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My 10 favorite X songs
Since I went back and listened to all of my X albums a few weeks ago and since they’ve long been one of my favorite bands ever, I decided to compile a list of my 10 favorite songs by them. And yes, I’m well aware that there’s an (also great but very different) Australian band by that name, but this list is for the more well-known LA band.
In any case, this was hard to make and I could’ve easily included the likes of “Drunk in My Past,” “I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts” and “See How We Are” on this list. I wanted to represent as many albums as possible (I mercifully ignored Hey Zeus!), however.
“Some Other Time”
Not only my favorite X song, but one of my favorite songs by anyone, ever. It’s 2 minutes and 17 seconds of absolute perfection, from EXENE CERVENKA’s off-key but just right for the song lead vocal to BILLY ZOOM’s thundering guitar riff. This is perhaps the best distillation of a young but struggling marriage on record, as is much of their first 4 Lps (their 5th Lp covers its dissolution) and in that way comparable to the best work of late ‘70s FLEETWOOD MAC or RICHARD THOMPSON’s work with his ex-wife LINDA THOMPSON. MIKE PELUSI also wrote about this song for the Philadelphia Citypaper a few months back. You can read his comments here.
“It’s Who You Know”
Also on Wild Gift (as you may have guessed by now, my favorite X album), this is one of JOHN DOE’s finest lead vocals. Lyrically, it’s a great example of Doe’s pursuing male yin (“The Hungry Wolf”, the opening track on their subsequent album Under the Big Black Sun, covers similar territory) to Exene’s female yang. At once, it’s an expression of lust and perhaps a bit of a love song, too.
“Los Angeles”
Yes this is a bit predictable since it’s one of their most well-known songs and the title track of their 1st Lp. Also, some of its lyrics can be construed as racist, though I don’t particularly agree with this assessment since it’s a character study. Nevertheless, anyone who’s left a place, but is still fond for it (whether it’s Los Angeles or another place) in some ways should be able to relate.
“Riding with Mary”
One of the most emotional songs in the band’s entire catalog, this was initially written in 1980 after Exene’s sister died in a car accident, but not released until 1982’s Under the Big Black Sun. I really like the single mix that was released on Rhino’s 2001 reissue due to producer RAY MANZAREK’s keyboard flourishes, but the album version is great, too. The early ‘90s hardcore band BORN AGAINST covered this song as the B-side of their “Eulogy” 7”.
“Blue Spark”
John’s answer song to Exene’s “Because I Do”, this song nicely juxtaposes the mental imagery of the bumper cars at the Santa Monica piers with the lonely narrator waiting in vain for his new bride to come home.
“Poor Girl”
John has said that this is about his inability to control wild women (I’m paraphrasing here), but I think this song is another that transcends that mere description. Again, everything is perfect here, especially John’s tough but vulnerable lead vocal.
“I See Red”
Like “Poor Girl”, this is another John song from 1983’s More Fun in the New World, arguably their last great album and the last to be produced by Ray Manzarek. This is alcohol-fueled rage, articulated in 3 minutes and 2 seconds.
“My Goodness”
1985’s Ain’t Love Grand, while far from perfect, is quite underrated in my book. Sure Billy Zoom’s guitars and DJ BONEBRAKE’s drums (and thus the overall sound) are neutered by MICHAEL WAGENER’s radio-ready production, but I still think it’s a strong record because of its songwriting and subject matter.
On that note, this song rivals any in the X songbook for melancholy ruminations on love gone wrong. In other words, this one sounds like Exene is being remorseful for such earlier songs as “Because I Do”.
“Around My Heart”
John’s answer song to “My Goodness” (isn’t this dynamic so reminscent of Rumours?), it’s also one of X’s best songs, chronicling how John and Exene met in 1975 all the way up to when Ain’t Love Grand was released and they had been divorced and each had children with different partners.
“4th of July”
The odd song of this bunch since it was written by DAVE ALVIN (who was X’s guitar player during this time) and since it’s the only song included from their Elektra swan-song See How We Are, it’s also that album’s finest moment (aside from perhaps the title track). No matter who wrote it, it’s one of X’s finest songs and one that I play every Independence Day.
