Friday 31 August 2012

My Top Five FUCK YOU Songs

Okay, enough of all the positivity round here. Sometimes people are idiots, and you need the right songs to put them in their place and make you feel a lot better. Here goes. 

 1. Ben Folds Five - Song For The Dumped

'So you wanted, To take a break? 
Slow it down some, And have some space? 
FUCK YOU TOO.
GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK 
GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK YOU BITCH 
And don't forget, 
And don't forget 
To give me back my black t-shirt' 


Surely one of the all time great songs. What is there to say about it? The count-in at the beginning is angry, the piano is angry as hell, the drumming in mental -- this song makes EVERYTHING OKAY! I often get dumped on purpose, just so I have this song to listen to. Fuck yeah!

2. Bob Dylan - Positively 4th Street

'You've got a lot of nerve, 
To say you are my friend, 
When I was down, 
You just stood there grinning'


'If you're so hurt, why then don't you show it?' asks Bob Dylan. This is a song about the friends who say they're your friends but they don't put the work in, and they talk behind your back. They're idiots! But Dylan is no fool, he knows what they're up to. He knows they're full of shit. At the end of the song when he says he wishes they could stand in his shoes, just to be able to see who they really are; incredible. 

This is a song about people who are disattisfied and miserable; but rather than deal with their own crap, they take it out on you. "And now I know you’re dissatisfied, with your position and your place, don’t you understand, it’s not my problem."

But that's the thing, it's not your problem! Don't let their misery drag YOU down. Dylan is full of wisdom don't ya think? 

3. Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice 


"And how in the world can the words that I said,
Send somebody so over the edge, 
That they'd write me a letter, 
Sayin' that I better Shut up and sing,
Or my life will be over"


It was 2003. America was scattering bombs throughout Iraq. The Dixie Chicks were on tour, and during a gig in London, lead singer Natalie Maines said "We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas." 

And of course, everything went crazy. The country music fans deserted them, people were burning their records, and they received very serious death threats. 

It didn't make a difference that her comment was one of the sanest things said during the whole Iraq war. It didn't matter that she was speaking up for peace; that she didn't want American soldiers and innocent Iraqi families getting blown to pieces. No, the logic didn't matter. People wanted the Dixie Chicks out of America, some people wanted them dead. 

The best thing about the song? She hasn't forgotten the way she was treated. She's considering forgiving them - but she still has a way to go. The important thing? She's still mad as hell. 'I'm not ready to make nice, I'm not ready to back down, I'm still mad as hell and I don't have time, to go round and round and round.' 

4.Oasis - Let's All Make Believe 


"So let's all make believe,
That we're still friends and we like each other,
Let's all make believe, 
In the end we're gonna need each other"



A lot less vitriolic than 'Positively 4th Street', but it follows a similar path. The song almost seems sarcastic. Like the singer is letting the charade of friendship last a little bit longer, just to keep everyone happy. But have no doubt - underneath it is a big fuck you

5. John Mayer - I'm Gonna Find Another You 


"So go on baby, 
Make your little get away, 
My pride will keep me company 
And you just gave yours all away"



Ouch. When you listen to it without paying close attention, it sounds like a love song! John's taken the break-up differently to Ben Folds, he's decided not to scream. On the surface, he's fine; but underneath it, he has some things he wants to tell his ex: 'I'm gonna Find Another You'. 

It sounds like a compliment, it sounds like he's so in love with her that the only thing which will work is an exact replica. But that isn't it. This girl trapped him, made it so he couldn't be himself. This is a song about getting away from someone who wasn't all that nice to begin with, who stopped you from truly being who you are. And now he's free: 'I'm gonna do some things you wouldn't let me do'.

Care to share?

10 comments:

  1. Cee-Lo's 'Fuck You' is actually one of my favourite karaoke jams.

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    1. And perhaps this is a good one too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5ZtkNt_3PY

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  2. Daniel Bedingfield's 'O.V.E.R U' from the EP he released this year would probably be number 1 for me:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2pd3fLikvw

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  3. As a Texas native, that Dixie Chicks song made me a fan of them. It took major guts to do that and I worked in radio at the time. My company had 5 stations in the same building and our country station had a huge sign in the studio to not play any of their music.

    Your list has some surprises on it but I like it. I'm a big fan of Cee-lo's song, of course, but also Johnny Paycheck's "Take This Job and Shove It."

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  4. 2. and 5. I also like 'I Don't Care Anymore' by Phil Collins. Of course, it's just me relating it to something personal.

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  5. Fantastic selections! 'Not Ready to Make Nice' is an amazing statement song and 'I'm Gonna Find Another You' is one of my favorite Mayer jams.

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  6. Brides of Destruction "Shut the Fuck Up". Great rocking song, very punk.
    Skid Row "Get the Fuck Out". A classic.

    Nice list.

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  7. Slipknot's Surfacing, KoRn's Faget, Marilyn Manson's Irresponsible Hate Anthem.. makes these songs sound like Church Hymns.

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  8. Of course, it's usually hard to make it through more than 5 or 6 songs before you reach orgasm. But, it's good to mix it up. And sometimes you can make it last through a dozen songs or more!

    I have DOZENS, if NOT HUNDREDS of really GREAT SONGS to "Groove" by! I find there are many more "oldies" that work for me than most of the newer stuff.

    Top one by far is—

    1 "Knock on Wood" by Mary Griffin (better than Amii Stewart or any others), at least in 'the act'

    2 "Love to Love You Baby" by Donna Summers (a lot of her songs are good for the groove

    3 "I Feel Love", again, by Donna Summers

    4 "Magnet & Steel" by Walter Egan

    5 "I Like Bread & Butter" by The New Beats

    6 "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward

    7 "Make Me Lose Control" by Eric Carmen

    8 "Jungle Fever" by Chakachas (perhaps the most sensual and erotic song out there)

    From here on, I'm listing the Artist 1st, song 2nd

    9 Karla Bonoff - Personally

    10 Dinah Washington - Long John Blues

    11 Melanie Safka - Brand New Key

    12 Atlanta Rhythm Section - So Into You

    13 Tommy Roe - Jam Up & Jelly Tight

    14 Patti Labelle - Lady Marmalade

    15 Staple Singers - I'll Take You There

    16 Blue Swede - Hooked on a Feeling

    17 Olivia Newton-John - Lets Get Physical

    18 Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Oh, What a Night

    19 Dionne Warwick & The Spinners - Then Came You

    20 Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

    21 Olivia Newton-John - A Little More Love

    22 Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight

    23 Captain & Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time

    24 Neil Diamond - Forever In Blue Jeans

    25 Tammy Wynette - Hey Good Looking

    26 Captain & Tennille - You Never Done It Like That

    27 Captain & Tennille - You Need A Woman Tonight

    28 Captain & Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together

    29 Bernadette Peters - Musicals - Annie Get Your Gun - Doin' What Comes Naturally

    30 Betty Everett - It's In His Kiss (Shoop Shoop Song)

    31 Buddy Holly & The Crickets - Oh Boy

    32 Dinah Washington & Brook Benton - Baby, You've Got What It Takes

    33 Dave Clark Five - I Like It Like That

    34 Brook Benton & Dinah Washington - A Rockin' Good Way

    35 Donna Summer - Knock On Wood

    36 Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man

    37 Bonnie Raitt - Something To Talk About

    38 Archies - Candy Girl (Sugar, Sugar)

    39 Ace Frehley - New York Groove

    40 Wanda Jackson - Long Tall Sally

    41 T-Rex - Bang A Gong Get It On

    42 Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing

    43 Minnie Riperton- Loving You (Is Easy Cause You're Beautiful)

    44 DJ Otzi - Hey Baby (If You Be My Girl)

    45 Hollies - Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress

    46 Dolly Parton - Marry Me

    47 Exile - Kiss You All Over

    48 Pussy Cat Dolls - Hey Big Spender

    49 Grand Funk Railroad - The Loco-Motion

    50 Johnny Cash & June Carter - I'm Going to Jackson

    Got LOTS more, but these will do for now.

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