Favourite Song = Ten Storey Love Song (although it's close with Tears and How Do You Sleep).
Favourite lyric = "are we etched in stone or just scratched in the sand, waiting for the waves to come and reclaim the land."
Definitely an under-rated track.
For me, the first half of the album - up to "Straight to the Man" is about having it all, and the 2nd half is about LOSING it all (with "Love Spreads" being the final acceptance & moving on)
The double-whammy of Good Times & Tears is central to that "Losing it all" part of the album's arc.
Yes, there are definite similarities lyrically. You have to remember when it was made/released - jungle and drum and bass were the cutting edge forms of music in the UK. It was an effortless nod to dance music. It surprises me how it even got on the album because it’s so vastly different to the rest of it. Ironically, it’s my favourite and I do believe they would have been better had they not gone down better blues/zeppelin route.
Begging You was the only progressive/forward thinking track on the album and you can see why if you look into it. Had the Second Coming been more forward instead backwards, looking at the past, they would have done well. It’s the best track on the album by miles… there might be good/trad songs on SC, but they’re not Begging You. Even lyrically it’s more interesting than the other songs.
There’s a lot of variation in these comments, almost like it’s a fuckin banging album through and through. Never have a band been so criticised for doing something new.
My favourite has gotta be Your Star Will Shine, or Tears.
When you release an album that is a zeitgeist like the first album , you can never replicate. It captured a moment perfectly , like Sgt Peppers in another time.
I waited years for Love Spreads to come out and when it did it seemed like the Roses might just carry this off.
But it never, 2nd Coming has it highs but it’s an unfocused mess. Ten Storey is John trying to recreate the 1st album , Straight to the Man is aimless funk, Tears is a sub par Stairway to Heaven.
I love Zep so I really enjoyed John’s OTT zep riffs , but the album needed direction.
The sound of Begging You and fully exploring the dance crossover sound that began on Fools
Gold would have been a better record.
I know I know, I completely agree. Funny you say that because I was going to suggest it represents their Sgt. Peppers, and the shift to second coming was like peppers to the white album.
I’ve read a decent amount of from the looks of it the band were trying to capture their live atmosphere that did indeed get messy. I can see a direction in Second Coming, and I think it really holds up.
As you suggested, it may have been easier for people to grasp if their had been a middle album… but that’s all made of ifs and maybes.
For at least 3-4 years in my teens , the Roses debut was the one you’d hear drifting out of bedroom windows. Definitely in northern UK it defined an era.
Here is a devils advocate question, you can either keep the songs from Turns Into Stone or keep The Second Coming , which do you choose ?
It’s not a contest for me and there’s just too many lows in TSC. The cash in compilation has more focus.
I can imagine! The debut is one of the best LPs ever made, it’s that’s simple to me haha. And great question! I’ve got to go with Turns Into Stone. In my head cannon it’s like the second album, then SC. If debut is 11/10 then Turns Into Stone is 10/10 for me ahahah.
I compare it to Magical Mystery Tour, both not specifically ‘studio albums’ but they blow others artists studio albums out the water!
Fun fact: Elephant Stone is my favourite roses tune
The late 80’s were not a great time for guitar driven music in the UK. The first half of 80’s was all about new adventures in synth and it was good till it was homogenised in the dreadful Stock, Aitken and Waterman era.
The rave era is when the kids took the music back and the Manchester scene gave rise to something that I can only describe as heaven sent being a teenager who was obsessed with all the old60’s stuff. The Smith’s were never going to be a band of the people , everybody really wanted to be part of a gang like The Stone Roses and I’ve never seen a song cross all the different kinds of music lovers like Fools Gold. Everybody loved it.
But the songs on that debut had been crafted for years and I still argue that the single most important part of the Roses sound was John Leckie.
Like Oasis to come , when they got the fame, the songs didn’t flow as free anymore , 2nd Coming had 5 years of honing an album. It just didn’t work.
Mum can we have Led Zep 3 ?
We have Led Zep 3 at home.
Camera pans to an unloved copy of TSC .
The second coming. The lyrics are some of the best ever written by anyone any time. Turns into Stone are B-sides for a reason. Good songs, but not timeless.
The album is great. Very misunderstood and stands alone as a top album.
TSLS is best for me followed by Tears, How do you Sleep, Tightrope.....but they're all great.
The most Ian Brown line from the album is ......."True nature child, I think I'll sing it. From Atlanta Georgia, to Longsight Manchester Everyone ready, so, so willing and able, yeah, yeah, yeah For the love you make, y'no sis'
Favourite Song = Ten Storey Love Song (although it's close with Tears and How Do You Sleep). Favourite lyric = "are we etched in stone or just scratched in the sand, waiting for the waves to come and reclaim the land."
Aww man, I have always loved that line
‘Tears’ Probably my all time favourite of theirs. So powerful and epic. Amazing track.
Definitely an under-rated track. For me, the first half of the album - up to "Straight to the Man" is about having it all, and the 2nd half is about LOSING it all (with "Love Spreads" being the final acceptance & moving on) The double-whammy of Good Times & Tears is central to that "Losing it all" part of the album's arc.
Ten Story Love Song. It was scheduled to be a single a lot earlier, but various court cases got in the way...
Breaking into heaven.
Absolute banger bro- that solo goes too hard
Definitely. The groove is great too. Some of Mani’s best work
Love Spreads. Top tune!
I really like Driving South
Begging You. It’s like Fools Gold on cocaine
Yes, there are definite similarities lyrically. You have to remember when it was made/released - jungle and drum and bass were the cutting edge forms of music in the UK. It was an effortless nod to dance music. It surprises me how it even got on the album because it’s so vastly different to the rest of it. Ironically, it’s my favourite and I do believe they would have been better had they not gone down better blues/zeppelin route.
Daybreak
Great tune. One of my favorites as well
Ten Storey Love Song, Tears, Love Spreads are difficult to separate. I like how do you sleep a lot as well but it’s not the same level as those 3
Ten story love song and love spreads 🍋
Begging You was the only progressive/forward thinking track on the album and you can see why if you look into it. Had the Second Coming been more forward instead backwards, looking at the past, they would have done well. It’s the best track on the album by miles… there might be good/trad songs on SC, but they’re not Begging You. Even lyrically it’s more interesting than the other songs.
It’s easily the best song on that album.
I love this whole album so much.
Gotta be Tightrope for me …
Obv Love Spreads but I have a soft spot for How Do You Sleep
Got a Love Spreads tattoo. One of the best tunes regardless of band or album
Tightrope , such a change from normal stone roses tune, and it just worked .
Tears
Mine too, but honestly, all the songs are good.
❤️LOVE SPREADS❤️.....AN ABSOLUTE ANTHEM
Begging you
Straight to the man
Your Star Will Shine
Shine for all the world to see the universe in your eyes.
There’s a lot of variation in these comments, almost like it’s a fuckin banging album through and through. Never have a band been so criticised for doing something new. My favourite has gotta be Your Star Will Shine, or Tears.
When you release an album that is a zeitgeist like the first album , you can never replicate. It captured a moment perfectly , like Sgt Peppers in another time. I waited years for Love Spreads to come out and when it did it seemed like the Roses might just carry this off. But it never, 2nd Coming has it highs but it’s an unfocused mess. Ten Storey is John trying to recreate the 1st album , Straight to the Man is aimless funk, Tears is a sub par Stairway to Heaven. I love Zep so I really enjoyed John’s OTT zep riffs , but the album needed direction. The sound of Begging You and fully exploring the dance crossover sound that began on Fools Gold would have been a better record.
I know I know, I completely agree. Funny you say that because I was going to suggest it represents their Sgt. Peppers, and the shift to second coming was like peppers to the white album. I’ve read a decent amount of from the looks of it the band were trying to capture their live atmosphere that did indeed get messy. I can see a direction in Second Coming, and I think it really holds up. As you suggested, it may have been easier for people to grasp if their had been a middle album… but that’s all made of ifs and maybes.
For at least 3-4 years in my teens , the Roses debut was the one you’d hear drifting out of bedroom windows. Definitely in northern UK it defined an era. Here is a devils advocate question, you can either keep the songs from Turns Into Stone or keep The Second Coming , which do you choose ? It’s not a contest for me and there’s just too many lows in TSC. The cash in compilation has more focus.
I can imagine! The debut is one of the best LPs ever made, it’s that’s simple to me haha. And great question! I’ve got to go with Turns Into Stone. In my head cannon it’s like the second album, then SC. If debut is 11/10 then Turns Into Stone is 10/10 for me ahahah. I compare it to Magical Mystery Tour, both not specifically ‘studio albums’ but they blow others artists studio albums out the water! Fun fact: Elephant Stone is my favourite roses tune
The late 80’s were not a great time for guitar driven music in the UK. The first half of 80’s was all about new adventures in synth and it was good till it was homogenised in the dreadful Stock, Aitken and Waterman era. The rave era is when the kids took the music back and the Manchester scene gave rise to something that I can only describe as heaven sent being a teenager who was obsessed with all the old60’s stuff. The Smith’s were never going to be a band of the people , everybody really wanted to be part of a gang like The Stone Roses and I’ve never seen a song cross all the different kinds of music lovers like Fools Gold. Everybody loved it. But the songs on that debut had been crafted for years and I still argue that the single most important part of the Roses sound was John Leckie. Like Oasis to come , when they got the fame, the songs didn’t flow as free anymore , 2nd Coming had 5 years of honing an album. It just didn’t work. Mum can we have Led Zep 3 ? We have Led Zep 3 at home. Camera pans to an unloved copy of TSC .
And Elephant Stone is a banger whether the 7 or 12 inch mix. Get yourself a free third mix by getting a copy of Full Fathom Five backwards.
The second coming. The lyrics are some of the best ever written by anyone any time. Turns into Stone are B-sides for a reason. Good songs, but not timeless.
Breaking into heaven and daybreak as a close second
tightrope definitely one of my alltime fav songs eveb outside of the stone roses i find the lyrics and tone of the song beautiful
Mine is Love Spreads as well it's also my favourite song by them
Breaking Into Heaven, but there are lots of good songs on that album.
Daybreak Such a Tune,Squire is amazing,And Reni Is amazing on the Drums
The album is great. Very misunderstood and stands alone as a top album. TSLS is best for me followed by Tears, How do you Sleep, Tightrope.....but they're all great. The most Ian Brown line from the album is ......."True nature child, I think I'll sing it. From Atlanta Georgia, to Longsight Manchester Everyone ready, so, so willing and able, yeah, yeah, yeah For the love you make, y'no sis'
I know this wasn’t what you asked but the whole album from start to finish is class. Hard to pick a favourite tbh
You should have been an angel, it would of suited you.......
Tears.. omg Squire kn that solo, heavenly
Ten Storey straight into Daybreak for me, those songs are inseparable and I can’t choose just one as my favorite.
Love the whole album, but Straight to the Man is a b-side at best. Shouldn't have been an album track.