The Holy Triumvirate

By Jodi | Filed under Holy Triumvirate | Comments (38)

I’ve pondered this idea for about seven minutes so you know it is right and true and well-thought out. But here are three most iconic ‘Mats songs of all time. Are you ready for this:
1. Can’t Hardly Wait
2. Bastards of Young
3. Here Comes a Regular

Shocked? Appalled? Yeah me too, because I Will Dare didn’t make the list. That would be number four. However, there are no fours in the triumvirates.

Do you disagree? Or am I totally right on the money?

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Permalink | October 6th, 2008 |

38 Responses to “The Holy Triumvirate”

  1. Phil Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 1:43 pm

    My picks would be:

    1. Sixteen Blue
    2. Left of The Dial
    3. Treatment Bound

    Done in about two minutes!

  2. Jodi Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    Of course you were done in two minutes, it doesn’t take that long to be wrong.

  3. wes Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    1. Unsatisfied.
    2. Left of the Dial
    3. I’m in Trouble

    These are the songs that best represent the Replacements. End of Story… Well IMHO anyway…..

  4. Jodi Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    I had a hard time with Left of the Dial vs. Bastards of Young. Sadly, you Wes came up on the wrong side of right.

  5. ih8music Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 2:21 pm

    iconic? i guess it depends on which icon you’re referring to.

    1) Alex Chilton
    2) I Will Dare
    3) Can’t Hardly Wait

    or

    1) Androgynous
    2) Sixteen Blue
    3) Here Comes A Regular

    or
    1) Waitress In The Sky
    2) Treatment Bound
    3) Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out

    or…

  6. Some Guy Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 5:28 pm

    Depends on how you interpret iconic of course, but I think Jodi’s 3 are a pretty good representation of the band:
    Can’t Hardly Wait – the poppier side
    Bastards of Young – the angrier, more raw side
    Regular – the lonelier, more introspective side

    Left Of The Dial perhaps should be there in place of Bastards just because the title has become somewhat ubiquitous in indie rock.

    The only thing missing is something that captures a bit of the humor. Maybe I Will Dare needs to be in there after all.

  7. monojack Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    The iconic thing does come into play, but I’d say, after much mental wrangling and pseudo-justifications,

    3) Cant hardly wait
    2) Here comes a Regular

    1) Unsatisfied. (How can you not? I mean really?)

    (great job, btw, jodi)

  8. jay Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    For me-today-

    1-Answering Machine (lets not argue this one people)
    2-Color Me Impressed
    3-Shiftless When Idle

    I’m surprised to see Androgynous and 16 blue on some lists.
    I dunno why, but I just really dont like those tunes. And swing party…boy do I hate me some swing party. But thats cool…. i consider those leave to go pee during the concert songs, so they serve a good purpose.

  9. jay Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    swinging…not only did i get it wrong once…but twice. My hands are slower than my head. sigh

  10. jay Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 9:02 pm

    Did anybody here used to do the Skyway tape trade at christmas?
    We should get that going again.

  11. blasty Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 9:27 pm

    I’ve gotta agree with Jay on Androgynous. Always thought of it as a throwaway, and am always surprised when people list it as their favorite.

    I’m also surprised that IOU doesn’t show up on more lists. A great album cut, but even greater live. PW usually saves this for the encore, and plays it with a fury that ends the show with the audience wanting more.

    Also, The Ledge often comes up on people’s hated list, which I can never understand. Guess you had to be out on that ledge at one time in your life to get it.

    Alex Chilton has to be right up there on top of the list. Whenever I upload video on youTube, this song seems to get the most plays.

    With that said:

    Alex Chilton
    I Will Dare
    Can’t Hardly Wait

  12. jay Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 9:36 pm

    IOU is amazing.
    Nevermind is also up there on the “i cant believe this song doesnt get more love” list. its great. great opening line.

  13. evin Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    #1. lay it down clown
    #2. gary’s got a boner
    #3. back to back

  14. Jake Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 10:18 pm

    For me today…the list always changes…
    1.)Unsatisfied
    2.) Swinging party (i love it)
    3.) Shooting dirty pool (great rock song)

    Not my favorite of all time but today I’m in love with these songs

  15. Jay Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 11:12 pm

    back to back…bold pick my friend.

  16. Matt Says:
    October 6th, 2008 at 11:14 pm

    1… skyway
    2… i hate music
    3… johnny’s gonna die

    Them’s the three that that sum up – to me – the bitterweet, snotty, and disrespectful.

  17. monojack Says:
    October 7th, 2008 at 10:11 am

    I fought hard NOT to put the ledge up there…. but we do all have those songs we just never get. Sorry Evin, But my biggest one is probably Lay It Down Clown… that is my bathroom song far and away.
    ~m

  18. GtrPlyr Says:
    October 7th, 2008 at 9:49 pm

    Going for strictly iconic, not favorite here:

    Unsatisfied
    Bastards of Young
    Can’t Hardly Wait

  19. Jodi Says:
    October 7th, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    I think Unsatisfied and Bastards are pretty thematically similar.

  20. Sam Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 2:36 am

    i think to be iconic you have to capture the most prominent sides of the mats…the pop, the punk, and the ballad…

    1. cant hardly wait
    2. skyway
    3.shiftless when idle

    you could sub in i will dare or color me impressed for cant hardly wait…all great

    androgynous for skyway (honestly, i’m not really sold on 16 blue or answering machine or even unsatisfied) as for those who dont get androgynous, try listening to it walking back from a party on a rainy night in the AM or when you cant sleep

    bastards of young is a great song, but its a bit too smart and “born to Run” for my taste…maybe kids dont follow, but jeez, everything comes together so well in shiftless. way more rawness and energy than the production on bastards

  21. wes Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 7:04 am

    I may have come up on the “wrong side of right” according to you, but your poll question results say otherwise.

  22. jay Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 8:39 am

    ” as for those who dont get androgynous, try listening to it walking back from a party on a rainy night in the AM or when you cant sleep” IN A DRESS?

  23. Some Guy Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 9:37 am

    “I may have come up on the ‘wrong side of right’ according to you, but your poll question results say otherwise.”

    Well, the cage match question is a whole different animal, Wes. Left Of The Dial wins that one easily because it’s got a better finishing move.

  24. Jonathon Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 11:04 am

    I’m a little shocked that Answering Machine hasn’t been mentioned more. I’m not even gonna try to whittle down a list. But does anybody anywhere like “Nightclub Jitters” at all? I just can’t bring myself to even try listening to it most days.

  25. evin Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 6:01 pm

    i was kiddin jay…

    for reals now i’d prob say alex chilton, bastards, left of the dial are their big anthems but fuk how can you leave achin to be, i’ll be you, regular, waitress, unsatisfied, color me imp, can’t hardly w, iou, sixteen blue, i will dare, answering mach, out of the mix? it’s a hard question.

  26. Jodi Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    I think that’s what makes it so fun, how hard it is.

  27. Brad Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 11:49 pm

    Ok, here goes:

    1) I will dare – simply rocks!!!
    2) Left of the Dial – Sweet Georgia Breezes
    3) Skyway – Defines the look of a great city

  28. Kent Says:
    October 9th, 2008 at 8:22 am

    Iconic? To me, that’s not their best songs but the songs that capture their essence. Under this definition, I’d go with:

    Hold My Life
    I Will Dare
    If Only You Were Lonely

  29. jay Says:
    October 9th, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    Whoever said Swinging Party sucks get a free beer from me next time I see you at the bar.

  30. Jake Says:
    October 9th, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    Your crazy….swinging party is great. Especially the lyrics..genius

  31. Mike Says:
    October 10th, 2008 at 1:14 pm

    Regular
    Satelite
    left of the dial

  32. Brad Willard Says:
    October 11th, 2008 at 3:14 am

    Clearly Westy’s best songs ever are as follows:

    1) Answering Machine
    2) Here Comes a Regular
    3) Born for You

    These points are indisputable, as are my qualifications to be President: http://www.willard2008.com

    Cheers and rock on Westy!

  33. Jay Says:
    October 11th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

    Born for you? Pfft.

  34. Jay Says:
    October 11th, 2008 at 3:56 pm

    I will however vote for you, if only because you look a teenie bit like Mr. Waits, which is muy cool.

  35. Jonathon Says:
    October 11th, 2008 at 8:17 pm

    I think Tom Waits would make a good president. It’s pretty hard to dislike the guy. And he’d probably just make confusing records for his State of the Union addresses and intimidate other countries with his ability to beat-box.

    Biden would still be VP. He can outdrink the others that were being considered. Except for Teddy…

  36. Jay Says:
    October 11th, 2008 at 11:00 pm

    Teddy was the shit.

  37. Bastard Of Young Says:
    October 12th, 2008 at 8:48 am

    The three I listened to the most in the last 24 years are:

    1)Answering Machine
    2)Color Me Impressed
    3)Left Of The Dial

    Treatment Bound would probably be #4.

  38. Jay Says:
    October 14th, 2008 at 10:53 pm

    Bastard of Young wins i think. Those are 3, solid, indisputable picks.

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