White Stripes: You’re Pretty Good Looking (For a Girl) (2000)
I wish I’d seen these guys live, but hopefully I’ll see Jack White one day. This song seems to contain all the elements of a classic White Stripes song: slightly ragged but full of hooks, no unnecessary flourishes, a quirky sense of humour, and over too soon.
Waterboys: When You go Away (1988)
When Record Executives received the follow-up to the Waterboys’ international breakthrough “Whole Of The Moon”, they probably weren’t expecting an album rooted in Irish and Scottish folk music. “Fisherman’s Blues” signalled that Mike Scott’s “Big Music” was no more, but the scaled back sound resulted in the Waterboys’ best selling album.
World Party: Sweet Soul Dream (1967)
Karl Wallinger was one of the Waterboys during their “Big Music” era. As lead Waterboy Mike Scott wrote, “Having Karl [Wallinger] in the studio was like having a one-man orchestra around.” Wallinger’s departure from the Waterboys after the success of “This Is The Sea” allowed him to pursue his own music, forming World Party. “Sweet Soul Dream” is from his second album “Goodby Jumbo”, rated by Q as their best album of 1990.
Wilco: I’m The Man Who Loves You (2002)
The turmoil around Wilco’s fourth album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was documented in the documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart. Changes in record producer, band personnel and record label all made this a difficult birth, but the resulting album became their most successful release. “I’m The Man Who Loves You” has become a concert favourite, and is now Wilco’s second most frequently played song.
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