The Essential Soul Asylum

[Judgmental Patient]

We're all familiar with The Essential collections, 2- disc orgies of the greatest hits of the greatest bands. ...Except for Soul Asylum. Black Gold Nonwithstanding, I'm wondering what people here would go with if asked to compile the ultimate SA greatest hits album. Mine:

Disc 1
01 Draggin Me Down
02 Stranger
03 Broken Glass
04 No Man's Land
05 Closer To The Stars
06 Miracle Mile
07 Tied To The Tracks
08 Never Really Been
09 Ain't That Tough
10 Sometime To Return
11 Cartoon (Live)
12 Ode
13 Chains
14 Nice Guys (Don't Get Paid)
15 Easy Street
16 All The King's Friends

Disc 2
01 Somebody To Shove
02 Runaway Train
03 Without A Trace
04 99% (Live)
05 Misery
06 Bittersweetheart
07 String of Pearls
08 Just Like Anyone
09 School's Out
10 I Will Still Be Laughing
11 Blood Into Wine
12 Stand Up And Be Strong
13 Crazy Mixed Up World
14 Oxygen
15 All Is Well
16 Miss This

[Miss Fitt 2]

This is my pass at a "Best Of" (rather than a "Greatest Hits"), although I threw Runaway Train in there as well, because it didn't seem right to leave it off.

Disc One:
Draggin Me Down
Stranger
Black and Blue
Tied to the Tracks
Made to Be Broken
Never Really Been
Whoa!
Growing Pain
Ain't That Tough
Freaks
The Judge
Closer to the Stars (original)
Never Too Soon
Passing Sad Daydream
Chains
P-9
Sometime to Return
Cartoon
Marionette
Twiddly Dee

Disc Two:
Little Too Clean
Veil of Tears
Nice Guys
Easy Street
Be On Your Way
Something Out of Nothing
Somebody to Shove
Black Gold
Runaway Train
Without a Trace
Closer to the Stars (live, newer version)
Misery
Bittersweetheart
Promises Broken
Just Like Anyone
I Will Still Be Laughing
Oxygen
All Is Well
Whatcha Need
Rhinestone Cowboy

[Sometime to Return]

To best honest; I think every cd is a "best of." Soul Asylum is the best "American band" ever; period, end of story. It really piss*s me off the disrespect these guys get. Thanks; I feel better. Here is my list.

Disc One:
Marionette
Oxygen
Stranger
Twiddley Dee
Standing Water
Easy Street
Draggin me down
Long Way Home
Little to Clean
Whatcha need
Freaks
Another World/ Another Day
Grounded
Caged Rat
Can't Go Back
Miracle Mile
I Did My Best
Blood Into Wine
Success is not so sweet
Bus named desire

Disc Two:
Spinning
Closer To The Stars
String Of Pearls
Lately
Runaway Train
W3
Guilibles Travel
Standing In the Doorway
Never Really Been
Down On Up To Me
Can't Even Tell
Misery
Black Gold
Veil Of Tears
Without A Trace
Cartoon
I Will Still Be Laughing
Just Like Anyone
Somebody to Shove
Stand Up And Be Strong
Sometme To Return

[sheryl]

Bittersweetheart
Blackstar
Blood into Wine
Bus Named Desire
Candy From a Stranger
Can't Even Tell
Can't Go Back
Cartoon
Closer to the Stars
Cradle Chain
Crashing Down
Crazy Mixed up World
Directions
Easy Street
Fearless Leader
Gone Forgotten
Grounded
Gullibles Travels
Little House on the Edge
Long Way Home
Lucky One
Misery
Miracle Mile
Never Really Been
Nice Guys Don't Get Paid
No Mans Land
One Way Conversation
Oxygen
P-9
Passing Sad Daydream
Promises Broken
Somebody to Shove
Sometime to Return
Stranger
Standing Water
Success is not so Sweet
String of Pearls
Twiddly Dee
We 3
Whatcha Need
Without a Trace

[philipgar]

I'm not even going to attempt a track listing for this, as I just don't think it's possible for me. My favorite songs change with my mood I guess, although there are some that I would consider necessary. Additionally, I don't think the album versions of any of SA's songs give them credit. A greatest hits collection of just album tracks in my opinion would be disrespecting one of the things that makes SA so great. What would be needed is a live show, but that's not really possible, as you'd want to combine some of their earlier shows (think 88 era) with some of their more recent shows, and come up with some collection of songs. But such a collection of songs picked from various shows wouldn't represent the power of one of their shows, and much would be missed out on. A single show to represent them through the years would be needed, but such a show CAN'T be done. At least not now. An approximation can be made, but without Karl it just wouldn't be the same.

So many things make SA great, but I really do believe the live show expresses it best. Even recordings of live shows don't express what makes the band good, and video of it doesn't either. There's something about being there, seeing them. It's the reason so many of us attend so many SA shows in a year. The reason we'll see them multiple nights in a row, even if we know they're going to have the same setlist. It's the reason some of us (some more than others....) fly across the country (or across the ocean for others) to see them. It's an addiction, and it can't be expressed by a list of songs from their albums. It's just something that is, and always will be for us.

Phil

[mystic_spiral_3]

So many things make SA great, but I really do believe the live show expresses it best. Even recordings of live shows don't express what makes the band good, and video of it doesn't either. There's something about being there, seeing them. It's the reason so many of us attend so many SA shows in a year. The reason we'll see them multiple nights in a row, even if we know they're going to have the same setlist. It's the reason some of us (some more than others....) fly across the country (or across the ocean for others) to see them. It's an addiction, and it can't be expressed by a list of songs from their albums. It's just something that is, and always will be for us.

I feel like we should print this out for all the times friends, family members, etc. ask us why we're "seeing that band again."

[Sometime to Return]

Phil;

Way to go.
Nice job bringing logic, emotion and reason to the thread.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

So many things make SA great, but I really do believe the live show expresses it best. Even recordings of live shows don't express what makes the band good, and video of it doesn't either. There's something about being there, seeing them. It's the reason so many of us attend so many SA shows in a year. The reason we'll see them multiple nights in a row, even if we know they're going to have the same setlist. It's the reason some of us (some more than others....) fly across the country (or across the ocean for others) to see them. It's an addiction, and it can't be expressed by a list of songs from their albums. It's just something that is, and always will be for us.

This is exactly why I will be attending the Rochester and Des Moines (on a Sunday Night no less) to see them and seeing them 3 times in 20 days this summer.

[Closer]

Ah, seeing Soul Asylum live... I think that will remain a pipe-dream for most European fans. Unless I would go to America to see them, but that's not in my financial plan right now... or anytime soon for that matter.

Edit: oh, and of course for the fans in the rest of the world.

[CrazyLittleWoman]

I hope the international fans aren't gettting the wrong idea about Americans.

Traveling to other cities to see the band is an extravagance that is out of reach for many U.S. fans.

Even the CDs can be a luxury that some fans have to save up to purchase.

So many things make SA great, but I really do believe the live show expresses it best. Even recordings of live shows don't express what makes the band good, and video of it doesn't either. There's something about being there, seeing them. It's the reason so many of us attend so many SA shows in a year. The reason we'll see them multiple nights in a row, even if we know they're going to have the same setlist. It's the reason some of us (some more than others....) fly across the country (or across the ocean for others) to see them. It's an addiction, and it can't be expressed by a list of songs from their albums. It's just something that is, and always will be for us.

Phil

Agreed. I've seen SA live and was giddy with delight the entire time. I went home with starry eyes, ringing ears, and a head full of music. I understand what you mean about the live shows. But for me to see them multiple nights in a row, SA would have to play St. Louis-Columbia-KC-Lawrence,KS (or the exact reverse). Even if such a miracle should occur, I might not be able to afford the road trip (gas prices, etc.).

You guys in the Upper Midwest are blessed with frequent opportunities to see the band live.

Try not to look down on the rest of us for enjoying as much of Soul Asylum as we have access to and can afford. They may be "lesser" experiences, but they are meaningful to us nonetheless.

[philipgar]

I hope the international fans aren't gettting the wrong idea about Americans.
You guys in the Upper Midwest are blessed with frequent opportunities to see the band live.

Try not to look down on the rest of us for enjoying as much of Soul Asylum as we have access to and can afford. They may be "lesser" experiences, but they are meaningful to us nonetheless.

I'd never mean to look down on those who haven't been so lucky as to see them countless times. I remember when I was younger and it seemed like I was waiting forever to see them live, and was afraid I'd never get to (I first started listening to the band in 95, and quickly became a huge fan buying up all their albums). I remember around '97 or so thinking I'd never get to see them, and they'd break up before I would get a chance to (this was also a fairly dark time for the band). Luckily, things changed in '98, with CFAS etc. I remember later that year being lucky enough to go on a road trip to Ft Lauderdale and Miami to see them twice (I was only 16 at the time, I still can't believe I was allowed to do that).

Since then, I've had a handful of roadtrips to see shows, although the one that sticks out most was in '02 (I think). I was living in eastern PA at the time, and SA ways playing 2 shows in Illinois on the friday and saturday before easter). I had off from school for a few days due to Easter, and me and John (some of you may remember him from the old boards) decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to take a road trip out to see them (before I mentioned the idea he had been considering the idea of taking a bus out to the shows).

What a crazy trip that was! I think it was a little over a thousand miles each way for 2 shows. The funny part is that at the time gas was cheap, we found cheap hotels, and I think one of the primary expenses we had was beer. So much beer was consumed the night of the shows. I remember waking up at 10:30am on Easter sunday with a pounding headache, rushing to check out of the hotel and drive for 14 or 15 hours. What a day that was.

Anyhow, I started rambling there. Most of the time I've just lucked out and caught one off shows here and there, very few of the crazy road trips (despite how much fun they are, gas really is expensive now). I think part of it is also my own doing. I know when I was looking for places to go to grad school, the midwest was highly favorible to me due to proximity to SA shows (not to mention other concerts I've seen in the area). I'm definitely not complaining about it! My best advice for road trips is to find one or two other fans (probably from the board who live within a couple hundred miles) and team up. It really makes for a good time when you can do it (of course, it's much harder to do as you get older and have responsibilities).

Phil