The Rolling Stone 500: The 500 Greatest Songs Ever Written

[loopydate]

Lyrics aren't everything to everyone. Honestly, I personally prefer good lyrics to a catchy hook, but SLTP was the "coming out" song for the grunge movement, which radically shifted the way the music industry was headed, from the over-production of the 1980s into the "garage" sound of the early '90s.

'Course, that was short-lived, since at the end of the decade, we went back to overproduction, but for anyone who was of a certain age from about 1991-1993, Nirvana was it.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by loopydate Lyrics aren't everything to everyone. Honestly, I personally prefer good lyrics to a catchy hook, but SLTP was the "coming out" song for the grunge movement, which radically shifted the way the music industry was headed, from the over-production of the 1980s into the "garage" sound of the early '90s. 'Course, that was short-lived, since at the end of the decade, we went back to overproduction, but for anyone who was of a certain age from about 1991-1993, Nirvana was it.

Wait, so you're justifying it's status on this list not on any quality of the music itself, but because it's a snapshot of cultural "revolution." So it's not even really about the song at all.

[loopydate]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight Wait, so you're justifying it's status on this list not on any quality of the music itself, but because it's a snapshot of cultural "revolution." So it's not even really about the song at all.

Exactly. I personally wouldn't put it in my top ten. It would probably struggle to make any list of mine (there are other Nirvana songs I'd rank above it, anyway). But I can understand why people would rank it so high.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by loopydate Exactly. I personally wouldn't put it in my top ten. It would probably struggle to make any list of mine (there are other Nirvana songs I'd rank above it, anyway). But I can understand why people would rank it so high.

But by your own admission, it has no place on this list.

[loopydate]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight But by your own admission, it has no place on this list.

I can't speak for the whatever musical experts they brought in and their philosphies, but purely in terms of great songwriting, yeah. It wasn't even one of Nirvana's five best songs, let alone one of the top ten of all-time.

[Zen v.W.o.]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight But by your own admission, it has no place on this list.

My contention is that it most certainly does. A song isnt just about lyrics, it is how you choose to use the lyrics..the way you belt out the words, how you employ them to the tune of your musical instruments..SLTS has everything going for it at the time, and it still holds up now as a matter of fact, and it did knock down doors that other bands from the same era didnt do.

KOOS, Pearl Jam are great, but again, Nirvana didnt become such an iconic band due to his death. They were huge and epic while he was living.
And you cant go into if's or but's just because Kurt is not still alive. If Eddie had commited suicide or died at his peak, would you not be proclaiming that your fave band ever weren't epic and iconic? Yeah.

Also, as I recall things, Eddie wasnt such a strong man himself, considering you called Kurt a pussy. Kurt would run down Pearl Jam and Eddie would fold, and admit to his feelings being hurt. His vvideos would be trashed and Eddie would stop making videos. Eddie in a way back then was a follower, and it was after Kurts death that Eddie started to go the route of the "grunge" type of artist. I doubt Eddie is one to just talk and make praise of someone for nothing, and especially to a guy that once continually trashed his band, but on the night Kurt was found dead, Eddie to his live audience told everyone that none of us would be here if it had not been for Kurt, and the music Nirvana created.
I should say that none of them would be on such a big stage together as they were...Nirvana's music clearly helped music lovers learn and gain knowledge about plenty of other bands, and PJ was no exception.

This goes back to SLTS, if not for that song and the Nevermind album, perhaps the alternative revolution does not become as big as it did, and we are not permitted to suddenly have access to punk rock bands and underground acts on our radio stations and music tv channels. It broke down some doors, which other bands have had the chance to do before Nirvana, but didnt. Soundgarden. REM, AIC, Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, and many others before Nirvana didnt do this.
Nirvana didnt become big through their label mass marketing them and pushing them super hard. That wasnt it at all. N irvana became big through word of mouth, kids passing around cassettes and realizing how kick ass this band was, and turning their friends on to something fresh and new and well deserving of the praise it would later recieve. That is dedication and hardcore love for a band right from the get-go. It then became an avalanche later on, and Nirvana actually deserved all that acclaim, unlike many bands now who reiceve it, or try to.

btw, speaking of Pearl Jam, they had two members in that band who at one point in time could have been considered in the same vein as other stadium pooch metal acts..Ament and Gossard. When the grunge movement hit, PJ were right in there at the right moment, right time. They got swallowed up in it and rolled with it. They became big because of what Niravana started. When Nirvana left, we could see PJ start declining, as the rest of alternative nation did. In a way, you can look at Nirvana leaving us early for the regression of many bands that became huge during those years. Perhaps if Nirvana were around longer, PJ would have been much more popular for a longer period of time then they were. They obviously still have their hardcore fans that still attend their shows, but so many left them after Vitalogy.

I think it says alot about a particular band(Nirvana) when they have such am imprint and impact on not just the genre of music they helped to make big, but the other bands that fit that style.

[Zen v.W.o.]

btw, the Rolling Stones are still going, yet the Beatles are still better than they are, so your theory about PJ being the sole band to keep trucking on therefore being the better band or the best as you called them is balls.

[KingofOldSchool]

Originally Posted by loopydate 'Course, that was short-lived, since at the end of the decade, we went back to overproduction, but for anyone who was of a certain age from about 1991-1993, Nirvana was it.

Only because Kurt was a whiney pussy and decided to off himself right around Nirvana's peak thus proclaiming his suicide such a big "Tragedy."

Face it, if Eddie Vedder was as much of a pussy as Kurt was, then "Jeremy" would've been in the spot "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is at on this list.

And regardless if Kurt never had died, the band wouldn't be around today. They would've broken up between '96-'98. The only "grunge" band from the early 90's that's left is Pearl Jam, because they were truly the best band from the era. And I'm not saying that because they are my favorite band, but just look at the way they transcended over the years. Sure they may not make #1 in record sales anymore, but seriously...who cares? Record sales don't base a band...they still sell out arenas like last year they sold out shows all over Canada, Mexico, and South America.

Honestly, would Nirvana be doing that if Kurt was still around?