Dave Matthews Band Studio (Only!) Songs Ranked

Here is another ranking list.  You can check out my methodology here (I’ve done them all the same way):

https://kit10phish.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=11721&action=final

I want to really emphasize that I judged the list purely on the merits of the studio version, to the exclusion of any live version, or knowledge of the live version.  They are ranked as if these versions are the only ones that exist–because I KNOW the live versions are so much better/more exciting/longer jams/medleys/etc!  But it would take a lifetime to listen to every version of every live.  So the album songs are ranked as-is.

Also, I’m trying something new with the formatting.  I took each post it and posted them as they were written, which is best song in that particular category to worst song in that group.  And like Memento, I did the big reveal by putting the post it categories worst to best.  Got it?  Groups are worst at the top of this post to best at the bottom.  But within each category/group the songs are listed best to worst.

So here we go:

SKIPs  (best to worst)
Let You Down (C) =M
Christmas Song (RTT)=M
Say Goodbye (C) =S
That Girl is You (CT) =S (terrible singing)
Dreaming Tree (BtCS) =S (long & boring)
Cry Freedom (C) =S
Captain (BS) =S
Pay for What You Get (UtTaD) =S
#34 (UtTaD) =S
Pantala Naga Pampa (BtCS) =S
Grux (BW) = S (very short)
#35 (BW) =S

MEH (Best to worst)
Dreams of Our Fathers (E) =M
Lying in the Hands of God-live (BW) =M
When I’m Weary (CT) =M
Out of My Hands (SU) =M
Busted Stuff (BS) =M
Belly Full (AftW) =M (short)

Kit Kat Jam (BS) =M
Dreamgirl (SU) =M
The Song that Jane Likes (RTT) =M
The Song that Jane Likes-acoustic (UtTaD) =M
Pay for What You Get (RTT)=N
Baby Blue (BW) =M

OK/NEUTRAL 3rd group (best to worst)
Here On Out (CT) =N
Virginia in the Rain (CT) =N
Sleep to Dream Her (E) =N
American Baby (SU) =N
Lover Lay Down (UtTaD) =N
Black and Blue Bird (CT) =G
Old Dirt Hill (Bring that Beat Back) (SU) =N
I’ll Back You Up (RTT)=N
bkdbdkd (CT) =N
Stay (Wasting Time) (BtCS) = N (Lovely Ladies turned me off the band)

OK/NEUTRAL 2nd/middle grouping (best to worst)
Idea of You (CT) =N
Come On Come On (CT) =N
Lying in the Hands of God (BW) =N
Granny (UtTaD) =N
Proudest Monkey (C) =N
Beach Ball-Live (BW) =N
Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd (SU) =N
Steady as We Go (SU) =N
Fool to Think (E) =N
What You Are (E) =N

OK/NEUTRAL 1st/top of list (best to worst)
Mercy-Live (AftW) =N
Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin) (CT) =N
The Riff AftW) =N
One Sweet World (RTT) =N
Smooth Rider (SU) =N
Dancing Nancies-acoustic (UtTaD) =N
Seek Up (RTT)=N
Gaucho (AftW) =N (awesome, but hate the kids singing)
Minarets (RTT)=N
So Right (E) =N
Sweet-live (AftW) =Gr
If I Had It All (E) =N

low good (2nd half of good list, best to worst)
Typical Situation (RTT)=G
Mercy (AftW) =Gr
You Might Die Trying (SU) =Gr
Everybody Wake Up (SU) =G
Raven (BS) =G
Satellite (RTT) =G
Snow Outside (AftW) =Gr
Where Are You Going (BS) =G
The Space Between (E) =G
Typical Situtation (UtTaD) =G
Digging a Ditch (BS) =G
Pig (BtCS) =G
Stand Up (For It) (SU) =G
Dive In (BW) =G
#41 (C) =G
You Never Know (BS) =G

Med Good (middle list of the goods, best to worst)
Drunken Soldier (AftW) =G
Satellite (UtTaD) =G
If Only (AftW) =G
Sweet (AftW) =A
The Best of What’s Around (UtTaD) =G
Grey Street (BS) =G
Broken Things (AftW) =G
Spoon (BtCS) =Gr (bango!)
Angel (E) =G
Again and Again (CT) =Gr
Can’t Stop (CT) =G

High Good (top of Good list, best to worst)
Ants Marching (RTT) =G
Time Bomb (BW) =Gr (singing passionately!)
Squirm (BW) =G
Funny the Way It Is (BW) =G
Grace is Gone (BS) =G
So Much to Say (C) =Gr
Shake Me Like a Monkey (BW) = G
Drive in Drive Out (C) =Gr
When the World Ends (E) =Gr
Shake Me Like a Monkey-live (BW) =Gr
Gaucho-Live (AftW) =G (the baseline!)
She (CT) =G (sounds like Lifehouse)
Rhyme & Reason (UtTaD) =G
Halloween (BtCS) =G (I’m too concerned about wrecked voice to enjoy this song)
Rooftop (AftW) =G
Belly Belly Nice (AftW) =G
Everyday (E) =Gr

Lower Awesome (bottom of Awesome list, best to worst)
Don’t Drink the Water (BtCS) =A
Too Much (C) =A (funky guitar, fast guitar, overindugence)
Time Bomb-Live (BW) =A (guitar solo! Passionate singing!)
Lie in Our Graves (C) =A (violin-centric)
Louisana Bayou (SU) =A
Jimi Thing (UtTaD) =A
You and Me-live (BW) =A
Hunger for the Great Light (SU) =A
I Did It (E) =A
Hello Again (SU) =A
Bartender (BS) =A
The Last Stop (BtCS) =A
What Would You Say (UtTaD) =A (Blues Traveler!)
Come Tomorrow (CT) =A (Brandi)
Recently (RTT) (interlude) =A (good hoe-down)
Mother Father (E) =A (guitar!)
Tripping Billies (RTT) =A
Spaceman (BW) =A
Seven (BW) =A
Crash into Me (C) =A
Do You Remember (CT) =A

Top AWESOME (these are the best of the STUDIO songs, best to worst)
Two Step (C) =A
Ants Marching (UtTaD) =A
The Stone (BtCS) =A (Epic!)
Crush (BtCS) =A (this is my all-time favorite, but the live versions, not this studio one)
Alligator Pie-Live (BW) =A
Alligator Pie (BW) =A
Warehouse (UtTaD) =A
Big Eyed Fish (BS) =A
Tripping Billies (C) =A
Repunzel (BtCS) =A
Dancing Nancies (UtTaD) =A
Why I Am (BW) =A
You and Me (BW) =A