My Top 1000 Songs #835: Rise

[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.]

Johnny Rotten/Lydon's post-Sex Pistols outfit Public Image Ltd. are one of those bands I've never enjoyed as much as I'm told I'm supposed to. Sure, I appreciate the experimental nature of their early, groundbreaking work--on paper. But do I ever feel the need to sit down and listen to Second/Metal Box? Not really.

So while purists may disagree, the one album of theirs I really like is 1986's Album (or Compact Disc) (or, these days, maybe MP3 or Stream?). It's a deliberate step in a more commercial direction, with some actual pop hooks, albeit still limited in its mainstream concessions by Lydon's distinctive wail. They come closest to mainstream-adjacent on "Rise," with its party-ready thumping beat, palatably jangly guitars, and Lydon occasionally slipping into a surprisingly friendly croon. Very much a part of my mid-80s college radio vibe, but still a fun listen today.

Live 1988:

The remix: