Song: "San Andreas"
Artist: Portastatic
Album: Slow Note from a Sinking Ship
Length: 2:37
Year: 1995
Label: Merge Records
Superchunk has been one of my favorite bands since the mid-90s and although they don't seem to be recording as a band anymore (their last album of new material came out in 2001), they still hold a place in my heart as a "founding" indie rock band who I loved long before the Internet-based/file sharing indie rock explosion of this new millennium. Plus, their music not only still holds up (and holds a couple places in this countdown), it's pretty freakin' brilliant in its own right. Portastatic is the solo effort/ now full-band offshoot of Superchunk lead singer Mac McCaughan, and they are still recording new material, including last year's somewhat disappointing Be Still Please and 2005's wonderful Bright Ideas. And Mac blogs. So you can't beat that. This song, off the second full-length by Mac's side band, is pretty much a full-on Superchunk track, barely indistinguishable from songs they were recording around that time -- and is short, sweet, catchy, and perfect. And it's about an earthquake, or at least a metaphor for a relationship that involves an earthquake. If you're younger than me and have never heard the song, do yourself a favor and download. It doesn't get much better than this.
#24 Favorite Song of All Time
Honey you know I'm watching out.
Though I believe the lines are down.
They're shaking me, I'm shaking too.
But probably not as much as you.
And do you think it's funny,
That I can hardly come running now
That I picture you in a crouch,
Next to your San Andreas house.
Did you just not hear the phone?
Or did you lose your house and home?
Did the earth swallow you up?
Or are you waiting for me?
Shaking freeways I can't leave
Burning houses far along
From our television plain
I hope that you have stayed the same.
And do you think it's funny,
That I can hardly come running now
That I picture you in a crouch,
Next to your San Andreas house.
Did you just not hear the phone?
Or did you lose your house and home?
Did the earth swallow you up?
Or are you waiting for me?
Did you just not hear the phone?
Or did you lose your house and home?
Did the earth swallow you up?
Or are you waiting for me?
Are you waiting for me?
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