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May 17, 2007

Ryan Adams Compiles A Heartbreaker Of A Playlist

Time to make that Easy Tiger press push, so DJ Reggie hooked up with the Apple folks to compile his ten-track celebrity playlist. And we're hoping he listened to very little of it while writing Easy Tiger. Sonic Youth, Nas, Bonnie Raitt, all good. But there are two that have us singing the rescue blues...

The Fray - "How To Save A Life"
This is perfect songwriting and anybody that says otherwise is a jerk. Amazing hair-raising stuff. I would write songs like this if I had an attention span, but they would have more wizards, problems, and space references, etc...

Linkin Park - "Numb"
Amazing band, nice folks, kick-*ss music. Everyone steals from them and they don't care. They still do it like it was yesterday and yesterday was tomorrow. Times five.
Everyone steals from Linkin Park?! As long as "everyone" doesn't include you, Ry, we won't even fight you on that. And you you probably heard that Adams has a fan in Stephen King. But apparently the King's not a big enough fan to place Ryan on the horror master's list of Top 24 Rock Songs Of All Time (via EW.com):
24 "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" - Iron Butterfly
23 "Dead Flowers" - The Rolling Stones
22 "Needless And Pins" - The Searchers
21 "I Get Around" - The Beach Boys
20 "On The Dark Side" - John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
19 "You Never Can Tell" - Chuck Berry
18 "I Want To Help You Ann" - The Lyres
17 "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress" - The Hollies
16 "Don't Be Cruel" - Elvis Presley
15 "Ain't No Fun (Waiting Round To Be A Millionaire)" - AC/DC
14 "Sixty Minute Man" - The Dominoes
13 "Mass. Ave." - Willie Alexander
12 "The Girl Can't Help It" - Little Richard
11 "She Loves You" - The Beatles
10 "A Big Hung O' Love" - Elvis Presley
09 "Bip Bop Boom" - Mickey Hawks
08 "Let's Have A Party" - Wanda Jackson
07 "New Orleans" - Gary U.S. Bonds
06 "Ramrod" - Bruce Springsteen
05 "C'mon Everybody" - Eddie Cochran
04 "Stupid Cupid" - Connie Francis
03 "Mystery Dance" - Elvis Costello
02 "Burning Love" - Elvis Presley
01 "Anarchy In The U.K." - The Sex Pistols
Don't love that list, Stevie, but we read like everything you wrote back when we were in middle school, so you're forgiven. Christine killed it. Always wanted Arnie Cunningham's car for its awesome music-selection feature. And to viciously murder our bullies.

Posted at 4:51 PM in
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35 Comments

Ramrod?!?! RAMROD?!?! REALLY?!?!

Posted by: McNutt at 05/17/07 5:07 PM | Reply
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"Ramrod"'s pretty weird, but not as weird as the fact that John Cafferty made it before anything else by Springsteen. Also weird that the Hollies made it with the song of theirs that sounds the least like them and the most like CCR, while CCR didn't make it at all.

If that EW column he writes has proven anything, though, it's that King's taste never quite recuperated from that accident.

Posted by: d at 05/17/07 5:21 PM | Reply
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I Want to Help You Ann? Awesome. Maybe I should check out this guy's writing.

Posted by: Nate at 05/17/07 5:38 PM | Reply
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all reservations aside, this is probably the best list you've ever jacked from some other publication in the hope of snarky comments.

Posted by: Ass Hat at 05/17/07 5:40 PM | Reply
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I had respect for Ryan Adams up until this Fray thing. Not tons of respect, but enough that it's rescinding leaves a hole. Not a big hole, but it's where there wasn't before, so there.

The key to the lyrics of "How To Save A Life" is summed up thusly: I can't find rhymes for these verses. Screw It! I'll just repeat myself again and again! Brilliant! Now I'm a damned Teletubby.

DwD

Posted by: Dw Dunphy at 05/17/07 5:41 PM | Reply
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Ryan. why the fray? why?


..you should be watching LOST instead of GREY'S ANATOMY.


Posted by: Rygun at 05/17/07 5:46 PM | Reply
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Stupid poseurs.

Posted by: bp at 05/17/07 5:52 PM | Reply
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DwD - For some reason, 'Now I'm a damned Teletubby!' is one of the funniest things I've read today.

Posted by: Tug at 05/17/07 6:11 PM | Reply
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Ryan's unfortunately right-on about that Fray song. Here's to hoping his album is better, though.

Posted by: Dave Rawkblog at 05/17/07 6:54 PM | Reply
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aw man, i can't believe "Don't Fear the Reaper" isn't on Stephen King's list! it's been, like, 10 years since i read it, but i STILL think of The Stand every single time i hear that song.

Posted by: whither cowbell? at 05/17/07 6:59 PM | Reply
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But "I Get Around" is a great song.

Posted by: tk. at 05/17/07 7:22 PM | Reply
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the fray has a great piano counterpoint - not a whole lot wrong with that, other than the fact that it's far too appealing to the grey's anatomy crowd. I, however, have no problem with the fact that it's appealing to ryan adams. Or his crowd.

Posted by: d at 05/17/07 8:03 PM | Reply
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double you tee eff, Ry?

Posted by: doggie at 05/17/07 8:30 PM | Reply
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I have a much bigger problem with the Linkin Park than with The Fray. Eh, whatever, Ryan's crazy anyway. I'll just stick with my plan of listening to the music and ignoring the rest.

Posted by: Carrie at 05/17/07 8:32 PM | Reply
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half of that shit was a joke anyway. if you can't tell i'm being crazy half the time, then it's you who is being crazy.

Posted by: ryan adams at 05/17/07 10:10 PM | Reply
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RA can do no wrong. Just put on Cold Roses and you'll know that.

Posted by: Ron at 05/17/07 10:17 PM | Reply
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yeah i took a good 4 hour nap, came back, looked @ the playlist i left on the compy while i snoozed. it was pretty much a joke. had to be. no husker du.

Posted by: Rygun at 05/17/07 10:22 PM | Reply
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if this was david cross' list, everyone would have a big indie laugh and forget about it. he's totally jerking everyone around & you're falling for it.

Posted by: jim at 05/17/07 10:48 PM | Reply
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The King, The 3 Kings, King, Ryan Adams, and Wintersox.

Posted by: poetform at 05/17/07 10:51 PM | Reply
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Bad news snarky Stereogum hipsters: The Fray writes some damn catchy pop songs. Kudos to Ryan for having the balls to say so.

Posted by: abe at 05/18/07 2:43 AM | Reply
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hahahahaha

Totally bogus list - hysterical! but next time just post it so I don't have to open the gd evil itunes.

Posted by: Rachelandthecity at 05/18/07 4:30 AM | Reply
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hahahahaha

I can't decide if he's funnier high or sober....


Totally bogus list - hysterical! but next time just post it so I don't have to open the gd evil itunes.

Posted by: Rachelandthecity at 05/18/07 4:32 AM | Reply
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I was wondering what was going on when I saw this list on iTunes - some absolute shit on there.

roll on Easy Tiger. it's gunna be the shiznit.

Posted by: stephen at 05/18/07 4:50 AM | Reply
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EP-A hung o love?

Posted by: T at 05/18/07 9:52 AM | Reply
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that fray song is the bee's knees. it's not math-rock, it's pop. its a melody.

Posted by: katie, a princess at 05/18/07 10:44 AM | Reply
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This post needs to start out with "whatever, its ryan adams"

Posted by: Lel at 05/18/07 11:47 AM | Reply
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here's the deal.
the fray are one of the hardest working kids and they did things on their own accord. yes, the music has been used on 80 billion commercials, but they have done a lot for music here in denver and have stuck to their roots. i could understand if the music sucked, but their music is very catchy and for all of you haters out there, GO HOME TO YA MAMMIES!!

Posted by: Julio Enriquez at 05/18/07 11:53 AM | Reply
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Why are so many people coming to the defense of the Fray, over Ryan Adams? I realize he's not everyone's cup of tea, but the Fray are god-awful. Processed, overproduced, auto-tuned, boring-as-shit Braff rock.

Posted by: Jeff at 05/18/07 1:07 PM | Reply
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I find it interesting that his playlist doesn't remotely look or sound like what he plays himself. I think its healthy for musicians to listen to everything, even if the music sucks - who knows what inspires them to do what they do.

Posted by: dudeasincool at 05/18/07 1:54 PM | Reply
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I dunno man, Ryan Adams has made some fuckin' off-the-cuff chunes, lest we forget his stab at rapping. Either he's got a great sense of humour or he's an asshole and the jokes on you. I'm cool with that either way.

Posted by: shifty at 05/18/07 2:17 PM | Reply
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i think it's more an obscure sense of humour. you know, the type of humour where normal people can't really tell if it's humour or not. that type.

Posted by: stephen at 05/18/07 2:30 PM | Reply
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I wouldn't worry about the playlist too much - the labels make them up themselves for marketing purposes and the artist's management approves it. It's just how it's done, and honestly, who really cares.

Posted by: boycott_angels_and_kings at 05/20/07 10:38 PM | Reply
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Ryan's so rad

Here’s my Ryan spiel for all the haters:


I don't know Ryan, but I would love to. I think he's an amazing, beautiful person who has produced some of the finest music that has enriched my life. He's an artist and a genius and his music is beautiful and brilliant. Historically, many significantly contributing artists have had troubled lives. Most geniuses are a little crazy, aren’t they? Look at him for his art and his contribution. Saying he’s insecure, I’d say it’s more like he doesn’t give a shit what people think of him, which is actually pretty refreshing. I can’t wait to see him play in Colorado in August and I can’t wait for his new album to come out in June, the two tracks I’ve heard are amazing. I want to see him live sooner than later, to make sure I get the chance.

Posted by: amy at 05/24/07 12:24 PM | Reply
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Does anyone know why Apple removed Mr. Adams' playlist?

It's gone.

Posted by: Rob at 07/22/07 5:32 PM | Reply
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they probably noticed it was a bogus list too... ha. or he told them "meh. the jokes over.."

Posted by: rygun at 12/04/07 2:17 PM | Reply
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