Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:14:06 GMT -5
Right album, wrong song. The key words there are "album track". Wasn't a single.
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peacebone
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Post by peacebone on Aug 10, 2017 21:18:20 GMT -5
We Major (with Nas)?
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:21:30 GMT -5
Come on, homie...oh, wait, you're right. D-D-D-DETOUR! Let's swerve away from Detroit and...actually, not travel all that far. Sure, it's a four hour drive from Detroit to Chicago, but, in the grand scheme of things...not THAT far. And besides, it's worth it for the end of the rainbow that is Kanye West. Now, say what you will about Kanye West the human being. Hell, say what you will about Kanye the rapper. But Kanye West the producer is something else entirely. He's a maestro. Even when he screws up, more often than not, it still turns into gold before long. I have quite a few favorite Kanye songs, but, as far as Kanye songs are concerned, there can only be one top favorite. Come on, homie, it's "We Major".
Ask the reverend was the strip club cool If my tips help send a pretty girl through school That's all I want like wino's want they good whiskey I ain't in the Klan, but I brought my hood with me
SONG #24 Kanye West ft. Nas and Really Doe - We Major
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:23:23 GMT -5
Onto hint #25.
We zoom forward into the current decade with this 2012 song, widely considered to be one of the best R&B songs of the decade so far. I'm STILL bitter that I haven't been able to rank this in a rankdown yet.
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Green Baron
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Post by Green Baron on Aug 10, 2017 21:23:46 GMT -5
Thinkin Bout You?
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peacebone
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Post by peacebone on Aug 10, 2017 21:23:50 GMT -5
Has to be a Frank Ocean song...Pyramids?
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:26:25 GMT -5
So close. And now, let's take another detour, this time traveling JUUUUUST a bit further away from Chicago and Detroit. To be exact, let's go to New Orleans. I won't lie to you, I wasn't sure how to make this next song fit, other than, "Oh, hey, he worked with Kanye West. That's how I'll justify it!" It's not a rap song. It's not really a hip hop song. It's more R&B than anything. But I just had to find a way to include it on my rankdown, because...holy crap, this song is just too good not to include.
Set the cheetahs on the loose There's a thief out on the move Underneath our legion's view They have taken Cleopatra
SONG #25 Frank Ocean - Pyramids
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:28:45 GMT -5
Ready for another hard swerve? No? Well, here's hint #26, anyway.
From rap, R&B and hip hop, we go to yet another genre, crossing over into the land of sunshine and lollipops. Well, maybe not this 2014 song in particular, released as the instant grat single off of this artist's second album. This artist previously had a worldwide hit in 2009 and in America in 2010.
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peacebone
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Post by peacebone on Aug 10, 2017 21:31:31 GMT -5
La Roux - Uptight Downtown?
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:32:22 GMT -5
La Roux - Uptight Downtown? Right album/artist, wrong song. Remember the key words: "instant grat". Was never really released as a single.
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peacebone
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Post by peacebone on Aug 10, 2017 21:33:04 GMT -5
Let Me Down Gently
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:37:19 GMT -5
And we move forward. Chapter Eight The Women of Pop
Not going to be an easy transition here, but it's a necessary one. Thankfully, because of how recent of a release "Pyramids" was in comparison to the other songs surrounding it, it does make the jump a bit easier to take, as the next three songs were released within a couple years of "Pyramids", give or take. Looking back at how I listed these next three songs, it's kind of funny how I did it, because these songs were released in reverse chronological order. We're actually going to start after "Pyramids", and, by the end, we'll be a few years before "Pyramids". Might as well just call this rankdown "Red's Rollercoaster Rankdown". Anyway, here's La Roux with one of the best pop songs of the decade so far.
And I hope it's sinking in Left behind your perfect skin There’s a part of you that’s free And I know that there’s a place for me
SONG #26 La Roux - Let Me Down Gently
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:39:48 GMT -5
Next hint? Next hint.
This next artist has not had a similar hit as the previous artist, but this Canadian sure won over my heart in 2011 with her second album, an album I named my favorite album of 2011, and an album that I've claimed is among my favorite all-genre albums of the decade so far. This song is the opening title track from said album.
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Green Baron
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Post by Green Baron on Aug 10, 2017 21:41:18 GMT -5
Siberia
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:43:37 GMT -5
Huh...expected that one to be a bit harder to guess. Thankfully, with the next artist, I'm going to talk more about her than I did La Roux. I have to, because she's probably one of my favorite discoveries of the decade so far. One of my best friends was a big fan of hers, and she recommended that I listen to her. It took me two years for me to take her up on that offer, but when I did...wow. The album that this song kickstarts is among my favorites of the decade. Not one of my favorite pop albums, one of my favorite albums period. Over the years, I've liked to refer to a group of women who are awesome musicians as "Red Crushes". Meet the OG "Red Crush".
I would sail across the east sea Just to see you on the far side Where the wind is cold and angry There you'll be to take me inside
SONG #27 Lights - Siberia
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Green Baron
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Post by Green Baron on Aug 10, 2017 21:44:46 GMT -5
She wasn't red when she made this though
I think she only became red within the last few months, but I'm not complaining, I like the red
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:48:38 GMT -5
She wasn't red when she made this though I think she only became red within the last few months, but I'm not complaining, I like the red No, they're called "Red Crushes" just because I think they're awesome musicians, not because they have red hair...though, with the amount of redheads that have been "Red Crushes" at one point... Never mind all of that, here's the next hint. The next song, I would say, is much more known than the previous one, among this British artist's more famous songs. This 2009 release was a big worldwide hit, including reaching #1 in the United Kingdom, but it made far less of a dent in the United States, to our everlasting shame.
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Green Baron
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Post by Green Baron on Aug 10, 2017 21:49:39 GMT -5
The Fear?
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peacebone
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Post by peacebone on Aug 10, 2017 21:49:41 GMT -5
Lily Allen - The Fear?
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Sambalada
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Mmmmmmmm....
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Post by Sambalada on Aug 10, 2017 21:51:20 GMT -5
Omg if this was Lily Allen. Her second album is a pop perfection.
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:52:33 GMT -5
Missed being first by a nose. Now, as we move a little further back...let's go even further back than the song I'm about to reveal! I know, I like to go back in time. You could say that I like to take you to the distant past. (cue thewebinator shouting "I WANT TO GO BAAAAAAAAACK!") In 2006, a poppy Brit took my circle of friends by storm with her debut album. I was probably the last convert of that group, as it took me three years to really get it. But I got it in 2009. Boy, did I ever get it.
Also, notice a pattern yet? And no, I'm not talking about how they're all songs by female pop artists. I just assumed that this fact was obvious.
And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror I'm on the right track, yeah, I'm on to a winner
SONG #28 Lily Allen - The Fear
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Green Baron
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Post by Green Baron on Aug 10, 2017 21:53:42 GMT -5
they're all non-American?
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:55:50 GMT -5
they're all non-American? That's...actually a pretty damn good guess. It's not what I was looking for, but that's also true. It was actually much more simple than that: The three artists all start with the letter "L". But sure, let's go with yours instead, that actually tells a better story. Next hint. This song from 1999 was the first single off of this band's fourth album. It was also the album that began their downturn in success, though this particular song was still popular, going top 20 in the UK and in many other countries. In the US, however? Barely anything. What a shame. I think the United States needs some salvation, don't you?
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Green Baron
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Post by Green Baron on Aug 10, 2017 21:56:51 GMT -5
Just My Imagination
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peacebone
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Post by peacebone on Aug 10, 2017 21:56:58 GMT -5
Cranberries - Promises
("Salvation" gave it away)
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 21:59:48 GMT -5
Right band...wrong song. Chapter Nine The Women of Rock and Alternative
I'm definitely feeling this whole "female vocal" section of the rankdown, so let's keep running with it! But, while the female pop is fun, there's also female Alternative and female Rock acts waiting in the wings, ready to tag in. So, with that in mind, let's start with The Cranberries. The Cranberries have their moments of beautiful tranquility, but they are, at least to me, at their best when they set that tranquility to the side and get a little angrier. "Zombie" seems like the obvious choice here, but I don't always go for the obvious pick. Instead, let's move a little bit forward to a time where American success began to die off for the band...but their ability to kick ass and take names did not.
What of all the things that you taught me What of all the things that you'd say What of all your prophetic preaching You're just throwing it all away
SONG #29 The Cranberries - Promises
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Green Baron
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Post by Green Baron on Aug 10, 2017 22:00:41 GMT -5
I thought Just My Imagination was the lead single. That's the only song I've ever heard from that album. I never heard of Promises.
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 22:02:17 GMT -5
I thought Just My Imagination was the lead single. That's the only song I've ever heard from that album. I never heard of Promises. Nope, it was "Promises". "Just My Imagination" was the third single. Hint #30! THIS 1991 release from a prominent Alternative band, on the other hand, was this band's most successful song in the US, going top 30 there. It also wasn't quite as successful worldwide as song #29 was, but hey, it was successful in the US. It was also the very last video played on 120 Minutes in its original run.
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Post by peacebone on Aug 10, 2017 22:02:43 GMT -5
Kiss Them for Me
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Red
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Post by Red on Aug 10, 2017 22:06:08 GMT -5
Peek-a-boo! I see a correct answer. Jumping back to the early days of my music fandom for a moment, one of the artists that my sister listened to quite often back in the day was Siouxsie and the Banshees. In particular, I remember her playing "Peek-A-Boo" a LOT. In fact, that and a song by the next artist are the songs I remember her playing the most. While I love "Peek-A-Boo" nowadays, that's not the song that I want to choose for this rankdown. Why not focus, then, on their biggest hit in America, a song that I like just as much as "Peek-A-Boo"?
No party she'd not attend No invitation she wouldn't send Transfixed by the inner sound Of your promise to be found
SONG #30 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kiss Them for Me
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