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
I actually started this catalogue-ranking prior to my Taylor Swift ranking. It just took much longer, because the Indigo Girls have an enormous body of work! I started around December off and on, then January-March, all of first quarter. Then, formatted the list for almost a whole month. So I’ll link the methodology I used for Taylor Swift (and every ranking project) here:
As for the categories, enjoy them if that’s your thing, ignore them if it’s not. The list is from my least favorite song to my very favorite song. Oh, and I included most of the legit albums, including lives and repeated songs, except a very redundant live (Retrospective) and a short EP (I think, those are the ones I skipped, I’m too lazy after all this work to Google).
Here’s what the letters stand for:
(C)ATCHY (I)NSTRUMENTALS-extra (L)YRICS (N)OTES-super high or low or complex (P)OLITICAL MESSAGE (S)ENTIMENTAL (U)NIQUE
Without further adieu: Here is the catalogue of my long-term favorite music group–The Indigo Girls!
Skips:
Skip-dislike; skip-boring
Skip: Last place song:
-Fare Thee Well (SO):
Skip-dislike
-History of Us (ST): L, N
-Left Me a Fool (SF): L
Skip
-Sister (CoNS): C, L
Skip-Boring
-Birthday (BQS): N
Best skip:
-Feed & Water the Horses (BQS):
Meh:
Last meh: -Mystery (1200): L, N
-When We Were Writers (LL): N
-Andy (CoNS): L, N
-Power of Two (1200): L, N
-Power of Two (LwtUoCSO): I, L, N
-Cedar Tree (RoP): I, N, U (bag pipe sounding)
-There’s Still My Joy (HHD): L, N
-Peace Child (HHD): C, L, N
-John (BQS): L, N, P
-Mistletoe (HHD): C, L
-Cordova (AtWLI): C, L, N, P
-Neuvose Senorita (BY): L, P
-Mystery (LwtUoCSO): I, N
-Able to Sing (BQS): C, N
-Dead Man’s Hill (1200): N, P
-Come On Home (AtWLI): C, L
Best meh: -Strange Fire (1200): C, I, L, P
IG OK = neutral songs
A = top of OK [1 =higher part of OK-A; 2 = lower part of OK-A]
B = exactly OK
C = lower OK [1 = higher part of OK-C; 2 = lower part of OK-C]
Top Awesome-Elite-1-B-i: -Galileo (1200): C, L, P, S = 1bi
IG AWESOME-ELITE 1
1A top of the top
Last awesome-elite-1A: -Compromise (LwUoCSO): C, I, N = 1a
-Become You (BY): C, I, L, P, S = 1a
-Second Time Around (SDtBD): C, I, L, P, S, U (live = more emotional) 1A
-Prince of Darkness (ST): C, L, N, P, S =1a
-Pushing the Needle Too Far (NIS): C, L, P, S = 1a
-Closer to Fine (ST); C, L, N, S = 1a (I felt like I was somehow betraying these staple-favorites ranking any song higher)
-Kid Fears (ST): C, L, N, S, U (feat Michael Stipe) =1a
-Fill It Up Again (AtWLI); C, L, N, S = 1a
-Galileo (RoP): C, L, P, S = 1a (same with this old friend-felt guilt out-ranking it)
-The Rise of the Black Messiah (OLD): C, I, L, N, P, U (strong & haunting) =1a
-Go (LwUoCSO): C, I, L, N, P = 1A (Amy belts it out!)
-Watershed (NIS): C, L, N, S(!) = 1a
-Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright (SDtBD): C, L, N (harmonies), S, U (Brandi!) = 1a (this song makes me super-enthusiastic!)
***Very top of all IG songs: -Closer to Fine (1200): C, L, N, S(!), U (pennywhistle?) = 1a (b/c you can hear how important/popular this song is w/the crowd = pure joy & a lesbian initiation)
This is the result of ranking each album by song. What I mean is I ranked each song on the album awesome, good, OK, meh, or skip. The ranking is what I like! It’s not technical, it’s not based on song complexity or singing–just my opinion. But my consistent opinion. I listened and checked each of these lists until my opinion didn’t change, and the songs were locked into their ranking. For the album ranking, I counted up the number of songs in each group. The albums with the highest amount of awesome songs were ranked the highest.
awesome good to ok meh skip
1989 7 5 4 0
speak now 7 5 4 1
red 5 13 0 0
folklore 6 9 1 1
Evermore 6 8 0 1
reputation 5 8 2 0
fearless 5 8 4 1
self-titled 5 6 3 1
lover 4 7 4 3
P.S. I think the above chart might have changed a little after I ranked each individual song. I’ll have to update it after the catalogue ranking is posted.
Then I took it further. I wanted to rank every song in Taylor’s catalogue (album songs only). I started with the awesome, good, OK, meh, skip playlists from the album ranking, then narrowed those groups into smaller groups.
For example, I took the awesome list and ranked those songs into 3 groups within awesome: Elite, exactly awesome, and almost good.
I did this with all 5 of the original playlists.
At the same time, I marked the song characteristics.
(C)atchy
(D)etailed story
(G)aylor references
(I)nstrumentals
(L)yrical complexity
very high/low (N)otes
(P)roduction stands out in a good way
(S)entimental
Some of the lists were still overwhelmingly large, so I split them in half
like top of the elite-awesomes and bottom of elite-awesomes.
There’s more. Once the lists were manageable, I tried to put the songs in order on each list. This required a lot of listens. I would put the songs on each different group in order, then listen to each different section to make sure the list was accurate. If there was any changes on a section (at least one song moved), I’d mark the list to double-check.
I listened from the bottom to the top, each different group from skip all the way up to awesome, marking any sections with song changes.
If there was a change I would listen to that section again later. I listened over and over until no songs needed to be moved.
Well, I finally finished today! After the holiday music, I started this project so it’s been a long time coming. As soon as I format the lists, I’ll post it up. Hope you enjoy!
1 = awesome elite 2 = awesome solid 3 = awesome better than good a = top of list b = bottom of list
Awesome-1 ELITE a = top of list Don’t Blame Me (6): C, G, L, N, P = 1a I Did Something Bad (6): C, N, P = 1a I Know Places (5): C, G, L, N, P = 1a Look What You Made Me Do (6): C, P = 1a Lover (7): C, G, L, S = 1a Mean (3): C, L, S =1a Picture to Burn (1): C, I, S = 1a …Ready for It? (6); C, G, N, P = 1a (sexy sounds) Shake It Off (5): C, N = 1a (not much substance, but catchiest of ever!) Shoulda Said No (1): C, I, N, S = 1a The Story of Us (3): C, I, S = 1a Style (5): C, G, I, L, N, P = 1a We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (4): C, I, P = 1a You’re Not Sorry (2): C, N, S = 1a
Awesome-1 ELITE b= bottom of list Better Than Revenge (3): C, D, I, N, S = 1B Dancing with Our Hands Tied (6): C, G, L, N, P = 1b Enchanted (3): C, D, I, N, S = 1b Exile (8): C, G, I, L, N = 1b Long Story Short (9): C, G, L, P = 1b Love Story (2): C, D, I, N = 1a Love Story (2-TV): C, D, I, N = 1a (same except staccato reme-o & fa-ding Marjorie (9); C, G, L, P, S = 1b (I love the sentiment more than the song)
Awesome-2 SOLID AWESOME a = top of list Back to December (3): C, D, S = 2a Blank Space (5): C, G, L, N = 2a Dear John (3); C, D, L, N = 2a I Knew You Were Trouble (4); C, N, P = 2a Invisible String (8); C, D, L = 2A Mad Women (8): C, L, N = 2a The Man (7): C, G, L = 2a my tears riccochet (8): D, L, P = 2a No Body, No Crime (9): C, D, L (pronoun/subject) = 2a Out of the Woods (5): D (bridge), G, L = 2a Speak Now (3); C, D, N, S = 2a You Need to Calm Down (7): C, G, S = 2a
Awesome-2 SOLID AWESOME b = bottom of list The 1 (8): C, D, G, L = 2b Closure (9); C, G, L, P = 2b Girl at Home (4): C, N = 2b I Forgot that You Existed (7); C = 2b Ivy (9); C, G, L = 2b Our Song (1): C, D, I =2b Paper Rings (7): C, D, G, P = 2b Wonderland (5); C, G, L, N, P = 2b You Belong w/Me (2); C, D, I, N, S = 2b
Awesome- 3 BETTER THAN GOOD All You had to do was Stay (5): C, N = 3 Bad Blood (6): C, N = 3 Evermore (9): C, L, N = 3 The Moment I Knew (4): D, N = 3 Ours (3); C, L, N = 3 Stay, Stay, Stay (4): C, D, S = 3
1= elite awesome 1a top ever songs 1b = exactly elite 1c = better than your avg awesome 2= solid awesome 2a = top of list 2b = bottom of list 3 = better than good 3a = top of list 3b = bottom of list
IG AWESOME-ELITE 1 1A top of the top Become You (BY): C, I, L, P, S = 1a Closer to Fine (ST); C, L, N, S = 1a Closer to Fine (1200): C, L, N, S, U (pennywhistle?) = 1a Compromise (LwUoCSO): C, I, N = 1a Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright (SDtBD): C, L, N (harmonies), S, U (Brandi!) = 1a Fill It Up Again (AtWLI); C, L, N, S = 1a Galileo (RoP): C, L, P, S = 1a Go (LwUoCSO): C, I, L, N, P = 1A Kid Fears (ST): C, L, N, S, U (feat Michael Stipe) =1a Prince of Darkness (ST): C, L, N, P, S =1a Pushing the Needle Too Far (NIS): C, L, P, S = 1a The Rise of the Black Messiah (OLD): C, I, L, N, P, U (haunting) =1a Second Time Around (SDtBD): C, I, L, P, S, U (live = more emotional) 1A Watershed (NIS): C, L, N, S = 1a
AWESOME-ELITE 1B (exactly elite) Become You (SDtBD); C, L, P, S, U (accordian?) = 1b Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (1200-live @ atwood): C, L, N, P, U (feat artists, drumming) = 1b Chickenman (1200): C, I, L, N, P, U (harmonica?) = 1b Cold Beer & Remote Control (SDtBD): C, L, N, P = 1b Deconstruction (BY): C, L, N, S = 1b Devotion (SDtBD): C, L, N = 1b Fugitive (LwUoCSO): C, I, N = 1b Galileo (1200): C, L, P, S = 1b Go (CoNS): C, I, L, N, P, U (talking about activism in background, chanting) = 1B Hammer and a Nail (NIS): C, L, N, P, S = 1b Happy in the Sorrow Key (OLD): C, I, L, N = 2B (ENDING!) Happy Joyous Hanukkah (HHD): C, I (BASS!), L, P, U (mandolin?) = 1B I Feel the Christmas Spirit (HHD): C, I, L, N, U (blue grass) = 1b Joking (1200): C, I, (bass @ end) L, N, P, S, U (false ending) = 1b Kid Fears (SDtBD): C, L, S, U (feat Shreena Mead sounds good) = 1b Land of Cannan (ST): C, I, L, S = 1b Least Complicated (1200): C, L, N, P, S = 1b Love of Our Lives (PatBB): C, L, N, S = 1b Moment of Forgiveness (BY): C, L, N, S =1b Moment of Forgiveness (SDtBD): C, L, N, S = 1b Money Made You Mean (DOD-live): C, I (banjo-wow!), L, P = 1b (don’t like plosives) Pushing the Needle Too Far (1200): C, L, P, S = 1b Second Time Around (PatBB): C, I, L, P, S, U (harmonica?) = 1B Tangled Up In Blue (1200); C, I, L, N, P = 1b World Falls (1200-live): C, L, N, S = 1b World Falls (LwUoCSO): C, I, L, N, P = 1b Yield (BY): C, I, L, N, S = 1b Yoke (BQS): C, I, L, P, S = 1b
AWESOME-ELITE 1C (better than your avg awesome) Get Out the Map (SDtBD): C, L, N, P = 1c Go (SDtBD): C, I, L, N, P = 1C Heartache for Everyone (AtWLI): C, I, L, S = 1c Hope Alone (BY): C, L, N, S =1c Howl at the Moon (LL): C, I, L, N, U (tribal) = 1c Land of Cannan (SF): C, L, N, S, U (harmonica) = 1c Last Tears (DOD: C, L, N, S = 1c Little Perennials (DOD): C, L = 1C Make It Easier (SF): C, I, L, N, P = 1c Money Made You Mean (DOD): C, I, L, P = 1c Philosophy of Loss (CoNS): C, I, L, P, S = 1c Rock and Roll Heaven’s Gate (SDtBD): C, L, N, P =1C Salty South (SDoBD): C, I, S = 1c Scooter Boys (SotS): C, L, P, U (wail) = 1c Second Time Around (PatBB-acoustic): C, L, P 1C Shame On You (SotS): C, L, N, P, S, U (road block trippin’ break-down) = 1c1 Shame On You (SDtBD): C, I, P, U (cajin instrument) =1c2 Shit Kickin (LL): C, I, L, P, U (choral backing) = 1c The Wonder Song (HHD): C, L, N, U (country) = 1C
AWESOME-SOLID 2A 1,2,3 (NIS): C, N, S = 2a All the Way(DOD): C, L, S = 2a Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (1200): C, I, L, P = 2a Chickenman (LwUoCSO): C, I, L, N, P = 2a Cold Beer & Remote Control (CoNS): C, L, P, S = 2a Driver Education (PatBB): C, L, S = 2a Fill It Up Again (SDtBD); C, L, S = 2a Joking (RoP): C, L, P, S, U (false ending) = 2a Least Complicated (SO): C, L, N, P, S = 2a Sugar Tongue (SDtBD); C, N = 2a
AWESOME-SOLID 2B Chickenman (RoP): C, L, P, U (harmonica?) = 2b Dairy Queen (AtWLI): C, I, S = 2b Faye Tucker (CoNS): C, L, N, P, U (laugh, chanting) = 2b Get Out the Map (SotS): C, L, N, P, U (banjo?) = 2b Hand Me Downs (NIS): C, I, L, S = 2b Heartache for Everyone (SDtBD): C, L = 2b I Believe in Love (DOD): C, L, S = 2b I Don’t Wanna Know (SF): C, I, N, U (harmonica?) = 2b I’ll Change (PatBB): C, L, S = 2b It’s Alright (SotS): C, L, P, S = 2b Learned It On Me (OLD): C, L, N (harmonies) = 2b Olympia Inn (OLD): C, P = 2B Run (DOD): C = 2b This Train Revised (1200-live): C, I, N = 2b Touch Me Fall (SO): I (really rocks at end) = 2b
AWESOME-BETTER THAN GOOD 3 Favorite Flavor (LL): C, L = 3 Love’s Recovery (ST): C, L, N, S = (don’t like Emily’s deep singing) = 3
a= almost awesome b= exactly good c= almost OK 1 = top of category 2 = bottom of category
a= almost awesome 1 = top of category Cruel Summer (7): C, G, L, N = A1b Cowboy Like Me (9): C, D, G, I, L = A1 Death by a Thousand Cuts (7): C, D, G, L, = A1b Dress (6): C, G, L = A1 (SEXY) Getaway Car (6): C, D, G, P = A1 Gold Rush (9): C, G, L = A1b Haunted (3): C, I (!), N, P = A1a Haunted-acoustic (3): C, I, N, P = A1 Mine (3): C, D, I, N = A1 New Year’s Day (6): C, D, I, N =A1 Red (4): C, I, L, P = A1 Teardrops On My Guitar-POP (1): C, I, L, N = A1 Teardrops On My Guitar-RADIO (1): C, I, L, N = A1 tolerate it (9): G, I, L = A1 willow (9): C, G, L, N = A1
a= almost awesome 2 = bottom of category Betty (8): C, D, I, G, L = A2a Champagne Problems (9): C (bridge), D, G, L = A2a Clean (5): C, G, L, P = A2 Delicate (6): C, D, G, L, P = A2 Me! (7): C, G, I, N = A2 Mine-pop (3): D, I, N = A2 So It Goes…(6): C, G, P, L, N = A2 This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things (6): a2 Tim McGraw (1): C, D, G, I, N = A2 Welcome to New York (5): C, D, G, N, P = A2 Wildest Dreams (5): C, N, S = A2
The story and detailed writing really puts many of these this high on the list.
b= exactly good 1 = top of category Afterglow (7): C, P = B1 Come Back…Be Here (4): C, N = B1 Daylight (7): C, G, L, N = b1 Everything has Changed (4); C, N = B1 Fifteen (2): C, D, I = B1 Forever & Always-piano (2): C, I, N = B1 Holy Ground (4): C, D, G, L = B1 I’m Only Me When I’m w/You (1): C, I(!) = b1 The Lucky One (4): C, D, N, = B1 P Mirrorball (8): C, G, L = B1 This is Me Trying (8): C, I, L(!) = B1 Treacherous (4): C, G(!), L =B1
b= exactly good 2 = bottom of category Cardigan (8): C, D, G, L = B2 How You Get the Girl (5): C, D, G = B2 If this was a Movie (3): C, D, I, N = B2 The Last Great American Dynasty (8): C, D = B2 Never Grow Up (3): C, D, I, N = B2 (problematic sentiment) Red-demo (4): C = B2 Stay Beautiful (1): C, I, N = B2 ’tis the damn Season (9): C, D, L, B2 Treacherous-demo (4): C, G(!), L = B2 White Horse (2): D, I, N = B2 You are in Love (5): C, N = B2
All of these are so catchy!
c= almost OK 1 = top of category 22 (4): C = c1 All Too Well (4): D, I, L, N = C1 (almost a powwow beat) Come in w/the Rain (2): C, I = C1 Sparks Fly (3); C, I = C1 Starlight (4); C, I = C1 Untouchable (2): C, I, N = C1
c= almost OK 2 = bottom of category Begin Again (4): D, I, L = C2 Cold as You (1): I, N = C2 Hey Stephen (2): C, D = C2 The Last Time (4): C, I = C2 (weird collaboration) State of Grace-acoustic (4): C, L = C2 Tied Together w/a Smile (1): C, D, I, N = C2
ig good a= almost awesome b= exactly good c= almost OK 1 = top of category 2 = bottom of category i = top of almost awesome ii = bottom of almost awesome
The groups were too big so I had to narrow them down to a, b, and c almost awesome, exactly good, and almost OK respectively. Than those groups were too big so I did 1 as top of their category and 2 as the lower part. And still, some of those groups were too large so I split those into top and bottom (i and ii).
a= almost awesome 1 = top of category Philosophy of Loss (CoNS): a1 ugh–this song. It’s a secret song only. And the song it’s attached to is on a different ranking list, so it’s always harder to rank… I did it after I published this post.
a= almost awesome 1 = top of category i = top of almost awesome Beauty Queen Sister (BQS): a1i Believe in Love (SDtBD): a1i Blood & Fire (ST): a1i Burn All the Letters (SotS): a1i Center Stage (ST): a1i (ending) Collecting You (BY): a1i Fugative (SDtBD): a1i I Don’t Wanna Know (1200); a1i Kid Fears (LwtUoCSO): a1i Land of Cannan-radio single (ST): a1i Last Tears-acoustic (DOD): a1i Love of Our Lives (LwtUoCSO): a1i Midnight Train to Georgia (1200): a1i O Holy Night (HHD): a1i (high difficulty notes) Our Deliverance (BY); a1i Rock and Roll Heaven’s Gate (DOD): a1i Sugar Tongue (LwtUoCSO): a1i Tether (SDtBD): a1i You and Me of the 10,000 Wars (NIS): a1i Yoke (LwtUoCSO); a1i
a= almost awesome 1 = top of category ii = bottom of almost awesome Airplane (RoP): a1ii Angels We Have Heard On High (HHD): a1ii Closer to Fine (SDtBD): a1ii Cut it OUt (SotS): a1ii Damo (LwtUoCSO): a1ii Faye Tucker (CoNS): a1ii Fugative (SO) = a1ii Happy in the Sorrow Key (LwtUoCSO): a1ii Lay My Head Down (DOD); a1ii Little Perennials-live (DOD): a1ii Secure Yourself (ST): a1ii Three County Highway-live (DOD): a1ii Tried to be True (ST); a1ii World Falls (NIS): a1ii You’ve Got to Show (BY): a1ii
a= almost awesome 2 = bottom of category Able to Sing (LwtUoCSO): a2 Crazy Game (SF): a2 Free in You (AtWLI): A2 Damo (BQS): a2 Galileo (LwtUoCSO): a2 (good, but I like original better) Gone Again (CoNS): a2 Leeds (SotS): a2 Let it be Me (RoP): a2 Love of Our Lives-acoustic (PatBB): a2 (stronger singing) Making Promises (BQS); a2 Pendulum Swinger (DOD): a2 Romeo and Juliet (RoP); a2 Shed Your Skin (SofS): a2 Southland in the Springtime (NIS): a2 Starkville (BY); a2 Strange Fire (SF): a2 Sugar Tongue (PatBB): a2 Tether (AtWLI): a2 They Won’t Have Me (DOD): a2 This Train Revised (SO); a2 Three County Highway (SDtBD): a2 Three Hits (RoP): A2 Trouble (CoNS): a2 Watershed (SDtBD):a2 (5d, live singing = less) Welcome Me (NIS): a2 What Are You Like (PatBB): A2
A lot of the songs in this section remind me of Seattle ZooTunes. Whatever year I went it seemed like they played most of these.
b= exactly good 1 = top of category Change My Heart (LL); b1 Down by the River (1200): b1 Elizabeth (OLD): B1 (DETAILED STORY) Fleet of Hope-acoustic (PatBB); b1 The Girl w/the Weight of the World in Her Hands (NIS); B1 Jonas and Ezekiel (1200): b1 Jonas and Ezekiel (RoP): b1 K.C. Girl (LL): b1 Keeper of My Heart (NIS): b1 Love of Our Lives (SDtBD): b1 Mariner Moonlighting (BQS): b1 Muster (LL): b1 Ozilline (CoNS): b1 Ozilline (SDtBD): b1 Reunion (SO): b1 Run (DOD): b1 True Romantic (PatBB): b1 What Are You Like-acoustic (PatBB): B1 The Wood Song (SDtBD): b1 Woodsong (LwtUoCSO): b1 Your Holiday Song (HHD); b1
b= exactly good 2 = bottom of category Come a Long Way (LwtUoCSO): b2 (ending!) Dead Man’s Hill (SO): B2 Digging for Your Dream (PatBB) = b2 Fly Away (SDtBD): b2 Get Together (SF) = b2 Ghost of the Gang-acoustic (PatBB): b2 I’ll Change-acoustic (PatBB): b2 Nashville (RoP): b2 Peace Tonight (CoNS): b2 Perfect World (AtWLI): b2 Sorrow and Joy (LL); b2 (WTF is this song about?) Southern California is Your Girlffriend (OLD): b2 True Romantic-acoustic (PatBB): b2 War Rugs (LwtUoCSO): b2 We are Together (CoNS): b2 Wild Horses (SDtBD); b2 The Wood Song (SO): b2
c= almost OK 1 = top of category Come a Long Way (OLD): c1 Digging for Your Dream (SDtBD): C1 Dirt and Dead Ends (DOD): C1 (BLEAK) Feel this WAy Again (LL): c1 I’ll Be Home for Christmas (HHD): c1 It Really is (A Wonderful Life) (HHD): c1 Love Will Come to You (RoP); c1 Salty South-acoustic (PatBB): c1 Something Real (AtWLI): c1 Spread the Pain Around (OLD): c1 Walk Away (SF): c1
I suspect these songs are ranked relatively low bc they’re a bummer. They all have serious, heavy (very important) topics, but the bleakness just gets to me. In all this ranking, I learned I prefer upbeat and fast songs.
c= almost OK 2 = bottom of category Alberta (OLD): c2 Back Together Again (1200): c2 Country RAdio (LL): c2 Everybody’s Waiting for Someone to Come Home (SF): c2 Ghost (RoP); c2 Gone (BQS): c2 Love’s Recovery (1200): c2 (too much brass) Thin Line (1200): c2
Ironically, Spotify and Lastfm will probably say I listened to this section most. But only bc I’d either tune out, or it wasn’t clear where they should be ranked on the list…
I’m ranking the entire catalogue, which is a big project. But I thought I would start releasing the rankings in pieces. Here are the few songs from the Indigo Girls I don’t care for.
Skip
-Sister (CoNS): C, L
This version is after the Faye Tucker track as a short interlude before the secret song, Philosophy of Loss. I usually like the song, but this one is too short and too quiet. Note–don’t have secret songs anymore. And now that there’s streaming, release the secret songs as their own track. It’s been hell trying to rank Philosophy… when it’s tied to another song. I think it’s the only track in their entire catalog that was never re-released on another album, put on a live album, or it’s own song. This needs to change.
Skip-Boring
-Feed & Water the Horses (BQS):
-Birthday (BQS): N
Emily was too happy and content when she was writing for Beauty Queen Sister, and as a result her songs are bland vanilla.
Skip-dislike
-Left Me a Fool (SF): L
-History of Us (ST): L, N
-Fare Thee Well (SO):
There are very few IG songs I genuinely dislike (pretty much these 3) and it’s mostly bc of the singing style. It may be the proper way to sing, but it isn’t my thing.
I listened to each album, ranking the songs. Then I listened to something entirely different to cleanse the palate, so to speak. Then I listened to the album a second time to see if the rankings were the same as the first listen (because mood and energy can impact your feeling about music). If the tracks were ranked the same, that’s where they stayed. If there were discrepancies between the first and the second listen, I listened a third time to rank them.
Finally, I counted the number of songs in each ranking category, and made a percentage over the entire album. Highest awesome percent was ranked highest, and lowest awesome percent was last. If there was an equal percent of awesome, I went to the good percent. In one case both awesome and good were tied, so I went to OK to tie break.
I decided to include every new song as 1 album. Any Acoustic will be considered its own album. Live tracks and acoustics that don’t make up an entire album might be listed in the ranking, but do not count towards the percentages.
Fanning Out:
Wow! What a catalogue. 19 albums in a 33 year (mainstream) career?! I often wish Indigo Girls were given more mainstream opportunities. But I’m certain that’s not what they want, as they are decidedly anti-establishment. They want fairness and equality, and cow-towing to the big-boys for centered-fame is NOT that. And lack of mainstream accolades does not mean lack of respect. Amy and Emily were instrumental in Lilith Fair–anyone who was there will tell you about the comradery the two fostered. They tour all over the country (I’m not sure about the world) and can command any audience, being the engaging professionals they are–believe me, I was at Seattle Zoo-Tunes, I know. Aside, from being musically talented and inspiring, they work for charity and hustle for many political causes. They are amazing people, not just talented artists (they’re that too, obviously). As you can tell by this ranking, and the last paragraph, I am proud to call myself a lifelong fan of the Indigo Girls, and I can’t wait to see what they do in the future!
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