If Yr Allowed Only One Sonic Youth Song..
 

I'm going with Schizophrenia the 1991 Punk Broke live version if i could only have just one sonic youth song. While i had dirty and goo and washing machine and even made in america (which i was too young to possibly appreciate the weirdness) before i saw that video and had heard bull in the heather in its heavy rotation moment but it wasn't until i first watched this video that i truly feel in love with their music. I was in middle school, a cute girl in my science class knew i loved nirvana so she insisted i borrow her copy of the vhs since she was obsessed with sonic youth. As soon as that tom drop roll and starting riff played i was like, "wait.. whoa.." never looked back. That chick also became a good friend of mine and hooked me up with several of her homegirls which was a win win..

I wouldn't pick one.

Then its no sonic youth for you swayze!

Eh, that music is always with me regardless. Kinda like the Holy Spirit

kotton krown

100%...this song introduce me to sonic youth, i saw the clip in a tv show, and when it finnished , i asked myself - what was that ? - the rock n' grungy image of the band mix with the noisy melody, make me never look back...and that's where it all started.

The Sprawl. That's where it all started.

Schizophrenia. Doesnt get much better than that

Dirty Boots. That's where it all started.

Mote. It has everything including equal parts melody and skronk

i agree with such friends, while yes i saw schizophrenia live, it was never at such a ferocity of 1991YPB, that one performance solidified my love of the band, and having to rebut 1991YPB 3 times cause i would give it away to people to experience it

for what i never heard, I guess Diamond Sea, to experience such an explosion of sound would have been amazing

Not sure it's my favorite, but I think Schizophrenia is the closest there is to a perfect SY song, if there even is such a thing.

WOW.. I never realized how much we all seem to like Schizophrenia.. I would probably define Teenage Riot as a "prototypical" sonic youth song which has elements of everything they do musically, BUT, if I was pushed to say which song perfectly encapsulates the feeling and tone of sonic youth, it would indeed be that 1991YPB version of Schizophrenia.. It almost transports me to a different time and place everytime I listen to it..

i said 100%...but also i go with total trash in daydream...cause of the groove of the song, and noisy solo part it's something brilliant.

Hmmm this is too difficult. I'm tempted to say Kill Yr. Idols as it is my favorite SY song hands down...but I feel like it's not enough.

Shadow of a Doubt

Unwind

I Dreamed I Dream

That's a bad ass tunr right there

Seconded. I'll say it again: the "section" that starts around 4:40 or so is probably my favorite piece of music, of ART, by anyone, EVER. Not that I think it has the same impact at all or makes the same sense, even, without the previous four minutes and forty seconds (I refer you fine cats to my bitching about the unacceptable mauling suffered by Bowie's "Heroes"). It's a bit of a shame that Sonic Youth often chose to perform live a "Sprawl/Breeze" medley which jettisoned my beloved part... although it wasn't as bad as hearing "Layla" without the piano coda, I guess. But still!


And now you owe me royalties. Expect to hear from my lawyers momentarily.