Pop Merit Poll #4

[Soot and Stars]

And the drill for the newbs......

"In this series of polls I'm going to take a song that at one point was playing everywhere and like it or not you likely heard it unless you lived under a rock! The purpose of pop is to write something that the masses will like. It's not a self indulgent genre writing wise and I like that. Some songs are well crafted and still universally liked, some are very simple but brilliant in execution and some are just a very fresh way lyrically and sonically to express something to/for the masses they haven't heard before. Oh yeah, and some are just fun and people catch on! Anyway, I'll give you a hit song and you can pick whether it stands out in the world of pop exclusively or not. Feel free to discuss in detail your reasoning whether it be based on originality, beat, instruments used or not used, melody, lyrics, etc.! Peace!

Here's a post Grunge ballad that somehow ignited the airwaves way more than a song of this ilk normally does. This cautionary tale about the guilt the singer felt when his ex-girlfriend committed suicide peaked at a respectable #5 on the Billboard singles chart!

The Verve Pipe-The Freshman


"Did this song deserve to be a hit?"

 

[METALPRIEST]

Yeah, but not a major one. Kind of drags on, but it's not a bad tune.

 

[AboutAGirl]

Fantastic song, love it. Only thing really keeping me from picking the top choice is I have a very specific set of songs that I'd consider the cream of the crop.

 

[Tray73]

This is the first time I've heard this song, I can't see anything special about it and it's really not for me, but going to vote 'Yes, but not a major one' as I can imagine it being one of those songs that gradually grows on you.

 

[Magic]

I had never heard this song before....I don't consider it "major" hit material but it is a beautiful song with some deep lyrics.


I think I am going to see if I can find the "Villians" album laying around to give it a better listen.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

Can't believe a lot of you haven't heard this one.

This song was huuuuuge back in the period of my life where one hit wonder pop tunes like this were permanently ingraining themselves into the soundtrack of my youth. My mom was also a big fan of this tune. I never really determined the meaning behind the song until much later. I believe there are two versions, am I right Sooty? Anywho, the typical radio version is the one I prefer. I loved the video too. Songs like this are the very definition of "takes me back" tunes. A lot of people got these guys mixed up with The Verve, I remember.

 

[Lynch]

Definitely should have been expelled. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Soot and Stars]

Can't believe a lot of you haven't heard this one.

This song was huuuuuge back in the period of my life where one hit wonder pop tunes like this were permanently ingraining themselves into the soundtrack of my youth. My mom was also a big fan of this tune. I never really determined the meaning behind the song until much later. I believe there are two versions, am I right Sooty? Anywho, the typical radio version is the one I prefer. I loved the video too. Songs like this are the very definition of "takes me back" tunes. A lot of people got these guys mixed up with The Verve, I remember.

Jen, sorry for the delayed response. There actually IS two versions and a world of difference to me. The other version is more laid back and has this annoying me-hee on the vocal "For the life of me". I don't think this version ever overstayed it's welcome as it was a fresh type of song to chart that high and only peaked at #5. It got it's radio play but never got to every where I go I hear that damn song status. It was a modest song with real emotion that I can play top this day and sing along to. I actually saw the lead singer open up solo for Sister Hazel and Grace Potter doing a version of this and it was great!

 

[Mr. Bob Dobolina]

I've never heard this one either. Sorry, but I didn't think much of it.

 

[KingHeadache]

No, it should have been expelled!