't really pick one out.

Best Song:  No Ordinry Love - Other songs are great, but there is a reason this is the defining track of this album.

Worst Song:  Pearls - Not a bad song, just the worst of this album.  I did really like the cymbals in this song, though.

Most Interesting Song:  I Couldn't Love You More - The clapping in the background was very interesting, and a differing characteristic of the rest of the songs on the album.

Most Interesting Quality:  The mix of instrumentation in the various songs; drums, cymbals, piano, guitar, clapping.

Would I listen again: Hell Yeah!

Who would I like to Re-Make/Re-Imagine this Album:  Alicia Keys

Rolling Stone Ranking:  247

My Current Ranking:  1

Projected Final Ranking:  98

Top 500 Albums of All-Time

1.  Love Deluxe, Sade

2.  Ramones, The Ramones

3  John Prine, John Prine

Rolling Stones Top 500 Songs of All-Time - "Goodbye Earl" by Dixie Chicks (Now the Chicks)

 

I was given number 469 by the number generator, and that song is Goodbye Earl by The Dixie Chicks, now The Chicks.  The song was released in 2000.  I have never heard this song before, or at least not that I remember.  I know The Chicks nee The Dixie Chicks, but can't recall this song.  I gave it a listen and you can to:  Goodbye Earl

Best Attribute:  Super sing-songy way to address several serious topics.  And the video stars Dennis Franz, of NYPD Blue fame.
Worst Attribute:  Maybe that it makes light of several various topics, but most listeners will understand the literary devices used and that the happiness and joy in the sound of the song and the lyrics is ironic and serious at the same time.

Best Line:  "Well she finally got the nerve to file for divorce.  She let the law take it from there.  But Earl walked through that restraining order and put her in intensive care."

Worst Line:  "Ain't it dark wrapped up in that tarp, Earl?"

Would I listen again: Yes.  I really liked the song!

Rolling Stone Ranking:  469

My Current Ranking:  1

Projected Final Ranking:  312

Top 500 Songs of All-Time

1.  Goodbye Earl, The Dixie Chicks

2.  Rapper's Delight, Sugar Hill Gang

Rolling Stones Top 200 Rap Albums of All-Time - IlLMATIC by Nas

I received the number 24 from the random number generator, which happens to be Illmatic by Nas.  Frankly, I am shocked that this album is that low.  More like 24 of all-time albums, not just rap albums.  I absolutely love, love, love this album, and was really jamming out to it while doing some work.  Interested in seeing how long this one stays at number 1 in my list.

First Track:  The Genesis, which isn't so much a song, but an intro with small samples of other songs.  Almost a pre-intro as an homage to hat he is going to be doing with this album.

Start:  Honestly, this might be the worst part of the album.

Best Attribute:  Lyricism and flow.  If I am limiting myself to only one "best attribute" (OK - two).

Worst Attribute:  Only 9 tracks outside of The Genesis

Best Song:  The World is Yours - Honestly, this answer probably changes each time I listen, with N.Y. State of Mind, Life's a Bitch, and One Love all taking turns.  This time, it was The World is Yours.

Worst Song:  One Time for Your Mind - Not a bad song at all; this is just the parameters I have chose for my listing that I have to categorize something as "Worst Song."

Most Interesting Song:  Memory Lane (Sittin' in the Park) - A little haunting, maybe?  Just always found it interesting, but indescribable

Most Interesting Quality:  The xylophone in One Love

Would I listen again: Hell Yeah!  Probably even this week!

Who would I like to Re-Make/Re-Imagine this Album:  Naughty by Nature

Rolling Stone Ranking:  24

My Current Ranking:  1

Projected Final Ranking:  No worse that 4 or 5

Top 200 Rap Albums of All-Time

1.  Illmatic, Nas

2.  Enta Da Stage, Black Moon

Rolling Stones Top 500 Albums of All-Time - RAMONES by The Ramones

 

Using the old random number generator, I received number 47, which just so happened to be another self-titled album, "Ramones" by The Ramones, which was released in 1976.  I have definitely heard this album before, but not in a very long time.  Glad to give it another go from start to finish.

First Track:  Blitzkrieg Bop
Start:  Strong, and I mean strong, way to introduce yourself to the world!

Best Attribute:  Very hard-charging, guitar-led rock.  Some of the best punk rock has to offer.

Worst Attribute:  Very one-note.  Not a lot of variation among the tracks.

Best Song:  Blitzkrieg Bop - A definite "Pump-Up" song.  Guitar, bass beat with drums just works! I also enjoyed Let's Dance.

Worst Song:  Now I Wanna Go Sniff Some Glue - I just don't get it, I suppose.  Not the glue-sniffing, the song.

Most Interesting Song:  Havana Affair - Just enough different from the rest (although not really that different)

Most Interesting Quality:  Definitely driving beats.

Would I listen again: Maybe not the album, but definitely many of the songs.

Who would I like to Re-Make/Re-Imagine this Album:  Fall-Out Boy

Rolling Stone Ranking:  47

My Current Ranking:  1

Projected Final Ranking:  210

Top 500 Albums of All-Time

1.  Ramones, The Ramones

2.  John Prine, John Prine

Rolling Stones Top 500 Songs of All-Time - "Rapper's Delight" by Sugar Hill Gang

 

The number generator gave me song number 427, Rapper's Delight by Sugar Hill Gang from 1979.  This song is absolutely iconic.  But is it a "top" song?  You can listen to it here: Rapper's Delight

Best Attribute:  It is the door-opener to the American public for hip-hop.  Great vehicle to introduce the storytelling aspect of rap.
Worst Attribute:  VERY LONG (15 Minuted)!!!  And the multitude of versus seem disjointed, as if they are different songs.  I get the vigniette aspect to the song, and I don't expect it all to be a single story, but the versus aren't always connected.

Best Line:  "You see I am Wonder Mike and I'd like to say hello.  To the black, to the white, the red and the brown, the purple and yellow."  Rap is inclusive.  It is for errybody.

Worst Line:  "And you can be my boyfriend, you surely can.  Just let me quit my boyfriend called Superman."  And even the rest of that segment!

Would I listen again: Absolutely, but usually just the 6+ minute abridged version.

Rolling Stone Ranking:  427

My Current Ranking:  1 (Since it is the first!)

Projected Final Ranking:  The song is way more important than it is good.  Maybe, 489?

Top 500 Songs of All-Time

1.  Rapper's Delight, Sugar Hill Gang

Rolling Stones Top 200 Rap Albums of All-Time - ENTA DA STAGE by Black Moon

 

The number generator spit out #141, which is Enta Da Stage by Black Moon, released in 1993.  I was in college then, and loving the Hip-Hop/R&B scene that was coming out, and I somehow had missed this one, so I was sooo looking forward to hearing it for the first time.  To me, it sounds very much like a product of its time.  Just listening to it and you would never have to tell me in what era it was released.

First Track:  Powaful Impak!

Start:  A very strong start.  Sounds akin to something the Fu-Schnickens would put out.

Best Attribute:  Strong beats - again very reminiscent of the early 90s jazz/fusion rap, or conscious rap.

Worst Attribute:  Some very trite, boring lines, like "I'm a full course meal ur a one dollar hero."

Best Song:  Niguz Talk Shit - I loved the trumpet on this song, along with the entire background.

Worst Song:  Buck Em Down - It sounds exactly like the title makes you think it would sound

Most Interesting Song:  U Da Man - I thought that I was listening to the Lost Boyz

Most Interesting Quality:  The interplay between Buckshot and Smif-n-Wessun on Black Smif-n-Wessun

Would I listen again: Probably, but only after I grew tired of other time period conscious rap

Who would I like to Re-Make/Re-Imagine this Album:  A Tribe Called Quest

Rolling Stone Ranking:  141

My Current Ranking:  1 (Since it is the first!)

Projected Final Ranking:  Not knowing what is coming next, maybe 160

Top 200 Rap Albums of All-Time

1.  Enta Da Stage, Black Moon

Rolling Stones Top 500 Albums of All-Time - JOHN PRINE by John Prine

 

The number generator spit out #149, which just so happened to be John Prine's self-titled album from 1971.  I had never heard this album prior to this listen.  Although I have heard lots of John Prine's songs, I had never just set and listened to this album start to finish.  It is definitely twangy, but the songs are classic John Prine, and thus an interesting start to this process.

First Track:  Illegal Smart
Start:  First Verse was a great start to the song and album, but the chorus lost me.  Very silly.

Best Attribute:  The fiddle was great throughout the album, definitely different than what I expect to hear on most of the albums in this list, even though it did get a bit much being on every song.

Worst Attribute:  Very one-note.  A lot of the songs were very similar.

Best Song:  Far From Me - I enjoyed this song from start to finish.  Lots of emotions.

Worst Song:  Quiet Man - I dislike songs with obvious progressions, and this song had the days of the week progression ... On Monday, yadda yadda, yadda ... On Tuesday yadda, yadda, yadda

Most Interesting Song:  Hello in There - Mixed slow and fast tempos, and very soulful

Most Interesting Quality:  Definitely foreshadows In Spite of Ourselves feature Iris DeMent

Would I listen again: Not to this whole album.

Who would I like to Re-Make/Re-Imagine this Album:  Pearl Jam

Rolling Stone Ranking:  149

My Current Ranking:  1 (Since it is the first!)

Projected Final Ranking:  425ish

Top 500 Albums of All-Time

1.  John Prine, John Prine

Welcome, Redux

Welcome once again to my Music Review Blog.  Just so that we are all on the same page, this isn't a traditional music review blog, where you can look to find information on new - or even old - music, songs, albums, records, etc.  This is a single-purpose blog.  I will be listening to the Top 500 albums of all time as ranked by Rolling Stone magazine, The Top 200 rap albums of all time as ranked by Rolling Stone Magazine, and the Top 500 songs of all time, as ranked by Rolling Stone magazine.  This will be discussing those - and only those - albums.  

There will not be any high-level music discussion, just simply my thoughts on each album, from 500 to 1 for album, 200 to 1 for rap albums, including items like my favorite song, my least favorite song,  have I heard the album before, would I listen to it again, and do I think that album was overranked, underranked or appropriately ranked.  I also think I am going to try to add which artist I would like to re-do, re-mix, re-record, or otherwise cover that album based on sound and who I think might make it sound different and hopefully better.  For the songs, I will list many of the same things.

After my brief review, I will add each of the albums (and song) into their own list (Best Album, Best Rap Album, Best Song) for a cumulative ranking of my own.  Of course, the first of each category will be ranked number 1 for the time being.  For how long, who knows?  I will be using a random number generator to determine which album and song I will be listening, reviewing, and ranking.

This is likely going to take me a long time to complete, but hey, I still get to listen to a lot of great albums and songs, and hopefully find some to which I had not previously been exposed. 

Anyway - welcome and enjoy.