Nirvana Song Called Best of Past 25 Years

AP (Via Yahoo) ^ | 06/10/03 | Christy Lemire

[GSWarrior]

Although not many people heard it when it first came out and it didn't really "define" an era, Allison by Elvis Costello would be near the top of my list.

[gcruse]

Well, if it can't be Led Zeppelin's 'Cashmere,'
then it has to be 'Doo Wah Diddy.'

[VOA]

bump

[habs4ever]

That whole album was a masterpiece, and he reeled off three great one's one year after another.The creativity of that short time period was unreal, and Costello was a big part of that scene.

[habs4ever]

Ah, you have knitwear on you mind, think of the dope instead ;-)

[willieroe]

And how does this list find room for The Knack's "My Sharona" but not for "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits?

[joebuck]

Uggggh. I don't think SLTS is the best song of the last 25 years but compared to the other songs listed in the article it's a masterpiece. The other songs mentioned are tinker toy, cookie cutter, music by the numbers, cr*p. No wonder the music industry is in the toilet if that's the best stuff in the last 25 years.

Interesting that I find myself more and more listening to jazz and swing music over the last five to ten years. It's the only stuff that isn't totally predictable and has a complex fresh sound. With music these days you have to look back to see forward.

[Billthedrill]

Common to both Nirvana (especially Teen Spirit) and Guns 'n' Roses is that both bands put the nasty, angry edge back into rock at periods when it was slipping into sappy irrelevance. It isn't an altogether good thing - neither band provided what is loosely termed a "role model" for young listeners (unless rampant alcohol and heroin use is the role you're after). I'm not entirely sure why rock needs that element, but without it the whole becomes meaningless hedonism.

Teen Spirit is a very angry song, although it isn't clear from the somewhat opaque lyrics exactly what was pissing the singer off. "A mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido," isn't exactly anthem material, but the guitar work was glorious and the timing perfect. But I get a clue from "with the lights out, not so dangerous, here we are now, entertain us" - Kurt's singing about his audience and he doesn't like them all that much. Point taken, and driven home by about twenty repetitions of "Denial!" over the power chords at the end.

"Smells like Teen Spirit," BTW, appears nowhere in the lyrics. Supposedly it was a graffito painted by one of Cobain's ex-girlfriends, alluding to her "marking" of him with her eponymous deodorant. Strange bunch, actually, I know some of this crowd, and they sure do make it interesting in the Seattle clubs. But some are very disturbed, and none more so than Kurt Cobain. RIP.

[SamAdams76]

Wrong era. Carl Douglas's classic number one hit "Kung Fu Fighting" came out in 1974 - nearly 30 years ago. So that song is disqualified from this particular contest.

I have no problem with a Nirvana song being named best of the past 25 years however. Though I would have picked a better song. There are at least a dozen and a half Nirvana songs that blow "Teen Spirit" away. I have nostalgic feeling towards Nirvana. I was 30 years old when they hit big and they were the last rock band I really liked. Since then, I've been more into country and oldies. I don't like much about the rock scene today. Some good stuff but it's too hit and miss to bother listening to a rock radio station. Besides, they play too much of that angry rock/rap hybrid crap.

The grunge days were fun. Hopefully I will see another rock revoluton before I get too old to care. But for now, I'll have to sate my rock appetite on the Led Zeppelin DVD/CDs that just came out.

[cardinal4]

As a former Dead Head, Im kind of biased. That Seattle stuff didnt do anything for me. I always liked the cool stuff; Little Feat, JGB, the Stones, the Dead, Hot Tuna, etc. I dont think Nirvana or STP or any of those grunge bands will still be being played in 2050, but the Beatles and the Stones will. Im older, conservative, sober, with a mortgage and kids, but I still love the Fat Man! Just my opinion!

[Alberta's Child]

If nothing else, "Smells like Teen Spirit" will always be remembered because the music video for Weird Al Yankovic's parody of this song is an all-time classic.

[Pahuanui]

Important in what way? Because they influenced a bunch of garage sound bands that can't find guitar players that can play interesting leads?

Aside from the importance of Nirvana, what does playing 'interesting' leads have to do anything? It's not the prime criterium for quality in rock music, and can really detract from it, at times.

When you consider all of the music over the past 25 years...(since 1978) I don't that even Nirvana makes the top 100. imo

After Nevermind in 1991, nothing was ever quite the same, for better and for worse. That album alone was the single greatest factor in bringing punk, post-punk and 'indie' rock immediately and unmistakably into mainstream American music culture.

That, and Kobain's song writing, melodic sense and Grohl's drumming created a touchstone for both the end of one era and the beginning of another.

[Notforprophet]

No mention of any Yes, what about Rush and Genesis? No Dream Theater?! Bah, this list is a pathetic parade of pop putrecence.

Nirvana was a good band, but Soundgarden or Alice in Chains have a much broader body of work, even Foo Fighters is a better band than Nirvana.

IMHO

NFP

[Tadhg]

The Clash - London Calling only No. 38....call the Florida Supreme Court, a recall is needed !

[Chi-townChief]

Nahhh. The best rock song in the past 25 years has to be "Rock Lobster" by the B-52s and the Clash "Should I Stay or Should I Go" would also be right up there.

[DallasJ7]

What a terrible list, even by usual list standards. Nirvana is heavily overrated, although I acknowledge their importance. And Eminem's Lose Yourself at #4? Come on now, honestly. There is a severe lack of Talking Heads here, considering they were one of the best bands of the past 25 years, if not the best.

[Billthedrill]

No mention of any Yes, what about Rush and Genesis? No Dream Theater?

(Sob!) No one listens to head music anymore...but maybe me and thee...

[decimon]

POP SUCKS

And Mom?

[Petronski]

I haven't seen your mother in a while.

[gcruse]

I came late to the music, and never to the dope, that brand anyway. Sorry for the misspell.