Cost: $7.99US
Song Count: 15
As I get older, I am beginning to realize the importance that music has on a person's history. There are certain albums that are virtual fucking time machines. Paul's Boutique is one of those albums for me. It just takes me back to...
Let's paint a picture. In my early days of college at the University of South Florida (go Bulls), I went to class...sometimes. But, most of the time was spent getting loaded, trying to find chicks to "hang out" with, and listening to Paul's Boutique. On repeat. Repeat. Repeat. There are two years of college that I only vaguely remember. Mike D, MCA (RIP, brother), and AdRock were the soundtrack to those years.
I wanted to be the 4th Beastie Boy. I had a huge (like 3'x5') poster of the Check Your Head album cover hanging over my bed. Those guys were kindred spirits, for sure.
But, I digress...
The Beastie's first album, Licensed to Ill, was a smash but I always thought it was a little too jokey for me. Like a bunch of frat boys trying too hard...but, don't get me wrong, Licensed to Ill is still pretty rad and just about everyone in my high school had this album. So, it was popular. Then...well, the Beastie's dropped off the scene for a while.
Then Paul's Boutique happened. When it came out it didn't sell billions of units and was roundly ignored among fans. It took people many years to realize just what this album actually is. For a long time it was viewed as the album sandwiched between the smash hits of Licensed to Ill and Check Your Head. The bastard cousin of the catalog, if you will.
Hell, I had the album for over a year before it really (and I mean REALLY) got into my blood. So, I understand the thinking of the populace of the time.
Track List and Notes
1. To All the Girls: Not much to the tune. Just a little taste that kicks right into...
2. Shake Your Rump: Holy shit. This track is the fucking best. So many quotable lines in the song, it flows so well, and the sampling is genius.
3. Johnny Ryall: Great lyrical interplay between the 3 Beastie's
4. Egg Man: Fantastic use of a sample from "Superfly" by Curtis Mayfield. This particular song had samples from 12 different tunes. This album simply could not be made today.
5. High Plains Drifter: My least favorite tune on the album. And I STILL love it!
6. The Sounds of Science: This songs builds. A slow rhyme into a fucking rapid fire rhyme. Fuck, I love this song. Used to play this song on repeat, repeatedly. "I smell weed cuz y'all keep packin; it",
7. 3-minute Rule: This stands out as a lot of Mike D...but, MCA is great on this track, too. A little slower paced than the rest of the album.
8. Hey Ladies: The most recognizable and played track off the album. 15 samples on this one. It's a super-fun song and a classic. Hey Ladies!...Get funkaay.
9. 5-Piece Chicken Dinner: I have a friend who used to crank this track in the dorm and put it on repeat. Then he would go to class. People would be so fucking pissed. It's just a pseudo-country instrumental track...if I lived near him I would go insane.
10. Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun: Son of a gun, son of a bitch...gettin' paid, gettin' rich. Kind of a rockin' track.
11. Car Thief: This track is so much fun. It's almost like the Boys were totally stoned when they recorded this one. Ummm...I'm pretty sure they were.
12. What Comes Around: This song has some serious groove.
13. Shadrach: This is likely my favorite song on the album. It kicks in with some serious MCA rhyme...the whole tune is so fucking well crafted.
14. Ask for Janice: Answering machine, yo. Remember, ask for Janice.
15. B-Boy Bouillabaisse: The closer is a mammoth track. At over 12 minutes long it has so many samples. Just wow. Broken into 'suites' in the mold of many classical composers there is some serious depth to this song.
The Dust Brothers really broke the mold with Paul's Boutique. This album could not be made today. But, in 1989 the country was far less litigious than it is now (at least the record industry) and the Beastie Boys were able to sample hundreds of extremely popular tunes and mix them into their own blender.
Obviously, I cannot say enough good things about this album. So, at this point I will quit, let you run to your Youtube or radio or CD collection or iTunes and listen to this absolute classic.
Take an old classic for a spin, yo!
"Is Your Name Michael Diamond?"
"Nawww, mine's Clarence"
- Shake Your Rump
As I get older, I am beginning to realize the importance that music has on a person's history. There are certain albums that are virtual fucking time machines. Paul's Boutique is one of those albums for me. It just takes me back to...
Let's paint a picture. In my early days of college at the University of South Florida (go Bulls), I went to class...sometimes. But, most of the time was spent getting loaded, trying to find chicks to "hang out" with, and listening to Paul's Boutique. On repeat. Repeat. Repeat. There are two years of college that I only vaguely remember. Mike D, MCA (RIP, brother), and AdRock were the soundtrack to those years.
I wanted to be the 4th Beastie Boy. I had a huge (like 3'x5') poster of the Check Your Head album cover hanging over my bed. Those guys were kindred spirits, for sure.
But, I digress...
The Beastie's first album, Licensed to Ill, was a smash but I always thought it was a little too jokey for me. Like a bunch of frat boys trying too hard...but, don't get me wrong, Licensed to Ill is still pretty rad and just about everyone in my high school had this album. So, it was popular. Then...well, the Beastie's dropped off the scene for a while.
Then Paul's Boutique happened. When it came out it didn't sell billions of units and was roundly ignored among fans. It took people many years to realize just what this album actually is. For a long time it was viewed as the album sandwiched between the smash hits of Licensed to Ill and Check Your Head. The bastard cousin of the catalog, if you will.
Hell, I had the album for over a year before it really (and I mean REALLY) got into my blood. So, I understand the thinking of the populace of the time.
Track List and Notes
1. To All the Girls: Not much to the tune. Just a little taste that kicks right into...
2. Shake Your Rump: Holy shit. This track is the fucking best. So many quotable lines in the song, it flows so well, and the sampling is genius.
3. Johnny Ryall: Great lyrical interplay between the 3 Beastie's
4. Egg Man: Fantastic use of a sample from "Superfly" by Curtis Mayfield. This particular song had samples from 12 different tunes. This album simply could not be made today.
5. High Plains Drifter: My least favorite tune on the album. And I STILL love it!
6. The Sounds of Science: This songs builds. A slow rhyme into a fucking rapid fire rhyme. Fuck, I love this song. Used to play this song on repeat, repeatedly. "I smell weed cuz y'all keep packin; it",
7. 3-minute Rule: This stands out as a lot of Mike D...but, MCA is great on this track, too. A little slower paced than the rest of the album.
8. Hey Ladies: The most recognizable and played track off the album. 15 samples on this one. It's a super-fun song and a classic. Hey Ladies!...Get funkaay.
9. 5-Piece Chicken Dinner: I have a friend who used to crank this track in the dorm and put it on repeat. Then he would go to class. People would be so fucking pissed. It's just a pseudo-country instrumental track...if I lived near him I would go insane.
10. Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun: Son of a gun, son of a bitch...gettin' paid, gettin' rich. Kind of a rockin' track.
11. Car Thief: This track is so much fun. It's almost like the Boys were totally stoned when they recorded this one. Ummm...I'm pretty sure they were.
12. What Comes Around: This song has some serious groove.
13. Shadrach: This is likely my favorite song on the album. It kicks in with some serious MCA rhyme...the whole tune is so fucking well crafted.
14. Ask for Janice: Answering machine, yo. Remember, ask for Janice.
15. B-Boy Bouillabaisse: The closer is a mammoth track. At over 12 minutes long it has so many samples. Just wow. Broken into 'suites' in the mold of many classical composers there is some serious depth to this song.
The Dust Brothers really broke the mold with Paul's Boutique. This album could not be made today. But, in 1989 the country was far less litigious than it is now (at least the record industry) and the Beastie Boys were able to sample hundreds of extremely popular tunes and mix them into their own blender.
Take an old classic for a spin, yo!
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