Playlist Challenge: By the Numbers Edition
This one is relatively easy. Name one song each from five different acts: solo, duo, trio, four-piece and five-piece. For bonus points, try to come up with songs (or at least performances), where all the music is played by the number of individuals indicated.
1. “Vulnerable” – Sarah Jaffe. I’m not usually a fan of solo artists (or singer-songwriters for that matter), but I’ve seen her perform by herself, and Sarah can really hold a room.
2. “Simple Girl” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. I really like the way this duo fills their songs with so much melodic layering.
3. “Philosophy” – Ben Folds Five. No, I didn’t accidentally place this two spots ahead. Ben Folds’ virtuosity piano playing can sometimes distract from the fact that BF5 was never more than a three-person affair, with only bass and drums–never a guitar–backing him up.
4. ”1-2-3 Stop” – The Postelles. No, I suppose it’s not that difficult to come up with songs by bands with four members. This song reminds me of that great post-punk power-pop sound, circa 1981, even though it’s much more recent than that. Just a great tune.
5. “Tongue Tied” – Grouplove. A good song, and an appropriately named band for the No. 5 position.
Posted on May 7, 2012, in Pop Culture. Bookmark the permalink. 13 Comments.
I’m in a mischievous mood today, so I’m going to ignore the original premise and go straight for the bonus points.
1. Blackbird – the Beatles (actually Paul solo)
2. The Ballad of John and Yoko – the Beatles (John and Paul only)
3. For No One – the Beatles (Paul, Ringo, and a french horn player)
4. Ticket to Ride – the Beatles (standard lineup)
5. Get Back – the Beatles (standard lineup and Billy Preston)
Last L: I’m sorry, but I’ve never heard of these bands. You hipsters just think music is better because it’s obscure.
1. Bill Evans, Yesterdays (from 1967′s “Further Conversations With Myself”)
2. Chick Corea and Michael Brecker, Confirmation (from “Three Quartets”) (note that it’s Chick on drums, not Steve Gadd, who plays drums on the rest of the album)
3. The Bad Plus, Dirty Blonde (from “Give”)
4. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Sinister Minister (1990 self-titled album)
5. Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, The Preacher
So I kind of miss your original challenge: the Three Quartets group is, in fact, a quartet, but the bonus song is a duet. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones is generally a trio, but on a number of songs (including this one) they bring in a harmonica. But Bill Evans did a lot of solo piano, the Bad Plus is a trio, and most iterations of the Jazz Messengers are a quintet.
1. Tori Amos, “Me and a Gun.” Tori singing solo with no accompaniment.
2. Pomplamoose, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It).” They go to great lengths to demonstrate how they are the only two performers on their songs.
3. fIREHOSE, “Hear Me” from the album “If’n.”
4. King Crimson (early 1980s line-up), “Elephant Talk.”
5. Paul McCartney and Wings (1980 line-up), “Coming Up (Live)”
Am I dating myself with those last two?
Wow, I actually know a Sarah Jaffe song (Clementine)
What counts as a solo act? Would Madonna count? She doesn’t play any instruments, so there has to be a band, or do you kind of have to find a singer who plays guitar/piano?
Ok, what’s the worst that could happen, I don’t get any points?
1. Gretchen Wilson, “Good Morning Heartache” (Note: not Country, cover of Billie Holiday)
2. Heart, “Crazy On You”
3. King’s X, “The Difference”
4.Level 42, “Something About You”
5. Airborne Toxic Event, “All at Once” (U2 meets Neil Diamond)
1. Arena; “Crying For Help VII.” Just vocals. Unfortunately, I can’t find a video of this with just vocals.
2. Queensryche: “Someone Else” A rocking, emotional song that somehow just has voice and piano.
3. Rush: “Hand Over Fist.” Or pretty much anything else Rush has ever done. I don’t think any band has stayed together with the same exact line-up for so long, and continued to put out both albums and big-venue tours.
4. King Crimson: “21st Century Schizoid Man.”
And no, I don’t care that King Crimson was already used here. This was a different line-up, and in my opinion they never again had the same greatness after Greg Lake left.
5. Dream Theater: “Change of Seasons”
And, for extra credit: Savatage: “Chance”. The line-up for this entire album–”Handful of Rain”–is either 3, 4, or 5, depending on whether it’s the “Credited Line-up,” the “Actual Line-up,” or the “Touring Line-up.” So, 3 in 1.
I might add, I’m greatly disappointed that “6″ wasn’t also an option.
And “Chance:”
Love that King’s X song!
1. Owen Pallett, ‘The Great Elsewhere.’ http://youtu.be/ZslepJpWZkw
2. Buke and Gass, Your Face Left Before You http://youtu.be/PywHyeJuVc8
3. Hüsker Dü, Makes No Sense At All http://youtu.be/J1sYN0PuRs4
4. The Clash, The Magnificent Seven http://youtu.be/NqJR9yDpClQ
5. The National, Fake Empire http://youtu.be/KehwyWmXr3U
Mudhead, Love Pomplamoose’s version of “Single Ladies.”
Norbert: Excellent Husker Du song. I need to check out the two songs on your list that I’m not familiar with, because I love the other three.
Um, Husker Du never did a crappy song.
1. Billy Bragg, “Levi Stubbs’ Tears”
2. Deadboy and the Elephantmen, “Stop, I’m Already Dead”
3. The Police, “Da Do Do Do”
4. The Replacements, “Unsatisfied”
5. 311, “Freeze Time”
My oldest son says:
1. Buckethead or Igorrr
2. Anaal Nathrakh or Amogh Symphony
3. Blonde Redhead
4. Slough Feg or Mastodon
5. Spawn of Possession
42. Folkearth
My youngest says:
1. Buckethead
2. Dethklok (two musicians did all parts on the 1st album)
3. Macabre
4. System of a Down
5. Strapping Young Lad