XTC my favorite band since 1980. Actually posting my personal list before watching your video to eliminate any "undue influence "! Partial list of honorable mentions at the end. Tried to include at least 1 track on every album. 30 Battery Brides 29 Extrpvert (from Rag and Bone Buffet) 28 Atom Age 27 Playground 26 I'd Like That 25 It's Nearly Africa 24 Harvest Festival 23 Travels in Nihilon 22 Then She Appeared 21 Church of Women 20 1000 Umbrellas 19 Ten Feet Tall 18 Human Alchemy 17 Real by Reel 16 You're the Wish You are I Had 15 Burning With Optimism's Flames 14 All of a Sudden (It's too Late) 13 Pale and Precious 12 Ballet for a Rainy Day 11 Knights in Shining Karma 10 Beating of Hearts 9 Chalkhills and Children 8 The Meeting Place 7 No Language in our Lungs 6 My Bird Performs 5 Senses Working Overtime 4 Season Cycle 3 Love on a Farmboy's Wages 2 Helicopter 1 Yacht Dance Honorable mentions: Reign of Blows, Wrapped in Grey, Mayor of Simpleton, Hold me my Daddy, Another Satellite, Summer's Cauldron/Grass, Earn Enough for Us, Sacrificial Bonfire, No Thugs in our House, Making Plans for Nigel, That is the Way, Respectable Street, The Disappointed, Me and the Wind, Ladybird, Green Man, Vanishing Girl, Wake Up.
Tom! I knew there was a reason I watch your channel.... You showcase awesome freaking albums that I can relate with. So I'm always tuned in every time you put out a video. But now you got my full divided attention...XTC Are incredible one of my favorite, Nigel kicked it all off for me . Thanx Brother 👍😎✌️
Senses Working Overtime is an absolute masterpiece, always my fave XTC song and a GREAT video too. Love on a Farm Boy's Wages would be #2. Too many great songs to choose from and even rank. Nothing from the last 2? I absolutely love Stupidly Happy. Always interesting how Colin would have a year to write 2-3 songs or so, and they'd always be great. lol
What a phenomenal top 30, Tom. I've owned English Settlement for 30 years or more and only recently discovered the brilliance of All Of A Sudden. Another wonderful Andy song is Ladybird. I love XTC. I could probably come up with a similar list for Costello. Rock on. Happy new year
This a fantastic Top 30 list for XTC. I agree XTC is one of the most under-rated bands of all time. I agree with just about every selection you have made, but there are 4 omissions that I think should be mandatory inclusion in a list of best XTC songs. They would be: Generals and Majors (Black Sea), Complicated Game (Drums and Wires), I'd Like That (Apple Venus) and my favorite dark horse XTC song of them all that everyone seems to forget about Take This Town (Times Square Soundtrack).
Fantastic list! It is said that one billion monkeys pounding away on one billion typewriters for one billion years will eventually produce the entire works of Shakespeare. With that principle in mind, NO 2 people will EVER have the same XTC top 30.
Thanks Tom for list - your deep cuts are well considered. My top 5 are ‘Chalkhills & Children (Dave’s arrangement is fab) , Then She Appeared (love the bass work from Colin), Generals & Majors (great drumming from Terry), This World Over (Andy best vocal work) and the deep cut The Good Things off the US tribute album under the pseudonym Terry and the Lovemen❤. Andy and Dave trade off guitar licks as if they’re on Fleetwood Mac’s Bare Trees. As always excellent inside to music on your channel. Thanks
Hi, Tom. Somehow I missed this video when you posted it. Oh well, better late than never. XTC are among my favorite bands, I own all their albums except the last one, which I detest! So nothing from there would make my list. :) Actually, I could probably pull all my favorite songs off my top three XTC albums (Black Sea, English Settlement and Nonsuch...yes, Nonsuch!) and come close to 30, but then I wouldn't have my favorite song by them, Season Cycle. A little disappointed you excluded The Big Express, I would have included All You Pretty Girls (a variation of which I like to sing to my dog Violetta in the car to keep her entertained) and This World Over, maybe also I Bought Myself a Liar Bird for the title alone. Some others that didn't make your list: Travels in Nihilon, Holly Up on Poppy, Funk Pop a Roll, Ladybird, Sgt. Rock, Snowman, 1000 Umbrellas, English Roundabout, Ball and Chain, Roads Girdle the Road, The Loving, The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead, Day In Day Out, Scissor Man, Rocket From a Bottle, Dear Madam Barnum, This Is Pop, Radios In Motion, Ballet for a Rainy Day, The Rhythm, The Smartest Monkeys, War Dance, Your Dictionary...as you said, a top 50 probably wouldn't be enough!
Hi Chris, I agree regarding that last XTC album. Couldn’t get into it. Ended up trading it in. I love Black Sea, but never liked Travels In Nihilon. Always thought it was out of place and ended a perfect album on a sour note. Different strokes for different folks. I think if they stopped at Nonsuch that would have been a solid ending. Great album.
Great list Tom. They were my fav band during my teenage years and Black Sea is still one of my favourite albums ever. I'd have included a couple of tracks from the last album, Wasp Star (Stupidly Happy and I'm the Man Who Murdered Love). A great podcast, keep them coming. Andy McArthur
@tomrobinson5776 Hi Tom, I also loved your Byrds podcast a few weeks back. I left a comment to mention a Byrds book I'd written but can't see it now. Apologies if I shouldn't be mentioning book details on these message pages. If you want details I can e mail you, if you like. Cheers.
I'm so glad you mentioned "Mermaid Smiled". It reminds me of a chapter from Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, which features a mermaid and communicates joy and innocence. As for "Dear God", l agree with Andy Partridge, the composer: the song, while catchy enough, is a failure because why spend almost four minutes railing against a deity you claim not to believe in? The video for "Mayor of Simpleton" is classic. Any video configured to look like the title sequence from a groovy '60s movie is gold. See also the Smithereens' "Only a Memory"
A worthwhile but impossible challenge! The British overuse the term "brilliant" -- but (as you indicate with your many "sun" references in discussing these songs), XTC is positively luminous. "Mayor of Simpleton" ("Please be upstanding!") and "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" feel like goofball companions to me -- a double A-sided single, perhaps! -- even if they weren't released that way. I became obsessed with the latter-day records "Apple Venus" (1999) and "Wasp Star" aka "Apple Venus Volume 2" (2000) just a few years ago and some of their most emotionally resonant work is on those discs. I always liked the early, wiry "new wavy" XTC (through "Drums and Wires"); really loved the richer, more sophisticated pop ("Black Sea" to "Skylarking" -- and the Dukes of Stratosphear side project); and reveled in the joyous, immersive late psychedelia of "Oranges & Lemons" and "Nonsuch" (they're like rolling in that summer grass), a pair of fraternal twins that fed my musical sweet-tooth for a period in 1989-90. There's so much mind-blowing music in the XTC catalog that at first I considered the pastoral (more "Mummer"-like) "Apple Venus" records as afterthoughts. I was SO wrong. "River of Orchids," "Green Man," "Church of Women," "The Last Balloon" (this stuff could be a soundtrack to Ari Aster's "Midsommar") are spellbinding... and even Colin Moulding's seemingly tossed-off ditty "Standing in for Joe" is irresistible. I will never count them out until the last balloon has sailed...
At the end, you should have recommended their 2 disc set called Psurroundabout Ride containing their complete Dukes Of Stratosphere recordings. The CD contains both albums including the mini, plus three bonus tracks. The Blu Ray contains the original stereo mixes of both albums and the bonus tracks, the 2019 stereo mixes of all, the surround stereo mixes of all, instrumental versions of the tracks from the two albums, and demos, mostly early recordings of tracks from the two albums. This was all different, as it was deliberately influenced by the Psychedelia of 1967, and sounds like a journey back to that time.
I think you could just about pick any 30 XTC's and they'd all be great. It is tough to find a clunker. One of my favorite bands of all time and so overlooked by lots of folks.
An excellent list! Off the top of my head, my list would include both Generals & Majors (the humming introduction into the killer melody is awesome; the 5.1 Steven Wilson mix is like a gift from the gods) and Smokeless Zone off Black Sea.
@@tomrobinson5776 you know I don’t remember that track. I went to Tidal, and then Spotify, (my “Undertones” to “Zappa” are presently inaccessible due to the Christmas tree) and Black Sea is not on the streaming platforms!
i agree with you about a number such as 30 for xtc but when you're doing something like top neil young songs of the 70's and don't do 50, you lose me slightly. when you give every indication of being a kinks and neil fanatic (absolutely nothing wrong with that), you should go hog wild. "winterlong", "ambulance blues" and many, many others be left off the list was mind boggling. as you said, it's your list and now i'm going to focus on this one!
XTC my favorite band since 1980. Actually posting my personal list before watching your video to eliminate any "undue influence "! Partial list of honorable mentions at the end. Tried to include at least 1 track on every album.
30 Battery Brides
29 Extrpvert (from Rag and Bone Buffet)
28 Atom Age
27 Playground
26 I'd Like That
25 It's Nearly Africa
24 Harvest Festival
23 Travels in Nihilon
22 Then She Appeared
21 Church of Women
20 1000 Umbrellas
19 Ten Feet Tall
18 Human Alchemy
17 Real by Reel
16 You're the Wish You are I Had
15 Burning With Optimism's Flames
14 All of a Sudden (It's too Late)
13 Pale and Precious
12 Ballet for a Rainy Day
11 Knights in Shining Karma
10 Beating of Hearts
9 Chalkhills and Children
8 The Meeting Place
7 No Language in our Lungs
6 My Bird Performs
5 Senses Working Overtime
4 Season Cycle
3 Love on a Farmboy's Wages
2 Helicopter
1 Yacht Dance
Honorable mentions: Reign of Blows, Wrapped in Grey, Mayor of Simpleton, Hold me my Daddy, Another Satellite, Summer's Cauldron/Grass, Earn Enough for Us, Sacrificial Bonfire, No Thugs in our House, Making Plans for Nigel, That is the Way, Respectable Street, The Disappointed, Me and the Wind, Ladybird, Green Man, Vanishing Girl, Wake Up.
Fantastic! So many great tunes.
Tom! I knew there was a reason I watch your channel.... You showcase awesome freaking albums that I can relate with. So I'm always tuned in every time you put out a video. But now you got my full divided attention...XTC Are incredible one of my favorite, Nigel kicked it all off for me . Thanx Brother 👍😎✌️
Thank you and Happy New Year!!
Senses Working Overtime is an absolute masterpiece, always my fave XTC song and a GREAT video too. Love on a Farm Boy's Wages would be #2. Too many great songs to choose from and even rank. Nothing from the last 2? I absolutely love Stupidly Happy. Always interesting how Colin would have a year to write 2-3 songs or so, and they'd always be great. lol
Colin is very underrated. Phenomenal bass player as well.
Great list. Hard to pick 25. I’d add “Life Begins at the Hop”. “Supergirl” “Dear Madam Barnum”.
What a phenomenal top 30, Tom. I've owned English Settlement for 30 years or more and only recently discovered the brilliance of All Of A Sudden. Another wonderful Andy song is Ladybird. I love XTC. I could probably come up with a similar list for Costello. Rock on. Happy new year
Ladybird is great. A Costello list is definitely in the near future. Happy New Year!
This a fantastic Top 30 list for XTC. I agree XTC is one of the most under-rated bands of all time. I agree with just about every selection you have made, but there are 4 omissions that I think should be mandatory inclusion in a list of best XTC songs. They would be: Generals and Majors (Black Sea), Complicated Game (Drums and Wires), I'd Like That (Apple Venus) and my favorite dark horse XTC song of them all that everyone seems to forget about Take This Town (Times Square Soundtrack).
A fantastic list Tom and such a wonderful band to be putting under the microscope 🔬
Fantastic list!
It is said that one billion monkeys pounding away on one billion typewriters for one billion years will eventually produce the entire works of Shakespeare. With that principle in mind, NO 2 people will EVER have the same XTC top 30.
That’s for sure. 😉
Thanks Tom for list - your deep cuts are well considered. My top 5 are ‘Chalkhills & Children (Dave’s arrangement is fab) , Then She Appeared (love the bass work from Colin), Generals & Majors (great drumming from Terry), This World Over (Andy best vocal work) and the deep cut The Good Things off the US tribute album under the pseudonym Terry and the Lovemen❤. Andy and Dave trade off guitar licks as if they’re on Fleetwood Mac’s Bare Trees. As always excellent inside to music on your channel. Thanks
Thank you 😉
Hi, Tom. Somehow I missed this video when you posted it. Oh well, better late than never. XTC are among my favorite bands, I own all their albums except the last one, which I detest! So nothing from there would make my list. :) Actually, I could probably pull all my favorite songs off my top three XTC albums (Black Sea, English Settlement and Nonsuch...yes, Nonsuch!) and come close to 30, but then I wouldn't have my favorite song by them, Season Cycle. A little disappointed you excluded The Big Express, I would have included All You Pretty Girls (a variation of which I like to sing to my dog Violetta in the car to keep her entertained) and This World Over, maybe also I Bought Myself a Liar Bird for the title alone. Some others that didn't make your list: Travels in Nihilon, Holly Up on Poppy, Funk Pop a Roll, Ladybird, Sgt. Rock, Snowman, 1000 Umbrellas, English Roundabout, Ball and Chain, Roads Girdle the Road, The Loving, The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead, Day In Day Out, Scissor Man, Rocket From a Bottle, Dear Madam Barnum, This Is Pop, Radios In Motion, Ballet for a Rainy Day, The Rhythm, The Smartest Monkeys, War Dance, Your Dictionary...as you said, a top 50 probably wouldn't be enough!
Hi Chris, I agree regarding that last XTC album. Couldn’t get into it. Ended up trading it in. I love Black Sea, but never liked Travels In Nihilon. Always thought it was out of place and ended a perfect album on a sour note. Different strokes for different folks. I think if they stopped at Nonsuch that would have been a solid ending. Great album.
Great list Tom. They were my fav band during my teenage years and Black Sea is still one of my favourite albums ever. I'd have included a couple of tracks from the last album, Wasp Star (Stupidly Happy and I'm the Man Who Murdered Love). A great podcast, keep them coming. Andy McArthur
Thanks Andy 😉
@tomrobinson5776 Hi Tom, I also loved your Byrds podcast a few weeks back. I left a comment to mention a Byrds book I'd written but can't see it now. Apologies if I shouldn't be mentioning book details on these message pages. If you want details I can e mail you, if you like. Cheers.
I'm so glad you mentioned "Mermaid Smiled". It reminds me of a chapter from Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, which features a mermaid and communicates joy and innocence. As for "Dear God", l agree with Andy Partridge, the composer: the song, while catchy enough, is a failure because why spend almost four minutes railing against a deity you claim not to believe in?
The video for "Mayor of Simpleton" is classic. Any video configured to look like the title sequence from a groovy '60s movie is gold. See also the Smithereens' "Only a Memory"
Only A Memory is a great video. 😉
Very Cool, you could easily make a Ultimate XTC compilation.... Did you add anything from Big Express, didn't take notice? Anyway you got 👍✌️
A worthwhile but impossible challenge! The British overuse the term "brilliant" -- but (as you indicate with your many "sun" references in discussing these songs), XTC is positively luminous. "Mayor of Simpleton" ("Please be upstanding!") and "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" feel like goofball companions to me -- a double A-sided single, perhaps! -- even if they weren't released that way. I became obsessed with the latter-day records "Apple Venus" (1999) and "Wasp Star" aka "Apple Venus Volume 2" (2000) just a few years ago and some of their most emotionally resonant work is on those discs.
I always liked the early, wiry "new wavy" XTC (through "Drums and Wires"); really loved the richer, more sophisticated pop ("Black Sea" to "Skylarking" -- and the Dukes of Stratosphear side project); and reveled in the joyous, immersive late psychedelia of "Oranges & Lemons" and "Nonsuch" (they're like rolling in that summer grass), a pair of fraternal twins that fed my musical sweet-tooth for a period in 1989-90. There's so much mind-blowing music in the XTC catalog that at first I considered the pastoral (more "Mummer"-like) "Apple Venus" records as afterthoughts. I was SO wrong. "River of Orchids," "Green Man," "Church of Women," "The Last Balloon" (this stuff could be a soundtrack to Ari Aster's "Midsommar") are spellbinding... and even Colin Moulding's seemingly tossed-off ditty "Standing in for Joe" is irresistible. I will never count them out until the last balloon has sailed...
At the end, you should have recommended their 2 disc set called Psurroundabout Ride containing their complete Dukes Of Stratosphere recordings. The CD contains both albums including the mini, plus three bonus tracks. The Blu Ray contains the original stereo mixes of both albums and the bonus tracks, the 2019 stereo mixes of all, the surround stereo mixes of all, instrumental versions of the tracks from the two albums, and demos, mostly early recordings of tracks from the two albums.
This was all different, as it was deliberately influenced by the Psychedelia of 1967, and sounds like a journey back to that time.
I think you could just about pick any 30 XTC's and they'd all be great. It is tough to find a clunker. One of my favorite bands of all time and so overlooked by lots of folks.
Great list , many thanks we have the same top2 😊
An excellent list! Off the top of my head, my list would include both Generals & Majors (the humming introduction into the killer melody is awesome; the 5.1 Steven Wilson mix is like a gift from the gods) and Smokeless Zone off Black Sea.
Another great outtake from Black Sea is Don’t Lose Your Temper. 😉
@@tomrobinson5776 you know I don’t remember that track. I went to Tidal, and then Spotify, (my “Undertones” to “Zappa” are presently inaccessible due to the Christmas tree) and Black Sea is not on the streaming platforms!
@@fitzelectricbar9268 I’ll have to check out that 5.1 Steven Wilson mix of Black Sea.
I would have:
This is Pop
Statue of Liberty
Helicopter
Rocket From A Bottle
i agree with you about a number such as 30 for xtc but when you're doing something like top neil young songs of the 70's and don't do 50, you lose me slightly. when you give every indication of being a kinks and neil fanatic (absolutely nothing wrong with that), you should go hog wild. "winterlong", "ambulance blues" and many, many others be left off the list was mind boggling. as you said, it's your list and now i'm going to focus on this one!