Favorite XTC song?

[Coventina]

Poll question: Favorite XTC song?

Ok, there are waaaayyyyy too many of them to list, but here are 10 for your consideration....

On Edit: I didn't include Dear God because that's the one it seems like everyone always says is their fav....
On Further Edit: typo

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. Dear God

how can you not have Dear God????

[Cat Atomic]

3. Yeah- where's Dear God?

:)

[Missy Vixen]

13. Joining the crowd

I like "Dear God" too. I'm voting it as XTC's best tune.

Julie

[Az]

23. Practically my theme song

Definately needs to be on the list.

[trotsky]

36. Another one for "Dear God"

n/t

[zonmoy]

Yes

definately one of their best especially for this maltheist.

[Kusala]

56. Dear God

[Kusala]

57. Ok if I can't pick Dear God, then Books are Burning

[LeftCoast]

58. DG has my vote as well!

If you know of only one song by XTC, this one should be it!

[Pale Blue Dot]

2. Dear God?

HOW could you leave off "Dear God".

[Bossy Monkey]

4. All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)

Ain't I a fun guy?

[Coventina]

5. That's a good choice!

:yourock:

[tridim]

6. Dear God

Easily my fave XTC song and top 5 all time fave. It gives me chills every time.

[ikojo]

7. What about President Kill Again?

Can't think of a more appropriate song for the current occupant of the White House.

[Tikki]

8. She's up there twirling 'round....just like a....

'Helicopter'.




edited: spin; twirl....

[NightTrain]

9. My, does this bring back memories...

...of my teen-aged years, when MTV was actually worth watching!

[FlashHarry]

10. Love on a Farmboy's Wages

Weird, I know, but I always liked that one. Personally, though, I'll take the entire Dukes of Stratosphear album, Psonic Psunspot.

[blondeatlast]

11. Senses Working Overtime, the best, no question,

even better than Dear God.

Clever, intelligent band with a sense of humor. They'd be a complete failure today.

Damn, I miss them.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. English Settlement's a great album

"No Thugs in Our House" is pretty cool tune too. BTW I don't think they'd be a complete failure today.

[mac56]

26. Aren't they still recording?

nm

[NashVegas]

46. EEEEEEEWWWWWWW! Andy's recording something for Fox!

Some TV series called 'Wonderfalls.'

[Kolesar]

45. "And all the world is football shaped"

http://democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=115&topic_id=1795

[NashVegas]

47. :)

"Senses" was the first thing I thought of when I erad that this morning.

[PittPoliSci]

12. the only one i've ever heard.

scissorman, covered by Primus too. badass tune.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

14. Life Begins At The Hop

Boys and Girls...

[DrBB]

16. Needs an "other" category. "Making Plans for Nigel"

...would be high on my list.

I don't actually like "Dear God" very much. It replaced a much better song that was on the initial release of that LP, called "Mermaid Smiled." I thought "Dear God" was too obvious and discursive.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

19. Good tune

and awesome letter in the Times today Doc! You Rule!

[Quahog]

48. I'm with you, Doc

I have been an XTC fan since "Drums and Wires" came out when I was in college. As a lit major, I always had a deep respect for Andy Partridge's ability to spin an extended metaphor and to use language in a creative and evocative way. "Dear God" just seemed like bombast to me, it stuck out horribly on what is otherwise arguably their best album. It sounded then (and still does today) like the lyrics were written in about ten minutes. Way too facile to be coming out of the guy who penned stuff like "Rook," "Chalkhills and Children," "Jason & the Argonauts," "Burning With Optimism's Flames," etc etc etc.

[CanuckAmok]

17. OOH, Seaguls is a great song...but...

but my faves aren't on the list:

Complicated Game
This World Over
Millions

[theemu]

18. Dear God

Hell, I'm a Quaker and I think 'Dear God' is one of the best songs of the past 20 years.

[DeaconBlues]

20. What about the Dukes of Stratosphear?

In my drug-addled opinion the members of XTC did their best work as their alter-egos the Dukes.

[mbartko]

21. Voted for Respectable Street...

based on what was on the list, but including the Dukes album, I would definitely pick "Vanishing Girl".

[CanuckAmok]

31. "The Mole from the Ministry"---WOW! n/t

[FlashHarry]

32. I totally agree.

Psonic Psunspot is a great friggin' album. Buy the CD "Chips From the Chocolate Fireball," which has both the album and their "25 O'Clock" EP on it. Genius!

[Quahog]

22. Holly Up On Poppy

"Every second
Spent with her’s a bulging wallet overstuffed
With angel's pay...
Laughter!"

What can I say, it reminds me of my daughter, I love that song.

When I'm in a typically dark mood, All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late) or Books Are Burning.

Did these guys ever do a BAD song?

[Kolesar]

34. "She has escaped from a world--where they bake beautiful girls"

That is wonderful imagery, and the song is perfect with that calliope-organ music driving that it.

"She talks and banners unfurl
Their secrets crayoned in swirls"

I usually hit repeat on my CD player when playing that song on that album. It is delightful.

[XNASA]

35. Here's what Holly looks like now.

That's Holly Partridge now. Hard to believe she's the offspring of Andy Partridge. Then again, maybe not. It's from a tribute band site if found.

http://www.x-static.org/

[Kolesar]

38. So there was a Holly!

I am not surprised. I recall listening to "Life Begins at the Hop" from a distant Chicago station ,WXRT, in 1980. That would make the Dukes plenty old. I was content imagining Quahog's sweet young daughter, now I have to share that image with a partying Holly. So be it.

[XNASA]

41. That would have been right around the time I saw them....

I'm one of a handful, probably, of Americans who's seen XTC live at least 3 times.

I saw them do back-to-back shows at B. Ginnings in Schaumburg, and I saw them at the Student Center at UIC. All of this around 79-80.

Yes, there is a Holly. And "Poppy" was Holly's horse. Her rocking horse.

So "Holly Up on Poppy" was about Andy's daughter riding her rocking horse.

[Kolesar]

43. What can I say but, way cool!

[hatrack]

55. A friend of mine saw them back in 1979 or 1980

He said that Colin Moulding's feet were in contact with the stage less than half of the time they were on stage - which I thought was an interesting way of putting it!

[mac56]

24. "The Mayor Of Simpleton"

Honorable mention: "I'd Like That".

[Coventina]

27. That one is my personal fav

I didn't put it on the list because of my deep feelings about it.
I know that sounds kind of strange, and not a good reason, but oh well.

Good choice, you have fine taste!

[maxpower]

25. What about Smalltown

That is a great song. But then again just everything they have done is great. What an underrated band. Andy Partride is a genius.

[SiouxJ]

28. Dear God

it's disqualified for being the favorite of the favorites? :shrug:

Well, that's my favorite anyway.

[Coventina]

30. I was just hoping to give some of the other songs some exposure

I have nothing against "Dear God".

I guess I blew it, sorry.

[SiouxJ]

33. You didn't blow it

it just seemed kind of odd. I'm just happy you thought to do an XTC poll in the first place :-) . They're one of my favorite bands.

[XNASA]

29. Voted for "Earn Enough for Us" but,.............

I love them all, nearly. Anything on Skylarking will do.

I even like the newer stuff like "My Brown Guitar" (yet another Partridge ode to his, uh, .......unit).

[Kolesar]

37. "Things we did on grass" (snicker)

Actually, the song title is "Grass"

I will pounce on you
Just us and the Cuckoos
You are helpless now
Over and over we flatten the clover

The boys had wonderful psychedelic influences in their music even before the "Dukes" era. In this song, the double entendre with "grass" is just too much fun. A song about making love on the grass is very 1960s psychedelic on its own, but the way "Grass" is sung, you just cannot ignore the counter culture reference.

I wish I had some grass right now.

[Kolesar]

39. "The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkin Head" always made me think of Bill Clinton

Plots and sex scandals failed outright
Peter merely said, "any kind of love it alright"

But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkin
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead!

[XNASA]

42. You're close.

JFK was the inspiration for PP. Along with MLK.

[corarose]

40. Hey, they are old friends of mine(Were only making plans for Nigel)

I toured with those guys!

[NashVegas]

44. "Another Satellite"

Although I voted for "Respectable Street."

Abort your mission let's just say you tried
Before you glimpse I have a darker darker side
I say why in Heaven's name do you come on these trips
Only to freeze in a total eclipse
Don't need another satellite

So circling we'll orbit another year
Two worlds that won't collide
So circling we'll orbit another year
Moon still tries to steal the tide away

[Jack The Tab]

49. "Stupidly Happy" a.k.a. the Freeper Theme...

I just love that tune...and when I hear it recently, I think of people who think things are just going great these days..

[geniph]

50. Not to simply say me too, but another vote for Dear God

It's been on my personal top ten list of ALL songs for some time.

[BurtWorm]

51. Living Through Another Cuba

is a sentimental favorite. It's got a good beat and you can dance to it.

[Barad Simith]

52. "It's Nearly Africa"

go tell your warboys, go tell all leeches and blind panickers not to try to push our bodies any faster, cuz we're dancing with disaster and the first will be the last

[mr blur]

53. Chalkhills and Children

The best English Beach Boys song that Brian Wilson never wrote. But really, there are so many good ones arent' there?

[hatrack]

54. "The Smartest Monkeys"? "Books Are Burning"? "Wake Up"?

Not that I could possibly pick just one of all those listed, but I thought these were worth at least nominating. ;-)

[librechik]

59. When You're Near me I have Difficulty

best


song






ever

[Norbert]

60. Voted for "Senses" yesterday

but can't believe the number of responses to this thread. Good to see.

I love the entire Skylarking CD and it is probably in my top eight or 10 all time favorites. Not surprising that it has the Todd Rundgren connection.