Week 16: GNARLS BARKLEY (420 to 30: A Music Retrospective)
Sadly only together for two albums, CeeLo Green and Danger Mouse shone brightly while it lasted and during my final high school years and first years in college, these guys were absolute tops for me. One of the best modern takes on soul music I know, I have really enjoyed revisiting their catalog this week and their lyrics remain as profound and insightful as ever.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Here's 7 of my favorites from Gnarls Barkley.
Week 16: GNARLS BARKLEY
#106/420 - Gnarls Barkley, “A Little Better”
I was pretty solid on my top 6 Gnarls Barkley songs when making this list, but this 7 spot was between practically the entirety of the rest of their discography. The non-album “Mystery Man” (from the “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul” single, as well as “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul”) and a number of other songs from both albums were strongly considered, but ultimately the combined elements of this song won out. It’s deep and beautiful, as much of what these two did is.
“Oh, it's probably plain to see
That I got a whole lotta pain in me
And it will always remain in me
So cold, it's a crying shame
Yet here I am trying again
'Cause I refuse to die in vain
The circumstances put soul in me
And there ain't no holding me
I've got a heart made of gold in me
Can you believe this is where I've been?
And when adversity comes again
I'll deal with it then”
This group was really important to me as a teenager, not because they were the best modern soul group I had ever imagined could exist (though true), but because the songs were about emotions and thoughts that seemed to have come from my own mind and heart. Revisiting it them 10 years later and the songs hit even deeper.
This one most strikingly seems to be about CeeLo moving on after the death of his parents in his young life, but the lyrics are universal enough to apply to overcoming any loss. “Even a little is still better.”
I absolutely loved this album when it came out. I heard every leaked song the minute it hit the internet and I bought the CD on day one of its early release. This track is the final cap on that album, which I had no idea would be their last. It’s an excellent closer, but man I will be one happy dude if Danger Mouse and CeeLo ever make good on that third album. Maybe call it "Welcome Back, Kotter" in keeping with naming the albums after old TV shows.
#107/420 - Gnarls Barkley, “Just a Thought”
Another profound and deep expression of the human psyche from Gnarls’ first album. “Why is this my life? …is almost everybody's question. And I've tried everything but suicide, but it's crossed my mind.” Perhaps the internal experience of life is even more challenging than the external. The themes of this song were almost scary to me when I was a kid first listening, but as an adult, more than 12 years later, the accompanying visual to the song has evolved and the idea of just not knowing what to do with oneself strikes me much more than the utterance of considering suicide. “Just a thought.” Almost like, is anybody even listening? Does anybody even care? I’m throwing anything out there at this point.
“Life is a one way street and, if you could paint it, I'd draw myself going in the right direction.”
“So I go all the way, like I really, really know but the truth is, I'm only guessing.”
I give it my all as if I know what I’m supposed to be doing. But I don’t. And there is no answer.
The loud, crashing drums and bass. It’s a great one.
#108/420 - Gnarls Barkley, “Going On”
“And I'll see you when you get there, but I'm going on, and I'm prepared to go it alone. I’m going on. May my love lift you up to the place you belong. I’m going on, and I promise I'll be waiting for you.”
Another badass song from Barkley.
And on we go.
#109/420 - Gnarls Barkley, “Run (I'm a Natural Disaster)”
The lead single to their second album with an awesome music video, this is not only one of their best, but also their most energetic/lively. Rewatching this music video only makes me wish Gnarls Barkley would return even more…
From the days of YouTube where 240p was the best you could do! Feat. Justin Timberlake practicing his comedic chops. Of course, nothing beats the seizure-inducing effects!
Easy song to like.
#110/420 - Gnarls Barkley, “Smiley Faces”
This one got a lot of play time at my house back in the day, one of the songs that really got me into Gnarls Barkley in the first place and prompted getting the first album.
It’s pretty intense and spacey for a song about smiling, but what works, works. There’s a lot of repeat value here. :) :) :)
“Put on a smiley face.”
#111/420 - Gnarls Barkley, “Open Book”
This is a truly great and unique song and definitely my pick for the most overlooked song by Gnarls Barkley. One that really deserves a listen. When I first heard this song, I had never heard a beat like this before (in music) and I haven’t heard one like this again since. The only association I have with the beat of this song is that it sounds almost exactly like basketball dribbling exercises we used to do back in the day where you would practice keeping control of the ball nearer and nearer to the ground, and then you could hit it hard right as it was about to stop bouncing to reset the dribble to standing arm height. That is pretty much exactly the beat of this song and I love it. I love that it works so well and is simultaneously so unusual.
I also love the jungle and forest noises and CeeLo kills it on the vocals here. It really can’t be understated what a good singer he is. The range, control, and characterization he has are remarkable.
I can’t really find what I deem to be accurate/official lyrics for this one, but I always really liked that second verse where I’ve always been pretty sure he is saying, “The drumbeat of my heart is tribal, oh, the sweet sound of survival, shall serenade this forest forevermore.” Most lyrics online seem to replace “forest” with “horse” or “voice” but those don’t really make as much sense to me… You don't really serenade a voice, it's the voice that serenades. And horse? Serenade a horse? Internet? Are you serious?
Go grab this album!
#112/420 - Gnarls Barkley, “Crazy”
I remember when, I remember, I remember when I first heard this song. There was something so pleasant about that day (night, actually). I was driving home during my high school days, couldn’t have been long with my license in my 2000 Saturn SL-2, listening to the local then newly alternative rock channel 102.1 on the radio, and just as I was pulling in the driveway, I hear the “thump-thump-thump-thump” and in comes CeeLo Green. And I distinctly remember just sitting there in the driveway, first of all perplexed that a song like this was even on an alternative rock station, and listening to the entire thing before turning off the car. It was almost instantly my favorite song. As a lover of classic soul and R&B, this was, to me, the perfect modernization of that. The vocals, the backing, the lyrics, all excellent. And I quickly watched it catch fire from then on, where even people I considered the most unlikely to be into this genre of music were blasting it. That was pretty cool, considering there were plenty of really crappy songs that were also popular at the time getting the most radio play.
It's always a phenomenon when something I appreciate hits the mainstream at the same time I'm appreciating it. This was fun. Even though I was the "and when you're out there, without care, yeah I was out of touch, but it wasn't because I didn't know enough, I just knew too much" in the song in my mind.
Rightfully, I believe this has come to be considered by many as one of the best songs of the 2000s and it’s definitely right towards the top of my list as well. I liked it so much, my tribute to Gnarls Barkley at the time was naming the main characters of my short film “Rodents”, Thomas and Brian, after Thomas “CeeLo Green” Callaway and Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton.
I regret never going out of my way to see these guys live during that small two year window when I would have had the chance. They’ve said in the past that they would make a third album, but the thought of that ever becoming a reality becomes less and less likely with every passing year. CeeLo of course has had some cool songs since then with the very funny “Fuck You!”, which still manages to bring a smile to my face, and the more recent “Robin Williams” which I really like a lot. Brian Burton started a new project with James Mercer following the last Gnarls album, and they released two very good albums as Broken Bells, and I believe a third is on the way. But as much as I’ve enjoyed the Broken Bells music, Gnarls Barkley is who I really want a third album from.
Of course, as The Rolling Stones put it, you can’t always get what you want.
But if you try sometime… you get what you need.
And that’s Gnarls Barkley. That crazy costumed duo that definitely isn’t named after former NBA basketball star Charles Barkley. Perhaps you shall take the stage again one day, once more. Then, I will be there.
Next week, G month continues with a very talented Hungarian guitarist who was active from the mid 60s through the 70s before his untimely death in 1982 at only 45. Although he wasn’t known for his songwriting, some of his albums are truly the assembly of an artist and I’m glad this week to shine a spotlight on the great Gábor Szabó.
420 to 30: A Music Retrospective
Week 2: The Jackson 5/The Jacksons
Week 3: A Tribe Called Quest
Week 4: Weezer
Week 5: Bob Dylan
Week 6: Led Zeppelin
Week 7: 2Pac/Makaveli
Week 8: Billy Joel
Week 9: Electric Light Orchestra
Week 10: Elvis Presley
Week 11: Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
Week 12: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Week 13: Nirvana
Week 14: The Doors
Week 15: The Rolling Stones
View the full list of "420 Songs" here: https://tinyurl.com/y8fboudu (Google spreadsheet link)
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