Rank the singles

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Rank the singles

Mark L · Loudmouth

Someone's Looking (At You) (10)
Like Clockwork (10)
Looking after No 1 (10)
Elephant's Graveyard (10)
Rat Trap (10)
Banana Republic (10)
I Don't Like Mondays (10)
Dave (9)
Mary of the 4th Form (9)
She's So Modern (8)
House on Fire (8)
Diamond Smiles (8)
Drag Me Down (8)
Tonight (7)
Never in a Million Years (7)
A Hold of Me (6)
Charmed Lives (4)

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Not a clinical lab assessment but more to do with the emotional impact of the songs and the various memories they hold for me-the tens are all grouped together, not in rank of favourites, likewise with all the other 'out of ten' votes.

1 Rat Trap 10

2 Like Clockwork 10

3 Looking After No 1 10

4 A Hold Of Me 10

5 Diamond Smiles 10

6 Never In a Million Years 10

7 Tonight 9

8 Elephant's Graveyard 9

9 I Don't Like Mondays 8

10 Someone's looking At You 8

11 She's So Modern 7

12 Banana Republic 7

13 Dave 7

14 House On Fire 7

15 Mary Of The Fourth Form 7

16 Charmed lives 5

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
1 Rat Trap 10
2 Like Clockwork 10
...
16 Charmed lives 5

Is Drag Me Down too bad to even make the list smile

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Rat Trap (9)
Like Clockwork (10)
Someone's Looking (At You) (9)
Mary of the 4TH Form/Do The Rat (10)
Looking After No. 1 (10+)
Banana Republic (10)
House on Fire (8) - geddit? ah, please yourselves groan
Dave (10+)
A Hold of Me (10)
She's So Modern (9)
I Don't Like Mondays (8)
Guilty (8)
Drag Me Down (8)
Tonight (8)
Diamond Smiles (8)
Never in a Million Years (7) - my chances of winning at bingo groan
Charmed Lives (6)

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
1 Rat Trap 10
2 Like Clockwork 10
...
16 Charmed lives 5
Is Drag Me Down too bad to even make the list

Yes I knew there was one missing-that's what happens when you're transcribing from scraps of paper and cross referencing.

Drag Me Down gets an 8 from the Irish jury.Goodnight Stockholm.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
Looking After No. 1                       (10+) Dave                                             (10+)
10+ ??   Why not just put 11?
Jules sorted list :
Looking After No. 1                       (10+
Dave                                             (10+)
Like Clockwork                              (10)
Mary of the 4TH Form/Do The Rat (10)
Banana Republic                           (10)
A Hold of Me                                  (10)
Rat Trap                                        (9)
Someone's Looking (At You)         (9)
She's So Modern                           (9)
House on Fire                               (8)
I Don't Like Mondays                     (8)
Guilty                                             (8)
Drag Me Down                               (8
Tonight                                          (8)
Diamond Smiles                             (8)
Never in a Million Years                  (7)
Charmed Lives                               (6)

Mark L · Loudmouth

There's no hiding place for Charmed Lives - bottom of everyone's list so far...

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
There's no hiding place for Charmed Lives - bottom of everyone's list so far...

Only surprise to me is the high ranking of Like Clockwork by everyone. Second or third in every list.

suss · In the Long Grass

This is incredibly tough, but I'd go with

1 Rat Trap 10

2 She's So Modern 9

3 Someone's looking At You 9

4 I Don't Like Mondays 8

5 Diamond Smiles 7

6 Like Clockwork 7

7 Drag Me Down 7

8 Never In a Million Years 6

9 Tonight 6

10 Looking After No 1 6

11 A Hold Of Me 6

12 Dave 6

13 Mary Of The Fourth Form 5

14 Elephant's Graveyard 5

15 Banana Republic 5

16 House On Fire 4

17 Charmed lives 0

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

I always find it interesting that a band's most well known song isn't necessarily the hardcore fan's favourite.

suss · In the Long Grass

ArrGee wrote:
I always find it interesting that a band's most well known song isn't necessarily the hardcore fan's favourite.

Same thought occurred to me as I was compiling list. Back in the day it's likely I'd have put Mondays top, but maybe it's over exposure that's dulled its significance for me.

Rat Trap still generates the same excitement for me it always did though, so not a compelling argument I realise. Then again how many in a survey would put anything other than Mondays as best known....

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Rat Trap still generates the same excitement for me it always did though, so not a compelling argument I realise. Then again how many in a survey would put anything other than Mondays as best known....

Rat Trap has far more depth and changes in pace, and hence is more musically interesting. There is a sense of hopelessness and despair and it succintly documents a little piece of Dublin city life and is very lyrically interesting. The whole thing has a great sense of drama. It is as near as dammit the perfect single. Going out on a limb here, it is definitely my favourite UK #1.

suss · In the Long Grass

ArrGee wrote:
Rat Trap has far more depth and changes in pace, and hence is more musically interesting. There is a sense of hopelessness and despair and it succintly documents a little piece of Dublin city life and is very lyrically interesting. The whole thing has a great sense of drama. It is as near as dammit the perfect single. Going out on a limb here, it is definitely my favourite UK #1.

Totally agree with most of that, maybe all (can't readily think of a #1 I'd put ahead of it, if only for emotional vote).

Perhaps it's the appeal of the song to the average teenager that keeps it close to our hearts. Mondays was great in a different majestic kind of way, and I was thrilled to bits 'my' band were the biggest in UK for a summer if not more, but the content of song and style didn't set me off in quite the same way. Maybe it's the soul of Rat Trap that's lacking in Mondays.

I've always wondered, and always will inevitably, how Mondays would have fared as a new song by a brand new band.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

ArrGee wrote:
suss wrote:
Rat Trap still generates the same excitement for me it always did though, so not a compelling argument I realise. Then again how many in a survey would put anything other than Mondays as best known....
Rat Trap has far more depth and changes in pace, and hence is more musically interesting. There is a sense of hopelessness and despair and it succintly documents a little piece of Dublin city life and is very lyrically interesting. The whole thing has a great sense of drama. It is as near as dammit the perfect single. Going out on a limb here, it is definitely my favourite UK #1.

I'm right with you on that ArrGee. It always come 2nd to Mondays, but musically it is superior, in my opinion.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Totally agree with most of that, maybe all (can't readily think of a #1 I'd put ahead of it, if only for emotional vote).

When it comes to #1s there are plenty that are frankly rubbish, Cliff, Dr. Hook and Lena Martell followed Mondays as #1s in the same year disbelief .

You can invariably disregard the Christmas #1, which Slade aside is normally pants. And these days you can throw in charity singles and X factor singles to further dilute the quality.

Even The Beatles didn't tend to have their best songs as singles (e.g. Yellow Submarine, Hello Goodbye, All You Need is Love). Yesterday, A Day In The Life and In My Life which are generally in the top ten Beatles song lists were never singles.

When you look back and consider that Rat Trap which was written as an album track, with little/no real consideration (according to Geldof) of being a single it impressively ousted the Grease phenomena at the top of the charts and in its wake saw Blondie, Ian Dury, Gary Numan, The Police, The Specials and The Jam then all hit the top, it was a bit of a trail blazer.

Of course in mentioning The Specials (Ghost Town), and Blondie (Heart of Glass) there are another of couple of good contenders. But for me not as good.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Part of the problem with Mondays is that the subject matter is really difficult and it is outside most peoples sphere of experience. It is akin to reading a story ofa murder in a newspaper- there is a certain detachment and fascination at the same time-fascination at Brenda Spencer in terms of who she was, and why she did what she did.

Rat Trap could be set anywhere, in any big city and that is why people all over could relate to it. It was a sort of love story too, and didn't shirk from the harsh realities of urban life and the quest for some sort of meaning- 'Is that all there is , there's gotta be more....

Certainly there is more going on in Rat Trap in terms of musical dynamics and shifts of mood and tempo. While I like the song I Don't like Mondays, in many ways it was an atypical Rats song and I'm not too surprised it does not rank as favourite, but then the Rats had so many good songs we were always spoilt for choice.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

1. Like Clockwork (10)
2. Rat Trap (10)
3. I Don't Like Mondays (10)
4. Looking after No 1 (9)
5. Mary of the 4th Form (9)
6. She's So Modern (9)
7. Diamond Smiles (8)
8. Banana Republic (8)
9. Elephant's Graveyard (8)
10 Someone's Looking at You (8)
11. Dave (7)
12. Drag Me Down (5)
13. Tonight (5)
14. A Hold of Me (5)
15. House on Fire (4)
16. Never in a Million Years (4)
17. Charmed Lives (2)

Mark L · Loudmouth

Rat Trap always gets 10 out of 10 round this neck of the woods too and it got me hook and line and sinker into the Rats and then I began that process of reversing through the preceding records which I had, partly through age, not paid as much attention to. It was during this process that I realised how fantastic Like Clockwork is and they frequently change places into terms of which one I (marginally) like better - which of course is the issue with any poll like this. However, I always think SLAY nudges them out of the way to the top - just. I love the slow build up of this one, the arrangement, lyrics, the sense of a return to form after the (slightly) disappointing Diamond Smiles, the way it settles down towards the end, only to explode again with the line 'You may as well....shout out from the roof, scream it from lungs and spit from your mouth' (literally spat out) and then the band's response (na na na na na na na). Rarely has paranoia been so hook-laden and well crafted emerging in 2 different versions which are both stunning in their own way. Now if I could just decide which version I like best..........

Mark L · Loudmouth

Someone's Looking (At You) (10)
Like Clockwork (10)
Looking after No 1 (10)
Elephant's Graveyard (10)
Rat Trap (10)
Banana Republic (10)
I Don't Like Mondays (10)
Dave (9)
Mary of the 4th Form (9)
Back to Boomtown (8.5)
(equal) She's so Modern / House on Fire (8)

13 Diamond Smiles (8)

14. Drag Me Down (8)

15. Tonight (7)

16. Never in a Million Years (7)

17. A Hold of Me (6)

18. The Boomtown Rats (5)

19. Charmed Lives (4)

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:

11. Back to Boomtown (8.5)
12. (equal) She's so Modern / House on Fire (8)

Better than She's So Modern and House on Fire! That is high praise.
For me, above Charmed Lives and Never in a Million Years for sure, better than Diamond Smiles, but then I'm not sure it quite matches anything else. The Boomtown Rats! is ahead of Charmed Lives, but maybe close to Million Years and Diamond Smiles. Looking back, my rankings need amending. She's So Modern seems too low.

Derek The Dane · V Deep

This is how I rank the 17singles
1 Rat Trap
2 Banana Republic
3 Someone´s Looking At You
4 Dave
5 Like Clockwork
6 Mondays
7 Drag Me Down
8 House On Fire
9 Lookin After
10 Elephants Graveyard
11 A Hold Of Me
12 Mary Of The 4th Form
13 Diamond Smiles
14 Tonight
15 She´s So Modern
16 Charmed Lives
17 Never In A Million Years

I would both both new tracks between She´s So Modern and Charmed Lives.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Banana Republic

Rat Trap

Someone's looking

House on fire

Go man go

Mary

Hold of me

Looking after No 1

Mark L · Loudmouth

As it's new, Back to Boomtown is benefiting in that way slightly but I do think it's really good. It may settle back in due course!

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Have to agree with you Think back to boomtown is a nice song. To be fair the way i look at it is that it's the rats and i'm a die hard and never through in a million years this band would have gotten back together so no matter what they bring out i am in. Thats face it got everything geldof ever put out and some of that was skip this skip that one and the rats were 1st and fomost for me anyway;

diffbrook · House on Fire

Ok here is mine. Might spring a surprise

1. Rat Trap - Simply a brilliant song, in every way. Lyrically superb.

2. Like Clockwork - Again a super sounding song and very good live

3. Someones Looking at you - Great message. Timelous. Lots of energy and is also good live

4. Banana Republic - Contrast the music with the message of the song. If U2 had used the lyric, then all hell would have broken loose in Ireland.

5. Dave. In the Long Grass was a fine Album - one of their best. Despite not having much money to record the Album, the production was excellent. Lyrically brilliant.

6. Drag me Down. See above. Lots of energy. Garry Roberts was playing the best guitar in his life on this album.

7. House on Fire. I loved this track. When it came on the radio it really did make an entrance with its horn section. Lyrically poor though.

8. Never in a million years. The song that started the rot. I thought the track brilliant, but time had run out for the Rats.

9. Mary of the 4th Form. Great track

10. I Dont Like Mondays. Obviously I like it, but I have heard it so many times. Its lost its sparkle.

11. Elephants Graveyard. Great sound, great video. But not as good as what went before.

12. Looking after Number 1. This would be a lot higher, but I dont like the "claps" in the track. Takes the edge of the song. Cheapens it.

13. Tonight. Good song, but it doesnt quite do it for mr.

14. Diamnond Smiles. Its ok for the first minute or so, but it seems that Geldof had told the story to quickly. The song had an ending that last two mins (or it felt like it)

15. A Hold of Me - . I'm not keen on this song ang will gladly skip it.

16. She's so modern. Another I'm not keen on. It sounds childish

17. Charmed Lives. They had lost the plot at this stage. Rubbish. Having said that a mate of mine ( A Queen fan) loved it and would borrow my 12 inch copy for his parties.

diffbrook · House on Fire

NB.

Two new Tracks.

The Boomtown Rats - Sorry its, rubbish. I dont like that genre and I dont think the Rats did it well in any case.

Back to Boomtown. Much better. A real grower.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

What about album tracks,

Joey, When the night comes, Hard times, Skin on skin, This is my room, Kicks, Living in an island, Keep it up, He watches it all, Never bite the hand that feeds, Blind date Can't stop, Wind chill, Hurt hurts, Please don't go, I can make it, All great songs any of them could have been a single

diffbrook · House on Fire

Ok. Alternate singles from each Album Max 3 songs from each. Here are mine

Shes gonna do you in

Close as you'll ever be

Living in an island

Me and Howard Hughes

Keep it Up

having my picture taken

When the night comes

Go Man Go

Hurt Hurts

Skin on Skin

Up all night

Talking in Code (with extra verse)

Hard times

Lucky

Over Again

suss · In the Long Grass

I'd have:-

Joey

---

Me and Howard Hughes

Don't Believe What You Read

---

Having My Picture Taken

---

Go Man Go

Hurt Hurts

---

Skin On Skin

---

Over Again

Numerous (not quite countless but close) other tracks I could have picked, but these are my preferred candidates for 7" release, based in some cases on what I thought were contenders at the time. I'd actually rank a few of the B sides ahead of all these though.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Good tracks Nice to see how others look at the tracks

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Have to agree with you Some of the b side are alot better than album tracks and even some singles

suss · In the Long Grass

Was only after I'd done it I realised it was a subset of Diffbrook's list. Concensus from the off wink

suss · In the Long Grass

Or even consensus

Mark L · Loudmouth

I'd go with:

Shes gonna do you in

Kicks

Living in an island

Watch out for the normal people

Having my picture taken

Wind Chill Factor minus zero

Go Man Go

Hurt Hurts

Skin on Skin

He watches it all

Hard times

Another sad story

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

diffbrook wrote:
Ok. Alternate singles from each Album Max 3 songs from each.

If it is just the UK...

Joey's On The Street Again, Kicks, Neon Heart
Me and Howard Hughes, Don't Believe What You Read, Eva Braun
Keep It Up
Go Man Go, Fall Down
Up All Night, He Watches It All

In the Long Grass had four singles, and that is enough.

I could have a few more off the first two albums. Living In An Island would be a candidate.

Derek The Dane · V Deep

I would go for....

Joey´s On The Street Again,Neon Heart
Me and Howard Hughes,Eva Braun
Wind Chill Factor
Go Man Go
He Watches It All,Bitter End
Lucky

Always thought Lucky should have been the first single from ITLG.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Funny how we have all more or less gone for the same tracks Out of the 70 plus songs they have

suss · In the Long Grass

Interesting solitary (I think) vote for Fall Down there though ArrGee.

Never once considered that as 7" material myself (unless maybe as a b side). Good song, bit quirky even, but not really radio friendly I'd hazard.

Still, if O Superman can get to the top I suppose it's possible.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

manatthetop wrote:
Funny how we have all more or less gone for the same tracks Out of the 70 plus songs they have

Yes, interesting how frequently He Watches It All comes up. When Jonathan Ross played it about 8 years ago he thought it was very good, and probably a bit surprised by that. I think it's the best song the Rats recorded in the eighties. Some of the songs like Go Man Go and Up All Night were non-UK singles; She's Gonna Do You In, Living In An Island, Joey's on the Street Again and Having My Picture Taken were all considered as singles at some point.

Of all the single choices the Rats actually made, there aren't too many you could disagree with. Maybe Diamond Smiles should have come after Someone's Looking, if at all, and leading V Deep with Million Years ahead of House on Fire was a mistake. Otherwise, they were all perfectly sound choices. Except Charmed Lives.

Mark L · Loudmouth

I agree with virtually every word Arrgee, except never really felt A Hold Of Me was a good choice for a single. Interesting they considered Having My Picture Taken as a single. Think this is one of the strongest tracks on TFAOS and would have been better than Diamond Smiles as a single, following Someone's Looking which should have followed Mondays. Bucks Fizz instead got there first with their poor 'camera' and 'clicks' song.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Interesting solitary (I think) vote for Fall Down there though ArrGee.
Never once considered that as 7" material myself (unless maybe as a b side). Good song, bit quirky even, but not really radio friendly I'd hazard.
Still, if O Superman can get to the top I suppose it's possible.

Remembering album reviews at the time, many of the reviews had it down as one of the four stand out songs on the album, and it was voted onto the best of back in 2004. May have been a risky release, but I think it was an amazing song that deserved a bigger audience.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

I've always had a soft spot for Fall Down - just think it's great, and yes it would have been interesting to see how it was received by those who weren't usually into the Rats' music. Also think Having Your Picture Taken would have been a good single - for the same reason really, just for being a bit different and quirky.

I would go for:

Joey
I Can Make It
**********
Like Clockwork
Eva Braun
Living in an Island
*********
Having My Picture Taken
*********
Fall Down
Under Their Thumb
*******

And after that, not really keen on any! Would rather have Me and Howard Hughes as an extra, though I know that would exceed the max of 3 rule from any album

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Lisa wrote:
*********
Like Clockwork
Eva Braun
Living in an Island
*********

And after that, not really keen on any! Would rather have Me and Howard Hughes as an extra, though I know that would exceed the max of 3 rule from any album

You can have Howard Hughes as Clockwork was a top ten hit, and the third or fourth biggest selling Rats single. It did chart lower than Someone's Looking but lurked around longer and earned the Rats their first silver disc single.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Oh yeah, duh! In my defence, I guess I only came in post Rat Trap, so have no recollection of singles before that, though obviously should have realised cos I did know that, honest! But it was early in the morning when I posted

And guess I'm just losing a few brain cells in my old age ... But very pleased to be allowed HH anyway.

Will go to the bottom of the class and wear my dunce's hat today - oh the shame!

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Thinking about it, I guess I've just always been into the albums as a whole - well the first 3 anyway! And apart from being so chuffed about Mondays at the time being so well-known, not really as bothered about the individual singles. Sometimes people say oh they only had 1 or 2 songs, by which I guess they mean Rat Trap and Mondays. However I've noticed at gigs that most people are singing along to the other tracks, and not all of them are die-hard fans, so I guess they have left quite an impression on people over the years. Just that some people tend to be a bit dismissive about them. Probably most people (of our generation) had heard TFTT as I remember that was definitely the album to play at the time. The bizarre thing is people tend to get bored of bands who just churn out number ones, and turn to shooting them down after a while .. I guess you can't win.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Well put,

Don't forget Do the rat, Born to burn & barefootin

noelindublin · Loudmouth

suss wrote:
Interesting solitary (I think) vote for Fall Down there though ArrGee.
Never once considered that as 7" material myself (unless maybe as a b side). Good song, bit quirky even, but not really radio friendly I'd hazard.
Still, if O Superman can get to the top I suppose it's possible.

O Superman was one of the best number ones ever. Bit of an 'art house' number one, and it certainly got me into Laurie Anderson. Her debut album Big Science is brilliant.

Mark L · Loudmouth

ArrGee: Having My Picture Taken considered as single at some point

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thinking about it, there was a video made for this, as I recall a short clip of it being shown on a Michael Burke documentary years and years ago. Hope it makes it to YouTube one day.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Looking after No 1. 10.

Mary 10.

She's so 5.

Like clockwork 9.

Rat trap 10 +

Don't like Mondays 10+

Diamond smiles 7.

Someone's looking at u 10.

Banana republic 10.

Elephant's graveyard 4.

Go man go (Irish single only) 10

Never in a million years 7

House on fire 10

Charmed lives 0 ( Should never have been a single)

Tonight 9.

Drag me down 5.

Dave 10+ ( Should have been a number one)

Hold of me 7.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

manatthetop wrote:
Looking after No 1. 10.
Mary 10.
She's so 5.
Like clockwork 9.
Rat trap 10 +
Don't like Mondays 10+
Diamond smiles 7.
Someone's looking at u 10.
Banana republic 10.
Elephant's graveyard 4.
Go man go (Irish single only) 10
Never in a million years 7
House on fire 10
Charmed lives 0 ( Should never have been a single)
Tonight 9.
Drag me down 5.
Dave 10+ ( Should have been a number one)
Hold of me 7.

Not sure if you have seen this article on the early days of the Rats in Ireland. It's fairly detailed, and here's the link, in case you have not seen it before-

http://www.u2theearlydayz.com/boomtown-rats.html

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Not sure if you have seen this article on the early days of the Rats in Ireland. It's fairly detailed, and here's the link, in case you have not seen it before-
http://www.u2theearlydayz.com/boomtown-rats.html

That is a really good web page, great read.

bigbosscentral · House on Fire

Someone's Looking At You 10

I Don't Like Mondays 10

Mary of the 4th Form 9

She's So Modern 9

Rat Trap 9

Drag Me Down 8

Diamond Smiles 8

Lookin' After Number 1 8

Like Clockwork 7

Never In A Million Years 7

Elephant's Graveyard 7

House On Fire 7

Banana Republic 7

A Hold Of Me 7

Dave 6

Up All Night 5

Charmed Lives 4

Tonight 3

Mark L · Loudmouth

Yep, excellent read Noel. Just delayed my bedtime my 40 mins though!

Many thanks for the link.

Mark L · Loudmouth

nice bit of You Tube nostalgia to go with this thread:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8UKAS1KjrM

so early, one might alternatively call it Neonatal Heart

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
nice bit of You Tube nostalgia to go with this thread:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8UKAS1KjrM
so early, one might alternatively call it Neonatal Heart

That's from the 'legendary' Home and Away recordings so it is probably the first ever recording of Neon Heart, live from Morans Hotel in Dublin. The tape features many Rats songs which I have never heard and it would be nice to get a chance to hear them sometime.

It's hard to know, without having heard them, how good or bad these songs are. Not even sure if the Rats wrote them all, some are obviously covers but some do not seem to be. Most likely original songs include:Getting Back To Me, New Wave New Age, Menage A Trois??

The asterisked songs are definitely Rats originals and one is called Jessie James.

We've come full circle in a way as the tape features Boom Boom. Neon Heart was the only song on the tape included on the debut album. Even the demo tracks on the first album re-release are not on this tape , so all in all it's an interesting piece of Rats archaeology.

And this is how Dublin would have looked in 1976, around the time those songs were written and recorded:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWUferyKCww

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Pete was still known as Pat Cussack! Great find.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:
Pete was still known as Pat Cussack! Great find.

I bet his passport says Patrick Cussack.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

And his occupation his passport??

Mark L · Loudmouth

My top ten out of the original 17 UK singles can be seen here and it's not changed since posting, except after Back to Boomtown was released as a single, if it ever was.

-- Edited by Mark L on Friday 14th of March 2014 12:56:16 PM

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Mark L wrote:
My top ten out of the original 17 UK singles can be seen here and it's not changed since posting, except after Back to Boomtown was released as a single, if it ever was.
Good for you mate Well I have one better 18 singles Go man go being one of them I keep forgetting this song was not put out as a single in the UK

-- Edited by Mark L on Friday 14th of March 2014 12:56:16 PM

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

Noel,

Thats an amazing link it bought back so many memories, 1978 with the vipers Hammersmith and Rainbow blew me away. I can remember taking the Tonic / Turkey posters from the foyer walls with the security guys blessings . The bedroom walls were like a shrine to the Rats.

1979 same again i think that the back up band were Protex who i also saw at the Bridge House at Canning Town east London thoses were the days eh.

Can remenber jiggin around Cos i cant dance complete with token banana that i kept for many weeks to Banana Republic that may have been 1980 ish

Lets hope for another smaller venue tour , its great that they are doing the festivals IOW was great but i prefer the smaller gigs.

So many happy memories lets hope for many more eh

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Mark L wrote:
My top ten out of the original 17 UK singles can be seen here and it's not changed since posting, except after Back to Boomtown was released as a single, if it ever was.

This one is how the 17/18 singles are ranked My one is for the best 10 singles out of the 17/18 put out

-- Edited by Mark L on Friday 14th of March 2014 12:56:16 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

My top ten out of the original 17 UK singles can be seen here and it's not changed since posting, except after Back to Boomtown was released as a single, if it ever was.

This one is how the 17/18 singles are ranked My one is for the best 10 singles out of the 17/18 put out

The original post was made in light of the Bradbury Rats playing a bingo hall in Swindon. Hence the word "Rank". Rank them how you like where you like.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Someone's Looking (At You) (10)
Like Clockwork (10)
Looking after No 1 (10)
Elephant's Graveyard (10)
Rat Trap (10)
Banana Republic (10)
I Don't Like Mondays (10)
Dave (9)
Mary of the 4th Form (9)
Trash Glam Baby (8.5)
Back to Boomtown (8)
She's So Modern (8)
House on Fire (8)
Diamond Smiles (8)
Drag Me Down (8)
Never in a Million Years (7.5)
Tonight (7)
A Hold of Me (6)
Charmed Lives (4)

Mike menzies · V Deep

hard to judge but trash glam would be in top3 probably Dave at no1 rat trap no2 anlast place would be charmed lives all others in between

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

My current rankings...
Rat Trap                                        (10)
Like Clockwork                              (10)
Someone's Looking (At You)         (10)
Mary of the 4TH Form/Do The Rat (10)
Looking After No. 1                       (10)
Banana Republic                           (10)
House on Fire                               (10)
Dave                                             (10)
A Hold of Me                                  (9)
She's So Modern                           (9)
I Don't Like Mondays                     (9)
Guilty                                             (9)
Drag Me Down                               (9)
Tonight                                          (8)
Trash Glam Baby (5)
Diamond Smiles                             (4)
Never in a Million Years                  (3)
Charmed Lives                             (1)
Ratsh!t ep (-10)
Not sure any other act I like has that high a percentage of singles 8/10 or better iMO 14/19 is over 75%

-- Edited by ArrGee on Tuesday 14th of January 2020 08:46:56 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Back to Boomtown (8)

That wasn't a single

Mark L · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
Mark L wrote:
11. Back to Boomtown (8.5)
12. (equal) She's so Modern / House on Fire (8)

Better than She's So Modern and House on Fire! That is high praise.
For me, above Charmed Lives and Never in a Million Years for sure, better than Diamond Smiles, but then I'm not sure it quite matches anything else. The Boomtown Rats! is ahead of Charmed Lives, but maybe close to Million Years and Diamond Smiles. Looking back, my rankings need amending. She's So Modern seems too low.

Neither is 'The Boomtown Rats' so how do you rank it 'ahead of Charmed Lives' ?

It's in there for fun, comparison purposes on an informal fan site, rather than a sworn legal statement in a court of law.

Lots of deviation to other songs / album tracks here. Not sure therefore why you would want to make such a pedantic point?

-- Edited by Mark L on Tuesday 14th of January 2020 09:20:44 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
ArrGee wrote:
Mark L wrote:
11. Back to Boomtown (8.5)
12. (equal) She's so Modern / House on Fire (8)

Better than She's So Modern and House on Fire! That is high praise.
For me, above Charmed Lives and Never in a Million Years for sure, better than Diamond Smiles, but then I'm not sure it quite matches anything else. The Boomtown Rats! is ahead of Charmed Lives, but maybe close to Million Years and Diamond Smiles. Looking back, my rankings need amending. She's So Modern seems too low.
Neither is 'The Boomtown Rats'

I was just offering an opinion on where there would be but they ain't in my list.

Mark L · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
Mark L wrote:
ArrGee wrote:
Mark L wrote:
11. Back to Boomtown (8.5)
12. (equal) She's so Modern / House on Fire (8)

Better than She's So Modern and House on Fire! That is high praise.
For me, above Charmed Lives and Never in a Million Years for sure, better than Diamond Smiles, but then I'm not sure it quite matches anything else. The Boomtown Rats! is ahead of Charmed Lives, but maybe close to Million Years and Diamond Smiles. Looking back, my rankings need amending. She's So Modern seems too low.
Neither is 'The Boomtown Rats'
I was just offering an opinion on where there would be but they ain't in my list.

Incomprehensible

Noel · Dave

To be honest I would only give it a 5, same as Charmed Lives,so it's down in the basement with Charmed Lives. It's not really hitting the spot and after lots of listens and chin stroking consideration no way does it outclass any of the other singles, for me anyway. Pretty much still stand by my rankings as back in 2011.

Those oh oh oh ohs kinda get on my nerves. Ok it's not a disaster but not quite what I was looking for.

Don't think Back to Boomtown was ever a single, nor any of the Ratlife songs.

-- Edited by Noel on Tuesday 14th of January 2020 10:55:06 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Noel wrote:
To be honest I would only give it a 5, same as Charmed Lives,so it's down in the basement with Charmed Lives. It's not really hitting the spot and after lots of listens and chin stroking consideration no way does it outclass any of the other singles, for me anyway. Pretty much still stand by my rankings as back in 2011.
Those oh oh oh ohs kinda get on my nerves. Ok it's not a disaster but not quite what I was looking for.
Don't think Back to Boomtown was ever a single, nor any of the Ratlife songs.

Was the ep itself a single? Or an album?

I am not a massive fan of oh oh ohs nor na na nas, though Someones Looking is chock full of them and that works. I liked the song more on the radio show when a lot of it was edited out and similarly the 30 second clip on iTunes. Less is more?

It is not a song I care too much for but it seems to have got a positive reaction on tw@tface and YouTube. So what do I know?

Anyway, cant wait to hear Rock and Roll Yé Yé...

https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2014/02/ye-ye-introduction

-- Edited by ArrGee on Tuesday 14th of January 2020 11:30:30 PM

Rats Fan · Never In A Million Years

My ranking of singles with 'Trash Glam Baby' included...

I Don't Like Mondays (10)
Someone's Looking At You (10)
Rat Trap (10)
Drag Me Down (10)
Diamond Smiles (9)
Banana Republic (9)
Looking After No. 1 (8)
She's So Modern (8)
Mary of the 4TH Form/Do The Rat (8)
Looking After No. 1 (8)
A Hold Of Me (8)
Elephant's Graveyard (8)
Dave (8)
Never In A Million Years (8)
Trash Glam Baby (7)
House on Fire (6)
Like Clockwork (5)
Tonight (2)
Charmed Lives (1)

Derek The Dane · V Deep

My list goes(and I have not rated the singles as they alway seem to change for me)

Banana Republic
Rat Trap
Someone´s Looking At You
Mondays
Dave
House On Fire
Like Clockwork
Trash Glam Baby
Drag Me Down
A Hold Of Me
Lookin After No 1
Diamond Smiles
She´s So Modern
Elephants Graveyard(album version would have gotten higher)
Mary
Tonight
Never
Charmed Lives
The Boomtown Rats(better live)