Goddamn that DJ made my day

May 10, 2014 4:56 AM

I have the opportunity to introduce a smart, thoughtful friend to the wonder that is the Beastie Boys. Currently, her only knowledge of them is Fight for Your Right and I'd like to pick maybe 8 or ten songs that would demonstrate the pure awesome.

I know I want to include Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and I'm pretty sure I want Sounds of Science, but past that I get stuck in analysis paralysis.

What songs would you put on the Ultimate Intro to Beastie mix?

posted by workerant to Media & Arts (31 answers total)

Intergalactic was the gateway track for me and most of my female friends.
posted by tinkletown at 4:59 AM on May 10, 2014 [4 favorites]

I always liked "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" best.
posted by partly squamous and partly rugose at 5:06 AM on May 10, 2014 [1 favorite]

"Fight For Your Right" was also the only thing I knew for years. My exact thought after hearing "sabotage" was "damn, they've come a long way."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:06 AM on May 10, 2014 [2 favorites]

The only song of theirs I like is Brass Monkey.
posted by brujita at 5:18 AM on May 10, 2014

Oh yeah, definitely Sabotage as well.
posted by tinkletown at 5:20 AM on May 10, 2014 [1 favorite]

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I still believe in the album as an art form. As such, I'd skip the best-of and just introduce her to Paul's Boutique in its entirety.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:26 AM on May 10, 2014 [14 favorites]

Intergalactic and Sabotage.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:37 AM on May 10, 2014

For me, the videos - particularly the Spike Jones ones - were what won me over.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:43 AM on May 10, 2014

"Paul's Boutique" in it's entirety is a masterpiece and a great place to demonstrate their variety. If you can embrace this album, you can embrace the Beastie Boys.

With that said, here are 7 picks to get your list on:

Slow and Low
Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun
Shadrach
Pass the Mic
Professor Booty
Sure Shot
Intergalactic
posted by davidvanb at 5:45 AM on May 10, 2014 [6 favorites]

The first song that made me realize they were so awesome was Skills to Pay the Bills.
posted by capricorn at 5:53 AM on May 10, 2014

All of Paul's Boutique, it's an amazing album.
She's Crafty
Sabotage
Freaky Hijiki (atypical Beasties is still good)
(I love me some Beasties but I can't freaking stand Intergalactic ...if that was all I'd ever heard of them I would loathe them)
posted by biscotti at 5:55 AM on May 10, 2014

What a bliss to be able to hear all of Paul's Boutique for the first time. PB is all you need.
posted by ouke at 6:12 AM on May 10, 2014 [4 favorites]

Paul's Boutique is definitely the best album, but since you are asking for tracks I'll nominate So What'cha Want and Gratitude from Check Your Head.
posted by arha at 6:19 AM on May 10, 2014

Funnily enough The Guardian just did a 10 of the best list for the Beastie Boys this week.
posted by Chairboy at 6:45 AM on May 10, 2014 [1 favorite]

It's hard to argue wth all of Paul's Boutique, but then I'd also include an instrumental or two from Check Your Head or Ill Communication, like In 3s, Sabrosa, or Groove Holmes. The In Sound From The Way Out!, a compilation of instrumentals, is one of my favorite albums of all time.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:13 AM on May 10, 2014 [2 favorites]

I can't find a good link but I've always loved I Don't Know.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 7:16 AM on May 10, 2014

Shake Your Rump is a lot of fun both musically and lyrically.
posted by The Gooch at 8:24 AM on May 10, 2014 [1 favorite]

I also think a lot of the awsome are all the videos. It's ancient I suppose, but the Criterion video anthology is great. It's hard to imagine Sabotage without thinking of the video.
posted by sevenless at 8:35 AM on May 10, 2014 [3 favorites]

I've always had a soft spot for Paul Revere.
posted by triggerfinger at 8:42 AM on May 10, 2014 [2 favorites]

"Sure Shot" and "So Whatcha Want" are big favorites, and I'd add Root Down and "Shadrach" (Sounds of Science) -- I'm a Beastie Boys dabbler, and there's just something about those that hits my sweet spot.
posted by Madamina at 9:00 AM on May 10, 2014 [1 favorite]

Johnny Ryall, Sabotage, and yeah, No Sleep Till Brooklyn and Fight for your Right.
posted by salvia at 9:29 AM on May 10, 2014

I recently re-listened to their entire output on Spotify, and found I like Licensed to Ill the best. At the very least include Paul Revere.
posted by jeffamaphone at 10:12 AM on May 10, 2014

My favorites which I think can be immediately gratifying gateways (and, uh, were probably all singles) are Shadrach, Hey Ladies, Pass the Mic, Jimmy James, So Whatcha Want, Root Down, Sure Shot, Sabotage, and Intergalactic.

As a bonus, show her the hilarious video where Sesame Street characters lip sync to Sure Shot.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 10:59 AM on May 10, 2014

If I had a time machine, the one moment I would go back and relive is the first time I heard Paul's Boutique. To be able to give that gift to someone else is a beautiful thing.
posted by tristeza at 12:13 PM on May 10, 2014

Definitely Paul's Boutique.

I'm fond of "Egg Man". Starts off a bit juvenile and obvious, then ~2min in the samples and lyrics get awesome before finally ending with an utterly bizarre movie shark feeling.

It blew my mind the first time. Now, like tristeza, I love it mostly for the nostalgia of having my mind blown. Always makes me smile.
posted by sarah_pdx at 3:36 PM on May 10, 2014

Ditto Whatcha Want & Jimmy James.
posted by juv3nal at 8:44 PM on May 10, 2014

Any of the songs they used in the retrospective at The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame ceremony for them may work.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:23 AM on May 11, 2014

The In Sound From Way Out is not "typical" Beastie Boys, but it is seriously fantastic. It's my party music secret weapon.
posted by jeoc at 6:40 AM on May 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Fantastic answers everybody. You've given me a lot to sort through and think about. Thanks!
posted by workerant at 9:38 AM on May 11, 2014

"Alive" is an awesome song that doesn't get much attention, possibly because it was only released on their "best of" album. It has an awesome video clip too.

There are a few bootlegs of concerts out there - "Live in Sydney" is my favourite I think - they are great because they came out in the Paul's Boutique era and therefore they are kind of a best-of album up to their mid-career that flows from song to song.


"Groove Holmes" is my favourite instrumental track.
posted by trialex at 9:45 PM on May 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

You may find this Spotify playlist useful. (I've never linked anyone to a playlist, so hopefully it works!)
posted by Madamina at 10:03 AM on May 12, 2014