SickthingsUK

Few could or would debate that "Hello Hooray" isn't the best AC or ACG opening song ever but what (in your opinion) is the best and worst closing song on an AC or ACG record.

I was listening to "Escape" and "I'm Going Home" from WTMN and GTH and thought that these are really, really weak songs that are closing out excellent albums so it got me thinking...

Good question. The first song that popped into my head was Killer. Good song that does a good job of closing out a great album. Another option might be Pass the Gun Around; Dada is an unusual record and I think this song and the title track bookend the album nicely. The final song in the running for me would probably be Roses on White Lace. It's a killer track and really ends the RYFAY album on the highest possible note.


p.s. Alma Mater would have probably been my number one pick if, y'know, it was actually the last track on the album. I kinda think it should have been. Edit: not that I think it's an amazing song or anything. I just think it's a great way to close out the album.

My first ACG choice would definitely be Killer. Not being an Alice solo fan, I won't consider a closing song from that Era.

Ted

Ted Sallis wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 23, 2023 8:23 pm

My first ACG choice would definitely be Killer. Not being an Alice solo fan, I won't consider a closing song from that Era.

Ted

That would be mine as well...

"I'm Going Home" is essentially "I Love The Dead" music with different cheesier lyrics....horrendous!

Mr. Misdemeanor wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 23, 2023 5:21 pm

p.s. Alma Mater would have probably been my number one pick if, y'know, it was actually the last track on the album. I kinda think it should have been. Edit: not that I think it's an amazing song or anything. I just think it's a great way to close out the album.

I've always considered School's Out to be an alternative soundtrack album (to the movie West Side Story), therefore having The Grande Finale as the closing track seems completely appropriate to me.

Ted

Parish wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 23, 2023 8:26 pm

"I'm Going Home" is essentially "I Love The Dead" music with different cheesier lyrics....horrendous!

I'm not familiar with I'm Going Home so I should listen to it to gage the degree of similarity.

Ted

Ted Sallis wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 23, 2023 8:33 pm

Parish wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 23, 2023 8:26 pm

"I'm Going Home" is essentially "I Love The Dead" music with different cheesier lyrics....horrendous!

I'm not familiar with I'm Going Home so I should listen to it to gage the degree of similarity.

Ted

Closes out the "Goes To Hell" rekkid...

"I'm Goin Home" as sung to "I Love The Dead"...exactly

Ted Sallis wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 23, 2023 8:29 pm

I've always considered School's Out to be an alternative soundtrack album (to the movie West Side Story), therefore having The Grande Finale as the closing track seems completely appropriate to me.

Ted

I've never seen West Side Story. Does The Grand Finale play into it somehow? I've never been a musical guy. I just don't get them. I can remember watching the Wizard of Oz as a very young boy and thinking how much I hated all the singing. The only exception is the Blues Brothers. The theatrical cut and not the Director's cut. The Grand Finale isn't a bad tune, I just don't like the synthesizer or whatever it is. It gives it a Rockford Files theme vibe or something.

I think there's a lot of great closers to pick from solo wise. I think both Escape and Going Home are really good songs closing out top records. My God, Pass the Gun Around, Wind Up Toy, Zombie Dance, Cleansed By Fire I think are all fantastic. He's Back and Cold Machines aren't too shabby either. A bit spoilt for choice there in my opinion.

Group wise, I'd have to say that I think that the closers aren't really among the best songs on any of the albums (except maybe on Pretties for You). Killer would be my choice ultimately for ACG.

Cold Machines is up there

Mr. Misdemeanor wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 23, 2023 8:53 pm

I've never seen West Side Story. Does The Grand Finale play into it somehow? I've never been a musical guy. I just don't get them. I can remember watching the Wizard of Oz as a very young boy and thinking how much I hated all the singing. The only exception is the Blues Brothers. The theatrical cut and not the Director's cut. The Grand Finale isn't a bad tune, I just don't like the synthesizer or whatever it is. It gives it a Rockford Files theme vibe or something.

I admittedly haven't seen the entire West Side Story movie, only a few brief clips or scenes from it. The movie was first referenced by the ACG in an EA song; I believe it was Still No Air: "When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way, from your first cigarette to your last dying day." Gutter Cat vs The Jets on SO also mentions the same line, and Grande Finale features at least a couple of musical bars from Gutter Cat at the end.

Ted

The last few seconds of "Grand Finale" repeat the theme from "Gutter Cats vs The Jets," which takes lyrics and music directly from West Side Story (which is why Bernstein and Sondheim---who wrote the music and lyrics for West Side Story---are listed in the song credits).

Some of you should get out more....

Wind up toy

another good one is Pass the gun around

Roses on White Lace, Wind-Up Toy, Cleansed by Fire or Cold Machines would be my picks. All of them are some of my favorite Alice songs ever

For ACG I’m going to go with “killer”- this is a piece of music that just builds and builds and ultimately is not just a great album closer but serves as a piece of music used in the show for the guillotine to this day.
Solo I’ve always loved “ my God”. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s very “un Alice”. It’s a beautiful song, very underrated, probably because it’s on an album that’s not very popular among fans. And it hits on a subject Alice didn’t talk about publicly very much ( at the time)

Pass The Gun Around. Love Wind Up Toy too but PTGA is immense. Imagine how good it would have been if he was in a good enough state at the time to remember making it!

I love the dead + Inmates

I have a real soft-spot for Vicious Rumours, absolute belter of a song.

Vicious rumors was in the running for me… I love how who do you think we are is fused into the end of it

I Love The Dead
Escape
My God
Inmates
Pass The Gun Around
Roses On White Lace
Wind Up Toy
Cleansed By Fire
Cold Machines

Those are my favourites. If I had to pick just one, it's I Love The Dead.