Favorite Jawbreaker song

[xxxMidgexxx]

Its a tie between 'Kiss the Bottle' and 'Split'

Wish they could reunite and just do the whole 'Etc...' collection.

[The Snake]

Sea Foam Green

[Stormy]

Imaginary War maybe? tough question

[drew]

Chesterfield King or Bivouac. Tough call

[the mean]

'Kiss the Bottle'

This is really the only correct answer.

They made a slight change in the chorus on the recorded version from earlier live versions that bothers me a little bit, but other than that this is a perfect song.

[Stormy]

they have MANY perfect songs

[FlexMyHead]

Today it's "Fine Day". Tomorrow it will be either "Donatello" (I love that drum fill at 45 seconds in) or "Shield Your Eyes"

[WrEtcH]

this is hard, I'll do it this way,

"unfun" - "want" (I almost went with "busy")
"bivouac" - "donatello" (runner up, "parabola")
24 hr revenge - "indictment" (runner up, "boxcar")
"dear you" - "sluttering" (runner up, "million")

etc. - "kiss the bottle" (runner up, "sea foam green")

[worldismyfuse]

Some of my favorites:

Sea Foam Green, Kiss the Bottle, Do You Still Hate Me, Ashtray Monument, Shield Your Eyes, Condition Oakland, Big, Donatello...lots of great songs.

[tad ghostal]

So many great songs, it's hard to me to choose. Some I didn't see mentioned: Softcore, The Boat Dreams From The Hill, Driven, Eye-5, Rich... Those first 3 albums are some of my favorite records.

[The Snake]

No favorite Jawbreaker songs from Dear You?

[BAIN]

PARABOLA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPDJ_hshiSA

[xxxMidgexxx]

No favorite Jawbreaker songs from Dear You?

ONLY THE WHOLE FUCKING ALBUM!!!!!

[Stormy]

So many great songs, it's hard to me to choose. Some I didn't see mentioned: Softcore, The Boat Dreams From The Hill, Driven, Eye-5, Rich... Those first 3 albums are some of my favorite records.

Eye-5 was the first Jawbreaker song i ever heard, i taped it on Pat Duncan's radio show in like '89 oe whenever it came out. It blew me away. I must have played Unfun every day for months when i first got it. Such an amazing debut.

Really love Sleep, Donatello, PS New York is Burning and Like A Secret from Bivouac. The LP version has the perfect momentum. I'll never understand why they just randomly threw all the Chesterfield King tracks into the CD version. Bonus tracks at the end would have been fine.

Seeing them at the basement of ABC No Rio on the Bivouac tour was the single greatest show i've ever seen. Literally had goosbumps hearing songs from 24 Hour which wasn't even out yet. They tried to play Sleep, fucked it up 30 second in and just played something else. Besides that a perfect show.

[xxxMidgexxx]

So many great songs, it's hard to me to choose. Some I didn't see mentioned: Softcore, The Boat Dreams From The Hill, Driven, Eye-5, Rich... Those first 3 albums are some of my favorite records.

Eye-5 was the first Jawbreaker song i ever heard, i taped it on Pat Duncan's radio show in like '89 oe whenever it came out. It blew me away. I must have played Unfun every day for months when i first got it. Such an amazing debut.

Really love Sleep, Donatello, PS New York is Burning and Like A Secret from Bivouac. The LP version has the perfect momentum. I'll never understand why they just randomly threw all the Chesterfield King tracks into the CD version. Bonus tracks at the end would have been fine.

Seeing them at the basement of ABC No Rio on the Bivouac tour was the single greatest show i've ever seen. Literally had goosbumps hearing songs from 24 Hour which wasn't even out yet. They tried to play Sleep, fucked it up 30 second in and just played something else. Besides that a perfect show.

I've always liked you.

[the mean]

No favorite Jawbreaker songs from Dear You?

No

[ClamShack]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K8B95gtju8[/youtube]

World Of Shit, it's very different and interesting. It's sung by the bassist. It's one of those songs you listen onr epeat for a while.

Besides that probably Want, Sluttering, and Ashtry Moment.

[Stormy]

Want is a good song, but probably my least favorite song on Unfun.
At this point (almost 25 years later), i usually skip it ans start the album with Seethruskin.

[Janelle]

Sea Foam Green

I'm w/ the Snake on this

[JGJR]

Want is a good song, but probably my least favorite song on Unfun.
At this point (almost 25 years later), i usually skip it ans start the album with Seethruskin.

I can't fathom that. "Want" is a perfect song. It's almost impossible for me to pick favorites. I can tell you that "Sluttering (May 4th)" is my favorite on Dear You, but on the 1st 4, they're just loaded with classic after classic, so it's very difficult to choose.

[The Snake]

Sea Foam Green

I'm w/ the Snake on this

I had it first on vinyl, it was on Punk USA compilation on Lookout.
No offense to other bands on the comp, but Jawbreaker had the strongest song on that comp.
It wasn´t some throw away song, far from it.
The lyrics are one of the best so is the music, so much emotions in this song and it reminds me kind of the 90s.

[Gary]

Anyone know why Etc on Spotify only has 17 tunes? Sea Foam Green is one that's missing.

[xxxMidgexxx]

No favorite Jawbreaker songs from Dear You?

No

No one likes you, Scott.

We LOVE Dear you!!!

[the mean]

No one likes you, speaker of truth.

We LOVE overproduced major label punk stripped of most of its raw energy in an attempt for a hit!!!

[Janelle]

Sea Foam Green

I'm w/ the Snake on this

I had it first on vinyl, it was on Punk USA compilation on Lookout.
No offense to other bands on the comp, but Jawbreaker had the strongest song on that comp.
It wasn´t some throw away song, far from it.
The lyrics are one of the best so is the music, so much emotions in this song and it reminds me kind of the 90s.

I had that punk usa comp too. CD though. I liked that the best and that garden variety track. I forget now I don't think that one was listed on the back track order or something. Something was messed up with that.

Yeah I wrote of my love for those lyrics on the love songs board. You know

[JGJR]

garden variety

Strong Island represent! Seriously, I recently found out that Anthony is the person in charge of the music on Marc Maron's great IFC show. I had wondered what happened to him post-Radio 4. I used to go into his shop in Brooklyn (it was called Something Else) all the time in the early to mid '00s. Very nice dude. He's in another band now, too, but I forgot their name.

[version sound]

Accident Prone

[yourenotevil]

i just like a lot of their songs. i know it is to make a thread and generate discussion, but there is way too much "best band, song, scene" on here lately.

[Neal]

Want is a good song, but probably my least favorite song on Unfun.
At this point (almost 25 years later), i usually skip it ans start the album with Seethruskin.

I can't fathom that. "Want" is a perfect song. It's almost impossible for me to pick favorites. I can tell you that "Sluttering (May 4th)" is my favorite on Dear You, but on the 1st 4, they're just loaded with classic after classic, so it's very difficult to choose.

Yeah, such a perfect opening song.

[xxxMidgexxx]

No one likes you, speaker of truth.

We LOVE overproduced major label punk stripped of most of its raw energy in an attempt for a hit!!!

Absolute BULLSHIT.

re-listen to 'Accident Prone'. An acid test for the stone hearted. Tell me that or Jet Black doesnt make you cry.

You are then TRULY a non human.

[john stabb]

Is this a trick or joke question The real answer is.... NONE.

[captain2man]

Seeing them at the basement of ABC No Rio on the Bivouac tour was the single greatest show i've ever seen. Literally had goosbumps hearing songs from 24 Hour which wasn't even out yet. They tried to play Sleep, fucked it up 30 second in and just played something else. Besides that a perfect show.

I was at this show and may have even taped it. I think I saw them there twice - and both times I remember it being packed beyond belief....but completely epic.

As far as the answer to the original question - so many great choices to choose from, but I guess I'd have to go for "Imaginary War".

I never got into 'Dear You'....maybe one or two songs tops - but, in my opinion, their worst album by far.

[xxxMidgexxx]

Is this a trick or joke question The real answer is.... NONE.

Yeah...hows that working for you?

[gregpolard]

Dear You is usually my favorite Jawbreaker. Sometimes it's 24 hour. All their albums are good.

[JGJR]

Accident Prone

I didn't think you were a fan.

[version sound]

Accident Prone

I didn't think you were a fan.

I'm not, particularly, but that's a good song.

[MXV]

It is impossible for me to pick just one!

Some favs:

Imaginary War, Shield Your Eyes, Dontatello, Parabola, Chesterfield King, Tour Song, Bivouac, Do You Still Hate Me, Outpatient, Sister, Eye-5.

[paul]

Do you still hate me?

[Stormy]

Seeing them at the basement of ABC No Rio on the Bivouac tour was the single greatest show i've ever seen. Literally had goosbumps hearing songs from 24 Hour which wasn't even out yet. They tried to play Sleep, fucked it up 30 second in and just played something else. Besides that a perfect show.

I was at this show and may have even taped it. I think I saw them there twice - and both times I remember it being packed beyond belief....but completely epic.

As far as the answer to the original question - so many great choices to choose from, but I guess I'd have to go for "Imaginary War".

I never got into 'Dear You'....maybe one or two songs tops - but, in my opinion, their worst album by far.

Definitely epic. I actually saw them the very next night after the ABC show at CBGB. Also killer, just didn't have that intimate vibe of seeing them in a squat basement.

PERFECT choice with Imaginary War.

I was a disappointed with Dear You since the day it came out and i ran home and threw it on the turntable and stood there like 'what the fuck is this??'. I grew on me over the late '90s, but when i play it now it just bores the shit out of me. A castrated version of Jawbreaker. Fave song is Chemistry. With the same raw recordings of their earlier stuff, and Blake's trademark gruff vox, i think that would be up there as one of my faves.

[john stabb]

john stabb wrote:
Is this a trick or joke question The real answer is.... NONE.



Midge wrote:
Yeah...hows that working for you?

Quite well. I don't understand all this love for them but y'all sure do dig them.

[captain2man]

Quite well. I don't understand all this love for them but y'all sure do dig them.

When they first got major buzz in underground circles in the early 90s, I found the hype so annoying, I immediately rejected them. I gave Unfun a spin and didn't see what the big deal was.

But, I was encouraged to give it a few more spins, and slowly but surely, I got completely hooked on that record.

The playing and songwriting (and lyric writing) is really great....they were leagues ahead of a lot of other bands who - on the surface - had a similar style. Upon first listen, I just don't think my ears were quite ready for it.

[Gary]

they were leagues ahead of a lot of other bands who - on the surface - had a similar style.

So true.

I still don't think Dear You is a good record. Good songs,bad record.

[captain2man]

they were leagues ahead of a lot of other bands who - on the surface - had a similar style.

So true.

I still don't think Dear You is a good record. Good songs,bad record.

I know that there are people who worship that record - including those who were into the band in their earlier years. I just feel the songs lack a certain energy that the earlier stuff had - too polished in many ways.

I think when Blake had the surgery on his vocal cords - it also (naturally) made a huge difference. I just liked his raspier vocals pre-surgery way better, although he had to do what he had to do, of course.

And there was also a context to that record. For years, Jawbreaker actively opposed the idea of ever signing to a major label. They were champions of independent rock music and labels. I watched my friends interview them more than once and when the subject came up - they were vehemently opposed to the idea of ever signing to a major.

This wasn't just another band who signed to a major and everyone was disappointed.....this was a band who went out of their way to talk - intelligently - about the evils of major labels........so when they went and actually did it - it felt like a major betrayal at the time. Plus, they went ahead and put out a watered down version of themselves - which justified every negative feeling people had about what the record would be like.

Nowadays, those issues don't concern me as much - and the point is almost moot anyway with the record industry having imploded - but I still can't listen to that record and not feel that sting.

To top it off - I saw them one final time at Irving Plaza after that record came out - and it just looked weird to me. I can remember Blake doing Chuck Berry moves around the stage, and Chris looking like he wanted to hide. It felt uncomfortable.....like I was watching the end......like Joe Namath playing for the Rams or something.

It was so far astray from the unbelievable live experiences this band had given me over the years - that it was tough to stomach.

[The Snake]

Captain, you made some good points about Dear You.
The record has some good songs but overall it´s just not as good as earlier albums.
Also, I like more songs from Dear You session that didn´t end up on the album.

[JGJR]

To top it off - I saw them one final time at Irving Plaza after that record came out - and it just looked weird to me. I can remember Blake doing Chuck Berry moves around the stage, and Chris looking like he wanted to hide. It felt uncomfortable.....like I was watching the end......like Joe Namath playing for the Rams or something.

It was so far astray from the unbelievable live experiences this band had given me over the years - that it was tough to stomach.

The only time I ever saw them was in the fall of '95 at Irving Plaza. Is this the show you're describing or the one in the spring of '96 there?

[captain2man]

To top it off - I saw them one final time at Irving Plaza after that record came out - and it just looked weird to me. I can remember Blake doing Chuck Berry moves around the stage, and Chris looking like he wanted to hide. It felt uncomfortable.....like I was watching the end......like Joe Namath playing for the Rams or something.

It was so far astray from the unbelievable live experiences this band had given me over the years - that it was tough to stomach.

The only time I ever saw them was in the fall of '95 at Irving Plaza. Is this the show you're describing or the one in the spring of '96 there?

I didn't know off the top of my head - but I know it was a show with Jawbox.....I actually found a review for it online, so it must have been the '95 show.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/31/arts/ ... -sing.html

[JGJR]

To top it off - I saw them one final time at Irving Plaza after that record came out - and it just looked weird to me. I can remember Blake doing Chuck Berry moves around the stage, and Chris looking like he wanted to hide. It felt uncomfortable.....like I was watching the end......like Joe Namath playing for the Rams or something.

It was so far astray from the unbelievable live experiences this band had given me over the years - that it was tough to stomach.

The only time I ever saw them was in the fall of '95 at Irving Plaza. Is this the show you're describing or the one in the spring of '96 there?

I didn't know off the top of my head - but I know it was a show with Jawbox.....I actually found a review for it online, so it must have been the '95 show.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/31/arts/ ... -sing.html

I don't remember the Chuck Berry moves at all, but then again I had nothing else to compare it to.

[captain2man]

To top it off - I saw them one final time at Irving Plaza after that record came out - and it just looked weird to me. I can remember Blake doing Chuck Berry moves around the stage, and Chris looking like he wanted to hide. It felt uncomfortable.....like I was watching the end......like Joe Namath playing for the Rams or something.

It was so far astray from the unbelievable live experiences this band had given me over the years - that it was tough to stomach.

The only time I ever saw them was in the fall of '95 at Irving Plaza. Is this the show you're describing or the one in the spring of '96 there?

I didn't know off the top of my head - but I know it was a show with Jawbox.....I actually found a review for it online, so it must have been the '95 show.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/31/arts/ ... -sing.html

I don't remember the Chuck Berry moves at all, but then again I had nothing else to compare it to.

oh - he definitely did the classic "duck walk" moves around the stage.....it was oh so rock 'n' roll.

I'm glad you got to see 'em......but there was NOTHING - and I mean NOTHING like those smaller shows they did a few years earlier....like the ABC No Rio shows we were talking about earlier. Those were epic in ways that words can't describe.

[JGJR]

To top it off - I saw them one final time at Irving Plaza after that record came out - and it just looked weird to me. I can remember Blake doing Chuck Berry moves around the stage, and Chris looking like he wanted to hide. It felt uncomfortable.....like I was watching the end......like Joe Namath playing for the Rams or something.

It was so far astray from the unbelievable live experiences this band had given me over the years - that it was tough to stomach.

The only time I ever saw them was in the fall of '95 at Irving Plaza. Is this the show you're describing or the one in the spring of '96 there?

I didn't know off the top of my head - but I know it was a show with Jawbox.....I actually found a review for it online, so it must have been the '95 show.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/31/arts/ ... -sing.html

I don't remember the Chuck Berry moves at all, but then again I had nothing else to compare it to.

oh - he definitely did the classic "duck walk" moves around the stage.....it was oh so rock 'n' roll.

I'm glad you got to see 'em......but there was NOTHING - and I mean NOTHING like those smaller shows they did a few years earlier....like the ABC No Rio shows we were talking about earlier. Those were epic in ways that words can't describe.

Yep; I've kicked myself plenty of times over the years for missing those ABC and even Irving Plaza shows in '94. I just didn't really get heavily into them until the summer of '94 and they didn't play on the East Coast again until the following year IIRC.

[xxxMidgexxx]

It actually might happen one year = reunion