The greatest lost track of all time?
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We’d like to thank you all….for reading. We’d like to thank you all for reading our blog.
Lists are like fingerprints: everybody’s got their own. But before you say, “we’ve been had,” we want to know your opinion.
Which of you’re favorite songs aren’t on the list, that deserve to be? How would you rank Jeff Tweedy’s greatest songs? What are JT’s finest lyrical moments?
Let’s get this party started.
Here’s our top 20:
- “Misunderstood”
- “Ashes of American Flags”
- “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart”
- “A Shot In The Arm”
- “Hummingbird”
- “New Madrid”
- “Heavy Metal Drummer”
- “Jesus, Etc.”
- “Please Tell My Brother”
- “Remember the Mountain Bed”
- “Laminated Cat”
- “Sunken Treasure”
- “Gun”
- “Wilco (The Song)”
- “Impossible Germany”
- “I Can’t Keep From Talking”
- “She’s A Jar”
- “Promising”
- “That’s Not The Issue”
- “The Long Cut”
I was hoping to see “Passenger Side” from the AM album on the list. The song was relevant to me when it came out in ’95, and it is relevant now. Shows you how much I’ve grown up. I still don’t have more than “$5 I can put in the tank.”
“Bob Dylan’s Beard” would also have been nice. I dont’ like the song so much as I’m admirer of the maestro’s actual beard. My beard comes in full, but I always wanted one of those scraggly tweener beards you see so much around trailer parks.
Otherwise, it was a great list and a joy to read.
I would have liked to see more B-sides like Cars Can’t Escape, Venus Stop the Train, etc. I also wanted to see Hell Is Chrome on this list. Best track from A Ghost Is Born, in my opinion.
“Via Chicago” is the glaring omission.
I didn’t like the inclusion of the Woody Guthrie penned lyric “Remember the Mountain Bed” as I don’t think Tweedy adds much to the song musically or artistically. The song is a great lyric, a poem really. I think Tweedy’s greatest accomplishment on those records is “California Stars”. Musically it’s much different than anything Guthrie could have envisioned for the song, but the song wouldn’t work unless it sounded like that. It’s a masterpiece, imo.
Very solid list in general.
I would have put Impossible Germany in the top 5, that song is by far the best song of Sky Blue Sky. Wico (The Song) is what you picked off the new album, I think that is the worst song on the new album. I would have gone with I’ll Fight, some of my favorite lyrics Jeff has ever written….
“You’ll wake with a start from a dream
And know that I am gone
You’ll feel it in your heart but not for very long
You’ll rise each day as planned
Your will as your command
And stand each Sunday
A hymnal steady in your hand
And you’ll sing to yourself the rising, falling melody
That you could never read
Without the choir’s lead
Still alone and lost indeed
And your soul will not be free
I will go, I will go, I will go
Into war’s waters, I will wade
And I will know without remorse
Or regret the fairness of our trade
For you to live, I took your place
A deal was made and I was paid
And in gold as I was told
With a place where my body could be laid
You will steer your life and die old in bed at home
Surrounded by your peers
Without suffering or fear
Grandchildren far and near
And none will shed a tear
For their love no longer here “
A fun list to read through…however, I was disappointed that neither At Least That’s What You Said nor Muzzle of Bees were included on the list – the two numbers that, together, make Ghost Tweedy’s master album.
Also, I agree with Matt. I’ll Fight is one of most beautiful and jarring songs Tweedy has ever written.
1. Jesus Etc.
2. Ashes of American Flags
3. Outtasite (Outta Mind)
4. When You Wake Up Feeling Old
5. Heavy Metal Drummer
I don’t know that I can even fathom a “top” list of Jeff’s lyrics. They’re that great to me. He is the Lennon of my generation, as far as I’m concerned. You guys did a great job of capturing most of my faves. I might have added Muzzle of Bees, Forget The Flowers, I’m Always In Love, Poor Places, etc. etc. I could go on and on and on.
I absolutely love ´I’m Always In Love´ though it’s a more straightforward song. Spiders (Kidsmoke) and Impossible Germany would definitely be in my top 5. But just like Hamm I Am said, I could go on and on…
1- Jesus , etc.
2- Sunken Treasure
3- Via Chicago
4- Misunderstood
5- Shot in the Arm
6- Radio King
7- Poor Places
8- Pieholden Suite
9- When You Wake Up Feeling Old
10- Ashes of American Flags
1- Misunderstood
2- Via Chicago
3- Ashes of American Flags
4- She’s a Jar
5- Forget the Flowers
6- I Must be High
7- Handshake Drugs
8- Impossible Germany
9- Summer Teeth
10- Kettle Pot Black
A topic I’ve been waiting to discuss for a long time. And great that you’ve included all Tweedy’s library and not just Wilco songs. I’ve always thought about that way too. I’m surprised you left off Muzzle of Bees, Via Chicago (cause everyone seems to love that one), and Screen Door (given your top 15, I thought you’d include it). Here’s mine:
1. Jesus, etc.
2. Ashes of American Flags
3. Shot in the Arm
4. I’m Trying to Break Your Heart
5. She’s a Jar
6. Misunderstood
7. Muzzle of Bees
8. Impossible Germany
9. New Madrid
10. Hummingbird
11. Pot Kettle Black
12. Nothingseverygonnastandinmywayagain
13. Heavy Metal Drummer
14. Screen Door
15. Sunken Treasure
16. Gun
17. Lonely 1
18. Please Tell My Brother
19. That’s Not the Issue
20. Far, far away
If including Tweedy/Guthrie – I would include Remember the Mountain Bed and Airline to Heaven in top 10.
It’d be great to get Tweedy himself to respond and list his top 20!
I think the answer you get depends on the question you ask. Are we looking for the best song over all or the best written song lyrically? If it is the latter, I don’t know that Impossible Germany makes the list, if the former, it may be number 1.
that said, here is my list, based on lyrically excellence:
1. Radio Cure
2. Misunderstood
3. Ashes of America Flags
4. Handshake Drugs
5. Hummingbird
6. Via Chicago
7. Jesus Etc
8. That’s Not the Issue
9. Shot in the Arm
10. Box Full of Letters
And… Tweedy’s overall best crafted songs:
1. Via Chicago
2. Impossible Germany
3. Misunderstood
4. Heavy Metal Drummer
5. Kingpin
6. Shot in the Arm
7. Say You Miss Me
8. Gun
9. Reservations
10. I am trying to break your heart
1. Pieholden suite
2. She’s a jar
3. Muzzle of bees
4. War on war
5. Misunderstood
6. You are my face
7. Via chicago
8. Hell is chrome
9. Jesus etc
10. Ashes of america
11. Impossible germany
12. Red eyed and blue
13. How do you fight the lonliness
14. Solitaire
15. Shot in the arm
16. Side with the seeds
17. Hummingbird
18. Radio cure
19. At least that’s what you said
20. Country disappered
OK, I did not look at the lists above,yet, as I do not want them to color my list. This is a good question.
1. I am trying to break you heart
2. Misunderstood
3. Shot in the arm
4. I must be high
5. Impossible Germany
6. At least that’s what you said
7. Gun
8. Kamera
9. Ashes of american flags
10. Poor places
11. Bull black nova
12. New Madrid
13. Sunken treasure
14. Hotel Arizona
15. She’s a jar
16. Spiders
17. Acuff Rose
18. Wilco (the song)
19. We’ve been had
20. Handshake drugs
21. Theologians
amazing list and comments
i found a few new songs and fell in love with wilco again today…..
not that i had ever fallen out.
i’ll try to find the chelsea walls soundtrack immediately.
Muzzle of Bees is a personal favorite, seems all but forgotten…only heard it the first time I saw them at Bonnarroo several years ago. I loved it then.
1. Via Chicago
2. A Shot in the Arm
3. War on War
4. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
5. Handshake Drugs
6. The Ruling Class
7. Company in My Back
8. Laminated Cat
9. Theologians
10. Forget the Flowers
11. Hell Is Chrome
12. Passenger Side
13. Poor Places
14. Sunken Treasure
15. Hate It Here
16. Country Disappeared
17. Reservations
18. You Are My Face
19. You Never Know
20. How To Fight Loneliness
Runners-up:
21. Ashes of American Flags
22. Impossible Germany
23. Wishful Thinking
24. I’ll Fight
25. Monday
1. Black Eye 2. Hotel Arizona 3. New Madrid 4. Impossible Germany 5. Wait Up 6. Walk Where He Walked 7. Airline To Heaven 8. Company In My Back 9. Casino Queen 10. Too Far Apart 11. Radio King 12. The Long Cut 13. Jesus Etc. 14. Box Full Of Letters 15. Misunderstood 16. Blue Eyed Soul 17. Spiders (Kidsmoke) 18. We’ve Been Had 19. She’s A Jar 20. Lost Love
1. Please Be Patient With Me
01.Via Chicago
02.I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
03.Jesus, etc.
04. Ashes of American Flags
05.Pieholden Suite
06.Reservations
07.Hummingbird
08.Sunken Treasure
09.Misunderstood
10.Radio Cure
11.A Shot in the Arm
12.Handshake Drugs
13.She’s a Jar
14.Laminated Cat
15.Black Eye
16.Gun
17.The Lonely One
18.How To Fight Loneliness
19. We’re Just Friends
20.Summerteeth
Oh, lyrically, it’s gotta be:
1. Student Loan Stereo
2. I’m A Wheel
3. Kicking Television
4. Let’s Hear it for Rock
5. Just a Kid
6. ELT
7. The Late Greats
8. This Is New
9. Hey Chicken
10. Hate it Here
So many of you are ignoring Poor Places.
Glad to see Hotel Arizona get mentioned.
We’re Just Friends is another glaring absence.
There are too many though. Was happy to see Black Eye mentioned as well.
Theologians really, really, really should be on the list. And I think the best track on Wilco (the Album) is definitely One Wing, which also could have been included. Other than that — solid.
Missing from the list:
You Never Know
The Late Greats
No Depression
Sky Blue Sky
Bull Black Nova
Via Chicago
Kamera
Radio Cure
Theologians
Handshake Drugs
If you’re including Woody Guthrie songs, California Stars is the greatest ever.
Ultimately, this is a great list. I’m not sure it makes sense to include any of the Mermaid Avenue songs, but if so, I’d agree with Mountain Bed but add One by One and CA Stars.
As for songs I think are missing:
Poor Places
Sunken Treasure
Pieholden Suite
Via Chicago
What Light
I’ll Fight
Less Than You Think