Sally Ride’s Don’t Let Them Take Us ALIVE ended up being a completist record. There wasn’t much question of which tracks to include or how they should be ordered, given the nature of the album. 1-10, there you have it, all the songs from first to last.
But listening is a bit of a different question, much more today (in the era of iTunes, filesharing, etc.) than Hank or Uncle Charlie would have thought. Some listeners I know have already picked out a couple tracks that deviate from SR’s typical modus operandi: the slower tunes, “R Tone L” and “The Knot.” These songs don’t have the hooks or the steady, down-beat pulse that drive the other tracks. Nick is skipping them; I’m guessing he’s not the only one.
So the question for you is how do you listen to Sally Ride? Is the record improved by skipping “R Tone L” and “The Knot”? Do you pick favorite tracks, skip the interview bits, or re-arrange the order? I’m curious to know. I listen to the whole thing, but I always do that, and it doesn’t mean you do or should. How do you hear Don’t Let Them Take Us ALIVE?
Monday (OCT 24) was the birthday of the MFR [blog]! 1 year, 73 posts. Thanks Cory, Scott, Allen, and everyone who’s commented; HAPPY BIRTHDAY MFR [BLOG]!
-h
I listen to the whole thing… because songs that aren’t “hits” are so important to balance out records. I mean, there are songs on even my favorite records that I might sometimes feel like skipping, but it’s usually just because I’m in a fast rocking mood or something… I don’t usually listen to “My Sundown” or whatever it’s called on the end of “Bleed American” by Jimmy Eat World, but not because I think it’s inappropriate. It’s because when I put in “Bleed American,” I want to sing along really loud to fast, fun music.
But, when I do take the time to listen to the less consumable songs, I’m usually pretty stoked that I did.
Sidenote;
Don’t Let Them Take Us ALIVE! is named (quoted, actually) from a line in the film “The Goonies.” During the ending, at the pirate ship.
-h