Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
Alive vs. Yellow Ledbetter
So Adamdude suggested this one and since I don't have time to do a lengthy write up for a while this seemed like a good choice. I don't even need to post lyrics. Alive first.
The last minute and a half or so of alive is probalby my favorite piece of music of all time. it never fails to transport me to a live show, pumping my fist in the air and screaming yeah with the rest of the arena. It's the best recurring feeling in the world, and hearing the end of Alive always takes me there. There is something so empowering and triumphant about it, like listening to it (and being there when they do it live) is an act of defiance and a celebration of being alive and having conquered whatever personal demons you've had to face. That's the closest I can come to describing it, but it isn't really describable. It's the closest I ever come to having a real religious experience. it helps me tap into something larger than myself. A tough feeling to beat
Yellow Ledbetter's solo is certainly beautiful, but it is the outro part that always moves me. I can picture it being played for the last time at their last show, a final goodbye and farewell to the fans, and that image always gets me. I don't know if that technically counts as the solo though. Either way, there is a certain meloncholy feel to the solo that just makes it so perfect for saying goodbye. it's not desperate like in black or all or none, but there is a sense of finality to it--the closing of a chapter. it's amazing how well it captures that mood
Two well chosen songs by Fishbob, and certainly two of Mike's finest pieces of work. There are plenty of better technical guitar players out there, but for the sheer emotion Mike's best work (which this is) is tough to beat
Between the two of them I'd take Alive. As I said above, that ending is a musical orgasam for me. Every time.
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Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 3:29 am Posts: 199 Location: US
I love Ledbetter, but it's pretty impossible to beat Alive, possibly one of the best solos of all time. I wish Mike would do longer solos like this more regularly. I Am Mine had so much potential to be another one of these, it just ends way too early.
I think All or None would have been a great addition to this too, Mike really nails the emotion on all three of those songs.
Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:49 pm Posts: 286 Location: Costa Rica
I think it's unfair to have to vote between these songs, they represent two very different things.
In any case I voted for Alive just because it's incomparable to any piece of music out there...after hearing it 10 million times I still get the same feelings over and over again. That does not happen with any other song.
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Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2006 8:46 am Posts: 8052 Location: Northern Virginia Gender: Male
alive is arguably the most epic thing the band has done. there might be a few other solos that are better, but against that chord progression it rules.
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Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 11:46 pm Posts: 4970 Location: Portland, OR Gender: Male
The YL solo is yellow ledbetter. It's a b-side that was lifted to one of PJ's most famous and loved songs by all, almost entirely by it's guitar solo alone.
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:02 am Posts: 44183 Location: New York Gender: Male
stuzzo wrote:
Considering one's a Kiss song and one's a Hendrix song, what does this tell us?
true or not, never post that again.
_________________ "Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference."--FDR
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:02 am Posts: 2560 Location: Dallas/Atlanta/Savannah
i really loved the alive solo when they playd SNL (the first time). there was so much energy and fun in it. I went with yellow because I think its a bit more complex and feels like more of an integral part of the song, and ultimately is looser and less technical.
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