Barenaked Ladies (Official Thread)

[Soot and Stars]

Barenaked Ladies

This was a band that was hugely popular amongst my college peers specifically my social group at the time. By the time I had first been exposed to and quickly sick of the ridiculously popular One Week song I found my friends had a pretty expansive collection BNL c.d.s already. Slowly I had begun to hear that their was a great clever and melodic background behind the band that more than made up for the radio single that almost made me swear off the band. It was after college that I finally bought some material by way of their hits collection:

I enjoy the whole disc and as you can probably tell I particularly like their earlier singles the best. They aren't only great quirky pop songs but they are just plain great songs overall with great storytelling. On top of that the vocalist has a tone that a lot of singers would only wish they had. My favorites include:

The Old Apartment
(My favorite, Love this song, one of those songs that could be interpreted in many ways)


Brian Wilson
(I think Brian Wilson would even dig this band)


Call and Answer
(a straight forward ballad and great example of his nice tone)
​

In the last decade Barenaked Ladies have sadly fallen further and further into obscurity but have still kept releasing music. Their loss is my gain as I've gotten to solid albums for a dollar each. The band seems to have garnered some creativity in this lull of their career. The albums referred to are:

Everything to Everyone
​

and​

Barenaked Ladies Are Me

Are there any other BNL fans here? What's your take on the band?

 

[LG]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

First very nice presentation Sooty.

Second, for some strange reason, and seeing I usually support almost all Canadian rock bands, BNL sort of fall into the Nickleback category for me. I know they are a good band, write fun songs and have been very successful but I just can't get into them for some reason.

The only song I can remember right now is "If I Had A Million Dollars", which most likely makes my opinion of the band irrelevant...

 

[TheFeldster]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

Nice thread.

Got a friend who's obsessed with "One Week", she's got in on SingStar and has reached the stage where she can get a perfect score on the game with this song, with her eyes closed.

So I hear that one a lot, and I'm sick of it.

But the rest of their stuff is awesome

I'm particularly fond of the theme song they wrote for the Big Bang Theory:

 

[Magic]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

Yes, Virginia, Acoustic Guitars are still alive:

 

[0000]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

I'm a little sick of One Week, but I still play it every once in a while.. I was introduced to the song and got the album after American Pie or American Pie 2.. one of them
I only own Stunt, which is an album I've really grown to love.
I wanted to mention the song Call and Answer because, it could just be me, but the first time I heard it, I had to check to make sure I wan't listening to Blues Traveler.. the voice on that song sounds almost identical to John Popper IMO.. still one of my favorites from Stunt though

Nice write-up too, BTW

 

[LG]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

Yes, Virginia, Acoustic Guitars are still alive:

That is a cover of Bruce Cockburn's song "Lovers in a Dangerous Time", from his album Stealing Fire, BNL do a good cover of it too.

 

[Gearjammer]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

This is another band that once drove me apeshit, I think because of One Week, and It's All been Done. But like a fungus, they grew on me. I love The Old Apartment, but I think Brian Wilson edges it out as favorite song for me.

I was sorry to hear of them parting ways with Steven Page, but life goes on for them I guess.

 

[ChibiGeeBee]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

Excellent band. Kinda unique, too. A word of warning- never try to Karoke One Week while drunk. Just... don't.

 

[ecisgod]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

Excellent band. Kinda unique, too. A word of warning- never try to Karoke One Week while drunk. Just... don't.

haha so true...

I absolutely love this band I have seen them a few times live recently (last couple years) and they are a great band. Great bunch of nice guys with great harmony. Sucks that Page left,but I really like Robertson and I recently saw them without Page and they were still pretty damn good. I guess if I was trying to get someone to listen to this band I would suggest some of the following songs:

Maybe Katie
You ran away
Another Heartbreak
Four Seconds
Ordinary
Adrift
For You
Bank Job
Sound of your voice
Peterborough and the kawarthas
Wind it up
Testing 1,2,3
Too Little too late
One Week
It's all been done
Leave
Call and Answer
Brian Wilson
What a good boy
Old Apartment
Jane
Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank
Grade 9
Enid
Be My Yoko Ono

 

[rollingstoned]

Re: Barenaked Ladies

Guy on the right is wearing sandals. Lost all respect for him! haha jk