Top tracks - Barenaked Ladies

Like most people, I first heard about Barenaked Ladies when One Week was a hit in 1998 and I bought the album the track came from called Stunt. To my surprise, the album had nothing similar in style but had well crafted songs with an acoustic feel.

Over the next few months I purchased their 3 other albums and discovered some wonderful music including Brian Wilson and The Old Apartment.  I have immediately bought the subsequent releases on the day that they are released.

The band is Canadian and built up a strong following in their homeland before international success and genuinely seem to enjoy what they do.  Last year, singer-songwriter Steven Page left the band after 20 years, but they regrouped and recently released All In Good Time.  I was sceptical that they could maintain the quality without Steven Page, but the album is pretty good.

I have seen them live 5 times (the first time at Glastonbury) and they are one of the best live acts I have seen.  Not only are they great musicians, but they are witty too.  Their adlib songs can be brilliant, though not always.

The 25 songs that I have selected cover their whole career:

1. Brian Wilson (Gordon)
2. One Week (Stunt)
3. Too Little Too Late (Maroon)
4. The Old Apartment (Born On A Pirate Ship)
5. Wind It Up (Barenaked Ladies Are Me - Deluxe Edition)
6. Pinch Me (Maroon)
7. Straw Hat And Old Dirty Hank (Born On A Pirate Ship)
8. Alcohol (Stunt)
9. Easy (Barenaked Ladies Are Me - Deluxe Edition)
10. Aluminium (Everything To Everyone)
11. Break Your Heart (Born On A Pirate Ship)
12. Jane (Maybe You Should Drive)
13. What A Good Boy (Gordon)
14. Maybe Not (Barenaked Ladies Are Me - Deluxe Edition)
15. Every Subway Car (All In Good Time)
16. Be My Yoko Ono (Gordon)
17. You Run Away (All In Good Time)
18. Falling For The First Time (Maroon)
19. Maybe Katie (Everything To Everyone)
20. If I Had $1000000 (Gordon)
21. It's All Been Done (Stunt)
22. Upside Down (Everything To Everyone)
23. Baby Seat (Maroon)
24. Call And Answer (Stunt)
25. Another Postcard (Everything To Everyone)

Here is a link to the iTunes mix, so you can hear snippets of the tracks (except for the 3 tracks from Barenaked Ladies Are Me that do not appear on iTunes in the UK for some strange reason).

Other 'best of' entries for other artists can be found here.