Good songs that are ruined by a section

[mosholu]

My friends and I were sitting in the pub tonight and we started to discuss certain songs that are good, if not exceptional, except for one part or a verse of lyrics that is weak and takes away from the whole song. For me, I was thinking of Volunteers by the Airplane. Great song until they get to the tear down the walls part. A second song that came up was Looks Like Rain by the Dead where the verse that includes street cats making love is just awful and hurts the whole song. Another song that came up is the Springsteen song Reno on Devils and Dust.
Does anyone else have a song that was damaged by one part that was out of kilter with the rest of the tune. Maybe they could not come up with some thing better or they were convinced of their own genius.

[stcroixman]

Respetfully disagree about Volunteers. Great Great album. A lot of music is personal preference. I like the section about tear down the walls.


Favorite song on that album has to be wooden ships. Now I will have to pull that record out and give it a spin.

[rphud]

Any Stones where Keith takes lead/solo instead of Mick

[rphud]

p.s. Don't get me wrong (we's talking guitar of course)

[chrisjoe13]

Originally Posted by mosholu

My friends and I were sitting in the pub tonight and we started to discuss certain songs that are good, if not exceptional, except for one part or a verse of lyrics that is weak and takes away from the whole song. For me, I was thinking of Volunteers by the Airplane. Great song until they get to the tear down the walls part. A second song that came up was Looks Like Rain by the Dead where the verse that includes street cats making love is just awful and hurts the whole song. Another song that came up is the Springsteen song Reno on Devils and Dust.
Does anyone else have a song that was damaged by one part that was out of kilter with the rest of the tune. Maybe they could not come up with some thing better or they were convinced of their own genius.

In regards to the Dead (whom I love), when Donna G. opens here mouth (73-78), its time to skip ahead. Also, "look like rain" makes me want to puke! Its on a short list of tunes that I just can't listen to.

[mosholu]

Well I like Looks Like Rain on Ace because of the pedal steel solo but live it has not bee n a killer. If you are not a Donna fan check out the Fall 71 tour which was Keith's first with the band and there was no Donna or Mickey Hart that is my favorite period of the Dead. See DP 2 Download Series Vol 3 and Road Trips v3.2 if you want to hear some shows. I have a wee bit of sympathy for Donna as she always claimed she could not hear the band because of the mix. In her earlier life she was one of the background singers at Muscle Shoals so she could not have too bad. However the tapes do not lie (although they may distort) and she never really found a niche in the band.

[chrisjoe13]

Originally Posted by mosholu

Well I like Looks Like Rain on Ace because of the pedal steel solo but live it has not bee n a killer. If you are not a Donna fan check out the Fall 71 tour which was Keith's first with the band and there was no Donna or Mickey Hart that is my favorite period of the Dead. See DP 2 Download Series Vol 3 and Road Trips v3.2 if you want to hear some shows. I have a wee bit of sympathy for Donna as she always claimed she could not hear the band because of the mix. In her earlier life she was one of the background singers at Muscle Shoals so she could not have too bad. However the tapes do not lie (although they may distort) and she never really found a niche in the band.

I like that era too (check out the Big Railroad from 11/7/71). Keith had that "old time saloon piano sound" in the beginning. Later (77-78) he was pretty much asleep at the wheel.
No sympathy for Donna when she causes me to sprint across my house to quickly get to the volume. Its amazing how great some of the 77 stuff is despite the two of them.