Wilco Only Mermaid Ave.

[nodep5]

Have any of you guys made a mix for yourself from Mermaid Ave 1 & 2 with Wilco only contributions? I was listening to the first Mermaid this week and it is not that I hate the Billy B stuff, some is not bad, but overall he wears on me. So I thought screw this, lets just make one album of mermaid ave with all Wilco. If you have done this what was your track listing order? any ideas? OR is the sacrilige (sp) of some kind?

[you ever seen a ghost?]

good for you - i don't really care for the Bragg stuff myself.

 

-justin

[Scalzunfield]

I really dislike Billy Bragg (Man In The Sand only served to reinforce that). His whole shtick just wears on me really quickly.

 

I made that mix really quickly and actually kept most of the tracks in the positions they were on their respective albums. It seems to flow well.

 

Airline To Heaven

California Stars

Feed Of Man

Hoodoo Voodoo

*When The Roses Bloom Again

Secret Of The Sea

At My Window Sad and Lonely

Remember The Mountain Bed

Christ For President

One By One

Blood Of The Lamb

Hesitating Beauty

*Joe Dimaggio Done It Again

Another Man's Done Gone

Someday Some Morning Sometime

 

*If I'm feeling particularly nice, I throw in "Joe Dimaggio Done It Again" (even though Billy wrote it and Jeff sings it) and even "When The Roses Bloom Again" since it's from those sessions.

[Hoodoo Man]

I've done this as well and just took the tracks in the order they appear on the respective albums and it flowed surprisingly well. I threw "When The Roses Bloom Again" between the 2 albums.

 

Cali Stars

Hoodoo

At My Window

Christ

One By One

Hesitating

Another Man

When The Roses

Airline

Feed of Man

Secret

Mountain Bed

Blood

Joe Dimaggio

Someday

[cryptique]

I'm possibly more of a Billy Bragg fan than I am a Wilco fan.

 

Consequently, I've never done this, and I don't plan to.

[lamradio]

I like most of the Bragg stuff. Hell, Hotrod Hotel is one of my favorite songs from any Wilco album. It's where I got my screen name.

[Analogman]

I'm possibly more of a Billy Bragg fan than I am a Wilco fan.

 

Consequently, I've never done this, and I don't plan to.

 

There is an interview with him in the new Uncut - he says he has not written any songs in several years - until recently - as he was writing a book.

[Doug C]

I've never done it either. I think his songs from the Mermaid sessions match up well. I like Billy Bragg. His 3 cd 'Must I Paint You A Picture?' is a fine retrospective. Highly recommended.

[caliber66]

Meh. If you don't like a song, press skip.

[mountain bed]

Whether you're a fan of BB or not, imo you can't exclude "The Unwelcome Guest". Great words - and when Jeff comes in with the high harmonies it just gives me chills.

[Stefanie]

i used to listen to mermain avenue with my dad and uncle A LOT when it first came out. even though i'm a bigger fan of wilco, i can't imagine the whole experience without the billy bragg stuff.

[Analogman]

I don't think I have actually listened to Mermaid 1 or 2 in years, but I rather like the song One By One.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I'm possibly more of a Billy Bragg fan than I am a Wilco fan.

Consequently, I've never done this, and I don't plan to.

 

 

Just thought the one eared startled pussy cat needed an appearance

[myboyblue]

Whether you're a fan of BB or not, imo you can't exclude "The Unwelcome Guest". Great words - and when Jeff comes in with the high harmonies it just gives me chills.

 

Completely agree. Say what you will about Billy but I am sure happy he tapped Wilco on the shoulder for this project (I'm guessing he is too). These guys aren't necessarily a perfect match but it sure worked for an album and a half or so.

[alison the wilca]

Completely agree. Say what you will about Billy but I am sure happy he tapped Wilco on the shoulder for this project (I'm guessing he is too). These guys aren't necessarily a perfect match but it sure worked for an album and a half or so.

i agree with unwelcome guest as well. it is maybe my favorite on the albums. there is a version that was recorded with jeff on lead but it has mysteriously vanished

[Analogman]

i agree with unwelcome guest as well. it is maybe my favorite on the albums. there is a version that was recorded with jeff on lead but it has mysteriously vanished

 

Was it on that singles compilation?

[gogo]

I think it's a never-leaked-demo. It's only been rumored, never actually heard by the general public.

[nodep5]

i used to listen to mermain avenue with my dad and uncle A LOT when it first came out. even though i'm a bigger fan of wilco, i can't imagine the whole experience without the billy bragg stuff.

 

Well don't get me wrong, it is not like i'm going to throw away the originals, or never listen to the originals again, it is just that I would like to experience the Wilco songs without interruptions some times. Pressing the skip button makes me feel like an ass, I guess that is the vinyl lover in me, but I hate skipping songs. hate it.

 

And it is not just a Wilco/Tweedy thing, I don't have this issue with minus 5 or golden smog, it is just some times Billy B urkes me. In the way a itchy rash would. Like jock itch.

[So Long]

I also deleted Bragg's tracks. He's an asshole.

[ponch1028]

I've done the Wilco only mix before, but some of Billy's songs (especially on the first Mermaid Avenue) are so beautiful that those mixes have sounded incomplete. Personally, I love the following Billy songs:

 

Walt Whitman's Niece

Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key

Ingrid Bergman

The Unwelcomed Guest

 

Also, Birds & Ships is absolutely essential for me to get the complete "Mermaid Avenue" experience, so there you go.

 

When I did do the Wilco only mix, it was tracked in the following order:

 

1. Airline to Heaven

2. California Stars

3. Feed the Man

4. When The Roses Bloom Again

5. Hoodoo Voodoo

6. At My Window Sad and Lonely

7. Remember the Mountain Bed

8. Christ For President

9. One By One

10. Blood of the Lamb

11. Another Man's Done Gone

12. Someday Some Morning Sometime

[caliber66]

I also deleted Bragg's tracks. He's an asshole.

[Analogman]

I think it's a never-leaked-demo. It's only been rumored, never actually heard by the general public.

 

I see.

[cryptique]

There is an interview with him in the new Uncut - he says he has not written any songs in several years - until recently - as he was writing a book.

His new album's pretty darn good.

 

The deluxe version has a second disc of him performing all the songs solo, and I think I like most of those versions better.

 

 

Mr. Love & Justice is not out in the States yet ... I ordered my copy from the U.K., where it came out on March 3.

[ction]

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry is probably one of my 20 favorite albums of all time. Definitely top 50.

[Dreamin']

I really love Jeff's vocal on Unwelcome Guest as well, but Another Man's Done Gone is my all time favourite.

 

I'll always have a soft spot for the first MM Ave album because that was how I discovered Wilco. I bought it for Bragg and Woody, but Wilco's contributions stood out immediately. I bought Being There and Summerteeth shortly after that and pretty much fell in love at first listen.

 

After watching MITS, I realized that Jeff/Wilco worked hard to keep Woody from being marginalized as just another socialist folk singer (not that there's anything wrong with that) and that vision really paid off. Thanks to Wilco, the songs on MM Ave really show the breadth of Woody's talent.