The 11 Best Punk Songs By The Beastie Boys

This week Miley Cyrus did the ballsy thing and took her teen pop shtick and layered it all over Nirvana's classic "Smells Like Teen Spirit."  This prompted Rolling Stone to do a list of the worst/interesting covers of the 90s anthem.  Tori Amos succeeds only because she re-invents the song.  Bruno Mars does a decent job, but he only succeeds by mashing it with Michael Jackson.  And Kathleen Hanna's version isn't bad, considering she was the inspiration for the song...also her story that goes with the song is priceless.  This got me thinking how iconic songs are impossible to cover.  SLTS wasn't just a well-written song, that is definitely part of its appeal, but there's more to it.  The song was huge because of its delivery.  Cobain's performance of the song is as iconic as piece of its songwriting.  There are good songs and there are good performances.  Good songs can be covered.  Good performances are untouchable.

You will never hear a good cover of the Beastie Boys.  There is no other group on the planet that could do reasonable justice to any of their tunes.  The Beastie Boys themselves are iconic.  And though their songs are a memorable part of our society, it's their unique delivery and performance that makes them unlike any other group...rock, rap, punk...or whatever.  They are their own genre.

Here are the 11 Best Punk Songs By The Beastie Boys:

1.  Time For Living (Check Your Head)
2.  Mullet Head (Ill Communications Japanese Edition)
3.  Heart Attack Man (Ill Communications)
4.  Tough Guy (Ill Communications)
5.  I Want Some (Aglio E Olio)
6.  Egg Raid on Mojo (Polly Wog Stew)
7.  Nothing To Say (Music For Our Mother Ocean 3)
8.  Transit Cop (Polly Wog Stew)
9.  Jimi (Polly Wog Stew)
10.  Square Wave In Unison (Aglio E Olio)
11.  I Can't Think Straight (Aglio E Olio)

Buy the Beastie Boys' new album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two...now!!

The 11 Best Beastie Boys Songs of the 90s

When I first heard the Beastie Boys' "Check Your Head," I was shocked.  This was the Beastie Boys?  I was a big Paul's Boutique fan but this sounded nothing like PB or License.  It took a few listens, but by the end of the weekend, I was hooked.  This was the Beastie Boys!

They had re-invented themselves at a time when everyone had assumed they were down for the count.  Like Weezer's Pinkerton, when Paul's Boutique came out, no one liked it.  Critics hated it.  Radio refused to play it.  MTV barely touched it.  The Beasties looked to be a one-album wonder.

But with Check Your Head, they proved everyone wrong.  Not only did it redefine themselves and shed the one-time party-rap group stereotype, they delivered one of the most important albums of the decade.  They did it by looking past the confines of hip-hop and dove into ska, instrumentals, punk, and even country.  (check out GBU's 2007 post)

The Beasties have slowed down...but they have never quit.  With the new album, they decided to top their already unique music video style, by released a 30-minute mini-movie that would make It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World proud. (look it up)

One of the best things about being a Beastie Boys fan is that you never know what's coming next.  But you don't care, because they always deliver quality  And, you're always looking forward to it.

Here are the 11 Best Beastie Boys Songs of the 90s:

1.  Sabatoge (Ill Communications)
2.  Intergalactic (Hello Nasty)
3.  Get It Together (Ill Communications)
4.  Body Movin' (Hello Nasty)
5.  Sure Shot (Ill Communications)
6.  Jimmy James (Check Your Head)
7.  So What'Cha Want (Check Your Head)
8.  The Negotiation Limerick File (Hello Nasty)
9.  Flute Loop (Ill Communications)
10.  Pass the Mic (Check Your Head)
11.  Super Disco Breakin' (Hello Nasty)

Buy The Beastie Boys' new album, Hot Sauce Committee Part 2...now!!

The 11 Best Beastie Boys Songs of the 80s

This week will be all about the BBoys...even with Obama's big news.  It's time for our favorite jewish new york rappers to bring a little bit of life back to the party.  There's so many lists I want to do for this band.  Narrowing it down was practically impossible.  Best songs, best songs by decade, best instrumentals, best punk songs, best videos, best b-sides, best unreleased...the Beasties make a hard choice still fun.

I'm sure I can't go wrong with this one (and I'm sure you'll tell me if I did)...and we'll see what the rest of the week brings.

Here are the 11 Best Beastie Boys Songs of the 80s:

1.  No Sleep Til Brooklyn (License To Ill)
2.  Sounds Of Science (Paul's Boutique)
3.  Shadrach (Paul's Boutique)
4.  Shake Your Rump (Paul's Boutique)
5.  Fight For Your Right To Party (License To Ill)
6.  Time To Get Ill  (License To Ill)
7.  Paul Revere (License To Ill)
8.  Hey Ladies (Paul's Boutique)
9.  Rock Hard (Non- album Single)
10.  Egg Man (Paul's Boutique)
11.  B-Boy Bouillabaissie (Paul's Boutique)

Buy The Beastie Boys new album, Hot Sauce Committee Part 2...now!!!

THE UNKNOWN: Country Mike's Greatest Hits

In the year 2000, Garth Brooks and Mike D of the Beastie Boys were caught in a transportation machine made popular by the movies "The Fly" and "The Fly 2." Only instead of turning into a bug, they swapped out each other musical personalities. Garth Brooks thought he was a rock star and went around calling himself Chris Gaines, even recording a rock album under that name. Mike D on the other hand thought he was a country music star by the name of Country Mike. Ad Rock and MCA were so scared that Mike might going on a drinking binge and run over his dog, they appeased him until they could figure out what was wrong with him. So they did what Mike wanted to do, they recorded a country album. Fearing the public backlash, they didn't release it record stores...but only told Mike they did. It wasn't until Michael J. Fox came to the rescue in his flying Delorian were they able to switch Garth and Mike D back. Sadly, they were not able to recover Garth's musical talents and his career suffered because of it.

This sacred country album has remained hidden until now...

Here is - Country Mike's Greatest Hits (in order to download this album...you must buy the Beastie Boys new all-instrumental album, The Mix-Up. If you do not do this, Garth Brooks will be sent to your house where he will live with you for 30 days. Please note: that Garth is not housebroken.)

1. Sloppy Drunks
2. Railroad Blues (available on Anthology)
3. We Can Do This
4. Country Delight
5. Don't Let The Air Out of My Tires
6. How Do You Mend An Achin' Heart
7. One Song A Night
8. Country Christmas
9. Kenny Jones
10. Country Mike's Theme (available on Anthology)
11. On Your Way Up Again
12. We Can Do This (Live)
13. The Half-Wit

Since "Country Mike's Theme" and "Railroad Blues" are available on the Anthology as well as for purchase individually on iTunes, I have left those off. You can buy those yourselves...it's called compromise.