When I got the idea to rank the Top 10 Flaming Lips Songs of all time, my original intention was to post it on January 13th, which just happens to be Wayne Coyne’s birthday. Unfortunately, I kind of missed that deadline. So instead of waiting another 10 months to post it, I figured I would just wait until today. And why today? Because it is Flaming Lips bassist Michael Ivins’ birthday.
The whole inspiration behind this post was to pay tribute to one of my favorite bands. However, I also am doing this because I’m a nice guy. You see, there are a bunch of people around town who like to brag about the Flaming Lips and name alleys after them and watch them perform at the centennial concert, but don’t really know a damn thing about the Lips and their music. Hopefully, this will help them about a little bit.
(p.s. - Also, I’d like to thank Ryan from Oklahoma Rock and my friend Shanikan for their help with the poll.)
10. Race for the Prize
The Soft Bulletin, 1999Ryan really likes this song. I mean he really really likes it. Of course, he also likes Hinder, so maybe his opinion isn’t worth much. (That’s actually a really mean joke. Sorry.)
9. The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
At War With The Mystics, 2006Attention all Oklahoma political elite who like to say they “dig” the Flaming Lips: This song is kind of about GW. And not in a good way.
8. Turn It On
Transmissions From The Satellite Heart, 1993Yeah. I think I remember buying this tape the summer before my sophomore year in high school. Obviously, I didn’t buy the tape for this song, but it was my second favorite song on the tape. I figure that’s worth something about 15 years later.
7. Fight Test
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, 2002Yeah, click the little play button on the YouTube clip. You’ll notice it’s not the Flaming Lips performing Fight Test, but instead some I-going-to-go-crazy-someday dude playing a sad song that sounds a lot like Fight Test.
6. The W.A.N.D.
At War With The Mystics, 2006My perverted roommate sells printers and software at Dell. He hates this song, because apparently it is (or was) their hold music. Hard to believe, huh…
5. What Is The Light
The Soft Bulletin, 1999For some reason, this song always struck me as the best track on The Soft Bulletin masterpiece. Since it’s one of my favorite albums ever, that’s saying a lot.
4. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Part I
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, 2002Not too many bands can write a catchy, poppy song about a friend dying of cancer, call it Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and make it all work. But the Lips can. That’s why they are kind of special.
3. She Don’t Use Jelly
Transmissions From The Satellite Heart, 1993Ahh, the song that got it all started…kind of. The funny thing about She Don’t Use Jelly is that it got the band briefly labeled as one hit wonders. Also, a fun fact is that the song was nearly called The Mathis Brothers Don’t Use Jelly. Not really. But that would be cool.
2. Shine On Sweet Jesus (Jesus Song No. 5)
In A Priest Driven Ambulance, 1989
It’s always good for a power poll like this to have a surprise number 2. And I hope this comes as a surprise. I was actually going to rank this song in the 5-7 range, but once I discovered that the music video was on YouTube, it shot up my list.
1. Do You Realize
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, 2002I read somewhere that this song was the Imagine for my generation. Yeah, it’s kind of a lofty comparison, but I’ll buy it.
There you go. If you can:
A: Name and rank at least 10 Flaming Lips songs and
B: Have a problem with this list
C: Please let me know
I’ll start just off my head, and will come back with a thorough list.
First of all: “They Punctured My Yolk.” Beautiful lyrics. This reads likes a movie script. The ironic metaphor and Wayne’s plaintive vocals are tear-inducing. Not only does the guy lose his job, but he loses the woman he loves. It literally makes me cry everytime I think of it, and I’m not Sally Kern’s son.
“Christmas at the Zoo”: Again, Wayne at his best. Throwing philosophy in a seemingly stupid song about animals, yet somehow making a social statement about the irrational behaviour of animals (human, too) to take advantage of what life gives them.
“When You Smile.” I can honestly say that LG got laid by reciting the words to this song. Thank YOU WAYNE!
I’ll be back. LG
Pretty solid, but there’s no way two songs from Mystics should make the cut.
Here’s mine:
10) Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
Shine On Sweet Jesus
9) Turn It On
7) Race for the Prize
6) The WAND
5) Can’t Stop The Spring
4) Bad Days
3) Mountainside
2) Waiting For A Superman
1) Do You Realize?
TAKE IT BACK!
Fun fact: In song #4, I’m in the back holding one of the flashlights during the band shots. Yeah, that’s me. And, that shoot almost didn’t happen because Ichiro was concerned about letting under 18-year-olds inside Samurai.
Here’s my list for the record:
01. “Race For The Prize”
02. “Do You Realize?”
03. “Fight Test”
04. “Pompeii am Gotterdammerung”
05. “She Don’t Use Jelly”
06. “Christmas at the Zoo”
07. “The W.A.N.D.”
08. “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Part 1)”
09. “The Spark That Bled”
10. “Talkin’ ‘Bout The Smilin’ Immortality Deathporn Blues (Everyone Wants To Live Forever)”
Honestly I think it all sounds like crap. Do you realize has good lyrics, but he is a horrible singer.
I can’t believe nothing from Clouds Taste Metallic made the list.
10)Bad Days
9)Staring At Sound
8)Turn it On
7)My Own Planet
6)Unplugged
5)Race for the Prize
4)Everything’s Explodin’
3)This Here Giraffe
2)The WAND
1)Talkin’ ‘Bout the Smilin’ Immortality (etc., etc.)
I’ll probably have a different 10 tomorrow. I love this band.
Elo Melgo,
Go watch American Idol and STFU!
I also have to say kudos on the Fight Test alternate video. That’s truly bizarre…
Nice find…
Whichever one is shortest gets my #1 vote.
I’m with Cameron…I was hoping “Waiting for Superman” would crack the top 10.
man, I’m famous.
Pretty good list. Here are mine:
1. Do You Realize?
2. Race For The Prize
3. Waiting For Superman
4. Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
5. Halloween On The Barbary Coast
6. She Don’t Use Jelly
7. Lightning Strikes the Postman
8. Jesus Shooting Heroin
9. Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung
10. Mountain Side
That ended up a little random, but they’re my favorites.
thanks for the education. it’s a shame that OKC radio does not play FL’s songs. honestly, i would not recognize an FL song if it was actually played by an OKC radio station.
Best article you guys have done yet…I don’t have enough time to try to list my top ten. In The Morning Of The Magicians would make it into my top 10 though…Keep up the good work!
These Flaming Lips guys sound big time. They should be on “The Locker Room”.
Was anybody else at the Coldplay show at the Civic Center in ‘03 when Chris Martin began playing “Yoshimi” on the piano? I remember this, because Wayne Coyne was sitting in front of me, and he got really into it at that point.
it’s more difficult that trying to choose a favorite ogle.
but here goes:
10.moth in the incubator
9. kims watermelon gun
8. the captain is a cold hearted and egotistical fool
7. enthusiasm for like defeats internal, existential fear (progressive dixie land mix # 2)
6. fight test
5. five stop mother superior rain
4. do you realize??
3. halloween on the barbury coat
2. waitin’ for a superman
1. race for the prize
what? nothing from ‘Zaireeka?’ i saw ben folds in austin in 2002, and he covered “Thirty-Five Thousand Feet of Despair.” a weird, but beautiful song.