Dude, Listen to That!: Lost Cause

Dude, this is one melancholy tune. In fact, I only know of one other super singable melancholy tune that outshines this one: Imagine by John Lennon. Yeah, that's right, I said it, and I'll say it again: Imagine. Imagine is better. This is pretty close. Look, you're just going to have to deal with it, OK?

Well, then you have to at least give me this: it's a deeply moving song and one that couldn't hardly be more catchy. I mean, I know it's one of only like a bazillion breakup songs, so it's not totally groundbreaking stuff or anything. But, if you listen carefully, you can tell Beck wrapped his heart around this one, and it was hurting.

Here it is, Lost Cause, performed in 2002 with The Flaming Lips:

Listen to that first verse and chorus again:

Your sorry eyes; they cut through bone
They make it hard to leave you alone
Leave you here wearing your wounds
Waving your guns at somebody new

Baby you're lost
Baby you're lost
Baby you're a lost cause

From the heart and empowering; hence, a lot like Imagine. There's pain, but there's the promise of starting life anew. I can dig that.

A few interesting facts about the album, Sea Changes:

In 2002, it was only the second album Rolling Stone gave 5 stars
It's #440 on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
It debuted to widespread critical acclaim due to it's departure from Beck's normally eclectic musical stylings and nonsensical lyrics

I think that last point is why I also like the album so much. My wife, a former serious Beck devotee, thinks it's a snooze, and I don't totally disagree with that. But, I think it was a bold and memorable move - doing a complete musical "180" - and it was a move that a few bands I know could take a lesson from. (One of her favorite bands actually.) Sometimes less is more. Right, Christina Aguilera? Thanks for fucking up the national anthem last night.

And I digress...

So let's see: I've stirred up Lennon's ghost and my wife. Go ahead people, get your hate on.

2 comments:

MarianFebruary 7, 2011 at 9:20 PM
OH NO YOU DIDN'T!!!!

Yeah, I'm tired of the eyeliner. Hoping for a "return to normalcy" and to shake a few teeny boppers and weirdos along the way.

But on Beck, yes, Sea Changes was a disappointment. I was so excited to get my hands on his new album only to be bored to death within the first few songs. I remember turning up the volumn on my Jetta when I first popped it in, listening to the first few seconds of the first song... then skipping ahead, and ahead, and ahead until finally realizing "WTF? The whole album sounds this way!?"

But I do agree, it's very gripping and soulful - a great departure from Beck's previous work. However, Beck's previous funkiness is what I so loved about him. This album (and this song) are depressing.
That DudeFebruary 9, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Soulful. Yes. It's soulful. Thank you, my dear.

Post AI, I wanted Green Day to write something like Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited; something eclectic and even a little folksy. I actually thought they needed to write another Warning (maybe a tad more focused). Now, I think they need to go the hard and fast route, playing old school, stripped down punk. We'll see if that happens...

Monday, February 7, 2011

Lost Cause

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