The Best Album of All Time
March 30th, 2007 at 8:55 am by CrankyImagine that you’re flying to Australia for a fabulous vacation. All is going well until the number three engine catches fire. The pilot in a concerned but steady voice informs you that the plane is losing altitude and that you should prepare for a water landing in the Pacific Ocean.
Fortunately for you, you were actually listening to the stewardess’ pre-flight safety instructions. The plane descends. There is turbulence and the sounds of panic from your fellow passengers. Suddenly there is a horrible noise as the plane hits the water and rebounds like a giant skipping stone. You don’t remember much beyond that – only screams of panic and gut-wrenching sounds of metal and plastic breaking.
When you regain consciousness, you are smartly attached to your floatation device and in eyeshot of an island. Tragically, no one else listened to the stewardess so you appear to be the only survivor. One idiot almost made it, but he strapped himself to the Black Box thinking it was indestructible. It is, but it also weighs 700lbs.
Where was I. Oh yeah. When you finally make it to the shore of the beach and take a personal inventory – ten toes, two arms, etc. – you conclude that you are indeed alive and well.
You are now free practice the only island discipline you prepared for throughout high school and college. You think about the one album you would have with you if you were marooned on a desert island which miraculously has a record player.
So, what is the album?
For me, it’s easy. Quadrophenia. It’s The Who at their musical high point and dang near their creative zenith. From age 16 though 41, there has always been something in those four records sides to enjoy. And don’t even get me started about the life milestones that are marked with the songs. Best songs; The Real Me, The Punk and the Godfather, I’m One and Dr. Jimmy.
(h/t to Billy for the suggestion)
March 30th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Social Distortion LIVE AT THE ROXY
most (but not all) of their best songs and the crowd noise would make me feel like I was not on a FREAKING DESERT ISLAND!!!
March 30th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Dammit Cranky. This is going to be swimming around in my head for three days. And I have so many things to do. I’ll get back to you. Kay?
March 30th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Back in Black
March 30th, 2007 at 11:53 am
I only get ONE? Boy…that would be tough.
Do the rules exclude “Greatest Hits or compilation” albums? I think they should…or I might choose “18 Screamers from the 80′s”
Right now…and ONLY right now (meaning I’ll change my mind soon), I’d pick McCartney’s “Band on the Run”. Much of that has to do with good memories…and some of that is just to impress Sharon.
Also considering:
Damn the Torpedos…Tom Petty
Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player…Elton John
The White Album…The Beatles
Pet Sounds…The Beach Boys
Back in Black…AC/DC
Dark Side of the Moon…Pink Floyd
Breakfast in America…Supertramp
Pop Goes the World…Men Without Hats
Yes…Men Without Hats. Laugh if you will…
I am sure to expound on this through the weekend….
March 30th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Layla – Derek & the Dominoes.
March 30th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
If I’m on my way to Australia, it can only be AC/DC’s Back in Black.
THE rock anthem.
Any chance the record player came with some hellatious amps and speakers attached? ‘Cause that would sure help sweeten the deal.
March 30th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Easy one, without a doubt…
Fritz Yankovich – Polka-cide
March 30th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Tom Waits – Swordfishtrombones
March 30th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Where do you get
those blue blue jeans?
Faded patched secret so tight.
Where do you get
that walk oh so lean?
Your shoes and your shirts
all just right.
Ah… Poetry…
March 30th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Decade, Neil Young.
March 30th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Hell, if you’re on an island…
Greatest Hits: Jimmy Buffett
March 30th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
If there could be only one album, and Billy was on the other side of the island clasping Dark Side of the Moon to his chest, I would have to sneak over and steal it. Especially if my island had quadrophonic sound. You have to have quadrophonic sound for when the guy runs between your ears in the beginning, and the orgasmic backing vocals in that one song. You know which one. I never read the names.
March 30th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
What a bunch of posers. This is the biggest Debbie Gibson “Electric Youth” loving crowd if there ever was one.
Did I say “Electric Youth”? I mean Sonic Youth. Either way, they’re all over 40.
March 30th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Metallica’s Ride the Lightning
March 30th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
It’s surprising that there is so much AC/DC. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I bet Yid would have picked AC/DC too if he hadn’t pissed away his choice on Weird Al’s dad.
Yes, Billy I’m laughing.
Metallica, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Clapton and Social Distortion – what a great cross section.
May we never have a Celine Dion among our island rockers.
March 30th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
[...] when OK Computer burst onto the scene, and it was a very important album for me… but if I was stuck on a deserted island… I’m going with something I think I can listen to over and over… probably some [...]
March 30th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Bob Marley-Legends.
Billy, I AM impressed. I need to borrow a few of those from your side of the island.
March 30th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Gotta be Abbey Road. Good mix of sadness, despair, anger and joy.
Which is what I’d be feeling having survived a plane crash and ended up on some palm-tree strewn desert island.
/with my luck, it’d be Guam, and the locals would be driving by in pickups sucking down meth like it was ice cudes and shooting cocounuts out of the trees.
March 30th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
It’s just ignorant to have to pick just one. Especially with my 80 GB i-pod. I’ve got nearly everything on it. So we’ll go with 5.
XTC – Skylarking
The Church – Heyday
Joe Marc’s Brother – Around the Year With Joe Marc’s Brother
Hot Hot Heat – Elevator
Echo and the Bunnymen – Ocean Rain
Well shit. That leaves out about 30 others. Screw this.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:09 am
Heck, if everyone’s going to smuggle in extras, then I’m adding Aerosmith’s Toys in the Attic and Boston’s Boston.
And by everyone, I mean two of you.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:38 am
“The Song Remains The Same” – Led Zeppelin.
“Quadrophenia?” Puh-leaze. If I’m getting stuck on an island with the Who, it’s going to be “Tommy.”
Cuz that hearing-impaired, speech-impaired, sight-impaired kid can play a mean pinball.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:45 am
OK, changed my mind again. Now it’s Billy Joel’s “The Stranger”…
Preston, I am WAY impressed with some of your choices. Anyone else got XTC, The Church and Echo in their MP3s? Besides me and Preston?
Michele, I’d give up Dark Side of the Moon for you…and only you. Because I know you’d appreciate it.
Crap. Now I’ve changed my mind again. Hotel California by the Eagles…
See…that is why MP3 players are so clutch. Because if we ever did go down in a plane, we could clutch our solar powered MP3 players and Ipods and still retain our music.
OK, I’ve settled on one now. Morning Wood by The Rugburns. “Why you goin’ out with that Gold’s Gym guy?”
Smantix, I’m not a Debbie Gibson guy…but I AM down with the Go Gos. Especially “Talk Show”.
Cranky, deal with the Men Without Hats. Try it…you’ll like it.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:50 am
So who gets to play DJ at Prickfest?
March 31st, 2007 at 1:57 am
Ok, Cranky… You busted me on Wierd Al’s old man… I could survive on “Highway To Hell” or “If You Want Blood… You’ve Got It!” AC/DC rokks! \m/
March 31st, 2007 at 2:09 am
I suggest we just whip out Preston’s MP3 player and hit “shuffle play”…
March 31st, 2007 at 9:45 am
Billy, there will be no “whipping out” of anything on or near Preston. Izzat clear?
Funny thing is this “desert island collection” game used to make more sense 20 years ago. Nowadays, most of us would have our 500 favorites on our iPods.
Vinnie = Wicked Uncle Ernie?
March 31st, 2007 at 10:18 am
Billy,
My second choice was Go-Go’s greatest hits. Cause a girl needs cheering up when she’s stuck on an island. They’re also my housecleaning soundtrack, and I’d need the energy to get off my butt and build a shelter.
I used to listen to Dark Side of the Moon on my headphones by the pool and just zone out. So it might not be an effective survival album for me.
Hotel California was another I was quibbling over. “Why do we give up our hearts to the past? Why do we grow up so fast?” One of my favorite lines.
March 31st, 2007 at 10:22 am
As a huge Who fan, I can’t argue much with Cranky. I had the extreme pleasure to hang out with John Entwistle for a couple of days down in Mexico and again in New York, backstage at a show in 2000. One of the nicest guys; too bad he left us at a relatively young age.
March 31st, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Michele,
Talk Show is a great listen all the way through. If you don’t own it, you should. Belinda was at the height of her drug abuse (before she started cleaning up to go solo), and Jane was tripping. And the girls were all fighting…
You can kind of hear the controlled chaos in the music…it’s frenetic, then depressing, then uplifting, then contentious.
Or you can just say it’s The Go Gos and it’s just good fun.
Either way…one of my faves of the 80s and would certainly make the the gym bag full of CD’s I would try to get onto the island.
Another contender…The Cars first album. And I am glad AD got Boston’s 1st into the discussion…
Which leads us to another discussion we should have someday (but not necessarily in this thread)…great first albums.
April 1st, 2007 at 7:01 pm
You hurt me Gordo. Cut me deep.
Cousin Kevin, that’s more me.
April 1st, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Forgot the…
April 1st, 2007 at 9:01 pm
I have Echo in my Ipod, Billy. From Crocodiles, the most appropriate song to this meme has to be Rescue!
April 1st, 2007 at 9:38 pm
I knew you had good taste, Annika. BTW, does the end of your blog mean you won’t be blogging here anymore? Any chance we can keep you around?
I have two more albums I’d have to find room for…The Outfield’s “Play Deep” and Lone Justice’s first album.
BTW, Lone Justice covered Tom Petty’s “Ways to Be Wicked…here is the video:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AOCT5RDnJIY
Sorry for the poor quality of the video, but the tune is great.
April 1st, 2007 at 11:39 pm
If Preston will have me, I’d love to stay on here.:grin:
April 3rd, 2007 at 7:09 am
If greatest hits collections are possible, give me Beatles 1962-66 or 1967-70.
I’d settle for Who’s Next.
April 3rd, 2007 at 8:33 am
No no no, Basil. One does not settle for the Who.
But I love those albums. You’re referring to the two records with blue and red borders, right?
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:11 am
Yes, those are the ones.
And no disrespect was intended against Messrs. Townshend, Moon, Entwistle, and Daltrry (or Jones, even). It’s just that, if I can’t take the best of the greatest band of all time, I’d take the best disc of the second greatest band of all time.
April 3rd, 2007 at 12:30 pm
I still have those Beatles albums in vinyl, but can’t find the CDs…
So if you went with a Beatles NON-compilation, which would be your favorite? I’d go with the White Album with Revolver a close second…
Basil…be careful. Two things will get Cranky cranky. Denigration of toads or The Who.
Add Synchronicity by The Police…
April 3rd, 2007 at 6:26 pm
From Hot Air, the legend of Keith Richards continues.
With everything this guy has ingested, I fully believe Richards will never die. When the nuclear holocaust comes, the survivors will be cockroaches and Richards…and knowing this freak, he’ll probably both eat and procreate with them.