Patter in 90s Alt-rock
June 2, 2012 11:30 AM Subscribe
Looking for more examples of 90s alt-rock songs making heavy use of patter / spoken sections.
I recently notice that a couple of popular alt-rock songs from the 90s, including some radio hits, feature substantial spoken or patter sections. The ones that I can list off the top of my head:
Nada Surf - Popular
Beck - Loser
Butthole Surfers - Pepper
Pavement - Conduit for Sale
Barenaked Ladies - One Week
Are there any other examples of this style? Why does it seem to have become less common since the 90s?
I recently notice that a couple of popular alt-rock songs from the 90s, including some radio hits, feature substantial spoken or patter sections. The ones that I can list off the top of my head:
Nada Surf - Popular
Beck - Loser
Butthole Surfers - Pepper
Pavement - Conduit for Sale
Barenaked Ladies - One Week
Are there any other examples of this style? Why does it seem to have become less common since the 90s?
Sleater-Kinney - Get Up (1999)
Garbage - Shut Your Mouth (2002)
posted by yellowbinder at 11:44 AM on June 2, 2012
Garbage - Shut Your Mouth (2002)
posted by yellowbinder at 11:44 AM on June 2, 2012
Weezer — Undone (The Sweater Song)
Dink — Green Mind
There was a recent thread about this kind of thing. It wasn't specific to the '90s, but some of the answers are '90s songs.
Why does it seem to have become less common since the 90s?
Because it was so common in the '90s. Anytime there's a trend in music, later generations always react against it.
posted by John Cohen at 11:45 AM on June 2, 2012
Dink — Green Mind
There was a recent thread about this kind of thing. It wasn't specific to the '90s, but some of the answers are '90s songs.
Why does it seem to have become less common since the 90s?
Because it was so common in the '90s. Anytime there's a trend in music, later generations always react against it.
posted by John Cohen at 11:45 AM on June 2, 2012
"All I know, is that there were rumors he was into field hockey players..."
Pixies, "I'm Amazed"
"Don stepped outside..."
Slint, "Don, A Man"
"... I'm sorry. And I miss you."
Slint, "Good Morning, Captain"
(And though it predates the 90s, certainly one of the most influential spoken/sung songs HAS to be "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies. And we can go back further: "The Gift" by Velvet Underground, a ton of songs by Patti Smith, same for Laurie Anderson, and "Take 5, D.", a Minutemen song wherein Mike Watt reads a roommate's passive-aggressive note about not keeping the bathtub properly caulked.)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 12:29 PM on June 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
Pixies, "I'm Amazed"
"Don stepped outside..."
Slint, "Don, A Man"
"... I'm sorry. And I miss you."
Slint, "Good Morning, Captain"
(And though it predates the 90s, certainly one of the most influential spoken/sung songs HAS to be "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies. And we can go back further: "The Gift" by Velvet Underground, a ton of songs by Patti Smith, same for Laurie Anderson, and "Take 5, D.", a Minutemen song wherein Mike Watt reads a roommate's passive-aggressive note about not keeping the bathtub properly caulked.)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 12:29 PM on June 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
Ha, we just had a whole round of these at trivia. I think most of the ones there have been covered. Let me see if I can remember what they were...
Pepper - Butthole Surfers
Cake - The Distance
Weezer - Undone
Primus - some song I wasn't familiar with
That damned "Wear Sunscreen" song, you don't actually want that one.
Nada Surf - Popular
King Missle - Detachable Penis
and....shoot. The one we got wrong. Early rap.
Anyway, I think anything Cake is in the direction you might like - especially check out the albums Comfortable Eagle and Fashion Nugget.
Also: Parklife by Blur, Susan's House by the Eels, Da Da Da by Elastica (though it's half in German).
posted by maryr at 12:36 PM on June 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
Pepper - Butthole Surfers
Cake - The Distance
Weezer - Undone
Primus - some song I wasn't familiar with
That damned "Wear Sunscreen" song, you don't actually want that one.
Nada Surf - Popular
King Missle - Detachable Penis
and....shoot. The one we got wrong. Early rap.
Anyway, I think anything Cake is in the direction you might like - especially check out the albums Comfortable Eagle and Fashion Nugget.
Also: Parklife by Blur, Susan's House by the Eels, Da Da Da by Elastica (though it's half in German).
posted by maryr at 12:36 PM on June 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
I can't believe no one has mentioned Green Jello/Jelly, "The Three Little Pigs."
posted by drlith at 1:04 PM on June 2, 2012
posted by drlith at 1:04 PM on June 2, 2012
Heads up, there are two versions of Hey Pretty (by Poe) out there - some have the monologue (from her brother's book, House of Leaves), some don't.
posted by maryr at 1:12 PM on June 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by maryr at 1:12 PM on June 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Ice of Boston by The Dismemberment Plan
posted by Chenko at 2:12 PM on June 2, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Chenko at 2:12 PM on June 2, 2012 [2 favorites]
"Rush," by B.A.D. II, just in there at 1991.
"Hmm, I wish I could sing like that."
"Not everything's singing, you know. The only important thing these days is rhythm and melody. Rhythm and melody."
Apparently sampled from an old Peter Sellers record.
posted by escabeche at 2:47 PM on June 2, 2012
"Hmm, I wish I could sing like that."
"Not everything's singing, you know. The only important thing these days is rhythm and melody. Rhythm and melody."
Apparently sampled from an old Peter Sellers record.
posted by escabeche at 2:47 PM on June 2, 2012
And a ton of Velvet Underground songs: The Gift, Heroin, I'm Waiting for the Man, Rock & Roll, Sister Ray...
posted by macrowave at 3:09 PM on June 2, 2012
posted by macrowave at 3:09 PM on June 2, 2012
Shawn Mullins - Lullaby is all talk during the verse.
posted by AloneOssifer at 4:55 PM on June 2, 2012
posted by AloneOssifer at 4:55 PM on June 2, 2012
Third Eye Blind- I think they do this in multiple songs, but Semicharmed Kind of Life comes to mind as a definite example.
posted by alygator at 5:04 PM on June 2, 2012
posted by alygator at 5:04 PM on June 2, 2012
Soul Coughing does this.
posted by umbú at 7:12 PM on June 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by umbú at 7:12 PM on June 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah, Soul Coughing every song every album pretty much.
posted by TheRedArmy at 8:07 PM on June 2, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by TheRedArmy at 8:07 PM on June 2, 2012 [2 favorites]
The Sugarcubes again, Walkabout, this time at the end of the song.
Thank you for asking this question. As soon as you asked it I thought of these two songs, but couldn't remember them and have been racking my brain for hours to remember them well enough to even search for them. But, as soon as I found the first one, I knew I'd find the other. Frustrating, but worth it. Thank you.
posted by wobh at 9:10 PM on June 2, 2012
Thank you for asking this question. As soon as you asked it I thought of these two songs, but couldn't remember them and have been racking my brain for hours to remember them well enough to even search for them. But, as soon as I found the first one, I knew I'd find the other. Frustrating, but worth it. Thank you.
posted by wobh at 9:10 PM on June 2, 2012
Steal My Sunshine - Len
Citysong - Luscious Jackson
Primus did this in a lot of their songs.
posted by SisterHavana at 11:43 PM on June 2, 2012
Citysong - Luscious Jackson
Primus did this in a lot of their songs.
posted by SisterHavana at 11:43 PM on June 2, 2012
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posted by flex at 11:34 AM on June 2, 2012