I’m sure there’s a lot of layers (fitting with the Lover house if the clock is upside down, counting down, so many things), but I wanted to speak on an obvious one I noticed:
The numbers on the clock correspond with Taylor’s albums:
1 is her first, Self Titled, album…
4 is her fourth album, Red…
8 is her eighth album, folklore…
You get the idea. The numbers also are the order of the albums in Taylor’s catalogue.
Additionally, the color of the numbers signify Taylor’s sexuality at the time that album was released. By that I mean the muse, the crush, and closeting to out ratio:
Half of 3, 4, 5, and half of 6 are red. Meaning the latter half of Speak Now to the first part of Reputation was Dianna-love was burning red. We saw the Swiftgron evidence of the movie date, the costume party with the note on the door, the moment during the Shirly McLane birthday party, on and on.
Half of 6, 7, 8, and the first part of 9 are gold. So Taylor was in love with sunshiny Karlie from Reputation, through lover, and folklore, then started getting over her (but was still hung up on her) as Evermore went on.
Lyrically that makes a lot of sense.
I think these two more obviously colored album/era/muses show us the colors on the clock are predictive for the eras that haven’t happened yet. Especially since 9, 10, 11 look similar to the 1, 2, 3 that already happened.
The other colors are more mysterious since we don’t really know exactly what goes on in Taylor’s personal life unless she writes about it, and we can tie that to real life events. If she keeps the lyrics subtle, or if the events weren’t public knowledge, the loves/muses are ???
Also, I’m having a lot of trouble distinguishing the colors, telling the colors apart, and seeing matching colors (help!). It’s like the color next door influences my eyes to blend the colors together…
1 looks blueish with 11 looking light a lighter version of that same color. It might be a less muddy, dark color because Taylor was more herself/out/free/innocent in these eras. Think of the Myspace posts, and we haven’t seen the album 11 era yet, but can guess she might be going for the same vibe as self-titled era.
2 and the latter half of 9 have a green hue to me, but Cool says it’s gray/silver. 10 looks alike, just a little lighter.
3 looks like a mix of the colors of 1 and 2– it’s darker/greener (to my eyes) than 1, but a little more blue than 2. During Speak Now era, Taylor was outspoken but groomed and marketed to be America’s sweetheart. So she openly had baby-gay vibes toward Emily, but wrote very coded songs that were super-duper straight to the media/public. It’s a mix of the innocence during debut and the slick marketing with covert lyrics of Fearless.
3 and 10 and 2 and 9 seem really similar to each other.
Does Fearless (2) and latter Evermore (9) have things in common?
Break-up? Feeling lonely?
Will early Speak Now (3) and Midnights (10) have something in common?
What do we think are key characteristics/muses/closet:out ratio in early Speak Now?
The theory is unfinished, but something to pay attention to.
And 12 is the brightest, whitest, most obvious one, so there is something big happening there.
Gone are the days when artists can hide meh-bad songs in an album and still sell based on 1-2 singles (thank goodness). As such, I penalized the less than good songs more than I scored the awesomes high. Streaming is harsh. Here’s the scale I used for this entire list:
awesome 5
A-Gr cusp 4.5
Great 4
Gr-G cusp 3.5
Good 3
G-N cusp 1
Neutral -1
N-M cusp -2
Meh -3
M-S cusp -4.5
Skip -6
Another aside-I try only to rank songs released on the calendar year. Sometimes I’m unaware a ‘live’ song isn’t new, or I judge a remix or something. This year I must say there were a LOT of cheatee, not actually new, music put out in 2021:
Madonna-True Blue (35th Anniversary Edition); Green Day- Insomniac (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition); Avril Lavigne- Bite Me single; Metallica single; Sam Smith-Love Goes (live) & soundtrack produced by him? Rufus Wainwright-live; Jason Isbell- live; Sarah Bareilles-live; The Black Keys- remastered, live; Pink-remixes; Blondie-Spanish; Kelly Clarkson-Christmas
You see there were a lot of people putting something out, so the Wiki 2021 Albums list looked overwhelming, but a lot of artists were tricky. They got their name out, but didn’t put in a lot of work *side-eye* Seems to me like everyone had a lot of time to think and write and get something together during the 2020 Covid-pause.
There’s my parameters. Let’s commence the count-from bottom of my reviewed to the best of the best 2021!
Vampire Weekend– S (too experimental & discordant)
tot = nope
I abandoned this one, because I just couldn’t. You’ll see a theme this year-not everything is made for me, not everything is appreciated by me. It’s fine. This is one of those.
John Mayer-Sob Rock
I was torn about even reviewing this album. John Mayer has been a long time staple of mine, but new information has come to light (Jessica Simpson) and I feel like it isn’t all that ethical to support him. But I thought I’d at least give it a chance. Well, I shouldn’t have. It’s nothing special. Nothing much was going on in the songs. Boring. And by the time I got to the baby-talking track (cringe!) I was over it. There are just too many albums this year to fuss about with a meh one. So I aborted mission halfway through.
tot = NOPE
Last Train Home M
Shouldn’t Matter but It Does G
New Light M
Why You No Love Me S (baby talk)
Wild Blue M
Shot in the Dark; I Guess I Just Feel Like; Til the Right One Comes; Carry Me Away; All I Want is to be With You
Those were the only two albums that I could not make myself finish. The next ones scored in the negatives. That just means they either had tracks to skip, mehs, or not enough songs that moved me.
Neil Young Crazy Horse-Way Down the Rust Bucket-Live
I really couldn’t get past the awful singing. IDK why listeners are very hard on women who don’t/can’t/lose their singing, but it seems like it’s tolerated if men do it *cough patriarchy/misogyny*
Country Home- S (pretty bad singing)
Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleeze- S (bad)
Love to Burn- N
Days that Used to be- G
Bite the Bullet- M
Cinnamon Girl- M
Farmer John- M
Over and Over- G
Danger Bird- N (terrible singing knocks the score down)
Don’t Cry No Tears- G
Sedan Delivery- G
Roll Another Number (for the Road)- M (bad singing)
Fuckin’ Up- M
T-Bone- S (About 5 words in the song)
Homegrown- N (good harmonies)
Mansion on the Hill- S (bad)
Like a Hurricane- Gr (probably best on album)
Love and Only Love- Gr
Cortez the Killer- G
Skellig- M
Dun Loaghaire- G
Accumulates- G
Heart and Soul- N-G cusp
Laughing Gas- N
No False Gods- M-S cusp
Deep Water Swim- G
Spiral Arms- M (repetitive)
The White Owl- M
Dares My Heart be Free- N
House with No Walls-M
Can’t Hurt More Than This- M
All That We Asked for- M
Doja Cat- Planet Her:
Now, I know. This is the album that is getting the most hype this year. I only listened to it for that reason. And last year I listened to Dua Lipa for the same reason, and really liked it. The magic didn’t happen this year. I like the title of this album, and that’s about it for me. And that’s OK. Not every album is made for me, nor enjoyed by me. I wasn’t feelin’ this one. I might be the only one on the planet.
A; 1Gr4; 2Gr-G7; 2G3; 1G-N1; 1G-M0; 3N-3; 7M-21; S = tot -9
Woman- G (Repetitive.)
Naked- N
Payday- Gr-G (Good ambient sounds, but Minnie Mouse singing.)
Get Into It (Yuh)- Gr-G (Baby-voice is ehhhh, but rap is good and fast.)
Need to Know- Gr (Catchy and I like the repeated words)
I Don’t Do Drugs- N (Xylophone is interesting and different, but the rest of the song is kinda boring.)
Love to Dream- M
You Right- N
been Like This- N-M (Somewhat high note is good, but the song is just boring.)
Options-Gr (Moag!)
Ain’t Shit- M (The only thing I liked was the counting.)
Imagine- M
Alone- M
Kiss Me More- G-M (Disco sound)
You Right (Extended)- G (The duet is probably the best on the album. I also liked the breathes/breathing sounds.)
Up and Down- G-N
Tonight – M
Ride- M
Why Why- M
Kaleo
I wanted to love this one like I loved their last album. But it really fell off in the second half. It probably would have ranked higher if the latter half was edited out completely.
Listen!!! N-G (the brr brr noise saves it. and nice piano)
Don’t Need Nothing N-G (finally, a beat! is this what the album is missing?)
Stomach N
Personal Cathedrals Gr-G (a better singing style, more lyrically intricate)
Hold Out M
Billie Eilish- Happier Than Ever:
I almost aborted listening, because the entire first half of this long album was pretty ‘background music’ (boring). But it bothers me to not finish things so I pressed on a little more, and I’m kinda glad I did, bc it did get better. Track order is a major problem here! Mix it up or cut the front half.
Hailey’s Comet- N-G (Sounds a lot like 1930s type of singing/crooning. This goes on for too short of a time. There’s a pause and then it seems to be a whole different song? Then, that’s too short as well.)
Not My Responsibility- S (Need to sing)
Overheated M
Everybody Dies- M (I can hear her breathes a lot, and it doesn’t sound good. Big yawn.)
Your power- G
NDA- Gr-A. (catchy . Same tune as her 1st album. Good moàg)
Therefore I Am- N
Happier Than Ever- Gr
Male fantasy- G
M (Glitch is always welcome. Has rap .)
Shovels & Rope- Busted Jukebox Volume 3
Soooo? Is this supposed to be a kid’s album? Title it better, because I needed to listen with that expectation in mind.
Hush Little Baby- S (WTF is this shit?)
In My Room- G
What a Wonderful World- N (Great song, played too slow. Whistle & talking sucked)
You Are My Sunshine- N
Cry Baby- G
My Little Buckaroo- M
Everybody Hurts- N (Weird choice for a kid’s album, if this is one…)
Mother Earth and Father Time- M
The Ants Go Marching- A (Fucking great syncopation!)
Tomorrow- G
We’ll get into the middle of the pack tomorrow. And I’ll come back and number these when I finish the last two album-rankings.
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.
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