My Morning Jacket's most underrated song (and why)?

[Nikkogino]

What song doesn't get enough love?  Maybe in terms of its rotation in setlists, critic scrutiny, or disrespect within the fanbase.  And why is it better than everyone gives it credit for?

My entry----- Remnants

This song flat out rocks.  Lyrically it is on point...it captures the despair of Armageddon but offers hope ("then I saw a new heaven..." and "it's not too late."  The guitar wailing guitar solo is insanely fun, although a little short for my taste.  Jim's vocals are excellent and his scream at the end with the guitars in the background are top notch.  It also sets up"Smokin From Shootin" perfectly.

MMJ, play this song more....extend the solo in the middle and rock the fuck out for a while....let this song walk a little longer after a slower song in the set.

[kotchishm]

My favorite MMJ song is "Rollin Back" --- never really gets mentioned that much (at least to me). Probably because of so many heavy hitters from ISM

[LBSUNFLWR]

My favorite MMJ song is "Rollin Back" --- never really gets mentioned that much (at least to me). Probably because of so many heavy hitters from ISM

I love it too. Was just playing in the car on my break. Never seen it live.

[kotchishm]

My favorite MMJ song is "Rollin Back" --- never really gets mentioned that much (at least to me). Probably because of so many heavy hitters from ISM

I love it too. Was just playing in the car on my break. Never seen it live.

I too have never seen it. Just saw this though, need to find a recording: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/my-morning-jacket/2002/wfpk-919-fm-louisville-ky-33da044d.html

[sillyboob]

Interesting setlist.  Curious if track 7 I Can't Wait is the same song we got on The Waterfall, some thirteen years later??

December 20, 2002
My Morning Jacket Setlist at WFPK 91.9 FM, Louisville, KY, USA 

01. Steam Engine
02. X-Mas Curtain
03. I Will Sing You Songs
04. Evelyn Is Not Real
05. Just Because I Do
06. Come Closer
07. I Can't Wait
08. Rollin Back
09. The Way That He Sings
10. Mahgeetah

[rmpotsy]

Interesting setlist.  Curious if track 7 I Can't Wait is the same song we got on The Waterfall, some thirteen years later??

December 20, 2002
My Morning Jacket Setlist at WFPK 91.9 FM, Louisville, KY, USA 

01. Steam Engine
02. X-Mas Curtain
03. I Will Sing You Songs
04. Evelyn Is Not Real
05. Just Because I Do
06. Come Closer
07. I Can't Wait
08. Rollin Back
09. The Way That He Sings
10. Mahgeetah

Man, i thought i had this but alas is was from the previous year...

WFPK 12/21/2001

01. Santa Claus Is Back in Town (Elvis Presley cover)
02. X-Mas Curtain
03. O Holy Night
04. Christmas Time Is Here Again (Bring Out the Joy!)
05. Old Sept. Blues
06. I Will Sing You Songs
07. Silent Night (Joseph Mohr & Franz Gruber cover)
08. Come Closer

[dogwoody]

It's Been a Great 3 or 4 Years is underrated 

in all seriousness, I think Sooner is kinda underrated. One of my all time favorite MMJ tunes, especially when Jim uses the omnichord and Carl's on the pedal steel.

Also I think Chills is an amazing song, off of their Off The Record EP.

[kotchishm]

Interesting setlist.  Curious if track 7 I Can't Wait is the same song we got on The Waterfall, some thirteen years later??

December 20, 2002
My Morning Jacket Setlist at WFPK 91.9 FM, Louisville, KY, USA 

01. Steam Engine
02. X-Mas Curtain
03. I Will Sing You Songs
04. Evelyn Is Not Real
05. Just Because I Do
06. Come Closer
07. I Can't Wait
08. Rollin Back
09. The Way That He Sings
10. Mahgeetah

Setlist.fm says it's from the Waterfall. Not sure how reliable that is

[gardenparty]

Nashville to Kentucky.  Mainly the version from the Palms.

Every note of that performance is perfect

They break it out once every few years but I have still not seen it live 

[gardenparty]

Interesting setlist.  Curious if track 7 I Can't Wait is the same song we got on The Waterfall, some thirteen years later??

December 20, 2002
My Morning Jacket Setlist at WFPK 91.9 FM, Louisville, KY, USA 

01. Steam Engine
02. X-Mas Curtain
03. I Will Sing You Songs
04. Evelyn Is Not Real
05. Just Because I Do
06. Come Closer
07. I Can't Wait
08. Rollin Back
09. The Way That He Sings
10. Mahgeetah

Setlist.fm says it's from the Waterfall. Not sure how reliable that is

Its the same song

[Emotion Detector]

Definitely Sec Walkin' for its "look for eyes that hypnotize and sparkle" backing vocals. And Twilight for its killer breakdown section; just a really groovy song all around.

[kotchishm]

Interesting setlist.  Curious if track 7 I Can't Wait is the same song we got on The Waterfall, some thirteen years later??

December 20, 2002
My Morning Jacket Setlist at WFPK 91.9 FM, Louisville, KY, USA 

01. Steam Engine
02. X-Mas Curtain
03. I Will Sing You Songs
04. Evelyn Is Not Real
05. Just Because I Do
06. Come Closer
07. I Can't Wait
08. Rollin Back
09. The Way That He Sings
10. Mahgeetah

Setlist.fm says it's from the Waterfall. Not sure how reliable that is

Its the same song

Know of any recordings?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lonndown27]

I can upload the show when i get home for you guys! I LOVE Rollin Back!!!!

My favorite songs by Jacket are usually these ones and some of them fall into the category of underrated, or at least overlooked, or never even heard of songs:

- COBRA: the entire thing is unbelievable, especially live, but the secret part of this song that I think is the most magical, is the part that begins from 18 minutes on....just one of the most beautiful moments in my musical life. One I need to see HIGHLY! I MUST!

- HOW DO YOU KNOW: the studio recording is kinda messed up and weird and I love that about it, but I also think the Okonokos version is DEFINITIVE....it rocks harder than so much of Jacket's material..it's such a vicious rocker and has a lot of soul in the vocals, trademark bizarre Jim lyrics and awesome chances for Carl to show off his winning falsetto. this would be marvelous to witness live. It's always been one I MUST SEE.

- HOW COULD I KNOW (OXEN): this song could outdo anything in Sturgill Simpson, Taylor Swift and Sun Kil Moon's entire discographies...it's so beautiful, heavy and also mystical. Very vague, sexy lyrics that give this song an almost "Lay Lady Lay" type vibe content-wise

- ROLLIN BACK: especially when the distortion is turned up on the guitars, the guitars get to soar and the distortion gets to fill in that empty space (like on the best live versions) this song just....chills inducing...every time...especially when Carl rips a solo at the end. It could sap the energy of a show right out if placed in the wrong spot though (never zap the energy for me though), as it's a very drawn out song that requires patience and your  ears to stick with it...rarely, unless at the beginning of a show or at the opening of an encore would the crowd be that into it. I don't know why, but I'm sick of hearing the crowd talk during this song live...it drives me crazy how lucky they are to be there and they talk over RB.... either my #1 or #2 song to see live the MOST, it changes sometimes, but it's never outta my top 3.

- ALUMINUM PARK: this song has such an awesome scything riff and Jim jumping around and going crazy and those beautiful backing vocals by Bo and Carl. This song has such a bounce and such a lift to it...I love turning this up full blast, especially the live versions.

- COME CLOSER: everyone knows how much I love this song. It just does something to me, every time. It's not their most guitar heavy jammer...and most people think I'm all about the guitar rock and roll / in your face mechanisms of this band and that only...no no no...this band works on every level, with every mood. Jim James is just...he's the ultimate human artist...Come Closer is this and more...it paints with words and sends pictures to the mind, especially when Johnny starts that bending, elastic, crying solo near the end. Probably my #1 or #2 song i need to see live the most.

- EVIL URGES: this is the first song I ever saw the Jacket perform live, as it opened the 2012 SLC show, only one day before Red Rocks 2012. It was unbelievable...this song has always been one of my favorites of theirs of all time, and I feel it gets no love. Those swimming guitars, wah wah and phaser working together to form an abyss of funk and prog. Then it goes into that crazy harmonic Skynyrd jive?? That absolutely perfect "I'm not saying I'm not sayin" chorus??? Good god...

- THEY RAN: one of my all time favorites. I love the lonely vibe of this song, the lonely midnight Saturday vibe. It's got that same vibe that so many of the great Jim songs from the first three Jacket albums has: that lonely, shimmering, stoned decay....I don't know how to explain it...the way they've turned this into a guitar journey during the 2015 tours, is a testament to how this band can create nearly different songs out of the song itself....the jams become their OWN THING...the jam's riff becomes ingrained in your head better than the riff on the record..that's why the Jacket's discography comes twofold: through the records and then the interpretations and adventurism of the live show.

- CHILLS: whoever mentioned this above is dead on. This song is....pure mountain honey. It's unbelievable the range Jim shows on this song. It's such a perfect display of the moody rootsyness of MMJ. Some other band makes this song and it sounds flat and bloated. MMJ do it, and it sounds like Gram Parsons in Pink Floyd....what a trip.

- SWEETHEART: this is often my favorite MMJ song. the atmosphere on the studio version is out of this world. the bongos, the strummed acoustic, the tacky, intense piano that drives the thing along...Jim's vocals then take this song up a level, up the stairs and to the sky.

okay...fuck..im domineering..ill stop too many trax...other people like the Jacket too...

[amskinz]

I second Remnants. I guess I could put anything off Evil Urges in this category. Though maybe not Librarian because other than the beautiful guitar work, I haven't been able to connect with it. Since going to the EU T5 show I always try to shine a new light on all those tunes when talking Jacket with people. Many don't give the album much credit compared to the rest of the catalog, even the band didn't have a whole lot of nice to say when it was released. I think most of that was due to the recording process more than anything though. Every EU track is monumentally better live (but what isn't?!). I'm taking Remnants because of how much I love it and how little it's brought out live.

[Lonndown27]

I second Remnants. I guess I could put anything off Evil Urges in this category. Though maybe not Librarian because other than the beautiful guitar work, I haven't been able to connect with it. Since going to the EU T5 show I always try to shine a new light on all those tunes when talking Jacket with people. Many don't give the album much credit compared to the rest of the catalog, even the band didn't have a whole lot of nice to say when it was released. I think most of that was due to the recording process more than anything though. Every EU track is monumentally better live (but what isn't?!). I'm taking Remnants because of how much I love it and how little it's brought out live.

totally get and respect what you're saying about EU

[HardNightConformist]

Thank You, Too!: Nice sounding song that may not sound like typical MMJ but makes you feel good and has a nice melody.

I Needed It Most: Probably in my top ten favourite songs - haunting, polarizing and fits perfectly with the overall style and feel of At Dawn.

Like A River: Hate hate hated this song at first listen. Now it may be my favourite on Waterfall. Really picks it up in the second half - in no small part to the added backup vocals from the Alabama Shakes lead singer.

[buymycar]

Slow Slow Tune

They lyrics are so meta, it's ridiculous. Pure genius.

Gotta radiate the gold!

[Lonndown27]

Hey guys im uploading the 12-20-2002 that JohnnyYac was amazing enough to let me hear, and I gotta pay that forward and share that hard to find recording, im uploading it to Dropbox should be done in a few minutes. I WILL ABSOLUTELY PUT THE LINK UP! message me if you experience any problems, you guys gotta hear this show

[Lonndown27]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/99t58ma4lnw3f8h/01%20Steam%20Engine.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/soccvki023tj0y0/02%20X-mas%20Curtain.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/irxznw72xkfew7h/04%20Evelyn%20is%20Not%20Real.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zbwpfu1vfnj8o5j/05%20Just%20Because%20I%20Do.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hrdejm1p8bahzxf/06%20Come%20Closer.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0dgyyjb3xbqaaw1/07%20I%20Can%27t%20Wait.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r5ce6nl72cnsevd/08%20Rollin%27%20Back.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5akiy59pocwcsds/09%20The%20Way%20That%20He%20Sings.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aot5xoembks18o6/10%20Mahgeetah.mp3?dl=0

sorry its individually

[bmsull2]

Where to Begin

One of my favorites but rarely hear it mentioned.