Top Ten, Bottom Ten

[bambooflute]

When you ask fans what their favorite songs are, you usually get one of two major responses: some people claim their favorites fluctuate depending on their mood or the day that you ask them, while others will say their lists will remain mostly the same over time, with only the occasional variation.  Of course, new releases can impact the lists as fresh songs work their ways into the minds and hearts of fans.  For many years prior to 2012, new IA/Tull works were pretty thin on the ground, but with the arrival of TAAB2 and HE there are more selections to love (or hate!).

I belong to the second category of fans; my lists of favorites has remained pretty consistent for years.  This also applies to my least favorites. So... without further ado, here are my two lists: the top ten (Best of Tull/IA) and the bottom ten (Worst of Tull/IA).  Please feel free to share your lists - I would love to see them. I find the rich diversity of Tull music -  and the reaction to it - is something to be celebrated.


My Top Ten Songs (Best of Tull/IA)

ROOTS TO BRANCHES
SKATING AWAY...
DUN RINGILL
WOND'RING AGAIN
REASONS FOR WAITING
PART OF THE MACHINE
A RAFT OF PENGUINS
ROCKS ON THE ROAD
SONGS FROM THE WOOD
CLASP
(...and I could go on and on and on!)

My Bottom Ten Songs (Worst of Tull/IA)

AQUALUNG
TO CRY YOU A SONG
TEACHER
HYMN 43
MINSTREL IN THE GALLERY
SON
SWEET DREAM
BUNGLE IN THE JUNGLE
PIGEON FLYING OVER BERLIN ZOO
BLACK MAMBA

(Thankfully, there aren't too many more to add for this list!)


-David

[Quizz Kid]

For me this is a difficult one.

My top ten can vary greatly day to day, and by mood and events. Apart from The Who, Kate Bush and a smattering of other musicians, no one comes really close to offering a catalogue of music to satisfy me as does Ian and the other members who have made up Tull or his other band supports over what has been most of my life.

So, I'll pass on the top ten as that is fluid with the exceptions of TaaB, APP, Summerday Sands, Strip Cartoon, Michael Collins Jeffrey and Me and Life's a long song which would pretty much always sneak in most of the time. and whilst not wanting to play on the negative side of Tull, I'd nominate the following as my least liked Tull pieces, in no particular order....

1. Too Old to Rock and Roll [ which I actually really like in the context of the album, but hate it out of context and when it's played for it's sing-along-aTull value at gigs];

2. Driving Song - Love the bass, but this song nearly put e off being more drawn into Tull when I first heard it;

3. Kissing Willie - I love a 'Carry-on' style double entendre as much as the nest person but lyrically for me not one of Ian's high points;

4. Bouree - Loved it at first, got tired of it in the live context and now hate the fact that it's seen by many outside the Tull fraternity as definitive Tull;

5. White Innocence - I just don't know why really, just found it incongrous on the album;

6. Beside myself - Never really enjoyed it from the word go;

7. Hot Mango Flush/Mango Surprise - I shouldn't really need to say why;

8. The Rattlesnake Trail - Not a fan since I first heard it, and it's never grown on me;

9. The Whaler's Dues - I like the lyrics. but find the song plodding;

10, Finally a catch all - A lot of the Christmas album - Thne redeeming part is that the ones I don't like are the remakes of the classics, Like Jack Frost and The Hooded crow, which I love.

A few classics could be on the list because of over-exposure to them live over the years, but they claim safety from this list because they are so damned classic.

I can hear the sound of drums beating my name......

[bambooflute]

Nov 3, 2015 18:22:11 GMT Quizz Kid said:

For me this is a difficult one.

My top ten can vary greatly day to day, and by mood and events. Apart from The Who, Kate Bush and a smattering of other musicians, no one comes really close to offering a catalogue of music to satisfy me as does Ian and the other members who have made up Tull or his other band supports over what has been most of my life.

So, I'll pass on the top ten as that is fluid with the exceptions of TaaB, APP, Summerday Sands, Strip Cartoon, Michael Collins Jeffrey and Me and Life's a long song which would pretty much always sneak in most of the time. and whilst not wanting to play on the negative side of Tull, I'd nominate the following as my least liked Tull pieces, in no particular order....

1. Too Old to Rock and Roll [ which I actually really like in the context of the album, but hate it out of context and when it's played for it's sing-along-aTull value at gigs];

2. Driving Song - Love the bass, but this song nearly put e off being more drawn into Tull when I first heard it;

3. Kissing Willie - I love a 'Carry-on' style double entendre as much as the nest person but lyrically for me not one of Ian's high points;

4. Bouree - Loved it at first, got tired of it in the live context and now hate the fact that it's seen by many outside the Tull fraternity as definitive Tull;

5. White Innocence - I just don't know why really, just found it incongrous on the album;

6. Beside myself - Never really enjoyed it from the word go;

7. Hot Mango Flush/Mango Surprise - I shouldn't really need to say why;

8. The Rattlesnake Trail - Not a fan since I first heard it, and it's never grown on me;

9. The Whaler's Dues - I like the lyrics. but find the song plodding;

10, Finally a catch all - A lot of the Christmas album - Thne redeeming part is that the ones I don't like are the remakes of the classics, Like Jack Frost and The Hooded crow, which I love.

A few classics could be on the list because of over-exposure to them live over the years, but they claim safety from this list because they are so damned classic.

I can hear the sound of drums beating my name......

Very interesting, Pat.  You took it a stage further than I did by explaining your feelings behind your choices. I agree that "Driving Song" and "Kissing Willie" are not among the best, but I would still rather listen to them than the ten I mentioned.  Of course, I would rather listen to the hordes of good stuff first, but you get the idea!  I actually like "Beside Myself" and "White Innocence..."  But I find the diverse opinions of Tull fans very interesting.  If we all liked the same things, then life would be boring.  Sadly, some people seem to want to resort to fisticuffs when met with a differing opinion, but that's another story!

Yes! "Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow" on the Christmas Album is a good one, isn't it? I actually prefer it to the 1982 version.  Musically it is better executed (no more cheesy 1980s synths!) and Ian's vocals are incredible for the that period.  In fact, I want to go listen to it right now!

One song I would sneak into the bottom ten (making it eleven) but forgot about is... "Enter the Uninvited."  So bad that I forgot it even existed. Sigh.

But let's end on a positive note, shall we?  A song that has grown on me since its original release is "Ears of Tin."  Some Tull songs take a little time to absorb (A little time? Twenty-six years is a little time? Well, you know...)

-David