A 2 part thread: 1-What's your favorite Yo La Tengo song featuring vocals by Georgia Hubley? Mine: Nowhere Near 2-Help me compile a list of ALL Georgia's vocal work w/ YLT! Thanks
Blue Line Swinger is one of my favorite songs period, so I'll take that one. One of Ira's best on guitar too. And that organ! Perfect. Out of darkness You will come around I know you will I know you will And I'll find you And I'll find you there And I'll ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ....
I think my favorite is The Weakest Part. When making your list, don't forget about the acoustic Tom Courtenay, or the two versions of Today is the Day (LP and EP). Least favorite is I Feel Like Going Home. Oh wait, you didn't ask that... sorry!
I love Georgia's vocal sultry vocal on YLT's cover of NRBQ's "Magnet" from the "Q People: A Tribute To NRBQ"CD. Listen to a sample here: http://www.amazon.com/Q-People-Trib...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1254276766&sr=1-1
The first song I can think of that she's audible on is "Did I Tell You" (New Wave Hot Dogs), then there's "Alyda" which has her very prominently, but it's not a real lead vocal. Here are all the leads of hers I can recall off the top of my head: Hanky Panky Nohow (not sure how old this is, late '80s?) Fakebook & other Bar/None stuff You Tore Me Down (shared) Tried So Hard (partial) The Summer (shared) What Comes Next What Can I Say Cast a Shadow May I Sing with Me & other Alias stuff Detouring America with Horns Swing for Life Always Something (shared) Satellite Farmer's Daughter (shared) Painful & concurrent For Shame of Doing Wrong (Shaker EP) From a Motel 6 (shared) Nowhere Near The Whole of the Law (shared) Electr-o-Pura & concurrent Decora Pablo and Andrea Don't Say a Word (Straight Down to The) Bitter End Blue Line Swinger Tom Courtenay (Camp Yo La Tengo version) Demons (I Shot Andy Warhol soundtrack) ICHTHBAO & concurrent Moby Octopad (shared) Deeper into Movies Shadows The Lie and How We Told It (shared, I think? can't remember) Center of Gravity (shared) We're an American Band (shared) My Little Corner of the World Be Thankful for What You Got (shared; Little Honda EP) No Return (shared, IIRC; Little Honda EP) Dreaming (this may be older; I forget) ATNTIIO & concurrent Everyday (shared) Saturday (shared) Let's Save Tony Orlando's House You Can Have It All Tears Are in Your Eyes Madeline Magnet (I can't recall if she sings or is prominent on Night Falls on Hoboken?) Summer Sun & concurrent Nuclear War (certain parts) Rock & Roll Santa Beach Party Tonight (shared?) Little Eyes Today Is the Day Winter a Go Go Let's Be Still (shared) Take Care Outsmartener (shared) Needle of Death IANAOYAIWBYO I Feel Like Going Home The Race Is On Again (shared) The Room Got Heavy The Weakest Part Popular Songs etc. With a Girl Like You [Condo ****s] By Two's If It's True (shared) When It's Dark (I never noticed how Georgia-light the last couple of albums are until making this list!) Note: I don't have the "Sugarcube" or "You Can Have It All" singles and I'm missing a few other b-sides and compilation tidbits, so I'm sure there are gaps... Also, I didn't attempt to tackle Murdering the Classics. My favorite song of theirs, ever, is "Pablo and Andrea," so I guess that's my favorite Georgia vocal by default. "When It's Dark" on the new record is just wonderful.
Thanks, Dusty- Amazing! But here's what I want to know: It sounds like you remembered all this off the top of your head. How is that possible???
Georgia is right up there as one of my fave vocalists, Ira too but for very different reasons & James is no slouch either. These folks are most probably my favorite still active band in the world. Georgia is a unique female vocalist, sincere & vulnerable but not all that traditional- while not being all that radical either...and she's as great a vocalist as she is a drummer! She's right up there with Linda Thompson (of Richard & Linda Thmpson) & Sally Timms (of The Mekons) for me.... Fave performance might just be...My Little Corner Of The World.
interesting that you mention Linda Thompson. I once asked GH who her fave singer was, and she said LT.
My favorite YLT song that Georgia sings would have to be "We're an American Band".. I don't know if that is necessarily her best vocal performance. It is certainly augmented by Ira's insane guitar work.
I ran into Georgia and Ira at a Maxwell's New Years show not long after Fakebook came out. I told her I liked her vocals on the album and she should sing more. She kind of blushed and said thank you very softly. I'd have to say "What Can I Say" is my favorite vocal by her, so pure and full of heartbreak, so much genuine beauty and emotion.
I'm not surprised. I used to live in NYC ('94-'00) & I went to see one of Linda Thompson's first live gigs after overcoming her emptional/psychological problems with singing...she was working on a project with Dave Thomas of Pere Ubu & my old roommate & I were right up front, & who was there, right beside us, but Ira & Georgia, looking very wide eyed & in awe. She did an impromptu "Can't Help Falling In Love With You" as an encore & she was wonderful. Great to see those guys there as well.
Ha, thanks. I've listened to this stuff a LOT... and I had a Discogs page in front of me to help with the tracklists. Regarding Linda Thompson, I just saw via Youtube that YLT are still pulling out their "For Shame of Doing Wrong" cover sometimes. Beautiful song, the original and their version. Georgia seems less shy in recent years. She talked a fair bit at the Freewheeling shows I've seen clips of, and she dealt really well with a very intrusive ABC interviewer a few weeks ago.