Rank King Of America

Pretty self-explanatory
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King Hoarse
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Rank King Of America

Post by King Hoarse »

Finally it's here in all its glory! Here's my take on this questionmarkless masterpiece:

1. Sleep Of The Just
2. Suit Of Lights
3. I'll Wear It Proudly
4. Our Little Angel
5. Brilliant Mistake
6. American Without Tears
7. Jack Of All Parades
8. Lovable
9. Indoor Fireworks
10. The Big Light
11. Little Palaces (Even though the new remastering makes up for it a little, I still wish he wouldn't have strained his voice so much on this one.)
12. Poisoned Rose
13. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
14. Glitter Gulch
15. Eisenhower Blues

(Now, if only the 7" version of Blue Chair would have replaced one of these last songs...)
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wardo68
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Post by wardo68 »

1. Jack Of All Parades
2. Suit Of Lights
3. Brilliant Mistake
4. Lovable
5. Poisoned Rose
6. Sleep Of The Just
7. I'll Wear It Proudly
8. Little Palaces
9. Our Little Angel
10. Eisenhower Blues
11. Indoor Fireworks
12. American Without Tears
13. The Big Light
14. Glitter Gulch
15. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Tough one, this. But it's more or less the order I had them 19 years ago, too.
Chrille
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Post by Chrille »

I havn't listened to it more than 14 times or so yet, but here's what I think of it now:

1. Suit Of Lights
2. I'll Wear It Proudly
3. American Without Tears
4. Brilliant Mistake
5. Loveable
6. Our Little Angel
7. Indoor Fireworks
8. Jack Of All Parades
9. Little Palaces
10. The Big Light
11. Glitter Gulch
12. Sleep Of The Just
13. Don' Let Me Be Misunderstood
14. The Poisoned Rose
15. Eisenhower Blues
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Who Shot Sam?
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Post by Who Shot Sam? »

1. Brilliant Mistake
2. American Without Tears
3. I'll Wear It Proudly
4. Sleep Of The Just
5. Our Little Angel
6. Indoor Fireworks
7. The Poisoned Rose (great Ray Brown bassline)
8. Jack Of All Parades
9. Glitter Gulch
10. Suit Of Lights
11. Little Palaces
12. The Big Light
13. Loveable
14. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
15. Eisenhower Blues
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selfmademug

Post by selfmademug »

This whole ranking thing sticks in my craw, but still, how can Poisoned Rose rank so low? Oh well, I'll never understand.... [Ha, and now I see WSS gives it a better number. That bassline is just killer, ain't it? The whole thing's heartbreaking.]

I love KOA so much, with its great writing & arrangements and its raw emotional power, especially in the vocals. Very possibly his best record. Not always my fave, but often.
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And No Coffee Table
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Post by And No Coffee Table »

KOA is so strong that it's difficult to place some really good songs near the bottom.

1. Sleep Of The Just
2. American Without Tears
3. Jack Of All Parades
4. Suit Of Lights
5. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
6. Glitter Gulch
7. I'll Wear It Proudly
8. The Big Light
9. Brilliant Mistake
10. Eisenhower Blues
11. Little Palaces
12. Lovable
13. The Poisoned Rose
14. Our Little Angel
15. Indoor Fireworks
LittleFoole
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Re: Rank King Of America

Post by LittleFoole »

Ranking songs causes me to think too much/too long, so all I'm gonna add is that I don't care much for EC's Indoor Fireworks......................I much prefer Nick Lowe's 8)
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so lacklustre
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Post by so lacklustre »

1. I'll Wear It Proudly
2. Indoor Fireworks
3. Brilliant Mistake
4. Little Palaces
5. Suit Of Lights
6. Jack Of All Parades
7. American Without Tears
8. Sleep Of The Just
9. Our Little Angel
10. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
11. Eisenhower Blues
12. The Big Light
13. Glitter Gulch
14. The Poisoned Rose
15. Lovable
signed with love and vicious kisses
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DeathWearsABigHat
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Post by DeathWearsABigHat »

1. I'll Wear It Proudly
2. American Without Tears
3. Jack Of All Parades
4. The Big Light
5. The Poisoned Rose
6. Sleep Of The Just
7. Indoor Fireworks
8. Brilliant Mistake
9. Our Little Angel
10. Little Palaces
11. Suit Of Lights
12. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
13. Loveable
14. Eisenhower Blues
15. Glitter Gulch
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whar
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Post by whar »

001. Brilliant Mistake
002. Jack Of All Parades
003. American Without Tears
004. Suit Of Lights
005. Lovable
006. Glitter Gulch
007. Indoor Fireworks
008. Our Little angel
009. I'll Wear It Proudly
010. The Big Light
011. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
012.Poisoned Rose
013. Sleep Of the Just
014. Little Places
015. Eisenhower Blues
Oy with the poodles, already!
invisible Pole
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Post by invisible Pole »

I've tried to rank it but I can't.
I still remember hearing "Sleep Of The Just" and "The Poisoned Rose" for the first time back in 1986 and thinking to myself, "Ja pierdole, cos genialnego", which is of course Polish and can be translated roughly as "This is fucking genius". I have loved the album ever since and find it impossible to rank this collection of brilliant songs.
If pressed really hard, all I could do is this :
01. Sleep Of The Just
15. Eisenhower Blues

Will be back in the ranking game with Blood & Chocolate.
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Then you don't know what you've missed
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spooky girlfriend
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Post by spooky girlfriend »

Well, Pole, I find myself in much the same situation as you as far as ranking KOA. I've tried and I don't know that I can. I love that album. It is not a bunch of bits and pieces - it is a complete work. Taking off a song would be like removing an arm or leg from a whole person. I know you people think I'm crazy, but this album is sacred to me.

And I love your translation, Pole. I'll remember that. :)
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Otis Westinghouse
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Post by Otis Westinghouse »

selfmademug wrote:This whole ranking thing sticks in my craw, but still, how can Poisoned Rose rank so low?
Not to mention Sleep Of The Just. It amazes me that someone could think so little of such an incredible song and such an amazing vocal performance, which is very possibly my favourite ever of EC's, but there's no accounting for taste!
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martin
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Post by martin »

Well you could take off Glitter Gulch & Eisenhower blues for me and replace em with Shoes without heels & King of confidence any day of the week.this is probably me favourite EC album after TYM though and is hard to rank, id have to do it batchwise

Joint 1st
sleep of the just
brilliant mistake
ill wear it proudly
indoor fireworks
Joint2nd (or fifth depending on your viewpoint!)
suit of lights
Jack of all parades
American without tears
poisoned rose
Joint3rd (or 9th!)
loveable
our little angel
little palaces
Joint4th(or12th)
Big light
Dont let me be misunderstood
rank outsiders
Glitter gulch & Eisenhower blues

It sort of doesn't do justice to songs like loveable & our little angel which i love to rank em so low but there you go!!
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martin
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Post by martin »

The version of I hope you're happy now on King of Americana would have also have been brilliant on here too.
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VonOfterdingen
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Post by VonOfterdingen »

1. Brilliant Mistake
1. Indoor Fireworks
1. I'll Wear it Proudly
1. American Without Tears
1. Poisoned Rose
1. Jack of All Parades
1. Suit of Lights
1. Sleep of the Just

2. Our Little Angel
2. Little Palaces

3. Lovable
3. Don't let me be Misunderstood

4. Eisenhower Blues

5. The Big Light

6. Glitter Gulch

That's the only way it's possible for me to rank this masterpiece (best album ever?)
I'm not buying my share of souvenirs
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Gillibeanz
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Post by Gillibeanz »

1. I'll Wear It Proudly
2. Jack Of All Parades
3. Suit Of Lights
4. Sleep Of The Just
5. Little Palaces
6. Brilliant Mistake
7. Indoor Fireworks
8. American Without Tears
9. Loveable
10. The Poisoned Rose
11. The Big Light
12. Our Little Angel
13. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
14. Eisenhower Blues
15. Glitter Gulch
COME ON YOU SPURS!!
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mood swung
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Post by mood swung »

1. Suit Of Lights
2. Brilliant Mistake
3. Indoor Fireworks
4. Sleep Of The Just
5. The Big Light
6. Jack Of All Parades
7. Poisoned Rose
8. Lovable
9. American Without Tears
10. Our Little Angel
11. I'll Wear It Proudly
12. Little Palaces
13. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – desperately in need of some Attractions.
14. Glitter Gulch
15. Eisenhower Blues
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Fishfinger king
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Post by Fishfinger king »

1. Sleep of the just
2. I'll wear it proudly
3. Brilliant mistake
4. American without tears
5. Little palaces
6. Our little angel
7. Indoor fireworks
8. Lovable
9. Poisoned rose
10. The big light
11. Eisenhower blues
12. Suit of lights
13. Jack of all parades
14. Glitter gulch
15. Don't let me be misunderstood
This is so hard (Atlantic or Pacific?) 1-13 knock spots off virtually every other album.
Can't you see I'm trying to change this water to wine
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Mr. Average
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Post by Mr. Average »

I don't share the passion for this recording as many here do. Tantamount to spewing blasphemy, I think the effort is ambitious, contains some brilliant songs, but is an overall average EC record. I purchased this on vinyl the week it was released, but shelved it after a sincere attempt to get into it. I though the reissue would revive me and expose it as a great record. It hasn't, but it has left me with two conclusions:

1. The great songs on KOA have an incredible ability to "pull through" or "pull up" the lackluster songs. More than other records. The ordering of the songs is so good that the lesser contributions become woven into the tapestry of the whole, and you find yourself waiting for a song, and preparing to sing along, that wouldn't rate as highly if it weren't sandwiched between two other pearls. There is no science to my point...just an editorial observation.

2. There seems to be more gender bias associated with KOA. The album seems like it has a magnetic appeal to women, moreso than any other EC album, including Painted from Memory and North. I can sort of understand it, but it must tug more at romantic heartstrings than others. I haven't tried to listen to it from that perspective, because I'm all man! Seriously, I wonder if there truly is a gender bias, or is it just an impression gained from reading the many threads here wherein the XX chromosome contributors have gushing praise for KOA.

1. American Without Tears
2. Sleep Of The Just
3. Brilliant Mistake
4. Suit Of Lights
5. Lovable
6. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
7. Indoor Fireworks
8. I'll Wear It Proudly
9. Jack Of All Parades
10. Eisenhower Blues
11. Our Little Angel
12. Glitter Gulch
13. The Poisoned Rose
14. Little Palaces
15. The Big Light
"The smarter mysteries are hidden in the light" - Jean Giono (1895-1970)
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Miss Macbeth
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Post by Miss Macbeth »

Honestly, I don't know what the gender bias is. I'm a female and I don't think that it's my favorite, but I'm still examining the evidence. I like to evaluate them not only for how well I like the melodies or the lyrics, but also for how fun they are to play (on guitar). I've listened KOA, and played it really hard since the reissue and this is what I've come up with.

1. Jack of All Parades
2. American w/o Tears
3. Sleep of the Just
4. Brilliant Mistake
5. Suit of Lights
6. The Big Light
7. Little Palaces
8. I'll Wear It Proudly
9. Indoor Fireworks
10. Gliter Gulch
11. Our Little Angel
12. Lovable
13. Poisoned Rose
14. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
15. Eisenhower Blues

Now don't get mad, it's just an opinion. Like I said, I'm still listening just in case I missed something. I'm sure somebody on here will let me know if there's something I missed, for sure :)
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wardo68
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Post by wardo68 »

Mr. Average wrote:KOA...seems like it has a magnetic appeal to women, moreso than any other EC album, including Painted from Memory and North.
Well, I'm all man too (last I checked) and KOA is one of my top 5 (along with GH, Trust, Bedroom and B&C). I put PFM and North in the second tier below those. I'm just a hopeless romantic.
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Mr. Average
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Post by Mr. Average »

wardo:

I like the album as well, although it will never hold a top 5 spot for me. Gender bias may be the wrong descriptor, and it should not be construed as a black and white thing. My post doesn't suggest that if a male embraces KOA as their all time favorite that their testosterone levels are any different from a guy who likes to kick it with TYM. It is simply an observation...non-scientific. I read the post carefully, and it just seems that a solid trend has emerged that KOA is a strong fav of more females then males. That ain't a bad thing. It ain't science. It is an observation that I share here, understanding its credibility stops at my keyboard.

Just an observation...
"The smarter mysteries are hidden in the light" - Jean Giono (1895-1970)
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John
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Post by John »

BRILLIANT

1. Sleep of the Just
2. Jack of All Parades
3. Indoor Fireworks
4. Little Palaces
5. Brilliant Mistake
6. American Without Tears
7. I'll Wear It Proudly
8. Suit of Lights
9. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
10. Our Little Angel
11. Lovable
12. The Big Light

NOT QUITE AS BRILLIANT

13. Glitter Gulch
14. Poisoned Rose
15. Eisenhower Blues
Last edited by John on Thu May 12, 2005 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Who Shot Sam?
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Post by Who Shot Sam? »

John wrote:MISTAKES
13. Glitter Gulch
14. Poisoned Rose
15. Eisenhower Blues
Harsh on "Poisoned Rose" IMO. It was a highlight of the recent Beacon show. As I said above, I love the bassline and it's a good, down-and-dirty vocal performance by EC. "Glitter Gulch" is not terrible either in a goofy way. Eisenhower Blues is a throwaway.
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