My Top 1000 Songs #321: Made Of Stone

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.]

Here's another example of one of my favorite albums not making its first appearance until pretty well down this list, again because it's such a solid album from start to finish that no one song necessarily emerges as a personal favorite. The Stone Roses' 1989 debut made a huge impact on me from first listen, the slow-building "I Wanna Be Adored" patiently drawing me in, and melodic psych-pop songs like "Waterfall" and more upbeat rockers like "Elephant Stone" digging in their hooks.

But if pressed to pick the track that best explains my love of the album, it would have to be "Made Of Stone." The verse is brooding, minor key, psychedelic jangle, calling to mind a British reinterpretation of Paisley Underground acts like the Rain Parade; but for the chorus, it pivots into a sweet, major key melody, a Beatlesque jaunt that arguably cues up the Britpop sound that would become so prevalent in the decade ahead. The balance bounces back and forth between the haunting, slightly trippy moodiness and sing-along chorus, with some nice jamming to boot.

Live, 2016 reunion performance: